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Winter #1
Winter Dark
11 hours and 31 minutes
A girl with wide brown eyes looks into the camera. Below her picture, a clock ticks down. Cold traces the back of my neck, pricks my hairline. I will find you, I whisper.
It has been ten years since Winter – a headstrong loner with a broken past – was pulled off a mountain by special forces with the aim of turning her into the Secret Service’s most effective field agent. Now, she has just two weeks to bring down the head of a formidable criminal organisation, Alek Konstantin, before an innocent girl is murdered by a twisted killer in front of an online audience of millions.
Going deep undercover disguised as a paid assassin – alias Snow White – Winter’s aim is to infiltrate Konstantin’s inner circle. Calculating, charismatic and totally in control, he holds the girl’s fate in his hands. But every time Winter gets close to him, he melts away. He’s like a shadow, and yet he knows things about Winter – dark secrets she’s never told anyone. Who is he, and how can she reach him in time to save the girl?
Then Winter finds the body of a man from her past, stuffed in a dumpster with a bullet through his forehead, and things begin to fall into place. But with the girl’s death growing closer with every tick of the clock, and Winter’s protective shell starting to crack, does she have what it takes to bring down Konstantin before the clock hits zero?
Impossible to put down, Winter Dark is an action-packed and twisty read with a heroine you won’t forget. Perfect for fans of Lee Child, Sandra Brown and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Please note: this book contains scenes of a sexual nature.
A girl with wide brown eyes looks into the camera. Below her picture, a clock ticks down. Cold traces the back of my neck, pricks my hairline. I will find you, I whisper.
It has been ten years since Winter – a headstrong loner with a broken past – was pulled off a mountain by special forces with the aim of turning her into the Secret Service’s most effective field agent. Now, she has just two weeks to bring down the head of a formidable criminal organisation, Alek Konstantin, before an innocent girl is murdered by a twisted killer in front of an online audience of millions.
Going deep undercover disguised as a paid assassin – alias Snow White – Winter’s aim is to infiltrate Konstantin’s inner circle. Calculating, charismatic and totally in control, he holds the girl’s fate in his hands. But every time Winter gets close to him, he melts away. He’s like a shadow, and yet he knows things about Winter – dark secrets she’s never told anyone. Who is he, and how can she reach him in time to save the girl?
Then Winter finds the body of a man from her past, stuffed in a dumpster with a bullet through his forehead, and things begin to fall into place. But with the girl’s death growing closer with every tick of the clock, and Winter’s protective shell starting to crack, does she have what it takes to bring down Konstantin before the clock hits zero?
Impossible to put down, Winter Dark is an action-packed and twisty read with a heroine you won’t forget. Perfect for fans of Lee Child, Sandra Brown and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Please note: this book contains scenes of a sexual nature.
12 pages, Audible Audio
First published March 21, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
September 2, 2019
Okay so let's not worry too much about the odd idea that we can declare a book the Thriller of the Year 2019 before we've all chomped our way through our Easter Eggs! It's an odd idea but as Audible say they didn't hesitate to do it let's just go with it for now.
What they did promise though was a ' gripping, fast-paced ride through a disturbingly plausible technological future' and certainly they make good on some of that. This is fast-paced with plenty of action but working as I do in the IT industry I'm going to baulk a little at the 'disturbingly plausible' part. Although Audible are keen to differentiate Winter from Bond & co she is actually remarkably similar in many ways. She's just as joyously implausible, maybe lacking the refined charm but still entertaining, bold and full of spunky bravado. Similar to Artemis by Andy Weir WInter will appeal to many but annoy some as seeming as much like a teenage boy's caricature of a powerful female character as a truly genuine persona. The author gives very little background as to how this gorgeous, super-skilled martial arts fighter with insanely good computer hacking capabilities develops above and beyond being brought up in a tough boarding school . . . enough said! Hopefully, as the series progresses we'll get more of this.
Okay, so I still enjoyed it well enough, if you can short circuit the reality-check circuits in your brain this is a fun story and certainly some of the ways that Winter extricates herself from dangerous situations would genuinely make even Bond raise a Roger Moore eyebrow heavenwards. Ell Potter is a more than capable narrator with good changes of pace, tone and tempo and she carries this roller-coaster ride of a story with real aplomb.
So, overall, this is a fun piece of fiction if you are in the mood for the Audible equivalent of a popcorn action flick with lots of action and a hero with more sauce than HP! Is it a "thriller of the year"? Well, I suspect there will be quite a few other authors gritting their teeth over that one but the rest of us can enjoy it for what it is regardless!
What they did promise though was a ' gripping, fast-paced ride through a disturbingly plausible technological future' and certainly they make good on some of that. This is fast-paced with plenty of action but working as I do in the IT industry I'm going to baulk a little at the 'disturbingly plausible' part. Although Audible are keen to differentiate Winter from Bond & co she is actually remarkably similar in many ways. She's just as joyously implausible, maybe lacking the refined charm but still entertaining, bold and full of spunky bravado. Similar to Artemis by Andy Weir WInter will appeal to many but annoy some as seeming as much like a teenage boy's caricature of a powerful female character as a truly genuine persona. The author gives very little background as to how this gorgeous, super-skilled martial arts fighter with insanely good computer hacking capabilities develops above and beyond being brought up in a tough boarding school . . . enough said! Hopefully, as the series progresses we'll get more of this.
Okay, so I still enjoyed it well enough, if you can short circuit the reality-check circuits in your brain this is a fun story and certainly some of the ways that Winter extricates herself from dangerous situations would genuinely make even Bond raise a Roger Moore eyebrow heavenwards. Ell Potter is a more than capable narrator with good changes of pace, tone and tempo and she carries this roller-coaster ride of a story with real aplomb.
So, overall, this is a fun piece of fiction if you are in the mood for the Audible equivalent of a popcorn action flick with lots of action and a hero with more sauce than HP! Is it a "thriller of the year"? Well, I suspect there will be quite a few other authors gritting their teeth over that one but the rest of us can enjoy it for what it is regardless!
January 10, 2020
Winter Dark is the first in epic new spy thriller series. What struck me was just how superb and exciting it sounded and I am always a sucker for technothrillers. I particularly enjoyed that the main storyline was at the centre and there was very little in the way e.g. minor threads. Secret Service Agent Winter Dark and GCHQ employee has two weeks to collar crime kingpin Alek Konstantin who appears to be running a site whereby he streams torture to a sick group of people who pay to get their kicks out of watching someone suffer in pain. The thought of each screaming emerging from them makes them giddy with excitement. These people vote on what they want to see happen to those being streamed with money constantly changing hands. Little does she know that Konstantin is also after her and so ensues an action-packed, thrill-a-minute game of cat and mouse through various countries and with changing identities.
Set in a future dystopia where a single and despicable crime boss has control over all of the worlds nefarious criminal organisations. The two most disturbing websites he is running have been named Firestorm and Slashstorm. Firestorm is a site where you can facilitate a hit on someone and Slashstorm is a site for those who enjoy seeing a person being brutally tortured and murdered. This is a non-stop rollercoaster ride of heart-pounding tension, a plethora of unbelievable twists and turns and excitement on every page. I can relate to Winter quite a bit as I am a recluse myself and I am excited to see more of her kick-ass character in future instalments. I think her and I would get along just fine. The plot barely gives you a moment to breathe and moves at a swift pace from start to finish. I can not recommend this superb book highly enough; it surprised me by how gripping and compulsive it was. A fun, riveting and highly entertaining thriller. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
Set in a future dystopia where a single and despicable crime boss has control over all of the worlds nefarious criminal organisations. The two most disturbing websites he is running have been named Firestorm and Slashstorm. Firestorm is a site where you can facilitate a hit on someone and Slashstorm is a site for those who enjoy seeing a person being brutally tortured and murdered. This is a non-stop rollercoaster ride of heart-pounding tension, a plethora of unbelievable twists and turns and excitement on every page. I can relate to Winter quite a bit as I am a recluse myself and I am excited to see more of her kick-ass character in future instalments. I think her and I would get along just fine. The plot barely gives you a moment to breathe and moves at a swift pace from start to finish. I can not recommend this superb book highly enough; it surprised me by how gripping and compulsive it was. A fun, riveting and highly entertaining thriller. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
October 19, 2019
A terrible (horrible) poor man’s version of Lisbeth Sander with a twist of the character from Atomic Blonde.
Quick synopsis is super hacker, super spy spy that is super sexy and randy all the time is obsessed with stopping “The Prince of Darkness.” I’m not being dramatic that is what she calls the super villain who allegedly is the brains behind two dark web kill sites that have hit mainstream. She must break all the rules, endanger her colleagues and alliances , make terrible assumptions and bad leaps of intuition to get her man - who she can’t believe is hot. She is constantly telling us (yup it is told in first person) about her incredible intellect yet while blindingly falling for every cliche trap - she is literally drugged out three times !
Ahh but don’t worry - she is woke. She’ll sleep with anyone at any time cause she is as well super awesome at the sex.
There are micromanaging bosses, sniveling bad guys, rich manipulative snobs and facial implants.
I finished the book simply cause I can’t NOT read a book but this was just gawd awful pacing , wiring, our “Snow White”/ Winter ( no joke that’s her name and code name) is just as one dimensional as it gets. It’s a series folks - more Winter to come - just don’t.
Quick synopsis is super hacker, super spy spy that is super sexy and randy all the time is obsessed with stopping “The Prince of Darkness.” I’m not being dramatic that is what she calls the super villain who allegedly is the brains behind two dark web kill sites that have hit mainstream. She must break all the rules, endanger her colleagues and alliances , make terrible assumptions and bad leaps of intuition to get her man - who she can’t believe is hot. She is constantly telling us (yup it is told in first person) about her incredible intellect yet while blindingly falling for every cliche trap - she is literally drugged out three times !
Ahh but don’t worry - she is woke. She’ll sleep with anyone at any time cause she is as well super awesome at the sex.
There are micromanaging bosses, sniveling bad guys, rich manipulative snobs and facial implants.
I finished the book simply cause I can’t NOT read a book but this was just gawd awful pacing , wiring, our “Snow White”/ Winter ( no joke that’s her name and code name) is just as one dimensional as it gets. It’s a series folks - more Winter to come - just don’t.
January 8, 2020
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
Winter Dark is the first book in a new series featuring a kick-ass female, Agent Winter, who is trying to undercover the man behind Firestorm, a website where people can put information on who they would like killed and the killer’s bid for the job, all done anonymously.
If Winter is to succeed she needs to infiltrate the man behind the sites criminal organisation but getting in won’t be easy and finding the man at the top will be even harder, although he might just find her first as it would seem that they are both looking for one another.
For years some people have been crying out for a female Bond, well author Alex Callister gives us just that. Winter is touch, agile, sexy, she can take any man down as well as bed any man she wants to. It is like she is not only a female Bond but a female Jason Bourne and Ethan Hunt all rolled into one.
The idea behind Firestorm is quite scary, imagine a site where anyone could become a target for any reason. The book is fast-paced the whole way through and does play out like an action thriller where the reader is constantly having to keep up with what is happening. You do need to pay attention though as a lot does happen, so this isn’t a book you can skim reader, otherwise, you will find it difficult to understand.
There are a few sexual scenes and a lot of references in this book. My personal feeling is that not all of them were needed, so if you don’t like these types of scenes then this probably isn’t for you, but they are no different from those that you see in the action movies where men have the lead.
Overall I enjoyed the book. I love a tough female protagonist. I enjoyed the prologue starting ten years before the chapters. The writing was convincing and kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. I do hope that we learn more about Firestorm in the next book as I don’t feel that this book covered everything I needed to know.
Winter Dark is the first book in a new series featuring a kick-ass female, Agent Winter, who is trying to undercover the man behind Firestorm, a website where people can put information on who they would like killed and the killer’s bid for the job, all done anonymously.
If Winter is to succeed she needs to infiltrate the man behind the sites criminal organisation but getting in won’t be easy and finding the man at the top will be even harder, although he might just find her first as it would seem that they are both looking for one another.
For years some people have been crying out for a female Bond, well author Alex Callister gives us just that. Winter is touch, agile, sexy, she can take any man down as well as bed any man she wants to. It is like she is not only a female Bond but a female Jason Bourne and Ethan Hunt all rolled into one.
The idea behind Firestorm is quite scary, imagine a site where anyone could become a target for any reason. The book is fast-paced the whole way through and does play out like an action thriller where the reader is constantly having to keep up with what is happening. You do need to pay attention though as a lot does happen, so this isn’t a book you can skim reader, otherwise, you will find it difficult to understand.
There are a few sexual scenes and a lot of references in this book. My personal feeling is that not all of them were needed, so if you don’t like these types of scenes then this probably isn’t for you, but they are no different from those that you see in the action movies where men have the lead.
Overall I enjoyed the book. I love a tough female protagonist. I enjoyed the prologue starting ten years before the chapters. The writing was convincing and kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. I do hope that we learn more about Firestorm in the next book as I don’t feel that this book covered everything I needed to know.
April 29, 2020
I read the sequel to this, Winter Rising, as an ARC recently. I loved it so much I went straight away to buy the first book.
This was very good, it started a bit dis-jointedly but as the author got into his stride it soon settled down into an excellent thriller. Not quite as outstanding as it’s sequel but, hey, first book. It does provide the background of the characters that wasn’t in book 2 and of the genesis of Firestorm and also of the volatile relationship between Winter and Alex Konstantin. All the usual adjectives apply - fast paced, high octane, Adrenalin fuelled. It’s a really exciting and fun story. I’ll be keeping an eye out for more in this series.
This was very good, it started a bit dis-jointedly but as the author got into his stride it soon settled down into an excellent thriller. Not quite as outstanding as it’s sequel but, hey, first book. It does provide the background of the characters that wasn’t in book 2 and of the genesis of Firestorm and also of the volatile relationship between Winter and Alex Konstantin. All the usual adjectives apply - fast paced, high octane, Adrenalin fuelled. It’s a really exciting and fun story. I’ll be keeping an eye out for more in this series.
January 9, 2020
A female James Bond, a little McGyver, Winter is a master hacker, combat trained for anything she may have to face, probably an IQ too high to be counted, is the first line of defense for London.
This is a debut novel and the first in the Winter series. There's lots of action in this futuristic tale .. a time when you can buy a murder online ... where hackers take control of the country. One man has escaped identification ... an extremely wealthy man, a powerful man, who is the heart of the dark web... and the multiple crimes committed.
Only one person has seen his face .... Winter. And she's now on the run.
This is not exactly my cup of tea, although it seems to be well written. The action begins on age 1 and continues to the surprising ending. Winter is an interesting character, but I didn't find her likable. She seems to be a little arrogant, a little overbearing. I would recommend this one for anyone who enjoys thrillers and spy games.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this suspense thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
This is a debut novel and the first in the Winter series. There's lots of action in this futuristic tale .. a time when you can buy a murder online ... where hackers take control of the country. One man has escaped identification ... an extremely wealthy man, a powerful man, who is the heart of the dark web... and the multiple crimes committed.
Only one person has seen his face .... Winter. And she's now on the run.
This is not exactly my cup of tea, although it seems to be well written. The action begins on age 1 and continues to the surprising ending. Winter is an interesting character, but I didn't find her likable. She seems to be a little arrogant, a little overbearing. I would recommend this one for anyone who enjoys thrillers and spy games.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this suspense thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
May 17, 2020
"Men are monsters but that doesn't mean they have to be monstrous."
What a ride! Full disclosure: I had this on my TBR and passed it over many times, picking another title instead. A mistake. I'm not sure why I circled back, but am sure glad I did. I've been in a bit of a slump and this catapulted me out and away before I even finished the first chapter. It was original, refreshing and action-packed -- a thriller with an unusual female protagonist as the main character.
The author said she wanted to create a female James Bond but Winter is a complete badass that some have compared to Lisbeth Salander, but actually she's much more hardcore and somehow, even likeable despite all the things she says and does. She's a sexually omnivorous (OK there is a lot of sex in this book) top agent for the snoop police in in the UK -- the GCHQ, an organization that has the power and ability to track almost anything and everyone in the world.
Set in the near future when any life can be taken by a contract killer hired by anyone with a web connection, Winter is most disturbed by a new sensation called Slashstorm -- basically an Internet voting phenomenon which allows the public to vote on which of 12 children will be killed online right in front of them. Rumored to be run by crime boss Alek Konstantin and his brother, Roman, it is Winter's mission to hunt him down and kill him before the next episode airs. I won't say more but I assure you that once you get on this roller coaster, you won't be able to put the book down until the end of the ride!
I really liked this and am giving it 4.5 stars. This screams out for film adaptation and I cannot wait for the second in the series as I enjoyed the writing quality, the details, the action, the characters and the wild romp over Europe and beyond. The narrative is told in first person from Winter's POV in a linear style and there are surprises and twists along the way. More, please, and soon!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend. Warning -- lots of graphic violence and descriptive sex scenes so be aware before you begin. And if you don't like reading those parts, just skim or skip over them like I do!
What a ride! Full disclosure: I had this on my TBR and passed it over many times, picking another title instead. A mistake. I'm not sure why I circled back, but am sure glad I did. I've been in a bit of a slump and this catapulted me out and away before I even finished the first chapter. It was original, refreshing and action-packed -- a thriller with an unusual female protagonist as the main character.
The author said she wanted to create a female James Bond but Winter is a complete badass that some have compared to Lisbeth Salander, but actually she's much more hardcore and somehow, even likeable despite all the things she says and does. She's a sexually omnivorous (OK there is a lot of sex in this book) top agent for the snoop police in in the UK -- the GCHQ, an organization that has the power and ability to track almost anything and everyone in the world.
Set in the near future when any life can be taken by a contract killer hired by anyone with a web connection, Winter is most disturbed by a new sensation called Slashstorm -- basically an Internet voting phenomenon which allows the public to vote on which of 12 children will be killed online right in front of them. Rumored to be run by crime boss Alek Konstantin and his brother, Roman, it is Winter's mission to hunt him down and kill him before the next episode airs. I won't say more but I assure you that once you get on this roller coaster, you won't be able to put the book down until the end of the ride!
I really liked this and am giving it 4.5 stars. This screams out for film adaptation and I cannot wait for the second in the series as I enjoyed the writing quality, the details, the action, the characters and the wild romp over Europe and beyond. The narrative is told in first person from Winter's POV in a linear style and there are surprises and twists along the way. More, please, and soon!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend. Warning -- lots of graphic violence and descriptive sex scenes so be aware before you begin. And if you don't like reading those parts, just skim or skip over them like I do!
March 25, 2023
Brilliantly entertaining, sharp writing. Narrating is great. Off to read the next one!
June 29, 2021
I was quite unsure about Winter Dark when I was in the early stages of the story but I'm glad I stuck with it as it turned out to be an enjoyable enough story. It was basically an action thriller that felt like it could easily work well as a movie. This was not an intelligent spy/action thriller, as it was all ridiculous pulpy nonsense from start to finish, but once I realized that was going to be the case it was easy enough to enjoy the story in the same way one would a mindless action thriller movie!
I felt like this one started slow and that I took a bit of time to warm to Alex Callister writing style and Winter, the lead character, but once I did warm to both I ended up finding the story an engaging enough read.
The premise of the story was fun enough. It was set in a near future world where an anonymous criminal website called Firestorm had gone mainstream, a decade back, and was a site that connected criminals and hosted untraceable assassins for hire for the general public. Winter, a women with a troubled past, has been trained for the past decade by the English security forces to be a mix of a spy and assassin. She is targeting newly launched Firestorm spin-off website Slashstorm (a website that is basically Big Brother or X-Factor for torture porn and murder for entertainment) and might have to track down the most elusive and dangerous man in the world, the guy who controls Firestorm, to put a stop to the awful Slashstorm killings.
It was a fun enough tale. Winter was like a far less professional Bond as she tore through all sorts of places in the world trying to get close to the criminal mastermind behind Firestorm. She got to infiltrate criminal gangs and fight everything from gangsters and criminals to fellow assassins. It was mostly over the top nonsense with a ton of plot holes but it was fast paced and fun enough as long as one did not get bogged down in the details.
I was surprised to learn Alex Callister was apparently a female as despite the fact that Winter was a female lead this felt like a typical pulpy male aimed action thriller. Well, it did most of the time. Which is to say there was almost as much sex as violence in the story. Not that I felt any of that overly hurt the story as this was just that sort of book!
I mostly started this one because I was in the mood for an action thriller and this one delivered on that premise. I grabbed this in an Audible sale some time last year so it is always good when an impulse bargain buy turns out to be actually good.
All in all I enjoyed this one despite the fact that it had a few flaws and was a bit ridiculous at times. I'll definitely give the next book in the series a go!
Rating: 4 stars.
Audio Note: Ell Potter struggled a bit with the male voices but once I got used to her I felt like she gave a decent performance of the story and felt she definitely got the tone of it which always helps.
I felt like this one started slow and that I took a bit of time to warm to Alex Callister writing style and Winter, the lead character, but once I did warm to both I ended up finding the story an engaging enough read.
The premise of the story was fun enough. It was set in a near future world where an anonymous criminal website called Firestorm had gone mainstream, a decade back, and was a site that connected criminals and hosted untraceable assassins for hire for the general public. Winter, a women with a troubled past, has been trained for the past decade by the English security forces to be a mix of a spy and assassin. She is targeting newly launched Firestorm spin-off website Slashstorm (a website that is basically Big Brother or X-Factor for torture porn and murder for entertainment) and might have to track down the most elusive and dangerous man in the world, the guy who controls Firestorm, to put a stop to the awful Slashstorm killings.
It was a fun enough tale. Winter was like a far less professional Bond as she tore through all sorts of places in the world trying to get close to the criminal mastermind behind Firestorm. She got to infiltrate criminal gangs and fight everything from gangsters and criminals to fellow assassins. It was mostly over the top nonsense with a ton of plot holes but it was fast paced and fun enough as long as one did not get bogged down in the details.
I was surprised to learn Alex Callister was apparently a female as despite the fact that Winter was a female lead this felt like a typical pulpy male aimed action thriller. Well, it did most of the time. Which is to say there was almost as much sex as violence in the story. Not that I felt any of that overly hurt the story as this was just that sort of book!
I mostly started this one because I was in the mood for an action thriller and this one delivered on that premise. I grabbed this in an Audible sale some time last year so it is always good when an impulse bargain buy turns out to be actually good.
All in all I enjoyed this one despite the fact that it had a few flaws and was a bit ridiculous at times. I'll definitely give the next book in the series a go!
Rating: 4 stars.
Audio Note: Ell Potter struggled a bit with the male voices but once I got used to her I felt like she gave a decent performance of the story and felt she definitely got the tone of it which always helps.
January 4, 2025
I loved this! High octane, plenty of depth, with some lovely prose touches. The first-person POV adds loads of depth to the FMC, Winter, who is brought vividly to life by the excellent Ell Potter. Winter is a very strong female protagonist. Think younger, female James Bond, with indivudal touches (she's queer, for one, and voracious at times) that make her in no way a copy of any kind.
For those who have ever advocated for a female "Jane" Bond, this right here is her. Comparisons aside, the plot was really good and the twisty-turns will have you on edge.
For those who have ever advocated for a female "Jane" Bond, this right here is her. Comparisons aside, the plot was really good and the twisty-turns will have you on edge.
January 14, 2020
Winter Dark is the first book in The Winter Series. The story takes us deep undercover, Winter, disguised as a paid assassin with the alias Snow White aims to infiltrate the enemies inner circle.
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I haven't read many Spy Thrillers. Around 40% in I was considering a DNF but decided to stick it out. So glad I did! The last 60% of Winter Dark was fast paced and full of action. A total cat and mouse game between Winter and Konstantin! Winter is a total kick ass character. I think the following book in the series, Winter Rising will hold my attention now that Winter's character has been established.
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Huge thank you to Bookouture & Book On The Bright Side Publicity for my review copy.
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I haven't read many Spy Thrillers. Around 40% in I was considering a DNF but decided to stick it out. So glad I did! The last 60% of Winter Dark was fast paced and full of action. A total cat and mouse game between Winter and Konstantin! Winter is a total kick ass character. I think the following book in the series, Winter Rising will hold my attention now that Winter's character has been established.
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Huge thank you to Bookouture & Book On The Bright Side Publicity for my review copy.
April 12, 2019
DNF. Unfortunately I couldn’t get into the story. The storylines jumped around waaayy too much for me; one thing was happening and then BOOM! it was something else happening. Such a shame because it started out interesting but it was too hard to keep up. I also really liked the narrator; Ell Potter’s voice acting was great! I’d definitely listen to other audiobooks that had her as the narrator. I ended up returning this on Audible but since you get to keep the books I may give it another go in the future!
January 3, 2020
Woah!! A female agent who has a photographic memory - that's me in my fantasies. Well, what can I say... I look good in my dreams.
Winter, a Secret Service agent has 2 weeks to get to the criminal Konstantin. A game of cat and mouse ensued.
My first book by Alex Callister, this was the kinda book which I would have liked to watch as a movie. The book is fast paced, I didn't get a chance to breathe even for a single moment.
Winter as the agent thrilled me, enamored me. She hexed me with her fights, her need to justice. The lovemaking was also fast and raw. There was something haunting about her that caught my attention and kept it there. She ruled the book
Konstantin too had his own charm, he was charismatic and quite seductive in his ways. I liked the villain that he was. He knew what he wanted and went for it. The author's writing balanced them both making this book a constant to and fro. She wouldn't exist if he didn't.
The book had everything I expected from an action thriller. It had a strong kick-ass heroine, action sequences that thrilled, set across the world. The team worked with her adding to the spice. There was an aura of race against time. Winter as the Assassin Snow White had me smiling in glee as the pages showed me her clean moves. I told ya, I like me in my dreams.
Overall, a fun action thriller.
Winter, a Secret Service agent has 2 weeks to get to the criminal Konstantin. A game of cat and mouse ensued.
My first book by Alex Callister, this was the kinda book which I would have liked to watch as a movie. The book is fast paced, I didn't get a chance to breathe even for a single moment.
Winter as the agent thrilled me, enamored me. She hexed me with her fights, her need to justice. The lovemaking was also fast and raw. There was something haunting about her that caught my attention and kept it there. She ruled the book
Konstantin too had his own charm, he was charismatic and quite seductive in his ways. I liked the villain that he was. He knew what he wanted and went for it. The author's writing balanced them both making this book a constant to and fro. She wouldn't exist if he didn't.
The book had everything I expected from an action thriller. It had a strong kick-ass heroine, action sequences that thrilled, set across the world. The team worked with her adding to the spice. There was an aura of race against time. Winter as the Assassin Snow White had me smiling in glee as the pages showed me her clean moves. I told ya, I like me in my dreams.
Overall, a fun action thriller.
February 22, 2022
This is Audible Canada's bonus this month, I wasn't sure what to think of it so I decided to download it and give it a try.
I'm.. not impressed.
It's like someone set out to write a female and supposedly feminist version of all the popular spy thrillers. James Bond, Jason Bourne and Mack Bolan, who also happens to be the most amazing hacker and fighter at 17 that she is grabbed and turned into an asset.
She's all gung ho to find the mark to protect others, moves against orders, fucks anything that catches her eye (male or female), impetuous. She's like this weird Mary Sue/spy version.
I really don't know what to think. I wasn't thinking of much when I dove into it but it didn't catch my ear. I'll probably finish listening to it, but I'm not interested in moving on to the next.
I'm.. not impressed.
It's like someone set out to write a female and supposedly feminist version of all the popular spy thrillers. James Bond, Jason Bourne and Mack Bolan, who also happens to be the most amazing hacker and fighter at 17 that she is grabbed and turned into an asset.
She's all gung ho to find the mark to protect others, moves against orders, fucks anything that catches her eye (male or female), impetuous. She's like this weird Mary Sue/spy version.
I really don't know what to think. I wasn't thinking of much when I dove into it but it didn't catch my ear. I'll probably finish listening to it, but I'm not interested in moving on to the next.
January 6, 2020
Winter Dark is the first book in The Winter Series. The story takes us deep undercover, Winter, disguised as a paid assassin with the alias Snow White aims to infiltrate the enemies inner circle.
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I haven't read many Spy Thrillers. Around 40% in I was considering a DNF but decided to stick it out. So glad I did! The last 60% of Winter Dark was fast paced and full of action. A total cat and mouse game between Winter and Konstantin! Winter is a total kick ass character. I think the following book in the series, Winter Rising will hold my attention now that Winter's character has been established.
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Huge thank you to Bookouture & Book On The Bright Side Publicity for my review copy.
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I haven't read many Spy Thrillers. Around 40% in I was considering a DNF but decided to stick it out. So glad I did! The last 60% of Winter Dark was fast paced and full of action. A total cat and mouse game between Winter and Konstantin! Winter is a total kick ass character. I think the following book in the series, Winter Rising will hold my attention now that Winter's character has been established.
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Huge thank you to Bookouture & Book On The Bright Side Publicity for my review copy.
March 22, 2020
Well below average your conventional thriller, I listened to the audiobook and found myself drifting in and out of the story, without even realising it. Might just be me, but I found the writing confusing and disconnected. The first two thrids of the book seemed like a lot of unnecessary and often strange twists. I finished the book at 1.5x, not my cup of tea.
April 10, 2019
I am in heaven. Female assasins all around. Snow White is awesome. Ready for the next installment.
April 27, 2021
Terrible, a struggle to finish
January 25, 2022
What utter garbage. Don’t bother if you’re past your teens. No. Just don’t bother…
February 24, 2022
I underestimated 'Winter Dark' from the very beginning (which is amusing given that people constantly underestimate the main character, Winter, and she always makes them regret it). I almost passed on the book because of all the hype. Amazon/Audible named it 'Thriller Of The Year' almost as soon as It was published in March 2019 but, by the end of the year, the hype had morphed into strong word of mouth and I added 'Winter Dark' to my TBR pile. I only realised how long it had been languishing there when I saw that the fourth book in the series is due for publication in July.
When I started the book I got swept along in its adrenaline-soaked path. The opening took the traditional techno-thriller/spy tropes and gleefully twisted them until they screamed. I watched teenage Winter being recruited/press-ganged into the operational arm of GCHQ because she's a weird mixture of extreme sports adrenalin junkie and world-class hacker and I thought, 'Eat your heart out, Alex Rider'.
My inner pendant woke up and said 'There is no operational arm of GCHQ' and I sneered at him and said, 'Try to keep up. This is Alex Callister's way of letting you know this is fiction, an entertainment, not a documentary'. Then we skipped forward ten years and I saw the devilishly cunning, highly plausible and completely criminal uses that Alex Callister had thought up for blockchain technology and the Dark Web, and I thought to myself, 'What if it's a double bluff and GCHQ pushes its plugged-in data-nerd image because it conceals its operational capabilities?' and I knew my head was being messed with.
Even as I smiled at the action scene in the Alps (Winter's a spy, of course there was an Alpine action scene and of course Winter was going to snowboard down a Black Run in the dark and blow up a helicopter), I realised that every time Winter went to anywhere in Europe that I know well, the descriptions of the places were spot on.
Foolishly perhaps, by the time I was about forty per cent into 'Winter Dark', I thought I had it pegged. Here's how I described it:
"This is playful, clever and cheeky. it has an almost tongue-in-cheek style of storytelling, wrapped around a lethal high-functioning sociopath heroine, skilled in hacking, martial arts and snowboarding, who is more libidinous than Bond and with much wider-ranging tastes. Its strong plot, plausible technology and realistic descriptions of places around Europe keep the book from becoming an Austin Powers meringue."
All of that is true but as the book progressed and I came to know Winter better and to understand the situation she was in the middle of, everything got darker and more intense. I kept thinking I had everything figured out, and I kept being caught by surprise as the plot twisted and turned and with every turn, it got better. I couldn't have guessed at the ending but I once I knew what it was, I realised it worked perfectly. It was satisfying and all the things from earlier in the book that I'd tagged as 'Yeah, like that's gonna happen' turned out to have cunning explanations.
But it's not the plot or the international settings that make the book into an exceptional read. It's Winter, in all her disturbing glory. She is a great character, as much a villain as a hero. She's as dangerous and as ruthless as the people she hunts. She could easily be one of them and, if she was, she'd rule them all.
I've seen reviews that tag Winter as a female Bond. I've never read the Fleming books so I can only go by the movies but I don't see Winter as Bond. She's not Establishment in the way that Bond is, quite the opposite, she's the Establishment's worst nightmare. Her sexual appetites are as strong as Bond's and more wide-ranging than his but she's a lot less predatory. She's not as entitled as Bond. She seems to be brighter and much more dangerous and, unlike Bond, she's not playing the global domination game, she's out to stop whoever it is that is killing children slowly and screening it live on the Internet.
Just as Winter is not Bond, her enemies are not the megalomaniacal narcissists of Spectre. They're smarter, more ruthless and more focused than that. The main baddy and Winter are cut from the same cloth and they both know it.
By the end of the book, I knew that 'Winter Dark' was not the tongue-in-cheek entertainment I'd thought it would be. It's filled with violence and sex and acts of cruelty which are neither decorative nor exploitative but are disturbingly realistic.
I can see now that 'Winter Dark' probably was the best thriller of 2019 and I stupidly let it sit on my shelf for two years. The good news is that the next three books are available to me now and I can see what Winter does next.
'Winter Dark' was conceived as an audiobook from the start (there was no paperback or kindle version until nine months later) and it's perfect for listening to, not least because of Ell Potter's astonishingly powerful narration. I strongly recommend that you let Ell Potter tell you Winter's story. Click on the SoundCloud link below and you'll get a taste of what i'm talking about.
December 22, 2019
This is a good start to a new series.
The writer says they were trying to create a female James Bond and I think they’ve succeeded plus she has a few hidden talents!
Winter works for GCHQ and is on the hunt for a man who is running an online torture site. Winter and the team have no idea who he is until she comes across him after a nail biting chase, and the hunt is on.
The only problem is he’s after her too, so it’s a real game of cat and mouse.
I can’t decide if I like Winter yet but she’s certainly someone to have on your side in a fight.
This was a fast paced read that had me hooked.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The writer says they were trying to create a female James Bond and I think they’ve succeeded plus she has a few hidden talents!
Winter works for GCHQ and is on the hunt for a man who is running an online torture site. Winter and the team have no idea who he is until she comes across him after a nail biting chase, and the hunt is on.
The only problem is he’s after her too, so it’s a real game of cat and mouse.
I can’t decide if I like Winter yet but she’s certainly someone to have on your side in a fight.
This was a fast paced read that had me hooked.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
October 10, 2020
Wow! Double wow!! Triple wow!!!
This is a story with a big fat capitle S!
Normally I don’t mind finishing a book and starting a new one straight away, but this one keeps sitting in the middle of my mind. It feels like it’s guarding the gate to my brain and not letting a new story in.
Winter is cold. Not only the season, but the main character is like this as well. She is though, fearless, cold blooded and fights for what she believes in. But even in winter you can have warm, sunny days and this is also part of the protagonist’s life. She can be vulnerable, loving and soft and hot blooded.
I admired her strength to go on and her strength to say no even though in her heart she wanted to say yes.
This book took me for a ride on a rollercoaster. It contains raw emotions that brought me to tears, others that made my stomach go a bit strange and together they built the most powerful book I have read in a long time. Powerful because of the actions as well as the emotions they provoked.
The author uses short sentences when the action takes place and uses longer ones when the pace is calmer.
This book definitely gets a place in my top for 2020.
If this is what Winter is like, I don’t the other seasons anymore. 5 stars, of course.
Thank you, Alex Callister and Bookouture
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
This is a story with a big fat capitle S!
Normally I don’t mind finishing a book and starting a new one straight away, but this one keeps sitting in the middle of my mind. It feels like it’s guarding the gate to my brain and not letting a new story in.
Winter is cold. Not only the season, but the main character is like this as well. She is though, fearless, cold blooded and fights for what she believes in. But even in winter you can have warm, sunny days and this is also part of the protagonist’s life. She can be vulnerable, loving and soft and hot blooded.
I admired her strength to go on and her strength to say no even though in her heart she wanted to say yes.
This book took me for a ride on a rollercoaster. It contains raw emotions that brought me to tears, others that made my stomach go a bit strange and together they built the most powerful book I have read in a long time. Powerful because of the actions as well as the emotions they provoked.
The author uses short sentences when the action takes place and uses longer ones when the pace is calmer.
This book definitely gets a place in my top for 2020.
If this is what Winter is like, I don’t the other seasons anymore. 5 stars, of course.
Thank you, Alex Callister and Bookouture
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
April 11, 2019
I LOVED this book. So much that I’m actually taking the time to write a review, that never happens.
While I’ve only recently started listening to audiobooks (to help me cope with the long drive to work) this has been the best by far!
The narrator is also excellent, just enough emotion, humour and inflection without being over the top (and therefore annoying).
It’s a great, action packed book and I loved Winter. Having spent my formative years worshipping at the alter of Buffy I adore strong, kick ass characters. Possibly because it’s my deepest wish that I was a ninja. Or a wizard. You know, something cool. 🤣
While I’ve only recently started listening to audiobooks (to help me cope with the long drive to work) this has been the best by far!
The narrator is also excellent, just enough emotion, humour and inflection without being over the top (and therefore annoying).
It’s a great, action packed book and I loved Winter. Having spent my formative years worshipping at the alter of Buffy I adore strong, kick ass characters. Possibly because it’s my deepest wish that I was a ninja. Or a wizard. You know, something cool. 🤣
January 20, 2021
This reads like it was written by a high schooler as if she was given an assignment where she was the hero of the story. To call the main character a Mary Sue is being kind. Unbelievable story with barely any details to draw you in.
September 11, 2019
DNF.
For a thriller this is quite boring, a little bit of that blame lies on a rather dull sounding narrator.
For a thriller this is quite boring, a little bit of that blame lies on a rather dull sounding narrator.
July 22, 2020
I will never get back the 9 hours I spent listening to this. :(
January 11, 2020
I read the synopsis for 'Winter Dark' and it certainly sounded like just my kind of read. A strong thriller with a kick ass female heroine in. 'Winter Dark' was certainly that and so much more. 'Winter Dark' just blew me away and I thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of it.
What can I say about Winter? She is a bit of an enigma to be honest. We first meet her when she is rather young and she has come to the attention of the authorities. Winter is a computer whizz kid and she is able to hack into the securest of systems. The story moves forward a few years and we meet Winter again. All I can say is bloody hell James Bond has nothing on our Winter. She kicks ass, roughs up some baddies, she is hugely talented in more ways than one and she is drop dead gorgeous to boot. To be blunt, she frightens me as she is literally a one woman killing machine. Let's just say that she is somebody you would want on your side and not against you. Time and again she does the impossible. Whilst I was sat reading this book, I kept thinking to myself 'surely she can't get out of this situation' and each time I was left speechless, which doesn't happen often believe me.
I was a bit unsure as to what I was reading when I first started the book because the start of the book made me feel a bit confused. It doesn't take much to confuse me. However, when I read a bit more and then met the adult Winter all became clear as it were. After that I just couldn't put this book down! 'Winter Dark' wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I did not want to miss a single second of the story. To say that 'Winter Dark' was addictive reading has to be THE understatement of the year. I binge read this book over the course of a day which is pretty good going for me. I had to keep reading to see just what fate threw at Winter next and whether or not she could get herself out of the next impossible situation.
'Winter Dark' is brilliantly written. I had a hard time believing that this was a debut novel as the writing is so slick, the characters so believable and the author has a level of confidence that you would only usually see in the work of more experienced authors. She certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and draw you into the story. Alex has a writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. The author uses such powerful and vivid descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself.
Reading 'Winter Dark' felt like being on the scariest and most unpredictable rollercoaster ride known to man. There were twists, there were turns and there was more than one stomach churning moment. As for nerves, well it's a wonder I have any left after all that adrenaline rush causing, heart pounding action, which is guaranteed to send your blood pressure soaring.
In short, I think that you can tell by now that I absolutely loved, no make that ADORED reading 'Winter Dark'. I will definitely be recommending this book to other readers. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. Move over Bond and Reacher, there's a new kid in town. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
What can I say about Winter? She is a bit of an enigma to be honest. We first meet her when she is rather young and she has come to the attention of the authorities. Winter is a computer whizz kid and she is able to hack into the securest of systems. The story moves forward a few years and we meet Winter again. All I can say is bloody hell James Bond has nothing on our Winter. She kicks ass, roughs up some baddies, she is hugely talented in more ways than one and she is drop dead gorgeous to boot. To be blunt, she frightens me as she is literally a one woman killing machine. Let's just say that she is somebody you would want on your side and not against you. Time and again she does the impossible. Whilst I was sat reading this book, I kept thinking to myself 'surely she can't get out of this situation' and each time I was left speechless, which doesn't happen often believe me.
I was a bit unsure as to what I was reading when I first started the book because the start of the book made me feel a bit confused. It doesn't take much to confuse me. However, when I read a bit more and then met the adult Winter all became clear as it were. After that I just couldn't put this book down! 'Winter Dark' wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I did not want to miss a single second of the story. To say that 'Winter Dark' was addictive reading has to be THE understatement of the year. I binge read this book over the course of a day which is pretty good going for me. I had to keep reading to see just what fate threw at Winter next and whether or not she could get herself out of the next impossible situation.
'Winter Dark' is brilliantly written. I had a hard time believing that this was a debut novel as the writing is so slick, the characters so believable and the author has a level of confidence that you would only usually see in the work of more experienced authors. She certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and draw you into the story. Alex has a writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. The author uses such powerful and vivid descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself.
Reading 'Winter Dark' felt like being on the scariest and most unpredictable rollercoaster ride known to man. There were twists, there were turns and there was more than one stomach churning moment. As for nerves, well it's a wonder I have any left after all that adrenaline rush causing, heart pounding action, which is guaranteed to send your blood pressure soaring.
In short, I think that you can tell by now that I absolutely loved, no make that ADORED reading 'Winter Dark'. I will definitely be recommending this book to other readers. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. Move over Bond and Reacher, there's a new kid in town. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
January 9, 2020
Winter Dark by Alex Callister
The Winter Series #1
Excellent story that grabbed my attention immediately and kept it till the last page. I am glad this is a series because I really would like to see what will happen next.
What I liked:
* Winter: strong, lethal and smart she works for GCHQ as an operative – would have liked to know more about the ten years between the prologue and beginning of this story. She reminds me a bit of La Femme Nikita
* Alek: I do like a bad guy with heart...he is a man I would love to get to know better.
* The dynamics between Winter & Alec – do wonder if they will get together again or not
* Wanting to know more about Simon, Max, Leon, Roman and a few others that were mentioned in the story
* That there are levels of “bad” and sometimes the person you think is The Prince of Darkness might have redeeming qualities
* The pacing of the story
* Great debut novel that makes me want to read more
What I didn’t like:
* The truly bad guys – wanted them taken out in the worst way
* Having to wait for the next book in the series
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more books by this author? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4.5 Stars
The Winter Series #1
Excellent story that grabbed my attention immediately and kept it till the last page. I am glad this is a series because I really would like to see what will happen next.
What I liked:
* Winter: strong, lethal and smart she works for GCHQ as an operative – would have liked to know more about the ten years between the prologue and beginning of this story. She reminds me a bit of La Femme Nikita
* Alek: I do like a bad guy with heart...he is a man I would love to get to know better.
* The dynamics between Winter & Alec – do wonder if they will get together again or not
* Wanting to know more about Simon, Max, Leon, Roman and a few others that were mentioned in the story
* That there are levels of “bad” and sometimes the person you think is The Prince of Darkness might have redeeming qualities
* The pacing of the story
* Great debut novel that makes me want to read more
What I didn’t like:
* The truly bad guys – wanted them taken out in the worst way
* Having to wait for the next book in the series
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more books by this author? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4.5 Stars
October 13, 2022
I've had to add an "Action" shelf to add Winter Dark to my goodreads bookshelves. For better or worse this fast read felt like an action movie to me, lots of chases and fights and sex. My rating may suffer from it not being my favourite genre. You might love action! There were some interesting ideas like how our spy viewed her various personas. I would have liked more of that and less chasing and fighting.
January 17, 2020
Set in a dystopian future where murder-for-hire is the norm and surveillance determines the difference between life and death, Winter Dark sets afoot a narrative packed with jaw-dropping action and intrigue. Winter is a highly-trained government operative with an astonishingly myriad skill set. Tasked with bringing down the Prince of Darkness, the head of organized crime in Europe and alleged man-behind-the-curtains of Slashstorm, Winter has only two weeks to infiltrate his network and save the lives of twelve teenagers. Loaded with high octane action and a promise of unexpected twists, Winter Dark follows the journey of Winter aka Snow White as she embarks on her quest of revealing the identity of the Prince of Darkness and ending Slashstorm once and for all.
Winter Dark starts off strong, with a transient insight into the past life of Alek Konstantin, something that falls off the radar for the rest of the book. The first half of the book was eventful but quite boring, especially with back stories that failed to deliver. Side characters such as Simon, Erik or Vivian have little to no significance in the events of the story. The latter third of the book was much more enjoyable and filled with jaw-dropping action. Winter’s raunchy encounters seem half-baked, and the story could have done without most of them. While the action sequences certainly kept me engrossed, the slow pacing in the first half of the book and Callister’s unnecessarily descriptive elaborations of every route that Winter takes, distracted me from the events of the story.
Winter Dark starts off strong, with a transient insight into the past life of Alek Konstantin, something that falls off the radar for the rest of the book. The first half of the book was eventful but quite boring, especially with back stories that failed to deliver. Side characters such as Simon, Erik or Vivian have little to no significance in the events of the story. The latter third of the book was much more enjoyable and filled with jaw-dropping action. Winter’s raunchy encounters seem half-baked, and the story could have done without most of them. While the action sequences certainly kept me engrossed, the slow pacing in the first half of the book and Callister’s unnecessarily descriptive elaborations of every route that Winter takes, distracted me from the events of the story.
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