jbronderbookreviews

Three Minutes (Grens & Sundkvist – 7) by Anders Roslund & Borge Hellstrom

Presumed dead by the Stockholm police, master criminal and undercover informant Piet Hoffmann is now on the run from the Swedish authorities, living with his wife and two young sons under an assumed name in Cali, Colombia. Only Hoffmann’s former police handler, Erik Wilson, knows where he is–and that he has accepted two dangerous new jobs: one as a high-level enforcer for a Colombian cocaine cartel and one as an infiltrator for the DEA, working to bring the cartel down. The FBI even lends credence to his cover story by adding Hoffmann’s alias to the Most Wanted list.

But when the Speaker of the House is kidnapped by the cartel during an official visit to Colombia, everything changes–fast. Hoffmann is party to the highest-profile political kidnapping in years and therefore directly in the firing line in what is quickly dubbed the “Final War on Drugs.” Suddenly, the Most Wanted list becomes a kill list and the DEA cuts off all contact on orders from the top, leaving Hoffmann and his family stranded.

Hoffmann must walk a delicate line as he tries to protect his young family and keep up his dual role as a cartel enforcer and a deniable intelligence asset for the US government. It soon becomes clear that his only chance at getting out alive is to rescue the Speaker of the House and bring him back to the States–but to do it he’ll need the help of Ewert Grens, the stubborn, dogged Stockholm detective who hasn’t forgotten Hoffmann since the explosive showdown in Aspsas prison years ago.

Amazon     Barnes and Noble     Goodreads

 PRAISE FOR THREE SECONDS

 “A nail biter of a book.”

—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“[The] twisty plot makes for propulsive reading.”

—Entertainment Weekly

“[A] sprawling and often gripping thriller . . . the gritty details of drug dealing, of prison life and of the relations between cops and informants are all   rendered in convincing authority in Three Seconds.”

—Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal

“A thrill-a-minute cat-and-mouse game . . . a grimly amoral tale.”

—Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

Author’s Bios

Award-winning journalist Anders Roslund and ex-con Börge Hellström are Sweden’s most acclaimed crime-fiction duo. Their unique ability to combine inside knowledge of the brutal reality of criminal life with searing social criticism in complex, intelligent plots has put them at the forefront of modern Scandinavian crime writing. Three Seconds was awarded the Crime Writers’ Association International Dagger Award and the Best Swedish Crime Novel Award, previously won by both Stieg Larsson and Henning Mankell, and it was a New York Times bestseller.

Website

My Review

5 stars

Piet Hoffmann faked his death in a prison and is now on the run. He has been given a new name and along with his family been relocated to Columbia. Piet now works for a cocaine boss called El Sueco but is also a DEA informant. To make his role look believable he was added to the FBI’s Most Wanted list. But then an American Chairman of the House of Representatives, Thomas D. Cruise, goes on a war against drugs after the death of his daughter. But when Thomas gets to Columbia he gets himself kidnapped. Back home everyone decides to go to war with the cartels and starts using the FBI’s Most Wanted as a hit list. Piet knows that he is on his own and does what he needs to in order to keep his family and himself alive. He is going to have to rely on DCI Ewert Grens to help him try and rescue Cruise.

This is the seventh book in the Grens & Sundkvist series and although I have not read the other books I did not have a hard time figuring out what was happening. Piet is doing everything he can to stay alive yet help against the Columbian cartels. But he finds himself and his family’s lives in the balance when he is cut lose from his DEA handler and become a target in the war against drugs. You can’t forget about Thomas either. I understand why he is out to start war but he is fighting blind instead of looking at everything.

This is an action packed thrill ride. It’s easy to fall into this story and hope that Piet and his family will come out the other side of this battle in one piece. I also wanted Thomas to be saved, he had the best intentions even if he went in heavy handed. This is a great thriller and I am interested in reading the other books in this series.

I received Three Minutes from Quercus for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

Read Full Post »

Temptation Trials Part 1 by B. Truly

Will You Be Tempted? Will Love Save Your Soul?

One nation under his reign.

Cardinal sins of man caused humanity to pay the price. Cali Nasser grew up in a world succeeding World War III. The aftermath forced the world dictatorship that she must now live in. A new Regime arose from the ashes. They demanded obedience and cooperation from every citizen, even in matters of the heart.

One domain … One accord … One nation. That is the moral code. In Cali’s eyes, it all revolves around a twisted plot for control.

It used to sicken Cali how people would allow the Regime to test their love through the Temptation Trials. That is, until she met Kincade. Cali’s entire point of view changes when she falls for him. She struggles with herself, debating if she should challenge the government’s law of arranged marriage.

Cali’s childhood friend, Stefani, always kept a positive perspective about their lives until she was threatened with the same dilemma, at odds over the man she loves.

Now Cali and Stefani face a desperate choice—submit to the Regime’s will, or fight for what they value most—love. Although lust, mistaken for love, could lead to damnation. Do they give up on love or sign up for the Temptation Trials, a reality TV show where every temptation is laid before them?

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Can love save their souls?

Amazon     Barnes and Noble     Smashwords     Kobo     Goodreads

Author’s Bio

Truly has wanted to be an author since she was fifteen years old and is grateful to have accomplished this dream. She has very vivid dreams and a wild imagination. She likes to read, watch tons of TV shows, and movies. She’s addicted to romance and gets a thrill out of action and sci-fi. She writes New Adult and Adult, Romance. Sci-fi, Dystopian, and Paranormal genres.

Truly likes to explore different elements of sci-fi romance, and create various realms of reality. She also loves creating impossible situations for her characters to grow from and try to overcome.

Truly has three wonderful children and a husband who defines the person that she is today. She works full-time as an Ultrasound technologist in Houston, Texas.

Facebook     Twitter     Goodreads

My Review

4 stars

After World War III the world is now controlled by a dictatorship. This dictatorship controls everyone’s lives including who they will love. The only exception to this is if you are willing to take part in a reality television show called Temptation Trials. Essentially the couple get split up on separate islands full of sexy people that are trying to get you to cheat on your love. But this is no simple test of love, you have to date and raging hormones are not going to help keep you true to your love.

Initially the story catches you up on what is happening in this new dictatorship and those that want to rebel. Then the story is told from alternating viewpoints of Cali Nasser and Stefani Ponce. Both girls try to guard their hearts to try to distance themselves from the love. But when they meet two sexy guys they fall for them and decide to try the Temptation Trials. That should be easy, right? No one has successfully made it through the Trials but Cali and Stef just know that they will make it. But this is a rigged game.

This story is well written and filled with lust. I really liked the concept of the dictatorship ruling everything about your life and giving people a chance at making themselves a fool in front of the world for their true loves, especially when no one has successfully won the Trials. But I have to say following the girls did get frustrating since it seemed that they took every chance that was bound to be difficult instead of thinking through their actions.

Of course the book stops with some unanswered questions. I did enjoy the story and I would like to see what happens in book 2 and what the answers to those questions that are left open will be.

I received Temptation Trial from Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

Read Full Post »