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Sémya Slotin Mystery #2
The Plot Thickens
The Second book of the Bird of Prey Saga!
18+ adult content
What happened while Semya Slotin and Josh Heinz were busy solving Johanna Cartier's murder in Bird Of Prey?
Polliannah's story... When Polliannah Koch Guryev meets John Allen, she thinks that she's finally found her Prince Charming a tall, blond and handsome banker. What could go wrong?
John Allen has a job to do and getting closer to the beautiful Miss Koch Guryev is supposed to be a means to an end. But then they fall in love. He's a hit man on a mission, she's the sister of his targets. What possible future could they have? Now he and his Russian Princess have to leave London for their safety.But it may already be too late for them...
18+ adult content
What happened while Semya Slotin and Josh Heinz were busy solving Johanna Cartier's murder in Bird Of Prey?
Polliannah's story... When Polliannah Koch Guryev meets John Allen, she thinks that she's finally found her Prince Charming a tall, blond and handsome banker. What could go wrong?
John Allen has a job to do and getting closer to the beautiful Miss Koch Guryev is supposed to be a means to an end. But then they fall in love. He's a hit man on a mission, she's the sister of his targets. What possible future could they have? Now he and his Russian Princess have to leave London for their safety.But it may already be too late for them...
90 pages, ebook
First published December 27, 2013
60 people want to read
About the author
Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba
8 books135 followers“My life journey is like my playlist, amazingly unique but full of contradictions with surprising joys with every song...”
I’m over 30.
I was born in Quebec City, Canada.
I grew up in France and in Gabon.
I speak English & French fluently.
Pizza is my favorite dish.
Black Forest Cake is my favorite dessert.
I met Michael Jackson when I was eleven.
I loathe vodka but love gin, wine and tequila.
I'm obsessed with Robbie Williams and Michael Fassbender.
I call Toronto my home.
I love reading.
I love dancing.
I love watching exciting TV shows.
I love my life... most days.
I'm a major goof.
I can't stand intolerance.
I'm curious, cheeky and oh so opinionated!
I’m over 30.
I was born in Quebec City, Canada.
I grew up in France and in Gabon.
I speak English & French fluently.
Pizza is my favorite dish.
Black Forest Cake is my favorite dessert.
I met Michael Jackson when I was eleven.
I loathe vodka but love gin, wine and tequila.
I'm obsessed with Robbie Williams and Michael Fassbender.
I call Toronto my home.
I love reading.
I love dancing.
I love watching exciting TV shows.
I love my life... most days.
I'm a major goof.
I can't stand intolerance.
I'm curious, cheeky and oh so opinionated!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 8, 2014
Have you ever been with a person that turned out to be no who you thought you knew? This is the 2nd book in the Semya Slotin Mystery set. Grab your copy today to find out what happens when Poli finds out John isn't who she thought he was....As the title suggest...The Plot Thickens! You will be glue just to see what happens as the drama continues...
January 10, 2015
"I'm keeping you Princess"
When I say I LOVED this book. I mean I LOVED this book!!! I fell in love with Polli while reading Bird Of Prey. There was a lot about Polli that was kept a secret in Bird Of Prey. There was a lot about Semya left out as well. Danielle did a great job at keeping the mystery alive!!
Polliannah is adorable, loves to drink wine & she can dress. John's a hit man. His next mission is finding Polliannah's brothers. But, they're in hiding. The only way he can get to them is thru Polli. John starts following Polli & Selma. He learns their routine. When Selma starts working with the police on a case. (You read about that in Bird Of Prey) Being that Selma & her boyfriend are busy and Polli is alone more. This is John's chance. It's his chance to get close to her & even closer to his targets!
The minute John walks into Polli's wine store she wants him. Polli falls head over heals for John. Polli is also keeping John to herself. She knows if Selma & Josh meet him, they'll start asking too many questions & digging into his background. Polli doesn't want that. Not yet anyway.
After a couple of weeks of trying to find out anything about Polli's brothers, John keeps coming up to a dead end. Polli is really good at keeping her family life very private. You'll learn why. She has her reasons. Her & Selma are in deeper then we originally thought when reading Bird Of Prey. What John does learn... That he's fallen heads over heals in love with Polliannah!!
He needs to figure out how to keep her safe & alive!! I literally can not express to you how much I LOVED this story. It is the novella from Bird Of Prey. Which was cool because when I was reading it I always wondered what was going on with Polli & John. I also never could figure out how when Selma needed something Polli got it. She always seemed to have connections that were never explained. Then, there was always Hawaii that bugged me. But, Danielle gave us more pieces of the puzzle that we were missing. Which I am super happy about. I also loved watching John go from 'big bad hit man' to being a 'big bad hit man in love' and will do ANYTHING to keep Polli safe. No matter what!! This is a MUST-READ !!! I'm dying to see what Danielle has next!!!
"Whatever possesses me to be the way I am... being with you, keeps it away. I just want to be the man I see through your eyes."
"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.. You're kind, funny and sexy with a slight touch of madness."
"And you deserve so much better, Polli. I didn't know how unsatisfied I was with my life before I met you. You're my salvation...let me be the better man you're making me every time you look at me. I'll die before I let them hurt you in any way."
Check out my other reviews at:
https://www.facebook.com/MommysLateNi...
http://mommyslatenightbookup.blogspot...
When I say I LOVED this book. I mean I LOVED this book!!! I fell in love with Polli while reading Bird Of Prey. There was a lot about Polli that was kept a secret in Bird Of Prey. There was a lot about Semya left out as well. Danielle did a great job at keeping the mystery alive!!
Polliannah is adorable, loves to drink wine & she can dress. John's a hit man. His next mission is finding Polliannah's brothers. But, they're in hiding. The only way he can get to them is thru Polli. John starts following Polli & Selma. He learns their routine. When Selma starts working with the police on a case. (You read about that in Bird Of Prey) Being that Selma & her boyfriend are busy and Polli is alone more. This is John's chance. It's his chance to get close to her & even closer to his targets!
The minute John walks into Polli's wine store she wants him. Polli falls head over heals for John. Polli is also keeping John to herself. She knows if Selma & Josh meet him, they'll start asking too many questions & digging into his background. Polli doesn't want that. Not yet anyway.
After a couple of weeks of trying to find out anything about Polli's brothers, John keeps coming up to a dead end. Polli is really good at keeping her family life very private. You'll learn why. She has her reasons. Her & Selma are in deeper then we originally thought when reading Bird Of Prey. What John does learn... That he's fallen heads over heals in love with Polliannah!!
He needs to figure out how to keep her safe & alive!! I literally can not express to you how much I LOVED this story. It is the novella from Bird Of Prey. Which was cool because when I was reading it I always wondered what was going on with Polli & John. I also never could figure out how when Selma needed something Polli got it. She always seemed to have connections that were never explained. Then, there was always Hawaii that bugged me. But, Danielle gave us more pieces of the puzzle that we were missing. Which I am super happy about. I also loved watching John go from 'big bad hit man' to being a 'big bad hit man in love' and will do ANYTHING to keep Polli safe. No matter what!! This is a MUST-READ !!! I'm dying to see what Danielle has next!!!
"Whatever possesses me to be the way I am... being with you, keeps it away. I just want to be the man I see through your eyes."
"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.. You're kind, funny and sexy with a slight touch of madness."
"And you deserve so much better, Polli. I didn't know how unsatisfied I was with my life before I met you. You're my salvation...let me be the better man you're making me every time you look at me. I'll die before I let them hurt you in any way."
Check out my other reviews at:
https://www.facebook.com/MommysLateNi...
http://mommyslatenightbookup.blogspot...
April 7, 2016
I received this ARC to give an honest review.
I like how we get to read Polliannah's story this time. In the first book Bird Of Prey we get a touch of Polliannah and then she ends up going away with John her new love.
Well this is what happened with her meeting John and running off with him
The relationship that John and Polliannah have is sweet even though John has a secret agenda. We get so much with Polli in Bird of Prey that when she got her own book I was thrilled!
John ends up spending weeks trying to find his targets which have to do with Polli and Polli is really good about not talking about her family and what they do. Her reasons behind that come out, and it is something that she doesn't want to come to light.
When Polli and John take their relationship to a whole other level John has to do whatever he can to protect her, and when Polli finds out John's secret she is less than thrilled.
Now I was going to give this book a full 5 wine rating but there were some things wrong with the book that needed to be fixed. And I plan on letting the author know about these so they can be address. But it is a 4.5 wine glass rating.
June 28, 2014
I received a copy of The Plot Thickens by Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba in exchange for an honest review. This is a short read and it overlaps with Bird of Prey. In fact, the entire story is happening simultaneously. The Plot Thickens is the story of what happened with Polliannah while Semya was off solving the mystery of the murdered model. While this book still has some misused and missing words, the editing was much better and did not trip me up while I was reading. The story moved along quickly. There was not as much of a mystery to be solved in this book as the first, but the plot seems to be important for the next step in the series. It was a good book, but I found it hard to connect with the relationship between Polliannah and John knowing from page one that John was going to die. I would say that this was a 3.5 star read. Good, but not as engaging as the first book. Still, I am looking forward to the next book in this series which I am sure will have more mystery because this story ends with Semya on her way to meet up with Polliannah. What I have learned from this series is that where there is Semya, there is a mystery and a lot of wine.
January 2, 2014
I loved Bird of Prey, and we got a little more information in this installment. We learned more about Polly, a little more about Josh (though not nearly enough) and more about Seyma. I can't wait for more.
Polly is is fun and carefree but she has a haunting past.
The man she falls for isn't who she thinks he is, but he wants to protect her.
We get a few little glimpses at Seyma and Josh. Sorry, they are still my favorite.
Sweet and sad because there is no happy ending, but we do learn a lot more. I can't wait to see what's coming next. I want to know what's going to happen. I have a few questions, and may just have to nag the author because I hate waiting.
Polly is is fun and carefree but she has a haunting past.
The man she falls for isn't who she thinks he is, but he wants to protect her.
We get a few little glimpses at Seyma and Josh. Sorry, they are still my favorite.
Sweet and sad because there is no happy ending, but we do learn a lot more. I can't wait to see what's coming next. I want to know what's going to happen. I have a few questions, and may just have to nag the author because I hate waiting.
September 6, 2016
Kindle ARC Copy for Review
In Book #2 of The Plot Thickens we learn more about Polliannah Koch and her Russian past. While her roommate Sémya is busy with Josh and the case of her ex being charged with murder, she meets John Allen a killer sent to stalk her. He ends up dating her as they both soon fall for each other.
Fearing for her safety he marries her and takes her to Toronto. Soon the people he works for catches up to them as a confrontation takes place. What will happen and will they be together? Who is John Allen and who is he working for as we are drawn into their relationship.
It’s a world full of secrets where your enemies are closer than you think.
In Book #2 of The Plot Thickens we learn more about Polliannah Koch and her Russian past. While her roommate Sémya is busy with Josh and the case of her ex being charged with murder, she meets John Allen a killer sent to stalk her. He ends up dating her as they both soon fall for each other.
Fearing for her safety he marries her and takes her to Toronto. Soon the people he works for catches up to them as a confrontation takes place. What will happen and will they be together? Who is John Allen and who is he working for as we are drawn into their relationship.
It’s a world full of secrets where your enemies are closer than you think.
July 2, 2014
This short story fills in the blanks on Polliannah during book 1, and boy does it start with a bang!
Charting the relationship between her and John Allen, it’s intense and gripping as you read on and on to discover how Polliannah finds herself in the jaw-dropping situation detailed in the prologue.
Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba makes a clever move, not only by giving Sémya’s sidekick/best friend/sister her own little spotlight, but also by making the book short and sweet . . . and shocking! The reader is then set up perfectly for the next instalment.
review by Charlotte Foreman on behalf of BestChickLit.com
Charting the relationship between her and John Allen, it’s intense and gripping as you read on and on to discover how Polliannah finds herself in the jaw-dropping situation detailed in the prologue.
Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba makes a clever move, not only by giving Sémya’s sidekick/best friend/sister her own little spotlight, but also by making the book short and sweet . . . and shocking! The reader is then set up perfectly for the next instalment.
review by Charlotte Foreman on behalf of BestChickLit.com
January 11, 2014
The Plot Thickens tells us what happened while Semya and Josh were solving Johanna Cartier's murder in Bird of Prey. This is Polliannah's story when she meets John Allen, she thinks she has met her prince charming. What could go wrong? He has a job to do and getting closer to Miss Koch Guryev is supposed to be the means to an end. But they fall in love. He's a hit man she is the sister of his targets. What future could they possibly have? Now they have to leave London for their own safety but it may already be to late. I can't wait to read the next book to see what happened!
July 2, 2014
This has been told in a 1POV format with a hint of a bees eye. It was wonderfully written; the story just pops out at you and draws you in no matter what!! I know I was hooked on book 1 and now book 2, which means yes I can't wait to get my nose in book 3. Over-all the author did a fanstaic job with the story and making mystery novels more fun for me; Yes I was one of those people that didn't care so much for a mystery novel but this helps change my mind!!!
*** I received this story for free in exchange for an honest review, see more of my review @ http://jmhoward2007.blogspot.com ***
*** I received this story for free in exchange for an honest review, see more of my review @ http://jmhoward2007.blogspot.com ***
June 22, 2014
First, I would like to thank the author Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba for giving me this book for an honest review. I enjoyed this story very much, mystery and romance are quite a combination. The characters are very well defined and written. The storyline is very good. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
March 17, 2014
2.5/5.0
This book takes readers on a wild ride into the world of high fashion and low dealings.
Read full review in the 2014 March issue of InD’tale Magazine.
This book takes readers on a wild ride into the world of high fashion and low dealings.
Read full review in the 2014 March issue of InD’tale Magazine.
January 7, 2014
Loved this book. It fits nicely with Bird of Prey. Again the author has done a great job with the characters and story line. Can't wait for more.
February 4, 2018
There's a reason I keep talking about Semya Slotin: she's one of the most compelling- and fun- characters I've come across in a while. Having never gotten over my desire to be Nancy Drew, a brilliant female super-detective is just my cup of tea (although perhaps wine would be more appropriate).
The Plot Thickens fills in the blanks from Bird Of Prey and clues us into the life of Polliannah Koch Guryev, Semya's business partner, best friend and occasional partner-in-crime. Whereas Semya's haunted by losing her birth mother at a young age and not knowing who her birth father is, Polli lives trying to escape from the long shadow her powerful father and brothers cast. What could be so awful that she'd choose to follow her slightly self-destructive friend into frequent danger? The answer will shock you.
But before we get there we're going to see Polli fall in love with a very dangerous man who isn't anything close to what he appears to be. The reader knows well before Polli that John Allen is dangerous, ruthless and calculating and that she'd do well to steer clear of him. But she's smitten and we can also see why.
Readers of Bird Of Prey will know exactly how their story ends, but we'll be genuinely heartbroken once we get there. Sharp-eyed readers are also going to get a big, huge clue about the question that we've had throughout Semya's tale, and I cannot wait to see how that revelation is going to play out.
The Plot Thickens fills in the blanks from Bird Of Prey and clues us into the life of Polliannah Koch Guryev, Semya's business partner, best friend and occasional partner-in-crime. Whereas Semya's haunted by losing her birth mother at a young age and not knowing who her birth father is, Polli lives trying to escape from the long shadow her powerful father and brothers cast. What could be so awful that she'd choose to follow her slightly self-destructive friend into frequent danger? The answer will shock you.
But before we get there we're going to see Polli fall in love with a very dangerous man who isn't anything close to what he appears to be. The reader knows well before Polli that John Allen is dangerous, ruthless and calculating and that she'd do well to steer clear of him. But she's smitten and we can also see why.
Readers of Bird Of Prey will know exactly how their story ends, but we'll be genuinely heartbroken once we get there. Sharp-eyed readers are also going to get a big, huge clue about the question that we've had throughout Semya's tale, and I cannot wait to see how that revelation is going to play out.
March 14, 2019
**Received in exchange for an honest review**
I read the first book absolutely ages ago and was pleasently surprised by the fact I liked it. I went in to this book knowing I enjoyed the plot... but I had forgotten it. There is a part at the start which runs through it but I was like 'i'll be fine!' ... no I wasn't I was baffled.
The story folloes Polli and her new love interst John.
John isn't who he says he is though.
Polli is his mission/job. except these two wind up having a whirlwind relationship with her, falling while looking for her brothers.
The romance side of it was nice to follow but the plot left me numb. Not because of how it was written but because I had forgotten and I found it hard to follow all the different people because it felt like there were tons of them.
It kept me entertained while on vacation and although I didn't understand it 100% due to my error of not re-reading the beginning of the book I enjoyed it... minus the end, I was hoping for some taa-dah moment... but I didn't get it.
If you like romance and a crime case or two, read this series.
I read the first book absolutely ages ago and was pleasently surprised by the fact I liked it. I went in to this book knowing I enjoyed the plot... but I had forgotten it. There is a part at the start which runs through it but I was like 'i'll be fine!' ... no I wasn't I was baffled.
The story folloes Polli and her new love interst John.
John isn't who he says he is though.
Polli is his mission/job. except these two wind up having a whirlwind relationship with her, falling while looking for her brothers.
The romance side of it was nice to follow but the plot left me numb. Not because of how it was written but because I had forgotten and I found it hard to follow all the different people because it felt like there were tons of them.
It kept me entertained while on vacation and although I didn't understand it 100% due to my error of not re-reading the beginning of the book I enjoyed it... minus the end, I was hoping for some taa-dah moment... but I didn't get it.
If you like romance and a crime case or two, read this series.
March 22, 2014
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...
In Bird of Prey, Sémya Slotin has to make end meets after living like a king for the last few years, selling expensive wines with her best friend Polliannah – or Polli, if you like to keep it short. With the two of them almost running out of money, Sémya accepts a job from her mother, even though she wants nothing to do with the woman. The job involves corporate espionage: Sémya has to check out some design sketches by a competitor’s fashion house owned by Julian, Sémyas ex-boyfriend. But when Sémya runs into Julian’s new girlfriend, Johanna Cartier, she knows the woman is hiding something.
A few days later, Sémya stumbles upon Johanna’s corpse. The cops point to Julian, but Sémya is convinced he didn’t do it. Desperate to prove his innocence, she starts investigating the case herself, but for every stone she turns, she uncovers one more secrets. Some people weren’t who she thought they were at all, and this case may have sounded easy at first, but it’s anything but.
Sémya was an okay character. She was a bit arrogant at times, but apart from that, she sounded like a fun person to be around. I liked how she put everything on the line to save her friend (and ex-boyfriend, Julian), while at the same time she did everything she could to stay close to her current boyfriend, Josh. Her life definitely wasn’t easy. My second favorite character was Polli. She was fun, laid back, and relaxed, but also quite brave.
The writing was good. It didn’t venture off into endless descriptions, but instead told the reader the story in an easy, laid back way. It kept things simple whereas the mystery was anything but simple. The plot was pretty good, and it took me about as long as it took Sémya to crack the mystery.
In The Plot Thickens, a novella that is set during the story of Bird of Prey, the main character is Polli. The novella focuses on Polli’s relationship with John Allen, who she believes is her very own Prince Charming. Unfortunately reality is no fairytale, and John may not be who he seems after all. He has his own agenda, which is quite dark – I don’t want to spoil it for you, but it’s quite a bit darker than what we saw in Bird of Prey – and to accomplish his goal, he needs to get close to Polli. Little does he know that by trying to get her to fall for him, he might fall for her as well.
I actually enjoyed The Plot Thickens more than the first book. It was overall a bit darker, and I don’t mind my mysteries dark and suspenseful. Bird of Prey was a tad lighter. Even though a murder mystery, it still took place in the world of fashion and drama. Both books were solid reads though, and when read together, they make a great start to a new mystery series.
In Bird of Prey, Sémya Slotin has to make end meets after living like a king for the last few years, selling expensive wines with her best friend Polliannah – or Polli, if you like to keep it short. With the two of them almost running out of money, Sémya accepts a job from her mother, even though she wants nothing to do with the woman. The job involves corporate espionage: Sémya has to check out some design sketches by a competitor’s fashion house owned by Julian, Sémyas ex-boyfriend. But when Sémya runs into Julian’s new girlfriend, Johanna Cartier, she knows the woman is hiding something.
A few days later, Sémya stumbles upon Johanna’s corpse. The cops point to Julian, but Sémya is convinced he didn’t do it. Desperate to prove his innocence, she starts investigating the case herself, but for every stone she turns, she uncovers one more secrets. Some people weren’t who she thought they were at all, and this case may have sounded easy at first, but it’s anything but.
Sémya was an okay character. She was a bit arrogant at times, but apart from that, she sounded like a fun person to be around. I liked how she put everything on the line to save her friend (and ex-boyfriend, Julian), while at the same time she did everything she could to stay close to her current boyfriend, Josh. Her life definitely wasn’t easy. My second favorite character was Polli. She was fun, laid back, and relaxed, but also quite brave.
The writing was good. It didn’t venture off into endless descriptions, but instead told the reader the story in an easy, laid back way. It kept things simple whereas the mystery was anything but simple. The plot was pretty good, and it took me about as long as it took Sémya to crack the mystery.
In The Plot Thickens, a novella that is set during the story of Bird of Prey, the main character is Polli. The novella focuses on Polli’s relationship with John Allen, who she believes is her very own Prince Charming. Unfortunately reality is no fairytale, and John may not be who he seems after all. He has his own agenda, which is quite dark – I don’t want to spoil it for you, but it’s quite a bit darker than what we saw in Bird of Prey – and to accomplish his goal, he needs to get close to Polli. Little does he know that by trying to get her to fall for him, he might fall for her as well.
I actually enjoyed The Plot Thickens more than the first book. It was overall a bit darker, and I don’t mind my mysteries dark and suspenseful. Bird of Prey was a tad lighter. Even though a murder mystery, it still took place in the world of fashion and drama. Both books were solid reads though, and when read together, they make a great start to a new mystery series.
October 2, 2014
★✩★✩★ 4 ½ Heartbreaking Stars
~this review may contain minor spoilers~
That should have made him happy. The fact that she could fit in his world should have been the best news but it wasn't. She deserved more. She and Sémya had been running away from this life, he had no right throwing her back in it.
Ever wonder what Polliannah was getting up to with the elusive John Allen while Sémya & Josh were busy trying to solve a murder in 'Bird of Prey'? Well now we get to find out! This is her story of how she met and fell in love with the hit-man hired to find and take down her brothers. Only she didn't realize that's what he was at first. She fell in love with a 'banker' who treated her like a princess, her own Prince Charming, never knowing he knew everything about her and her roots in the mafia. What happens when the truth come out? Will it be to late for Polliannah and is she safe? And who was responsible for John's death??
“I'm officially with a man with a real day job, no offense. He has a wild side though... thank God!” she said and blushed. John was all kinds of wild, rough, tender and sweet at the same time. And he loved her.
This novella left me with more questions than I had at the end of Bird of Prey. The mystery surrounding Josh just gets thicker and darker by the minute and I am dying to figure him out and what it all means for Sémya. I am also incredibly sad for Polliannah, to have finally found someone she can be herself with, her real self, even considering the deception they started under, just to lose him the way she did was just....sad. I am also getting a little more used to the authors writing style and as a result am enjoying myself much more easily. These characters have my full attention now and I cannot wait to see what they do with it.
“I didn't know how unsatisfied I was with my life before I met you. You're my salvation... let me be the better man you're making me every time you look at me. I'll die before I let them hurt you in any way”
Click HERE to check out my FULL post @ BookwormBetties
Happy Reading xo Jenn
October 2, 2014
★✩★✩★ 4 ½ Heartbreaking Stars
~this review may contain minor spoilers~
That should have made him happy. The fact that she could fit in his world should have been the best news but it wasn't. She deserved more. She and Sémya had been running away from this life, he had no right throwing her back in it.
Ever wonder what Polliannah was getting up to with the elusive John Allen while Sémya & Josh were busy trying to solve a murder in 'Bird of Prey'? Well now we get to find out! This is her story of how she met and fell in love with the hit-man hired to find and take down her brothers. Only she didn't realize that's what he was at first. She fell in love with a 'banker' who treated her like a princess, her own Prince Charming, never knowing he knew everything about her and her roots in the mafia. What happens when the truth come out? Will it be to late for Polliannah and is she safe? And who was responsible for John's death??
“I'm officially with a man with a real day job, no offense. He has a wild side though... thank God!” she said and blushed. John was all kinds of wild, rough, tender and sweet at the same time. And he loved her.
This novella left me with more questions than I had at the end of Bird of Prey. The mystery surrounding Josh just gets thicker and darker by the minute and I am dying to figure him out and what it all means for Sémya. I am also incredibly sad for Polliannah, to have finally found someone she can be herself with, her real self, even considering the deception they started under, just to lose him the way she did was just....sad. I am also getting a little more used to the authors writing style and as a result am enjoying myself much more easily. These characters have my full attention now and I cannot wait to see what they do with it.
“I didn't know how unsatisfied I was with my life before I met you. You're my salvation... let me be the better man you're making me every time you look at me. I'll die before I let them hurt you in any way”
Click HERE to check out my FULL post @ BookwormBetties
Happy Reading xo Jenn
~this review may contain minor spoilers~
That should have made him happy. The fact that she could fit in his world should have been the best news but it wasn't. She deserved more. She and Sémya had been running away from this life, he had no right throwing her back in it.
Ever wonder what Polliannah was getting up to with the elusive John Allen while Sémya & Josh were busy trying to solve a murder in 'Bird of Prey'? Well now we get to find out! This is her story of how she met and fell in love with the hit-man hired to find and take down her brothers. Only she didn't realize that's what he was at first. She fell in love with a 'banker' who treated her like a princess, her own Prince Charming, never knowing he knew everything about her and her roots in the mafia. What happens when the truth come out? Will it be to late for Polliannah and is she safe? And who was responsible for John's death??
“I'm officially with a man with a real day job, no offense. He has a wild side though... thank God!” she said and blushed. John was all kinds of wild, rough, tender and sweet at the same time. And he loved her.
This novella left me with more questions than I had at the end of Bird of Prey. The mystery surrounding Josh just gets thicker and darker by the minute and I am dying to figure him out and what it all means for Sémya. I am also incredibly sad for Polliannah, to have finally found someone she can be herself with, her real self, even considering the deception they started under, just to lose him the way she did was just....sad. I am also getting a little more used to the authors writing style and as a result am enjoying myself much more easily. These characters have my full attention now and I cannot wait to see what they do with it.
“I didn't know how unsatisfied I was with my life before I met you. You're my salvation... let me be the better man you're making me every time you look at me. I'll die before I let them hurt you in any way”
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Happy Reading xo Jenn
January 17, 2014
Reviewed by Maria Beltran for Readers' Favorite
Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba's novella, The Plot Thickens, is part of the Semya Slotin mystery series that deals with the story of Pollianah Koch Guryev, unfolding during book one, The Bird of Prey. While Semya Slotin, together with Josh Heinz, are investigating a murder case, the beautiful Pollianah and John Allen fall in love. This is a most unlikely love affair because John is not the man he makes himself out to be while Pollianah has some dark secrets herself. Disaster is just waiting to happen because the man she loves is in reality a hit man, who is out to assassinate a member of her family. With Semya preoccupied, Pollianah is left vulnerable, and is thrust into the merciless world of the Russian Mafia, where betrayal and deception is a way of life.
The Plot Thickens is a mixture of suspense and romance that can certainly keep you reading on and on. With characters involving the feared Russian underworld, violence threatens to erupt at any time. And then we have the blossoming love affair between Pollianah and John that seems to be doomed from the very beginning. Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba weaves a story of lies and deception and mixes it with love and romance to come up with a concept that I find original. The story is quite coherent, which I think is an achievement, since these events happened as Semya and Joseph are busy investigating a murder. This parallel story line could have muddled the plot but, on the contrary, it succeeded in enhancing the narrative. This novella is an easy and enjoyable read, and it is a prelude to the author’s next book, Pollianah Got Married. After reading this story, I am certainly looking forward to reading the next book in the Semya Slotin mystery series.
Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba's novella, The Plot Thickens, is part of the Semya Slotin mystery series that deals with the story of Pollianah Koch Guryev, unfolding during book one, The Bird of Prey. While Semya Slotin, together with Josh Heinz, are investigating a murder case, the beautiful Pollianah and John Allen fall in love. This is a most unlikely love affair because John is not the man he makes himself out to be while Pollianah has some dark secrets herself. Disaster is just waiting to happen because the man she loves is in reality a hit man, who is out to assassinate a member of her family. With Semya preoccupied, Pollianah is left vulnerable, and is thrust into the merciless world of the Russian Mafia, where betrayal and deception is a way of life.
The Plot Thickens is a mixture of suspense and romance that can certainly keep you reading on and on. With characters involving the feared Russian underworld, violence threatens to erupt at any time. And then we have the blossoming love affair between Pollianah and John that seems to be doomed from the very beginning. Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba weaves a story of lies and deception and mixes it with love and romance to come up with a concept that I find original. The story is quite coherent, which I think is an achievement, since these events happened as Semya and Joseph are busy investigating a murder. This parallel story line could have muddled the plot but, on the contrary, it succeeded in enhancing the narrative. This novella is an easy and enjoyable read, and it is a prelude to the author’s next book, Pollianah Got Married. After reading this story, I am certainly looking forward to reading the next book in the Semya Slotin mystery series.
May 2, 2015
REVIEW:
This was shorter than the first book and the first few chapters co-incide with Bird of Prey. It was amusing, disturbing, and saddening. Given the fact that they were very much in love with each other and John is the Prince charming Polli has been waiting for. It kind of makes you think about the imperfections of life. Not every love story has a happy ending, no matter how much you try.
I honestly don't know how to write a proper review without giving much away, so I'll just stick with vague and general points.
It was cute how John found Polli and Semya's antics amusing. It was pretty obvious from the get-go that he was bound to fall in love with her. But still, they can't run away from the inevitable. Their relationship, though short, was full of color, life, and love. For me, that made what happened more sad.
Similar to the first book in the series, The Plot Thickens also has quite a few technical errors. (E.g. grammar, spelling, punctuations) But the "jumping scenes" as I like to call them, have substantially decreased.
SUMMARY:
I liked it of course, and I give this installment of the saga 4 stars as well. And should definitely be read by readers who enjoy mystery snd suspense.
***ARC given by author & Indiesage PR
This was shorter than the first book and the first few chapters co-incide with Bird of Prey. It was amusing, disturbing, and saddening. Given the fact that they were very much in love with each other and John is the Prince charming Polli has been waiting for. It kind of makes you think about the imperfections of life. Not every love story has a happy ending, no matter how much you try.
I honestly don't know how to write a proper review without giving much away, so I'll just stick with vague and general points.
It was cute how John found Polli and Semya's antics amusing. It was pretty obvious from the get-go that he was bound to fall in love with her. But still, they can't run away from the inevitable. Their relationship, though short, was full of color, life, and love. For me, that made what happened more sad.
Similar to the first book in the series, The Plot Thickens also has quite a few technical errors. (E.g. grammar, spelling, punctuations) But the "jumping scenes" as I like to call them, have substantially decreased.
SUMMARY:
I liked it of course, and I give this installment of the saga 4 stars as well. And should definitely be read by readers who enjoy mystery snd suspense.
***ARC given by author & Indiesage PR
February 17, 2014
The Plot Thickens is book two in Danielle Claude Ngontang Mba’s Semya Slotin Mystery series, this book just like the last is written in third person, however this one follows the story of John and Polliannah, it runs along the same timeline as book one so we get to see what Polliannah was up to while Semya was out being a super sleuth. I found that this book didn’t grip me as much as the first one did, it seemed slower paced, although it was interesting because I wanted to know what the deal with John was I didn’t feel like I needed to keep reading but I wanted to, much like book one the story jumped around a little and I found myself lost in places but other than that it was a good read, the end again drew me in and now I need to read book three because I need to know what Josh Heinz is up to and why he is important to this story, I don't think I can wait until April to know what the heck is going on. for me this one was 4 Stars.
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