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Poker Face
Sixteen year old Ruby Palmer is hot, feisty and out of control. She’s also about to walk into the most dangerous and frightening job imaginable; trainee office junior.Her inability to type and her very bad attitude keep her moving around the firm like a hot potato and eventually she finds herself under the strict rule of Mr Alessi – senior partner and successful criminal lawyer. Ruby soon discovers that Mr Alessi isn’t quite what he seems when she accidently meets two of his very private clients. They come in through the backdoor, out of office hours believing the building to be empty, but Ruby is still there and now she’s seen too much.All the worst kind of people think Mr Alessi just employed himself an easy target. They intend to bully Ruby into retrieving an incriminating appeal file hidden somewhere in Mr Alessi’s building. What they don’t realise is that Ruby isn’t one to bow down to intimidation or pressure.She’s quick, she’s clever and she’s about to give them ALL a deadly run for their money.Book one in the POKER FACE seriesPoker Face is a young adult fiction novel so packed with thrills, romance, suspense and mystery that it has proved a big hit with teens and adults alike.
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First published November 8, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 9, 2013
An exciting, thrilling read with twists, surprises and lovable protagonists
I wouldn’t normally read young adult/adult fiction, particularly when the heroine of the story is a young girl. But something about the title ‘Poker Face’ intrigued me, and once I started reading I was absolutely hooked. What a story! Ms Sturman Coombs has the knack of creating characters who jump off the page, whom you warm to, or hate, instantly. Rather like a modern day Oliver Twist story, it’s the tale of Ruby, who’s had the worst of all deals in life, but due to her innate strength and inner confidence, she always stands up to the bullies, and, it won’t spoil the ending to tell you that ultimately, she beats them. As circumstances change, her opponents get more and more fearsome, and by the end of the story I was staggered by the many shocks, dramas and adventures and sheer death-dealing danger that poor Ruby is subjected to.
If you like heart-warming stories, where you can really like the characters and hate the villains, you will certainly like Poker Face. Right up until the end I was kept guessing, wondering where the story would go, who Ruby could trust, and finally I just had to read on and on to find out, irrespective of work waiting to be done.
It’s an easy read, a smooth read, but most of all a heart-warming, exciting read, with plenty of rough-and-tumble violence that leaves you terrified, for Ruby’s sake, and it’s also a romance. Crucially, you’re on Ruby’s side throughout her trials and tribulations, and there’s a good satisfying ending. I shall read the next one in the series soon as I can. However I’d better not start it until I’ve got enough time to finish it in one sitting!
I wouldn’t normally read young adult/adult fiction, particularly when the heroine of the story is a young girl. But something about the title ‘Poker Face’ intrigued me, and once I started reading I was absolutely hooked. What a story! Ms Sturman Coombs has the knack of creating characters who jump off the page, whom you warm to, or hate, instantly. Rather like a modern day Oliver Twist story, it’s the tale of Ruby, who’s had the worst of all deals in life, but due to her innate strength and inner confidence, she always stands up to the bullies, and, it won’t spoil the ending to tell you that ultimately, she beats them. As circumstances change, her opponents get more and more fearsome, and by the end of the story I was staggered by the many shocks, dramas and adventures and sheer death-dealing danger that poor Ruby is subjected to.
If you like heart-warming stories, where you can really like the characters and hate the villains, you will certainly like Poker Face. Right up until the end I was kept guessing, wondering where the story would go, who Ruby could trust, and finally I just had to read on and on to find out, irrespective of work waiting to be done.
It’s an easy read, a smooth read, but most of all a heart-warming, exciting read, with plenty of rough-and-tumble violence that leaves you terrified, for Ruby’s sake, and it’s also a romance. Crucially, you’re on Ruby’s side throughout her trials and tribulations, and there’s a good satisfying ending. I shall read the next one in the series soon as I can. However I’d better not start it until I’ve got enough time to finish it in one sitting!
March 15, 2012
Pokerface is a book quite suitable for young adults and adults. From the very beginning you get to feel sympathy for Ruby, the main character of the story. Ruby is 16 years old and she has been forced to grow up due to the circumstances in her house. Being the daughter to a drunkard is never easy, so imagine how difficult things can get when she starts working to a law firm that has business with members of the Mafia.
The story is interesting, full of suspense, mysteries, and twists that can make you think "what else is going to happen here?" It keeps the reader interested in reading from the very first page. You go along Ruby, trying to discover what is going on, and making predictions about the development of the plot. The characters are well defined, but they are a bit stereotypical (Mafia members of Italian origins?). However, the teenage character of Ruby is very well reflected, though sometimes you get the impression that she is older than her age, surely because of her breeding. The plot is quite good and it works perfectly well, even though the ending of the book came a bit "all of a sudden". The story is well paced, but the ending is a bit hurried up, if that makes any sense. I would have explained a bit more the events happening at the end of the book.
In general terms, this book is a great read and I would strongly recommend it. It is funny to follow the adventures of cheeky Ruby Palmer as she tries to get a bit of respect from people and tries to solve some problems. A story of how a teenager can prove to be stronger than any adult, enduring hard tests and showing that she can survive on the enemy field.
The story is interesting, full of suspense, mysteries, and twists that can make you think "what else is going to happen here?" It keeps the reader interested in reading from the very first page. You go along Ruby, trying to discover what is going on, and making predictions about the development of the plot. The characters are well defined, but they are a bit stereotypical (Mafia members of Italian origins?). However, the teenage character of Ruby is very well reflected, though sometimes you get the impression that she is older than her age, surely because of her breeding. The plot is quite good and it works perfectly well, even though the ending of the book came a bit "all of a sudden". The story is well paced, but the ending is a bit hurried up, if that makes any sense. I would have explained a bit more the events happening at the end of the book.
In general terms, this book is a great read and I would strongly recommend it. It is funny to follow the adventures of cheeky Ruby Palmer as she tries to get a bit of respect from people and tries to solve some problems. A story of how a teenager can prove to be stronger than any adult, enduring hard tests and showing that she can survive on the enemy field.
February 15, 2013
This is the moment in Ruby's life where she will either make a change that will save her, or continue to live a life of pain and abuse. She takes a chance, a reactionary choice to a bully's words, and steps in a new direction she hopes will get her away from her abusive father and give her a chance at some semblance of normalcy. When it turns out that this new life involves some very dangerous people, Ruby must choose between staying loyal to new relationships or running for safety.
The themes of this book are quite compelling. Ruby faces abuse from her father, sexual intimidation from a young man who is supposed to be her friend, interest from a coworker that she very much wants to return but knows she shouldn't, and a boss that domineering but seems to be trying to help her while at the same time pulling her deeper into a dangerous world. The main storyline of this book kept me interested from start to finish. Each character was well crafted and had qualities that I could relate to. I cared about what happened to Ruby and Danny, and even Mr. Alessi. I was very invested in what happened to them from early in the book.
The relationships between the characters was what really made them shine. Ruby finagles her way into the law office, and Mr Alessi is the first to catch onto her trickery. Rather than toss her out, he sees her potential. He knows she can become something more than a troubled girl, but that hardly means he takes it easy on her. He often goes back an forth between trying to protect her and help her grow and berating her for mistakes. It's more than a little confusing to Ruby at times, but that made them both more human.
Ruby and Danny, her coworker, is another compelling aspect of this book. Danny is several years older than Ruby, and Ruby is still a minor, but the attraction between them is impossible to deny. What to do about it is the problem. Mr. Alessi forbids anything from happening, and Danny's struggle to maintain his distance was well written. I felt bad for him and Ruby, but the tension created was great. Their romantic struggle stayed pretty clean, as well, which I appreciated. Sutrman-Coombs did a very good job of keeping it interesting and anxious without resulting to graphic scenes.
The mystery itself of who Mr. Alessi's dangerous clients are and what is going on with them was well developed. To me, it did take a little bit of a backseat to the characters' personal stories, but that speaks more to the strength of the characters than anything lacking in the storyline. I was interested in the truth behind these clients the whole time, and they certainly amped up the tension and worry factor in several places. There were several surprises that I thought were well done, as well.
Overall, this was a highly entertaining book and I am eager to read more of Jessica's Sturman-Coombs works, but there were a few issues that will give readers some trouble.
The editing in this book was, too be honest, a huge struggle. This book needs to be re-edited right away or it is going to put readers off in the first few chapters. It was consistently filled with grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the book and it was very distracting at times.
Another issue was that the British school system, and other aspects of British life were not explained at all. For those unfamiliar with these areas, people like me, it was very confusing. I had no idea what was going on with the tests Ruby was supposed to take and why she wasn't still attending school. These really need to be broken down for non-British readers in order for them to get a better understanding of what Ruby is facing, and so they don't spend the first several chapters being confused.
The last main issue I had with this book was that even though Ruby was a great character that I really enjoyed, she was not very realistic as an abused child. I have worked with abused children, and I have done a decent amount of research on abusive relationships for various books I've worked on. Ruby's reactions and attitudes do not match a young woman who has spent her life being abused. She is very willful and combative, rather than afraid and submissive like many abuse victims tend to be.
To me, Ruby seemed to be the character that everyone wishes a young adult in an abusive situation could be. We all want them to be able to fight back and get themselves away from the person who is hurting them. In reality, that doesn't happen often enough. It is a very hard thing as a writer to make your characters do things you don't want them to do, like give in to their abuser and refuse to take an opportunity to leave. In this book, Ruby makes those choices that we as readers would want her to, but in the end readers know that isn't very realistic and something is lost for them in the connection to Ruby.
Despite these areas that need improvement, Jessica Sturman-Coombs is a fabulous storyteller. She obviously has a very creative mind and the talent to capture readers attention and hold onto it. I will continue to read more of her work. The areas I mentioned that need work are small in comparison to the overall strength of her ability and her book. I am confident that these few items will improve as she continues to write and hone her skills.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, it is a wonderfully compelling story that will pull in many readers. There are some issues with the book, but I don't think they are enough to overpower the story.
Who would I recommend this book to? This is mainly going to be for older teens (some of the themes are too mature for younger readers) and adults. There are elements that will attract mystery/crime readers, drama readers, and romance readers.
Check out my other reviews at The Edible Bookshelf
The themes of this book are quite compelling. Ruby faces abuse from her father, sexual intimidation from a young man who is supposed to be her friend, interest from a coworker that she very much wants to return but knows she shouldn't, and a boss that domineering but seems to be trying to help her while at the same time pulling her deeper into a dangerous world. The main storyline of this book kept me interested from start to finish. Each character was well crafted and had qualities that I could relate to. I cared about what happened to Ruby and Danny, and even Mr. Alessi. I was very invested in what happened to them from early in the book.
The relationships between the characters was what really made them shine. Ruby finagles her way into the law office, and Mr Alessi is the first to catch onto her trickery. Rather than toss her out, he sees her potential. He knows she can become something more than a troubled girl, but that hardly means he takes it easy on her. He often goes back an forth between trying to protect her and help her grow and berating her for mistakes. It's more than a little confusing to Ruby at times, but that made them both more human.
Ruby and Danny, her coworker, is another compelling aspect of this book. Danny is several years older than Ruby, and Ruby is still a minor, but the attraction between them is impossible to deny. What to do about it is the problem. Mr. Alessi forbids anything from happening, and Danny's struggle to maintain his distance was well written. I felt bad for him and Ruby, but the tension created was great. Their romantic struggle stayed pretty clean, as well, which I appreciated. Sutrman-Coombs did a very good job of keeping it interesting and anxious without resulting to graphic scenes.
The mystery itself of who Mr. Alessi's dangerous clients are and what is going on with them was well developed. To me, it did take a little bit of a backseat to the characters' personal stories, but that speaks more to the strength of the characters than anything lacking in the storyline. I was interested in the truth behind these clients the whole time, and they certainly amped up the tension and worry factor in several places. There were several surprises that I thought were well done, as well.
Overall, this was a highly entertaining book and I am eager to read more of Jessica's Sturman-Coombs works, but there were a few issues that will give readers some trouble.
The editing in this book was, too be honest, a huge struggle. This book needs to be re-edited right away or it is going to put readers off in the first few chapters. It was consistently filled with grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the book and it was very distracting at times.
Another issue was that the British school system, and other aspects of British life were not explained at all. For those unfamiliar with these areas, people like me, it was very confusing. I had no idea what was going on with the tests Ruby was supposed to take and why she wasn't still attending school. These really need to be broken down for non-British readers in order for them to get a better understanding of what Ruby is facing, and so they don't spend the first several chapters being confused.
The last main issue I had with this book was that even though Ruby was a great character that I really enjoyed, she was not very realistic as an abused child. I have worked with abused children, and I have done a decent amount of research on abusive relationships for various books I've worked on. Ruby's reactions and attitudes do not match a young woman who has spent her life being abused. She is very willful and combative, rather than afraid and submissive like many abuse victims tend to be.
To me, Ruby seemed to be the character that everyone wishes a young adult in an abusive situation could be. We all want them to be able to fight back and get themselves away from the person who is hurting them. In reality, that doesn't happen often enough. It is a very hard thing as a writer to make your characters do things you don't want them to do, like give in to their abuser and refuse to take an opportunity to leave. In this book, Ruby makes those choices that we as readers would want her to, but in the end readers know that isn't very realistic and something is lost for them in the connection to Ruby.
Despite these areas that need improvement, Jessica Sturman-Coombs is a fabulous storyteller. She obviously has a very creative mind and the talent to capture readers attention and hold onto it. I will continue to read more of her work. The areas I mentioned that need work are small in comparison to the overall strength of her ability and her book. I am confident that these few items will improve as she continues to write and hone her skills.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, it is a wonderfully compelling story that will pull in many readers. There are some issues with the book, but I don't think they are enough to overpower the story.
Who would I recommend this book to? This is mainly going to be for older teens (some of the themes are too mature for younger readers) and adults. There are elements that will attract mystery/crime readers, drama readers, and romance readers.
Check out my other reviews at The Edible Bookshelf
September 17, 2012
Ruby Palmer’s world is falling apart, and yet she refuses to let life control her. The opening scenes of Jess Sturman-Coomb’s novel, Pokerface, find Ruby just out of high school with no real prospects for the future. She saves face by lying to a classmate and tells him she has a job at a law firm. Then she actually walks into one at random and manages to get a job as a junior office assistant. Thus begins Ruby’s transition from passive bystander to master of her own fate.
Due to her bad attitude and lack of real skills, Ruby gets shuffled around the office. Eventually, Mr. Aleesi, a high-ranking criminal lawyer eventually takes her under his wing. Ruby then gradually starts to build healthier relationships in her life as well as engage in a budding romance with Danny, Mr. Aleesi’s assistant. One day, Ruby doesn’t quite follow Mr. Aleesi’s directions to leave the office for the rest of the day, and she bears witness to his questionable clientele.
The opening scenes of Pokerface also introduce the reader to Ruby’s horrible home life where she suffers the brutal fists of her alcoholic father. It’s not until much later that the reader learns more about her mother’s whereabouts. These opening scenes and similar ones throughout the book contain many twists and turns and often feel too over-the-top at times, but engaging nonetheless.
Pokerface, while primarily written in a third-person limited point of view, occasionally slips into the viewpoints of other characters. The story is Ruby’s, so during the times the author switched to Danny’s point of view, the momentum of the story fizzled. Also, at least once, the story switches to Mr. Aleesi’s point of view, which worked to further dilute Ruby’s power as narrator.
Much of the time, the characters engage in super-long paragraphs of dialogue when the story would be better served by more description of the action taking place punctuated by short bursts of dialogue for a more naturalistic effect. Many readers are likely tend to skim such parts. A few minor editing errors also persist, such as using “passed” when the right word would be “past.”
The real fun of this book occurs in the law firm’s dealings with the mafia as well as how Ruby gets the opportunity to pull herself up by the bootstraps. Thematically, the reader will wonder what it really takes to get ahead in life. Many of us will never have the chance to play our cards as wisely as Ruby.
Jess Sturman-Coombs definitely has some awesome writing chops. Readers will readily follow Ruby Palmer on more adventures. I gladly look forward to seeing what the author can accomplish and what refinement she will bring to crafting the next installment in the Pokerface series.
JeriWB.com (3.25 Stars "Liked It")
Due to her bad attitude and lack of real skills, Ruby gets shuffled around the office. Eventually, Mr. Aleesi, a high-ranking criminal lawyer eventually takes her under his wing. Ruby then gradually starts to build healthier relationships in her life as well as engage in a budding romance with Danny, Mr. Aleesi’s assistant. One day, Ruby doesn’t quite follow Mr. Aleesi’s directions to leave the office for the rest of the day, and she bears witness to his questionable clientele.
The opening scenes of Pokerface also introduce the reader to Ruby’s horrible home life where she suffers the brutal fists of her alcoholic father. It’s not until much later that the reader learns more about her mother’s whereabouts. These opening scenes and similar ones throughout the book contain many twists and turns and often feel too over-the-top at times, but engaging nonetheless.
Pokerface, while primarily written in a third-person limited point of view, occasionally slips into the viewpoints of other characters. The story is Ruby’s, so during the times the author switched to Danny’s point of view, the momentum of the story fizzled. Also, at least once, the story switches to Mr. Aleesi’s point of view, which worked to further dilute Ruby’s power as narrator.
Much of the time, the characters engage in super-long paragraphs of dialogue when the story would be better served by more description of the action taking place punctuated by short bursts of dialogue for a more naturalistic effect. Many readers are likely tend to skim such parts. A few minor editing errors also persist, such as using “passed” when the right word would be “past.”
The real fun of this book occurs in the law firm’s dealings with the mafia as well as how Ruby gets the opportunity to pull herself up by the bootstraps. Thematically, the reader will wonder what it really takes to get ahead in life. Many of us will never have the chance to play our cards as wisely as Ruby.
Jess Sturman-Coombs definitely has some awesome writing chops. Readers will readily follow Ruby Palmer on more adventures. I gladly look forward to seeing what the author can accomplish and what refinement she will bring to crafting the next installment in the Pokerface series.
JeriWB.com (3.25 Stars "Liked It")
January 14, 2013
Poker Face has the ingredients: a strong female protagonist (I'd like to work with Ruby!); well-drawn supporting characters, both helpful and... not-so-helpful; an active and engaging plot; descriptions that made me feel the settings. The ingredients are stirred, blended, smoothed a little, and as a result, Poker Face is a confection, a delight!
With all that, you say, why only four stars? There aren't enough grammar or formatting errors to drop a star. So... I'm American, and while I'm pretty well read in British fiction, and have had several friends and acquaintances who live in England (I know what a kerb is, and an estate, for example), there are British colloquialisms aplenty. Not a surprise, from a British author, and normally I'd overlook it. However, Ms Sturman-Coombs left me in the lurch several times. Having to look in my British dictionary (and not always finding an answer) took me right out of the story, and it is a story I didn't want to be taken out of.
Let me hasten to add that this complaint does not extend to dialogue, where whatever fits the character and the situation works. In narration, however, I'd like one of Ms Sturman-Coombs readers or editors to come from a less British speaking background and perhaps raise the less widely known phrases as possible things to reword.
That aside (and it mayn't apply if you're more widely read than I in contemporary British fiction - or conversation, maybe), this is a wonderful story that I'm happy to recommend to YA readers and adults alike. There's no talking down here: we see realistic, uncomfortable situations, and intelligent, uncontrived (by the author, that is) reactions and solutions. I'm anxiously awaiting the next offering.
This review based on the Kindle version.
With all that, you say, why only four stars? There aren't enough grammar or formatting errors to drop a star. So... I'm American, and while I'm pretty well read in British fiction, and have had several friends and acquaintances who live in England (I know what a kerb is, and an estate, for example), there are British colloquialisms aplenty. Not a surprise, from a British author, and normally I'd overlook it. However, Ms Sturman-Coombs left me in the lurch several times. Having to look in my British dictionary (and not always finding an answer) took me right out of the story, and it is a story I didn't want to be taken out of.
Let me hasten to add that this complaint does not extend to dialogue, where whatever fits the character and the situation works. In narration, however, I'd like one of Ms Sturman-Coombs readers or editors to come from a less British speaking background and perhaps raise the less widely known phrases as possible things to reword.
That aside (and it mayn't apply if you're more widely read than I in contemporary British fiction - or conversation, maybe), this is a wonderful story that I'm happy to recommend to YA readers and adults alike. There's no talking down here: we see realistic, uncomfortable situations, and intelligent, uncontrived (by the author, that is) reactions and solutions. I'm anxiously awaiting the next offering.
This review based on the Kindle version.
October 1, 2013
I loved this story!
Poker Face has the ingredients: a strong female protagonist (I'd like to work with Ruby!); well-drawn supporting characters, both helpful and... not-so-helpful; an active and engaging plot; descriptions that made me feel the settings. The ingredients are stirred, blended, smoothed a little, and as a result, Poker Face is a confection, a delight!
With all that, you say, why only four stars? There aren't enough grammar or formatting errors to drop a star. So... I'm American, and while I'm pretty well read in British fiction, and have had several friends and acquaintances who live in England (I know what a kerb is, and an estate, for example), there are British colloquialisms aplenty. Not a surprise, from a British author, and normally I'd overlook it. However, Ms Sturman-Coombs left me in the lurch several times. Having to look in my British dictionary (and not always finding an answer) took me right out of the story, and it is a story I didn't want to be taken out of.
Let me hasten to add that this complaint does not extend to dialogue, where whatever fits the character and the situation works. In narration, however, I'd like one of Ms Sturman-Coombs readers or editors to come from a less British speaking background and perhaps raise the less widely known phrases as possible things to reword.
That aside (and it mayn't apply if you're more widely read than I in contemporary British fiction - or conversation, maybe), this is a wonderful story that I'm happy to recommend to YA readers and adults alike. There's no talking down here: we see realistic, uncomfortable situations, and intelligent, uncontrived (by the author, that is) reactions and solutions. I'm anxiously awaiting the next offering.
Poker Face has the ingredients: a strong female protagonist (I'd like to work with Ruby!); well-drawn supporting characters, both helpful and... not-so-helpful; an active and engaging plot; descriptions that made me feel the settings. The ingredients are stirred, blended, smoothed a little, and as a result, Poker Face is a confection, a delight!
With all that, you say, why only four stars? There aren't enough grammar or formatting errors to drop a star. So... I'm American, and while I'm pretty well read in British fiction, and have had several friends and acquaintances who live in England (I know what a kerb is, and an estate, for example), there are British colloquialisms aplenty. Not a surprise, from a British author, and normally I'd overlook it. However, Ms Sturman-Coombs left me in the lurch several times. Having to look in my British dictionary (and not always finding an answer) took me right out of the story, and it is a story I didn't want to be taken out of.
Let me hasten to add that this complaint does not extend to dialogue, where whatever fits the character and the situation works. In narration, however, I'd like one of Ms Sturman-Coombs readers or editors to come from a less British speaking background and perhaps raise the less widely known phrases as possible things to reword.
That aside (and it mayn't apply if you're more widely read than I in contemporary British fiction - or conversation, maybe), this is a wonderful story that I'm happy to recommend to YA readers and adults alike. There's no talking down here: we see realistic, uncomfortable situations, and intelligent, uncontrived (by the author, that is) reactions and solutions. I'm anxiously awaiting the next offering.
August 6, 2012
Oh, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby… Young, brash, outwardly fearless and bold as brass, but inwardly a mess, thanks to her abusive father, Ruby has once again let her mouth dig her into a hole. Now, she just has to find a job to avoid spending the summer at home with her drunken father.
In a hilarious turn of events, she lands the job and from there the roller-coaster of a story brings thrills and chills. An old-fashioned lawyer and his young handsome junior take Ruby into their offices and working life takes a decidedly lively turn.
Jess Sturman-Coombs has created a lively cast of well-developed characters, led by Ruby Palmer. She’s endearing, exasperating, mouthy, and sometimes tender. But, she’s never uninteresting. The story is well written and easily held my interest with more twists and turns than a bowl of spaghetti. In fact, it was only with great difficulty that I put it aside when other chores became too pressing. The lively dialogue, coupled with Sturman-Coombs’ ability to create heart thumping situations and descriptive story-telling made this book a real joy to read.
Poker Face is definitely a 5-Star read and I’m anxious to see what comes out of Jess Sturm-Coombs’ pen next!
See the full review at my blog: http://olbigjim.wordpress.com/2012/08...
In a hilarious turn of events, she lands the job and from there the roller-coaster of a story brings thrills and chills. An old-fashioned lawyer and his young handsome junior take Ruby into their offices and working life takes a decidedly lively turn.
Jess Sturman-Coombs has created a lively cast of well-developed characters, led by Ruby Palmer. She’s endearing, exasperating, mouthy, and sometimes tender. But, she’s never uninteresting. The story is well written and easily held my interest with more twists and turns than a bowl of spaghetti. In fact, it was only with great difficulty that I put it aside when other chores became too pressing. The lively dialogue, coupled with Sturman-Coombs’ ability to create heart thumping situations and descriptive story-telling made this book a real joy to read.
Poker Face is definitely a 5-Star read and I’m anxious to see what comes out of Jess Sturm-Coombs’ pen next!
See the full review at my blog: http://olbigjim.wordpress.com/2012/08...
July 9, 2013
I took forever to read this wonderful story (life got in the way), and really shouldn't have as it's a cracking read and would appeal particularly to young people, especially as it focuses on feisty Ruby Palmer who is fresh out of school and entering her first full time employment in a law firm's office. I was reminded of how I felt when I was the 'new girl' in my office 30 years ago! Ruby is a fabulous character, as are Danny and Mr Alessi. The author has a talent of giving just enough description in order for you to create a perfect picture in your mind's eye of the characters and their surroundings. The story has a believable, engaging and intriguing plot, and it is written very well. Highly recommended! Well done Jess!
August 6, 2012
Average to above-average writing, good character plot. I hated some things in the book especially long dialogues at the time of stress and the endings. The author should try to trim out the fat from the sentences, I know it's easy to say than do but I found the writing to be more elaborate than required.
Also the author should understand that the reader does follow her story and that he/she would be aware of the plot, and not describe it in every dialogue between main characters.
Great plot and setting, but I'd have loved more description on the scene than the detailed dialogues.
Also the author should understand that the reader does follow her story and that he/she would be aware of the plot, and not describe it in every dialogue between main characters.
Great plot and setting, but I'd have loved more description on the scene than the detailed dialogues.
August 28, 2012
A great portrait of a teenage girl's journey into straightening herself out - though not without several entertaining and exciting twists and turns along the way, and with help from quite a surprising source, in the end! A gripping storyline, with warm, engaging characters. I look forward to seeing the author's talents develop in the promised further volumes in the Pokerface series.
January 25, 2014
A good read and pretty well woven. I liked the character and the story idea and I am curious to read more. My only issue was whether the main character was just that flipped around back and forth or really whether that was just like a teenage girl. I've never been one. I like the author very much and read this for her and I am glad I did. It was far from a waste of time so read on and enjoy.
August 28, 2012
a fabulous read - an excellent first time novel! Ruby is engaging and often has you shaking your head in despair but wanting to jump in and save her at the same time! All the characters are very well constructed and believable. Cant wait for the sequel!
June 4, 2013
I read a lot of YA books, they are usually fantasy or paranormal but this one was different, it was a thriller set in a lawyers office. The female character was feisty and fun although her background story was hard hitting. I will definitely be getting the next book in the series.
October 16, 2014
A great book about one girl fighting for a better future and at sometimes her life itself. Also along the way she makes new friends, finds out things she shouldn't, loses people close to her and finds romance. Can't wait for the follow up.
January 9, 2013
I very much enjoyed this book - the heroine Ruby is feisty, troubled but very vulnerable too and I became very fond of her whilst reading of her adventures.
June 5, 2013
Highly recommend this gripping read!
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