The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (Book #3 of the Robert Langdon Series) - Book Review

This book is a thriller! 

Other genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Adventure, Historical Fiction, Crime

Trigger Warning: Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Psychological and Physical Torture, Occult/Ritualistic Practices. 

"We all fear what we do not understand"

Harvard professor Robert Langdon was enjoying a quiet evening when he was summoned to deliver a speech at the U.S. Capitol Building on short notice. As a favour to his mentor and friend, Peter Solomon - philanthropist and prominent mason - Robert jets off to the nation's capital. 

However, within moments of his arrival at the Capitol Building, Robert realises something is wrong. In the middle of the Capitol's Rotunda sits a recreation of the Hand of Mysteries. A severed hand, tattooed with symbols, sitting there, pointing to the sky. It is a clear message sent to Robert Langdon. 

Robert finds himself in the centre of an ancient Masonic secret as he tries desperately to solve the clues left behind to save his kidnapped friend Peter Solomon before it's too late. 

The Review

This is a fast-paced, puzzle-driven thriller that feels a little more personal than Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code. In this one, he is dragged, not for his expertise but because of his connection to Peter Solomon. He is targeted for what he knows and what he possesses. 

One of the things I like about this book is that it really plays on Robert's specialities. It makes sense that he is called. Not only is he Peter's friend, but he is also a professor of Symbology and Religious Studies; this is right up his alley. He is probably one of the few people who could solve the mystery. 

That's really the draw, I think of Robert Langdon and the stories, in my opinion. He isn't some Joe Shmoe; he has the knowledge to solve the problem. It's not random. There's a reason for him to be there (unfortunately, some of the later books don't have that feel). It's not typically a "right place, right time" kinda of trope. Usually, he is the only person in the situation, which can be a hard line to walk. But in this case, it makes sense, and it feels deeper.  

SPOILER ALERT

The first time I read The Lost Symbol, I don't remember putting the pieces together that Mal'akh was Peter's son, Zach. I actually thought his cellmate in prison realised he was worth a lot of money, and he killed Zach for it. I assumed that once he ran out of (Zach's) money, he went after the family because he knew they had more. I think I also believed that Zach wouldn't kill his grandmother (or try to kill his aunt), even though he was mad at his father. It was also a little hard to believe that Peter didn't recognise his own son, in my mind. So I never connected the dots until it was spelt out at the end.

I originally read the physical book. As a review for this blog, I also listened to this book through my local library (via Libby). 

The audiobook of The Lost Symbol was narrated by Paul Michael. I personally loved Paul Michael's style. He did different voices for all the characters, and it was really easy to follow the story, even though the novel itself jumps around a lot from different characters and points of view. I think he did an amazing job, and I think anyone who is familiar with the books would really find a familiarity with his tone and the atmosphere he provides.  

Rating and Recommendation

This is one of my favourite Dan Brown books. It is actually tied, for me, with The Da Vinci Code. (Which I love for different reasons. They are so different it is hard to compare.) I read it the minute I could get my hands on it. I loved it. This book is the only thing I have ever demanded back in a break-up! Typically, I chalk up anything left at an ex's as lost. But I could not leave my book behind. 

If you like any type of thriller or adventure story and you can stomach some intense themes, you will love this book.

I own a hardcover copy of ALL of Dan Brown's books, including this one. I am actually (desperately) seeking the illustrated version of the book for a (somewhat) reasonable price.  

Conclusion

If you are a Dan Brown fan, or just a fan of thrillers and adventures. I definitely recommend this book. While it is part of the Robert Langdon Series, you do not have to read the books in order. The stories don't really overlap (though some offhand comments do refer to other novels). If you enjoy conspiracy theories or just American History (keeping in mind this is pure fiction), I think anyone could enjoy this book. The tour of D.C. is fascinating. And if you are in the D.C. area, Dan Brown has a travel guide to all his books on his website. 

** If you like Robert Langdon and Katherine Solomon, you can see a continuation of their story in Dan Brown's new book, The Secret of Secrets. 

You can find The Lost Symbol in its respective mediums below: 

I was anxiously awaiting the movie. I was so excited to see Tom Hanks play this out. I had gotten attached to Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon. And I was so upset that they decided to make Inferno first. But still, I would be patient. And then I was devastated when they decided to make it into a series. But! Once I saw the series, I was pleasantly surprised. And I really think they did the book justice. 

* Book cover image retrieved from the author's website. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley). 
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman (Book 1 of the We Solve Murders Series) - Book Review

 

This book is considered Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Murder Mystery, and a Cozy Mystery.

Trigger Warning: 

This book deals with mature subject matter. While there are various humorous moments, it also addresses murder, attempted murder, and other criminal themes. 

"If you have any sort of personality, someone will eventually want to kill you"

Steve Wheeler is living a quiet, retired life. A former police detective, Steve enjoys doing the odd investigation work around Axley, a sleepy English village in the New Forest area. His cases consist of missing money from the local shop's till and a missing dog. He has his simple routine, eating lunch with his friends, participating in the pub quiz, and walking to his favourite bench to talk to his deceased wife, Debbie. The highlight of Steve's day is petting his cat, Trouble and talking to his daughter-in-law, Amy, when she has the time. 

Amy Wheeler is the exact opposite. Drawn to adrenaline and sticky situations, Amy is a bodyguard. Working in private security brings danger to her doorstep almost every day. She wouldn't have it any other way. She and her father-in-law have their careers in common. While Steve's days in the police force are over, he still loves hearing about her latest case and newest adventures. 

This week, her assignment has brought her to a remote island owned by Rosie D'Antonio, a mega-bestselling author whose life is being threatened. So far, Amy has sat in the sun by the pool and watched Rosie have one too many drinks. Everything is going well until shit starts hitting the fan. Trouble in paradise leads Amy to call the only person she can trust.  

The Review

In my opinion, the book has a slow start. Though I think that is simply Richard Osman's writing style. The Thursday Murder Club is also slow in places, but I think I didn't notice as much because the cast of characters is so quirky that they keep you engaged. The build-up to what was going on felt a little drawn out, and understandably so; some of the backstory was a little long (but understandable for the first book in the series). 

Thankfully, it did pick up. And it was a very enjoyable book. One thing I enjoyed about this book that The Thursday Murder Club didn't have was the travel. Amy and Rosie (and eventually Steve) jetset around the world, going to new and unique places as they try to solve these murders (does that need a spoiler alert? If so. . . oops). I enjoyed hearing about that and what each new place brought. 

SPOILER ALERT

I am a little disappointed with the ending of this book. I enjoyed the book, I really did. I love Steve, and I enjoyed the quirky dynamic he and Rosie added to the story. The main characters are wonderful, just like his other series, The Thursday Murder Club. 

The whole book felt like a rollercoaster ride. For a while, I was certain Henk was Loubet, then I was certain it was Jeff! The writer in me thought for a while, maybe it was Adam, Amy's husband or one of Steve's friends from the pub. I even wondered if maybe Rosie herself was somehow behind it. Or if Felicity was going to come back from Steve's kitchen with a gun and a long story about how she had become tangled up in the whole thing. (Instead, she returned with cookies.) I did have my suspicions of Susan Knox, though. Given that only she, Jeff, and Henk had access to the files, it was clear it had to be one of them. I also thought maybe Susan would be working with one of them - she, Joe Blow, and one of the ex-partners, Francois Loubet. 

Needless to say, it was a little disappointing and anticlimactic to learn that Mickey Moody was the bad guy all along. 

As a writer, looking back on it, I think an amazing twist would have been if Francois Loubet would have been Gary Gough (Lauren's father). When they returned to Axley, I thought that may be the case that they were going to trust this guy, only for him to turn around and try to kill Amy. But at last, that wasn't the case. 

I read this book (paperback). 

Rating and Recommendation

I gave this book three and a half stars for two reasons. One, I liked The Thursday Murder Club better. That's why I bumped it down to four stars. After reading the ending and really sitting with my disappointments (as laid out in my spoiler section), I felt that my rating would be more accurately represented by three and a half stars. (On GoodReads, I will give it four stars because I do feel it is closer to a four than a three.) If you like The Thursday Murder Club, you will like this series also. Richard Osman has a unique way of writing and storytelling. If you enjoy that, you will enjoy almost any novel, no matter which series. 

I personally discussed this book with a family member recently. He enjoyed this one more than The Thursday Murder Club novels. I was slightly shocked. He felt that this book had less "filler". I, on the other hand, am an old lady in a young woman's body. I like small-town gossip, and I think that may be why I enjoyed The Thursday Murder Club more. That being said, I think it is clear that I rated this book based on the connections made to the characters and only slightly based on the story itself. 

Story time. As many adults know, Christmas shopping for other adults can be difficult. In our family, we are a little over the "surprise" of it all. To make it easier on everyone, we make lists, but we also sometimes ask each other if they would like to "purchase" certain things. One such example was this book.

Around Christmas 2025, I saw this book on sale at Coles. I bought it and a few other books while I was Christmas shopping. Later, a family member paid for the books as a Christmas gift. So full transparency. This book was a gift. However, I did buy it myself.

Conclusion

I strongly recommend you give Richard Osman a try. It may not be this book; you may want to start with The Thursday Murder Club. But I strongly believe once you read one of Richard Osman's novels, you will want to read the rest of them.

While I may not be a fan of the ending, the novel is a rollercoaster ride right to the end. While I wouldn't call this a "Cosy Mystery", I can see why some would. It does that cosiness to it. It is very humorous in places, and it's not very descriptive of the crimes or anything like that, so it's very PG in that way. 

You can find We Solve Murders in its respective mediums below: 

* Book cover image retrieved from GoodReads. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley).

* Magnify Glass provided by bluebudgie via Pixabay, and used under the Pixabay Content License
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.

Kindle Sneak Peek!

 Here is a Sneak Peek at my Kindle! As an Amazon Prime member, once a month, they offer free books and sometimes small bonus reads. Just one more perk to having Prime. (And a cheap way to add books to my library!)

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Book 1 of The Lunar Chronicles) Book Review

This book is considered Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance, Dystopia, and Fairy Tales.

Trigger Warning: 

This book deals with mature medical issues, including pandemics, deadly illnesses, medical abuse, death, grief, emotional and verbal abuse, and discrimination.  

"Even in the future, the story begins with Once Upon a Time."

Cinder is a story about Linh Cinder, a sixteen-year-old girl living in New Beijing. She is known as a gifted mechanic, but she has a secret. She is a cyborg! What does that mean? It means that Cinder is thought of as a second-class citizen, much like the inspiration for the novel, Cinderella. 

Like Cinderella, Cinder has an evil stepmother, Adri, who resents that she has to raise this cyborg and never misses a chance to remind Cinder of it. She and her two daughters, Peony and Pearl, mirror those of Cinderella's story. However, there is a twist. 

A deadly plague is ravaging the population of New Beijing. And the fate of Earth rests on Cinder. As a cyborg, she is property of her stepmother, and when the opportunity arises, Adri volunteers Cinder for the experiments being performed on cyborgs to try and find a cure.  

But there are some things even Cinder doesn't know. Secrets from her past are about to come to the surface, all while Prince Kai tries to navigate life as the heir to the throne, a deadly plague in his city. Both Cinder and Kai will be torn between duty and freedom as they try to find a cure before it's too late. 

The Review

I am not really sure how to give Cinder a review without giving too much away, but I will try. The story of Cinderella is often told for children; this feels like a more mature, almost PG-13 version. And I loved that. It has a creative twist on the traditional fairy tale, layered with darker elements that echo the original story. 

In many ways, I think this could be considered a "coming of age" story for Cinder. Throughout the novel and her journey, she grows significantly and begins to understand who she really is. She is a badass, resourceful, stubborn, and far from the typical princess. Honestly, she made my former tomboy heart very happy. 

SPOILER ALERT

After Peony catches letumosis (the plague), Cinder feels drawn to helping her. When she discovers that she is immune to the disease because of her cyborg parts, she feels like she can help save Peony, the stepsister who's always been kind to her. Unfortunately, Peony dies before anything can be done, which becomes a major turning point. 

Cinder is taken for testing and learns of her immunity. She also learns there are secrets from her past that even she didn't know. Dr. Erland reveals that she is a Lunar (from the planet Luna).  Naturally, they assume she is a fugitive of some sort. Dr Erland believes Cinder is a "shell", though she isn't, and soon her powers start to come back to her. 

Meanwhile, the evil Queen Levana arrives in the city, She is the ruler of the Lunars and has come to New Beijin to convince Prince Kai to marry her. Once he does, she will give him the antidote for letumosis, so the city's scientists can replicate it. But she has a deeper agenda: to kill Kai and control the Earth. 

As the story unfolds, Cinder's identity begins to surface, and she realises she is not just any Lunar, she is the lost Princess Selene, the rightful heir to the Lunar Throne. Queen Levana (her aunt), had tried to kill her, and for her safety, she was taken to Earth to hide. 

This book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. While Cinder doesn't save the world just yet, she does find her strength, her identity, and her purpose. After escaping custody, she sets her sights on Luna and her rightful place on the throne.

I bought this book from Chapters / Indigo. And I read it for a Book Club, I put on. It took about 38 weeks, reading a chapter a week. 

Rating and Recommendation

I originally gave this book five stars; looking back, I downgraded that to four. I think I would probably go down to three and a half, but I am giving the book the benefit of the doubt and say a part of the problem is that I don't typically read fantasy. 

It was a good book. I enjoyed it, even though it's not typically my thing. I still recommend this novel to friends who like fantasy and twists on fairy tales. Or young adults just getting into reading. I think the theme of a Cinderella parallel is interesting and could really capture a young adult's attention. That being said, I do not think I would read this book again. There are other books in The Lunar Chronicles series, and I haven't looked into them yet. So the series didn't pull me in as much as I had hoped it would. 

I bought this book so I could read it. I don't regret buying it by any means, but I didn't have the urge to go out and buy the next books. If I do read the next books in the series, I will probably see if the library has them before making a decision on purchasing them for myself. (I must admit, though, seeing the box set does make me want to go out and buy it!)

Conclusion

I did a LONG book club for this novel on Creative Arts' website a few years back. I read one chapter a week and did a bit of a review per chapter. I think looking back now, that may have affected my review of the book. I gave it five stars at the time, though now I wonder if it was just a little bit of salesmanship, also. (No one wants to join a book club that's reading just an average book.) With that being said, years later, I still think about Cinder and Kai. It is a book that stuck with me. 

I don't tend to gravitate towards fantasy books (minus the extremely popular ones). But the concept of this one really pulled me in. So anyone who likes fantasy or twists on classics should definitely give this one a try. 

You can find Cinder in its respective mediums below: 

Cinder and The Lunar Chronicles are being adapted into an animated film by Locksmith Animation, along with Warner Bros. Pictures Animation. The movie is slated to release in November of 2028

* Book cover image retrieved from the author's website. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley).
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.

* Dragon and books provided by moimesfolies via Pixabay, and used under the Pixabay Content License

Where the Crawdad's Sing by Delia Owens - Book Review

This book is considered Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Coming of Age, Romance, and Mystery

Trigger Warning: 

This book deals with mature subject matter, including sexual assault, murder, injustices, and instances of racism reflective of the time. 

"In town, they tell the story of the Marsh Girl."

Where the Crawdads Sing is a beautiful book about Kya Clark, a young girl whom society forgot. Dubbed the "Marsh Girl", Kya grows up on the outskirts of Barkley Cove, a small fishing village in South Carolina. 

Kya's journey is a powerful coming-of-age story. As a child, with no formal education, and later as a young woman trying to navigate the world, she learns everything through observation and experience. From societal expectations to relationships, Kya's story is a rollercoaster ride of solitude and genetic propensity to being drawn to fitting in. 

Alone for most of her life, Kya relies on the marsh and its wildlife for survival and understanding. With only one day of schooling, she learns all she needs from the world around her. 

As she grows older, Kya begins to crave a connection. She is drawn to two young men from Barkley Cove: Tate Walker and Chase Andrews. Tate is kind, grounded, and familiar; his life and values align closely with Kya's. His father is a fisherman, and he knows the value of a hard day's work and has a love for the marsh as well. 

Chase, on the other hand, is Barkley Cove's golden boy. He is popular, charming, and from a well-respected family. He is the quarterback of the football team, and he is always surrounded by people. But Chase Andrews has a secret. He's been meeting up with the "Marsh Girl". 

When his body is later found at the base of a water tower, the question becomes impossible to ignore: what really happened?

The Review

In my opinion, the book has a slow start. It's heartbreaking to read about Kya's early life. This book is one of those rare books that hits differently depending where you are in life. I think if I had read it when I was younger, it may have evoked different emotions. That said, I think everyone can connect with the themes of Where the Crawdads Sing. Loneliness, survival, trauma, these are all very relatable themes and even if we haven't personally experienced these emotions are triggers we can typically empathise with.  

As the story progresses, I think most women can identify with Kya. She is experiencing life alone, and she is learning and growing into a young woman. Kya has to navigate life largely on her own, her first period, her first love, her first heartbreak, all without her mother and older sisters for guidance. She learns, at times the hard way, to trust her instincts.

When the Climax nears, the focus shifts more heavily to Chase Andrews and his death. By the time of his death, Chase was married to Pearl and had seemingly the perfect life. But only his mother really knew that he was still sneaking out to the marsh to visit with Kya. What happened to him? And what role did his connection to Kya play? 

SPOILER ALERT

When Chase attempts to rape Kya, everything changes. I believe Kya realises that she is not safe. She has invited a predator into her life, and he deceived her. She has seen this in nature and recognises that males like Chase Andrews will not stop. Unless they are stopped. Inspired by fireflies, Kya leads Chase to the water tower and leads him to his death. 

Kya proves to have grown into a brilliant young woman. She planned everything. Every minute of Chase's death was planned so that she had an alibi. Even though she was arrested and spent some time in jail, Kya was acquitted of Chase's murder after the evidence proved that she was meeting her publisher in the town over and there was no evidence she had made it to Barkley Cove and back in time to be seen at breakfast the next day. 

As I said, I think this book hits differently depending on a person's stage of life. I found myself shocked and, in a complicated way, proud of Kya when I learned that she had killed Chase. She recognised she couldn't live life in fear. While I don't support violence or vigilantism, I think many readers, especially those who have experienced sexual assault (or assault in general), can understand what Kya was feeling at that time. 

I read this book as an ebook. 

Where the Crawdads Sing was one of the books in a reading list for a course I was taking. While none of the assigned books initially sparked my interest, I had heard a lot about this one, especially with the release of the film adaptional. My course led me to a free PDF file from Internet Archive, I downloaded it, and read it on my Kindle Scribe. 

Rating and Recommendation

I originally gave this book four stars; looking back, I downgraded that to three and a half. As I mentioned, I had to read this book for school. And it was good for a school book, I was pleasantly surprised, and I think that biased my rating originally. As I was writing this review, I realised that I really had no desire to read it again. 

Typically, for my reviews, I listen to books I have previously read at double the speed, just as a refresher, as I write my reviews. A way to jog my memory about the book and my feelings about it. I borrowed this book from the library (Libby) and couldn't bring myself to listen to it. It didn't appeal to me. And that may be because I had to do such an intense dive into the book for school.

I am glad to have read it, it was a welcome surprise compared to some of the other things I had to read for school, but definitely not on my list or rereading go-tos, which is slightly embarrassing since I just put it on my favourites bookshelf last week! 

I didn't go out and buy this book. And to be honest, I didn't even put it on my wish list. I have the free PDF file, and that's good enough for me. If I ever did see it on sale (for a reasonable price), I probably would add it to my library, but it's not high on my list.

Conclusion

If you have never read it, it's definitely worth a try. A lot of people love this book. If Historical Fiction is your typical genre, you may be better suited to this book. If you can't get through the book, definitely check out the movie. 

There are many different themes to this book, so it does speak to a wide range of people. If you enjoy a little mystery in your stories, you may enjoy this one. That's what drew me to it in the first place. It's not a "whodunit", but there is a play on it. Also, if you are a new adult reader, especially a young lady, this may be a wonderful book for you. This is one of the only times I think I can say that I enjoyed the movie more than the book. 

You can find Were the Crawdads Sing in its respective mediums below: 

Where the Crawdads Sing (2022, directed by Reese Witherspoon and Laura Neustadter) is currently available on Netflix, though it is leaving soon! It is available to rent or own on Prime Video.

* Book cover image retrieved from GoodReads. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley).
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.

* Stack of books provided by anaterate via Pixabay, and used under the Pixabay Content License

Game Changer by Rachel Reid (Book 1 of the Game Changer Series) Review

This book (and entire series) is LGBTQIA+ themed. 

This book specifically is focused on two gay men (MM)

Other genres: Romance, Sports, Sports Romance

Before there was Heated Rivalry, there was Game Changer! 

In case you have been living under a rock the last few months, let me introduce you to the Game Changer Series by Rachel Reid. Gaining popularity, thanks to the Crave adaptation, the Game Changer Series has become an international phenomenon! But before Ilya and Shane, there was Kip and Scott. 

Kip Grady is casually going about his life, working as a barista at Straw and Berry, while living at home to help pay his way through grad school. Little did he know his life was about to change. 

Scott Hunter is the captain of the New York Admirals. And like any professional hockey player, Scott is going through a slump. Frustrated with how the season is going, Scott is ready to try anything to get back to his winning ways. One day, while out running, he stopped in a little smoothie shop. 

Blue Moon over Brooklyn, extra banana. That is Kip Grady's professional recommendation. And wouldn't you know it, Scott Hunter is a blueberry and banana fan. That night, Scott scored a hat-trick (3 goals), and the tradition began. Professional athletes are strange like that, keeping routines alive so as not to break the lucky streak. And with that in mind, Scott starts to frequently visit Kip at work to get his special smoothies. 

Known as one of New York's most eligible bachelors, pro hockey star Scott Hunter has a secret. Something that might derail his career entirely. He couldn't actually be seen with another man, could he? He had people who depended on him, but how much longer can he keep his love life a secret?

The Review

I must admit, I only started reading this series because of the Crave/HBO Max series Heated Rivalry. But I fell in love. I loved the slow burn that "Skip" (Scott + KIP) provided; there was a lot more romance and "meat" to the story. I enjoyed getting to know Kip, meeting his friends, and his family. It is such a sharp contrast to Scott, who is alone in life; he lost his parents young, and he doesn't really seem to have time for friends, though he does have teammates that he considers friends. He lives in a large penthouse and doesn't worry about money. The only thing Scott cares about is the New York Admirals, carrying his teammates to "the cup" and keeping his squeaky clean image. Kip, on the other hand, has long since come to terms with who he is, and everyone in his life supports him.

I think that's what I love about their story. Kip sees Scott as a pro-hockey player; he has money, he's handsome, has all kinds of things going for him. While Scott looks at Kip and sees everything he wants to be, free. Their relationship is hard to navigate, and it's heartbreaking to see how torn Scott becomes between his professional life and his personal life. 

SPOILER ALERT

Ultimately, Scott and Kip get their happily ever after in a very public way. And as a hockey girl, it made me screetch in delight. Every "tomboy" hockey girl has dreamed about the sexy hockey player making the grand gesture on the ice for them. For me, it was a certain Ottawa Senator, down on one knee with a dozen red roses and a wedding ring. Just me? Okay. . . Anyway, it is a wonderful ending to their story and a great start to the Game Changer series. 

I listened to this book through my local library (via Libby). 

The audiobook of Game Changer was narrated by Tor Thom. The first time I listened to the book, I didn't have a problem with the narration. In fact, I loved that Tor Thom did all kinds of different voices for each character. This really brought the characters to life in my opinion. Now that the TV series has come out, a lot of people seem to dislike Tor Thom's interpretation of Kip Grady. I must admit I understand. In the audiobook, Kip sounds very tough, like a hard New Yorker (with an accent), and a little barbaric in ways. That is definitely not what was portrayed in the TV series. While I do recognise that Kip Grady should probably have a New York accent, now that I know more about Kip, the accent used by Tor Thom definitely didn't suit the character. 

Tor Thom narrated Heated Rivalry (Book 2), as well as Tough Guy (Book 3), before being replaced. Many fans are now calling for the books to be rerecorded either by Cooper North (the person who took over narrating the series) or by the actors from the TV series. 

I don't care one way or another for a rerecord, but it is hard to deny that hearing Francois Arnaud (Scott Hunter) and Robbie G.K. (Kip Grady) reading their story would be amazing. 

Rating and Recommendation

I originally gave this book four stars, but that's because I had heard such great things about Heated Rivalry (Ilya and Shane's story). Now that I have listened to the whole series, I have changed my mind. Game Changer, for me, is a five-star book. I love the back and forth, the slow burn, the yearning for each other. I love that they have a love story, one that can make anyone (even a 30-something-year-old straight woman) want to fall in love like that. 

This is going to be an unpopular opinion, but I like Scott and Kip's story the best out of the original series. (By original series, I mean all the books before The Long Game. I consider this a sequel to Heated Rivalry, and naturally, now that I have fallen in love with Ilya and Shane, I can't be unbiased when reading any story involving them.)

After listening to this book, I bought it (and the whole series) from Indigo online. I also pre-ordered the next book in the series. 

Conclusion

If you are a fan of sports romance novels, of hockey, or just a fan of MM stories, you will love the Game Changer Series. Keep in mind, there are a lot of sexual scenes that are very detailed. If you offend easily or are under the age of majority, a different series may be better suited for you. 

You can find Game Changer in its respective mediums below: 

You can find Heated Rivalry (2025, directed by Jacob Tierney), Season 1, on Crave (CAN) or HBO Max (USA). 

* Book cover image retrieved from GoodReads. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley). 
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.

Review System

Before I post any reviews, I want to take the time to explain my process when it comes to reviewing. Many people have different ways and styles. I am still trying to figure out the best way to make these blogs work. So far, this is what I have. And I think it will work well, at least for now. 

The Star System

                            

Since GoodReads uses a star system, I decided to use the same system on my blog to try to keep things less confusing. GoodReads does not offer half stars, but I will post half stars if needed here and indicate them in my GoodReads reviews. If I feel that a book leans more one way than another, I will choose that star rating and then explain why. 

Book Type

I read a lot of books. And I read them in many different forms. To indicate which way I have read them, I will add the following symbols: 

This symbolises a normal book. 

This symbolises an audiobook

This symbolises an ebook

My Library 

For each book, I will indicate how I got my hands on it and if I own the book itself. While this isn't very important, it shows my faith in the book. If I spent my own money on the book to have it in my collection, I think it is another piece of the review. One of the best endorsements I can give a book is owning a copy myself. 

It is in my personal library

It was a gift 

Advanced Reader Copy. This means I read a pre-published version of a book (for free) in exchange for a review. 

The Review

And finally, the review. I want to first highlight that everyone has different tastes. What may be a five-star book for me could be a two-star book for you and vice versa. With that being said I hope that, whether you agree with me or not, you can find something useful in my reviews. I hope to talk about the writing style, the plot, the flow, the look and feel of the book, etc. I also hope to compare books to each other so that fans of one can find their new "to be read" book. 

For audiobooks, I will be making comments about the reader. Again, this is just my opinion. I won't give a specific rating on that because, in my opinion, it is not a reflection of the book. Some readers make the book that much better; others can take you out of the book completely. Everyone is going to have a different experience when it comes to that, and that's okay, too. 

If I am reviewing a book in a series, I will do my best to link to the previous books in the series and the next book as soon as I review it. You can also search by tags or by author to find a book you are looking for. 

I will provide links to the books when I can, in the formats available. Some books may only be available as ebooks or may be out of print in certain formats, but I will do my best to link them when I can. The links will probably lead to Amazon. I am a member of the Amazon Associates Program and may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase. 

Note: As I stated before, trigger warnings (TW) will be posted at the beginning of the post. I will also do my best to write about the target audience for this type of book, the genre, etc. 

*Star system "sticker" provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley)

*The book type "stickers" provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley)

*My Library "stickers" provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley)