All the Blood We Share (Camilla Bruce)

 

All the Blood We Share
Camilla Bruce
⭐: 5/5

Pros: AS ALWAYS, Bruce writes about such fascinating topics and this book is no different!

I had no idea the Bender Family existed until the very end. Bruce knows how to blend fact and fiction so convincingly that I never think to wonder, despite being familiar with her affinity with female true crime, if something is inspired by true events.

I feel she captured Kate Bender's psychopath personality brilliantly, but also really did well developing every character and giving them each their own traits that appeared in their dialogue and movement.

History doesn't know the truth of all the identities or how the murders happened, but I was, once again, sucked into how warped Bruce's mind could be to write such scenes and am always impressed with that imagination!

Cons: given the Bender Family was never found after leaving KS, this book is a bit of a cliffhanger, but at least for that, fiction meets fact.

Conclusion: if you're into twisted, well-developed plots with excellently written characters and hardly a single edit missed in the book... This is your read. Just be sure you don't end up playing the, "Just one more chapter... Yeah right" game that leaves you saying "what the..." at 1A when you finish reading. EASY five out of five stars! Bruce NEVER disappoints for me!

Cleopatra's Vendetta (Avanti Centrae)

 Cleopatra's Vendetta
Avanti Centrae
⭐: 5/5

Pros: okay, this isn't my usual kind of read, but the history the entire plot is rooted in definitely caught my attention when I was asked to be an ARC!

I was surprised at how well researched all the aspects of this story are, but furthermore, how beautifully sewn into Centrae's imagination they were. She took me on a journey that included becoming invested in the characters, their well-beings, backgrounds, and overall development. In addition to that, I was drawn into the dark world of human trafficking, something that I've been meaning to learn more about in general.

Overall, the plot and character development, writing style, and delivery is definitely a five out of five. You can tell when an author is meticulous with their work and sets the bar! I was impressed with the ending, too. There was absolutely nothing rushed about it and it felt thorough through the very last line.

Cons: I'm not a huge fan of espionage, modern day, covert operations stories, so it was a little difficult, at first, to stay focused. This con can be easily overlooked, as the nature of interactions between the characters and the story itself became irresistible as it progressed.

Conclusion: if you're looking for history-meets-modern day (without too much of a dual timeline), give this read a shot! Just be prepared to have your heart broken and mended a couple of times, though! Also, if you're passionate about women's rights and leads, this book will feed you in all the right ways!