Tag: Suspense

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Dante Chamber (The Dante Club #2) by Matthew Pearl

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: The Dante Chamber (The Dante Club #2) by Matthew Pearl

To say that Matthew Pearl likes literature is an understatement. Many of his books are literary related in some way or another, making them really intriguing to me.

My first experience with Pearl was with the book THE LAST BOOKANEER which was a wonderful read, but more importantly it was different. I have also had THE DANTE CLUB on my radar for the better part of six years, so when this one came up for review I was stoked. So why haven’t I read THE DANTE CLUB you ask…..I have no idea.

Maybe it’s because it’s been on my TBR list for so long that I’ve forgotten about it as I keep adding new books or maybe it’s because I don’t own a copy of the first book. Whatever it is—when this book came up for review, I gave it a solid ‘hell ya’ to review! Continue reading “Review: The Dante Chamber (The Dante Club #2) by Matthew Pearl” →

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: Something In The Water by Catherine Steadman

by The Lit Bitch2 Comments on Review: Something In The Water by Catherine Steadman

When this book came across my desk for review, the first thing that caught my eye was that the author was also an actress, most notably an actress in Downton Abbey.

I’m always intrigued by people with dual talents. Being an actress is difficult enough but then you add author in the mix and it seems almost impossible so when I see things like this that aren’t memoirs or autobiographies etc, I am always curious to see how the author’s talents translate from big screen to pages.

SOMETHING IN THE WATER stood out besides the fact that Steadman is an actress though…..it’s set in Bora Bora. I was instantly intrigued. It’s an island paradise. A place most certainly on my bucket list and for many people, a trip of a lifetime. Having a thriller set in paradise sounds delectable and like something I would want to read!  Continue reading “Review: Something In The Water by Catherine Steadman” →

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

by The Lit Bitch2 Comments on Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

This book was everywhere last year. It was first published in June of 2017 and it’s been every where ever since. All over my social media, on all my friends ‘to read’ or ‘favorite’ shelfs, and at my local library as a librarian favorite.

It sounded like something that would be right up my alley, but for some reason it just didn’t scream ‘read me’ even though I had it sitting in my Kindle library for months. Part of me was worried about the hype and another part of me just wasn’t into reading a war time friendship story as I prefer war time romances generally.

However, this last month on the #historicalfix chat on Twitter, this was the featured book and there was a Q & A with Kate Quinn and after following along with the chat I was curious and eager to check this book out after all this time.

In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption. Continue reading “Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn” →

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: Black Amber by Phyllis A. Whitney

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: Black Amber by Phyllis A. Whitney

Phyllis Whitney is an author who has been on my radar since I was old enough to read and appreciate romantic suspense books…..so basically since like thirteen or fourteen. So for over 20 years I’ve been trying to motivate myself enough to read one of her books.

I mean she’s written tons and tons and tons of books so she must be doing something right. So why haven’t I picked up her books? I honestly have worried that they would be ‘dated’. I mean, Victoria Holt (my all time favorite romantic suspense writer), wrote books that were very clearly meant to be historical fiction. They were always set in the past even though she was a more modern writer.

Writers like Whitney and Mary Stewart tend to hope around between historical fiction and what would have been more ‘modern’ fiction by their standards and writing period. I just wasn’t sure that her books would live up to my expectations. Continue reading “Review: Black Amber by Phyllis A. Whitney” →

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Girl I Used to Be by Mary Torjussen

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: The Girl I Used to Be by Mary Torjussen

I was introduced to Mary Torjussen last year when I read GONE WITHOUT A TRACE. While there were a few things that didn’t work for me in that book, I was impressed enough by her writing that when THE GIRL I USED TO BE came up, I was willing to review her latest thriller.

She doesn’t write series books and for that I am thankful. Don’t get me wrong I love series however sometimes it’s nice to have a full story and resolution in just one book. As a reader it helps me get closure and I personally hate when authors or publishers milk a series just for the sake of churning out another book. In a world of series, I like the odd stand alone book from time to time.

THE GIRL I USED TO BE is similar in style to GONE WITHOUT A TRACE….psychological thriller mixed with a little domestic suspense. I really was intrigued once again by the summary and couldn’t say no to something that sounds like every faithful wife’s worst nightmare!  Continue reading “Review: The Girl I Used to Be by Mary Torjussen” →