Official Review: Requiem - Book 1: Origins

[JKO]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Requiem - Book 1: Origins" by Taveyah LaShay.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The enmity between cousins, Verdell and Dhorian, intensifies when they lose their scholarships after they are involved in a fight. Years after, Dhorian is given an opportunity to work as an intern with Paul Cristen’s firm. Verdell, on the other hand, is released from jail after he accepts a shady deal.

Paul Christen is a renowned lawyer but has built his life on secrets. He announces his intentions to run for mayor and must keep these secrets hidden to stand a chance at the polls. Being diagnosed with kidney failure, he also needs a donor as soon as possible. His mistress, Madisin, has an eleven-year-old child for him and hints at revealing it. With Paul losing his mind, he confides in Barry, his campaign manager. In a bid to control the situation, Barry takes a drastic step. On the other hand, Paul’s manipulative wife, Sarah, would go to unimaginable lengths to get her husband a kidney. She may also be aware of Paul’s child with Madisin. As things begin to get out of hand, Dhorian makes shocking revelations. Find out how the drama unfolds in Requiem Book 1: Origins by Taveyah LaShay.

I enjoyed this thought-provoking piece for a lot of reasons. Firstly, the third-person narrative style that the author employed ensured that the characters were sufficiently defined. The author followed the stories of several characters, one after the other. LaShay does this by dedicating chapters to each of these characters. As a result, there was no main character, which means that the readers are invited to choose their favorite character. Even the supporting characters were well-developed. My favorite character was Sarah. She had an air of uncertainty about her that made me attached. And to think that she only played a supporting role tells a lot about the author’s capabilities in terms of characterization.

Additionally, this novel had an engaging plot. With themes of crime, mystery, politics, to mention a few, the author organizes the story in a way that the reader will be engrossed in it. The level of suspense and uncertainty associated with this novel kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen next. Also, the pace of the book was fast, which suited the story.

Despite the positives, I feel like the story was a bit rushed, and the timeframes were unclear. It sometimes seemed like the story suddenly jumped from one year to a later year. In one chapter, the cousins were in high school, and in the next, they seemed to be adults. While this was not much of a problem for me, I think other readers may have a problem with how sudden it seemed. Furthermore, I don’t think this book has been professionally edited, as I found a lot of errors throughout the pages.

In all, I enjoyed reading this novel. I can’t wait to see how the story unfolds in the second book of the series. I have decided to rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The errors I found have influenced my decision to remove one star. I recommend Requiem Book 1: Origins to people who are interested in crime, thriller, and mystery stories. However, sensitive readers that are affected by gruesome scenes, profanity, and erotic content are advised to steer clear of this book.

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Requiem - Book 1: Origins
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[Dayodiola]

Secrets aren't worth the stress, say the truth in all situations.

[Bookworm101520]

This book sounds perfect for me! Your review gave just enough info to make it interesting without spoiling anything. Thanks so much for the great review!

[NetMassimo]

This book has many elements that make it an interesting crime thriller. With another round of proofreading, it might be even bettere. Thank you for your great review!

[Christabel Uzoamaka]

Manipulative people like Sarah always add crazy twists to books/stories. I love the author’s development of female characters as well.

[Pearl Akpan]

Wonderful review. It’s informative and i’m looking forward to give it a read it.