Time for another round of Yvonne’s Shorties! This time around a thriller with a supernatural twist that hit the mark despite it being a tad overlong and a contemporary romance I ended up having mixed thoughts about.

Title: Death Of The Black Widow
Author: J.D. Barker & James Patterson
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
First published: April 19th 2022
Publisher: Penguin Books
Finished reading: July 4th 2023
Pages: 527

“You see things where other people don’t, and you’re not afraid to chase a ghost, even one that bites.”


REVIEW

I’m a huge fan of J.D. Barker‘s writing, and I’ve been curious about Death Of The Black Widow ever since it was published. While it’s true that I prefer the books he writes alone, I’ve enjoyed his previous collabs with James Patterson and the premise of this newest story sounded too good to pass up on. I’m glad I didn’t now, because it ended up being one heck of a ride! True, the plot could have been tighter and the story was a tad overlong. Also true, this story isn’t for everyone and a little warning that the plot has a supernatural element would have been nice. BUT. Not knowing for sure what exactly is going on only makes you want to turn those pages even faster, and  the supernatural was woven seamlessly into what is basically a serial killer hunt with a conspiracy plot vibe. The plot itself switches between past and present, although always from Walter’s POV. The present timeline seems to be coming right out of a Hollywood action movie, while the flashbacks are a tad slower and provide more background into what is happening and what exactly Walter is facing. The first half of Death Of The Black Widow can be a tad slow in parts, but as the situation starts escalating more and more you will find the pace and suspense increasing as well. And WHAT a final showdown! If you like your thrillers on the dark and action-packed side and don’t mind things crossing the line to the supernatural, Death Of The Black Widow is a great choice.

Title: The Reunion
Author: Meghan Quinn
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
First published: February 22nd 2022
Publisher: Montlake
Finished reading: July 6th 2023
Pages: 429

“Some of my best stories were born from embarrassing moments, and those stories brighten people’s days.”


REVIEW

I loved my first experience with Meghan Quinn‘s writing last year, and I’ve been looking forward to pick up more of her work. I’ve been warned to stick with her Montlake publications due to the steam level (thanks again!), and I’ve been eyeing The Reunion for a while as my next Meghan Quinn book. Initially, I was having an excellent time reading this story. I liked the multiple POV structure, where the story switches between the six characters in play. Most characters were easy to warm up to, although I do have to say that I never liked Palmer and things only got worse once I got to know her better. She is basically one of the main reasons I ended up having mixed thoughts about The Reunion instead. She is SO selfish, childish, spoiled and vindictive, and saying that I didn’t like her is the understatement of the century. I also thought that the whole plot of The Reunion was not believable at all. I mean, how credible is it that all three siblings connect with their love match during their short time on the island? Going back and forth between the different budding relationships also ment that I felt that I was never able to spend enough time with each couple, and as a result the storylines lacked dept. I also thought that the whole end of the family feud wasn’t done realistically. I mean, seriously? With the way they were fighting, how everything was solved and wrapped in a nice bow just after one night just wasn’t credible at all. And then I’m not even talking about the epilogue… I wish all three couples would have gotten their own book instead so they could have had more dept and development. Although I probably wouldn’t read Palmer’s story as she is horrible to be around… Poor Beau.

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