Geza TatrallyayCritiques

Geza Tatrallyay has made another fantastic and thrilling novel!

The Rainbow Vintner follows Morgan and Alex on one wild ride in Bordeaux, France. The story of this novel is influenced heavily by recent terror events and puts a brand new lens on these incidences. When Morgan and Alex get caught up in a giant plot against France, will they be able to alive and together?

There's also a lot of politics in this book. It's a political thriller, so it was a given (in my opinion). I like how Geza approach politics and political commentary in his book. I feel like I learn a different view of the world every time I grab one of his novels.

This book felt like Geza wrote it for me - I seriously loved it that much. Combine the fact that Geza always puts something knowledgeable and new in the books (and that lets me learn!), he also has amazing references. The reference to his own book, Twisted Reasons, had me giggling. The world views about terrorism had me intrigued. And, of course, throw in a Beatles reference and I'm an instant fan.

If I had to pick one thing I liked about this book it would be the paranoia. Somehow, Geza makes the paranoia real in this book. Who can be trusted? Should everyone be trusted? Going with my own gut, I ended up having a pretty good guess for what was going to happen (I wasn't entirely accurate though). Watching Morgan question if she should answer any phone calls and if she should change her look made it painstakingly obvious that this book was high stakes. The entire book grew progressively more exciting and built it's way up to the ultimate thrill ride.

If I had to pick one thing I didn't like it would be that it took a while for the book to really get into the action. The initial explanations were needed for this book to move and flow as good as it did, but that was a little con for me.

Side note: There seemed to be a lot of reference to read wine in this book. Like, a clear obsession...

I believe this book would be a solid read for the New Adult or older audience. We followed teenagers in this book, but it felt a little darker than purely YA. A teenager could read it no problem, but it felt like a book written for adults. There are some really rough and unsettling scenes in the book, so reader beware - if you have a light heart or stomach, maybe do a little research into the book first. That being said, it's not as R rated as Twisted Reasons. It felt like a couple steps lower on the rating steps, if you know what I mean.

Overall, I think this book was marvelous! There's lots of thrills, twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat, a splash of romance, and lots of paranoia. It was a really fun ride and I can't wait for Geza to throw more books my way!

Five out of five stars!

I received this book for free from the author, Geza Tetrallyay, in exchange for an honest review.

The Fencers by Geza Tatrallyay is a beautifully woven, true tale of perseverance and fencing!

Autobiographies and biographies are one of those 'genres' that I really fall in love with when I start diving into them. Reading about someone's life and peeking into their mind is a truly marvelous experience for me! Having the opportunity to read Geza's story, in Canada of all places, was absolutely breathtaking!

This book isn't long, but it sure packs a punch. This story follows Geza's journey studying in Canada and joining the Olympic fencing team. I really enjoyed the fencing side of the story! I have always found fencing to be a memorizing sport to watch. Reading Geza's explanations of how the game is played and how various matches went was excellent! The ups and downs of a match, the crazy stories Olympians can tell and the descriptions of the matches were just so darn cool.

Fencing isn't the only aspect of this story that makes it so intriguing to me. Geza helping his friend Paul really stood out in this story. The Hungarian is trying to seek refuge in Canada, and Geza is up for the challenge. There were just so many aspects of this story that tied together to make it attention grabbing. The Olympic story line, Geza's undergraduate and graduate tales and Paul's story all wrapped up into one perfect gift.

The story may pull at your heart strings a bit near the end, but otherwise it's an empowering tale!

If I had a con, it'd be that I wanted a little more. Some of the stories presented were written beautifully, but I would have love to pick Geza's brain more! They sounded so interesting and I'm sure there's more to some of these stories than what made it into the book.

Overall, this book was a real gem! I'm glad I had the opportunity to pick this book up! I needed more biographies on my shelf, so this book will be the perfect fit!

Five out of five stars!

I received this book for free from the author, Geza Tatrallyay, in exchange for an honest review.

The Mind Spins by Geza Tatrallyay is a fun and intriguing selection of short stories, all crafted from Geza's creative mind or from his even more wacky dreams.

It's nice every once in a while to dip into some short stories or anthologies. Short pieces of fiction can really make you think or wonder what would happen after the story ends. Geza's collection of stories is a masterpiece of thought provoking fiction. I definitely had my favourites in this collection, but all of them are unique and engaging.

I personally enjoyed the conscious writing more than the dream writing, but every reader will have a different opinion. My two favourite stories was The Purple School Bus and The Abandoned Bra. There was also many other stories of nostalgia, memories, family, human trafficking, and tumbling into the unconscious.

What I found so fun and cool about these stories was the distinct nature of explaining that half of them were conscious writing and half of them dreams. It not only gives you some very different plot and ideas, but it can give you a peek into the writer's mind. Back in my school days, our English teachers always suggested we reach into our dreams instead of our conscious minds for stories. They always claimed because our dreams were more interesting than our everyday minds (which at the time I don't think was a very accurate, as I was far more creative as a child than I am now... but that's a whole different education system issue). The peek inside of Geza's brain is just an added bonus to the sophisticated collection presented to us in these stories.

Overall, I think this is a fabulous, little read. It's short, it's engaging, and it's super interesting. Short stories are a fun way to take small breaks from the big reads, and get small pieces of engaging reading. I highly recommend picking up this little collection. Geza's writing is (as always) fantastic and a break away from reality.

Four out of five stars!

I received this book for free from the author, Geza Tatrallyay, in exchange of an honest review.

Geza Tatrallyay is at it again with another fantastic read! Arctic Meltdown is an excellent book to pick up if you love history and mystery.

Let me be clear, I'm not a big fan of reading history in fiction. History is cool and I love learning the non-fiction side of it, but history in fiction normally turns me off. I'd rather watch a television show that shows history than read it. That's how I've always been. And then, Geza Tatrallyay stumbles into my reading sphere. Geza is one of the few authors that can write history and get me into it. He is able to grab my attention and keep it, all due to his writing style and prose. I always like to think it's that old saying, "You won't know unless you try it." Geza is that flavour of historical fiction that makes me go, "Yeah, this is good."

Anywho, this book needs an actual review, doesn't it?

This thriller sets us up in the melting polar icecaps. Hanne Kristensen, our lead, is a Danish geologist who wants to save the world (that's not a tall order or anything). This is pretty typical for Geza's books - a smart, intriguing lead who's going to set themselves up for one heck of a journey. They always welcome you into the story, fill you with curiosity, and then let you sat the world on fire with them. Well, not literally. Basically, they pull you in and take you down for one heck of a fun (reading) ride.

This book has a lot of political points throughout - Russian, Chinese, the works. The environmental concerns are also right up front and written all over. I honestly enjoyed seeing the different takes this book has! The initial introduction chapter didn't grab my attention at all, but once I got into the meat of the book I quite enjoyed it! Hanne was also far more interesting than what the initial meeting with her suggests.

But, what about the plot? I can hear you guys just screaming at me. Okay, okay.... With everything melting in the North Pole who has rights to what's underneath? There's so much down there - natural resources, potential creatures that could ruin humanity, extinct animals... You know, all the good stuff. Many countries are fighting to get what's underneath, but the conflict might bring up more bad than good...

This book might be fiction, but BOY does it make you think a lot. It felt like I was going down a dystopian rabbit hole. We're already kind of in it during my writing of this review in 2021... It's not too far off to see this happening tomorrow. Geza's imagination and creativity really wins you over with this book. Add in the true facts and historical moments that Geza throws in, and it's a wonder this book isn't more popular.

I did really like the reference to Canada laying claim to the Northwest Passage. Not that it adds much to the book other than I recently finished an English course that talked about Canada's history in fiction. The Northwest Passage was one of our talking points, so it made me smile to see a pinch of this in Arctic Meltdown.

Then there's my negative...A love triangle. If you know me, you know I am a SUCKER for romance. Unfortunately, this book didn't really need it. I didn't see the point in the romance and I thought the love triangle was kind of... bleh. That's what you get coming from a primarily romance reviewer. I definitely picked my side in it, but you can pick yours. There was definitely a clear winner and loser in my head. I'll leave it up to you to figure that out...

More key points about this book:
1. 100% an adult book. It has some R rated scenes, so I would highly recommend mature audiences pick it up.

2. This book is super smart and you can tell Geza did his research to make it. The intellectual nature of this book reminds me of Dan Brown's research when he writes his novels.

3. Top notch thrill ride. Yeah, that's all I'm adding for this line.

4. This book is long, but it moves fairly fast. There's constant plot movement and dialogue to keep you engaged.

5. There are endnotes for the historical events and true facts in this book. I absolutely ADORE a well researched book, so footnotes and endnotes get a bonus mark from me.

6. You'll learn a fair bit about Denmark (if you don't already know a lot). I never imagined I would learn so much, and I do appreciate it. I like learning a few new facts to throw out there.

7. It's about time we have an Oceanography led book. While this is sarcastic, I do like books that focus on your "not so typically read about" jobs. I definitely get tired of reading barista and authors getting the lime light since it's an "easy" job to throw on a character.

My biggest negatives:

1. The sex scenes are.... goofy. I come from the world of romance, so I tend to like my sex scenes to be written... well. Raunchy, romantic, however you want it there is a good way to write it. I just felt like these sex scenes didn't need to be there and felt very... forced. They felt awkward and unneeded, which isn't something you want out of a sex scene. Sex scenes can set the tone, so if this book was supposed to feel awkward... well, it did.

2. You need to pay attention to this book! It's not exactly a negative, but if you want a book to jump in and out of without much thought, this might not be it. Make sure you are prepared to pay attention and know what's going on. I sometimes read books just for fun and not to "pay much attention", and his book does not fit that mold. So, buyer beware!

Overall, if you like politics and environmental studies, with a pinch of mysteries and thrills... Pick up this book! It'a fantastic read!

Four out of five stars.

I received a free copy of this book fro the author, Geza Tatrallyay, in exchange of an honest review.

Twisted Traffick is an incredible sequel in the Twisted Trilogy, and oh my gosh does Geza step it up!

Most of the time, the second book in a series is quite dull - it's prepping the reader for the third, exciting, final act. Yet, Geza makes the second book top the first one and ups the antics!

I honestly liked this book WAY more than the first novel (and the first book was phenomenal). It delves further into Greg, Anne and Julia's story and gets them heavily into the action.

This story is not for the light-hearted - it's about the sex trade and human trafficking side of our dark world. There's some really brutal sex scenes in this book, so I wouldn't recommend it for readers who like the lighter side of thriller novels. But, if you're okay with a little brutality in your story, this book is perfect! It's thrilling, it's fast paced and it delves into serious issues. And, oh boy, it's descriptive. You feel like you're there (which at some points, I don't think the reader really wanted too)!

I liked how the story progressed overall. It starts out how you'd expect, with Anne and Greg enjoying their lives, and suddenly they are thrust back into the action. The plot seems realistic within the story it's set, and it even goes back into the past to give us insight into the drama. The book also ends in a way that can make the book stand on it's own, which is a big plus for me as a reviewer. I believe that most readers would be able to jump into this book and not be totally confused, but I would recommend reading the first one.

My main con was that Julia definitely gets the short end of the stick again, so I hope in the next book she isn't needing a knight in shining armor. Other than that, the book is a real hit!

Five out of five stars!

I received a free copy of this book from the author Geza Tatrallyay in exchange for an honest review.

One Word: Wow!

Twisted Reasons by Geza Tatrallyay was an epic, suspenseful thriller that kept me hooked at every turn!

This thriller novel follows an international story revolving around stolen uranium - trailing across Russia, Vienna, Georgia, and other beautiful landscapes. While I don't know much about those areas or the atomic bombs, I found Geza's retellings to be enough to get me really hooked to the story. Mix in Geza's skill of weaving a beautiful story, epic character arcs and the suspenseful twists and turns and you've got one awesome novel!

DISCLAIMER: There were some R rated scenes in this novel (both sexual and horrific in nature), so if you are not comfortable with brutal topics, this book might not be for you.

My pros: The chapters are short (which makes it great for little caffeine breaks for this reviewer!), relatable characters who grow over the novel, epic twists and turns (some I saw coming, but I've watched too many soap operas), incredible descriptions (landscapes, history, etc), and the story comes to a "close". There is a sequel, but I like when a book can be it's own entity and have an ending.

My cons: The cover is boring. I am the type of person who will pick up a book because the cover looks cool (yeah, I know, don't judge a book by it's cover but some covers are just SO awesome), so I might have skipped over this book. Luckily, I didn't, because this book is a real gem and a must read for those who love suspense and thrills!

Overall, this book was intense and awesome. I really enjoyed it and I want to read more! I liked it more than most famous/popular thriller novels are out there. It felt more real and not "typical". While it does have a "typical" story line - thriller, suspense, mystery, politics, war - it felt unique by the way Geza wrote it. He knows his material, he is clearly a very talented writer, and he makes characters we get invested in. Most stories follow the same old, same old path with the same story arc - Geza made this feel different, and I really enjoyed it. That being said, I will definitely be picking up the sequel!

Five out of five stars!!

I received a free copy of this book from the author Geza Tatrallyay in exchange for an honest review.

To begin with, I think Julia needs to stop going outside or something. This girl keeps going missing and getting kidnapped! Get this girl a map and some bodyguards, and maybe we won't need a book four...

This epic finale to the Twisted trilogy follows Greg, Anne and Julia yet again. Julia has been kidnapped (again) and Greg & Anne are determined to save her! The action, adventures and insanity that ensues is sure to make you cling to the pages of this book!

I almost felt this book was a little repetitive, but it somehow worked. I found the jump from the first to second book to be a big, grande plot while this one didn't live up to the hype I had put into my head - but let's be honest, I'm not sure where it could have gone. The action and antics has definitely been upped though! And the stakes of not completing the mission is much worse! Although, I might have liked Julia not to be kidnapped again, but the plot line fits well within the book.

Some of the cheesey lines from the bad guy gave me Charlie's Angel's vibes. The baddies in that television series had some of the strangest lines, and the Twisted antagonists had a similar speech. They are a thousand times darker than that television show, but it did give a little bit of brightness in the dark "twisted" world of this series.

I hated the ending, but I'm a happily ever after type of person. Realistically, this book was on spot - life is not always perfect, there is some pretty dark material that happens in this book that is totally true, and people don't always get through these tough times unscathed. Is the ending bad? Absolutely not! I think it is really telling that Geza would portray something realistically. Does that make me like the ending any better? HECK NO! Vengeance, I want vengeance! Although, I must admit... I kind of saw the ending coming from book one. I just had this feeling a certain thing would happen...

The book slowly rolls into a close, and it felt just right. I wouldn't have wanted a fast, epic ending - a nice, slowly rolling, almost like film credits finale made this series close just perfectly! I think it brings the story full circle and makes it feel like a complete series. (Although, why do they keep visiting Vienna when bad things keep happening to them there? That's my real question.)

The best part of this novel is seeing how the characters turned out in the end. One of my biggest pet peeves is the book ending and I don't get to know how their life unfolded. It's a silly pet peeve for me to have, but we all have our quirks! Geza's final chapter really helped me settle down and see this book as the finale. And it was quite the beautiful chapter, if I do say so myself.

The book has some rape and dark scenes (it's about sex trafficking, so it was a given), so I'd say it's an R rated novel. I wouldn't be reading this as a bedtime story to your kids anytime soon (but hey, you do you I guess...). The bad guys are extra bad as well, with their brutality increased to the ten fold.

If I had any con for this book, it's a personal one. I had a PDF copy and I let my device lock and I lost my page! And then I forgot what page I was on... But hey! That's a good con to have! The book was a fantastic ride!

Overall, this was a lovely (yet brutal) finale to this epic series! If you haven't read this series yet, get on it! Geza does a great job summing up parts of the series in this novel, so if you wanted to jump into the last book you could. Would I recommend it? No! This book works much better within the series, but it could "stand alone" if you didn't want to read the first two books.

Four out of five stars!

I received a free copy of this book from the author Geza Tatrallyay in exchange for an honest review.

Artctic Inferno is an incredible sequel to an environmental thriller by the always fantastic Geza Tatrallyay.

This book can be summarized in one sentence: A girl boss named Hanne Kristensen must help Grenland escape a potential coup from China and Russian as they try to steal Greenland's precious resources.

Seriously, environmental thrillers seems so nice but also so cool! If there are more environmental thrillers out there, I'd be intrigued, but Geza writes them so wonderfully! And this sequel amps up the action and thrills from the first book which made it so much more fun to dive back in! I also managed to binge the entire book in one day because it was so good, so there's that.

I highly recommend you pick up this book if you want a thrill ride that isn't about murder and is instead about capturing resources. It's a great read and one that you don't necessarily need to read the first book to understand the full story.

Four out of five stars!

I received this book for free from the author, Geza Tatrallyay, in exchange for an honest review.

I first conceived of, and started writing, TWISTED REASONS, when I was living in Vienna and traveling throughout the former Soviet Union. I had read a great little book called THE ATOMIC BAZAAR, by William Langewiesche, that talked about the ease which with terrorists could get their hands on nuclear material from one of the secret cities where Stalin developed the atomic bomb. Delving further into research on the Soviet bomb, I learned about the many accidents and the utter disregard for human life and the environment in the Russian nuclear program right through to this day. With the International Atomic Energy Agency headquartered in Vienna, and its role in monitoring the disposition of nuclear material from the various sites in the former Soviet Union, I thought this could all form the basis for a great thriller set at least partly in a a city I knew well and loved. In thinking about it further, I found that Graham Greene’s novel, THE THIRD MAN, and Carol Reed’s wonderful film based on it, set in post-War Vienna, which takes the story of two friends, one of whom gets involved in trading tampered antibiotics, would serve as an excellent template for the beginning of my thriller. The two friends in my book have Hungarian-American backgrounds, and this adds an extra layer of depth as I am able to weave some of my own family’s experiences in to the novel.
I hope you enjoy the book!

This is a personal memoir of the approach to the author by three Czechoslovak girls working in their Pavilion as hostesses at Expo 70 in Osaka, Japan, who want to defect to Canada, given the renewed repression in their homeland after the events of the 'Prague Spring'. The author and his friends, as well as the girls, were young 'twenty-somethings' at the time, and the scene at Expo was full of play and partying. Yet against this backdrop in a just emerging Japan, mesmerized by the first large group of foreigners living on their soil since the post-War American occupation, the author is drawn into a dangerous Cold War struggle with the KGB and Czech secret police. With the tension mounting slowly to a staccato, surprise finish this is a worthwhile read.

TWISTED TRAFFICK is the exciting second book in the 'TWISTED' trilogy that takes Greg Martens, an American author, and his former Interpol agent wife, Anne Rossiter, in search of their disappeared Russian nuclear physicist friend, Julia Saparova from Vienna to Hungary and Montenegro. Along the way, they discover that she has been kidnapped by the same 'merchants of evil' who had been responsible for the heist of nuclear material from Mayak in Siberia in the first book in the series, TWISTED REASONS. They rescue Julia as well as other girls these human traffickers had brought from Russia to the west to sell to perverse oligarchs or turn into prostitutes.

I wrote the book partly because in my research for the first thriller in the trilogy, I found that often the same entities that were involved in arms trading also trafficked humans and drugs etc., often with the tacit, "look the other way" support of the 'rogue' Russian state. I wanted to publicize these nefarious activities and thought that one could create a good story for a thriller at the same time.

Hope you enjoy the book, and will go on to read TWISTED FATES which will be released by Black Opal Books in 2018.

This was a fun book to put together. Unlike my two previous poetry collections, these are recent poems, written over the last couple of years, with most very much focusing on what we are doing to the earth around us, to other species and to ourselves. Most are serious, some are frivolous, but certainly, the central theme is very much a serious one. i think that most readers will enjoy them very much.