TMST

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

March 31st: - Are you an impulsive book buyer? (Courtesy of Roberta@ Offbeat YA)

Absolutely not!

I sit on my wishlist, to buy list for years. I consider, re-consider, I take one away, I put it back. I read reviews. It gets put lower on the list as books that needs to be bought first gets precedent. I recently got a book I have wanted since 2012!

I am a slow thoughtful buyer, though sometimes I do make quick decisions, but I never impulse buy

Joint Discussion: Thorn by Intisar Khanani

Hello all! Carole and I will be discussing "Thorn" by Intisar Khanani. Blodeuedd is in red and Carole in green.

Author: Intisar Khanani 

Title: Thorn (Dauntless Path #1)

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Retellings

Published:  March 24th 2020

Format: ebook

Pages: 458 

A princess with two futures. A destiny all her own

Between her cruel family and the contempt she faces at court, Princess Alyrra has always longed to escape the confines of her royal life. But when she’s betrothed to the powerful prince Kestrin, Alyrra embarks on a journey to his land with little hope for a better future.

When a mysterious and terrifying sorceress robs Alyrra of both her identity and her role as princess, Alyrra seizes the opportunity to start a new life for herself as a goose girl.

But Alyrra soon finds that Kestrin is not what she expected. The more Alyrra learns of this new kingdom, the pain and suffering its people endure, as well as the danger facing Kestrin from the sorceress herself, the more she knows she can’t remain the goose girl forever.

With the fate of the kingdom at stake, Alyrra is caught between two worlds and ultimately must decide who she is, and what she stands for.

I read this one when it was self-pubbed, and thought it was wonderful. And then I thought I would read it again, with Carole. It was good, just not as great as back then. Funny that. But then Carole and I are cursed so….

I thought it was really good. Not amazing or great, but really good. I think this is one of the better ones we’ve had. Not Bishop good ;) but still good and different. 

Nothing is Bishop good! Though I do feel sad that I did not love it as much as I did back then, 2013?15? But it was still so much better than much what we have read. Cos we read many meh books, don’t we ;)

I am sad you didn’t love it as much! That makes me worried about re-reading some awesome ones again lol! And yessssss we are cursed! 

I am never re-reading anything again! Well not with you ;) Except for Bishop where I liked them even more. Ok, we have to stop talking about Bishop and talk about this book instead. A re-telling of the Goose girl.

Hehehe. Yes - let’s talk about this book. I loved the whole concept. It was very different and fun. Well...not happy fun, but sad fun. This was overall really sad. I did cry at one point! SOBS!

The concept was great. I liked the atmosphere of the book. When I think back now, sure the world-building could have been more, but I often complain about that when it comes to YA. And here it never did bother me because it was so character-driven. I, of course, knew what was coming so I did not cry, but omg FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU.

I was surprised there wasn’t a crazy amount of world-building. I did want a little more, but overall I am content with what we got. We were more concerned about our characters. I loved the focus on them. Right and wrong. Justice and unjust. The author, especially near the end, did a wonderful job showing us that not everything is black and white. Morals and a sense of justice is all grey and depends on perspective. 

Well said! And actually, I did not remember any of those parts. Weird. So that thing near the end did hit me like wow, and wtf, evil! It certainly was not black or white. Not that that made it right, but it made me understand and feel. It made me sad too, and it also made me realize like who are these people. I want more about ya know, those people ;)

I do hope we get a sequel one day because I feel like there is more to the story. I wouldn’t be heartbroken if we didn’t because it ended well enough, but I feel like we could extend and grow more with these guys. I am also a touch biased….I wanted a romance ;) hehe. 

I can’t remember then, but now at least it seems to be a part of a series. But I can not say which direction that series will take. More about Alyrra? About someone else? And yes romance is always good! I did look at my old review and thought she should have been with someone else, and I do still feel that.

Oooooo you’ll have to tell me privately who you wanted her to be with! I had a couple people in mind for her. But yes - I want her to be happy and loved and live an amazing life. She really deserves it. She had such a crap family and then all of this drama. Sighs. Poor Alyrra. 

Omg her family was the worst, her new family sucked too. The only family that did not suck was the one she made for herself. Oh, they were wonderful, and I had totally forgotten what happened there. It hit me like a bus. That was brutal.

100% agreed. Apart of me wanted her to stay the Goose girl and just stay with that family. But destiny...fate...whatever is a cruel mistress. AND YESSSS SO BRUTAL! The scene that the Lady showed was super brutal too. Very shocking. 

Me too, she was a good goose girl, but the author was great at showing how much more she could be as a princess. She knew these people, and she could not help as a goose girl

Meh, you are right lol. I just want her to be happy. I adored her. Sure she isn’t perfect, but she was an amazing character and I want to be her friend. 

I think she will be happy. But I still also feel that the prince was an ass, I mean just come out and say it. Why play those games when you know the truth?

The games made me MAD. I liked him overall, but what an ass he was there. I don’t get WHY he did play those games. SMH. 

Ass! Together they could have worked better! Tsk, some people. Talking about people, how much to we both despise Valka?

Yesss a lot of this drama and brutal stuff would’ve never happened if they worked together. OMG Valka. Ya…..I wanted karma to get her. Her reasonings were crap. She was a crap person. 

What a bitch, ugh. She wanted power. She wanted to be a princess. I wanted to kick her down the stairs. She deserved no pity.

Yessss! She deserved it. I don’t even get why Alyrra was forced to bring her with her especially knowing how much Valka hated Alyrra. That seems to really put the alliance in a lot of danger. Just didn’t make sense to me. SMH 

It’s like you marry her off, ehh, what? How could Alyrra manage that? Someone should have come too and well married Valka off then. But how does it make sense to just send Alyrra and Valka? Yeah, that was a bad move, but I guess there was no other way.

We wouldn’t have a story then. And honestly, we needed a character to hate. I get Alyrra tattled on her and blah blah, but Valka’s reasoning for hating her was stupid. You got caught being bad….you have no one to blame but yourself! Gah. Valka is the worst. 

But then stupid people do not think, they act. Valka ruined it for herself.

Yess she ruined everything for herself. If she had just chilled maybe she could’ve married that cousin of the prince??? Who knows! Sighs. Fool. 

Yeah, I am sure she could have wormed her way into some pants or something. I would not put that past her. 

Right? She really ruined her life for stupid reasons. 

Do we have anything more to say? I can just spew hate over Valka for ages.

Hahaha same, same. I hated her more than that witch/Lady person (blanking on her name) and she was the big baddie of the whole story. I did feel slightly bad for the Lady when she revealed her reason for everything she did and wanted to do to that family. 

Same, I never hated the Lady as much as Valka, which is stupid since the Lady made Valka, but she did not make Valka a shitty person, Valka was already a shitty person. So I could not hate the lady as much, and then I understood the Lady and felt sorry for her.

Agreed. The Lady had real reasons for her hate. Valka was just a petty, spoiled, snotty bitch who got in trouble and got the punishment she deserved. Haha, love how much we can go on and on about Valka who was just a pawn for the baddie. 

Valka crossed a line, she was a bitch, but then she crossed that line because she was a petty bitch. Ugh. I really need to stop talking about her. She gets the prize for Most evil Baddie of the year

Agreed. She really is the Most evil Baddie of the year. We should give her an award at the end of the year. ;) hehe. Do we have anything else? 

I enjoyed the book and there were some wonderful characters in it! And then there was a certain bitch ;) A good story and yes I do want more. I just hope if it is about Alyrra that she will have a better time

A good story! I want a sequel just because I want more of Alyrra. 

I meant to say something smart but meh. Lol. I can’t say something as good as your paragraph in the beginning. A good book, YA, but with some brutal parts, even if not shown.

Too tired to think of smart things. LOL

Then, the end, and next month BISHOP :D

The end!

About the Authors

Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging for a long while now. The last few years the epic duo has been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.

Audio: For the Sake of a Scottish Rake by Anna Bradley

Narrated by: Antony Ferguson

Series: Besotted Scots Series, Book 3

Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 02-28-20

Language: English

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Historical romance

In exchange for an honest review

Slaps them both. Oh ye fools of little faith!

Lucy wants to live after having spent her life in one place. She also has an idiot for an uncle, and a nice cousin.

Kieran has his own troubles. I did read some of the previous books, but I can't really remember why they fled Scotland. Oh well I do not need too, all I know is that he left someone behind who had hurt him.

They meet, they become reluctant friends, cos men and women can be friends! They get the hots for each other, but do nothing cos they are idiots. Are ye blind and stupid!

Then there is the plot with her enormous dowry and her uncle wanting to marry her off. There I lost a bit of trust for her, Kieran is a good man, stop fighting that. Your uncle is a psycho! Think woman!

Suddenly in the plot there were 2 other love stories too, and at those times I feel cheated cos I can't see how it happened and I always feel they deserve their own story.

I did like it, but I also wanted to slap some sense into them. Lucy went a bit too far in her thinking at times, Kieran I can forgive cos he fell for her.

I do like Anthony as the narrator. I have listened to a ton of Scottish romances with him so I do like her Scottish accent ;) he does them well and make them fun listening too. Sadly there were only one Scot, I know, heartbreaking

After a sheltered upbringing, Lady Lucinda Sutcliffe is finally embarking on her first season, eager to experience everything she's missed. When Lucy realizes that her uncle plans to quickly marry her off in exchange for a slice of her fortune, she begs a favor of a new acquaintance, Ciaran Ramsey. 

If Lucy remains single until she turns 21, she - and her money - will be out of her uncle's power. All the charming Scot needs to do is woo her for six weeks, and then jilt her...

The Ramseys don't need the scandal of a false engagement attached to their name. But Lucy's older suitor is both distasteful and dangerous, and Ciaran can't allow his lovely friend to be forced to marry such a man. And besides, the more time Ciaran spends with his new "betrothed," the more their ruse begins to feel very much like the real thing. 

Passion like this is impossible to feign, but how much is a rogue willing to risk for love?

A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn

Hardcover, First U.S., 336 pages

Published March 12th 2019 by Berkley Books/Penguin Random House

Series: Veronica Speedwell #4

Historical mystery

Library

I devoured this one! More more more, until I was done. The sexual tension was killing me, just jump each other!!! Definitely the best one so far.

I do not know what it was. I slipped into the book, I could not put it down. The lightness, the mystery, the flirting, oh my, it was just the distraction that I needed right now!

Veronica goes with Stoker's brother to an island. She wants to watch a butterflies, he is wondering who killed someone. Better take Veronica with you since she can solve mysteries. And obvi Stoker will follow as his brother flirts too much with Veronica. Oh how I wish Stoker and Veronica would get their act together!

Nonstop greatness that had me hooked until the end! Must have more now!

Victorian adventuress Veronica Speedwell is whisked off to a remote island off the tip of Cornwall when her natural historian colleague Stoker's brother calls in a favor. On the pretext of wanting a companion to accompany him to Lord Malcolm Romilly's house party, Tiberius persuades Veronica to pose as his fiancée—much to Stoker's chagrin. But upon arriving, it becomes clear that the party is not as innocent as it had seemed. Every invited guest has a connection to Romilly's wife, Rosamund, who disappeared on her wedding day three years ago, and a dramatic dinner proves she is very much on her husband's mind.

As spectral figures, ghostly music, and mysterious threats begin to plague the partygoers, Veronica enlists Stoker's help to discover the host's true motivations. And as they investigate, it becomes clear that there are numerous mysteries surrounding the Romilly estate, and every person present has a motive to kill Rosamund...

Audio: Love Hard by Nalini Singh

Narrated by: Justine O. Keef

Series: Hard Play, Book 3

Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 03-10-20

Language: English

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Contemporary romance

For review

Aww all the feels! This was a book that I need right now. A couple who are perfect for each other. Drama that makes sense. Feelings that make sense. And love that hits all the right spots.

Jake is a rugby star, a widower with a kid, and very prim and proper because he feels he has to set a good example.

Juliet was married to an idiot cricket player, she got a rep as a WAG, and the tabloids still keep an eye on her. But it was all her idiot ex fault. Now she keep all her focus on work.

They knew each other as teens and got on each other's nerves. Now they meet as adults and still get on each other's nerves, but other feelings also come out. All the right feelings!

There is some drama as she thinks her bad rep will spoil his good rep. Oh you silly woman, Jake is a keeper.

It was just so good, I could not stop listening. I heard her voice in my head. Oh all these Singh book have been so good. I do think I like her contemporary even more than her pnr ones

Justine O.Keef is amazing as the narrator. The male voices, the female voices, the accent (ok I assume so, I should check ). She is perfect and the book is a joy to listen at 

Jacob Esera, star rugby player and young single father, has worked hard to create a joyous life for his six-year-old daughter. After the death of his childhood sweetheart soon after their daughter’s birth, all Jake wants is safety and stability. No risks. No wild chances. And especially no Juliet Nelisi, former classmate, scandal magnet, and a woman who is a thorn in his side.

As a lonely teenager, Juliet embraced her bad-girl reputation as a shield against loneliness and rejection. Years later, having kicked a cheating sports-star ex to the curb, she has a prestigious job and loyal friends—and wants nothing to do with sportsmen. The last thing she expects is the fire that ignites between her and the stuffed-shirt golden boy who once loved her best friend.

Straitlaced Jacob Esera versus wild-at-heart Juliet Nelisi? Place your bets.

TMST

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

March 24th: Spring Break no post (or create your own post)
Latest DNF post

It was all I could think of

The Girls with No Names by Serena Burdick 
I found it reeeeeally hard getting into this audiobook.

A Delicate Deception by Cat Sebastian 
I kept jumping to other books so in the end I gave up

The Pilot & the Puck-Up by Pippa Grant
She was strangely occupied from keeping her 26 year old sister from boinking, what was up with that?

I am so sad, it was a bit too much for me.

She was unlikable.
He was too much

Carole's Monday: Serenade

Author: Heather McKenzie 
Title: Serenade
(The Nightmusic Trilogy #1)
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance
Format: ebook
Pages: 346 
Published: April 17th 2017
Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon Freebie)

Teenage heiress Kaya experiences her first taste of freedom when she’s kidnapped from her sheltered life. But as she forms an unlikely connection with her abductor, Luke, her adventure takes a strange turn.

There is nothing magical about growing up in a mountainside castle, when it’s your prison. Kaya’s ruthless and powerful father keeps her under lock and key, watched every second of the day–and Kaya’s not really sure why. She’s just a normal girl…no one special. She doesn’t understand her father’s obsession with her safety – until she is kidnapped.

Dragged through a brutal wilderness, Kaya’s captor shows her the devastating truth, and even though he has dark secrets of his own, she is inexplicably drawn to him–when the stars are in your eyes, sometimes the line between right and wrong is blurred. Passion obliterates common sense. Love... makes you reckless.

As Kaya's father’s men and her devoted bodyguard scour the woods to find her, she wonders if staying in the arms of her abductor is the safer place to be. At least, that’s what her heart is saying—her head is saying run…

This has been collecting virtual dust on my kindle for a while now. Finally, time to buckle down and read this. 

The story follows Kaya who is held like a captive in her own home by her father. The moment she thinks she finds happiness in the arms of one of her guards, she is swept away by kidnappers. As she is being dragged through the wilderness, Kaya finds true freedom and love. 

OooooooOOOooooOOOoooo Kaya. You are a true victim here. She is a Stockholm queen. She falls in love with one of the guards at home and then immediately falls in love with one of her captors. Poor sweet girl. She is 17/18 so I get it. If I counted all the times I thought I was in love at that age I would still be counting by the end of this review. Oh the youth. 

I was intrigued by this story until about halfway and then I really couldn't get myself to care. I felt bad for Kaya. I want her to be alone and free for a while. Not surrounded by overly protective dudes. She is not truly free. Maybe book 2 she will rise as a strong independent woman. Yes, you can love someone and be a strong woman. 

But yea - this was not what I was hoping for. I feel meh about this overall. It wasn't horrible, but not for me. I'll give this 2 stars. 

Challenge(s):

- #13 for NOT US/UK setting

Audio: Undone by Kelly Rimmer

Narrated by: Rock Engle, Lidia Dornet

Series: Start Up in the City Series, Book 3

Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 02-25-20

Language: English

Publisher: Harlequin Audio

For review

Contemporary romance

This book suffered a bit cos of Corona, I mean who could stay of the net while trying to listen? I know I know, my bad!

I couldn't really get behind Jess, sure late in the book we do learn why she doesn't want something steady. And yes I get it, but you know, if you actually talk about it then maybe things can work out.

Jake is a sweetie. Omg, why did he keep trying? I would have moved on.

Commitment phobic with issues from the past meets dreamguy, smexy times, hearts broken. Second chance and last chance.

I was actually more interested in her best friend, he needs a hea. Jess was really hard to like when I tried to get under her skin.

I did like it, at other times it suffered do to googling, but then if I really enjoy something maybe I would't let my mind wander. A tough one, yes I liked it, and at the same time I wasn't all convinced. I still can't see these two together.

Two narrators, which worked well as they could do their own voices. But I could have done with more distinct ones at times

The only vow she's ever been prepared to make is not to say "I do".

Running a major tech company without breaking a sweat? No problem. But being bridesmaid at her best friend's wedding is giving Jess Cohen a bad case of the jitters. Maybe that's because she'll have to face the groom's brother, Jake, who Jess dumped mercilessly, unable to tell him the truth about her past. Jake, who's loyal, loving and all wrong for someone who refuses to be tied down. If only Jess's heart could remember that.

Jake Winton spent four months secretly dating Jess, and the past two years trying - and failing - to forget her. He'd been ready to propose, convinced Jess was every bit as in love with him as he was with her. Now he's sure their connection is still there, sizzling and undeniable. Whatever she's holding back, he can handle - if only she'll trust him with her secrets, her fears and her heart.

No such thing as Dasher and The warlord and the Nightingale

I never really got the feel for this one, it should have been a full novel. i need to try those instead cos her historicals are amazing

Hanzo the karakuri puppet maker is summoned to Koriya Castle to build a mysterious device for a fearsome warlord. Within the walls, he encounters a beautiful courtesan who must sing from dusk until dawn to chase away nightmares. Caught in a madman’s domain, will Hanzo find his escape, or sacrifice himself for the sake of love?

A classic fairy-tale retold with a steampunk twist in feudal Japan.

Kindle Edition, 44 pages

Published July 4th 2015 by Jeannie Lin

Series: The Gunpowder Chronicles #2.5

Steampunk

Own

For Avery, her holiday duties as a forest ranger oftentimes involve tracking revelers who have lost their way in her wilderness domain. After a camper clashes with a reindeer, however, Avery is shocked to discover the creature is defended not by Santa, but by the formidable, yet gentle, shapeshifting Lord of the Forest.

Can the magic of the forest bring together a ranger and a supernatural being, or is Avery destined to celebrate yet another Christmas alone?

Kindle Edition, 35 pages

Published November 13th 2017 by Raven Queen Publications

PNR own

Carole was reading this so I read it too.

A woman starts talking to a nekkid guy in the woods.

Next time they meet they kiss.

She knows what he is almost at once,

She hits her head a lot.

Is she insane? She might just be and this antler guy is a figment of her imagination.

Is this a romance? Nope. She kissed a guy through her windshield and liked it

Audio: Yes no Maybe So by Albertalli and Saeed

• By: Becky Albertalli, Aisha Saeed
• Narrated by: Tiya Sircar, Michael Crouch
• Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
• Unabridged Audiobook
• Release date: 02-04-20
• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• YA Fiction
• 
  

I should have written this at once, but you know, the pandemic, I have been occupied.

Jamie wants to make a difference, but he is not good with people. He is a volunteer and mostly stays inside. He is a bit of a klutz and honestly feels like a really good guy.

Maya doesn't care for all that, she is more busy trying to spend time with her bestie. Oh and I did not like her bestie, she was all about herself and didn't even notice the stuff Maya was going through, like her parents moving apart, and later a bill that would ban headdress in public spaces.

They go canvassing together. They become great friends. Maya can't date because dating should lead to marriage. They do start to fall for each other, and it feels so real, cos it is slow growing from friendship. There is talk about politics since the other guy is a deuce. Politics, racism and more.

I enjoyed it.

I also liked that there were two narrators, and there are also two authors. It works really well, and I enjoyed both narrators.

YES 

Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state senate candidate - as long as he’s behind the scenes. When it comes to speaking to strangers (or, let’s face it, speaking at all to almost anyone) Jamie’s a choke artist. There’s no way he’d ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes...until he meets Maya. 

NO 

Maya Rehman’s having the worst Ramadan ever. Her best friend is too busy to hang out, her summer trip is canceled, and now her parents are separating. Why her mother thinks the solution to her problems is political canvassing - with some awkward dude she hardly knows - is beyond her. 

MAYBE SO 

Going door to door isn’t exactly glamorous, but maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world. After all, the polls are getting closer - and so are Maya and Jamie. Mastering local activism is one thing. Navigating the cross-cultural crush of the century is another thing entirely.

TMST: Lucky finds

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

March 17th: Lucky finds: what book(s) do you consider a lucky find?

Oh this is hard. I do read A LOT. And I do not want to mention books that I have found on blogs, hmmm.

I found Jonathan French's Grey Bastards at a book changing table. Free! So I took it even though someone had once said it wasn't for me, and it totally was for me!

This is hard, everything I read has been recced one way or another.

I am going back in time to Magician by Raymond E.Feist. I loved fantasy, but I had never read in English so I read it and fell in love with a new world. An reading in English world. Which is probably why I still love the book more than anything else. All thanks to my library.

At times I still think about Dark Matter by Michelle Paver. It was scary in a real way. What is beyond a dark window....

Thorn by Intisar Khanani, in 2015 it was free on amazon and still today it is the best self pubbed book I have ever read. I plan to listen to it now in March as it has been released through Harper. Wish me luck!

Every book I look at is makes me all, oh yes I was recced this one on a blog, and this one. Wow, you have all made me read A lot of books. And then there are review books, which lucky finds? Nah.

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong, I found it at the library, and it made me fall in love with UF, pre blogging days so I did not even know what UF was or where I could find it

WHeel of time by Robert Jordan, my in to fantasy.

My mum's Harlequin book. My love of romance started

Carole's Monday: The waxwork Corpse

Author: Simon Michael

Title: The Waxwork Corpse

(Charles Holborne #5)

Genre: Thriller, Historical Fiction, Mystery

Format: ebook

Pages: 336 

Published: December 23rd 2019

Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

London, 1965

Charles Holborne, maverick barrister, will never fit in at the Bar; he is too working-class, too Jewish and too dangerous.

But that makes him the perfect outsider to prosecute a shocking murder case which has already made its way to the press.

By chance, a body was found, dumped in a lake. It had clearly been there for some time, but the conditions in the water have meant that it was nearly perfectly preserved.

The police have managed to match this ‘waxwork corpse’ to a missing woman and if her husband — a senior judge — was the one who killed her, the scandal threatens to rock the British justice to its foundations.

The waxwork corpse is not the only thing to be raised from the past. The investigation also dredges up a violent mistake made by Charles in his youth which, if revealed, could put his own life at stake…

I was super intrigued by this one. Luckily it works well as a standalone! 

The story follows Charles Holborne who is a maverick barrister. He is too working-class and too Jewish for the Bar. This makes him perfect to prosecute a shocking murder case that has made it to the press and the main suspect is a senior judge who was the husband of the missing woman. Along with all of this, a violent mistake made by Charles in the 40s is being unburied. If revealed, could put his own life at stake.

This was intense and I could hardly put it down. I liked Charles of course, but I was more intrigued by the murder investigation and then the trial. I kept catching myself yelling at the book or gasping (much to my boyfriend's annoyance who had the utter mistake of asking what was up because then I had to try and explain all the drama! I think he was secretly amused and curious because he did ask how it ended later on). 

So good. So good. I haven't read such a great thriller in a while. I am so happy this did well as a standalone. I am curious about the others now. Like I said...I like Charles and I am curious about him and some of the other mysteries. 

I was worried about the mix of the murder mystery and the trial because one aspect is usually too quick or overshadows the other. But I think we had enough time to investigate and then see the trial play out. Perfect blend there. 

AND THAT TWIST! WOW! Didn't see that coming. Kuddos to the author there. 

All-in-all, I really loved this book. It was sooooooooooo good and if you like mysteries/thrillers, then I highly recommend this one. I'll give this 5 stars.