Search This Blog
2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (11)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (3)
- Georgia (3)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (9)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (4)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (2)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)
International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (3)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (2)
- England (25)
- France (1)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (2)
- Russia (2)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge
2024 52 Club Reading Challenge
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge
2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge
2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge
Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge
Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge
The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge
The Life Skills Reading Challenge
Monday, December 03, 2012
The One Where I Learn My Lesson About Romantic Suspense
9:04 AM
(Image from author's official website)
When a Navy SEAL battling PTSD kidnaps his former squad mate, Detective Claire Michaels insists on handling the hostage negotiations. Her brother died while fighting in Afghanistan—she won't let more soldiers die. Not on her turf. What Claire doesn't realize is how much more complex the situation is than it seems. One of Osama bin Laden's top dogs is behind the kidnapping and he's as deranged as his late boss. It's not just the soldiers that need saving, but the entire country. If Claire and her team can't catch the maniacal terrorist before it's too late, there's no telling what could happen.
Rafe Kelly never expected to run into his old enemy, Bez Ruhallah, in his hometown of Hartford, Connecticut. But it's happened and, now, the madman has Rafe's brother hidden away in some unknown corner of Afghanistan. If Rafe doesn't bring a secret encryption key to Bez Ruhallah in three days, his brother will die. And the country he's worked so hard to protect will, once again, be vulnerable to attack by a power-hungry al-Qaeda operative. Rafe doesn't want to involve Claire—who's obviously dealing with her own issues—in such a dangerous mission, but he's not sure who else he can trust. Can he and the pretty detective really match wits with a man like Bez Ruhallah? Or will they, along with Rafe's brother and every other American, become victims of the terrorist's wrath?
I should make it clear right up front that romantic suspense really isn't my thing. Outside of Whitney Award judging, I don't read it. At all. But, when Lexi over at The Book Bug offered a copy of Julie Coulter Bellon's new novel, All Fall Down, for review, I wavered. The novel's plot sounded engrossing enough to keep me interested. And it was, more or less. Enough bombs exploded throughout the novel that I never really got bored. Still, the characters never developed into anything more than empty cliches, the plot seemed very far-fetched, the insta-love romance bugged, and the poor copyediting kept pulling me out of the story. The writing itself was better than I expected it to be, but considering all my other issues with the book, I just couldn't give All Fall Down anything higher than a C. It's entertaining, sure, I just wanted more substance, more polish, more development. Since I say this exact thing every time I read a book of this kind, I should probably face the facts—romantic suspense is not my genre. Never has been, never will be. Lesson learned.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other romantic suspense novels by LDS authors, although no specific titles are coming to mind.)
Grade: C
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for violence and mild sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of All Fall Down from Julie Coulter Bellon via Latter Day Books Blog Tours.
8 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie
Listening
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
Followin' with Bloglovin'
Followin' with Feedly
-
THWIP Thursday for 21 November 202437 minutes ago
-
A Couple of short(ish) reviews5 hours ago
-
Time Travel Thursday5 hours ago
-
#ThrowbackThursday. December 2011 Part 26 hours ago
-
Rendezvous update 27 hours ago
-
What I’m Giving Bart for Christmas8 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
The Poison Pen Letters by Fiona Walker15 hours ago
-
-
A Quiet Teacher by Adam Oyebanji1 day ago
-
-
-
-
A Quick Update1 day ago
-
-
Audiobook: Lost and Lassoed1 day ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Open for Murder by Mary Angela2 weeks ago
-
-
-
Reading Recap September 20241 month ago
-
Ten Characters Who Redeemed Themselves2 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I3 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus3 months ago
-
Sunday Post3 months ago
-
-
The Music of 2024: Q24 months ago
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Design by:
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ▼ 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
Don't judge all romantic suspense through the lens of LDS fiction (or other Christian fiction), whose authors write some of the worst books ever put in print. (I can't believe they have the audacity to create an award program for it.)
ReplyDeleteRead some books by Mary Stewart like The Gabriel Hounds, The Ivy Tree, Nine Coaches Waiting, Airs Above the Ground. Then if you still don't like it, okay. ;)
Excellent point, Megan. I think part of the trouble with LDS/Christian writers doing romantic suspense is that they're trying to keep it clean, which often equals a story that feels totally cheesy and unrealistic. I will definitely try some Mary Stewart. Thanks for the recommendation!
DeleteMary Stewart's books are "clean" as far as sex goes, but the writing, characters, plots, and atmosphere are far superior to the canned tripe in Christian fiction.
ReplyDeleteOkay, now I'm REALLY intrigued :) She sounds like a fabulous author.
DeleteI forgot to mention, if you like historical fiction, Mary Stewart also wrote a series of four books about the King Arthur and Merlin legend, told from Merlin's perspective. The first book, The Crystal Cave takes Merlin from his childhood into young adulthood, when he comes to be Arthur's tutor. In order they are:
ReplyDeleteThe Crystal Cave
The Hollow Hills
The Last Enchantment
The Wicked Day
You know, I actually have THE CRYSTAL CAVE on my bookshelf. I bought it a long time ago and have yet to read it. Maybe it's time I pulled it out, huh?
DeleteThanks for the review and for the commenter who recommended Mary Stewart. I'll have to try her myself!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for being part of the tour!
ReplyDelete