Wulf C. Krueger

Regressive, Reckless, and Ridiculous: Meet the Worst Book I've Ever Read

In all honesty, this is the worst book I’ve ever read. It’s so backwards-leaning, demented, idiotic, and irresponsible, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Long and Sidebottom are actually Trump and Musk respectively.

Daisy is our female protagonist who has just been cheated on by her boyfriend, been fired from her job, and, encouraged by friends, now wants to take a holiday. To give you a first idea of what Daisy is like, let’s examine her thoughts about that:

»My pout returns when I remember she’s right. I have no job to try and take holidays from. I have no boyfriend to seek permission from.«

The male protagonist, Frazer, is by no means better.

»From what I know, Nigel is a prize ass, anyway, and I’m sure no mother could be proud of a son who wears brown corduroys and a feather fucking earring while he sticks toenail clippings to bits of cardboard – all at the same time.«

His behaviour resembles that of a reckless, careless, horny teenager. He doesn’t mind “forgetting” using a condom much and when asked to visit the local pharmacy for the pill after, he refuses because he’s a man…

Daisy's reaction to this is… surprising as well: She starts hopping, “Trying to get it all out. You know, fling it downwards!” as a means of birth control.

Frazer also thinks “pulling out” is a valid method of contraception, and so does Daisy, as she doesn’t even react to it. He also doesn’t mind jumping the next available female despite harbouring very strong feelings for Daisy. To get rid of said woman the morning after, he behaves extremely rudely and insultingly to her.

There’s also a notable side character called Frank. Frank seems to be a middle-aged white male of the “disgusting sexist” variety. Whenever and wherever he sees a woman, he greets her like this:

»Frank is sitting at his spot on the bench, and lifting a hand in greeting to me, he shouts out, “Morning, sugar tits.”«

And this is by far the most “harmless” greeting…

Fittingly, the writing feels cheap and bland, with absolutely no highlights and humour of this type:

»He makes money out of used loo rolls and my life is so shit I need the toilet tissue.«

There’s a lot of sex and I usually don’t complain about smut but the sparse and barren language as well as a complete absence of noticeable, credible desire or at least lust gives it a mechanical, transactional, and sometimes clinical feeling. Let’s take a look at Daisy’s and Frazer’s first “encounter” (abridged):

»“Show me your dick and I’ll sign the piece of paper.”

[...]

“Oh yeah. Okay then. Here goes.”

[...]

He winks at me. “Fine with me. Listen. This is going to sound weird, but can I touch your boob just a little bit?”

[...]

“Okay.”

[...]

“I want to touch it.”

[...]

“You can if you want but then you’ll have to excuse me to go to the loo and know I’m going to think about your body as I beat off. I’ve gone past the point of no return here.”«

This, fellow readers, is how they fall in insta-love. It is also the moment when I started feeling nauseous.

Even though this is more of a novella, there’s still tons of filler material, e. g. Daisy going on a dinner date (a disaster both story- and novel-wise) during which she complains about the size of one of the waiter’s eyes…

»The waiter huffs loudly and shifts from one foot to the other. I’d feel sympathetic for him but he definitely has one eye bigger than the other and looks down right shifty.«

The authors go on, and on, and on to put every single shitty cliché into their novel…

»Shirley reaches out and pats Daisy’s hand. “Aww, darling, you should have said if you’re premenstrual.”«

… to “dumb blondes”...

»Maybe because, a, your dick definitely does NOT taste of lychees like you promised.«

… and great, loving parenting styles…

»Your brother ran away at thirteen when I told him he couldn’t dye his hair pink. He did the same at fourteen when I told him his new earring looked stupid. It was a peacock feather, for God’s sake.«

There’s even blackfacing…

»Kathy and I are dressed in hoodies and jeans. We’ve put the darkest fake tan on our faces and hands so we look a different race altogether from a distance. That’s what we’re going to be all night long.«

This could go on for all of the 260 pages of this irredeemably bad book, one of the very few without any redeeming qualities at all.

There was one moment, though, that made me laugh out loud but, unfortunately, it was unintentionally funny and only serves to show how, uhm, “intellectually challenged” these authors are:

»She then turns over and is out as if someone has put a chlorophyll-filled tissue in her face.«

Dear Andie and D.H., the word you were looking for is “Chloroform” which firmly belongs to the 19th and early 20th century from which your novel’s jokes, ideas about gender, sex, and societal norms also come.

Your verbal diarrhoea is disgusting and solely garners one star out of five because I can’t give none.

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I've followed Angela Marsons' Kim Stone series from the beginning, and "Dead Souls" was, so far, its best instalment.

What sets this entry apart is the fascinating dynamic created by forcing Kim Stone to work alongside her long-standing nemesis, Tom Travis, and his team. This unexpected partnership generates tension throughout the story, while Kim's own team tackles separate cases that eventually interweave.The culmination, involving the abduction of one of Kim's team members, had me perched on the edge of my seat.

Marsons has always excelled at pacing, but here she's outdone herself. The narrative flows with the precision of a well-oiled machine, never feeling rushed yet maintaining a constant sense of urgency. While the subject matter is undeniably dark—dealing with xenophobia, racism, and hate crimes—it doesn't descend into the gratuitous territory that sometimes plagues contemporary crime fiction.

It feels almost eerie to have read this in January 2025, considering a convicted felon, an insurrectionist spared jail and disqualification from office by his election, is about to become president of the USA in less than a week. and his “tech bro” is openly supporting Nazis in Germany and the UK.

Back to fiction, though: The character development continues to impress, with both familiar faces and new additions being rendered in compelling detail. I particularly appreciated how Marsons uses the team's separation to spotlight individual character growth while maintaining the series' distinctive group dynamic.

Comparing this to previous entries in the series, such as "Broken Bones" or "Evil Games", "Dead Souls" shows a marked evolution in both storytelling sophistication and thematic depth.

For readers new to the series, while this book can stand alone, I'd recommend starting from the beginning to fully appreciate the character relationships and their development. However, long-time fans will find this a particularly rewarding entry that pushes beloved characters into new territory while maintaining everything we've come to love about the series.

Five stars out of five.

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Hope and New Beginnings: Why You’ll Fall in Love with ”The Wedding People”

I knew absolutely nothing about “The Wedding People” by Alison Espach. I just liked the cover. Once I had started reading it, I didn’t want to stop—for anything or anyone. Now that I’ve finished it, I’m suffering from a severe bout of book hangover.

Phoebe Stone comes to the Cornwall Inn to kill herself. She just wants to splurge on herself one last time, dine nicely, enjoy the sunset and then overdose on… medicine. Before she can do pretty much anything of that, though, Phoebe finds herself amidst the chaos of the “wedding week” of the bride, Lila, the groom, Gary, and the eponymous “wedding people”.

Lila literally barges into Phoebe’s life and room, and sets Phoebe on a path that will drastically change her life.

»No. You definitely cannot kill yourself. This is my wedding week.«

This premise had me hooked very quickly. What really sealed the deal for me, though, was not the “loudness” of the wedding. It was the raw and honest conversations that quickly started between Lila, who is outwardly controlled, controlling, and almost excessively extroverted, and Phoebe, who starts out as Lila’s polar opposite. Their conversations change their respective perceptions of their lives and futures.

»Phoebe looks at Lila and Lila looks at Phoebe. The sadness of the story is so stark, her voice so monotone when she delivered it, they erupt into a laughter so intense it surprises Phoebe. Every time they are about to calm down, the bride says, “Herrbbbballl Essences!” and Phoebe starts laughing all over again. It makes her feel high.«

I deeply appreciated the sensitive and tender depiction of Phoebe’s state of mind that keeps organically and subtly changing throughout the novel. To me at least, Phoebe is immensely relatable.

»The bride doesn’t understand yet, what it means to be married. To share everything. To have one bank account. To pee with the door wide open while telling your husband a story about penguins at the zoo.«

Lila often comes across as abrasive, rash, sometimes rude, and always expressive, to say the least. She is loud and obnoxious among her wedding people. And, yet, in her conversations with Phoebe we get to see other sides of her: The deep-seated insecurity, her doubts and worries. Lila tries to drown all of it in her outward “loudness”, and by planning, executing, and controlling every little detail and leaving nothing to chance.

It is testament to Espach’s empathy with her characters that Lila, too, is shown as a complex character in spite of all that. Like Phoebe, she embarks on a metaphorical journey that leads her to completely unknown shores and gives her depth. Early on, just styled “the bride”, she grows into (De)lila(h), a first-class character.

Gary, the groom, is Lila’s opposite: He basically stands somewhere in her vicinity and, like a spectator, leaves everything to her. His and Lila’s wedding is his second wedding and he has almost resigned to it. Whereas Lila is loud and outgoing, Gary is often a silent witness of the havoc she wreaks. In his interactions with Phoebe, though, we get a glance at the Gary he has buried along with his first wife. Just like the novel in its entirety, it felt exhilarating, joyful, and kind of triumphant to see how Gary burrows himself out of the “grave” he put himself into; the undeserved guilt he feels, the feeling of being constantly overwhelmed by Lila, and the deeply felt love for his child, Mel(anie), who wants to be called “Juice”.

Phoebe and Gary grow towards each other over the course of the novel. Here, again, Espach intricately weaves a narrative web that not only entangles the both of them but the reader as well. It was simply impossible for me not to enjoy their conversations that are very rarely openly intimate but exude a feeling of intimacy that, at times, made me feel like a voyeur.

I could go on to describe my tender feelings for Juice, Jim, Patricia, Pauline the receptionist, Harry the cat, and many other side characters that are amazingly refined in their own rights and so unobtrusively shown in all their grief and overflowing joy of life (Juice), their restrained despair over what could have been (Jim), what should have been (Patricia), what strictly is in the present (Pauline), and what was (Harry). All of them formed an intrinsically plausible and irresistible world that felt real and life-like.

»“It’s not easy being angry at your own creation. It’s like being angry at yourself.”«

Espach’s writing style and language was superb and extremely accessible, yet neither simple or plain nor ornate. Espach writes just as openly and honestly as most of her characters are. It was an irresistible pleasure to devour her prose.

I especially liked the many shades of humour throughout the novel. From dry (and sometimes morbid) humour…

»“I know this is going to be the most beautiful fucking wedding, and if I wake up to your corpse being rolled into the lobby tomorrow morning, you should know I’ll never recover from something like that.”

“Neither will I,” Phoebe says.«

… to sometimes slapstick-like interludes (the first car made me laugh tears till I started choking) that I’ve not encountered before in decades of reading.

»“Well, I think it’s amazing,” Gary says. “How much work we’ll do just to feel something. I don’t think there is anything more human than that.”«

With the exception of maybe a few indulgent moments near the end of the novel, the pacing was excellent. A mixture of short and medium length chapters sometimes kept me reading from sunset to sunrise, losing sleep—the ultimate proof of a book’s enchantment. I quickly stopped caring about sleep, food, and other bodily functions.

If you’re looking for a novel that is both light and heavy, that spins an astounding tale of hope (at a certain point I was reminded of Emily Dickinson’s wonderful poem ““Hope” is the thing with feathers”), and new beginnings, this book is exactly what you need.

»To be alive, she must leave this hotel, despite the uncertainty of everything.«

Five exuberant stars out of five, and a place among my favourite books of all time.

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"Blood Lines" by Angela Marsons initially grabbed my attention with its suspenseful and gripping story. It certainly is a page-turner, and for a while, I was convinced that this was a solid four-star read. The premise was intriguing, and the pacing kept me engaged, making it easy reading at first. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm waned as the story progressed.

»She was not as surprised as she should have been that Alex had come crashing back into her life.«

The return of Alex Thorne, an old foe, felt contrived, and Alex’ actions seemed almost universally outlandish. Why resurrect old villains when you can create new, compelling antagonists? And let’s be honest, she's unbelievably manipulative and cartoonish. It severely impacted my enjoyment to see such a lazy plot device used. It’s just more of the same, nothing new—and, of course, Kim fell for it almost every time…

If you—like me—didn’t enjoy “Evil Games” (Kim Stone #2) all that much, be prepared for more “blasts from the past”—including a dying scene so utterly clichéd to the extent that it induced secondhand embarrassment.

Then we have the storyline itself: the plot became increasingly contrived, and some connections Kim made were thread-bare. On a more positive note, the dynamics within Kim’s team are as engaging as ever. One of the team members, though, made several mistakes to the point where it became difficult to suspend disbelief; these errors had no real consequences – a "good bollocking" seemed to suffice, rather than any meaningful repercussions.

»Emotion. Because you have none you can’t even begin to understand how they affect people’s actions.«

This gross oversimplification of a sociopath's abilities, especially given that Alex had demonstrably understood emotions, and used them to great success throughout the novel, was grating to say the least. This also reflects badly on Kim’s understanding of her foe.

Overall, "Blood Lines" had the potential to be a brilliant crime thriller. It started promisingly but ultimately failed to deliver on its initial appeal.

Three stars out of five.

Too dozy for a proper review: Gripping, not as excessively violent as the predecessor, interesting setting on a body farm, Kim's brilliant, surprising developments, good twists – Marsons really nailed it here!

As did Barry in his review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5248382904

After the police procedural version of a “grimdark” novel, I needed “light” - and quickly! “[b:Failure to Match 210277479 Failure to Match (Bad Billionaire Bosses, #2) Kyra Parsi https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1711589437l/210277479.SY75.jpg 215329056]” by [a:Kyra Parsi 20746623 Kyra Parsi https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1690751051p2/20746623.jpg] got the job done.Of course, everything was highly predictable and, yet, I enjoyed reading how Jamie fell in love with Jackson. In the beginning, I was highly sceptical considering character descriptions like these:»Minerva Sinclair was a tall, willowy woman with stark white hair and cutting features, and her signature “look” consisted of cherry-red pantsuits, vintage cat-eye sunglasses, and knife-sharp stilettos. Per our client paperwork, she had her personal tarot reader (Imogen) on speed dial and kept her wrinkly sphynx cat (Harry) cradled against her bony chest everywhere she went, as per the guidance of her spiritual advisor (Velma).«Or eye-roll inducing humour like this:»Also, she'd literally named her hairless cat Harry, and I didn't think she'd intended the pun.«(Since it's so bad: It's not a pun because “Harry” and “hairless” lack intentional wordplay or a double meaning, and it also makes no sense phonologically.)All the characters were pretty much the literary equivalent of cardboard cutouts (Bensen, the stoic factotum; Mable and Molly, scheming twin sister housekeepers; the deceased evil, child-torturing father; Beatrice, man-eating, cheating wife who eventually left them all to go and live in Paris) and the story - matchmaker fails her customer but falls in love with him due to forced proximity and, ahem, his tongue - is almost as ridiculous as the title of the series “Bad Billionaire Bosses”.And, yet, there were some ideas expressed, some pictures painted, some writing skills acquired in the process that—despite all the stupidity—made me enjoy this novel and recover from the kitten and child torture of my previous read.»You know how sometimes you manage to convince yourself that you're fine and that everything's under perfect control when, in reality, you're barely hanging on by a frayed thread? And then something really small happens, or someone says something seemingly insignificant, and it makes you break in half?Well, I broke in half.«There's a fine line between intentional cheesiness and downright cringe-worthy missteps, and the author walks that line with a precarious yet daring confidence. At times, the rope stiffens beneath her feet, granting balance; at others, it sags, pulling her dangerously close to a full tumble into cringeworthy territory (which she skirts more often than not). Yet, despite the wobbles and near-falls, she completes the tightrope act with a redeeming bit of flair.Three stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

I read “[b:Lost Girls 26123233 Lost Girls (DI Kim Stone, #3) Angela Marsons https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1588321593l/26123233.SY75.jpg 46071624]” by [a:Angela Marsons 7942666 Angela Marsons https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1419947389p2/7942666.jpg] because I really like Kim Stone as an investigator. Stone is often harsh at least, sometimes to the point of callously offending anyone who hasn't earned her respect. She is also desperately compartmentalising her gruesome childhood and youth to be able to merely “function”.I simply cannot help but root for such a person. As for the three novels I've read by now, I've generally found Marsons' books to be a reasonably decent way to pass the time, offering a reliable dose of police procedural with Kim Stone at the helm.However, this one felt a bit of a misstep, venturing into territory that, for me at least, felt unnecessarily grim. Marsons herself states, »Each story is intended to entertain and take the reader on an exciting, interesting journey. There are some subjects in the books that are difficult to stomach but I aim to treat each situation with respect and sensitivity and not sensationalism.«It's a noble aim, but I'm not entirely sure this novel hits the mark. The rest of this review will be full of revealing quotations and unabashedly present spoiler after spoiler. You have been warned.The premise of “Lost Girls” hinges on the abduction of children. We follow Kim Stone and her team as they try to unravel the mystery, but we also get glimpses into the world of the kidnappers, a choice that, frankly, didn't work for me. As one of my notes states regarding the kidnappers' perspective, it was just too unsubtle and flat-out violent. “Subject One” is depicted as an “evil genius” type of criminal, whereas “Subject Two” is sculpted as a sociopathic “killing machine”. Both remain at this generic level of characterisation. While their respective motives are somewhat clear, there are no convincing explanations and, in the case of “Subject Two”, a strongly hyperbolised attempt to make him feel plausible.The choice of “Subject Three” seemed completely absurd to me.I cannot even quote from these passages because they'd display extreme violence against young animals and children.A level of brutality is shown that I cannot help but feel reflects back on the author.There were signature “Kim moments” where the dialogue felt amusing, such as this, in which she speaks to her superior:»She tipped her head. ‘How could you have been so sure?'‘Because you were told you couldn't have it – and you don't like that one little bit.'Kim opened her mouth and closed it again. For once she could not disagree.«In “Lost Girls”, however, the relentless focus on the darker aspects often overshadowed the more nuanced elements. For example, I found the parents quite interesting, especially Karen and Robert, but they remain sadly underused.The level of depravity explored felt excessive, or, as Marsons puts it, it is »a level of depravity that went beyond any case [Kim had] worked«, and indeed, it's a level I don't particularly want to read about. There's a disturbing element to making the victims young children. As a father of three I was deeply horrified. While I appreciate that crime fiction often delves into unpleasant realities, this felt gratuitous at times, leaning towards shock value rather than serving the story.At around the halfway mark, I even considered a DNF, given the excessive violence.Kim Stone's character, while usually compelling in her relentless pursuit of justice, verged on being almost unlikeable here.There's a scene where she's contemplating a victim:»Kim had to agree but this was a crime scene she viewed dispassionately. Inga had made choices. She had been party to the abduction of innocent children. Yes, this pitiful figure had felt fear but she was now free of that fear. For two little girls, it went on. She hoped.«This reaction seems cold-hearted and devoid of empathy, overstating Kim's character. While her tough exterior is part of her appeal, the dispassionate view of the crime scene felt a bit much this time around. It's one of my core convictions that absolutely nobody deserves to die - no matter what someone did. This point of view also was reflected in the first Kim Stone novel. By Kim herself.The raw fear experienced by the victims, Charlie and Amy, is palpable in moments like this:»Amy cried out and Charlie pulled her close, unable to speak. The fear had paralysed her throat because a part of her had realised the truth.Tomorrow they were going to die.«While undeniably impactful, it ultimately felt unnecessary, included more for pure shock value than any real contribution to the story.There's a sense that Marsons, in attempting to tackle such a sensitive subject, perhaps lost her footing. She recognised the potential pitfalls, as evidenced by her statement, but the execution didn't quite land for me. Compared to other crime thrillers, this one felt heavier on the grim details without offering sufficient depth or nuance in other areas.Ultimately, “Lost Girls” wasn't a complete disaster, but it certainly wasn't my favourite from Angela Marsons. The subject matter felt heavy-handed, and the relentless focus on violence detracted from the more engaging aspects of her writing.Three out of five stars.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

[a:Gøhril Gabrielsens 2929181 Gøhril Gabrielsen https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] “[b:Die Einsamkeit der Seevögel 200830746 Die Einsamkeit der Seevögel Gøhril Gabrielsen https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1698428044l/200830746.SX50_SY75.jpg 207530838]” verspricht in Titel und Klapptentext eine eindrucksvolle metaphorische Verbindung zwischen Natur und menschlicher Isolation, vermag diese jedoch kaum einzulösen. Der Roman greift mehrere gewichtige Themen auf, darunter sexualisierte Gewalt, Manipulation, die fragile Mutter-Kind-Beziehung, sowie ökologische Zerbrechlichkeit sowie diejenige der neuen Beziehung – und bleibt dabei doch oberflächlich und zerfahren. Bereits die Erzählweise ist teils überbordend und schwer zugänglich. Ein Eindruck, der durch Passagen wie die folgende verstärkt wird:»Die Nachricht verschwindet. Ich sehe die Wörter vor mir: Zerstückelt, in unkenntliche Ziffern und Zeichen zerlegt, steigen sie zwischen den Schneeflocken auf, gleiten durch eine Wolkenlücke und weiter in den Satellitenhimmel, finden ihren Stern, der die Nachricht mit einem Blinken wieder zur Erde sendet.«Die Naturbilder, die Gabrielsen heraufbeschwören möchte, wirken zwar bildreich, doch wie in diesem Beispiel oft schwülstig und weitaus mehr esoterisch als bedeutungsvoll. Statt mit sprachlicher Präzision zu überzeugen, verliert sich der Text im Nebel symbolischer Überladung, ohne klare Spuren für den Leser zu hinterlassen. Dabei hätte es durchaus Potential gegeben. Gabrielsen versucht sich an historischen Einsprengseln aus dem 19. Jahrhundert, jedoch fügen sich diese nicht organisch in die Gegenwartserzählung ein und fühlen sich „dahinfantasiert“ an. Die Vorstellung, wie Isolation und Naturgewalt den Verstand verzehren können, erinnert an Werke wie [a:Emily Brontës 4191 Emily Brontë https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1529578586p2/4191.jpg] “[b:Sturmhöhe 6670684 Sturmhöhe Emily Brontë https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327371684l/6670684.SX50.jpg 1565818]”: Die harschen Moorlandschaften und das erdrückende Gefühl der Einsamkeit dienen nicht nur als Schauplatz, sondern auch als Spiegel der psychischen Zustände der Charaktere. Während Gabrielsen dies eher bruchstückhaft inszeniert, liefert Brontë ein kohärentes Zusammenspiel zwischen Mensch und Natur, das die mentale Zerbrechlichkeit in Extremsituationen (obschon anderer Natur) weitaus greifbarer macht. Doch die emotionale Tiefe und Symbolkraft jener Geschichte wird von Gabrielsen nicht erreicht. Die vielfältigen, verstreuten und unverarbeiteten Ansätze Gabrielsens haben zumindest mich unbefriedigt zurückgelassen. Viel Potential hatte diese Novelle, aber leider wird es vollständig verschenkt. Schade!Einer von fünf Sternen.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

I decided to put in another festive romance reading “sprint” and, regrettably, I settled on [a:Tessa Bailey's 6953499 Tessa Bailey https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1634304355p2/6953499.jpg] “[b:Window Shopping 58943206 Window Shopping Tessa Bailey https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631093429l/58943206.SY75.jpg 92892064]”. It endeavours to offer a festive romance wrapped in themes of redemption and self-discovery but, for me, falls short of expectations. While I anticipated a heartwarming holiday tale filled with charm, I instead found a collection of hurried resolutions, clichéd characterisations, and strained dynamics.Stella's characterisation was one of the main frustrations. She veers wildly between crippling insecurity and unconvincing strength, making her emotional journey feel inconsistent and unrelatable. Her conflict with her parents, which could have provided a rich emotional arc, is resolved almost instantly and without any meaningful dialogue or exploration. This lack of depth extended to Aiden as well. While he's positioned as the quintessential romantic hero, his internal monologues hint at self-satisfaction that does not endear him. His protectiveness and confidence border on the caveman trope, which made certain interactions feel clumsy rather than endearing.The chemistry between Stella and Aiden is another mixed bag. Aiden's cavalier intensity might work in other contexts, but here it veered into cringe territory, especially with lines like:»up and down the rigid stalk of his arousal«Such phrasing, rather than adding to the tension, made the scenes unintentionally comedic.Worse still, the subplots and secondary characters were thinly developed. Stella's friend Nicole, for instance, transitions from toxic to reformed in the blink of an eye after a short, unconvincing conversation. This superficiality pervades much of the narrative, undermining its emotional beats.Yet another letdown was the lack of authentic Christmas spirit. While the premise suggested a cosy holiday backdrop, the festive vibes felt more like an afterthought. Instead of immersing readers in seasonal charm, the story felt rushed and mechanical, missing the emotional resonance that holiday romances often deliver.While I appreciated Stella's stance on “no favouritism,” there was little else for me to connect with.Two stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

On a mere whim, on 24 December, I decided I wanted to read a holiday romance during the holiday it depicts. Consulting my library, I quickly settled upon “[b:In a Holidaze 50892287 In a Holidaze Christina Lauren https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1601590329l/50892287.SY75.jpg 75786905]” by [a:Christina Lauren 6556689 Christina Lauren https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1730746046p2/6556689.jpg] which turned out to be a mixed bag but still effectively did the job. Between holiday chores (when my wife asked me to do something “steamy”, I didn't expect it to involve the steam cleaner!). Late at night today, I finished it (the novel, not the cleaner). Mission accomplished.“Holidaze” started exactly as I hoped it would: Two families coming together in a cabin to celebrate Christmas, lots of holiday cheer, endearing characters—it was fun!The “Groundhog Day” style time loop device was, thankfully, used sparingly, but this still was the first minor gripe of mine: »I believe now that the universe delivers random acts of kindness, and it's on us to decide what to do with them.«Attributing intention, kindness, or actually anything beyond its mere existence to “the universe” is misplaced. What we may interpret as kindness, cruelty, or serendipity is simply the happenstance of nature and probability.Maelyn, the female protagonist, was amusing to read about and I really liked when she started not just going with the flow after a short “learning curve”, but, sadly, out of a sense of fatalism, started stepping up her game, actively taking responsibility not only for herself but also for the people around her.»All I know is that the sound of my loved ones' laughter bouncing off the hillside is the best sound I've ever heard. Another small victory.«In contrast, Andrew, for whom Maelyn has been pining for merely 13 years, stays rather bland and generic. He is obviously into her but also never acted upon it and if Maelyn hadn't taken the initiative, nothing ever would have changed. This is a part I really enjoyed:»A rebellious streak races through me. “It's more like, I see my life stretching out ahead of me and figure, why not go for what I want?”“Jam and applesauce on your blintzes,” he jokes. “Cocktails on the porch. Snowball fights.”The word rockets from me: “You.”[...]Adrenaline spikes my blood. “Yeah. Like that.”«Communication, as always, is key, and at least Maelyn is good at it.»“And if there's one thing that we did perfectly, it was talking and being transparent and honest with each other right from the start. Right away, we talked. I can't think of anyone else in the world I've ever felt that comfortable with.”«Of course, there was the usual, somewhat frustrating, third-act breakup—imagine being held accountable for a drunken dream—and plenty of teenage behaviour.Also, my aforementioned steam cleaner was a lot hotter and far steamier than this novel. Bah!Nevertheless, this was a nice, fun, albeit easily forgettable holiday romcom which garners three stars out of five from me. Happy holidays!Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

I don't like novellas. They're mostly too short to make any kind of impact and simply aren't enough of a “bite”. At best, they're like chewing gum.So it was out of pure curiosity that I decided to read “[b:Dashing All the Way 221764632 Dashing All the Way Chelsea Curto https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1732141858l/221764632.SY75.jpg 228758912]”, a novella by [a:Chelsea Curto 20681411 Chelsea Curto https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1656107823p2/20681411.jpg], after it got heartily endorsed by [a:Samantha Brinn 48996679 Samantha Brinn https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1710660675p2/48996679.jpg] (whom you should know as an author for her great “[b:When I'm With You 220225863 When I'm With You (Laws of You) Samantha Brinn https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1728399272l/220225863.SY75.jpg 222416176]”).The story is simple: Being told what she cannot do by her now-ex-boyfriend, Jeremy, Margo moves to accomplish just that, and, in the process, falls for his father, Finn—just in time for Christmas.What follows is the warm-hearted, sometimes raw, and always honest tale of how a one-night stand evolves into something very different over the course of two weeks. It is nicely told, well-paced, and very, very steamy.Nothing feels out of place, everything makes sense, there's just enough story to satisfy my reading needs, and an amusing inevitable ending. What more could I wish for?Five stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

I was very much looking forward to reading “[b:Evil Games 25067570 Evil Games (DI Kim Stone, #2) Angela Marsons https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1588321125l/25067570.SY75.jpg 44752433]” by [a:Angela Marsons 7942666 Angela Marsons https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1419947389p2/7942666.jpg], having just discovered what an interesting detective Kim Stone is. Sadly, this second instalment in Marsons' long-running series didn't hold up the promise of its predecessor.There are actually two mysteries in “Evil Games” and both are completely unrelated, making the novel feel somewhat disjointed. While in the first storyline, Kim and her team have just apprehended a child molester, in the titular storyline Kim is going solo after a rogue psychiatrist.Both storylines leave much to be desired: The case of the child molester is pretty much solved from the beginning and the team is trying to find a secondary perpetrator. There is no suspense in that part, especially since very basic procedures, e. g. comparing DNA found at the crime scene against easily accessible samples, are not even thought of. The solution pretty much occurs to Kim at the last possible moment in the novel and it's kind of a “deus ex machina” moment of dubious probability (just like the culprit themself...).The investigation against the psychiatrist is even worse: Said psychiatrist, Alex, is not only depicted as a genius-level manipulator who in the course of one single session can talk people into committing major crimes. She also seems to have almost everyone in her pocket under threat of revealing dark secrets. Miraculously, Alex finds out everything about everyone in very short periods of time, gets access even to violent inmates of asylums and easily coerces the staff into violating their confidentiality obligations with just a bright smile.I just cannot buy into that kind of super villain outside of superhero stories.Kim herself knows full well that Alex could unravel her completely, and yet ignores the advice of a former psychiatrist and mentor of hers and doesn't make use of his expertise in any meaningful way. Kim keeps getting triggered by Alex in each and every meeting of the two but at a pivotal moment, she seemingly effortlessly ignores even the worst possible of Alex' attempts to trigger her.Considering Alex' super villain status, that completely defied even the already implausible premises of the novel.And there's one more thing that really annoyed me:»Kim refilled her coffee mug thinking, Jesus, I'm trying to nail Mother Theresa.«(The misspelling is the author's.)Mother Teresa's legacy is deeply problematic and undeserving of uncritical reverence. She glorified suffering instead of alleviating it, denying patients proper medical care and hygiene in her facilities. She opposed contraception and abortion, worsening poverty and systemic suffering, and accepted donations from corrupt individuals while mismanaging funds. Her theology prioritized suffering “martyrdom” over real solutions, and her approach to “charity” often perpetuated misery rather than addressing its root causes. Many still view this despicable and disgusting person as a saint, but in reality, her actions often caused harm. Her legacy should be a cautionary tale about blind hero-worship and unaccountable humanitarian work.Overall, this was a mediocre read, earning three stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

If you came here looking for the third instalment of [a:Abby Jimenez' 18446724 Abby Jimenez https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1651706989p2/18446724.jpg] “Part of Your World” funny and fluffy romance series, you'd be both right and wrong. While starting out on a fun premise, “[b:Just for the Summer 195820807 Just for the Summer (Part of Your World, #3) Abby Jimenez https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1727946234l/195820807.SY75.jpg 197775193]” evolves into areas that are anything but fun and light, and—for me—Jimenez pulled it off really well. Justin and Emma both feel “cursed” - they date someone and once it's over, their respective ex meets their “soulmate”. When they realise they share this, any romance's direction is clear: they have to date each other to “break” the “curse”, and, afterwards, meet their respective soulmate.During the early parts of the novel, they meet, they like each other, and proceed to date—it's all nice, light, and (mostly) easy...»I dropped to one knee.She sucked in air. “Uh, what are you doing?” she said, her eyes darting around.“Romance.”“Justin, stop it,” she whispered. “Get up! Get up!”I took her hand and did my best to make my face straight. People were already stopping to watch. I made my voice low so only she could hear it. “Emma, would you do me the honor of delousing my family with me?”«Emma is a travelling nurse, taking temporary jobs all over the US with her best friend, Maddy, always at her side. From early on, there is a feeling of unease about her—something feels not quite right...Justin seems to lead a successful professional life, has a good relationship with his mother and his siblings—but there is also some avoidance, much anger, and a lot of hidden tension... The typical romance would have gone on to scratch the surface of these issues, create some drama based upon them, thrown in a few common tropes, and secured a happily-ever-after (HEA). This is what I expected and came for.When times are difficult, romance with its guaranteed HEA is my refuge.Instead, Jimenez takes time to explore Emma's constant travelling and detachment, as well as Justin's own issues of a different kind. She does incorporate a few typical romance traits like some (very short-lived) miscommunication, a third-act breakup (even though it's very different from the usual annoying ones), but, towards the middle of the novel, she really starts exploring her characters. And that's where my perspective and expectations were turned upside down.»She shrugged. “You don't have to forgive [...]. You can still love someone that you've decided not to speak to anymore. You can still wish them well and hope for the best for them. Choosing a life without them doesn't mean you stop caring about them. It just means that you can't allow them to harm you anymore. But if you don't think your life would be better without them in it, then accept that they have cracks. Try to understand how they got them and help fill them with something that isn't ice.” She peered at me. “If you can choose anger or empathy, always choose empathy, Justin. It's so much healthier than anger. For both of you.”«Slowly and sensitively, Jimenez lets her story evolve, and I realised that my coveted HEA was far from assured. From the moment of this realisation onward, I practically became glued to my Kobo. I became immensely emotionally invested in both Emma and Justin as well as their families. Because the author carefully depicts not only our heroes but also the secondary characters. Especially Justin's family was so relatable and likeable that I couldn't help but root for them as well.Just like them, I simultaneously hated and understood Justin's and Emma's third-act breakup. It was the mature and sensible response to their respective discoveries about themselves and, thus, a departure from the usual crap a third-act breakup is. Both of them took their responsibilities to themselves, their respective families and each other very seriously and Jimenez found a great way to show us.“Just for the Summer” with its carefully handled issues of panic attacks, anxiety, PTSD, depression, depictions of undiagnosed mental health issues, a toxic mother, and past child neglect is not typical for the romance genre and especially not for Abby Jimenez. It surpasses its roots and while I understand the criticism “not a romance”, I applaud this successful attempt to create something that expands on the traditional romance genre—a romance, though, it is.I also happen not to agree with those who reject this as “depressing chick-lit”: While parts are certainly not fun at all, the approach Jimenez chose is consistently and coherently life-affirming, though not always easy on the reader.Furthermore, I take issue with the term “chick-lit” as it is dismissive and condescending. It trivializes its targets, by framing them as light, insignificant, or less valuable than other books. Plus, it assumes these books are only for women, which I find completely unfair. As a man, I've read and enjoyed many novels that get slapped with this label, and it frustrates me how it perpetuates gender stereotypes about storytelling and readership. It discourages diverse readership, and marginalizes stories that center women's experiences, unfairly implying they're frivolous or less universally meaningful.Just like love is love (between consenting adults), a good story is a good story, regardless of who writes it or who reads it.I would have loved to read a little more about what happens after the ending and at some points, I wished for a slightly faster pacing. On the other hand, the writing was good (albeit not great) and, ultimately, for daring to rise beyond the usual confines of its genre, while also having to apply slightly more rigorous standards for that reason, I award this four stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

No time for a ‘proper' review, but this book was simply fantastic: A brilliant, stubborn, intelligent, and infinitely sympathetic police officer who investigates undiscovered murders from the past as well as current ones. Extremely empathetic to boot (the Thunderbird...). Convincing secondary characters, a clever story. Very, very suspenseful, well-written - practically everything about it was spot on.

I'll definitely be reading more books in this series. Highly recommended!

I've been in need of some light reading entertainment lately and “[b:The Paradise Problem 199797582 The Paradise Problem Christina Lauren https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1697744363l/199797582.SY75.jpg 204370087]” by [a:Christina Lauren 6556689 Christina Lauren https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1730746046p2/6556689.jpg] certainly fits that bill. Due to Anna, its strong, independent, smart, self-confident, and down-to-earth female lead, it felt surprisingly fresh and real.At its core, “The Paradise Problem” is a delightful blend of wit, charm, and a touch of the absurd, anchored by an emotional resonance that feels authentically raw. While it veers slightly from their earlier works, such as “[b:The Unhoneymooners 42201431 The Unhoneymooners (Unhoneymooners, #1) Christina Lauren https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1548201335l/42201431.SY75.jpg 65813986]” (which I also enjoyed), it still boasts that inimitable Christina Lauren spark, albeit with a stronger focus on individuality and the intricacies of self-discovery. The setting—a tension-filled reunion with Liam's dysfunctional family—only heightens the stakes, making me appreciate the story even more.Centred on Anna, our brilliant and self-possessed protagonist, the novel immediately strikes a balance between lighthearted banter...[After Liam asks her not to use certain words]»“You've just ensured that these words will now be staples in our marital relationship.”«... and poignant moments of genuine vulnerability. Anna's relatability is what makes her so engaging—she's smart, confident, and real, yet still grappling with the chaos that life throws at her. One of my favourite moments from early in the book is perfectly encapsulated in Anna's excitement over impending chaos:»She leans forward and hugs me. “This is going to be a disaster. I'm so excited!”«This clever perspective on calamity helps establish Anna's resilience and wit, making her both hilarious and human. While Christina Lauren often excels at crafting relatable heroines, Anna stands out with how she handles the challenges of navigating family drama and new romance—all while grappling with “robot luggage”:»I'd love to change but I have no idea where my robot luggage is. I assume it's followed us of its own volition somehow.«Compared to other works by Christina Lauren, “The Paradise Problem” feels slightly more introspective. While it retains their signature romantic element, it's not all swoon-worthy grand gestures. Instead, the book champions quieter, more meaningful demonstrations of love, as Anna beautifully reflects in the epilogue:»The world tells girls we should want romantic, flashy grand gestures, and those can be great. But if I had given it deeper thought, I know I'd have dreamed up something just like this—an offer given with honesty and communication and mutual respect—over anything showy.«This simple thought reflects perfectly the kind of relationship Anna and Liam formed, as wonderfully written by Christina Lauren. I also appreciated the slow evolution of Liam, Anna's romantic counterpart. His personality, shaped by a strict father and rigid upbringing, pales at times in comparison to Anna's dynamism. Yet, his growth feels earned, inspired by Anna's influence. Still, I found him a touch overshadowed by Anna's vibrance, his evolution, however, felt natural.If you're looking for a feel-good read with some substance and just the right amount of emotional depth, I highly recommend this one. Anna's journey is ultimately about finding joy and authenticity, and by the end, it'll likely leave you cheering her on.Five out of five stars.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

[a:Sara Madderson's 20040776 Sara Madderson https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1635331274p2/20040776.jpg] “[b:A Very London Christmas 59577126 A Very London Christmas Sara Madderson https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1636456859l/59577126.SY75.jpg 93828303]” certainly attempts to wrap readers in a festive embrace, complete with sparkling lights and — sometimes — cosy corners of London. However, as enchanting as the premise might sound, the execution left me cold. While marketed as a heartwarming seasonal read, it's more akin to a tin of biscuits that looks promising but offers only the plainest, already-crumbling, and dry selection once opened.The most glaring issue is the utter superficiality of the characters and plot. Operating on a schematic level, the people populating Madderson's London feel less like real individuals and more like archetypes hastily thrown together. Additionally, there's a complete lack of innovation here. Every twist, from misunderstandings to the eventual conclusion, feels plucked from genre clichés. That said, I reluctantly admit a few redeeming qualities. I appreciated the absence of the typical third-act breakup — a trope overused to death in romances. Madderson avoided it, which felt refreshing amidst the otherwise predictable fare.Still, these positives can't outweigh just how hollow the reading experience is. While serviceable as a bit of forgettable fluff, “A Very London Christmas” fails to either uplift or inspire. Two out of five stars feels fair.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Aus dem Scheitern erwächst Größe – Ein literarischer Höhenflug voller Herz und Verstand![a:Joachim Meyerhoff 4964066 Joachim Meyerhoff https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1461861368p2/4964066.jpg] hat sehr viel erlebt und darüber schreibt er in seiner Reihe “Alle Toten fliegen hoch”, die — mit Ausnahme seiner “[b:Hamster im hinteren Stromgebiet 53472587 Hamster im hinteren Stromgebiet (Alle Toten fliegen hoch #5) Joachim Meyerhoff https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590341688l/53472587.SY75.jpg 83591747]” — für mich zu den Höhepunkten deutschsprachiger Literatur gehört.In den “Hamstern” schrieb er über seinen Schlaganfall; im vorliegenden Band nun verarbeitet er in gewohnter und doch immer wieder begeisternder Art seinen Rückzug von Berlin aufs Land zu seiner 86-jährigen Mutter. Eigentlich gekommen, um mit ihr auch über ein wirklich übles Geschehnis zu sprechen, kommt Meyerhoff erst ganz am Ende des Buches dazu. Vorher erfahren wir von seinen Versuchen, zu sich selbst zurückzufinden, zum Schreiben zurückzukehren und, nicht zuletzt, viel über seine bemerkenswerte Mutter. Mit viel Humor, von subtil bis grotesk, schreibt er sich frei und gewinnt damit seine Souveränität, seine Lebensfreude und zumindest diesen Leser zurück.Von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite habe ich dieses Buch genossen, inhaliert und geradezu begierig verschlungen. Meyerhoffs Schreibstil, seine episodischen Erzählungen, seine entwaffnende Offenheit — all das lädt geradezu dazu ein, bis tief in die Nacht zu lesen und seine Lesezeit nur ungern von so etwas Banalem wie Arbeit zwecks Broterwerbs unterbrechen zu lassen.Wer “Alle Toten fliegen hoch” kennt, wird sich schnell heimisch fühlen. Wer Meyerhoff noch nicht als Schriftsteller kennt, dem würde ich eher empfehlen, die Reihe von Beginn an zu lesen, obschon auch “[b:Man kann auch in die Höhe fallen 211160409 Man kann auch in die Höhe fallen Joachim Meyerhoff https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1718942879l/211160409.SY75.jpg 217395195]” einen guten Eindruck seines schriftstellerischen Schaffens bietet.Der Titel ist dabei ebenfalls wunderbar passend, denn mit diesem Buch und dessen Inhalten beweist Meyerhoff eindrucksvoll, wie man aus dem eigenen Scheitern (an sich selbst) neue (literarische) Höhepunkte schaffen kann.Dafür kann es nur fünf von fünf Sternen geben.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Redemption Through Fire: A Triumphant FarewellI'm currently reading books from the depths of my Kobo - things that haven't been on my radar for a long time or which I was afraid to read. “[b:The Sign of the Devil 58755099 The Sign of the Devil (Frey & McGray #7) Óscar de Muriel https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1653314118l/58755099.SX50.jpg 92494326]” by [a:Óscar de Muriel 8584678 Óscar de Muriel https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1515333621p2/8584678.jpg] was one from the latter category.The previous two instalments simply stank: bland stories, bad writing, character regressions instead of development — it was Murphy's Law materialised as a book.And yet, I needed closure — “all will be revealed”, de Muriel promised for this final novel in his Frey and McGray series.To my immense surprise, not only did he keep his promise, but he actually wrote a fast-paced, interesting, suspenseful, yes, even thrilling swan song for both his eponymous protagonists and even some side characters. First among the latter is, of course, Ms. Amy “Pansy” McGray (nothing will be revealed here, though!).Like the phoenix from the ashes, de Muriel rises and shines: The writing is finally engaging again, the story expands at breakneck speed which is extremely fitting as this time, it's — sometimes literally — a race against time, and Frey is back at the top of his game and changed by it...»‘And I am sure Nine-Nails will be a bottomless pit of information on the odd and ghostly!'‘Do not say it so disparagingly. You must know almost as much as he does by now.' ‘Hardly,' I lied, the ingredients for a witch's bottle at once coming to mind.«... whereas McGray finally starts developing a character that doesn't comprise just his signature “Och nae”.»McGray poked my sternum quite harshly. ‘Don't milk it, Percy. I ken yer balls've finally dropped, but patience is nae my strongest suit.'«Much of what made me like the early novels is back, and the lengths, illogical and nonsensical actions are gone. We're back to something that actually resembles (to some positive extent) a police procedural with a better balance between science and the “supernatural”.This is one of the kinds of farewells that I for one wish for: for the characters, the readers, and, of course, the author. For any fan of this series, this is most certainly a must-read. For newcomers, start with the first novel, make sure to ignore the mere existence of books five and six, and head to this seventh one instead. Nothing of value, story-wise, will be lost.For me, this book is very likely the last one by Óscar de Muriel I'll ever read since his inclusion of the “supernatural” in the first place always was a gripe of mine and, ultimately, neither his writing nor his stories entice me enough to keep up with whatever he's going to write next.Still, this novel garners a full five stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Big drama, little substance, no suspense.[a:Seraphina Nova Glass' 8061717 Seraphina Nova Glass https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1698280601p2/8061717.jpg] “[b:On a Quiet Street 58977601 On a Quiet Street Seraphina Nova Glass https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1639154572l/58977601.SY75.jpg 88799696]” was, frankly, not for me. I gave it a genuine attempt, making it to 33%, but ultimately, I had to DNF. The novel starts with a mix of intrigue and melodrama, but it quickly veers into territory that felt clichéd and overly contrived – more akin to a soap opera than a compelling thriller.The premise had potential: a gated community told about through multiple points of view, revolving around Paige and her devastation over the hit-and-run death of her son, Caleb. Yet, rather than diving deep into authentic, layered characters or gripping tension, the book becomes bogged down by outlandish twists and unconvincing developments. For instance, Paige's emotional descent pivots to her seduction of Finn – her best friend Cora's husband – in a toilet at a ball no less. That moment was more cringe-worthy than dramatic. Meanwhile, Cora eyes Paige's estranged husband, Grant, and Georgia, supposedly agoraphobic, turns out to be a prisoner of her controlling judge husband. It's all a bit much.The writing was mostly mediocre at best, and the pacing felt like a dying snail on a steeply ascending slope. With four perspectives that sound strikingly alike, none of the characters felt distinctive or gripping either. At 33%, still mired in shallow drama and soap operatic antics, I decided to cut my losses. One star out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

A Marquise origin story! :-)

I came to reading this by way of alleviating my fear of being let-down by my next read because the previous one had been so perfect. A good plan (thanks, Berengaria, for looking this up and letting me know!) — till it met with the reality of this novel, “[b:Because of You 216311550 Because of You (Laws of You) Samantha Brinn https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1720581686l/216311550.SY75.jpg 216169953]”, [a:Samantha Brinn's 48996679 Samantha Brinn https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1710660675p2/48996679.jpg] debut novel and the first instalment of her “Laws of You” series.“Because” features some of the same strength the second novel has: No third-act breakup, a very nice, kind, and even somewhat cosy friends-to-lovers story with Hallie, another strong and independent lawyer, at its centre. Her love interest is her life-long best friend Ben who comes across as a very likeable, decent, and down-to-earth man.Their path to each other is, just as Brinn mentions in her acknowledgements, “a warm hug of a story” and I read for long stretches under a soft, warm blanket in extremely comfortable armchairs.There was some non-relationship drama, but there were no real disappointments — just not the kind of sensitivity and other highlights I found in “[b:When I'm With You 220225863 When I'm With You (Laws of You) Samantha Brinn https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1728399272l/220225863.SY75.jpg 222416176]”.Maybe I should have expected it since I do love my coloured spreadsheets as well and one of my former bosses (hi, Thomas!) once called a “Methoden-Monster”, meaning “Problem-solving Machine”. I'm less of a people pleaser like Hallie and more of a workaholic and problem-solver like Julie - so how could I not like her book more than Hallie's? ;)Either way, if you're looking for a sweet contemporary romance “[b:Because of You 216311550 Because of You (Laws of You) Samantha Brinn https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1720581686l/216311550.SY75.jpg 216169953]” will likely not disappoint. If you want to read one that's slightly more evenly paced, fewer sex scenes than in this one (which had more than just one too many), features the most root-worthy couple, and has an ending that even surpasses “Because of You”'s lovely and fitting one, take a look at “[b:When I'm With You 220225863 When I'm With You (Laws of You) Samantha Brinn https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1728399272l/220225863.SY75.jpg 222416176]”. They can be read independently of each other and in any order.Four stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

I read my first romance novel at the tender age of 43. I had realised I couldn't claim to read anything till I had tried romance at least once. It was fun, light, spicy, and provided a nice diversion. Since then, I've read a lot of the “big names” in romance and enjoyed a good lot of them.Along on my Goodreads feed comes “[b:When I'm With You 220225863 When I'm With You (Laws of You) Samantha Brinn https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1728399272l/220225863.SY75.jpg 222416176]” with a mediocre cover by [a:Samantha Brinn 48996679 Samantha Brinn https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1710660675p2/48996679.jpg] — a name that was completely unfamiliar to me. On a whim, I decided to make it my next read, since I was looking for a pleasant diversion. What I got was a novel that actually plays in a completely different league than pretty much any other romance I've read so far.From page one to the very last one, I was captivated: Both Julie (30), a sharp-tongued, quick-witted, strong, fierce, meticulous lawyer, and Asher (31), a football quarterback (don't worry, I don't know what that means and still don't care) have their respective issues — and they both hide a lot; from themselves, the world and each other. Then Asher accidentally discovers one of Julie's secrets and reacts so spectacularly well that she joins him on a road trip to visit his family.What follows is an empathic, sensitive journey to the very core of their issues. There are the usual ingredients of a rom-com: banter, hilarious ideas, small mishaps. Step by step, though, Julie and Asher get to know each other and, shockingly, they communicate like the adults they are. Together, they find brilliant solutions to overcome their reservations, fears and inhibitions.»“I'm afraid you'll walk away once you hear what I have to say.”“I won't.” I'm starting to think there is nothing on earth that would make me walk away from this man. He could tell me he killed someone, and I would grab a shovel to help bury the body, law license be damned. “I swear I won't. You're safe with me too, you know. We can be safe with each other.” I feel the truth of those words more deeply than I have felt anything in my life. I want to be his safe place, because he is absolutely, undoubtedly mine.«It was such a joy to read their well-written, sensitively depicted story, I became worried about my usual gripes: A third-act breakup (usually badly handled, for nonsensical reasons, or just plain unnecessary), communication breakdowns (yes, people can be bad at that but don't make it a major plot device!), badly presented smut (intimacy is, obviously, an important aspect of adult life so handle it carefully) — in contemporary romance one usually encounters at least one of those.None of that is here: There is some drama but in the context of the story, every single part of it makes sense. There's no breakup but “organic growth” with each other, towards each other and independently of each other. It was glorious to read this till the last page — and I'm worried about my next read now because I'm pretty sure it won't reach this level of greatness...Yes, there is the usual one-bed-only part — but does it play out the usual way? Absolutely, yes, and absolutely not, no. Even in the small details, Brinn writes so sensitively and empathetically that I smiled, laughed, and cried and experienced everything in between. I have never rooted so intensively for any fictitious couple before.In a romance, I prefer an open bedroom door — and I got it here. The scenes of their growing intimacy were so tender, empathic, wholesome even, and deeply human — and all the more smoking hot for it.Not only are our protagonists well-written but the secondary characters - the families and friends - are beautifully depicted as well and I loved reading about the interactions between each and every one of them.A parent of three amazing adults myself, I also found myself deeply sympathising with these book parents.»You never know, as a parent, whether you're making the right decisions at the time, and sometimes you only figure it out years later. I'm sorry for that, Jules. I should have done it differently.«Maybe this is, in part, a wish fulfilment fantasy (“a man written by a woman” as the novel puts it) but either way: I sincerely wish for every single person out there to find this kind of love. (And am happy to report, my wife and I did 25 years ago.)Maybe you're thinking I'm not critical enough now but while the “perfect book” doesn't exist, this comes pretty close: The pacing is on-point. The usual tropes are skillfully avoided and, if they exist, handled with such almost unprecedented care and in a way that makes them feel entirely different. Maybe there's precisely one intimate scene too many but I for one can easily forgive that.I lost sleep over “When I'm with You” and it garners the easiest and most heart-felt five stars out of five in a very long time.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Another great instalment, delving deep into Josie's past cases and showing much character development. Especially Turner gets better and Mettner is mentioned only in passing.

If you like the Josie Quinn series, you won't be disappointed.

Endlich wieder ein Kluftinger, den man gern liest!Die letzten beiden Kluftinger-Krimis fand ich nicht gut; der letzte, “[b:Affenhitze 60565109 Affenhitze Kluftingers neuer Fall (Kommissar Kluftinger, #12) Volker Klüpfel https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1646639410l/60565109.SY75.jpg 95459128]”, war eine vollkommene Klamauk-Katastrophe mit Kluftinger als widerlichem, mobbendem alten weissen Mann. Danach sollte Schluss mit Kluftinger und seinen beiden aus der Zeit gefallenen Autoren für mich sein.Dann kam “Druckfrisch” mit Denis Scheck, der Regional-Krimis - oft zurecht - üblicherweise gar nicht mag, und ausgerechnet Scheck fand diesen neuen Band “Tierisch gut”. Und auch in diesem Fall hat er Recht: “[b:Lückenbüßer 210821812 Lückenbüßer Kluftinger ermittelt (Kommissar Kluftinger, #13) Volker Klüpfel https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1716885028l/210821812.SY75.jpg 217044822]” präsentiert uns einen Kluftinger, der, mittlerweile Interims-Polizeipräsident, plötzlich wieder denkt, seine Kolleg_innen (meist) anständig behandelt und von dem ich mich nicht mehr von Ekel erfüllt abwenden muss.In der kurzzeitig etwas zu sehr raumgreifenden Nebengeschichte treten Kluftinger und Langhammer bei den Lokalwahlen gegeneinander an. Kluftinger, der sich eigentlich nur als der titelgebende Lückenbüßer aufstellen ließ, läßt sich schnell vom Wahlkampffieber mit- und hinreißen. Als jedoch Langhammer... Aber das müsst Ihr bei Interesse schon selbst lesen. Und gut lesbar ist dieser Roman des Autoren-Duos, dessen wohl geistig gesündere Hälfte sich durchgesetzt hat, allemal: Der zu untersuchende Mord tritt zwar zeitweise ein wenig zu sehr in den Hintergrund und seine eher antiklimaktische Auflösung hat mich nicht vollständig überzeugt, aber endlich ist “Klufti” wieder unterhaltsam und man kann sich (weitgehend) ohne Fremdschämen im fiktiven Altusried wieder zuhause fühlen.Dabei gibt es wieder viele dieser typischen “Klufti-Momente”...»Unten angekommen, ließ er Leipert allerdings erst nach mehrmaliger Ermahnung, strengstes Stillschweigen zu wahren und niemandem gegenüber ein Sterbenswörtchen zu verlieren, ins Auto steigen. Wer konnte schon voraussehen, welche negativen Konsequenzen es haben würde, wenn der Journalist seine geheimen Pilzplätze verriet?»Ach so, ja, und bitt'schön nix wegen den Ermittlungen in die Zeitung!«, schob er noch halbherzig nach und verabschiedete sich.«... nicht zuletzt auch im Umgang mit seinem Arzt(-freund) Langhammer. Trotzdem grenzt es fast an Satire, wenn Langhammer über seine Angestellten spricht:»Aber in der Praxis habe ich ja meine Mädels.«»Weibliche Bodyguards?«»Meine Sprechstundenhilfen.«Kluftinger verstand nicht. »Was nützen die Ihnen denn?«»Das sind meine menschlichen Schutzschilde.«Dies zeigt, dass die Autoren zwar immer noch eine Menge Spaß mit ihren Figuren haben, der Humor aber treffsicherer und angenehmer dosiert wurde als in den letzten Büchern.Erfreulich fand ich auch, dass die Autoren ohne Scheu und fast “unverschleiert” den Neo-Nazis der AfD einen erzählerischen Tritt in die Weichteile verpassen. Merke: Wer Nazis wählt, ist ein Nazi.(Das gilt natürlich gleichermaßen auch für US-Amerikaner, die einen verurteilten Straftäter, Rassisten und Vergewaltiger anstatt einer kompetenten Frau zum Präsidenten wählen.)Wer die letzten Kluftinger-Krimis nicht mochte, die Vorgängerbände aber vielleicht doch zu schätzen wusste, kann beruhigt zu dieser Lektüre greifen. Einzig der Preis (eBook: EUR 20, Hardcover: EUR 25) trübt ein wenig das positive Bild - aber das ist der Verlag, Ullstein, und die unsägliche Buchpreisbindung.Vier von fünf Sternen.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

“[b:We'll Prescribe You a Cat 209891170 We'll Prescribe You a Cat Syou Ishida https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1711043307l/209891170.SX50.jpg 210659078]” by [a:Syou Ishida 48196256 Syou Ishida https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] is a peculiar attempt at blending magical realism and episodic storytelling, but one that ultimately veers off course. While on the surface it shares superficial similarities with “[b:The Travelling Cat Chronicles 40961230 The Travelling Cat Chronicles Hiro Arikawa https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1532711745l/40961230.SX50.jpg 50618763]”, the comparison hardly holds due to the stark differences in execution and tone. Unfortunately, “We'll Prescribe You a Cat” leans heavily into clichés, offering overdoses of preachy content and saccharine lessons that come across as formulaic and forced.The novel presents a range of short vignettes, promising to deliver moments of heartfelt connection between humans and their feline counterparts. However, the episodic nature makes each chapter feel disconnected and shallow. Rather than a cohesive story, the book presents a series of almost obligatory moral lessons, which feel more esoteric than engaging. The subtlety I hoped for is utterly missing here. »”Everyone is delighted by your reactions”. Before he knew it, the sincere words had dropped out of Koga's mouth. “Your compliments bring people joy. I think that's great.”«Reading moments like this felt more like being spoon-fed life advice than becoming emotionally involved in a character's journey. The translation doesn't help either, as it often borders on clunky and sometimes detracts from what could be poignant moments. At times, it even feels like the novel is dunking one's nose into moral teachings rather than letting the story naturally unfold. Though there are some tender moments and nice ideas, this novel, sadly, misses the mark.Two stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam