Book Review: Shaken

Shaken (2016), the third instalment to Joss Stirling’s Struck (2014) series, was without a doubt a book I was excited to read.

After reading previous books Struck (2015) and Stung (2015), I knew this book was going to be an exhilarating read. I was not disappointed.

In this gripping novel, we are introduced to 16-year-old Rose Knight. A genius American girl who get entangled in her Dad’s and brother’s criminal ways.

Rose is always the one to be dragging them out of trouble, but when her Dad is kidnapped and a regular demand of money is left on Rose’s doorstep in exchange for his life and Rose’s brother is not prepared to help, who else is there left to ask?

One of my favourite characters in this novel is Rose. Despite her having an extraordinary intelligence that anyone would beg to have, she is also the typical girl who gets shy and nervous speaking to new people and who easily gets flustered around guys. She is a character both worth envying and feeling pity for.

She is also a character who is easy to sympathise for in her lack of luck and poor fashion sense.

Now, a Joss Stirling novel obviously would not be complete without the dashing men coming to rescue! This time round we meet 18-year-old Damien Castle from London, belonging to the Cobra’s in the YDA (Young Detectives Agency) who is currently spending time with his mate Joe in America. We previously met Damien in the novel Stung (2015), a fierce while handsomely protective character.

I love Damien’s personality, how he is so protective and is a typical British gentleman, yet how at the same time he is a complete flirt and sweet talker, who won’t let anyone get in his way when it comes to the girl he likes.

I also enjoyed how Joe Masters returns to the books after his break from the series due to the problems that had occurred to him in Struck.

This time round Joe acts like the protective and defensive big brother of Rose Knight as they are next door neighbours and have been friends since they were kids – needless to say, despite Joe’s doubts that Damien would never fancy the clumsy, fashion disaster Rose, Joe still set strict rules for Damien to keep his distance.

But things aren’t always what they seem.

As a reader, we get to experience the fun moments, of Damien having an amusing time on his break away with Joe, on holiday from the YDA, there is a fantastically flirty Halloween party and Damien’s birthday party that expectedly leads to disaster. Not forgetting Damien’s Uncle Julien who is such a fun and lively character.

What I enjoy about Joss Stirling’s books, is she is supportive on all types of people, cultures and the gay community, shown in all the different varieties of characters used and Uncle Julien who is revealed to be gay in Stung.

Definitely a novel for all people to enjoy with the fun romance, jokes and the rushes of danger.