Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Review: The Devil's Prayer



Title: The Devil’s Prayer
Author: Luke Gracias
Publisher: Australian eBook Publisher
Year published: 2016
How I got this book: I got this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
My rating: 4,5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
A nun commits suicide in front of thousands in Spain. In Australia, Siobhan Russo recognizes that nun as her mother, Denise Russo, who disappeared six years ago.

In search of answers, Siobhan travels to the isolated convent where her mother once lived. Here she discovers Denise’s final confession, a book that details a heinous betrayal that left her crippled and mute, and Denise’s subsequent deal with the Devil to take revenge. In the desperate bargain Denise made with the Prince of Darkness, she wagered Siobhan’s soul.

As  Siobhan discovers the fate of her soul, she learns that hidden within the pages of her mother’s confession is part of The Devil’s Prayer, an ancient text with the power to unleash apocalyptic horrors.

And now her mother’s enemies know Siobhan has it.

Can Siobhan escape an order of extremist monks determined to get the Prayer back? Can she save the world from its own destruction?

Explicit Content Warning: «The Devil’s Prayer» is a historical horror thriller that contains brutality, rape, sex, drug abuse and murder. Readers may find its content offensive and confronting.

My thoughts:
I had no idea what to expect when starting this book. I’s only read a short description, as  it was the cover that really drew me in. The first-ish chapter was a bit heavy, and it made me a bit nervous that the rest of the book was going to be a bit boring. It was definitely not boring. The first part is important, as  it really sets up the rest of the story.

In short, this book starts with a nun, Denise, who commits suicide in Spain. A very public suicide. The rest of her family finds out, and her daughter, Siobhan, travels from Australia to Spain, to get answers. She then learns that she’s not safe in Spain, and gets hold of a book her mother write to her before she died, which tells the story about her life, and everything that led to her suicide.

Once I got really into this story, I didn’t want to put it down. Which was a bit unfortunate, as  I was on holiday in England whilst reading this, and therefore didn’t have a lot of time to read. It’s faced paced, and we move back and forth between the present and Denise’s story. Eventually, Denise’s story catches up to the present, and we understand a lot more. 

have to mention, as  a warning, that there are a lot of gruesome details in this book, so it’s definitely not for everyone. Without spoiling too much, there are rape, torture and murder scenes there are quite detailed. The author has a way of describing things in a way that makes you feel like you’re there, which is both great, but can also be a bit much in certain parts of the book. 

As previously mentioned, this is not a book for everyone. But if you don’t mind detailed gore, you should pick this up. There are a lot of interesting theories and such included, which made it unlike anything I’ve ever read before. 

This is a thrilling page-turner, that you’ll want to finish in one sitting. There are so many questions throughout the story, and it’s hard to know what to think and expect. I will absolutely recommend that you pick this up if it sounds interesting at all to you. You won’

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Sunday, July 2, 2017

Review: Indian Summer



Title: Indian Summer
Author: Marcia Willett
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Published: 27th of June 2017
How I got this book: I got this as an arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
My rating: 3 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
Some memories can be forgotten… Others won’t ever go away. From internationally adore author Marcia Willett comes the magnificent new novel, Indian Summer.

For renowned actor Sir Mungo, his quite home village in Devon provides the perfect retreat. Close by are his brother and his wife, and the rural location makes his home the ideal getaway for his old friends in London.

Among those is Kit, who comes to stay for the summer, bringing with her a letter from her first and only love, Jake, and a heart in turmoil. Years have passed since they last saw each other, and now he has written to Kit asking to meet again.

As  the summer unfolds, secrets are uncovered that will shatter the sleepy community, and even tear a family apart. But those involved soon realize that the only way to move forward might be to confront the past…

My thoughts:
When the publisher first contacted me about this book, I wasn’t sure I would like it. I am glad that I gave it a chance, as  it ended up being an enjoyable read, though not something I’d normally pick up.

We follow a handful of characters, and their stories all intertwine at some point during the novel. Because there are so many characters, it took me quite a while to really get into the story, and to start caring about the characters. However, I did get there eventually, and when I did, I was able to really enjoy the book.

I would say that this book is definitely more character-driven, than plot-driven. I don’t have a preference either way, so I didn’t really mind, but it is something to keep in mind if you have a preference for plot-driven books. The setting is a small village in England, where the characters find themselves for a lot of different reasons. There really isn’t much action during the book, only a few things here and there. 

The first half is mostly getting to know the different characters. It’s not boring, not exactly, but it’s not a page-turner either. It is totally worth getting through it in the end, though. Most of the characters are extremely likable, and none of them are perfect. They all have flaws, which is how it’s supposed to be. 

This is a great book to read during the summer, especially outside during a sunny day, when you can really relax and get into a book. It’s heartwarming, and you are able to connect with the characters, despite the fact that there are a number of them. This is a good read for when you want a light-hearted book that’s easy to read, that has just a little bit of action.

If you’re a big fan of YA, this probably won’t be the perfect book for you. However, if you’re in the mood for something new, I would suggest picking it up. This is not a book for everyone, but if it sounds like something you might enjoy, you should give it a chance.

Buy this book?
Amazon (US)
Amazon (UK)
BookDepository (worldwide, affiliate link)

AdLibris (Norway)