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Tide of Lies is more proof that Sarah Ballance is gathering strength in the romantic suspense world and has turned into a talented force to be reckoned with.
Familiar Light did indeed forge the path for the mystery to this book, but Tide of Lies is al...more
Tide of Lies is more proof that Sarah Ballance is gathering strength in the romantic suspense world and has turned into a talented force to be reckoned with.
Familiar Light did indeed forge the path for the mystery to this book, but Tide of Lies is also a stand alone novel.
I don't get into plots in my reviews, as the blurbs cover the points. But I will say this story is well crafted with a twist that was not predictable and I---right up until the last minute---swerved back and forth from 'I think I know who the killer is' to 'No, I have no clue who the killer is'...just the way a suspense/mystery is supposed to be.
I loved the settings Ballance creates and the way she paints them so colorfully and vividly that I FEEL the atmosphere and get totally into the mood. And with this novel, she produced another world in which--when I finished the book---I felt I knew the town intimately.
I have to admit (and I am SO not telling more) that one of the supporting characters was beautifully cast, fleshed to perfection and added a wonderful, delicious glue to bind the already pleasing ensemble together.
Ballance has a knack for lovely mystery and Tide of Lies is no exception.
Did I mention it's sexy, too?(less)
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Depending on what you're seeking in a book, this collection of stories might tire some readers.
For me, though---as I relish richly written characters whose emotions are painted in vivid detail---this book is a tutorial of sorts on writing the human c...more
Depending on what you're seeking in a book, this collection of stories might tire some readers.
For me, though---as I relish richly written characters whose emotions are painted in vivid detail---this book is a tutorial of sorts on writing the human condition.
I won't go into detail about the individual stories, but I do have to say Strout delivers the inner hearts of every character for us to see without 'telling' us, but 'showing' us through body language, their very dialogue, and through the eyes of the central character, Olive.
And I LOVED how cleverly she wove Olive into a character who---at first---came across to me as the town busy body; but, as the story progressed, I realized the heroine (can you even call her that?) was really a sort of cementing element to the town. A character who somehow managed to drop into the supporting character's lives and shine a little ray of light into their existences.
I won't say the book is exciting. It's just simply rich.(less)
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This was truly a beautiful short story about family ties and the bond between father and daughter--lyrical and sweet, tinged with bittersweet longing. I loved the way the plot revealed the past and present and how I felt as though I were in the st...
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Read more of this review »
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Better
by
Jaime Samms (Goodreads Author)
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"Thank you, Shira. I'm honored by your words.
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Review on the behalf of C. Zampa for Miz Love Loves Books. http://www.mizlovelovesbooks.com/sear...
Okay, you read the blurb. That’s the story. I’m elated that my rule to not get into plots still stands in force because these characters and Ms. Sylvre’...more
Review on the behalf of C. Zampa for Miz Love Loves Books. http://www.mizlovelovesbooks.com/sear...
Okay, you read the blurb. That’s the story. I’m elated that my rule to not get into plots still stands in force because these characters and Ms. Sylvre’s writing were so luscious I don’t want to waste time on the story line.
Where on earth do I begin? Maybe first by trying to wipe the giant grin off my face that has been there since I finished the book?
Loving Luki Vasquez reminds me of one of those wonderful trips. You know, the kind where you get to the destination, marvel at how fast you got there, then turn around and look at the road behind you and think, Damn, how did I cover so much ground so fast? The story was just such a journey. A well-planned, tightly packed—not to mention pulse-racing—adventure that beautifully paces itself to a perfect ending.
Luki Vasquez. I have a terrible crush on him now. I don’t even want to know how Lou Sylvre managed to tie a hurling (yes, as in puking), cigarette smoking, angst ridden, scar-faced creature into such a phenomenal, gorgeous, masculine, cold as ice yet warm as hot chocolate, sexy, sensual, I-gotta-have-that-man dark haired bundle. I just know she did and I love him.
And the other main character, Sonny James. An exquisite picture in every way. Sensitive, handsome, an artist who weaves tapestries, a recluse. A polar opposite of Luki, yet the only man imaginable for him.
I was immediately drawn to the book, simply by the catchy title and the sexy cover. But, even so, I wondered if the story itself might take a dark, brooking tone. Well, I was in for a huge surprise. Sure, the story is a serious one, a fabulous drama. A well written, good-as-any-television-show suspense saga.
But Ms. Sylvre’s writing is one of the most eloquent, lyrical, humorous styles I’ve seen in a long time, and I found it extremely delightful. It took the edge off a story which could have been stormy and sinister and magically transformed it into a nice mix of drama and clever comedy. For instance, in reference to Luki’s smoking habit, I found this once snippet from a scene to be particularly cute and adorably described the way his internal battle over his love for Sonny drove him to want to smoke, It was like Sonny was a big, man-shaped, flashing, neon sign that said “SMOKE HERE NOW.
Sylvre’s turns of phrasing often very beautifully—but with an economy of words—got the message across loud and clear. For instance, this powerful thought on Luki’s resistance to the feelings that crept up then blindsided him, Luki….feared friendship more than he feared enmity. Or this unusual wording, He pulled his captive out into the corridor, where he found a lot of shadows that were not harboring Sonny and some crates that Sonny was not sitting on.
It was that kind of voice that made this book like poetry for me—sweet, lilting poetry so oddly and mystically used to tell such a serious story. I love, love, loved it.
One more snippet, I promise. But I adored this reasoning in Luki’s mind when he found himself crying for the first time in a long time, Something tightened in Luki’s throat, something foreign, something painful, and with a shock he recognized what it was. Tears. Oh my God, tears. They welled up in his eyes and flowed over. His face felt wet, and heavy drops ran down his scar like a river bed, like that was the reason the scar was made, to give the tears a place to run.
If you’re looking for a book that makes short, easy work of a full-sized story simply because the writing is THAT good, then you will need to check out Loving Luki Vasquez.
Oh. And I double dog dare you to try and read this book and NOT immediately and fondly think of beautiful Luki and Sonny when you hear someone say, What are you looking at?
That precious banter alone is practically worth buying the book for.(less)
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