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Hourglass #1
Red Hourglass
A romance thriller.
A POWERFUL, MYSTERIOUS woman finds a homeless girl in a New York subway and adopts her. Janet swears loyalty to the White family and they train her at their Academy as a secret agent. Before long, her transformation into the Red Hourglass—an assassin—is complete. She is ready to start her missions in service of the White Queen.
In order to learn the whereabouts of her real mother from the White Queen, the Red Hourglass must stop the planned expansion of Wilmar Enterprises. She goes undercover to infiltrate Wilmar, and she is hired as the executive secretary to the Chief of Security, Conan Casey.
Janet works diligently to uncover all Wilmar’s secrets. She soon learns that Conan Casey, her target, is heir to the billion dollar Wilmar organization. She falls prey to his dark seductions and twisted secrets … and they leave her gasping for more.
She unwittingly bets her stakes on a dangerous game of love. Where do her loyalties lie? Will she betray Conan for the White Queen, or fall in love with him and give up all hope of finding her real mother? And will they get out alive?
The first in the Hourglass series - a dark coming of age thriller romance novel about finding one's identity with dominance and submission romance scenes against the backdrop of capitalism, undercover agents, poker and tango with an infusion of eastern and western philosophy.
A sequel will be released every Halloween.
A POWERFUL, MYSTERIOUS woman finds a homeless girl in a New York subway and adopts her. Janet swears loyalty to the White family and they train her at their Academy as a secret agent. Before long, her transformation into the Red Hourglass—an assassin—is complete. She is ready to start her missions in service of the White Queen.
In order to learn the whereabouts of her real mother from the White Queen, the Red Hourglass must stop the planned expansion of Wilmar Enterprises. She goes undercover to infiltrate Wilmar, and she is hired as the executive secretary to the Chief of Security, Conan Casey.
Janet works diligently to uncover all Wilmar’s secrets. She soon learns that Conan Casey, her target, is heir to the billion dollar Wilmar organization. She falls prey to his dark seductions and twisted secrets … and they leave her gasping for more.
She unwittingly bets her stakes on a dangerous game of love. Where do her loyalties lie? Will she betray Conan for the White Queen, or fall in love with him and give up all hope of finding her real mother? And will they get out alive?
The first in the Hourglass series - a dark coming of age thriller romance novel about finding one's identity with dominance and submission romance scenes against the backdrop of capitalism, undercover agents, poker and tango with an infusion of eastern and western philosophy.
A sequel will be released every Halloween.
249 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 27, 2015
96 people are currently reading
438 people want to read
About the author
Scarlet Risque
8 books22 followersScarlet Risqué stars in Scarlet Queen YouTube with over a million views. She is the author of the Hourglass (Romance/Thriller) Series. She holds a degree in business. She uses writing, dance, and theater to explore her dark and light desires. She's a poetic soul where pain and pleasure meet and East collides with West.
Each book in the Series has a female lead searching for her identity and truth in today's world. Set against a backdrop of globalization, these stories of intrigue and espionage are full of undercover agents, hints of BDSM erotica, and themes of dominance and submission.
Scarlet combines her business knowledge with her artistic sensibilities when she creates her art. She's interested in social issues-such as poverty, homelessness, and orphans-and when she writes about powerful businessmen and women she often examines the larger implications of their decisions can change the political and social outcomes of the world.
She loves her cat and crystal collection. Scarlet's passionate about traveling, dancing, and kink. She usually has wanderlust, and she can often be found fluttering her rainbow wings around the world.
Scarlet reads all her fan mail and she looks forward to hearing from you. Your feedback is crucial in helping her improve the Series.
http://thescarletqueen.com
Each book in the Series has a female lead searching for her identity and truth in today's world. Set against a backdrop of globalization, these stories of intrigue and espionage are full of undercover agents, hints of BDSM erotica, and themes of dominance and submission.
Scarlet combines her business knowledge with her artistic sensibilities when she creates her art. She's interested in social issues-such as poverty, homelessness, and orphans-and when she writes about powerful businessmen and women she often examines the larger implications of their decisions can change the political and social outcomes of the world.
She loves her cat and crystal collection. Scarlet's passionate about traveling, dancing, and kink. She usually has wanderlust, and she can often be found fluttering her rainbow wings around the world.
Scarlet reads all her fan mail and she looks forward to hearing from you. Your feedback is crucial in helping her improve the Series.
http://thescarletqueen.com
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March 26, 2016
FREE on Amazon US today (11/7/2015)
Stand-alone. A romance thriller. A debut.
BLURB:
A POWERFUL, MYSTERIOUS woman finds a homeless girl in a New York subway and adopts her. Janet swears loyalty to the White family and they train her at their Academy as a secret agent. Before long, her transformation into the Red Hourglass—an assassin—is complete. She is ready to start her missions in service of the White Queen.
In order to learn the whereabouts of her real mother from the White Queen, the Red Hourglass must stop the planned expansion of Wilmar Enterprises. She goes undercover to infiltrate Wilmar, and she is hired as the executive secretary to the Chief of Security, Conan Casey.
Janet works diligently to uncover all Wilmar’s secrets. She soon learns that Conan Casey, her target, is heir to the billion dollar Wilmar organization. She falls prey to his dark seductions and twisted secrets … and they leave her gasping for more.
She unwittingly bets her stakes on a dangerous game of love. Where do her loyalties lie? Will she betray Conan for the White Queen, or fall in love with him and give up all hope of finding her real mother? And will they get out alive?
The first in the Hourglass series - a dark coming of age thriller romance novel about finding one's identity with dominance and submission romance scenes against the backdrop of capitalism, undercover agents, poker and tango with an infusion of eastern and western philosophy.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017...
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January 2, 2016
Downloaded for free from Amazon.co.uk
This was an adult story about a girl who was trained to be an assassin.
Scarlet didn’t have it easy in this book, being abused by her step-father, having to run from the police, and then living rough in New York were all awful situations for her to be in, and it was understandable the way she clung to The White Queen when she was offered an alternative to living on the streets.
The storyline in this was about Scarlet as she was sent on an important mission, with some romance as she fell for the man she was supposed to be ruining (which was a little predictable!). I also found the pace to be a little slow for me, and this book ended up feeling quite long.
The ending to this was okay, although something happened right at the very last line to leave us with a bit of a cliff-hanger.
6.5 out of 10
"We only serve the White Queen."
This was an adult story about a girl who was trained to be an assassin.
Scarlet didn’t have it easy in this book, being abused by her step-father, having to run from the police, and then living rough in New York were all awful situations for her to be in, and it was understandable the way she clung to The White Queen when she was offered an alternative to living on the streets.
The storyline in this was about Scarlet as she was sent on an important mission, with some romance as she fell for the man she was supposed to be ruining (which was a little predictable!). I also found the pace to be a little slow for me, and this book ended up feeling quite long.
The ending to this was okay, although something happened right at the very last line to leave us with a bit of a cliff-hanger.
6.5 out of 10
December 7, 2015
1.5 to 2 Stars
I really liked the concept—kickass secret agent and hot rich guy—but I unfortunately didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to.
I feel like the writing was too stilted so it made it hard for me to read and be totally engrossed. Especially in the beginning, the sentences were just too choppy, but it did improve a bit as it went on. I think if there was more fluidity, I would have had a better reading experience for sure.
However, I also didn't particularly like or care for the interaction and relationship between the two MCs. To be honest, I didn't feel the connection between them. Actually, I didn't feel anything at all.
To be really, really honest, I was only able to finish this because I skimmed through most of it. Believe me, I truly gave it a chance but everything fell flat to me. There was no suspense and the romance was not very good. Even "the twist or the big reveal" at the end just came out of nowhere, I feel like. It might be because I missed it with the skimming that I did but I don't know.
Overall, I liked the premise but just not the execution.
*This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked the concept—kickass secret agent and hot rich guy—but I unfortunately didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to.
I feel like the writing was too stilted so it made it hard for me to read and be totally engrossed. Especially in the beginning, the sentences were just too choppy, but it did improve a bit as it went on. I think if there was more fluidity, I would have had a better reading experience for sure.
However, I also didn't particularly like or care for the interaction and relationship between the two MCs. To be honest, I didn't feel the connection between them. Actually, I didn't feel anything at all.
To be really, really honest, I was only able to finish this because I skimmed through most of it. Believe me, I truly gave it a chance but everything fell flat to me. There was no suspense and the romance was not very good. Even "the twist or the big reveal" at the end just came out of nowhere, I feel like. It might be because I missed it with the skimming that I did but I don't know.
Overall, I liked the premise but just not the execution.
*This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
September 6, 2017
I don't normally read these types of mysteries but this was a good read. Mary was abandoned by her mother at an early age, decides to leave her stepfather in search of her mom. She leaves under not good circumstances and heads to the city with no job ,money when a powerful mysterious woman finds a starving homeless girl in a New York subway. She renames the girl Janet and takes her under her wing. Within a few short years Janet's transformation is complete. She's a beautiful young assassin in the White Queen's covert force. Her code name is Red Hourglass. Janet's first deep cover assignment is to infiltrate Wilmar Enterprises as Scarlet Walters. She's hired as the secretary to Wilmar's Chief Security Officer Conan Casey. Her mission is to stop Wilmar's upcoming expansion. Scarlet soon learns that her boss is heir to the billion dollar Wilmar organization, putting him in grave danger. She tries to resist Conan's dark seductions but she falls prey to his charms and twisted secrets and these two have some good down dirty sex scenes. This was my first time reading this author this book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
November 8, 2015
Reading a novel not edited by a known publishing house and, moreover, written by a new author, it's always a risk and, personally, i start the reading with the feeling "i won't be able to even start with the second chapter". Well, this is not the case of "Red hourglass".
The prologue simply catches the reader in what apparently looks like the end of the story, so he is taken softly and unconsciously to start with chapter 1 to know where it all comes from. Thus, not even noticing, reader finds him-herself turning pages and pages and going through chapters as he/she simply wants more of the story.
First works of authors can be often qualified as "rush": at some point it's clear to the reader that the author was kind of hurrying to finish the work, so suddenly the action or the end comes like a fast and unpredictable snowball. Again, this is not the case: the author never rushes to tell the end, actually manages to keep the reader stuck to the novel desiring to know "what will happen from now on", as new characters and actions are added.
The construction of the novel is solid. Characters' description are consistent with their role in the action so the author leaves no place for "where does this come from" or "i cannot believe this character" kind of questions, which would lead to leave the novel aside. As for the plot, no doubt the author has done her best to build it in every detail, no holes left to fill, no fragments with no role for the ongoing action. Given it is a fiction, the author has totally succeed in making the reader believe it all is authentic, reader never gets the impression the author has gone too far.
The sensation of authenticity is also conveyed by the narrative skills: always the word that best fits, always descriptions as far as they are needed, and, overall, the art of the author in creating images, powerful images, images that make the difference between entertainment and art.
In conclusion, a perfect built plot, a novel with no details left floating, solid characters, powerful images full of sense and, overall, the skill of the author in choosing the right word at the right place. I don't think i'm the only one waiting for next novel.
The prologue simply catches the reader in what apparently looks like the end of the story, so he is taken softly and unconsciously to start with chapter 1 to know where it all comes from. Thus, not even noticing, reader finds him-herself turning pages and pages and going through chapters as he/she simply wants more of the story.
First works of authors can be often qualified as "rush": at some point it's clear to the reader that the author was kind of hurrying to finish the work, so suddenly the action or the end comes like a fast and unpredictable snowball. Again, this is not the case: the author never rushes to tell the end, actually manages to keep the reader stuck to the novel desiring to know "what will happen from now on", as new characters and actions are added.
The construction of the novel is solid. Characters' description are consistent with their role in the action so the author leaves no place for "where does this come from" or "i cannot believe this character" kind of questions, which would lead to leave the novel aside. As for the plot, no doubt the author has done her best to build it in every detail, no holes left to fill, no fragments with no role for the ongoing action. Given it is a fiction, the author has totally succeed in making the reader believe it all is authentic, reader never gets the impression the author has gone too far.
The sensation of authenticity is also conveyed by the narrative skills: always the word that best fits, always descriptions as far as they are needed, and, overall, the art of the author in creating images, powerful images, images that make the difference between entertainment and art.
In conclusion, a perfect built plot, a novel with no details left floating, solid characters, powerful images full of sense and, overall, the skill of the author in choosing the right word at the right place. I don't think i'm the only one waiting for next novel.
November 9, 2015
Nourredine Said I was really impressed by this novel, and the way , she travel btw light and darkness, I love the way she start from the darkness and reach a form of light, I live each line she write, and follow her journey, till she find out who she is in real. the end is surprising and more I think she could become more cruel in the future, cause of her education. even she is in love, she 's still btw light and darkness, , but I think, her darkness will soon surrounded her and may be she will become darkest than her White Queen. I am fan of Scarlet Risque writing and can' t wait to read for the next sequel
Red Hourglass: A Romance ThrillerRed Hourglass: A Romance Thriller by Scarlet Risque
en français,
Je suis favorablement impréssionné par votre roman, et la manière dont elle est à la frotière du bien et du mal, et réussit à atteindre une forme de félicité. chaque ligne m'emportent encore plus dans votre monde, jusquà la découverte de qui elle est vraiment, d'ailleurs la fin est pour moi une belle surprise.
Je pense qu'elle pourrait devenir un être plus sombre encore, dans le futur, de par l'éducation que lui a donné la "Reine Blanche"n même amoureuse elle erre entre lumière et ombre, mais je dirais que ses ténèbres la submergeront tôt ou tard, et qu'elle pourrait bien surpasser en cruauté, et terreur, la Reine Blanche.
Je suis devenu un fan des écrits de Scarlet Risque et j'attends avec impatience la suite de cette histoire savoureuse, et sulfureuse à souhait. Un personnage comme je les aime
Red Hourglass: A Romance ThrillerRed Hourglass: A Romance Thriller by Scarlet Risque
en français,
Je suis favorablement impréssionné par votre roman, et la manière dont elle est à la frotière du bien et du mal, et réussit à atteindre une forme de félicité. chaque ligne m'emportent encore plus dans votre monde, jusquà la découverte de qui elle est vraiment, d'ailleurs la fin est pour moi une belle surprise.
Je pense qu'elle pourrait devenir un être plus sombre encore, dans le futur, de par l'éducation que lui a donné la "Reine Blanche"n même amoureuse elle erre entre lumière et ombre, mais je dirais que ses ténèbres la submergeront tôt ou tard, et qu'elle pourrait bien surpasser en cruauté, et terreur, la Reine Blanche.
Je suis devenu un fan des écrits de Scarlet Risque et j'attends avec impatience la suite de cette histoire savoureuse, et sulfureuse à souhait. Un personnage comme je les aime
July 17, 2016
Named Mary by the mother that abandoned her, called Janet by the woman who saved her from homelessness in New York and undercover on a mission as Scarlet Walters. All she's ever wanted is to find her mother, but finds herself in servitude to the ruthless White Queen. Can she get away?
I found this compelling reading as it was quite a fast paced thriller and immensely entertaining. However, a lot of the time characters responded bombastically as if I was reading a graphic novel, which isn't necessarily a bad read.
The love interest in this romantic thriller Carson, is frankly, a bit of a jerk, who for me lacked appeal, but I did enjoy reading Scarlet and although the conclusion was somewhat predictable, I'm intrigued enough to want to read the next one in the series.
An easy and entertaining read for those who enjoy something lighter and not emotionally draining.
I found this compelling reading as it was quite a fast paced thriller and immensely entertaining. However, a lot of the time characters responded bombastically as if I was reading a graphic novel, which isn't necessarily a bad read.
The love interest in this romantic thriller Carson, is frankly, a bit of a jerk, who for me lacked appeal, but I did enjoy reading Scarlet and although the conclusion was somewhat predictable, I'm intrigued enough to want to read the next one in the series.
An easy and entertaining read for those who enjoy something lighter and not emotionally draining.
January 4, 2016
Mary had an unfortunate childhood. Her mother left her with her not so nice stepfather who expected too much and gave little in return. Mary decides enough is enough and she needs to escape life’s cruelty.
She is found by an elite academy who trains her to be an assassin and receives her nickname the red hourglass. She is assigned to go undercover and finds herself wrapped up in the dark seduction of the very man who she needs to exploit for her mission.
I rate this book 4 star*. Interest read which is a little different.
*An advanced copy of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review*
She is found by an elite academy who trains her to be an assassin and receives her nickname the red hourglass. She is assigned to go undercover and finds herself wrapped up in the dark seduction of the very man who she needs to exploit for her mission.
I rate this book 4 star*. Interest read which is a little different.
*An advanced copy of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review*
November 10, 2015
Good Start To The Series
The cover was captivating along with the description of the novel. I couldn't resist and downloaded the book to read. It was slow to start but as the storyline progressed so did the excitement. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline as I love romance that involves action, suspense, mystery. I am somewhat conflicted on my feelings about the main characters. Mary, aka Janet/Scarlett was a really confused person. She was portrayed earlier in the book as strong and lethal but once she met Conan, it seemed like all her senses went out the door and she became this bumbling idiot. Conan for being such a brute and with military background, he just didn't quite fit the whole alpha male role. He went from being domineering and strong to a whimpering love sick male. The relationship, although it span to a year didn't have the right chemistry. The whole relationship seemed based on sex and lust even with the statements that love was involved.
I believe this is the first book I've read from this author. So that being said, it was a good start. The author has the right idea and a really good storyline. I would like to see and feel more from the characters. I want to feel what they felt when I'm reading about them. Now that is a strong build up of the characters. I will keep an eye out for the next installment and see what happens.
The cover was captivating along with the description of the novel. I couldn't resist and downloaded the book to read. It was slow to start but as the storyline progressed so did the excitement. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline as I love romance that involves action, suspense, mystery. I am somewhat conflicted on my feelings about the main characters. Mary, aka Janet/Scarlett was a really confused person. She was portrayed earlier in the book as strong and lethal but once she met Conan, it seemed like all her senses went out the door and she became this bumbling idiot. Conan for being such a brute and with military background, he just didn't quite fit the whole alpha male role. He went from being domineering and strong to a whimpering love sick male. The relationship, although it span to a year didn't have the right chemistry. The whole relationship seemed based on sex and lust even with the statements that love was involved.
I believe this is the first book I've read from this author. So that being said, it was a good start. The author has the right idea and a really good storyline. I would like to see and feel more from the characters. I want to feel what they felt when I'm reading about them. Now that is a strong build up of the characters. I will keep an eye out for the next installment and see what happens.
July 22, 2024
Different . Fast paced; smut ; great characters and story line
November 12, 2015
Red Hourglass is totally different from my normal read. This is not a bad thing at all since I really enjoyed the story.
The story starts a bit slow for me but once Mary/Janet/Scarlett was undercover as a secretary, things got very interesting. I found Mary to be very confused. One minute she was sure that she would stick by "Mama's" side and then next page she was thinking about getting away from the organization. While this type of thing would normally bother me, this wasn't the case this time. Mary was very much still a child, searching for her place in the world. Searching for people who will love her. She has a tough exterior but she is a scared girl so it made sense that she was a confused mess.
Conan is who I had some issues with. When we first meet him, he seems so confident. Alpha-male etc. But, this is soo not the case. He is as soft as they come and I just couldn't find him that hot. His voice in this story was squashed and that kind of saddens me because had he not been soo "girlie" I think it could have improved the story.
Still, I did enjoy this read. Watching as Mary finally got everything she deserved was amazing. I do hope there is a book 2.
The story starts a bit slow for me but once Mary/Janet/Scarlett was undercover as a secretary, things got very interesting. I found Mary to be very confused. One minute she was sure that she would stick by "Mama's" side and then next page she was thinking about getting away from the organization. While this type of thing would normally bother me, this wasn't the case this time. Mary was very much still a child, searching for her place in the world. Searching for people who will love her. She has a tough exterior but she is a scared girl so it made sense that she was a confused mess.
Conan is who I had some issues with. When we first meet him, he seems so confident. Alpha-male etc. But, this is soo not the case. He is as soft as they come and I just couldn't find him that hot. His voice in this story was squashed and that kind of saddens me because had he not been soo "girlie" I think it could have improved the story.
Still, I did enjoy this read. Watching as Mary finally got everything she deserved was amazing. I do hope there is a book 2.
November 10, 2015
Guaranteed to have a positive reader reaction
This extraordinary piece of novel writing is sure to get a reaction out of the reader. The book plot runs at a fast pace, and it is a rush reading through the pages. The storytelling is masterful, and flipping through the pages is exactly like watching a live movie.
I followed the story of Conan and Scarlet very closely, and could not stop turning the pages as my eyes were glued to the story. I am keen to keep reading more, and look forward to any further writings. This romance thriller is one of a kind, and available free for download, so definitely grab a copy and start reading!
This extraordinary piece of novel writing is sure to get a reaction out of the reader. The book plot runs at a fast pace, and it is a rush reading through the pages. The storytelling is masterful, and flipping through the pages is exactly like watching a live movie.
I followed the story of Conan and Scarlet very closely, and could not stop turning the pages as my eyes were glued to the story. I am keen to keep reading more, and look forward to any further writings. This romance thriller is one of a kind, and available free for download, so definitely grab a copy and start reading!
November 10, 2015
This book is absolutely brilliant. Miss Risqué knows exactly how to capture an audience in suspense, and guide them to find their inner truth. She rewrites not only the life of the characters involved, but the life of the reader as well. She will illuminate your true meaning in life.
December 28, 2015
Fab
Great read. Struggled to put the book down.Great twists and plots... is there a second book? As the end had me wanting to read more
Great read. Struggled to put the book down.Great twists and plots... is there a second book? As the end had me wanting to read more
January 6, 2020
Disappointing
I really thought I'd enjoy this book more. It did have it's moments, but I found my attention wandering far too often. It was really blah.
The premise had a lot of potential that wasn't incorporated in a productive manner. I could not get behind the relationship between Scarlet and Conan. Their interactions were quite stilted and almost uncomfortably awkward at times. It was forced at some spots as well.
All in all it's yet another example of a great idea with mediocre execution.
I really thought I'd enjoy this book more. It did have it's moments, but I found my attention wandering far too often. It was really blah.
The premise had a lot of potential that wasn't incorporated in a productive manner. I could not get behind the relationship between Scarlet and Conan. Their interactions were quite stilted and almost uncomfortably awkward at times. It was forced at some spots as well.
All in all it's yet another example of a great idea with mediocre execution.
December 24, 2019
Dark and a little bit disturbing
I don’t like to give spoilers on the books that I read. I believe the blurb on the back is enough for you to decide if you will read the book or not. If you choose to read, enjoy!
I don’t like to give spoilers on the books that I read. I believe the blurb on the back is enough for you to decide if you will read the book or not. If you choose to read, enjoy!
March 23, 2018
Amazing
It was suspenseful to the end. It made me dream about her..with me being her..it was awesome. Will there be a sequel?
It was suspenseful to the end. It made me dream about her..with me being her..it was awesome. Will there be a sequel?
August 2, 2019
Best romance action packed
Entertaining and informative and has been very good 👍
enjoyed definitely five 🌟
Please make movies of this book series 😁
Entertaining and informative and has been very good 👍
enjoyed definitely five 🌟
Please make movies of this book series 😁
December 20, 2015
Blood and Knives = Red
Red is the blood that drops from her fingers – as red as her name is Scarlet.
Sharp are the knives she uses to cut the flesh – snip and swish and slide and slink, but always in. Knives are a motive, a tool, an obsession.
Yet for a time she can overcome her programming, a programming that began when a ‘mother’ appeared for a lost, hungry and despairing homeless teenager. A mother who provided a home; sisters; love; and a reason to live. A mother who sheltered, taught and programmed obedience into all her girls (daughters). To disobey a request / order was to be killed by a sister, and even the thought of disobedience was anathema.
So what ‘tasks’ did Mother want her daughters to do? Well each tasks was given a rationale that it would , the economy, the local businesses, or the local residents. To defeat the large and powerful on behalf of the small and lowly and weak. A compelling reason to kill? To murder? She argued it well and they believed. They had to believe for this is what she trained them, educated them, for.
Each daughter specialising in differing skills but for Red it was the knife and she always obeyed until she met someone she didn’t want to kill.
This book highlights the problems of homelessness and the abuse of young girls that leads them to want to join a ‘family’ aka a gang, that will love and support them. The same psychology that keeps gangs together and enables an end justifies the means attitude.
A gang leader influences and controls the members, sometimes through intimidation and always through manipulation of the emotions that enables to continue their control.
Each leader will have a special ‘second’ in command who ensures that the will of the leader is carried out (Mother’s biological daughter). They will also dominate the lower ranks. Pack instinct and the desire to conform and be accepted and love by the pack keeps each member motivated to remain within the gang.
It is clever in this book to use the girls as assassins and gang members as it is often, erroneously, thought that female gangs are less violent than male. In the right circumstances they can be just as dangerous and violent or more so.
I enjoyed this book more as a story of female gangs and how girls can be programmed into violence, than the romantic relationship aspects. I quite understand why the relationship had a sado-masochistic element as a result of Red’s programming but I did not see it as a relationship that would last once lust had been fulfilled. I was not convinced by the ending or the exploration of Red’s emotions.
The author says that "The Hourglass series is a sociopolitical discourse about capitalism and how top down decisions affects the lives of ordinary people. I am fascinated with financial centers and major property acquisition players. My approach is unique as I do not state the obvious but let the reader decide what is obvious to them."
I saw this element in the rationale behind the assassinations but felt that it could have been brought out more – the ending did not emphasise this enough.
Thinking back over the writing style and general story-telling, I would not read another in this series.
Red is the blood that drops from her fingers – as red as her name is Scarlet.
Sharp are the knives she uses to cut the flesh – snip and swish and slide and slink, but always in. Knives are a motive, a tool, an obsession.
Yet for a time she can overcome her programming, a programming that began when a ‘mother’ appeared for a lost, hungry and despairing homeless teenager. A mother who provided a home; sisters; love; and a reason to live. A mother who sheltered, taught and programmed obedience into all her girls (daughters). To disobey a request / order was to be killed by a sister, and even the thought of disobedience was anathema.
So what ‘tasks’ did Mother want her daughters to do? Well each tasks was given a rationale that it would , the economy, the local businesses, or the local residents. To defeat the large and powerful on behalf of the small and lowly and weak. A compelling reason to kill? To murder? She argued it well and they believed. They had to believe for this is what she trained them, educated them, for.
Each daughter specialising in differing skills but for Red it was the knife and she always obeyed until she met someone she didn’t want to kill.
This book highlights the problems of homelessness and the abuse of young girls that leads them to want to join a ‘family’ aka a gang, that will love and support them. The same psychology that keeps gangs together and enables an end justifies the means attitude.
A gang leader influences and controls the members, sometimes through intimidation and always through manipulation of the emotions that enables to continue their control.
Each leader will have a special ‘second’ in command who ensures that the will of the leader is carried out (Mother’s biological daughter). They will also dominate the lower ranks. Pack instinct and the desire to conform and be accepted and love by the pack keeps each member motivated to remain within the gang.
It is clever in this book to use the girls as assassins and gang members as it is often, erroneously, thought that female gangs are less violent than male. In the right circumstances they can be just as dangerous and violent or more so.
I enjoyed this book more as a story of female gangs and how girls can be programmed into violence, than the romantic relationship aspects. I quite understand why the relationship had a sado-masochistic element as a result of Red’s programming but I did not see it as a relationship that would last once lust had been fulfilled. I was not convinced by the ending or the exploration of Red’s emotions.
The author says that "The Hourglass series is a sociopolitical discourse about capitalism and how top down decisions affects the lives of ordinary people. I am fascinated with financial centers and major property acquisition players. My approach is unique as I do not state the obvious but let the reader decide what is obvious to them."
I saw this element in the rationale behind the assassinations but felt that it could have been brought out more – the ending did not emphasise this enough.
Thinking back over the writing style and general story-telling, I would not read another in this series.
Read
December 1, 20151. Red Hourglass is the first book of the Hourglass series by Scarlet Risque. It tells the story of Janet, a young girl who has a rough start in life. She is taken in by The White Queen and trained at The Academy to become an assassin. As she matures, she learns that she can use both seduction and her skills to get back at nefarious men. But on her most recent mission, she goes undercover as a secretary for Conan Casey. And while her missions have always gone well in the past, this one might be more than she bargained for.
2. I'm not ordinarily interested in romantic thrillers but when Scarlet emailed me with a link to her novel, I figured why not? And I'm sure glad I did! There are a couple of things that I really liked about this novel which I'll cover in my next three points.
3. The story starts off with a gory scene and after I read it, I was a little intimidated. I wasn't sure what to think of this book. But as the story unraveled and we were filled in about Janet's childhood and past, I started to understand more. This story isn't exactly realistic but Scarlet did a great job of making it all seem... real. I liked the set up of The Academy and how the "sisters" were sent off in the real world to do work for the White Queen.
4. Conan. Oh Conan. I can't say I ever really warmed up toward him. He was an asshole in the beginning of the story and I never really understood whether he "changed" or not. But... I definitely saw the appeal. I got why Janet fell for him. The boss and the secretary hooking up is a tired cliche, especially since Janet is the second secretary that Conan has dated, but it really worked. The romance between the two of them worked really well. And when he took her home to meet his family? That was adorable.
5. I thought the descriptions of The Academy were pretty cool. It kind of reminded me of the school in The Gallagher Girls series except much more lethal. lol
If you are looking for an exciting romance with a lot of sexual tension and a bit of blood, check out Red Hourglass. There are going to be more books in the series and I am looking forward to them.
2. I'm not ordinarily interested in romantic thrillers but when Scarlet emailed me with a link to her novel, I figured why not? And I'm sure glad I did! There are a couple of things that I really liked about this novel which I'll cover in my next three points.
3. The story starts off with a gory scene and after I read it, I was a little intimidated. I wasn't sure what to think of this book. But as the story unraveled and we were filled in about Janet's childhood and past, I started to understand more. This story isn't exactly realistic but Scarlet did a great job of making it all seem... real. I liked the set up of The Academy and how the "sisters" were sent off in the real world to do work for the White Queen.
4. Conan. Oh Conan. I can't say I ever really warmed up toward him. He was an asshole in the beginning of the story and I never really understood whether he "changed" or not. But... I definitely saw the appeal. I got why Janet fell for him. The boss and the secretary hooking up is a tired cliche, especially since Janet is the second secretary that Conan has dated, but it really worked. The romance between the two of them worked really well. And when he took her home to meet his family? That was adorable.
5. I thought the descriptions of The Academy were pretty cool. It kind of reminded me of the school in The Gallagher Girls series except much more lethal. lol
If you are looking for an exciting romance with a lot of sexual tension and a bit of blood, check out Red Hourglass. There are going to be more books in the series and I am looking forward to them.
November 25, 2015
Mary is a young woman who finds herself abandoned by her mother, left with her abusive step-father, forced to kill to protect herself, and on the streets before she is sixteen years old. Is it any wonder that when a mysterious woman known as The White Queen finds Mary on the subway half-starved and offers Mary a place to live and food for her belly, Mary jumps at the chance. Like many young women in a similar situation, Mary doesn't look too closely at the strings attached to the offer.
I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about this book. I enjoyed parts of it immensely. Other parts made me roll my eyes at how trite and cliched it was. It was a quick read, and an enjoyable one. The sex scenes are hot, hot, hot and involve mild domination by both partners. Because of the age of the heroine, I expect that this book would be best categorized as New Adult, but it also borders on erotica. Though this is book one of the series, it does NOT have a cliffhanger ending, which is a blessed relief compared to many books in this genre. Kudos for that! I would not feel like I have reviewed this book in good conscience if I didn't warn readers of potentially triggering scenes involving attempted rape at the hands of Mary's step-father and some instances of semi-dubious consent.
I do like the concept of this book and think that it might have benefited from some harsher edited towards the end as the ending seems somewhat pat and rushed for me. I did enjoy the book enough that I'm willing to give future outings in the series a shot.
Reviewed by HR Duby for Paranormal Romance and Authors that Rock
I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about this book. I enjoyed parts of it immensely. Other parts made me roll my eyes at how trite and cliched it was. It was a quick read, and an enjoyable one. The sex scenes are hot, hot, hot and involve mild domination by both partners. Because of the age of the heroine, I expect that this book would be best categorized as New Adult, but it also borders on erotica. Though this is book one of the series, it does NOT have a cliffhanger ending, which is a blessed relief compared to many books in this genre. Kudos for that! I would not feel like I have reviewed this book in good conscience if I didn't warn readers of potentially triggering scenes involving attempted rape at the hands of Mary's step-father and some instances of semi-dubious consent.
I do like the concept of this book and think that it might have benefited from some harsher edited towards the end as the ending seems somewhat pat and rushed for me. I did enjoy the book enough that I'm willing to give future outings in the series a shot.
Reviewed by HR Duby for Paranormal Romance and Authors that Rock
January 12, 2016
Full disclosure, the author contacted me as a frequent Amazon reviewer and asked me to read and review this book, which I did. I know it says that it is a "romantic thriller." Well, there were, for this reviewer, few thrills, and a lot of romance, much of which didn't seem consistent with the main character. Actually, the main problem is that the main character, purported to be a "deadly assassin" with many kills to her credit, can't seem to make up her mind as just WHO she is and what she stands for. The plot is very predictable "rags to riches" story, and the supposed "surprise" at the end was so predictable, that after the character who held the surprise was introduced, I only kept reading in hope that I was wrong. I wasn't. If you like very immaturely described sex scenes in which the man has a "c**k", but the woman has a "little girl", then this is for you. If you like bad punctuation and spelling, and inconsistent characters, then this is for you.
I must disagree with those who say that this is a good start for a new author, a new series, a new publisher. My advice to the author, Scarlet Risque, is, "Keep your day job." Not very good at all.
I must disagree with those who say that this is a good start for a new author, a new series, a new publisher. My advice to the author, Scarlet Risque, is, "Keep your day job." Not very good at all.
May 1, 2016
This is an adult story about Scarlet, who is taken off the streets of New York City, adopted and trained to be an assassin. The storyline follows her on an important mission, and we see her falling for the man she is tasked with ruining.
To be honest, I never really felt the chemistry between Scarlet and Conan. Their relationship seemed to fall flat for me. The story also starts out really slow, and I never felt the suspense I was hoping to find.
This is a reasonably good start for a beginning author. I will probably give the next book a chance to see if there is better character and plot development, making the story more engaging.
**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**
To be honest, I never really felt the chemistry between Scarlet and Conan. Their relationship seemed to fall flat for me. The story also starts out really slow, and I never felt the suspense I was hoping to find.
This is a reasonably good start for a beginning author. I will probably give the next book a chance to see if there is better character and plot development, making the story more engaging.
**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**
December 22, 2015
Review:
Who doesn’t like a spy novel where the lead character goes rogue? The book is definitely an interesting read right from the first page and manages to keep you captivated with its seducing mix of danger and intrigue. The main plot resembles the movie franchise Kill Bill; as a result I was not exactly surprised with the flow of the story. However, it has been penned down with the right mix of appropriate elements which made it fun to read. The suspense of leaving the climatic thread at the end adds the element of anticipation for the readers to look forward to a second installment.
Read more about it here: https://ishitasmemoir.wordpress.com/2...
Who doesn’t like a spy novel where the lead character goes rogue? The book is definitely an interesting read right from the first page and manages to keep you captivated with its seducing mix of danger and intrigue. The main plot resembles the movie franchise Kill Bill; as a result I was not exactly surprised with the flow of the story. However, it has been penned down with the right mix of appropriate elements which made it fun to read. The suspense of leaving the climatic thread at the end adds the element of anticipation for the readers to look forward to a second installment.
Read more about it here: https://ishitasmemoir.wordpress.com/2...
Want to read
August 27, 2018#Erotica #Freebie #DarkRomance
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Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2MNgRXt
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Merged review:
#Erotica #Freebie #DarkRomance
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2P6Klgm
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2PI6YZo
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2MNgRXt
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://goo.gl/SrUf3e
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2P6Klgm
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2PI6YZo
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2MNgRXt
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://goo.gl/SrUf3e
Merged review:
#Erotica #Freebie #DarkRomance
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2P6Klgm
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2PI6YZo
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2MNgRXt
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://goo.gl/SrUf3e
December 16, 2015
Provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Red Hourglass By Scarlet Risqué,
I enjoyed the story straight away, the story has started quickly with Janet's character, being hard and very to the point with her work, but the more of the story you read, you realise this is not really Jane's / Marys character at all.
This book covers more than one genre, with romance, action and thriller.So this book is a really good mix to read.
I will look forward to reading more of Scarlet Risqué work in the future.
Red Hourglass By Scarlet Risqué,
I enjoyed the story straight away, the story has started quickly with Janet's character, being hard and very to the point with her work, but the more of the story you read, you realise this is not really Jane's / Marys character at all.
This book covers more than one genre, with romance, action and thriller.So this book is a really good mix to read.
I will look forward to reading more of Scarlet Risqué work in the future.
January 16, 2016
Pretty straight forward story. It kind of feels "emotionally detached". There are scenes where im thinking, "Really? You're falling in love?" Well the romance development part is odd. The desolation and angst part is succinct though.
The guy is sort of an ass...
It's still a 3 star for me because of the overall story and writing style. I just don't like the characters so much... They seem underdeveloped.
The guy is sort of an ass...
It's still a 3 star for me because of the overall story and writing style. I just don't like the characters so much... They seem underdeveloped.
December 3, 2016
Reviews
Red hour glass
I heard about a new website...Mobile9 for books and thought I would try it. But what book to read. Select genres, thrillers and there it was......Red house Glass.
It appeared to have the makings of a genuine thriller. Alas appearances can be deceiving. True it was about a group of (female) assassins with only one 'off screen' murder between them. The rest of the book was a copy of 50 Shades, minus most of the bedroom antics.
The plot and characters were ninety percent identical and details, details still padded many pages.
Red hour glass
I heard about a new website...Mobile9 for books and thought I would try it. But what book to read. Select genres, thrillers and there it was......Red house Glass.
It appeared to have the makings of a genuine thriller. Alas appearances can be deceiving. True it was about a group of (female) assassins with only one 'off screen' murder between them. The rest of the book was a copy of 50 Shades, minus most of the bedroom antics.
The plot and characters were ninety percent identical and details, details still padded many pages.
December 12, 2015
What Is She Going To Do
This story has an interesting storyline. Young homeless girls taken off the street and trained to be assassins. The story wasn't very consistent because the main female character went from submissive to Mata Hari. And the main male character started with Dom tendencies and end up submissive. Somewhat entertaining.
This story has an interesting storyline. Young homeless girls taken off the street and trained to be assassins. The story wasn't very consistent because the main female character went from submissive to Mata Hari. And the main male character started with Dom tendencies and end up submissive. Somewhat entertaining.
January 6, 2016
**SPOILER FREE**
Uhmm... This book is amazing! Fast paced and a pager turner! This is a book that you'll want to add to TBR or just pick up a copy and read it now! What's behind the cover is left for you to find out.. and believe me when I say it won't be disappointing!
*Received for an honest review*
Uhmm... This book is amazing! Fast paced and a pager turner! This is a book that you'll want to add to TBR or just pick up a copy and read it now! What's behind the cover is left for you to find out.. and believe me when I say it won't be disappointing!
*Received for an honest review*
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews