Glitches \u0026 Stitches: Death Violation 01 (Death Violations) by Nicole Givens Kurtz

Glitches \u0026 Stitches: Death Violation 01 (Death Violations) Reviews

• 
  Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf)

  After suffering PTSD from her past cases, Inspector Regulator Fawn Granger is due to finish investigating death violation cases & move to the Southwest Territories at the end of the week. Her final case is a complex one, Dr Leonard Cho, a scientist working for a tech giant with some allegedly dodgy practices, is found dead. It seems Cho was obsessed with cybernetics, & may have been working on illegal tech which malfunctioned. Granger & long-term IR partner, Briscoe Baker, investigate & find out that Cho's death may not have been an accident.
  
  First of all, I really like the overall idea - I am very into futuristic settings à la Bladerunner. I liked the partnership of Granger & Briscoe with absolutely no romantic overtures between them, & there was LGBTQ+ representation in the main relationships. The concept definitely has potential (I love the cover - very striking) but I found it lacking in detail overall. As a reader, I felt dropped into the midst of a conversation that was already halfway through, struggling at first to get up to speed. There needed to be more world-building - I like to feel as I am actually in the scene with the characters - i.e. what is a hatchling? Also what were these past cases that affected Granger & why did everyone except Briscoe seem to dislike her? The ending was very abrupt & a bit of a disappointment as there was a lot of build-up & then it just....ended. I seem to be an outlier in opinions about this, so don't let me put you off. In fact, I would read another one as it has piqued my interest enough to see if some of my questions are answered in later books.
  
  My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Mocha Memoirs Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
• 
  Stitching Ghost

  This is the first installment in a series, so a lot of the book is spent building up the characters and the universe.
  Fawn's relationship with her work partner, Briscoe, or BB as she calls him, appears to be pretty healthy AND he doesn't get killed by the end of the book, a refreshing thing to find in a procedural that centers on a duo.
  I liked that it was a fast read with queer and mental health representation and that the universe being set up looks like it's going to be visually striking (also THAT cover!). Ultimately where this book fell a little short for me is really in the fact that it didn't feel like much happened on the procedural front except intestine hostility and attempted manipulation from the seemingly shoddy coworker whose name I have already forgotten and like there should have been one or two more chapter to it and that the "evil" corporation's exposition could have been padded a little more. I expect these things will be resolved in future installment of the series so ultimately, I'll eagerly await next installment because I really like Fawn!
  I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
  
• 
  Tyler Mackey

  Okay, so. Where to start? From the first page I was curious on what exactly I was in for, given the tone being all over the place. Is this going to be an unreliable conveyance from an unstable narrator? Nope. Sure, Fawn isn't exactly *stable*, but depression and GAD aren't the same as sociopathically unhinged. The constant jumping around of events, character's reactions, and overall vibe over the course of the story makes it hard to ever really settle into it beyond a cursory consumption of the facts of the plot, which also could have been a thematic idea for a distant and disconnected police proceedural if it had been leaned into intentionally.
  
  Second things second, and this is more of a personal gripe than any objective observation, but cute on-the-nose synonyms for things to seem more futuristic or exotic get clunky and old fast. It's okay to say dollars instead of currency every time. While there's thematic resonance in the idea of "violation/violators/regulator", it's absolutely okay to just use "crime/criminal/police" in the story sometimes. There are a dozen other examples, but none that really got hammered as much to stand out right now.
  
  Thirdly, I do want to say for all of the paragraphs of text so far, I do think there was so much potential here. It had a lot of fascinating concepts and there were a few instances where I was totally surprised by sudden twists. The problem is every single time, none of those were ever expanded upon and in some instances it was actively worked against. Some of those choices might have made it less commercially viable, but I don't know that that's strictly-speaking inevitably the case and beyond that I don't know why they would have been included in the first place if they weren't part of the story the author wanted to tell.
  
  I'm also not not a fan of novellas wrapping quickly, but this also ended fifteen pages sooner than the actual close of the book, and sudden decisions at the close feel unjustified given all that came before.
  
  I WOULD buy this book again because supporting indie authors is important, and if she took the time to write it I will spend the time to read it. I hope more from this author comes out and reaches its target audience, because obviously that isn't me. I don't want my 1.5/5 to imply otherwise.
• 
  whatnolareads

  Review: Glitches & Stitches ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
  Author: Nicole Givens Kurtz
  Publication Date: 23 January 2023
  Publisher: Mocha Memoirs Press,
  Mystery & Thrillers | OwnVoices | Sci Fi & Fantasy
  Read: January 22, 2023
  Original Review: January 24, 2023
  Posted Reviewed: January 12, 2024
  
  I received this book from Nicole Givens Kurtz and Mocha Memoirs Press, as an advanced eArc for my honest review any opinions that come from this review are my own. Thank you to both the Author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.
  
  Here are my thoughts on this book was it good yes.. could it have been better yes. It was a quick mystery crime thriller with a beautiful cover that’s what honestly drew me in. It’s a short fast-paced novel with lots of twists and turns, lots of drama and chaos, and some action but nothing to scream about. I love the idea of futuristic crime-fighting it gives me I am robot vibes just a little bit. As far as character development I feel as if the author has a little work ahead because to me the female lead was a little flat it was just hard to get through her voice as a character. The book itself has a lot of potential and I’m looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with.
• 
  Jazelle

  After suffering from PTSD after an incident, Inspector Regulator Fawn Granger is ready to move to the Southwest Territories for a fresh start. Her final case in the district involves Dr. Leonard Cho, who was murdered. With everyone's heads bent toward their tech, there are no witnesses to his death violation. Fawn struggles with headaches and her PTSD as she and her partner, Birscoe, attempt to find the evidence they need to close their final case together.
  
  This short, sci-fi mystery is full of steampunk noir elements that allow it to stand within its own niche. Kurtz does an excellent job at establishing a compelling, tech-focused universe. However, the story readers too far into Fawn's career, with constant hints at an "incident" that lead to her PTSD. We step into her first case just as she steps onto the scene, but we receive very little information about this strange, fascinating world. The story needs a lot more world-building within this installation of the series. It feels like we're missing a prequel, which leaves readers scrambling to make sense of an established universe.
• 
  Beth (Romantic_murder)

  I recieved this book as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 
  
  3.5 stars
  
  I genuinely really liked this book. It was definitely giving off cozy murder mystery vibes mixed with a cyberpunk futuristic world.
  
  The characters were great. The plot was enjoyable, albeit the plot twist was an easy guess.
  The book definitely could of been longer but I will read the next ones in the series. 
  I love the Authors writing style though, completely obsessed.
  
  There were some editing errors that were annoying and some sentences that weren't put together well but it didn't make the book un-enjoyable or unreadable. The book did have some parts that didn't feel like they fit the vibe of the book, just very childish; a side characters reaction to our FMC as well as a piece of evidence not being looked till the end. I did have an issue with people being AH to the FMC because of PTSD and trauma, but I guess that's pretty realistic.
  
  All in all, definitely a good read and would definitely recommend. 
• 
  Gavin Matthew

  If you like an enjoyable detective novella with cyberfunk flavor, then this read is for you! Glitches & Stitches by Nicole Givens Kurtz is a great run for the sci-fi enthusiast. Decorated with it's futuristic setting and gritty urban landscape, this neo noire tale grabs your attention and keeps you engaged with it's city yarn.
  
  Fawn Granger is a regulator, detective, who handles murder cases. While her talents as an investigator are clear, it is her struggle with PTSD and social intimacy that adds layers to the character. Fawn is a woman you want to root for as she pushes through her own challenges to look into a peculiar death.
  
  Fawn's partner on the street is Briscoe Baker, a smoker with a liking for vintage appearances. He's loyal and protective, and makes for a great addition to the story. He covers a few perspectives and acts as a foil at times to Fawn's outside-the-box thinking. Their friendship does an excellent job at making the pages turn.
  
  A cyberfunk story with wonderful characters, this one is a must read. I look forward to the rest of the Death Violation series!
• 
  JJ Broenner

  The story keeps you guessing as you follow along with Regulators Fawn Granger and Briscoe “BB” Baker. Robots, hatchling, humans are living in this world created by the author. I especially enjoyed the fluidity of the characters in their personal relationships, it felt comfortable and right for each of those characters. Fawn is planning to make a big change of scenery at the end of the week or maybe a case as it seems to be shaping up in the beginning. Her and her partner BB have a long week ahead and a tale to read about that is full of action and investigating; even some hostile individuals that are holding back lots of secrets and some that let them go to stir the pot. As the week comes to a close; so does the case or at least the murder perpetrator is found, there is more to explore on the motivations and purpose behind the death of Dr. Cho.
• 
  Britney Matthews

  Firstly I wanted to thank everyone for giving me the opportunity to read this book to review NetGalley, the publishers and the Author Nicole Givens Kurtz.
  
  Typically this isn't my niche when it comes to books, but when reading the blurb about crime solvers with PTSD gets handed a strange death case. With a time frame to solve it, not only from her time until she retires but also on the verge of a mental spiral.
  
  This book is super quick (about 120 pages on my iPad), a tech-filled world where suspects and witnesses care more about their technology than finding out what happened. For a quick read, I think it was pretty good. I would have loved a little more world-building because I couldn't fully immerse myself in the story. I think it also had a little to do with the writing. I couldn't mould with it, it felt rushed and seemed like it was just skipping over everything, and we were only getting the highlights. And I couldn't help but spot so many mistakes throughout the story.
  
  But I loved the concept of the story. I was a little confused when the blurb mentioned that Fawn is retiring, so there's a time limit to finding out what happened, but this ends up being a series. But after reading the book, it makes more sense, and I will look for the next book to see how the series gets carried on.
• 
  Rachel Brune

  Robot killers, cyberpunk, a police procedural — what’s not to love? I’m very much enjoying these new characters in the author’s Cybil Lewis universe. We get a new look at The District, this time from the POV of the Inspector Regulators who are charged with investigating death violations. A tightly plotted mystery with lots of classic cyberpunk scenes and tropes to keep fans of Blade Runner and Arcane reading to find out what happens next!
• 
  Kelsey Rhodes

  2.75/5 stars! This was a quick crime thriller. The cover was exceptional, which is what drew me to the book. It had cyber vibes and an almost alternate-world tone. But the book dragged as far as pacing. It was fine; there just wasn't anything special about it besides the cover of the book. I would recommend this if you're looking for a quick, simple thriller.
  
  I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
• 
  Kaitlin

  Jane Draycott takes us on a journey into the forgotten history of Cleopatra’s daughter. The story is full of drama, chaos, and many twists. The writing style is very academic and can be difficult to follow or understand sometimes. I would recommend this book to anyone who is into Ancient Egypt or Roman history. I give Cleopatra’s Daughter 3 stars!
• 
  Juanita Flores-Mejia

  Glitches and Stitches was an okay short novel. There were things that were good about it and things that were not great. I liked the overall idea of futuristic crime fighting and all the AI technology. That part was done well. The character voice was so hard to get through. It was really cliched. Also the characters were a little flat. There was a lot of potential though.
• 
  Casey Halvorsen

  Thanks NetGalley, Mocha Memoirs Press, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and Members' Titles for access to this arc.
  
  2/5 Stars
  
  I'm glad this was a quick read, because man did I struggle through it. The idea was good, but the writing style just wasn't my fave and made reading this really hard for me to get through. :/
• 
  Tommy

  Given to me by a friend: a bit of cybernoir....cyberpunk isn't my cup of tea, necessarily, but this one was grounded enough as a noirish police procedural that I blew through it. Props to Kurtz for an accurate depiction of anxiety in a hectic work position.....
• 
  Educator

  NetGalley ARC Educator 550974
  
  
  Fawn is an investigator struggling with PTSD and a new partner. This is a quick read that leaves the ending open to a sequel or series. There is an AI and technology aspect as well as steampunk for those that love this niche.
• 
  Raquel

  Wtf did I just read, this was sooo confusing, and the plot was lacking