Books awarded 5 stars in 2015

According to the stats on my beloved Goodreads app, I have now read 122 books since the start of the year (as I have already mentioned, insomnia and a pregnancy mostly spent in bed did wonders for my To-Be-Read pile).  

But all this reading (and therefore money spending) would be of no great benefit if I did not share my impressions with you, my dear readers.

So, below is the list of the titles to which I have awarded 5 glorious stars since January. I hope that you will find a few gems for yourself...

Happy reading!

Review -- Little Sister Death

Little Sister Death by William Gay

**Disclaimer: I have received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

I will be honest with you dear blog reader: this book has defeated me. By this, I mean that I just do not know what to make of it. Do I like it? Do I not like it? I actually have no idea...

Little Sister Death is one of the "lost" novels by American writer William Gay, which have been found recently and will be published in the coming days. It is described as an eerie Southern Gothic novel inspired by the famous 19th century Bell Witch haunting of Tennessee and follows the unravelling life of David Binder, a writer who moves his young family to a haunted farmstead to try and find inspiration for his next book. 

The story is told from different perspectives in time and therefore the reader is frequently catapulted between 1785, 1933, 1956-1965, 1980 and 1982 in order to follow the lives of the families who have successively inhabited the haunted farm. Now, I would usually agree that time jumps add rhythm to a narrative and can make it more entertaining; however, I found this device quite confusing here, especially due to the sheer number of characters thus portrayed in the book. 

This book had started so well, especially the first few chapters set in 1785 which were very gripping (despite the fact that I needed my dictionary at hand every two minutes) and the subsequent stories set in 1933 and 1956-1965 were equally entertaining. However, I was left cold (not ghost cold unfortunately) and disappointed with the narrative set in the 80s. To be honest, I was expecting the story to turn all Shining-like at some point, which it sadly did not. 
Now, it has to be said that Gay possessed undeniable narrative powers and his descriptive skills were incredible as evidenced in this book. Unfortunately, his writing style was just not my cup of tea as I found it too elaborate most of the time.

The Bibliovore's verdict 2.5 ⋆
Since I am between two minds here and do not really know what to make of Little Sister Death, it seems fair to give it an average 2.5 stars, especially since I have actually enjoyed the time jumps set in the 18th century and early 20th. If you happen to read this book, please let me know what you think of it. I would be glad to hear a dissenting opinion.

Review -- Gift of Darkness

Gift of Darkness by Craig K. Comstock

**Disclaimer: I have received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

Gift of Darkness tells the story of a boy who, like Anne Frank, lived in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Unlike Anne, he was not taken into early hiding, and was thus able to move around the city, even to help serve its Jewish community, and observe first-hand the ominous things that were happening. Robbert Van Santen lived each day not knowing how or when the war would end, not being sure that he would survive, not imagining that as an elder he would articulate his experiences to an American author. 

Like millions of people, I read Anne Frank's diary when I was in secondary school and her harrowing story has stayed with me ever since. This is why I found myself immediately attracted to Gift of Darkness and Robbert Van Santen's incredible story. It is actually interesting to note that Robbert went to the same school as Anne Frank, despite being in a different grade. 

This story of survival in Nazi-occupied Holland is told from two different perspectives which frequently intertwine throughout the book. One is Robbert's account told in the first person and present tense; the other consists of interviews between the author and the subject of this book. 

While I believe that the use of the first person/present tense to tell Robbert's story helped bring immediacy to the narrative, I found the inclusion of interviews and present-day information somewhat confusing and distracting from the main act which, in my opinion, is Robbert's story as told by himself.  

Having said that, Gift of Darkness was a very interesting read narrated with honesty and sincerity. 

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆
I would encourage you to read this book if you aim to learn more about this dark period of our history and are looking for a different perspective than that of Anne Frank's. However, I would absolutely urge you to read Anne's diary at all costs.

Review -- Salvage

Salvage by Duncan Ralston

**Disclaimer: I have received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

When Owen Saddler's little sister mysteriously drowns, Owen is determined to uncover the circumstances by following in her footsteps, even if it means diving into the murky--some would say haunted--waters of Chapel Lake. Thirty years earlier, the town of Peace Falls had been flooded to build a hydroelectric dam, and its ruins remain below the surface of Chapel Lake. The strange disappearance of the town Pastor, along with many of the parishioners, still haunts the citizens of Chapel Lake. But does the church haunt the lake itself? Is Owen really seeing ghosts... or has he descended into the depths of madness?

The decent cover and excellent blurb immediately attracted me to this book. Furthermore, it was described on Amazon as a dark and disturbing horror novel about depression, religious fanaticism and the afterlife. I mean, what could be better than a good old horror story peppered with ghosts and sects? Nothing, said I to myself as I ventured into the first few pages with great enthusiasm and expectations. 

Well, I have to say that it was slowww going. After pages and pages of non-action and non-ghosts, I decided to check my reading progress on my Kindle -- something I never do when I am enjoying a book, therefore a sure sign that something was amiss from the start. 24% completion said the mighty machine. That is all well, I thought, but when is the story going to properly begin? A quarter into the book and I still did not know what to expect nor was I remotely gripped by the story yet. 

Unfortunately, I went from disappointment to further disappointment when I realised that the ghosts were not really ghost and that the horror element was simply missing. Yes, I am aware that "horror" does not always mean blood, chainsaws and gore. However, I did not feel any alarm, panic, revulsion or any other similar emotion that could relate to horror. 

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆ 
I must have been in a bad mood or something when I read Salvage because I did not like it one bit while it seems to receive high praises on Goodreads. This leaves me wondering whether there is something wrong with me...

Review -- The Survivors

The Survivors by Anne Edwards

**Disclaimer: I have received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

Who was Luanne Woodrow? Only one man at the glamorous ski resort knew the answer. His name was Hans Aldik. He was a world-famous writer. And he was following this hauntingly beautiful, strangely reticent girl for a single purpose. She was the only surviving member of the Woodrow family. All the others had been murdered in one of the most notorious crimes of the century. Luanne alone held the key to the Woodrow mystery. 

This book by Anne Edwards was initially published in 1968 but, in my opinion, it has not aged well unfortunately and feels very dated indeed. Now, I do not usually mind a good old nostalgic experience and I am very fond of historical novels (which this is not), therefore "dated" does not scare me.

However, I found it very hard to finish this book after a very slow start, a slow middle part and an unbelievable ending. Overall, the story was quite convoluted and the narrative contained too many descriptive passages for my liking. I like a bit of action and dialogue myself, which did not happen until well in the book. 

I really wanted to like this book and make an effort. After all, I had been drawn to it by the cover and the interesting blurb. Alas, I just could not stomach the love story between Luanne and Hans which was totally unbelievable in my opinion, i.e. the characters were madly in love with each other after spending two days together in the Swiss ski resort! 

Similarly, Luanne had spent the last ten years cooped up in a retirement home with no interaction with the outside world, but that did not prevent her from playing socialites at the resort. Nothing in her character or demeanour seemed to reflect this long isolation. I don't know, these two aspects of the story did not compute with me.

Other unbelievable events in the story did not sit well with me (the return trip to London in five hours, for instance) and just distracted me from the main plot and its resolution, which also left me cold.

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆
Could I recommend this book to anyone? Unfortunately not if they have similar tastes as mine and like believable characters and plot. 
  

Review -- Fear The Silence

Fear The Silence by Iain Cameron

**Disclaimer: I have received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

A missing woman is not what DI Henderson needs right now, just when he's on the verge of nabbing whoever is behind big drug shipments coming into Shoreham Harbour in Sussex. The missing woman is none other than Kelly Langton, once the glamour model 'Kelly,' and now an astute businesswoman. Even without the police evidence against him, her husband's robust manner and aggressive attitude have swayed public opinion. He is arrested and questioned but Henderson is not convinced as everyone else seems to be, and even more so when another woman goes missing in what he believes are similar circumstances. 

Note that Fear The Silence is the third instalment in the series featuring Scottish Detective Inspector Angus Henderson from the Sussex police force. When I initially requested this book from the publisher, I did not know that it was part of a series. However, this did not prevent me from enjoying the story as Iain Cameron did a good job at providing background information whenever needed.

I enjoyed this police procedural in general, especially the main plot around the disappearance of Kelly Langton and the subsequent quest for the culprit. The story was crafted skilfully enough that I kept trying to guess the killer's identity until the end. 

Likewise, I quite liked the character of DI Henderson, which I thought was an interesting lead and believable in his actions and words. Overall, I believe that Cameron has done a good job of bringing his characters to life, even if I did not care much for the other protagonists, such as Walters, etc.

As in most crime books, there was a sub-plot to the Kelly Langton disappearance, which centred around drug shipments in the Shoreham Harbour (Sussex). This sub-plot was apparently one of the main plots in the first two books in the series and, in this latest entry, DI Henderson is still trying to nab his nemesis, the drug lord operating in the area. Now, I understand the need for sub-plots in books and I generally think that they really add to the narrative. 

However, I found this second plot quite confusing at first as one of the characters was common to both storylines and this made me wonder had I missed something crucial in the narrative. Similarly, I was not really drawn into the drug dealing thing. Not that it was badly written or anything, but I just felt that it detracted from the main plot and did not add much to the whole story.  

As for the end, I feel that it was somewhat rushed and neglected a bit. One thing that I do not understand is the meaning of the title. I did not really see any specific reference to silence in the book. Maybe I missed it. I know that it is only a detail, but I like being able to correlate the title to the story. But that is just me.

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆

Overall, Fear The Silence was a decent read but I do not think that I will read the first books in the series, nor the next one for that matter. There was just something lacking for me, that je-ne-sais-quoi that would have made it great. 

Review -- The Girl With No Past

The Girl With No Past by Kathryn Croft

**Disclaimer: I have received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

Leah Mills lives a life of a fugitive – kept on the run by one terrible day from her past. It is a lonely life, without a social life or friends until – longing for a connection – she meets Julian. For the first time she dares to believe she can live a normal life. Then, on the fourteenth anniversary of that day, she receives a card. Someone knows the truth about what happened. Someone who won’t stop until they've destroyed the life Leah has created. 

As a fan of psychological thrillers, I was immediately drawn to the official blurb and the cover of this book. Having not read anything by Kathryn Croft before (how could this possibly be?), it was therefore with high hopes and great anticipation that I started reading The Girl With No Past around midnight last Thursday. Alas, this proved to be a fatal mistake since it kept me up all night and cost me my beauty sleep!

I will get it out of the way immediately and tell you that this is one of the best thrillers I have read this year and it is fully deserving of my 5-star rating. Despite the late night exhaustion, I was captivated from start to finish (and what a finish!) by the excellent plot and writing. The narrative cleverly alternates between Leah's teenage years and the present, where she is in her early thirties, thereby slowly progressing towards the-day-when-something-bad-happened and building up tension chapter by chapter.

Once I had reached the-day-when-something-bad-happened and discovered what actually made Leah live such a reclusive life, I foolishly thought that there were no more surprises in store... that is until the shock ending which I did not see coming at all. For me, this was just the icing on a scrumptious cake! 

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

I finished reading this book 24 hours ago and I am already experiencing the first withdrawal symptoms. This leaves me with no choice but to immediately buy Croft's other novels.

Review -- Sentencing Sapphire: A Sapphire Dubois Mystery

Sentencing Sapphire by Mia Thompson

**Disclaimer: I have received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

Sentencing Sapphire is the third novel from the Sapphire Dubois Mystery series written by Swedish-born Mia Thompson. (Note that I have not read the first two books at the time of writing this review.) 

Twenty-something Sapphire is not your typical gal: not only is she a Beverly Hills heiress, but she is also a serial catcher, i.e. she hunts serial killers as a hobby (I prefer reading myself) before handing them over to the local police force. In this third instalment, we follow Sapphire as she has fled to Paris after her latest adventures, where she has shed her rich persona and lives as the infamous "Serial Catcher." When Beverly Hills police detective Aston Ridder tracks her down, Sapphire returns to the US to find her home town in chaos: a new vigilante has taken over her old job and will stop at nothing to get her predecessor out of the way. 


I must admit that I was expecting a cotton candy chick-lit after reading the official blurb for this book. However, I could not have been more wrong! Despite the fact that the series would indeed be targeted towards a female audience, the adventures of Sapphire Dubois are so much more than chick lit and pink fluffy romance.

Yes, there is romance between the two main characters, Sapphire and Aston, but it is subtle enough that it is not constantly thrown in your face and does not take over the narrative. More than that, there is a real gripping plot with gruesome murders, serial killers carrying syringes filled with nasty things and a villain vigilante trying to get rid of the heroine. This alone should satisfy fans of crime fiction.

But what really clinched it for me was the exaggerated portraits of spoilt, super-rich Beverly Hills people and the omnipresent humour: airhead socialite Chrissy Kraft fires employees faster than her own shadow (even when they are not her own employees) and is totally deluded about the world she lives in. Likewise, there is great banter between the two leading men, detective Aston Ridder and officer Barry Harry, which is reminiscent of that between Jake Peralta and Charles Boyle in the American TV series "Brooklyn Nine Nine."

What of Sapphire Dubois herself, you might ask. Well, her thirst for hunting serial killers is motivated by her inner demons and personal history (which I will not divulge here). I cannot speak for how she is portrayed in the two previous books in the series but, in this latest instalment, she is racked with guilt and doubt, unsure who she really is, thereby making her a more believable character than the MMA fighter/serial catcher/Beverly Hills heiress she is.
  
The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆⋆
All in all, a very good surprise for me. I actually bought the first two books on Amazon as soon as the words "The End" appeared on my Kindle. Definitely an author to watch for me!

Review -- Blood in the Streets

Blood in the Streets by William Esmont

**Disclaimer: I have received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

A routine trip to China turns disastrous for intelligence agent Kurt Vetter when a deadly series of attacks on civilian targets plunges the country into anarchy. Trapped in a disintegrating nation, Kurt and his team take to the war-torn streets of Beijing to locate a Chinese double agent who may know the truth behind the source of the violence. 

As you know, I am always on the lookout for new authors and this is my very first book by William Esmont. First off, you need to be aware that Blood in the Streets is actually the third and latest book in The Reluctant Hero series. Having said that, I was not aware of this when I started reading the book and did not feel like I was missing out on something as the author has done a good job at providing background information for the reader. Therefore, this book can still be read as a standalone if you do not have access to the two previous works.

Again, even though this is not the final book in the series, it does not end on a "to-be-continued" style cliffhanger, and all your questions have actually been resolved by the time you reach the words "The End", leaving you with a feeling of satisfaction and completeness. However, this will not prevent me from reading the first two books in the series (The Patriot Paradox and Pressed) nor the upcoming one.

I am not usually into spy books (psychological thrillers and police procedurals being my first choice), but I have to admit that Blood in the Streets captivated me from the very first pages and continued to grip my attention until the end. The fast pace of the narrative, which is packed with action and tense moments, suited me perfectly and there was no real idle moment in the story.

The characters are well researched and developed in my opinion, at least from what I gleaned in this book. I particularly appreciated the fact that Kurt Vetter is flawed, scared and more of an anti-hero (or rather a reluctant one as per the title of the series) than your usual spy and that Victoria was more intrepid and fearless despite being his subordinate.  

The narrative alternates between different settings and characters, the main ones being Beijing with spies Kurt/Amanda and the White House with Dominic/the president of the United States. I found the White House setting to be brilliant as it gave me a decent glimpse into the interactions between the president of the USA and his aides ("Give me options!") as well as an interesting foray into geopolitics.

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆⋆
A very good read. If the other books in the series are anything like Blood in the Streets, we are onto a good one.

Review -- The Errant Flock

The Errant Flock by Jana Petken

I stumbled upon this book by chance after seeing it advertised on Twitter and, boy, am I glad I did! 

To start with, I was immediately drawn to the amazing cover and the fact that the story is set during the Spanish Inquisition under Catholic monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. 

Furthermore, I had never read any book by this author before, which was a definite bonus for me as I am always on the lookout for new writers to discover.

What to say? If you are an aficionado of historical fiction and especially this time period, then you are in for a real treat.

Petken's writing is impeccable and it is apparent that the story has been well researched, with extreme attention to detail. The quality of the language used and the descriptions really bring authenticity to these historical events. As a result, I was entirely captivated by the narrative and felt like I had travelled back in time to 1491 Spain.

The main characters themselves (David Sanz, the militiaman; Luis Peráto, the Duke of Sagrat; Sergio Garcia, the Lord Treasurer; and Gaspar de Amo, the Inquisitor) are equally well researched and developed by the author. They are consumed by their own demons, racked with guilt or facing moral dilemmas. Petken has managed to portray them with all their flaws, thereby adding another layer of authenticity to the story. For instance, the main character of David Sanz is not your typical squeaky clean hero: he is rather walking a fine line between good and evil. 

Politics, religion and greed take centre stage here and make this a fantastic tale, which has left me wanting for more. I hope that a sequel is in the works, especially since there are open questions about the fate of some of the secondary characters. 

Highly recommended. 

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Currently reading...

The Errant Flock by Jana Petken

Finally, some belated news...

So, I haven't updated this blog for the past couple of weeks due to good ol' procrastination mainly and, secondarily, taking care of two small kiddies at home. But, fear not my friends, I have been very productive on the reading front. Below are the books that I have read since my latest post.

Rewiring Our Morality by Daniel Reisel

What goes on in the mind of a murderer? In this compassionate and insightful book, neuroscientist Reisel describes how empathy evolves in every child’s brain, and how early traumatic experiences can distort its development. Understanding this, Reisel argues that we must shift to a restorative form of justice — one that allows both victim and perpetrator a chance to heal, instead of the current punitive system that only perpetuates a cycle of crime. 

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆⋆

Extremely interesting and informative read. Written in plain English, no shenanigans. I believe that the concept of restorative justice should not only be implemented as part of our judicial system but also within the education sector.

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks

In this extraordinary book, Dr. Oliver Sacks recounts the stories of patients struggling to adapt to often bizarre worlds of neurological disorder. Here are people who can no longer recognize everyday objects or those they love; who are stricken with violent tics or shout involuntary obscenities; who have been dismissed as autistic or retarded, yet are gifted with uncanny artistic or mathematical talents. If inconceivably strange, these brilliant tales illuminate what it means to be human.  

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆

I have to admit that I used this book as some kind of psychiatric porn. I enjoyed reading about the different neurological conditions and the story of the corresponding protagonists but I am afraid to see that I skip the most scientific bits.

Dark Tides by Chris Ewan

When Claire Cooper was eight, her mother disappeared during Hop-tu-naa, the Manx Halloween. When Claire was eighteen, she and her friends took part in a Hop-tu-naa dare that went terribly wrong. Now in her early twenties and a police officer, what happened that Hop-tu-naa night has come back to haunt them all, and Claire must confront her deepest fears in order to stop a killer from striking again.

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆

All in all, a decent read. I enjoyed discovering more about the Isle of Man and its Celtic culture. The only issue is that I guessed the plot quite early on and it spoiled it a bit for me.

An Impossible Dilemma by Netta Newbound

Local vets Victoria and Jonathan Lyons seem to have everything—a perfect marriage, a beautiful five-year-old daughter, Emily, and a successful business. Until they discover Emily has a rare and fatal illness. When Jonathan is suddenly killed in a farming accident, Victoria turns to her sick father-in-law, Frank, for help. A series of events present Victoria and Frank with a situation that, although illegal, could help save Emily. 

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

I haven't read, or heard of, any other similar story before and I thought that the plot was quite original. I suppose that this book resonated even more with me since I am a mother myself and, like Victoria, I would do anything for my children. Even the darkest deeds.

After Anna by Alex Lake

A girl is missing. Five years old, taken from outside her school. She has vanished, traceless. The police are at a loss; her parents are beyond grief. Their daughter is lost forever, perhaps dead, perhaps enslaved. But the biggest mystery is yet to come: one week after she was abducted, their daughter is returned.

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Another five stars read here. Again, the plot was quite original and I never saw the twist coming. The story was well written and the characters well developed. I will definitely check out this author's other books.

In A Dark Place by Ed & Lorraine Warren

The story of the most terrifying case of demonic possession in the United States. It became the basis for the hit film “The Haunting in Connecticut”. Shortly after moving into their new home, the Snedeker family is assaulted by a sinister presence that preys one-by-one on their family. Exhausting all other resources, they call up the world-renowned demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren—who have never encountered a case as frightening as this…

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆⋆
Even though I am a great fan of supernatural and poltergeist movies, this is my very first read of the genre. It has apparently been claimed after publication that the whole story was a hoax and not one of those "truer than true" stories. Hoax or not, I really enjoyed this book even if the ending was a bit rushed in my opinion.

The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall

Meet Vish Puri, India's most private investigator. Portly, persistent and unmistakably Punjabi, he cuts a determined swathe through modern India's swindlers, cheats and murderers. When an honest public litigator is accused of murdering his maidservant, it takes all of Puri's resources to investigate. How will he trace the fate of the girl, known only as Mary, in a population of more than one billion? Who is taking pot shots at him and his prize chilli plants? And why is his widowed 'Mummy-ji' attempting to play sleuth when everyone knows Mummies are not detectives?

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
What a little gem! Being a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot, I tremendously enjoyed meeting Vish Puri, India's number 1 sleuth. The foreign setting and the (extremely well researched and developed) characters of  Puri and Mummy-ji gave me a real thirst for travelling to Delhi and Jaipur. I will definitely read the other books in the series.  

Wrong Place, Wrong Time by David P. Perlmutter

I would like to say that yes I made a number of mistakes during the events that took place and I hold my hands up. I look back at what happen everyday and wish I could turn back the clock but you can't. The following story is based on true events about my trip to Marbella, Spain, where having lost everything, which was all self inflicted, including my job, apartment and self respect, I leave memories of a London police cell behind me and head for Spain with its promise of adventure and fun. Little do I know that I'm about to be thrust into the most terrifying time of my life. 

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆

- First observation right off the bat: The title is inaccurate in my opinion as we are not dealing here with chance events but the mere result of voluntary actions -- but, then again, I am no publisher -- so what do I know? 
- Second: The author has claimed that he is no writer. Actually, it did not bother me at all and I believe that Perlmutter has solid descriptive skills. In fact, what killed it for me were the unfortunate typos which should have been caught during the proofreading. 
- Third: I gave three stars to this book because I liked it overall. It is indeed a compelling story but I found that the life mistakes in question were just too much for my liking.  
- Fourth: Let it be said that the author saved two lives during his time in Spain. This should not be forgotten.

Review -- Down Among the Dead Men

Down Among the Dead Men

Official blurb

Jason Green's life is changed for good after he is saved from a mugging by crime boss, Harry Irwell. He is then drawn into Manchester's notorious underworld, where smash and grab is as normal as making a cup of tea. But Jason isn't a casual thug. He has a life plan that doesn't involve blowing his money on the usual trappings. That is until a woman walks into his life offering the one thing that money can't buy - salvation.

As you can see on my Goodreads profile, I have read all books by Kerry Wilkinson and have consistently rated them four or five stars for the most, my favourite series being the Jessica Daniel one.

Therefore, it was with high expectations that I sat down with a cup of tea and a couple of biccies to read my review copy of Down Among the Dead Men, Wilkinson's latest stand-alone novel.  

  

First, I need to commend the author for his ability to play around with different styles of writing and settings. While the Jessica Daniel series is largely based around good old banter and sarcasm in its tone, this latest effort is a darker thriller that reminded me of Donnie Brasco in parts: I was dragged into that underworld atmosphere where everyone is threading carefully and constantly watching their own back.    

I also particularly liked the use of flashbacks, which broke the rhythm of the narrative in an interesting manner and provided more context as to the events that shaped Jason Green's personality and now motivate his current actions.   

This might be controversial, but I found that Jason was somehow a likeable chap: Yes, he could be viewed as a violent thug but, at the same time, he seems to have principles and morals which he is not willing to compromise. And, in fairness, he hasn't been dealt with the best cards in life either.

Now, I was left wanting for more when I reached the end of the story. Even though I was quite surprised at the final twist which I admit I never saw coming, I was still slightly disappointed as to the many questions that are left open. One of those being a small thing in particular that keeps happening to Jason and gets a lot of focus throughout the narrative, but which is still left unexplained at the end. I guess I am one of those people that need everything spelled out for them at the end of a book. 

The Bibliovore's verdict ⋆⋆⋆⋆