I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book from Bookish First in exchange for an honest review. Following are my independent thoughts on the book.
The Janes is a crime thriller novel written by Louisa Luna. Taking place in Southern California, it follows two protagonists, an independent and strong female private detective and a more level-headed retired ex-cop, as they unravel the circumstances surrounding the murder of two teenage girls. Replete with shadowy government agencies, crime cartels, underhanded associates and vigilante justice, the story unveils itself in a way that captivates its readers with unpredictability in seeming normal situations—doing so without reaching too far into the absurd. The Janes, which is second in a series, does very well at being a stand-alone book. It alludes to events that occurred in the first book, which is necessary to establish the connection and relationships between characters, but does not rely at all on the previous story to carry the book forward. It does, however, refer to the first book in a way that entices the reader to go back and read it if they have not already done so. A very balanced and refreshing mix in an age where we are inundated with series titles.
There is usage of some colloquialisms that minimally detracted from the book and seemed slightly amateurish, as well as a few grammatical errors, but overall the writing was refreshing, well-paced and easy to read. Louisa Luna does a brilliant job of painting the landscape with broad brush strokes as opposed to getting caught up in the irrelevant minutiae, focusing on the story rather than the setting. The story also gives a bit of insight into the dark underworld of human trafficking, making it a relevant read of this day and age and appealing to those readers who seek to find justice for the oppressed. Another exciting quality of the book is that there is a dynamic partnership where teamwork brings about success and not a normal personal with superhero qualities.
I enjoyed this book immensely and would recommend it to anyone who is either looking for a casual read or is a lover of crime thrillers. I believe that Alice Vega and Louisa Luna will continue to provide a wonderful breadth of adventure in the years to come and I will be looking to decorate my bookshelf with their stories.
The Janes is a crime thriller novel written by Louisa Luna. Taking place in Southern California, it follows two protagonists, an independent and strong female private detective and a more level-headed retired ex-cop, as they unravel the circumstances surrounding the murder of two teenage girls. Replete with shadowy government agencies, crime cartels, underhanded associates and vigilante justice, the story unveils itself in a way that captivates its readers with unpredictability in seeming normal situations—doing so without reaching too far into the absurd. The Janes, which is second in a series, does very well at being a stand-alone book. It alludes to events that occurred in the first book, which is necessary to establish the connection and relationships between characters, but does not rely at all on the previous story to carry the book forward. It does, however, refer to the first book in a way that entices the reader to go back and read it if they have not already done so. A very balanced and refreshing mix in an age where we are inundated with series titles.
There is usage of some colloquialisms that minimally detracted from the book and seemed slightly amateurish, as well as a few grammatical errors, but overall the writing was refreshing, well-paced and easy to read. Louisa Luna does a brilliant job of painting the landscape with broad brush strokes as opposed to getting caught up in the irrelevant minutiae, focusing on the story rather than the setting. The story also gives a bit of insight into the dark underworld of human trafficking, making it a relevant read of this day and age and appealing to those readers who seek to find justice for the oppressed. Another exciting quality of the book is that there is a dynamic partnership where teamwork brings about success and not a normal personal with superhero qualities.
I enjoyed this book immensely and would recommend it to anyone who is either looking for a casual read or is a lover of crime thrillers. I believe that Alice Vega and Louisa Luna will continue to provide a wonderful breadth of adventure in the years to come and I will be looking to decorate my bookshelf with their stories.