What do you think?
Rate this book
Carla
Carla al-Hassan lives in two worlds.
In one, she is known as a mild-mannered young woman who dropped out of college to work full time to pay for her grandfather's medical bills.
In the other, she is a professional killer who does the will of a mysterious domestic terrorist group called the Cicero Organization.
For years, Carla maintained this delicate balance. But a jealous act of betrayal and an investigation by a determined lawyer threaten this balance...and her life.
In one, she is known as a mild-mannered young woman who dropped out of college to work full time to pay for her grandfather's medical bills.
In the other, she is a professional killer who does the will of a mysterious domestic terrorist group called the Cicero Organization.
For years, Carla maintained this delicate balance. But a jealous act of betrayal and an investigation by a determined lawyer threaten this balance...and her life.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2017
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 15, 2018
Carla is living two lives. One where she is a dutiful granddaughter who dropped out of college to look after her grandfather and work full time to pay his medical bills. The other where she works as a professional killer for a terrorist organization called Cicero.
The novel is well written and you couldn’t help but like the main protagonist, even though she is a murderer. She keeps a balance between her two lives and not just makes sure her grandfather is well taken care of but also takes care of her fellow assassin with whom she has joint missions with sometimes. However, an act of betrayal and revenge makes her the target. An unlikely individual becomes her only ally, the detective who has vowed to bring Cicero down. But should she trust him or should he trust her?
The story starts slow but it soon had me engrossed. I couldn’t stop reading what will happen to Carla and what her next move would be. While I did feel in some parts the details were a bit too much and I could feel my mind getting distracted, the story quickly had me absorbed again in the plot. This is definitely worth a read! I do hope there is a sequel as I would love to know what happens next in Carla’s life.
Thanks to the author for sending me a free copy in exchange of a review
The novel is well written and you couldn’t help but like the main protagonist, even though she is a murderer. She keeps a balance between her two lives and not just makes sure her grandfather is well taken care of but also takes care of her fellow assassin with whom she has joint missions with sometimes. However, an act of betrayal and revenge makes her the target. An unlikely individual becomes her only ally, the detective who has vowed to bring Cicero down. But should she trust him or should he trust her?
The story starts slow but it soon had me engrossed. I couldn’t stop reading what will happen to Carla and what her next move would be. While I did feel in some parts the details were a bit too much and I could feel my mind getting distracted, the story quickly had me absorbed again in the plot. This is definitely worth a read! I do hope there is a sequel as I would love to know what happens next in Carla’s life.
Thanks to the author for sending me a free copy in exchange of a review
February 10, 2019
Thanking the author, Michael Gryboski for sending me a free copy of the eBook.
We meet the female protagonist of the story, Carla Al-Hassan, a girl with a strong will power, who is involved in political assassinations to pay her grandfather's medical bills.
I must highlight the main character of the story, well I loved her! She is truly amazing. The way she faces all the challenges, the way she endures pain and finally the way she stands for her own rights is intriguing.
The story is very powerful and speaks about a deeper truth that prevails in the modern society.
It speaks all about the battles of people for the thirst on power and politics.
The setting of the story is created in such a way, that you simply visualize each and every aspect of the story.
Definitely arouses the curiosity of the reader, and makes them want to know what will happen next. That is the main reason for me to stick with the book, until the end.
Yes, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, and personally feel that it should be a "must read" for each and every book lover.
My Rating
(4/5) Exceptional
You can now purchase the book via Amazon.
We meet the female protagonist of the story, Carla Al-Hassan, a girl with a strong will power, who is involved in political assassinations to pay her grandfather's medical bills.
I must highlight the main character of the story, well I loved her! She is truly amazing. The way she faces all the challenges, the way she endures pain and finally the way she stands for her own rights is intriguing.
The story is very powerful and speaks about a deeper truth that prevails in the modern society.
It speaks all about the battles of people for the thirst on power and politics.
The setting of the story is created in such a way, that you simply visualize each and every aspect of the story.
Definitely arouses the curiosity of the reader, and makes them want to know what will happen next. That is the main reason for me to stick with the book, until the end.
Yes, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, and personally feel that it should be a "must read" for each and every book lover.
My Rating
(4/5) Exceptional
You can now purchase the book via Amazon.
April 1, 2019
How desperate would you have to be to follow a stranger to a mysterious meeting? What would you do in order to survive--would you agree to become a murderer--a terrorist? In Michael Gryboski's thriller Carla, our main protagonist faces these questions and must come to terms with her decisions. Carla al-Hassan is a young woman desperate for the money to take care of her ailing grandfather. After encountering the wrong people, Carla finds herself part of the Cicero Organization,a notorious terrorist group and is trained to become a weapon-- an assassin. District Attorney Josiah Sharp is assigned to the top-secret case of finding and eradicating the Cicero Organization. His religious teachings and his strong morals drive his need to seek justice and to do what is right. Carla and Josiah's lives slowly circle around each other until suddenly clashing. Will Josiah get his man/men and will Carla ever be able to escape iron grip of her boss?
From the beginning to the end, Gryboski holds his audience captive. This book's atmosphere is tense and dark with shimmers of light and humor. There is action, political intrigue, plots, and hints of romance. He plays with morality and how our choices define who we become. The setting of Washington D.C. also draws our attention to the morality of politicians, their motives, and why some may be targets of Cicero.
Carla has a very action-oriented plot, moving from one assassination or fight to another, but it is the characters that really tie this book together. They are vivid and well-developed. Through Carla's perspective we can see how vulnerable and kind she is, which is juxtaposed against her cold and steady actions as an assassin. She becomes a real, conflicted person with whom we can sympathize despite her actions. Gryboski's description of her training and conditioning was disturbing and uncomfortable, but allowed us to see why Carla made the decisions she did. Carla's personality is also a good contrast to Josiah's steady and resolute character. Gryboski created distinct voices for Carla and Josiah. I could always tell whose point-of-view I was in by the style. Josiah is very formal
I really enjoyed Carla. Once I picked it up, I had a hard time putting it down although it was really hard to read about Carla's initiation into Cicero. I love books that feature political plots and maneuvers, and I like how Gryboski played with character tropes. Josiah really fits into the stereotypical stiff, workaholic federal employee archetype. I thought the romance hinted at between Josiah and Carla was a little clumsy but expected.
Overall, I give it 4.5/5 stars.
March 28, 2019
Thank you to the author for the free e-copy in exchange for my honest review.
I am pleasantly surprised with how much i really enjoyed this book. I always assume that this particular genre cannot hold my attention. With 4 kids, a work needs to grab my attention right away. That is exactly what happened with Michael Gryboski’s Carla. What unfolds in a highly detailed story of a woman who goes above and beyond for family.
Carla is a simple girl, leading a simple life. When her beloved grandfather needs sudden medical intervention, Carla knows she needs quick cash. What better way to do this than joining a terrorist organization. As with any terrorist infiltration, things go awry and Carla scarcely knows who to trust anymore.
When approached to review this book, Mr Gryboski informed me that it passed the Bechdel test. The Bechdel test is a measure of how many and what role women have in a work. To satisfy the test, the women have to speak to each other about something other than men. I don't know about you guys, but this point shocked me: only about half of all films meet this criteria. This book passes this test with flying colors. I didn't know how much i was missing women talk about anything else than their love lives!
My complaints about this novel are very few: I was not a huge fan of the character of Josiah and i think it was simply because of the religious tones. I understood its importance to the story but it just wasn't for me. The writing also felt a little technical at times and that took a bit away from just wanting to get back to the action. I kinda just fell in love with carla and needed to know what was gonna happen!
I truly enjoyed this book and would LOVE to see it become a film!
I am pleasantly surprised with how much i really enjoyed this book. I always assume that this particular genre cannot hold my attention. With 4 kids, a work needs to grab my attention right away. That is exactly what happened with Michael Gryboski’s Carla. What unfolds in a highly detailed story of a woman who goes above and beyond for family.
Carla is a simple girl, leading a simple life. When her beloved grandfather needs sudden medical intervention, Carla knows she needs quick cash. What better way to do this than joining a terrorist organization. As with any terrorist infiltration, things go awry and Carla scarcely knows who to trust anymore.
When approached to review this book, Mr Gryboski informed me that it passed the Bechdel test. The Bechdel test is a measure of how many and what role women have in a work. To satisfy the test, the women have to speak to each other about something other than men. I don't know about you guys, but this point shocked me: only about half of all films meet this criteria. This book passes this test with flying colors. I didn't know how much i was missing women talk about anything else than their love lives!
My complaints about this novel are very few: I was not a huge fan of the character of Josiah and i think it was simply because of the religious tones. I understood its importance to the story but it just wasn't for me. The writing also felt a little technical at times and that took a bit away from just wanting to get back to the action. I kinda just fell in love with carla and needed to know what was gonna happen!
I truly enjoyed this book and would LOVE to see it become a film!
March 20, 2024
Carla is the story of an assassin. It’s as simple as that. Or maybe not. Carla is an ordinary person living a fairly humdrum, ordinary life. And like many ordinary people, she has ordinary problems. A family medical emergency brings financial problems right away. Soon after, Carla is approached by a shadowy organization and recruited to work for them. Any by work, I mean kill.
Very early on, we are thrust into Carla’s second, not so ordinary, life. She becomes an assassin out of need. Training includes not only learning how to kill efficiently, but also to desensitize herself to any moral issues surrounding her new job. She’s a fast learner.
This story held me from the get-go. We are thrust immediately into the action. Even though Carla becomes a murderer, a trained assassin and terrorist, I couldn’t help but feel empathy for her. She chose this new role out of desperation. Thanks to a substance dubbed the “emerald commitment” she is forced to consume at her first meeting of the organization, she can never quit. There were some areas that I felt there was too much detail and technical writing. I found myself lost in these bits. Overall, a strong story.
The story is filled with intrigue and twists around every corner. The plot is imaginative, and unlike any other that I’ve read before. The author has done a good job of stretching out each twist and shocking moment, dropping them at the right moment. The action never quits. This is the first book in the series, and I will be picking up the next one soon.
Very early on, we are thrust into Carla’s second, not so ordinary, life. She becomes an assassin out of need. Training includes not only learning how to kill efficiently, but also to desensitize herself to any moral issues surrounding her new job. She’s a fast learner.
This story held me from the get-go. We are thrust immediately into the action. Even though Carla becomes a murderer, a trained assassin and terrorist, I couldn’t help but feel empathy for her. She chose this new role out of desperation. Thanks to a substance dubbed the “emerald commitment” she is forced to consume at her first meeting of the organization, she can never quit. There were some areas that I felt there was too much detail and technical writing. I found myself lost in these bits. Overall, a strong story.
The story is filled with intrigue and twists around every corner. The plot is imaginative, and unlike any other that I’ve read before. The author has done a good job of stretching out each twist and shocking moment, dropping them at the right moment. The action never quits. This is the first book in the series, and I will be picking up the next one soon.
April 6, 2020
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Carla
Author: Michael Gryboski
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: April 4, 2017
Genre: Thriller
Recommended Age: 17+ (death, violence, gore, terrorism)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 211
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Carla al-Hassan lives in two worlds.
In one, she is known as a mild-mannered young woman who dropped out of college to work full time to pay for her grandfather's medical bills.
In the other, she is a professional killer who does the will of a mysterious domestic terrorist group called the Cicero Organization.
For years, Carla maintained this delicate balance. But a jealous act of betrayal and an investigation by a determined lawyer
threaten this balance...and her life.
Review: I really liked this book overall. I liked the characters and I thought the characters and the plot were very well developed. The book was full of plot twists and it really kept you on your toes.
However, I think that the writing could have been a bit better and I felt it was a bit too short. Other than that, that was my only complaint!
Verdict: A great book!
Book: Carla
Author: Michael Gryboski
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: April 4, 2017
Genre: Thriller
Recommended Age: 17+ (death, violence, gore, terrorism)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 211
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Carla al-Hassan lives in two worlds.
In one, she is known as a mild-mannered young woman who dropped out of college to work full time to pay for her grandfather's medical bills.
In the other, she is a professional killer who does the will of a mysterious domestic terrorist group called the Cicero Organization.
For years, Carla maintained this delicate balance. But a jealous act of betrayal and an investigation by a determined lawyer
threaten this balance...and her life.
Review: I really liked this book overall. I liked the characters and I thought the characters and the plot were very well developed. The book was full of plot twists and it really kept you on your toes.
However, I think that the writing could have been a bit better and I felt it was a bit too short. Other than that, that was my only complaint!
Verdict: A great book!
November 4, 2018
Desperate to pay her grandfather’s medical bills, Carla joins a group of assassins. Although this gives her a way to provide for her grandfather, she is tied to this group for life and is promised death if she decides to depart. However, while performing a mission, one of her own turns on her. After escaping, Carla must decide if it is time to risk her life and reveal the group’s true identity.
I enjoyed how the majority of this novel was action-packed and fast-paced without being gorey. The plot kept me interested, wanting to read more, and reminded me of the Hunger Games meets The Running Man. I will be interested to see what happens next for Carla!
I enjoyed how the majority of this novel was action-packed and fast-paced without being gorey. The plot kept me interested, wanting to read more, and reminded me of the Hunger Games meets The Running Man. I will be interested to see what happens next for Carla!
June 29, 2017
This was such an intriguing book!! The beginning was a little slow, but then it started to pick up and I loved it!! I would really give it 3.5 stars, not just 3.
Michael Gryboski's writing was so descriptive and easily allowed me to picture the story's events in my mind. The plot was so interesting and unique. I really loved it!
The one thing I didn't like was how there was no consistent perspectives and it seemed like the story was being told from an above, unknown person.
Other than that, I loved it and recommend!
Michael Gryboski's writing was so descriptive and easily allowed me to picture the story's events in my mind. The plot was so interesting and unique. I really loved it!
The one thing I didn't like was how there was no consistent perspectives and it seemed like the story was being told from an above, unknown person.
Other than that, I loved it and recommend!
June 12, 2017
- Interesting story with lots of plot twists
- Appreciated the fact that it passed the Bechtel test
- Writing was a little dense and too technical
- Disappointed by the lack of a clear theme/message
- Appreciated the fact that it passed the Bechtel test
- Writing was a little dense and too technical
- Disappointed by the lack of a clear theme/message
May 31, 2021
Enjoyable story
I don't normally enjoy stories set in the modern world and prefer high fantasy. This story though has a great plot with some great intrigue. Fun characters from diverse backgrounds.
I don't normally enjoy stories set in the modern world and prefer high fantasy. This story though has a great plot with some great intrigue. Fun characters from diverse backgrounds.
June 22, 2022
This is a fun, femme fatale spy/assassin story. Carla is a young girl who becomes an unlikely assassin for a mysterious group of political terrorists. Very entertaining.
February 6, 2019
I am a simple person. I enjoy a good story but if you throw politics and foreign countries that have ulterior motives, I get lost and finally lose interest. I'm not proud to share this fact but it is true. I am a simple gal who needs action and a lot of flashy things instead of talk, legal jargon and worst of all- politics.
But if you show me a movie- I'm all for it! That's what I'd love about Clara- I'd love to see it on screen. Not to say this isn't a good book; quite the contrary. This was amazing, but I'd have fallen in love with it had it been a movie. So here's my feedback on Clara by Michael Gryboski.
Carla al-Hassan is a hard-working maid. She pays her bills, she keeps a clean record and does her best to take care of her partially paralyzed grandfather, who she calls Giddo. She loves him dearly, would do anything to make sure he receives the best of care.
Carla al-Hassan is a bomb maker, a terrorist. A Murderer. She will complete her assignments to make the money she truly needs to care for Giddo's medical bills and medications, to keep up the façade of being a hard-working maid who pays her bills and keeps a clean police record.
When Carla is placed in a situation where she no longer knows who her friend are and the separation of her lives are blurred, she has to trust someone she'd never imagined looking to for help. But she can she truly place her live in their hands? Can they trust her enough to help her?
Carla is the second book of 2018 where I read on a situation where people have been lured into helping a terrorist faction of some sort. I detest hate crimes and this book carried a hate that didn't even apply to her. But she did it anyway. What she does is her flaw and makes you not want to like her, but it's very difficult becaue Gryboski also introduced you into her world. He added the emotional ties that made you admire what she did in her personal life. Never mind what she actually did to make the money that took care of herself and her Giddo.
There's a great deal more to this novel, but I can not tell you without giving everything away. What I've pretty much shared is what other's, I'm sure, have added to their reviews. What you won't receive from me is what she's up against. There are two walls about her that can easily fall atop her head if she's not careful and that's where the intrigue that usually carries me through movies like that kicked in. The beginning of Carla is a tad slow- even there something explosive takes place, but once you get past the technicalities of the story, you are in for a fantastic ride.
Grab yourself a copy of Carla to see what I'm talking about while I move on o the next read. Cheers!
But if you show me a movie- I'm all for it! That's what I'd love about Clara- I'd love to see it on screen. Not to say this isn't a good book; quite the contrary. This was amazing, but I'd have fallen in love with it had it been a movie. So here's my feedback on Clara by Michael Gryboski.
Carla al-Hassan is a hard-working maid. She pays her bills, she keeps a clean record and does her best to take care of her partially paralyzed grandfather, who she calls Giddo. She loves him dearly, would do anything to make sure he receives the best of care.
Carla al-Hassan is a bomb maker, a terrorist. A Murderer. She will complete her assignments to make the money she truly needs to care for Giddo's medical bills and medications, to keep up the façade of being a hard-working maid who pays her bills and keeps a clean police record.
When Carla is placed in a situation where she no longer knows who her friend are and the separation of her lives are blurred, she has to trust someone she'd never imagined looking to for help. But she can she truly place her live in their hands? Can they trust her enough to help her?
Carla is the second book of 2018 where I read on a situation where people have been lured into helping a terrorist faction of some sort. I detest hate crimes and this book carried a hate that didn't even apply to her. But she did it anyway. What she does is her flaw and makes you not want to like her, but it's very difficult becaue Gryboski also introduced you into her world. He added the emotional ties that made you admire what she did in her personal life. Never mind what she actually did to make the money that took care of herself and her Giddo.
There's a great deal more to this novel, but I can not tell you without giving everything away. What I've pretty much shared is what other's, I'm sure, have added to their reviews. What you won't receive from me is what she's up against. There are two walls about her that can easily fall atop her head if she's not careful and that's where the intrigue that usually carries me through movies like that kicked in. The beginning of Carla is a tad slow- even there something explosive takes place, but once you get past the technicalities of the story, you are in for a fantastic ride.
Grab yourself a copy of Carla to see what I'm talking about while I move on o the next read. Cheers!
June 10, 2017
"Carla"
Written by Michael Gryboski
Published by Inknbeans Press
💥
💥
Michael Gryboski delivers Family-Bonds,loyalty,faith,violence,and betrayal in this page turner.
💥
💥 "One call would change Her life"
💥
💥
Carla Al-Hassan lives in two worlds.In one, she's a mild mannered young woman who drops out of college to work full time to pay for her grandfathers medical bills.In the other she is a professional killer for the feared terrorist group called the "Cicero Organization"
💥
💥
Michael Gryboski, has a great way of drawing you to his characters and his story.Although at first the book started out slow,I soon began to realize I couldn't put it down!
💥
💥
Who wouldn't want to read about "Carla's" story? I soon became engrossed into her life and world.I especially loved Carla's bond with her Grandfather a Syrian refugee,who's name is (George) aka (Giddo)
I loved the loyalty and faith of attorney (Josiah Sharp) as he puts his life in danger to bring the (Cicero organization) down! These characters brought life into the story and Michael Gryboski highly deserves the praise for creating this truly fascinating world and characters.I won't go fully into who is who and how the story develops.The rest is for "you" the "reader" to find out.I highly recommend picking this book up.You can find it on Amazon for $12.99
💥
💥
ENJOY!!! I surely did!
4/5 stars for me!✨✨✨✨
Written by Michael Gryboski
Published by Inknbeans Press
💥
💥
Michael Gryboski delivers Family-Bonds,loyalty,faith,violence,and betrayal in this page turner.
💥
💥 "One call would change Her life"
💥
💥
Carla Al-Hassan lives in two worlds.In one, she's a mild mannered young woman who drops out of college to work full time to pay for her grandfathers medical bills.In the other she is a professional killer for the feared terrorist group called the "Cicero Organization"
💥
💥
Michael Gryboski, has a great way of drawing you to his characters and his story.Although at first the book started out slow,I soon began to realize I couldn't put it down!
💥
💥
Who wouldn't want to read about "Carla's" story? I soon became engrossed into her life and world.I especially loved Carla's bond with her Grandfather a Syrian refugee,who's name is (George) aka (Giddo)
I loved the loyalty and faith of attorney (Josiah Sharp) as he puts his life in danger to bring the (Cicero organization) down! These characters brought life into the story and Michael Gryboski highly deserves the praise for creating this truly fascinating world and characters.I won't go fully into who is who and how the story develops.The rest is for "you" the "reader" to find out.I highly recommend picking this book up.You can find it on Amazon for $12.99
💥
💥
ENJOY!!! I surely did!
4/5 stars for me!✨✨✨✨
July 15, 2017
House of Carla
Carla, written by Michael Gryboski, is a book that we did not find on our own. We actually received an instagram message from Gryboski (he slid into the clubs dm’s...if you will). With the air of mystery to this newly discovered novel, we researched to see if we were interested. After reading through the summary from Amazon, we were quite intrigued (novel now on Goodreads). With that said, we agreed and added it to the summer schedule. This explanation of the process is only noted, because we unfortunately underestimated this novel and are desperately trying to see where we went wrong. In short, we are infatuated with Carla.
To give you some insight, Michael Gryboski is a novelist and reporter for The Christian Post (http://www.christianpost.com). He describes himself as an aspiring hymnist and a pro-wrestling fan, giving us the insight that yes, you can be both. His novel, Carla, became published in April 2017 and is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and InknBeans Press. Lucky for us, he is working on another novel currently(hopefully Carla 2.0), and has many other books if you enjoyed Carla.
Now for the specifics on the book. Carla joined a terrorist organization named Cicero (Pop, Six, Squish, CICERO...excuse the Chicago reference) to get quick cash to give her grandfather (Giddo) the medical attention he needs. But hey, the greatest sins in human history were done in the sake of love, and Carla’s actions were no different. All is not so simple though. Within the web of politics, the small town literally and figuratively explodes, while Carla with help from Josiah Sharp digs deeper and deeper into how far this organization will go. The abounding detail really elevated the work and put the reader right in the story. Additionally, the connectivity between the main character and reader plays into the understanding and justification of Carla’s actions. Not one time did either of us dislike Carla, or judge her actions even though she was a terrorist (it helps that it’s a book, but still). Ultimately, it demonstrates how far some are willing to go to save the ones they love. From dropping out of college to caring for them, along with working two jobs, and becoming a paid for hire assassin.
We also think it is important to mention that we admire how the author stuck to his morals, not needing to fill the pages with sex and foul language just to attract the average “spy” readers. Along the same lines, we are glad he finds a balance to instilling his religious beliefs into the character of Josiah without overdoing it and making the recurring bible quotes redundant. The ending left us wanting more and we would definitely read a sequel, even if it was just a courtroom drama. In our opinion, there is so much potential left untapped for Carla, and a series would be incredible and worth the read. We’d also like the next step for the author to be developing this into a screenplay. If they can make three Dan Brown movies, they can make Carla. It’s perfect for the current political climate and has a slight House of Cards feel at times. So in an unrealistic time, please make that happen Michael Gryboski.
With all the pros, there are always some cons that are ultimately constructive in the end. One dislike was how long the chapters were. It slowed down the book by denying it solid resting points. If it were to be republished, we would recommend starting a new chapter each time the point of view changes. There were some grammatical and spelling errors. For the shortfallings in the quality of print and lack of professional editing, we blame the editor/publisher. Carla deserves better. Next, we thought that some parts were slightly technical, but anyone familiar with espionage and the spy genre shouldn’t have a problem at all. For the more pure among us (Geneva) who wasn’t aware how a piano wire could be used to kill someone… well this book might be a bit of an eye opener for you.
We know this post is lengthy, but we needed to deliver credit where credit is due. This novel was initially underestimated, which made its great story pop from the pages even more. Carla is a perfect summer read and worth the check out. Thank you again to Michael Gryboski for opening our eyes to this fantastic novel. We wish you success in your future endeavors!
Better Read than Dead,
Geneva & Addie
In exchange for a fair and impartial review we were provided with a courtesy copy of Carla by the author, Michael Gryboski. Big thanks and we look forward to working with you in the future!
Carla, written by Michael Gryboski, is a book that we did not find on our own. We actually received an instagram message from Gryboski (he slid into the clubs dm’s...if you will). With the air of mystery to this newly discovered novel, we researched to see if we were interested. After reading through the summary from Amazon, we were quite intrigued (novel now on Goodreads). With that said, we agreed and added it to the summer schedule. This explanation of the process is only noted, because we unfortunately underestimated this novel and are desperately trying to see where we went wrong. In short, we are infatuated with Carla.
To give you some insight, Michael Gryboski is a novelist and reporter for The Christian Post (http://www.christianpost.com). He describes himself as an aspiring hymnist and a pro-wrestling fan, giving us the insight that yes, you can be both. His novel, Carla, became published in April 2017 and is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and InknBeans Press. Lucky for us, he is working on another novel currently(hopefully Carla 2.0), and has many other books if you enjoyed Carla.
Now for the specifics on the book. Carla joined a terrorist organization named Cicero (Pop, Six, Squish, CICERO...excuse the Chicago reference) to get quick cash to give her grandfather (Giddo) the medical attention he needs. But hey, the greatest sins in human history were done in the sake of love, and Carla’s actions were no different. All is not so simple though. Within the web of politics, the small town literally and figuratively explodes, while Carla with help from Josiah Sharp digs deeper and deeper into how far this organization will go. The abounding detail really elevated the work and put the reader right in the story. Additionally, the connectivity between the main character and reader plays into the understanding and justification of Carla’s actions. Not one time did either of us dislike Carla, or judge her actions even though she was a terrorist (it helps that it’s a book, but still). Ultimately, it demonstrates how far some are willing to go to save the ones they love. From dropping out of college to caring for them, along with working two jobs, and becoming a paid for hire assassin.
We also think it is important to mention that we admire how the author stuck to his morals, not needing to fill the pages with sex and foul language just to attract the average “spy” readers. Along the same lines, we are glad he finds a balance to instilling his religious beliefs into the character of Josiah without overdoing it and making the recurring bible quotes redundant. The ending left us wanting more and we would definitely read a sequel, even if it was just a courtroom drama. In our opinion, there is so much potential left untapped for Carla, and a series would be incredible and worth the read. We’d also like the next step for the author to be developing this into a screenplay. If they can make three Dan Brown movies, they can make Carla. It’s perfect for the current political climate and has a slight House of Cards feel at times. So in an unrealistic time, please make that happen Michael Gryboski.
With all the pros, there are always some cons that are ultimately constructive in the end. One dislike was how long the chapters were. It slowed down the book by denying it solid resting points. If it were to be republished, we would recommend starting a new chapter each time the point of view changes. There were some grammatical and spelling errors. For the shortfallings in the quality of print and lack of professional editing, we blame the editor/publisher. Carla deserves better. Next, we thought that some parts were slightly technical, but anyone familiar with espionage and the spy genre shouldn’t have a problem at all. For the more pure among us (Geneva) who wasn’t aware how a piano wire could be used to kill someone… well this book might be a bit of an eye opener for you.
We know this post is lengthy, but we needed to deliver credit where credit is due. This novel was initially underestimated, which made its great story pop from the pages even more. Carla is a perfect summer read and worth the check out. Thank you again to Michael Gryboski for opening our eyes to this fantastic novel. We wish you success in your future endeavors!
Better Read than Dead,
Geneva & Addie
In exchange for a fair and impartial review we were provided with a courtesy copy of Carla by the author, Michael Gryboski. Big thanks and we look forward to working with you in the future!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews