maxac32's reviews
85 reviews

It wasn't a very memorable story for me. I'm trying not to compare it to the original series but I can't help but want more from it.

It always feels weird writing reviews for literary classics like this. Who cares what I think? but in order to continue my review streak, I must. I liked it, but I thought I would love it. That was a little disappointing. It's one of those situations where you hear so many good things and hold it to such a high standard that even though its good, you're still slightly disappointed.

The Sign of Four is my favorite Sherlock story. Absolute perfection.

I don't quite know how to start this. This is one of those "fever dream" stories, where I am completely sucked into the world but can't quite explain why. It felt so personal, like I stole someone's diary, but that someone has completely lost touch with reality. She has created entire lives and personas based off the trinkets and cleanliness of peoples desk. She has made herself out to be a maternal figure in the company, the oil in the engine that keeps it running all despite the fact she has never met any of the people who work in the building (other then the security guard and delivery guy). While she is constantly invading other peoples privacy and sabotaging those she deems ungrateful with no evidence to back it up, you can't help but root for her.

It's such an odd story, but every time I tried to put it down, I picked it right back up.

Check my "Exploring Planets and Dwarf Planets with Velma" review :)

I LOVED this book. The characters, atmosphere, and twists had me from the beginning. Spector and Flint have such a fun chemistry. After each chapter, I would gather the clues and see if I could figure out who did it… (spoiler alert: I never did). The plot was so incredibly well thought out. It wasn’t twists for the sake of twists, everything had a purpose. It was a perfect web of mystery.

I could go on and on, but I need to read books one and two!!

This was a really beautifully written true crime book (which is not the adjective I normally used to describe true crime with). You can tell this isn't O'Connell's usual genre, which isn't a bad thing. I really enjoyed his insight throughout the book. I found myself admiring how poetic it was. I often wonder what the interviewer is thinking when I read books like this, so it was nice to hear his opinion.

The problems I have with the book are not O'Connell's fault. In fact, I believe I share the same view as him, you find yourself yearning for answers you're never going to get. You want a reason, some kind of explanation whether it be abuse as a child, TBI, etc. that sheds some light as to why someone would kill two innocent people in cold blood. You get nothing from Macarthur. There is not a sliver of satisfaction. He read books all day in prison which is what he did on a daily basis anyway, and now that he is out, the government pays for his apartment and gives him a monthly allowance. He got exactly what he wanted. He got a life with no worry and work. It was "I had a good childhood and a hefty trust fund. I spent my money poorly and instead of getting a job with my various degrees, I will rob a bank because I hate the thought of working for a living." It was so frustrating seeing Macarthur separate himself from his crimes. It was like watching a child blame a broken vase on their imaginary friend.

In conclusion, the writing was great and Malcolm Macarthur sucks.

This book is so adorable and sweet. I love the “Velmatic system”, it’s something I’ve used everyday without realizing it. You are guided through everyday problems that happen at work, in relationships, and when solving mysteries with your three best friends and talking dog, (well, maybe not that last part, but you get the idea) and shows you not just what Velma would do, but why. It references other Velmas in some of my other favorite shows like Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote and Batgirl from Batman. Although it seems silly to some, being “a Velma”, is something I’ve grown to love about myself and this book highlights the reasons why perfectly. Velma is driven by her pursuit of knowledge, using everything that comes her way as an opportunity to learn. She isn’t intimidated by how much information there is, she is empowered by it. She isn’t just all brains either, the only thing more important to her than learning, is her relationships with her friends. She uses her intelligence to help those in need, whether it’s unmasking monsters or supporting her friends.

Lehane pulls no punches. You feel the power and evil of human nature at full force. The disgust sits as a pit in your stomach and the tension grips you. It will have full control of your attention and emotions.

While the story puts you at the heart of Boston’s violent response to the desegregation of public schools, you are also witnessing a woman who will do anything to save her missing daughter. While at first glance, these to stories have seemingly nothing to do with each other, the connections slowly begin to form, leaving a web of lies, deceit, and violence.

There are very few writers who could successfully pull this off, and no one could do it as well as Dennis Lehane. This deep dive of American racism at the heart of an incredible thriller, is a story I won’t soon forget. I couldn’t forget it if I wanted to.

Complex, fast paced, and action packed? It’s everything I could have ever wanted and more! I hope they translate the next in the series soon, because I need to see more from the dynamic duo of Antonia Scott and Jon Gutierrez. All the characters are so incredibly written, you get so attached to some and you absolutely hate others. I loved the point of view switches, it helped build the anticipation and tension. Such an incredible story.