Book Review: Killer Rumors (Book #1 – Frank Rinelli Series) By Antonello Fiore

3 Sakura’s

Got Potential

Blurb: Father D’Angelo and Bakeman, two devoted priests were brutally murdered while going on one of their nightly walks. Detective Frank Rinelli is called to the case- not only due to his close friendship with the priests, but with his expertise of tracking psychotic killers. Rinelli suddenly discovers these murders were based on a scandal that occurred several years ago at the same Church where the two murdered priests preached. And it doesn’t stop there. The list of people being murdered in connection with the scandal continues to grow until the killer has his ultimate vengeance- and the truth released.

Now I received this book for review from the author some time ago, requesting an honest review of his novel. Now I’m not the biggest fan of crime/murder novels but they have been growing on lately, so I thought it was time to give it a read. (Sorry it’s taken so long Antonello). 

I started reading it, and I honestly thought ‘this sounds interesting – should be good’. The first chapter sets the plot, by the murderer plotting his crime of revenge by killing two priests. This sounded fantastic, I must admit. But then it changed. Before I say the things that didn’t quite flow, or grab me, let me firstly say – the plot was great, the flow was nice, if a little slow for my liking, and the whole idea for this book was interesting to say the least.

         

I liked the killer – I know that’s a bizarre thing to say but I did! Apologies for the spoiler but there were two murderers, the one that I liked was The Solution – Honestly, I don’t think that was the best assassin name ever but I’m not a gangster, and I don’t kill people. Quite likely this is an appropriate name. He’s cool, calm, collected, and prides himself on his work, and skill. 

I felt, out of all the characters portrayed in this novel, that the killers were the only ones that seemed realistic, and three-dimensional. There was more of connection with them, by me, than with the rest of the characters. I mean the detectives that were following the case, seemed a bit flat – personality wise. 

         

Unfortunately for me, what I didn’t like was the constant change from 1st person, to 3rd person, and past/present tense. It just didn’t work for me. Either the book is in 1st person or 3rd person, not both! As a result, it took me a long time to feel some type of connection with the characters, and then it ended up being mostly the killers (as I’ve said).

Also I didn’t feel any real intrigue, or that I was trying to unravel the crime along with the detectives on the case. I would have liked to of felt like I was there, right along with the cops, through the thick of it, trying to solve the reason for the murders but that didn’t happen. Everything was explained too easily. I had figured what it was all about before I got half way through the book, which to me was not a good thing. I wanted to try to guess but have twists, and turns to the novel that made me realize I was wrong or that made me second guess myself … but that didn’t happen. I was expecting much but the book didn’t really deliver what I anticipated it would. 

But other than that, I think the book is good but needs maybe a little revision, and it needs an editor to look at it. It has much going for it, murder, revenge, crime solving – the story is a good idea, which I really liked. The idea of a priest going bad because he lost his priesthood, then goes out for revenge, Hell … who wouldn’t love to read a book like that!?

         

I think if you like a good crime story, it’s something to have give a read. Anyone who loves crime, murder, detective novels – this one you will want to add to your ‘to read’ list.

If you wanna read it, check out the links below:

Amazon UK – Killer Rumors
Amazon US – Killer Rumors
Lulu – Killer Rumors

Book Review – Darkly Dreaming by Chloe Hammond (18+)

3 Sakura’s

A Diamond in the Rough!

Blurb: Rae escapes the troubles in her life by dreaming, until the wake-up call of her fortieth birthday approaches. Then she and her best friend retrace their student trip through France. They expect to find the sun-drenched days of their youth; instead they stumble into a nightmare. Infected by a rebellious vampire, Rae struggles with repugnance towards what she has become, while desiring the beautiful Pride leader, Guillaume.
Against her will she is drawn into the Pride’s power struggle. Will Rae succumb to the exhilaration of the hunt?
In this dreamless existence, will the intoxication of liquid dreams found in fresh blood prove irresistible?
Can she win Guillaume’s confidence and love?
Or will the whole pride be destroyed by the High Council?

Well when I received this book to review, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting. Now unfortunately the review copy I received didn’t have chapter titles so I can’t tell you exactly where it became interesting, I just know the first few chapters, I had to drink much coffee to stay awake! It felt like useless dribble that didn’t fit in keeping with the rest of novel – a sort of filler to pack out the book to make it longer. Now don’t get me wrong, after this passed I found myself actually enjoying the story.

Before we get to the good stuff, let’s talk about the problems with this book. One, the exceptionally long beginning … My God I thought I was going to either fall into a coma or top myself, it was ridiculously long winded, boring and I didn’t get how it fitting in with the plot of the story. Yeah okay you want to know where your main female character comes from and what made her go to France in the first place which resulted in her becoming a Vampire but until you get to that part you have no idea in the slightest it’s a vampire novel! Also, the author seems to have enjoyed inserting words into the book to make it sound more ‘intellectual’ to the reader but to be honest, it kinda made the author sound precocious and full of herself  – at least that’s how I felt.

Then there’s the character and plot development, or lack there of. The main character seems whiny, and pathetic throughout the novel until right near the end. I personally would have loved to have seen more of a change in Rae once she became a Vampire, I think it would have made her more likable and believable as a person. The plot development – well that starts really weak, I didn’t have a clue where the story was developing to, and then suddenly out of the blue something happens whilst on holiday, and BAM! Rae and her best friend are Vampires …. EH? It kinda threw me to be honest – it was like a bolt out of the blue for me. The way it started didn’t prepare me for what was about to happen – it didn’t quite gel for me. It was like the beginning was a boring prologue and then suddenly the story began.

Personally I think the story needs a really good look at, re-editing and have an editor look it over. There were many grammatical errors but nothing a good editor couldn’t sort out.

          

Now I know I sound a bit mean but that’s not my intention. Quite frankly, once the story got to the holiday and turning (or ‘metamorphosis’ – terrible word to use by the way.) into a vampire, finally the story took off. There Rae was trying to understand what has happened, figuring out her own feelings, dealing with a love that’s not returned, and that her friend had fallen in love with another vampire which left her jealous, upset, yet happy for her friend. On top of that you have conflict, breaking rules, death, murder, and a council that may kill them all for breaking these rules.

Let me tell you, once I got to that part I couldn’t put the book down – it really grabbed me, and enticed me to continue reading. It had action, love, pain, female but kicking, and heart ache. If it started from there and the story was padded out a bit more … damn this would have been an epic book to read.

One thing though, I hated the ending. I mean yeah Rae feels content, and a little happy with how things have turned out but I don’t think it could be left there. There are too many unanswered questions, unresolved situations and feelings, and for me it seemed to end quite abruptly. I was expecting to turn the page and continue reading but there was nothing more to read … WHAT? No, no, no … there needs to more. The end can’t just stop like that! It doesn’t feel finished – I need more that the basic, they lived happily ever after because there was too much tension, heart ache, etc, to have a perfect happily ever after. Chloe if you are reading this – make the book longer and end it differently or this needs to be a series of some kind.

         

You know, I’ve talked about the story more than anything else, I should talk a little about some of the characters. The main character Rae, who we take forever to learn her name, is … well … at the beginning, plain, boring, whiny, and a little under developed but she does break free of those persona’s once she becomes a vampire but not much … I did like her though, especially when it came to protecting a friend or her ideals on what is right.

Her friend Lyla on the other hands, was different – the complete opposite but it took a while to see that at first because of the way she was written and you didn’t get a chance to see her proper personality until further into the story. After becoming a vampire, she seemed to become more quite, reserved and well … a background character to a degree. Would have liked to have seen more scenes with just her and the guy she fell for – David, another vampire. Nice guy, another faintly background type character. Would have liked to have got to know him a little better, he seemed like he could have been quite interesting, especially having quite and not so quite encounters with Lyla.

All in all, a good story that needs more thought and development put into it … then I really feel this would be an amazing little gem of a novel. I can’t wait to see what Chloe Hammond comes up with next!!

Update : I have been informed by the author that this little gem is book one of a trilogy …. Can’t wait!

If you wanna read it, check out the links below:

Britain’s Next Best Seller – Darkly Dreaming

Find out more about the author here:

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