Molly Raven lives her life in constant fear of what might happen.
Everything and everyone is a potential threat.
For instance, she won’t leave the 3.5.
Molly Raven lives her life in constant fear of what might happen.
Everything and everyone is a potential threat.
For instance, she won’t leave the room while her phone is charging just in case it bursts into flames.
Charging it on a ‘soft surface’ is also a big no no, for the same reason.
Extensive, meticulous, up-to-date planning, organisation, and research allows Molly to stay abreast of disaster, and mitigate catastrophe.
She envies her carefree twin sister Katie (KT), who doesn’t have an anxious bone in her entire body. She would never be able to do something as brave as moving all the way from London to Manhattan to study. But, that’s just what her twin did the previous year.
When, Molly receives a phone call from her parent’s (currently visiting KT in NYC) to break the devastating news that Katie is dead, murdered in her apartment, Molly is forced to confront her phobia of flying, to make the trip to New York to console her parents, wrap up KT’s affairs, and, more importantly, find out who killed her twin.
From the opening sentence, the evocative, enticing writing drew me in, and, even though it was a slow burn, the first 50% saw me fully immersed, emotionally invested, and constantly guessing.
Will Dean perfectly captured the vibe of “the city that never sleeps” – the various landmarks, scenery, layout, skyline and architecture, and mouth-watering cuisine, made me want to pack my bags and jump on the next flight.
The last half moved at a frantic pace, with plenty of action and excitement, but this was when things steadily felt apart for me. Sadly, it was just too outrageous, preposterous and convenient for my liking. (view spoiler)[I’m not overly fond of character’s who have endless resources, finances, and assistance at their disposal, prefer when they have to rely on their wits and smarts. And some of this was – and I really relished those parts. (hide spoiler)] I still look forward to reading The Last Thing to Burn, as the author’s writing was exception, and I’ve heard it’s quite different from this one.
I had a lot of fun reading First Born with a group, and our theories and discussions were fascinating, and engaging.
Available now in New Zealand and Australia....more
Something monstrous is preying on the people of Shanghai.
No one is safe.
No one is immune.
1926 – Two rival gangs, the Scarlets and the White Flowers, Something monstrous is preying on the people of Shanghai.
No one is safe.
No one is immune.
1926 – Two rival gangs, the Scarlets and the White Flowers, rule Shanghai with an iron fist. Communism and colonialism are ever present challenges, but their biggest threat is each other. That is until seven people die in gruesome, unexplained ways, and sightings of a repulsive supernatural type creature are reported. As the death count and terror rises, Roma (White Flower) and Juliette (Scarlet), once friends and lovers (torn apart by betrayal and the blood feud that exists between their families), must put aside their hatred to stop the ‘madness' penetrating their city. Because if they fail, everyone will die.
A sea monster slithering out of the Huangpu River and infected people with a sickness that drove them crazy enough to kill themselves, before disappearing into the murky depths once again, played on my worst fears. The very idea of something foreign invading the brain and taking control gave me the heebie-jeebies. Chloe Gong did a masterful job with the action, horror, and gory scenes. I really felt the city's dread, panic and urgency the entire time I was reading.
The setting was a unique one with interesting politics, seediness, corruption, and violence, but there was also beauty to be found even in the darkest of times. The gang culture aspect – the rules, customs, practices, code of conduct – and the rivalry and blood feud that existed between the two families was equally fascinating and appalling. Roma and Juliette were constantly pulled in two directions, with betrayal, bloodshed, and very personal losses on both sides – torn between love and loyalty. And These Violent Delights ended on, not one, but two explosive cliff hangers, both of which will have far reaching consequences. The fall-out is going to be epic!
But I'm afraid I had some issues. My biggest was that a lot of the dialogue was somewhat confusing and disjointed, and just didn't strike me as how people speak or behave. There were ill-timed jokes and teasing too that didn't fit with the seriousness of the situation, as well as unnecessary conversations that neither furthered the plot or revealed anything about the character's personalities. What’s more, the language was far too modern for the time period. The emotions felt off too. Characters cared more about how they were going to clean bloodstains from their carpet than the horrors of people ripping their throats out in front of their eyes.
I also struggled with Juliette. She was such a bitch and a bully, and no matter what the situation she always responded with threats and/or violence. Roma, I liked, but I have no idea what he saw in Juliette. The main characters had zero romantic and sexual chemistry. What's more, the promised Romeo and Juliette romantic sub-plot was almost non-existent, which was one of the main reasons I was drawn to this book. The two characters shared all this history that was barely touched on. I feel the story could've benefitted from flashbacks to their first meeting, early friendship/relationship. Maybe the author intends to step-up the romance in book 2, but at 449 pages I expected more from this volume.
I'm an adult who has always loved YA but I feel I was too old for this and that it is better suited for a teenage and new adult audience. There's no question that These Violent Delights has been a phenomenal success for Chloe Gong, and I'm thrilled that a NZ based author is doing so well.
I'd like to thank Tandem Collective Global, Hachette NZ, and Chloe Gong for the gifted copy....more
There's nothing more comforting than getting lost in a holiday-themed romance. What's more, it's a Christmas tradition. And, I'm here to tell you thatThere's nothing more comforting than getting lost in a holiday-themed romance. What's more, it's a Christmas tradition. And, I'm here to tell you that The Twelve Dates of Christmas hit all the right Christmas Carol notes. Okay, so it was cheesy and predictable (a bit like this review) but I wouldn't have it any other way. Loved it.
As much as she'd like to meet the love of her life, Kate Turner is a bit too comfortable in her own company (I can relate). But, when her best friend convinces her to register with a dating app, Kate is hesitant yet determined to give it her best shot. The objective: To attend twelve dates in twelve different locations, matched with twelve different men, between the 1st and 23rd of December. Let the fun and hilarity begin.
The Twelve Dates of Christmas was everything you would expect – joyful, delightful, romantic, and of course, a required happily-ever-after ending. But it wasn't as light as I thought it was going to be. Some of the situations and obstacles Kate had to navigate involving dating, relationships, and life in general were quite serious which made me appreciate this read even more.
The quaint, cosy, picturesque English village setting, with a close-knit community celebrating many gorgeous Christmas traditions together was simply adorable. I loved how much everyone cared for, and supported one another. All the characters were given thorough, interesting backstories and clear explanations of their relationships, friendships and proximity within the village. The dates Kate attended were amusing, unique and creative....more
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