3.5 stars for merit, less than that on personal feeling. General spoilers below, though you can tell most of what’s discussed by reading between the l3.5 stars for merit, less than that on personal feeling. General spoilers below, though you can tell most of what’s discussed by reading between the lines of the dust jacket.
My overall feeling: I don’t need for absolutely everything to be connected.
Over the course of 20+ years, Slaughter has slowly unveiled a lot of shocking information, or revelations about previously unknown facts that lend extra weight and poignancy to the history and relationships we know. She’s done it with incredibly hard scenarios, even circling back with dead characters, and most of the time it’s been done with a judicious, compassionate eye.
But I just couldn’t buy into the number of threads binding everything together in this novel, nor do I think they add significant layers to the existing story. To name just a few, over the years, we went from Faith’s dedication to her job as a cop/GBI agent back to her mom Evelyn’s job as a cop and now Faith’s son Jeremy getting involved in the investigation. Amanda’s ties to Faith and Evelyn have always felt strong, but I didn’t love Criminal’s deep dive into her past, and I have very mixed feelings on Amanda’s ongoing interference in Will’s childhood, career, and present life. It’s all just too conveniently—and not always convincingly—tied together.
Most of all, however, I feel such unease about taking one of the most defining, heart-wrenching moments in Sara Linton’s life—her rape when she was a young doctor—and turning it into part of a organized conspiracy 16 books later. The main plot, centered around a group of men who have a ridiculously regimented rape club, introduces and assembles whole new characters and histories and feels like a lurid CSI: Georgia episode. Does it do her a disservice to relegate this experience to a footnote in their games? Does it change how we look on violent crimes against women? Do her pain and altered life trajectory have further meaning because they’re now been made to be part of a bigger story? The fact is, finding meaning in crime in real life is often a futile exercise. What happens to victims of crime is often all the more tragic precisely because it is so random.
This retconning of Sara’s history feels lacking in genuine purpose and feeling. It really upsets me, actually, even as I appreciate how Slaughter continues to build on Will and Sara together and can acknowledge the technical skill in how the plot unfolds. I don’t know. I feel very unsettled and disappointed, in part because I just went through and reread the entire Grant County and Will Trent series, which are still overall unbeatable thrillers in terms of writing and plotting and character development.
Sara is an incredible character. (view spoiler)[I mean, two books ago, while in captivity, the woman doggedly broke rigor mortis on a corpse’s fingers and then used her fucking teeth to close up the fist again so the hidden message would remain undiscovered. (hide spoiler)] I have not been a fan of how she, who has always been a main character and driving force of these books, has been sidelined in the titles for presumably marketing reasons--they are just as much her books as they are Will’s (and several of the titles refer directly to her). But I didn’t expect that any Slaughter book’s content would ever do the same to Sara's history. Before this book, Sara had come to terms with what had happened to her, and was at peace with the fact that those who knew her did not see her as a victim, but as the tough, kind, intelligent person that she is.
Sara fought hard not to let that one moment define her. But here we are, forcing her to relive her trauma yet again....more
So disappointing, considering how good the first two anthologies were.
Eva Leigh, Nicola Davidson, Sierra Simone - 2 stars. Adriana Herrera - 1.5 starSo disappointing, considering how good the first two anthologies were.
Eva Leigh, Nicola Davidson, Sierra Simone - 2 stars. Adriana Herrera - 1.5 stars. Set-ups are dark and dirty, but I was just kind of bored and vaguely annoyed with these. Ending up skimming most of all four of the stories.
Joanna Shupe — 3.5 stars. Started off so good, but loses a lot of its edge near the end. In the space of this novella, I don’t think the separation after the climax (when she discovers her father’s hypocrisy and Bax is injured) was necessary. This story was the best of the lot (despite lots of repetition and maybe being the most conventional story) but still nowhere near as good as her novellas in the previous two collections.
Color me cranky and dissatisfied. Naming this “villains” sets up the expectation for characters much more exciting than this....more
I was so sure I was going to love this, but it’s so busy being sex-positive and body-positive and starting over-positive anDNF about halfway through.
I was so sure I was going to love this, but it’s so busy being sex-positive and body-positive and starting over-positive and so many other things that the actual relationship gets the short end of the stick. There is a ton of sex but not a lot of romance, and for a book whose plot is centered around a Hallmark Channel-type holiday movie, it’s not particularly Christmassy, despite the gingerbread-scented body wash (which frankly, just sounds gross to me).
I looked on the beginning LA parts with amused affection—unlike a lot of books that feel like the author wrote a book set in the city after a single tourist visit or based off reality TV, this one is the product of someone who knows the city well—but once they get to Vermont it’s not nearly snowy enough for my taste. (Plus I don’t need the bookending chapters from the porn producer’s POV, I seriously thought he was the love interest at first!) With this title and premise and cover, I kept waiting for cuteness and humor and sweetness and I just never felt any of that. I’m so surprised, because I really like both these authors. But it just felt tonally off and the plot needed tightening up and more focus. Now, if this had been an indie-published erotica (that isn’t a 400-page $22 hardback from a big six publisher), sure—it feels a little closer to that, except then the story and characters and themes would get in the way of that.
Not sure yet if I’ll try the follow-up. Not terrible, but pretty disappointing considering how much I was looking forward to it. Ugh, just look at how cute and Christmassy the cover art and fonts and colors are. *kicks curb*...more
I loved One & Only and Across a Star-Swept Sea, so I fully expected to like this prequel novella. But this felt like it came from a totally different I loved One & Only and Across a Star-Swept Sea, so I fully expected to like this prequel novella. But this felt like it came from a totally different author. The first third or so is shallow and terrible, like a yacht-set "glamorous" Jackie Collins novel complete with manipulative, suntan-oiled heiresses, cruel dialogue, cocaine, abuse, and seducing the help. After the two get stranded it finally gets better, but it's still predictable and meaningless and non-swoony, and the characters aren't particularly interesting until near the end. The ending worked out okay, I guess? I don't know if I'll continue this series, though, I might wait to see what the other reviews are like and cross my fingers the next Canton book is released soon.
I'm surprised as hell not to like a book by this author since I liked the other two so much. But even as a Kindle freebie, this was a huge disappointment....more
2.5 stars Is this a romance or a coming of age/coming into belief story? Sure, it can be both, but I'm afraid this book ultimately did not convince me2.5 stars Is this a romance or a coming of age/coming into belief story? Sure, it can be both, but I'm afraid this book ultimately did not convince me of either. Like No Other started out so strong, and I loved the Rainbow Rowell-like narrative voice, as well as the "meet cute" thing and awkward flirting.
Romantically, things move way, way too fast after that for my taste, however. First date, first kiss, first grope...past the first few initial conversations, those didn't feel earned, either through what we saw our what the characters told/showed us. While I totally subscribe to the belief that we can suddenly be inspired to behave in ways we never have before because our eyes have been opened or inspired by another person, it's still hard to believe that a girl this innocent and literally untouched would progress that far that fast. It's hard not to be a tiny bit skeeved by some of Jaxon's behavior as well (view spoiler)[such as buying her a cell phone, showing up at her house unannounced AFTER TRACING HER IP ADDRESS, etc. etc...okay, so his friend traced it, but he still used the info (hide spoiler)]; though it's all well-meaning, he's such a self-professed odd duck and there are so many obstacles to their relationship and he knows her so little that it's hard not to think that it's a case of "this is the first girl that's interested in me" fixation.
I also wish this story of a Hasidic girl and West Indian boy had talked more seriously about what the coming together of these two faiths meant, though. While we get some really nice scenes in the beginning with Devorah's family, once the sneaking around begins, it becomes a pretty stereotypical romance until it then suddenly becomes something different towards the end--more of what I would've wanted, for sure, except there wasn't nearly enough thought or emotion or even action shown to us. Portraying this branch of Orthodox Judaism is also a very tricky thing, particularly in showing the the more polarizing aspects of these beliefs. I knew about most of the practices going into this book and yet I still had pretty strong reactions to some of them--and I really wish this story had taken the opportunity to show us why these beliefs came to be and why these practices are still observed, both historically and emotionally.
I want nothing more when I read a book like this than to have my heart and mind opened up to ideas and feelings I had never before considered...and unfortunately, despite a few great opening chapters, this one didn't do either. Would definitely try another book by this author, though.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review....more
And add that I really disliked the writing style, logic gaps, and characterization.
Also, I'd normally enjoy baking scenes, but the baked goods in Canter's look pretty terrible, so I was mostly scrunching up my nose every time one of those came up. ...more
I think a large part of whether this book works for you may rely on whether you find Sawyer LeGrande charming. And I do not.
And while I'm prone to beI think a large part of whether this book works for you may rely on whether you find Sawyer LeGrande charming. And I do not.
And while I'm prone to be pretty forgiving with girls who don't always make smart choices, I was constantly frustrated with Reena, too. Make him work for it, honey. And it is NOT OKAY to (repeatedly) act in a way that is hurtful to other people, particularly if you know what it's like to be hurt yourself.
I'm surprised at how negatively I feel about this one, given the sea of 5 star reviews. There were also a few moments conveniently timed for maximum drama, which felt somewhat soapy. Appreciated the way her relationship with her daughter was portrayed, though, as well as with Shelby and Soledad and her father. Is the book well-crafted? Mostly. Realistic? Yes. Personally enjoyable for me? Not really. But many others have loved it, so take my reaction with a grain of salt. ...more
This is my least favorite Reacher book to date, and I think it's the only one I've rated less than 4 stars. For the first time, some of the writing feThis is my least favorite Reacher book to date, and I think it's the only one I've rated less than 4 stars. For the first time, some of the writing felt formulaic to me--really, "Reacher said nothing" loses its impact when its repeated so many times, and when the phrase is used with other characters, too.
And I have nothing against sex in books, but the scenes here felt pointless, repetitive, and out of place. After reading the book, I read that the publisher's new editor decide with this book to sex up the series to appeal to women, and I have to say I am NOT a fan of the change. But apparently it's the biggest seller to date, so I'm fearful of more such sellout techniques to come.
Lee Child books are usually fantastic precisely because they are different from everything else on the market. I sincerely hope that this series isn't jumping the shark in an effort to chase a broader audience....more
This one didn't really work for me. It almost seemed like (at least) a couple of different books in one, neither (none) of which I was really satisfieThis one didn't really work for me. It almost seemed like (at least) a couple of different books in one, neither (none) of which I was really satisfied with....more
3.5 stars I eagerly anticipate every single book by Karin Slaughter, and she's never let me down when it comes to Will Trent and Sara Linton--and afte3.5 stars I eagerly anticipate every single book by Karin Slaughter, and she's never let me down when it comes to Will Trent and Sara Linton--and after last year's fantastic Fallen, I was really excited to read her new book. Criminal is, however, my least favorite book by this author yet, and the first book in the Georgia series that I've rated less than 4 stars. After thoroughly enjoying each of the previous (12?) novels in this series, it's something of a shock to find myself with such mixed/negative feelings about this one.
The two things that normally make Karin Slaughter books so damned good are crackling, suspenseful mysteries and strong characters that you passionately care about. In Criminal, those elements are woefully obscured by the book's structure (too many POVs, many of which are too long for secondary characters), too much focus on Amanda Wagner's past (which sounded like such a great idea, except that she's much less compelling and sympathetic as a young rookie), and a serious lack of time spent on the central characters we've come to know. The starts and stops of the many, many characters POVs make for a jumbled narrative and a frustrating reading experience, and they detract from both the cleanness of the plotting and any emotional response we might've had to the characters. I'm frankly very surprised that a Slaughter book would be this messy.
Eventually, the central mystery is an interesting one, if a bit on the predictable side. The little we see of the Will/Sara/Angie dynamic continues to be fascinating. The flashback sections that took place in the 70s did provide a few good things: it was kind of neat to see Evelyn Mitchell's early career since we all know how it later turns out, a bit about Will's early beginnings, and through Amanda, it was interesting to read about how female police officers were treated back then. But the issues of discrimination, as well as so many others, were done with a much less expert hand than I'm used to seeing in Slaughter's books. Even the level and detail of the violence, which the author's been criticized for and I've never had a problem with before, seemed unnecessarily extra brutal and verging on salacious here. For the first time in reading this author's work, I felt serious twinges of distaste as I read about (view spoiler)[women being sewn to mattresses, women with their mouths and eyelids sewn shut or open, etc, etc (hide spoiler)]; it's not what happens, as I've read similar levels of violence or worse, it's the repetitive way these things are presented to us, without the appropriate subsequent gravity and care to balance it out. When I think about the awful thing that happens to Lena's sister in the very first Slaughter book, ((view spoiler)[a blind woman is savagely attacked in a public restroom, and the killer opens up a wound in her torso and rapes it while she's still conscious (hide spoiler)], and how well the author handled both the procedural and emotional effects of that, I am especially surprised at how clumsily heavy-handed this new book seems to be.
So I would just say that if you're considering reading this series, definitely don't start with this one. They should be read in order anyway (I put the order in my review of the first book, Blindsighted), and the others are much, much better. I'm still a big fan of this author's work, but for the first time, I'm going to be anticipating the next one with muted expectations. Fingers crossed she returns to her usual excellent form next year....more
DNF at 137 pages. I liked the beginning of the book, which felt very Every Day-like in its thoughtfulness and sensitivity, and I like Stephen's POV. IDNF at 137 pages. I liked the beginning of the book, which felt very Every Day-like in its thoughtfulness and sensitivity, and I like Stephen's POV. I am not a fan of Elizabeth's POV, however, and after a sudden kiss at their third meeting on page 70, instalove after that, and a plot that got progressively more convoluted (view spoiler)[with eeeeevil curses (hide spoiler)], this just wasn't a premise that worked for me.
Paranormal romance written like realistic fiction, but without enough consistent depth to justify the required leaps in faith or navel-gazing. Style and content just did not mesh well.
PS--the current GoodReads synopsis is crazy, but accurate as to what is really going on. The official blurb on Amazon (and on the ARC) is what attracted me to the book.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review....more
This first half of this book was pretty entertaining. Willa moves to new town, tries to fit in with the wealthy crowd now that her mom's made it big, This first half of this book was pretty entertaining. Willa moves to new town, tries to fit in with the wealthy crowd now that her mom's made it big, meets new friends and cute boys. I was enjoying it for the brain candy kind of a book it was and I thought the concept of her somehow playing Robin Hood in this new school would be fun. But then we hit the wall of the impossibly shallow way she decides to do it, and the book lost me.
How does Willa try to help those who are less fortunate? (view spoiler)[By stealing CLOTHES from mean girls and giving "needier" girls cute outfits. (hide spoiler)] Can it get much sillier than that? The gigantic eyeroll when this happened nearly pulled my eyeballs right out of their sockets. The stealing got more and more ridiculous (view spoiler)[we'll steal diamond stud earrings, but not an iPod because that would be going too far (hide spoiler)], Willa makes incredibly stupid and short-sighted decisions, the risks got bigger and bigger (view spoiler)[house breaking is a felony in most states, my dear (hide spoiler)]...and for what? Did she really think what she was doing would make such a huge difference? I would like to think that most teens have a lot more common sense and judgment than this character exhibited, especially when they have the opportunities that she is afforded. The story got more and more convoluted with a side story involving her mom, a boy with a troubled past, the FBI, and various other plot points that never got resolved, because apparently there are going to be four more books in this planned series.
While I'm not in the camp that thinks every YA book needs to teach lessons or be morally sound, the basic set-up just felt so pointless and farfetched to me that I just couldn't get past it. It probably wouldn't bother me so much if the whole book was more of a lighthearted caper or a more fantastical sort of adventure, but being that this was all set up for altruistic reasons, this "solution" seemed very misguided overall. I did like the humor and the easy writing style in the first half, and I think readers who don't have a problem with the basic scenario will enjoy this book much more than I did. But for me, this promise of the Robin Hood concept just wasn't fulfilled (view spoiler)[I'm pretty sure Robin didn't care at all what his Merry Men were wearing (hide spoiler)], as I just couldn't get past the superficial nature of where the story went.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review....more
I read this for Derek and Chloe. But even they couldn't resuscitate my interest in this series. Bleh. I read this for Derek and Chloe. But even they couldn't resuscitate my interest in this series. Bleh. ...more
Wendy Darling
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