Review of Switchblade Heart
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abstactlemon
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Review of Switchblade Heart
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Switchblade Heart" by Denning.]
You can probably already guess from the name that Switchblade Heart is an action-packed thriller novel. Reno Villarrubia is a bodyguard. However, she doesn't protect pompous rich men or superstar celebrities. Her work involves organized crime and a black market kingpin known as Victor Pagnolli. The title of the book comes from the switchblade she carries in her boot, and she's known to be very deadly with it. Things start to go downhill when a crooked FBI agent blackmails her boss. Reno must become more ruthless than she has ever been in order to survive, protect those she cares about, and keep her wrist from being cuffed. Will she pull through, or will she succumb to it all?
This book is incredibly fast-paced. Denning hooks you almost immediately and drags you through to the end of the plot at near-breakneck speed. I think the best way to describe it is that it was convoluted without being convoluted. There were a lot of plot threads that spawned from other plot threads, characters that changed the direction of the story, and elements that built off of one another until it reached an exhilarating climax.
Reno was a wonderfully constructed character. I don't necessarily think she had a character arc, but it was still very engaging. Denning focused on how she met each challenge and solved each problem with a high level of competence rather than focusing on her evolution, which I believe was the correct choice for the type of book this was. It didn't cheapen the stakes, however. You still felt every danger and threat that she faced. The enjoyment of the character comes from the author systematically breaking down Reno's walls and revealing the different aspects of her personality.
The book was written in the present tense, which interested me because it is a style that I don't see too much of in fiction. Denning, however, used it to enhance the prose. The present narrates the action almost like a film and is quick to immerse the reader in the scenes that are being depicted. I couldn't find fault with this book, so I had to give it 5 out of 5 stars.
This was still a fantastic read overall. If you like a lot of action in your books, coupled with great storytelling and the suspense that the thriller genre brings, then this is your next favorite book. The exciting, Ducati-riding, switchblade-wielding life that Reno lives is sure to enthrall you for the entire day you spend reading this. Make no mistake: you will burn through this in one sitting!
******
Switchblade Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
You can probably already guess from the name that Switchblade Heart is an action-packed thriller novel. Reno Villarrubia is a bodyguard. However, she doesn't protect pompous rich men or superstar celebrities. Her work involves organized crime and a black market kingpin known as Victor Pagnolli. The title of the book comes from the switchblade she carries in her boot, and she's known to be very deadly with it. Things start to go downhill when a crooked FBI agent blackmails her boss. Reno must become more ruthless than she has ever been in order to survive, protect those she cares about, and keep her wrist from being cuffed. Will she pull through, or will she succumb to it all?
This book is incredibly fast-paced. Denning hooks you almost immediately and drags you through to the end of the plot at near-breakneck speed. I think the best way to describe it is that it was convoluted without being convoluted. There were a lot of plot threads that spawned from other plot threads, characters that changed the direction of the story, and elements that built off of one another until it reached an exhilarating climax.
Reno was a wonderfully constructed character. I don't necessarily think she had a character arc, but it was still very engaging. Denning focused on how she met each challenge and solved each problem with a high level of competence rather than focusing on her evolution, which I believe was the correct choice for the type of book this was. It didn't cheapen the stakes, however. You still felt every danger and threat that she faced. The enjoyment of the character comes from the author systematically breaking down Reno's walls and revealing the different aspects of her personality.
The book was written in the present tense, which interested me because it is a style that I don't see too much of in fiction. Denning, however, used it to enhance the prose. The present narrates the action almost like a film and is quick to immerse the reader in the scenes that are being depicted. I couldn't find fault with this book, so I had to give it 5 out of 5 stars.
This was still a fantastic read overall. If you like a lot of action in your books, coupled with great storytelling and the suspense that the thriller genre brings, then this is your next favorite book. The exciting, Ducati-riding, switchblade-wielding life that Reno lives is sure to enthrall you for the entire day you spend reading this. Make no mistake: you will burn through this in one sitting!
******
Switchblade Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Mindsponge Theory by Quan-Hoang Vuong
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NetMassimo
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This seems like the kind of thriller that makes the reader get immersed into the story. The superfast ride that results must be really engaging. Thank you for your great review!
Ciao 
Massimo
Massimo
Latest Review: Beth by S. R. Kent
