The Altar Girl is a prequel to the Nadia Tesla series.  Nadia Tesla is divorced and she has just lost her job as a financial forensics investigator in New York.   She must return to her hometown, where she is now judged as an outsider by friends and family, to attend the funeral of her Ukrainian godfather.  

 

Although her godfather's death was determined to be an accident, Nadia isn't buying it.   After asking too many questions at the funeral, Nadia finds that she has attracted unwanted attention and ruffled more than a few feathers in the neighborhood.  While working to uncover the secrets her godfather held, she must examine her relationships with both her mother and her brother as well.

 

After having finished the Nadia Tesla trilogy, I moved on to read this prequel which was the last book published.  I'm just not sure, but I feel like having the background contained in this book would have made me like the first book a little more.  The one thing I felt the first book lacked was the building of a connection between the reader and Nadia.  I did wind up liking the end of the series quite well though.  I also quite like it when there IS an end to a series.  And it's always nice to have a prequel, whether it was written before or after.  

 

NOTE:  As an added perk, I borrowed each of these books on my Kindle for free because I'm an Amazon Prime member.

 

 

I hadn't noticed this book was the final part in a series until I started reading. By then, it was too late to turn around as I was immediately pulled into the story. Yes, I felt like I missed certain things because I hadn't read the first two books, but no, this never really bothered as the story still can be read and understood (it's just the backstory that's somewhat lacking).

 

I was intrigued by the title, The Boy Who Glowed In The Dark, I'm not even sure why. I wasn't sure what kind of story I was supposed to be expecting, except that it had something to do with Chernobyl. Bobby is a Chernobyl survivor, now living undercover in America. An ice hockey talent and somehow the carrier of a part of a very important formula. Besides, he's got some serious skills in loosing tails and other spy-related stuff. Apparently these come with a big dose of radiation.

When he receives a mysterious email from someone claiming to also be a part of the formula he and his aunt Nadia Tesla'll need to travel to yet another nuclear power disaster to find some answers.

 

What I really liked about the story was the different settings, Ukraine, Russia, Japan. It worked great. It was a fast-paced thriller that kept me guessing for some time. Here and there it could have been a bit tighter, a bit more organized, but all in all I really quite enjoyed myself reading this. The ending did feel a bit hurried. However, I have gotten myself a copy of the first book in this series and plan on reading it sometime soon.

 

The boy who glowed in the dark is the final book in the Nadia Tesla series. The first two books are The boy from reactor 4 and The boy who stole from the dead.

 

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I received a free kindle copy of The Boy Who Glowed in the Dark (The Nadia Tesla Series, Book 3) by Orest Stelmach published by Thomas & Mercer from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I gave this suspenseful thriller four stars in spite of the fact that I was lost with some of the characters. It would have been easier to understand the references to earlier events if I had read the previous books. This was the first time I've read any of Stelmach's work & this novel barely stands alone.

Fukushima Nuclear Disaster in Japan in 2011 & the Chernobyl disaster, the 1986 nuclear plant accident in Ukraine both are referenced & woven intricately throughout the story. There is a hope that Bobby Nadia Tesla's nephew (cousin?) can contain the secret to help save mankind from nuclear radiation damages.

It is fast paced & eerie in descriptions of the deserted cities. Although the areas are the 'forbidden zone' some people have returned in spite of the barricades.

It ended in a cliff hanger. That's not my favorite style of ending & what cost the novel a star.

Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Glowed-Dark-Nadia-Tesla-Series/dp/1477822844/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Moonlight Reader started the TBR Thursday, and I think it's a good way to a) show what new books I've got and b) confront myself with my inability to lower my TBR. In fact, since I started recording it, it has risen significantly. I get the feeling I'm doing something wrong here...

 

Just a short update today, as I've just donated blood and feel a little bit tired now (and it's also almost 11pm so that might have to do something with it as well. Reading is OK, but my studies are taking a lot of my time so I hope I will be able to keep up with the reading as well. With only two new additions, and one is a picture book I would be able to finish very fast, I think that's not too bad either.

 

TBR pile currently stands at 206. (-2)

(Netgalley ARCs at 64 (=))