Official Review: Initiated To Kill by Sharlene Almond

[BlaqkViolette]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Initiated To Kill" by Sharlene Almond.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Firstly, I would like to thank the author for providing a copy of her book in return for a review.

The book is called Initiated to Kill by Sharlene Almond. The particular genre of the book is Historical/Thriller; therefore, if you are a Dan Brown fan, then this book’s plot will definitely interest you, as it did with me.

The plot is primarily set in Seville in the year 2010, but it is interspersed with flashbacks to early years, going as far back as the 1860’s. It is based around a secret society, which uses their great power for control and destruction. The main character, Annabella, is a university student, who finds herself caught up in this power struggle between different authorities.

Firstly, it would be best to start with what I disliked about the book. A big problem for me was that I felt that I was unable to connect with any of the characters. This was not helped by the fact that you don’t even find out the main character’s name until Chapter 13, which I found quite frustrating. I would find the book much more tense and exhilarating in parts where I felt a connection with the characters. With a little more character development, expression of their feelings, and a little insight into their emotions, and the book would have been much more enjoyable. I also found that the pace of the book was way too quick; I almost felt as if I was being rushed through the book, whereas the content of the book itself probably deserved more expansion and I would have enjoyed being able to delve into the more complex parts of the book. The current description and explanations I felt were at times quite complex and hard to follow, and at times I even felt that certain sentences or paragraphs were missing as the book would jump through a particular scene too quickly, missing more minor details that would help with the setting. I also found it hard to guess how the characters felt about each other. As one example, it appeared at first that Annabella and Celestine were extremely close; however, it was divulged in a few chapters later that Annabella felt as though she didn’t know her friend anymore, which came as a bit of a surprise as this was not shown in any of the interactions between the characters before the statement was made.

On the other hand, there were many aspects of the book that I did enjoy. The research was done very well and you could tell that the author had taken the time to properly research the facts that would fit with her plot. The interludes involving Jack the Ripper were also very interesting, and they all followed the same format, which was very gripping. It also comes to light towards the end of the book why the actions of Jack the Ripper were included, which was very well thought out. The plot itself was very engaging, and would appeal to a wide range of audiences. The twist at the end was also unexpected, and was quite surprising, but unlike a lot of twists, it did make fit in well and made sense.

All in all I would rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. If the plot had not been as captivating as it was, then it would have scored 2 out of 4 stars. The reason that I did not award this book 4 out of 4 stars is mainly explained in the reasons I have set out in what I disliked about the book. However, with a thorough edit of the book, I believe it would be on its way to receiving 4 out of 4 stars.

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Initiated To Kill
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Like BlaqkViolette's review? Post a comment saying so!

[sharlene 27]

Great, thank you for the review. Really helpful feedback.

[RussetDivinity]

Oooh, Jack the Ripper. This might be worth a look, even if the characters are difficult to connect with.

[BlaqkViolette]

Oooh, Jack the Ripper. This might be worth a look, even if the characters are difficult to connect with.

I would definitely give it a try!

[sharlene 27]

Hi,

I am quite happy to provide a copy for review.

Sharlene

[Jesska6029]

This seems really interesting. I do love Jack the Ripper! Great review!

[bookowlie]

Great review! The plot sounds very interesting. It's a nice bonus that there are sections about Jack the Ripper.