Pallas Poppies

What do a cop, a corrupt ex cop now working for the Mafia and a female Pinkerton Detective have in common? They are all trying to find the notorious axe murderer in New Orleans.

So New Orleans 1919 and there’s a serial killer on loose, sign me up, sounds great!

But I don’t really get into it, it’s too slow, nothing really at stake. No suspense and no thrills. Another book that makes me go meh, has such a promise though. Feels like a book I will forget I ever read before the year is over.

I did like the characters but I think they could have popped more, if the axeman gets them… oh well.

Wait, what? It was THE Louis Armstrong? Why?!

I read it only because I had it and I need something at bedtime. So far I haven’t liked Phryne books but I loved the TV series. This book however was alright, my favorite of the ones I’ve read. Unsure how this was different from the others but it worked for me.

I read it only because I had it and I need something at bedtime. So far I haven’t liked Phryne books but I loved the TV series. This book however was alright, my favorite of the ones I’ve read. Unsure how this was different from the others but it worked for me.

Some interesting stories and characters here and there but it feels like it needs something to tie everything together. Not sure how the brief opening of Londons first nightclub had to do with anything. Or the start of a new art trend. There needed to be something to link all parts together.

Some interesting stories and characters here and there but it feels like it needs something to tie everything together. Not sure how the brief opening of Londons first nightclub had to do with anything. Or the start of a new art trend. There needed to be something to link all parts together.

This one started pretty good, the early years are interesting but feels like the author either ran out of steam or material and just wants to get to the end. No digging deep and gets kind of watery towards the end.

This one started pretty good, the early years are interesting but feels like the author either ran out of steam or material and just wants to get to the end. No digging deep and gets kind of watery towards the end.

Amanda is struggling with life after her daughter is murder and her husband kills himself, she wants the man responsible dead. She’s meets Wendy at a support group and they start taking, maybe they can help each other out?

My previous thriller had no thrills, there’s plenty in this one. Maybe the ending escalated a little too quickly for me but all in all I enjoyed it, it was a fun ride.

When it comes to cameras and DNA… I just went with it, not always believable but I decided to just not care.

SPOILER: But why the F did she burn Sparkles? Her daughter would have trusted her to look after Sparkles, she’d be devastated to know what happened to him.

Amanda is struggling with life after her daughter is murder and her husband kills himself, she wants the man responsible dead. She’s meets Wendy at a support group and they start taking, maybe they can help each other out?

My previous thriller had no thrills, there’s plenty in this one. Maybe the ending escalated a little too quickly for me but all in all I enjoyed it, it was a fun ride.

When it comes to cameras and DNA… I just went with it, not always believable but I decided to just not care.

SPOILER: But why the F did she burn Sparkles? Her daughter would have trusted her to look after Sparkles, she’d be devastated to know what happened to Sparkles.

My audio version had an authors notes at the end and he was taking about how he felt about his first draft and he said basically what I’m still thinking, something about how this adolescent tripe and that the MC was stupid.

Bond wish women were in the kitchen and he wants to f*ck Vesper to make sure he dick works after he’s been tortured. He calls her bitch repeatedly but never to her face, he’s such a pretentious douchebag and I did think that this is some old man fantasy about being a guy, gross. Some racism as well because why not. Started early with, “Ears small, with large lobes, indicating some Jewish blood.” It was a stupid book.

My audio version had an authors notes at the end and he was taking about how he felt about his first draft and he said basically what I’m still thinking, something about how this adolescent tripe and that the MC was stupid.

Bond wish women were in the kitchen and he wants to f*ck Vesper to make sure he dick works after he’s been tortured. He calls her bitch repeatedly but never to her face, he’s such a pretentious douchebag and I did think that this is some old man fantasy about being a guy, gross. Some racism as well because why not. Started early with, “Ears small, with large lobes, indicating some Jewish blood.” It was a stupid book.

Layla has a normal life but her actor boyfriend is desperate for a break and begs her to be part of a reality show. She accepts and off to tropical paradise, the first night on the island a storm hits and they are now cut off and needs to survive…

“As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla realises that someone is playing this game for real - and they’ll stop at nothing to win. Ten might have arrived, but who will survive to the end?”

I thought it was going to be a thriller but it’s more a physical drama and doesn’t really connect with the blurb.

It does raise some interesting questions about survival and decisions you might make as a group etc but… I was pretty bored. Maybe not sell it as a thriller full of suspense?

The characters felt paper thin and I didn’t care who lived or died. The MC had an inner dialog, something like, “It must have been horrible to have his young beautiful niece dying”. And yes, the death of ugly young nieces are much easier to deal with. And she also gets surprised that a beautiful woman could be in an abusive relationship. Sure, this were issues that could have been addressed if the MC was vain and all about looks but realizing that survival isn’t skin deep but it doesn’t.

I wanted, “And Then There Were None” in a tropical paradise and I feel cheated. It felt uninspired, thank the Gods I didn’t pay for this books. Libraries are amazing!

Layla has a normal life but her actor boyfriend is desperate for a break and begs her to be part of a reality show. She accepts and off to tropical paradise, the first night on the island a storm hits and they are now cut off and needs to survive…

“As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla realises that someone is playing this game for real - and they’ll stop at nothing to win. Ten might have arrived, but who will survive to the end?”

I thought it was going to be a thriller but it’s more a physical drama and doesn’t really connect with the blurb.

It does raise some interesting questions about survival and decisions you might make as a group etc but… I was pretty bored. Maybe not sell it as a thriller full of suspense?

The characters felt paper thin and I didn’t care who lived or died. The MC had an inner dialog, something like, “It must have been horrible to have his young beautiful niece dying”. And yes, the death of ugly young nieces are much easier to deal with. And she also gets surprised that a beautiful woman could be in an abusive relationship. Sure, this were issues that could have been addressed if the MC was vain and all about looks but realizing that survival isn’t skin deep but it doesn’t.

I wanted, “And Then There Were None” in a tropical paradise and I feel cheated. It felt uninspired, thank the Gods I didn’t pay for this books. Libraries are amazing!

Ellie Mallory's having a bad day, she’s getting fired after being arrested at a suffragettes protest and when she accidentally comes across a mysterious map an amulet in her bosses office she decides it’s time for an adventure. But when stealing the map she’s soon found out and the villain is after her across the Atlantic…

This is like the cheesy lovechild between The Mummy and Indiana Jones. It’s not perfect but reads like an 80-90’s adventure movie and it’s kind of fun.

Didn’t really buy the love story, the MC throws a few “Why you stuck up, half witted, scruffy looking nerf herder!” his way just because. The first impression and irritation between them feels pretty forced. Both of the MCs are very cliché, we’ve seen these characters before in movies. There’s a lot of mention of how muscular the man is, male flesh etc etc and he’s often missing his shirt. Maybe tell yourself that this is an 80’s movie and you can just roll with it? If those kind of movies are not appealing to you, maybe this is not the book for you.

But I had fun and I will look for the second part in the series and see if it can keep it up for a second book. Just finished it so maybe I’m overdoing it but, eff it, 4 stars!

I saw the cover with the Cloud Cutter and was intrigued and booked it at my library. If it had been an other cover I might never have read this book.

Parts of the book is great, parts of the book is slow, a lot is unbelievable. It’s written in 4 parts and the first part is the best part and after that I was sort of hoping it would pick up again, a little slow build up but no, doesn’t happen.

The ease of travelling and no mention of money is unbelievable to me.

Still enjoyed it all in all and I’m happy I read it. Due to the strong first part I will give it a 4 but most of the book is around 3-3,5.

I saw the cover with the Cloud Cutter and was intrigued and booked it at my library. If it had been an other cover I might never have read this book.

Parts of the book is great, parts of the book is slow, a lot is unbelievable. It’s written in 4 parts and the first part is the best part and after that I was sort of hoping it would pick up again, a little slow build up but no, doesn’t happen.

The ease of travelling and no mention of money is unbelievable to me.

Still enjoyed it all in all and I’m happy I read it. Due to the strong first part I will give it a 4 but most of the book is around 3-3,5.