Scan barcode
katieb94's reviews
726 reviews
Batman Day Special Edition #1 by Tom King
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Fourth Strike by J.T. Bishop
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.0
The final book in the Family or Foe saga ties up loads of loose ends from the other three stories and it’s not a surprise that I flew through the final one!
We find out that Jill (the victim of Book 1), Madison (Book 2) and Jace (Book 3) are actually all siblings, born on the same day and the same year and the killer is too. This made it really interesting and although this was obvious, it helped the story flow.
It also explained why they all seemed to have supernatural powers. When I started reading the books I found that fact really jarring but it fit right in here and it was great to see them working on their “powers.”
There’s another case for Detectives Daniels and Remalla, a shooting, with strange numbers being left. As police they deal with these sort of cases every day, but when it’s them that are the targets- it flips the scene slightly.
When it came out that everything leads them back to the same killer again it all felt like everything had come full circle.
I don’t want to give away too much but the finale of the book was so dramatic I had to keep reading to see what kept happening!
I really enjoyed this book and the entire series
4/5 stars!
We find out that Jill (the victim of Book 1), Madison (Book 2) and Jace (Book 3) are actually all siblings, born on the same day and the same year and the killer is too. This made it really interesting and although this was obvious, it helped the story flow.
It also explained why they all seemed to have supernatural powers. When I started reading the books I found that fact really jarring but it fit right in here and it was great to see them working on their “powers.”
There’s another case for Detectives Daniels and Remalla, a shooting, with strange numbers being left. As police they deal with these sort of cases every day, but when it’s them that are the targets- it flips the scene slightly.
When it came out that everything leads them back to the same killer again it all felt like everything had come full circle.
I don’t want to give away too much but the finale of the book was so dramatic I had to keep reading to see what kept happening!
I really enjoyed this book and the entire series
4/5 stars!
The Second-Smartest Dog That Ever Lived by Will Pass
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
If a book has a dog in it, it’s pretty much an auto buy for me. However, I got this book for free from Veracious Readers in exchange for an honest review so thank you.
Our story begins when Leo/Rou is thrown out of a van on the highway and picked up by animal control. From there we discover that he is not your normal dog, he can read and communicate with humans. And he wants to know why.
From there, he goes on adventure with his ‘brother’- a pug called Shakespeare (who was my absolute favourite character!) to discover where he came from, meeting coyotes, a tiger and an orang-utan along the way.
I really enjoyed this story! I do feel that in some places Rou sounded more human than dog but that made sense when I got to the climax of the story.
The mannerisms of the dogs are spot on and although we were never told what breed of dog Rou was, his behaviours remained canine in nature. As the author is a vet it shows that he really understands the animals he works with.
The ending was exactly what I wanted from the story and I’m really glad I read this book! As a dog lover, it was great.
Also- my brother has a sausage dog and Vern is so like him it had me laughing out loud.
Cute characters
Great premise
4/5 stars.
Our story begins when Leo/Rou is thrown out of a van on the highway and picked up by animal control. From there we discover that he is not your normal dog, he can read and communicate with humans. And he wants to know why.
From there, he goes on adventure with his ‘brother’- a pug called Shakespeare (who was my absolute favourite character!) to discover where he came from, meeting coyotes, a tiger and an orang-utan along the way.
I really enjoyed this story! I do feel that in some places Rou sounded more human than dog but that made sense when I got to the climax of the story.
The mannerisms of the dogs are spot on and although we were never told what breed of dog Rou was, his behaviours remained canine in nature. As the author is a vet it shows that he really understands the animals he works with.
The ending was exactly what I wanted from the story and I’m really glad I read this book! As a dog lover, it was great.
Also- my brother has a sausage dog and Vern is so like him it had me laughing out loud.
Cute characters
Great premise
4/5 stars.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I would have given this 5 stars but I didn’t just because Kara swears an awful lot, yes she’s 21 now but she’s never been one to use expletives. Apart from that, her caring and hopeful character integrity remains intact.
This story is an Elseworlds story- in a different continuity and I went into the book knowing that. It’s a good story and the art is stunning!
I would recommend!
This story is an Elseworlds story- in a different continuity and I went into the book knowing that. It’s a good story and the art is stunning!
I would recommend!
The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I don’t want to give these books 5 stars even if I really enjoy them because of who wrote them. But I also can’t leave them unrated. At least I can get rid of the book now! 😂
This case in this book was really interesting because of the mixed media aspect. I liked the inclusion of the online messaging forum, the tweets and newspaper articles as Strike and Robin researched an anonymous killer known only as Anomie across different areas of the internet.
The killer is known in the book before the climax but it’s written in a way that it isn’t obvious, any of the suspects could have been the killer.
Strike and Robin seem much more at loggerheads in this book, whether that’s due to them not want to admit they’re in love with each other, because they’re so close, or because they’re annoying each other by being so involved in the case I don’t know. In some areas it was fun to read but with others I just felt could be a bit out of character.
But all is good by the end.
I also liked the addition of new subcontractors within the agency, it showed how popular the agency was and made the book slightly more realistic than if Strike and Robin did it all themselves.
I can understand why people may be put off by this book, JK Rowling (aka Galbraith) writing about internet hate, something she does a lot, seems a bit weird.
I enjoyed the story though and became very invested in the story when I got about 30% into the book.
I would recommend it, if you can separate the art from the artist.
4/5 stars.
This case in this book was really interesting because of the mixed media aspect. I liked the inclusion of the online messaging forum, the tweets and newspaper articles as Strike and Robin researched an anonymous killer known only as Anomie across different areas of the internet.
The killer is known in the book before the climax but it’s written in a way that it isn’t obvious, any of the suspects could have been the killer.
Strike and Robin seem much more at loggerheads in this book, whether that’s due to them not want to admit they’re in love with each other, because they’re so close, or because they’re annoying each other by being so involved in the case I don’t know. In some areas it was fun to read but with others I just felt could be a bit out of character.
But all is good by the end.
I also liked the addition of new subcontractors within the agency, it showed how popular the agency was and made the book slightly more realistic than if Strike and Robin did it all themselves.
I can understand why people may be put off by this book, JK Rowling (aka Galbraith) writing about internet hate, something she does a lot, seems a bit weird.
I enjoyed the story though and became very invested in the story when I got about 30% into the book.
I would recommend it, if you can separate the art from the artist.
4/5 stars.
Third Blow: A Novel of Suspense (Book 3 in the Detectives Daniels and Remalla Series) by J.T. Bishop
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
So this one is probably my favourite of the three I’ve read so far. I feel like all the characters felt rounded, none were annoying or self-centred (other than the killer) and it made for a great read!
We’re back with Detectives Daniels and Remalla but originally they’re not on the case of a murder and attempted murder until they realise it all links back The Makeup Artist.
I enjoyed the supernatural aspect a lot more in this one because of the use of tarot cards making it seem more realistic- although the main character of this one can heal people with his touch. I prefer that to throwing things with their minds.
This case was much more interesting considering there was a survivor- it proves to the detectives that their main suspect was not working alone.
He’s enlisted help.
But he’s also helping them?
The finale was very dramatic and I actually got very very worried that someone actually might get dropped off a building. The other killer was very petty with why he was doing what he was doing.
Which goes to show that you can’t always think you know someone.
I really liked this one and I’m looking forward to finishing the series and seeing how it all wraps up!
We’re back with Detectives Daniels and Remalla but originally they’re not on the case of a murder and attempted murder until they realise it all links back The Makeup Artist.
I enjoyed the supernatural aspect a lot more in this one because of the use of tarot cards making it seem more realistic- although the main character of this one can heal people with his touch. I prefer that to throwing things with their minds.
This case was much more interesting considering there was a survivor- it proves to the detectives that their main suspect was not working alone.
He’s enlisted help.
But he’s also helping them?
The finale was very dramatic and I actually got very very worried that someone actually might get dropped off a building. The other killer was very petty with why he was doing what he was doing.
Which goes to show that you can’t always think you know someone.
I really liked this one and I’m looking forward to finishing the series and seeing how it all wraps up!
Mighty Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1: With Great Power… by Steve Ditko, Stan Lee
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Power Rangers: Sins of the Future by Trey Moore
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Good Dog: The Story of Orson, Who Changed My Life by Jon Katz, Jon Katz
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.5
“I will keep faith with you. I will stay committed to you. We will not quit on each other. We will not give up on each other”- Jon Katz, to Orson.
He lied to his dog :(
The author gets a lot of hate for his choice to put Orson down after he caused severe bites. He does say he had four choices, and in the end he made the one he thought was best and never quite got over it. I understand his decision but it was also horrible to read because Orson was happy and healthy. A lot of vets now put dogs down that bite people. It’s sad but true and I didn’t like reading it.
I have read ‘A Dog Year’ and I really wanted to continue Orson’s story in this book. I really enjoyed the majority of this book, with the anecdotes about the dogs and the farm and their reactions to things. It was cute!
Some parts of the book I didn’t enjoy as much such as the chapters on the authors life pre dogs, they didn’t feel overly relevant. I zoned out on these bits and that’s reflected in my rating.
There was also some repetition from A Dog Year.
Jon Katz is clearly a man who cares for his dogs, even if sometimes he can’t control them. He just doesn’t seem to understand how to help them.
He has an affinity with animals, but mainly dogs, always having more than one at a time.
I can understand why people hate this book. It is a complete shock. It’s not happy, but I enjoyed following Orson’s story.
3.5/5 stars.
He lied to his dog :(
The author gets a lot of hate for his choice to put Orson down after he caused severe bites. He does say he had four choices, and in the end he made the one he thought was best and never quite got over it. I understand his decision but it was also horrible to read because Orson was happy and healthy. A lot of vets now put dogs down that bite people. It’s sad but true and I didn’t like reading it.
I have read ‘A Dog Year’ and I really wanted to continue Orson’s story in this book. I really enjoyed the majority of this book, with the anecdotes about the dogs and the farm and their reactions to things. It was cute!
Some parts of the book I didn’t enjoy as much such as the chapters on the authors life pre dogs, they didn’t feel overly relevant. I zoned out on these bits and that’s reflected in my rating.
There was also some repetition from A Dog Year.
Jon Katz is clearly a man who cares for his dogs, even if sometimes he can’t control them. He just doesn’t seem to understand how to help them.
He has an affinity with animals, but mainly dogs, always having more than one at a time.
I can understand why people hate this book. It is a complete shock. It’s not happy, but I enjoyed following Orson’s story.
3.5/5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Second Slice by J.T. Bishop
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Did not realise it was going to be linked to the case of the previous one! That made this book a little more exciting.
Considering this series focuses around Detectives Daniel and Remalla they don’t turn up for a few chapters, as there is a lot of world building and character building before hand to lead up to the murder.
We follow a group of couples, all well off, living on a lake, partying and having a good time when one of the husbands is killed- and the wife is the main suspect. Add in the drama of adultery and lies, it actually makes for a good read- yet again I did not work out who the killer was! It came as a bit of a shock because the character was actually likeable.
Unlike the main character- who was really irritating and made all the wrong decisions! I genuinely thought she was gonna go down for the murder of her husband. It would have been her own fault!
The element of supernatural/telekinesis/psychics wasn’t as much of a problem for me than this one but it did seem a bit odd. I know it’s going to lead to something in the other books but I don’t know, for a crime thriller it just seems weird. I can deal with it though as it adds to the connection between each book.
I’m interested to see where the rest of the series is going to go.
I really like Rem and Daniel’s relationship and I hope it continues to get stronger.
4/5 stars
Considering this series focuses around Detectives Daniel and Remalla they don’t turn up for a few chapters, as there is a lot of world building and character building before hand to lead up to the murder.
We follow a group of couples, all well off, living on a lake, partying and having a good time when one of the husbands is killed- and the wife is the main suspect. Add in the drama of adultery and lies, it actually makes for a good read- yet again I did not work out who the killer was! It came as a bit of a shock because the character was actually likeable.
Unlike the main character- who was really irritating and made all the wrong decisions! I genuinely thought she was gonna go down for the murder of her husband. It would have been her own fault!
The element of supernatural/telekinesis/psychics wasn’t as much of a problem for me than this one but it did seem a bit odd. I know it’s going to lead to something in the other books but I don’t know, for a crime thriller it just seems weird. I can deal with it though as it adds to the connection between each book.
I’m interested to see where the rest of the series is going to go.
I really like Rem and Daniel’s relationship and I hope it continues to get stronger.
4/5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Toxic friendship