Review: The Target by David Baldacci (Goodreads Author)

The Target by David Baldacci
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Will Robie & Jessica Reel, master assassins, are back …..on a super secret mission together!

The Target, the 3rd book in David Baldacci’s Will Robie Series begins with Will Robie, back in Washington DC and receiving a medal for his successful mission in Syria.

Will and Jessica have been given a new and very secret mission but before they receiving the details of it, both are sent to The Burner Box, a CIA training facility in North Carolina to be tested if they are capable of carrying it out. But they believe that there’s something more sinister about the reason given by the present director of the CIA, Evan Tucker for disobeying orders and the killing of two high CIA officials. This is world where nothing is what it seems to be.

” It was live ammo. In Reel’s and Robie’s world there always came a time when there was no other kind.”

” Surviving the grueling experience, Will and Jessica are sent to France – their secret assignment? Kill the North Korean leader, General Pak. Things go horribly wrong with the general committing suicide. In retaliation, the North Korean government sends one of their top agents, Chung-Cha to assassinate the US president and his family.

We first meet Chung-Cha at Bukchang, the most horrific internment camp in North Korea where we see the horrors and tortured she endured

and how it made her become one of the most cold-blooded and lethal assassin, even more dangerous than Will and Jessica.

“She did not believe in a benign higher being. She could not. She had suffered too much to think of a heavenly force in the sky that would let such evil walk the earth without lifting a hand to stop it.”

The story is told through multiple POVs which allows the readers to see into each character’s minds that gives us more information about each one’s thoughts and feelings.

The author has created two characters, Will and Jessica, that you cannot help but like and admire, even knowing that these are two of the most dangerous and lethal killers. There’s something deep inside them that makes you feel that there is goodness in them. Something that humanizes them. We also see that humanity in Chung-Cha at the end….(view spoiler)[Chung-Cha had adopted a young girl, Min, who she had rescued from the very camp she had spent all those painful years in. She takes Min with her on her mission and wanting to save her life, turned on her own allies, which resulted in her being killed. Will and Jessica then take Min to live with Julie and her guardian. (hide spoiler)]This was such a sad part in the story……makes you want to believe that there’s some good inside each one of us.

At times, the plot seemed so far-fetched and in some weird way it’s still kind of believable. Gripping tension, action-packed with twists and turns that popped up at the most unexpectedly times.

A great continuation to this series.

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Review: The Hit (Will Robie, #2) by David Baldacci (Goodreads Author)

The Hit by David Baldacci
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book.........

Will Robie returns in David Baldacci’s The Hit, the 2nd book in the Will Robie Series.

After his last disastrous mission in The Innocent, he returns home and given a new assignment.

Find Jessica Reel and do whatever it takes to eliminate her. She’s accused of going rogue after killing agents in the agency.

Jessica Reel is a fellow assassin, who he’s worked and trained with in the past and he’s baffled about her turning against the people and the company she has worked with. But this will not stop him from doing his job.

As he gets closer to Reel, certain events pertaining to this case show that there’s more to what information he has been given. And when a high level CIA boss, who he had met with to talk about his suspicions, is killed, he realizes that something is now right about his mission.

Will and Jessica come face to face they realize that to survive they will have to work together, to finding the people who are trying to kill them both. They will have to use all the skills to staying alive..

“Success or failure was always defined largely during the preparation. With good planning all one had to do was execute. Even last-second changes could be made with greater ease if the planning in the first place had been precise.”

I loved Jessica Reel!

She’s a hardened and ruthless assassin, jaded as just as lethal as Will…

“Sorry it’s come to this, Will. Only one can survive of course.” -Jessica Reel

We
The chapters told from Jessica's POV give a deeper insight into her character and some of the reasons why she becomes an assassin.

“What happened to you as a child, particularly something bad, changed you, absolutely and completely. It was like part of your brain became closed off and refused to mature any further. As an adult you were powerless to fight against it. It was simply who you were until the day you died. There was no “therapy” that could cure it. That wall was built and nothing could tear it down.”
“She apparently didn't expect any trouble but she also never expected everything to go perfectly either. That was a good rule to live by Robie knew. Because perfection was rarely the case in the field.”

Will begins to question what he does. Who determines what is good or bad, or should die or live. He also has to deal with having Julie Getty, the young teenager he saved in The Innocent, in his life.

Great character development….I am very interested in Will’s boss, the Blue Man….he’s a mystery and we never discover who he really is.

Fantastic and gripping plot filled with death-defying action, tension and a gripping and dramatic climax. A total page-turner that will keep you glued to the seat of your chair!

If you love political thrillers, this series is a must!!!

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Review: The Innocent (Will Robie, #1) by David Baldacci (Goodreads Author)

The Innocent by David Baldacci
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Innocent, is the 1st book in David Baldacci latest Will Robbie Series featuring the new character Will Robbie.

Will Robie works for a secret clandestine US agency and is one of their top operatives. His life revolves around his job and missions and is portrayed as the perfect operative…..

His employer decided who among the living and breathing would qualify as a target. And then they turned to men like Robie to end the living and breathing part. It made the world better, was the justification.

The book starts off with some back-story of some of Robie’s previous missions which gives us a bit of an insight into his character and his life.

Robie is somewhat surprise about his latest assignment. The target is a Washington DC female government employee with a family. His instincts are telling him that something is not right and has he hesitates to carry out his orders, some other sniper finishes the mission instead. He realizes that you don’t play around with not completing a mission, so he leaves town under the radar and heads off to New York City until he finds out more about his failed mission and the possibility that he may be the next target.

Julie Getty, 14 years old, smart, touch and street-wise is on the run after witnessing the murder of her parents.

Robie and Julie’s paths cross when they both board the same bus. When he saves her from an assassin that he recognizes, they team up to solving the reason for both being targeted. Their meeting at first seems unrelated to each other’s dilemma but the events that follow show a connection between his mission and her family’s murder. Joining forces with a local FBI agent, who offers to help them. A race against time to find the people responsible for the crimes and not knowing who they can trust.

The plot reminded me a bit of the movie, Leon: The Professional, where Jean Reno, a hit man, saves and helps his next door neighbor, a young girl, Natalie Portman, after she witnesses her parent’s murder and how she makes him a more humane person.

Engrossing, good pacing, tense, believable characters, action packed twists and turns and humor…

“Any spies work there? Doubtful. While lucrative, corn subsidies don't really get bad guys all that excited.”

“He has twenty-nine friends, which isn't a lot, but I don't know how long he's been on Facebook either. And he's a really old guy.” “he's only fifty,” Vance pointed out. Julie shrugged. “Like I said, he's a really old guy.”

A great introduction to a new series and a strong, intriguing and likeable hero.

I liked this quote:

“You had to take life as it came. It gave no quarter, spared no feelings. Limited no pain. Put no ceiling on happiness.”

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Review: Ravensdale's Defiant Captive (Ravensdale Scandals #1) by Melanie Milburne, Maisey Yates (Goodreads Author)

Ravensdale's Defiant Captive by Melanie Milburne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Software designer Julius Ravensdale agrees with much trepidation , after being informed by his much loved housekeeper, to supervise Holly Perez’s probation for a month as part of his community service he does. Well, I would have hesitated as well, if I was told….

'Just a girl who's in need of a bit of direction.' Julius mentally rolled his eyes. Of all the housekeepers he could have chosen, he had employed the Argentinian reincarnation of Mother Teresa. 'I thought we agreed your lame ducks were restricted to the stables or the gardens?'
'I know, but this girl will go to prison if—' 'Prison?' he said. 'You're bringing a convicted criminal here?'
'She's only been in trouble a couple of times,' Sophia said. 'Anyway, maybe the guy deserved it.'
Sophia beamed at him. 'Just wait until you meet her. You're going to love her.'

Holly Perez is not a shy, wilting and timid heroine. She’s smart, spirited and not afraid to speak her mind…

Holly hitched up her chin, flashing him an I-know-what-you're-up-to glare. 'I want to let you know straight from the outset I'm not here to be your sex toy.'

I fell in love with these two characters immediately.

Julius, cool, organized and always in control. He likes his life to run smoothly and quietly. His love life is just as organized and controlled and that’s the way he wants it to be. He cannot understand why he’s so attracted to Holly…she’s certainly not his kind of woman.

Holly, audacious, bold and with a street-smart mouth. A survivor who hides from the world the pain and sad of her childhood at the hands of her wicked stepfather, who will do anything to bring her down. Despite the attraction she feels for Julius, she’s not prepared to do anything with him…..men are not to be trusted!!! She knows that so well for her experiences with them.

Julius soon realizes that there’s something more to Holly and she also begins to trust enough to confide in him about the reason for her present predicament.

The build-up of their relationship and the sexual tension was written really well.

A fairy-tale of a woman finding her Prince and living happily ever after………how could I not like this story????

I can’t wait for Julius’s sister’s book next!!!

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Review: Talos Claims His Virgin (Kalliakis Crown #1) by Michelle Smart (Goodreads Author)

Talos Claims His Virgin by Michelle Smart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Talos Claims His Virgin by Michelle Smart is the 1st book in the Kalliakis Crown Trilogy


Three brothers and princes of the small island country of Agon. Having to bring forward the planned Jubilee Gala honoring their ailing and beloved grandfather, King Astraeus, Talos, the youngest prince is in charge of finding the best violinist to play a music piece, written by their deceased grandmother, for their grandfather at the celebration.

He finds Amalie Carthwright, a talented violinist and despite her refusal to playing, Talos is determined that she’s the one and only and when his offers continue being ignored, he whisks her to his home….with some blackmailing as well.

I liked Amalie. How vulnerable she was, her stage fright and even more that she didn’t give in to easily to the autocratic and alpha male, Talos.

I found Talos very likeable and what a pleasure it was to see him helping Amalie overcoming her fears.

This is a unique and captivating love story, endearing characters, emotion, family, exotic locations and fabulous dialogue.

I totally loved the epilogue!!! It was so cute and sweet….

“It’s only a piece of paper, but I’ll sign my heart on it because it belongs to you now. I’m trusting you to take care of it for me.”
“I’ll protect it with my life.”
And with those words his hungry mouth moulded to hers.
He felt cleansed. Whole. Loved.
He loved her. And she loved him.
He would say the words to her every day for the rest of his life.

I am looking forward to the next book.

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Review: The Price of His Redemption by Carol Marinelli (Goodreads Author)

The Price of His Redemption by Carol Marinelli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So, I am normally not “fond” of Russian heroes but once in a while there have a few that I’ve enjoyed.
The Price of His Redemption, by Carol Marinelli, the 1st book in her Irresistible Russian Tycoons Series is one of those that I really liked.

This series is about four orphans – 2 brothers and 2 friends, who escape from the miserable existence in an orphanage in Russia and go on to becoming successful and wealthy men.

Daniil Zverev was 12 years old when he was adopted by a wealthy British family, left behind his twin brother and friends and never seen them again. He’s become ruthless and doesn’t let emotions stand in his way for anything.

Libby Tennent is not exactly your average heroine. She’s funny, sweet, strong willed and doesn’t bow down to any man, even if he’s the gorgeous Daniil Zverev. Though she does give in from time to time to her shark and shady father. The father is a real number…despicable and so underhand.

I enjoyed the dialogue and the banter between Libby and Daniil

and liked watching her melting down his cold heart!!

A sweet and romantic love story.

Looking forward to the next book in the series.

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