The Next Target by Nikki Arana
Facebook: Yes
Twitter: @nikkiarana
Source:
Netgalley
Rating: Moving and
compelling.
Click here to read what this story is about
To
be completely honest, I didn’t like this book at first. It kind of felt like
being pounded over the head with the Bible, with someone’s faith that was not
my own. But that was in the beginning of
the book, before the story really started to unravel. That
was before I understood and connected with the characters. Now that I finished it, and reflecting on
everything that happened, I can honestly say that I enjoyed the journey.
The
suspense, once it kicked into gear, had me sitting on the edge of my seat. It
had me talking to the characters, momentarily forgetting that they weren’t
real. There were some heightened moments of panic when I knew that though
Austia was trying to do what she felt led to do, she was also about to make a
big mistake, she was going to trust the wrong person. Austia was a character with
a lot of faith and courage. She became someone that I admired for her
willingness to go and do exactly what she thought God was leading her to in a
manner filled with love instead of hate.
Though I did come to really
enjoy this story, I have to admit that I hated the romance part of it
completely. Austia and Zaki’s romance
happened way too fast for me and it came across as disingenuous. Zaki goes from
this hardened undercover agent to this man so blinded by love that he can’t
think straight character. The fact that she was okay with Dave and ignored all
the warning bells that something wasn’t right, played into the storyline that
fanatical Muslims would stop at nothing and they could pop up anywhere. This
may be true, but the only two reasons that Austia trusted Dave were because her
brother introduced them and his name was the same as her dead ex-husband.
Neither reason was enough to trust so blindly. While I think Austia’s relationship with her
brother was pretty accurate, I am curious to see his reaction when (if) he ever
finds out everything that went wrong with his attempt to invite her neighbors
over for dinner.
This story is heartbreaking,
not just because innocent people died because of the religious fanaticism and intolerance. The most disturbing part of this story is the
truth that honor killings still go on today and background believers suffer so
much. .After giving up everything that have known and grown accustomed to (if
not accepted at some point) they face constant suspicion and distrust.
Recommendation:
I would definitely recommend everyone to read this, regardless of
religious preference, and ignore the romance aspect.
A copy of this book was given to me, free, in exchange for my honest
opinion.
Always Shine,
Starr K
Related Links:
Nikki Arana's latest release proves that a good author can write in any genre. This book is a departure from her Regalo Grande Series, which I loved, and makes a grand entrance into the romantic suspense field. Her plot and characters are on par with Dee Henderson, Irene Hannon and Mindy Starns-Clark. She handles the delicate relevant topic of the radical side of the muslim faith with tact and diplomacy. Her characters are engaging and the plot twists keep you guessing until the end. The faith of the main character is well developed without being preachy. Well done. I hope she has other books in this genre planned.
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