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Infinite Country by Patricia Engel | Thoughts

   Published : 2021   ||    Format : print   ||    Location : Colombia ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆   What was it about the country that kept everyone hostage to its fantasy? The previous month, on its own soil, an American man went to his job at a plant and gunned down fourteen coworkers, and last spring alone there were four different school shootings. A nation at war with itself, yet people still spoke of it as some kind of paradise.. Thoughts : Infinite Country follows two characters - young Talia, who at the beginning of this book, escapes a girl’s reform school in North Colombia so that she can make her previously booked flight to the US. Before she can do that, she needs to travel many miles to reach her father and get her ticket to the rest of her family. As we follow Talia’s treacherous journey south, we learn about how she ended up in the reform school in the first place and why half her family resides in the US. Infinite Country tells the story of her family through the other protagonist, El

Review: Night Runner by Max Turner

Title: Night Runner
Author: Max Turner
Genre: Paranormal
First Published: September 1, 2009
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Source: Goodreads FirstReads program

Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge, A to Z Challenge, Original TBR Challenge
261 pages



Book summary
For Zack Thomson, life in the Nicholls Ward wasn't so bad. After his parents died, he developed strange allergies, and the mental institution was the only place where he could be properly looked after. As strange as it was, it was home. But that all changes the night a stranger on a Harley crashes through the front doors and tells him to run. Along with his best friend Charlie and a girl he may or may not be falling in love with, Zack does just that: run. Under the cover of night, hiding amongst the shadows, he races for the truth.

After months, I finally finished this book. (Yeah, months! I feel so guilty about that.) I started this book a long time back, but sorry to say, each time, I gave it up as a bad job. I finally put this book on my TBR challenge for 2010 and finished it last night. I'm sure this book was not meant for me. I did get into the story after about a 100 pages. But it still failed me, especially the ending, which I just found too ridiculous and awful.

My thoughts
Firstly, I didn't find this book gripping or suspenseful. I read about a hundred pages, before I felt drawn into the story. It was hardly gripping though, more like slippery ice. You managed to stay on, but you could just as easily fall down.

Occasionally, there were some interesting twists. Some of these had the potential to be turned into great angles. That was when I kept turning the pages. But some of the twists just didn't make sense to me. All through the book, the existence of vampires was played off as a disease. That concept raised more questions than it offered answers.

I definitely found the ending awful. I hate to say this. But it just didn't make any sense to me. There were two plot twists in the end that were just too err... lame. The book might have fared better without the epilogue. Somehow the epilogue just set back the rating I would have given to this book.

One thing I enjoyed about Night Runner is its humor. There were quite a few light moments, and they were funny. Not rolling-on-the-bed funny, but funny, nevertheless.

There was not much character description, except for some focus on the main character, Zack. Most characters just came and went through the story. They hardly had much presence in the book.

Overall, I didn't enjoy the book at all. I wish I could say better, but it just didn't sit well with me. There was a lot of promise, from the blurb on the back cover of the book. That interest just didn't translate into the story.

What did you think?
Have you read this book? I'd like to know what you thought about it. Please leave your review link in the comments, or a brief opinion, if you hadn't reviewed it.
Did the ending agree with you?
Did the book live up to your expectations?

Comments

Aarti said…
Well, I'll definitely give THIS one a miss! Oh, well- they can't all be winners, I guess.

I like the bold red sentences- nice for a quick perusal.
Stephanie said…
I love the way you did this -- very clear and concise, in addition to being well written. Thanks for the honest review!
Athira said…
Aarti and Stephanie, thanks! :)
Anonymous said…
Oh no! I am sooooo sorry you didn't like it. I'm still gonna read it. I have too much excitement built up. I appreciate your honest review though. That's important!

Oh and forgot to say in my last comment, have a fun reading week! :)
Athira said…
J.Kaye, I'll certainly hope you like it better than me. Maybe it just didn't click with me, but will hopefully sync with you! Looking forward to how you find it.
mini said…
this book was awesome!!!!!!!!!