★★★

Bookouture | 2018

Filed Under: Prom Night Dumpster Baby

This was pretty enjoyable, I have to say. For a debut in a series, it hit mostly all the right notes. But, at the same time, it was missing aspects that I look for to really make a procedural more than just the typical.

The story boils down to an abandoned baby, a woman who’s been missing for four years (who is the mother of that baby), and one seasoned — but borderline PTSD — detective on the case.

You hear all of that and you think, yes gimme! It sounds like the perfect recipe.

But I’m left feeling a bit like Gordon Ramsay on Master Chef when someone brings up a beautiful looking dish and he tastes it and says: “It looks fantastic, but where’s the seasoning? Did you salt the fucking chicken?”

Carla Kovach forgot to salt the fucking chicken on this one.

It’s a minor mistake in the grand scheme of things, but it means something is off the whole time you’re eating.

I don’t know why I’m doing a food metaphor, honestly. I hate food metaphors. And I hate cooking.

★★★

Canelo | 2018

Filed Under: Dan Abram’s Pecs

Welcome to another edition of Krystin Struggles To Write A Review For A Book That Was Just Okay!

These are my least favourite reviews to write. I think I’m a person who creatively operates best under strong swings on the emotional spectrum. I don’t know what that says about me psychologically, but I don’t want to either.

Writing a review for a book that didn’t get me fired up either way is kind of like being asked “how was your weekend?” by an expectant colleague and struggling to come up with an answer because all I did was lie around in my PJs mindlessly watching repeats of Live PD.

That Dan Abrams sure does like some tightly fit sweaters. And I am not complaining.

I don’t know, guys… Do you want to talk about this book or do you want to talk about Dan Abrams’ wardrobe? I’m leaning more towards the wardrobe. Blue is really his colour.

Alright, alright! Let’s do this.

★★★★

Bookouture | 2017

Filed Under: This is why I don’t jog.

There’s just something about smart, in-charge females solving violent crimes against other females perpetrated by men with psycho fucking issues, that really rocks my bits.

I was super excited to read this new series by Victoria Jenkins for that very reason, and I have to say, it didn’t disappoint.

This is a really promising start for a new author and new series.

In Wales, a jogger finds the body of a woman floating in the river, as joggers are wont to do. DI Alex King and DC Chloe Lane are called to the scene. It seems almost as soon as the first body is found, a second body turns up. Serial killers are working 9-5 and overtime, baby!

Let’s talk characters: The thing about these two ladies is that they are in fact two ladies. Unique and given equal time to develop — though they have much more room to grow in their definitions for follow-up stories. Their histories, their emotions, their life circumstances — it is not surface or cliché or redundant. They feel like two purposefully drawn characters who practice support of each other. Women need to have each other’s backs instead of infighting, and I loved that this book clearly demonstrates that sisterhood, even in difficult circumstances, even in the same job, even when they don’t understand each other’s motives or reactions.