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.

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.

Ahhh, Snow White - a mysterious princess who has people at her fingertips should the huntsman ever arrive.....a bit like Winter actually!!!

'Winter Dark' pushes the boundaries of the genre to the limit, throwing erotica into the mix like it's the most natural thing in the world. Well, it is for some people and I guess Winter is one of those!

The spy element to this storyline was so addictive! I honestly felt as though I was part of a high speed, highly guarded and severely criminal, chase. I was in my element! There were the couple of things which didn't really fit the bill for me, and the main one was the feeling of something missing. At times the storyline felt like it was an addition to an already created serial, thus making me feel as though I had come into the middle of it all half way. I couldnt help but be a little confused sometimes because of that, and the sense that I had missed something was evident throughout the entire book.

'Winter Dark' is a very, very fast paced novel which takes the reader here, there and everywhere in a matter of seconds. Personally, I loved the thrill and the fact that the author kept throwing in surprises just made me even more excited by the premise.

There is a lot of sexual references in the book, so if you're not a fan of reading books which describe sexual desires and actions graphically, then this one probably wouldn't be for you. The storyline isnt full of it, however when they appear, they certainly make themselves known! Good for learning something new though....if you're into that sort of thing!!

I surprised myself by how much I ended up liking this book! Not because of the way it was written, but because of the uniqueness of the storyline and how the jaw dropping, boundary pushing moments were showcased. I loved how it was written, especially as the author managed to keep me on my toes until the very end!

'Winter Dark' may be a sexually charged, graphic and criminal novel, however it is also an extremely addictive, thrilling, moreish novel that really has piqued my interest for me. I cannot wait to read more from Alex Callister after reading this, that's for sure!!!

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.

This book was like a John Wick gender swap! Don't worry they don't kill anyones dog though. I did have issues keeping interested in it. I kept getting distracted by other things going on and really didn't feel that urge to come back to the story. I'm not really sure why I didn't feel the need to come back to read this fully. I am thinking that it had to deal with the pacing. I felt like I had read for hours but when I checked the % I was barely though any of it. I think that really was my issue that this book was just so thick that the 352 pages felt more like 800.

I loved the characters and their dynamics and relationships. The sexy parts were done well and I didn't feel like I was going to crack up laughing. I do think that I might check out the next title but we'll have to see.


Go Into This One Knowing: Felt EXTREMELY long

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.

WOW!! An action thriller that packs a punch with a female kick ass character that will make Chuck Norris quiver in his boots! Winter is comming......a female Jason Bourne on speed!

There is nothing Winter cannot do. She is an expert with guns and knives. She can kick your ass with her eyes closed and she is an expert hacker. What more can GCHQ ask for. Then she comes up against Firestorm........

"Welcome to Firestorm
Cheating husband? Bitch wife? Hate your boss?
Let Firestorm take care of your problem.
Safe. Anonymous. Cheap"

But if that was not enough it gave birth to Slashstorm. You can vote for 14 days and at the end someone will die. The choice is yours.

Who is behind all of this? Who is the mysterious billionaire and will Winter be able to find and eliminate him before someone else dies.

The action takes you all over from the UK to France and surroundings. It is fast paced and you feel like you are watching a movie! Brilliant read to start of a year.

Thank you to #netgalley and #bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

⏳Razor sharp and bullet fast: a thrill a minute😲👍👍

😍😍 The blurb sounded intriguing but the actual book was SO MUCH BETTER! With the trained-to-kill British agent heroine in a race against time to stop a horrifying made-for-streaming, gruesome murder, this story was a rollercoaster of violent encounters, close calls and mind games with 🔥 some steam peppered in. After a slightly confusing and seemingly fractured start, the pieces all soon fell together and barreled ahead as deeply undercover Winter zipped from country to country (and rapid-change identities) to fool the bad guys and get the kingpin crime boss. The Energizer Bunny has nothing on her! No spoilers but author Alex Callister has created an Amazon heroine with a whip-smart brain and, though she might try to deny it, lots of heart and a true sense of justice. It did not take long for me to get so caught up in the story that I could not put it down. 😊

Thanks to publishers Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

An action packed start to a new series !

Winter is a female James Bond with more than 7 lives !

The story is full of twists and turns and you find yourself scrambling to catch up to Winter.

I dont want to give too much away, so pick up your copy and start reading! Time will fly!

Can't wait for the next installment.

Thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read Winter Dark, Book 1

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

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

This book was really good! I love the main character! I can't wait to read more of the stories! The book is full of action packed thrills and rides!

Winter is a badass character. There will be a movie made about this book or a future Winter book.

Think Lara Croft with even more sex appeal. Think Jack Reacher oozing sexual energy.

The author set out to create a female James Bond and pretty much hit it spot on.

The book is a page Turner. I wouldn't say the writing is impeccable. In fact, in certain places it got downright annoying with the one word sentences and staccato rhythm. But the story and the character make the writing bearable.

The plot is the type of semi-believable but just over the top plotline that you'd get from James Bond. The attitude and ego.is what you'd get from James Bond. This book is really a 3.5 and if I were female I'd round it down to a 3. But I'm a heterosexual male. And the title character is a badass, supermodel-hot, crazy body, sex crazed bisexual 27 year old vision. So, yeah, I round up to a 4.

Looking forward to the next in the Winter series. This is a franchise in the making.

#winterdark #netgalley

I'm hardly a prude but the sex scenes kind of surprised me, I stuck with it however and by the end I found myself looking forward to the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A high octane thriller in the best traditions of Ludlum and Fleming.

Not my usual type of book at all, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed “Winter Dark”. It is a thrill-a-minute-edge-of-your-seat-thriller that will have you quickly turning the page. Well structured with a flowing narrative, this book will keep you entertained and engrossed until it’s thrilling denouement. A great read that will spike your blood pressure accordingly - not for the faint-hearted!

Ok, I will admit, I started thinking I was going to hate this book. The way the main character was written just annoyed me. But I wound up wrapped up in the story and couldn’t put it down. Was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

Winter Dark is a clever, original spy thriller in the tradition of Fleming and Ludlam with a modern iconic hero, Winter. The book is set in a near-future dystopia where all the world’s crime organisations are now dominated and controlled by a single man. At the centre of the story is Firestorm, an eBay for contract killers, and Slashstorm, a pay per view torture site. Winter has 14 days to find this global capo di tutti capi and shut down Slashstorm.

There are nods to Bond and Bourne throughout Winter Dark. The homages stretch further, as Winter heads to Marseilles, with echoes of the French Connection. You would hardly be surprised if she bumped into Popeye Doyle.

At the same time, this book is also a very old story. Winter Dark has elements of classical epics in its structure and it seems entirely fitting that Winter’s key personal revelation happens on an island in the Aegean. On the other hand, the repeated motif of mirrors, reflection and change is the clear hint that Winter Dark is also a fairy tale. Both Winter and Alek are both beauty and beast.

Winter is an agent for the digital age, showing up Bourne and Bond for the analogue dinosaurs that they are. She could seduce Bond and leave him heart broken. She could outfight Bourne and leave his legs broken. And then she would hack into the NSA and leave digital graffiti on the White House web page.

Winter Dark is a gripping, pacy and highly original thriller.

Highly recommended.

Lots of twists, lots of action, lots of innocents losing their lives to an extremely bad guy.. Exciting new hero who works outside the box with her supporting crew fights through a maze of adventures keeping the reader guessing.

Loved it! I want more!
Characters were very well developed, and the plot was intriguing and fast paced. Can’t wait for the next installment.

A whole new take on any mystery series!!!

A single, anonymous, man becomes the main target of Winter's scathingly different approach to crime fighting.
FIRESTORM has now become SLASHSTORM, too. Here, young teenagers are "voted on" as to who will survive a torturing experience...and eventually die...

Winter and her cohorts at GCHQ work to stop the single person behind the heinous work of FIRESTORM and SLASHSTORM. This, in a world-wide campaign to squash the most dangerous man in the world - "The Prince of Darkness". From London to Geneva to rural Italy this book takes the reader in - I is hard to put this one down!

Lots of twists in this quite different and spectacular read!

RECOMMEND HIGHLY!!!

Many Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a superb story!