Bored at 44%, so I skimmed reviews to see if I should keep going. At first, a bunch of reviews excited about the twists made me think I would, but theBored at 44%, so I skimmed reviews to see if I should keep going. At first, a bunch of reviews excited about the twists made me think I would, but then this one https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... confirmed a few of my predictions and made me laugh at the rest.
So many subplots stuffed into one book and pedestrian writing on top of that. See ya.
Audio Notes: I listened to Andi Arndt read a previous book and wished she’d read it with a little more emotion, but that book was well-written and engaging so I mostly looked past it. With this one, however, I really noticed how perfunctory her performance was....more
DNF after it crossed into I Love Lucy territory with a full-on white tablecloth dinner spread out on the guy’s first 3 hours on his first day at work.DNF after it crossed into I Love Lucy territory with a full-on white tablecloth dinner spread out on the guy’s first 3 hours on his first day at work. ‘Cause billionaires are just that clueless when they’re going undercover at one of their companies.
(I love Lucille Ball, but that was 70 years ago and a tv show.)
The first few books of this series were fun and #2 is still one of my favorite contemporary romances, but the last few have been incredibly tone-deaf and irritating. I don’t normally rate books I haven’t read at least 100 pages of, but I’m feeling cranky....more
The title chafes, but I gave it a go anyway. The chafing, however, did not stop.
Mild spoilers follow. I was very much interested in the central mysterThe title chafes, but I gave it a go anyway. The chafing, however, did not stop.
Mild spoilers follow. I was very much interested in the central mystery when it finally revealed itself (I've read a fair amount about women, children, and minorities forcibly imprisoned in institutions ostensibly for their own good), but the execution is muddled. A subject like this begs urgency and deep feeling, but it never reaches the point where it touches upon any real emotion--plus it really takes a back seat for most of the book.
The biggest issues, however, are that I just didn't like the heroine and I didn't buy into many of the scenarios we're presented with in the context of this point in history. She is An Independent Lady scorned by society for her declaration that she will never marry, and yet we are never given any real explanation what history, education, or self-edification leads her to this point--nor are we provided with any attempt towards explaining why as a young woman she's permitted to lead such a ridiculously unconstrained life. While it's natural that modern stories set in historical times will be influenced by what we have learned and how we have evolved, skillful writers will incorporate more advanced thinking and attitudes into the story. (And yes, I hold mysteries to a higher standard than I do romances, particularly when they're a 300-page $27 hardcover from a big six publisher.) For example, wealthy widows, a girl of "good" family whose independent nature is indulged from childhood, etc., etc. Petra comes and goes as she pleases, feels free to take a lover, makes proclamations and demands without care, and so on. She is also So Very Virtuous and Progressive--there are so many instances of her ensuring we know she is a Benevolent Person of Character, such as during the climax of the story when she drops a curtsy to a housekeeper with whom she has very little relationship. We're meant to admire her so much, and maybe I would have if her qualities weren't forced upon us with such a heavy hand and there was more proof of them. She also leaps to irrational conclusions and doesn't seem to have any self-preservation instincts (DO NOT ACCEPT A GLASS OF WINE FROM THE MAN YOU SUSPECT OF MASTERMINDING THE SCHEME, MISS.), neither of which is a ringing endorsement for someone supposedly sleuthing a mystery.
Which leads me to the illogical way so many things occur. During the same final act, Petra has just been freed (at great risk to others) but instead of making a break for it right away, she wants to get proof of the ill deeds first. Fine. But she spends what feels like a lot of time reading reading reading through documents and then thinking about why the villain is the way he is and the choices he has made. What little tension there is is lost, and that's just one example of meandering writing and plotting. Her father the earl's overly wordy interaction with her at the end as well as the descriptions of serviceable Duncan's overly effusive feelings (and the whole romantic scenario, really) strain your tolerance, and I even laughed incredulously at one point; they are borderline indie-romance novel levels of simplicity. None of the characters or story feel grounded or believable.
Finally, there are so many issues crammed into this debut that it almost felt like the contract for book two wasn't inked yet and token racism, feminism, prejudice, abuse, etc. all had to be tackled in case there wasn't another chance. (And boy, does the homophobia run rampant through this--so weird how often and sneeringly it came up, with very little to say.) All important topics, but all ham-fistedly jammed in.
Not a great experience overall. I guess I should've known since I hate the title--and doesn't it make more sense to think like a lady and act like a lord in this context? Since she is set up as a Regency Nancy Drew and behaves with the freedom of a man? Idk, it's weird.
Audio Notes: Narrator is tolerable, but her accent and vocal performance were not my favorite....more
Unremarkable, meandering, hard to muster up enough interest to care what happens to anyone. Structure feels arbitrary, characters barely explored, mysUnremarkable, meandering, hard to muster up enough interest to care what happens to anyone. Structure feels arbitrary, characters barely explored, mystery not very suspenseful, felt far longer than it was, and very very YA despite half of it taking place 10 years later. Why not 1 year later? No one has grown up or apparently done much of anything in the 10. Also, the amount of sisters interfering in their brothers' business feels really weird.
Snorting at the "recommended for fans of Celeste Ng," the "literary suspense" description, and the blurb by the author of The Push in the synopsis. Suuuuure....more
I’ve read hundreds of romances and I’ve never seen any heroine work so hard to excuse inexcusable behavior. Dated, sexist attitudes, doormat martyr heI’ve read hundreds of romances and I’ve never seen any heroine work so hard to excuse inexcusable behavior. Dated, sexist attitudes, doormat martyr heroine, ridiculously weak hero, and some of the worst writing and mannered, stilted dialogue I’ve ever read. Honey, if it’s a betrayal to your vows as you understood them, it’s cheating, even if he didn’t stick his dick into her. (Until after she divorced him, that is.) Ugh.
Also, wtf with the murder trial subplot. No one cares, throw everyone in jail for being so pathetic and annoying....more
Do these characters or plot add anything to the iconic story we know so well? Not in my opinion.
Atmosphere is not bad, but could be better; most of tDo these characters or plot add anything to the iconic story we know so well? Not in my opinion.
Atmosphere is not bad, but could be better; most of the “horror” is at the end. There was one late scene I found that approached the feeling I had hoped for (when Nisa is singing alone and feels at one with the house because of the acoustics), but otherwise I didn't get much out of this. I am indifferent to the plot and ultimately didn’t find any of the characters compelling or nuanced, and frankly disliked most of them. Overall serviceable, but underwhelming.
Audio Notes: I really disliked the choices made for the audiobook. The haunted house noises added to the atmosphere for the most part, but making a big production of ordinary auto noises and such is annoying and distracting. The singing was fine the first couple of times, but the songs kept coming again and again and again, each more irritating and repetitive than the last. But most of all, I don’t know why Carol Monda was chosen as narrator, both her cigarette voice and the way she interpreted the text felt wrong for the character’s age and experience and modernity, and certainly didn’t lull me into the kind of spell Hill House is capable of casting....more
Read 4 chapters, all of it predictable and pretty basic. Heroine isn’t as interesting as she thinks she is, the hero is unremarkable, the banter is noRead 4 chapters, all of it predictable and pretty basic. Heroine isn’t as interesting as she thinks she is, the hero is unremarkable, the banter is not charming, the writing is chaotic, and the parade of friends and performative diversity and Issues are tiresome.
I liked the first KC book I read overall, but the two after that were 2 stars, and now this, so I’m thinking that first one might’ve been a fluke. Maybe not the author for me. ...more
Wendy Darling
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