Gripping and Heratbreaking
919261
This book should be read and acted upon by all those that turn away from the people described herein. As Simon & Burns have shown us, the corner touches us all.
4795444
The Last Suttee gripped me from the first page. From then on it did not let go. Not only is it a book that you can't put down, but it also has a powerful message, dealing with ancient Indian rituals. The images, though strong, convey these practices which have been recently outlawed in a sense that makes you think how these customs came to be.

Through the novel's protgonist, Kumud, a voice is created that stands not only against the barbaric ritual, but also resonates to our time in each woman's struggle.
1206420
This is a book that keeps you in your toes all while reading it. The story is captivating and you can't help but feel connected to the protagonist. It feels as if you're a witness, standing right there throughout all the adversities. The transformation that happened through life and experiences is incredible, and I will continue to read the instalments and be a part of "The movement process".
229042
I could not put this book down and I found myself thinking about it for weeks after I had finished it. It is a gripping story with some fascinating themes at its foundation that will get you thinking.
233223
This was a very long book but it was a gripping and complex read from start to finish and worth reading every, single, page.

Incredible writing, a strong storyline and skillful characterisations of the main characters as well as the secondary ones made me turn the pages at a frantic rate. Yes, this was a very difficult subject matter indeed, but very well tackled by the author.

I can't wait until the next book in the series.

Highly recommended.

With thanks to the author and TBC for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
1948388
A gripping thriller with many twists and turns.
1025091
This book grabs you from the very beginning and doesn't let go until the very last page.  It is both adventure and science fiction with a strong dose of being entirely human
3879390
Break Her is one of those books that I am really not qualified to review because the writing is so amazing (Clue #1 as to the authors identity!) so Ill just stick to giving my humble opinion.

I read this book a few months ago and have been thinking about it ever since. To me, that is the hallmark of an excellent book. Here is the synopsis of the story, in which a woman wakes to find a dangerous stranger in her bed:

Now your home has become your prison, and your body, a battlefield. How would you hold onto your sanity, your self-esteem, your very soul against someone determined to annihilate all three?

In the psychological thriller Break Her, one woman will find herself in this almost unthinkable situation, and one man will discover that he has finally come up against someone unlike any of those he has destroyed before.

On the surface, this intruder has all the advantages: strength, weapons, ruthlessness. The only way he can lose is if he finds himself responding to his victim on a human level. The only way she can win is if she rips away the protective lies shes told herself, the hard shell of indifference shes hidden in, and becomes again what she has not been since she lost everything that mattered to her, years ago. 

Break Her is a very graphic story of the gripping psychological interplay between the woman and the rapist. (I refuse to call her simply Victim as some reviewers have done.) The rapist is very cunning and very strong. He is determined to destroy the woman not only physically, but emotionally as well.

"He was decent looking. He probably had money. He could have sex any way he wanted any time he wanted. But he liked it this way."

The story itself is set over a period of an excruciating day and a half, within the physical confines of a house. The characters are not named by the author. Through a series of flashbacks, however, the womans past is explained in detail and other characters are introduced. I was hanging on every word, and reading furiously to reach the stunning conclusion of this book.

You think youll wear me out, he hissed, not using a question. You think youll eventually satisfy me, and reach the end of this. But everything you do makes me want you more, deeper, impossibly more. I think Im reaching a point Ive never hit before. Like perpetual motion. Or nirvana. Ill never stop.

There are many questions raised by this story. What was the author trying to convey here? Well, first and foremost, I think it is a story of the womans fierce strength and will to survive. The author has written this book under a pseudonym so that we do not know the writers gender. Brilliant.

The author has ventured an opinion on the subject of rape in other forums that forgiveness allows rape victims to move on, and to separate themselves from what happened. The author has also questioned why rape is the only crime that seems to be an open wound, which gives men a huge amount of power to know that by this one act, they can potentially destroy a woman. Certainly the woman in Break Her does not accept the definition of rape as an open wound and in that sense, this book is very empowering.

Break Her is an incredibly gripping and yes, emotionally exhausting, story. It is very thought-provoking and will make you question what values you believe in. I could not put this book down. I can only hope that the author chooses to continue the womans story because I need more of this story.
4755897
Absolutely gripping novel of two high-school lovers and their families.  The author did careful research on trial procedure, jail/prison conditions, attitudes and needs of teenagers.  An absolute cliff-hanger.  It's so intense that I could only read it for about an hour and a half at a time; had to put it down for a few hours or until the next day.  I don't know when a modern novel has gripped me as this one did.
138517
I have to say, this was a gripping story, from beginning to end.  I'm generally the kind of person who takes his time reading a book, but I had a hard time putting this one down, and more times than I can count, found myself saying, "Just one more chapter."  I don't begin to understand half of the Finance-ese that the author rattled off, but it never got in the way of enjoying the plot, which carried me along like a rushing river from the first page to the last.  I actually cared about the protagonist, Sharon Thomas (to the point that I wished the author would stop letting her get injured so much!), and appreciated the colorful and well-defined cast of both good and bad characters that surrounded her -- not the least of which was the author's portrayal of New York City itself, which, as anybody who has spent any time there knows, has a life and feel all its own.  This is a universe I'd be happy to visit again, and should appeal to anybody who's a fan of thrillers by writers like John Grisham or Dan Brown.
1843448
This  is  a  book that  will not  be  put down until the last page.
2561167
This author has painted a vivid picture of time and place.  It is a gripping tale of both adventure and relationships.
Very taut and very moving.
The descriptions of flight maneuvers in tight circumstances almost made me sweat and certainly gave me
a new appreciation for the skill and for the unfathomable courage of those who serve our country in the air.
This book seems well positioned for a sequel and I would really look forward to reading it.  The characters were
well developed and I was sorry when the read was over.
3423757
This is a book that will hold your attention from beginning to the end. Well written, gripping, and it does make one wonder where  human beings' strength comes from. This is a must read.
3219054
An amazing intense read--with evocative language and a unique point of view. With the author's great storytelling ability, this gripping tale feels so real as it unfolds from the point of view of the accused.  It reinforced for me how we humans must continue to guard against our worst instincts--how quickly we can lose our humanity!  I also like the afterward with the brief story of Ms. Mailman's own ancester in New England who was also accused of witchcraft.  This would be a great book club choice.
1390266
The characters grab you and won't let go. You hang on as they journey toward answers. And then the when everything comes together in the ending that blindsides you, you don't know whether to laugh or cry! A must read.
3405377
A gripping tale, but almost overwhelming with its many twists and turns.  I had to persevere to finish, but I couldn't stop.
2871026
This is not an easy read, especially at the beginning, but stick with it, it is spellbinding!  I can't wait for the sequel!