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120 Days
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Barbara Blake is a bright, young, attractive, and ambitious defense attorney. Alejandro Soto, an inmate already serving two life sentences for the brutal murder of a drug dealer and the man’s mother, is on trial for a third murder, one he did not commit but that could well result in the Death Penalty. When Blake and Soto meet in the San Cristobal, California courtroom, the
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120 Days by Ronald L. Ruiz is a crime thriller that revolves around a brilliant California attorney named Barbara Blake, who is on a meteoric rise as a public defender, with rapid promotions and lucrative job offers that could set her financially for life. Her professional and personal life are, however, at polar opposites of one another, the latter showcasing two failed marriages and enough backstory to overwhelm even the thickest case file. Of course, the thickest case file belongs to a new cl
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Having already read Life Long, a previous novel by Ronald L.Ruiz, I knew this was going to be an intense novel. While Life Long dealt with mental illness, 120 Days deals with the justice system and how it's never black and white even when we think it is.
Barbara Blake is a bright and very talented defense attorney who is asked to represent Alejandro Soto who is currently serving two life sentences for murder in one of the toughest jails in California. Barbara is taken with Alejandro because unli ...more
Barbara Blake is a bright and very talented defense attorney who is asked to represent Alejandro Soto who is currently serving two life sentences for murder in one of the toughest jails in California. Barbara is taken with Alejandro because unli ...more
I could not put this incredible book down that centers around two very different characters. We have Barbara – an ambitious and intelligent woman who is incredibly smart and powerful in court but her personal life is quite different. She struggles with relationships and love – she has had failed marriages and she seems to have resigned herself to not meeting ‘the one’. Then we have Alejandro – a convicted murder serving two life sentences. Someone that you start off not having much sympathy for
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What a captivating story to read
This book is so long to read. I always like to read books that has so many pages. This story is so captivating to read. It is gut wrenching, an eye-opening and above all such a great read. I enjoyed reading this book. There are times that I have upset stomach due to abuse from his family and all the way to the jail.
It is a wide opener for me to read especially what is life being in a jail. This book seems like a real story. The author did a phenomenal job writing ...more
This book is so long to read. I always like to read books that has so many pages. This story is so captivating to read. It is gut wrenching, an eye-opening and above all such a great read. I enjoyed reading this book. There are times that I have upset stomach due to abuse from his family and all the way to the jail.
It is a wide opener for me to read especially what is life being in a jail. This book seems like a real story. The author did a phenomenal job writing ...more
120 Days Takes a Realistic Look at Society and Justice. This novel struck a chord quickly. Barbara expressed in the very early chapters as she defended an accused child molester, that, no matter how well she defended her client, the jurors were bound by society's views to convict him. Prejudices, societal pressures, misconceptions make it difficult or even impossible for the unbiased interpretation of facts. This theme carries through the novel and offers a thought-provoking journey for readers
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This book was received as an ARC from the publisher and Author, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own
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Book Title: 120 Days
Author: Ronald L. Ruiz Category:
Adult Fiction, 318 pages
Publisher: Amika Press
Release date: May 22, 2019
Genre: #Legal thriller, #crime fiction, #literary fiction
TW:There are two explicit scenes and some language
A Riveting Read ...Emotionally Detailed Ronald L. Ruiz' ...more
This was definitely a book that is different than most genres I read and I have to say – I was impressed and found that I really enjoyed the read.
It was a longer read than I am used to, but I found the story to be accurate (I asked some detention officers about certain details of the story which come to find out; were fairly accurate – an important piece if you ask me!)
Alejandro’s life story really gripped me, yet I did find myself cautiously aware of what he was saying and did have my doubts on ...more
It was a longer read than I am used to, but I found the story to be accurate (I asked some detention officers about certain details of the story which come to find out; were fairly accurate – an important piece if you ask me!)
Alejandro’s life story really gripped me, yet I did find myself cautiously aware of what he was saying and did have my doubts on ...more
Maria Beltran, Readers’ Favorite: “Controversial crime fiction novel that is very difficult to put down.… Unique love story that ultimately spirals into a matter of life and death.… Ruiz is a great storyteller and he has a unique eye for details. His 120 Days is a social commentary on the American justice system and society as a whole, told from a vantage point with a generous dose of empathy so it becomes easy to feel for Barbara Blake and Alejandro Soto, a modern-day Romeo and Juliet.”
K.C. Fin ...more
K.C. Fin ...more
Different!
This book was entertaining and well written but not one of my favorites. Barbara, the lawyer, is driven and a bit selfish. The story progresses thru some less than believable incidents and then ends abruptly. It just wasn’t fun or terribly enjoyable a read for me.
This book was entertaining and well written but not one of my favorites. Barbara, the lawyer, is driven and a bit selfish. The story progresses thru some less than believable incidents and then ends abruptly. It just wasn’t fun or terribly enjoyable a read for me.
Divine Zape, Readers’ Favorite: “Ruiz…combines courtroom drama with the art of storytelling to keep readers on the edge of their seats. The narrative begins in the courtroom and the drama is intense with intelligently crafted interrogations that introduce readers to the key characters and the conflict. While Alejandro is a criminal, the reader can’t help developing compassion for him, thanks to the author’s gift of infusing the characters with humanity. The relationship between Barbara Blake and
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Christian Sia, Readers’ Favorite: “The characters are sophisticated and emotionally rich and readers will want to see how the connection between Soto and his lawyer plays out. The story has great emotional depth and reality, including the difficult conditions of Mexican immigrants captured with finesse and commentaries that elicit emotion…a riveting and engrossing read.”
Kirkus Reviews:
“The author adeptly captures the grim reality of prison life…Ruiz artfully develops Alejandro into a complex character—both a victim and murderer, neither a hero nor villain, and a man who takes solace in the company of great literature while in prison. Barbara, too, is a captivating figure—twice divorced, she rose from the ashes of romantic failure to become a brilliant lawyer, and her ‘unique style of cross-examination,’ part rhetorical concision and part savage mortificati
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Readers also enjoyed
Ronald L. Ruiz is the author of a memoir, A Lawyer (2012), and six novels—
Happy Birthday Jesús
(1994),
Giuseppe Rocco
(1998),
The Big Bear
(2003),
Jesusita
(Amika Press, 2015),
Life Long
(Amika Press, 2017), and
120 Days
(Amika Press, 2019). Born and raised in Fresno, California, Ron was educated at St. Mary's College, California, University of California, Berkeley, and Uni
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