Twisted Palace (The Royals 3) by Erin Watt: After finishing part 3 I learned that there is a part 3.5 as well as an upcoming 4 and 5. So more to read from the Royals. And honestly I am quite happy about it. I finished this book in a late night session. Although already very tired I kept reading until 1:30 because I really wanted to know what would happen. Anyway, no surprises. There was a happy end. Still, this was exactly what I needed, a fluffy, easy read which holds my attention and makes me come back for more. As far as I read now the next boos will be about the sub-characters from the first three books. Can’t wait to lay my hands on them.
Duell by Arnaldur Indridason: I read this book as part of the reading challenge since I hadn’t been to Iceland when I started it. The book itself is less exciting. It’s about the murder of a teenager during the chess world championship in ’72 in Reykjavik. The solution of the case was okay but the figures of the female detective and all the other characters were very one-dimensional. Maybe the most interesting part is the chess game between Fisher and Spassky as well as the whole Cold War atmosphere. Iceland itself doesn’t really get off the pages, just reading the book wouldn’t want me to go and visit. But of course it was never intended for this. I might have to give the author another go though, maybe his books with detective Erlendur are more exciting.
The Women of the Castle by Jessica Shattuck: WWII is a topic that has been done a lot already and most fiction books tell a similar story. This one is an exception though since it tells the tale from a new angle. Three women and their children live together after the war has ended. They don’t really know each other, it’s the common history of the husbands which brings them together. Nothing is as it seems, one has a secret history and the other has a secret present. I really liked how the narrator switched and all three women make their voices heard. The ending which takes place long after the war was perfect. All dots get connected.
Orphan X (Evan Smoak) by Gregg Hurwitz: Suspense thrillers are not my usual genre but the book appealed to me at an airport and I had some money to spend … so here we go. Amazingly enough I read it on a weekend trip, having to spend ages on a bus. Evan Smoak sounds like your average guy but he is anything but. Still, he doesn’t come across as superman rather as someone who needs help in his daily interactions with neighbours and friends. Oh, but then he has no friends. So maybe he is weird after all. The book is fast-paced and very enjoyable to read. The descriptions of guns and long-winded martial art fighting scenes were a bit much for me. The entertainment factor is undeniable though. I will definitely look out for second book in this new series.
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