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What recommendations would you give to readers regarding the last book of the donalson's gap series?

This is the first novel by Brown that I've read. It is an excellent read. The plot is captivating and the amount of research is evident. Not only are readers treated to a great story line, but they are also treated to wonderful descriptions of famous places and discussions of Dante.

How is story?

It's rare that I find a book that I so look forward to reading. Gillian Flynn has done a masterful job of combining a riveting plot with great writing. It doesn't feel naive and it contains just the right amount of tension to keep things interesting. The story wasn't predictable and the ending was deliberately left open ended.

How fascinating is the book?

I hadn't read the series and found I was an anomaly. I found this book to be compelling and well written. I now will be reading the next two series of the trilogy.

How is the write?

Donna Tartt's novel is a bildungsroman with a modern edge to it. A frame narrative, the story follows Theo Decker beginning with an all-too-common modern tragedy. The novel is, however, so much more than this. The author creates remarkable characters and situations with often cascading sentences and phrases that are a delight. In addition, there is even another layer that uses the painting of the goldfinch, an integral part of the plot itself, as the means to bring forth the purpose of art in all its forms. Theo, the writer, speaks of "...a rainbow edge where beauty comes into being, where two very different surfaces mingle and blur to provide what life does not: and this is the space where all art exists..." This is beautifully expessed by Donna Tartt and beautifully demonstrated in her novel.

What is you favorite world?

Wow! This is definitely a WOW book for me. I never would have thought to read it if it wasn't for all the early reviews raving about how awesome it is. So when I had the opportunity to review it myself I totally jumped at the chance and I do not regret it! This book was so full of awesome that the second I finished I immediately convinced about six others that they MUST read it! And they are!I am not really into sci-fi unless it's more of the fantasy variety. This one is futuristic with androids and cyborgs and aliens. Totally not my thing usually. But Cinder is basically a normal girl. She hides that she's a cyborg as much as she can because it seems they are kind of looked down on, like they aren't fully human. But she is. I mean she has a human brain and still thinks like a normal girl. And she was completely real and like-able to me. I connected with her right off the bat and 'got' her. She was funny and compassionate but she was dealt such a rough hand that she was a bit cynical, or she forced herself to be anyway, trying to convince herself that she was 'less'. No one would like her if they knew she was cyborg, etc.The other characters were great as well. The prince was totally not prince-like. I mean, he wasn't full of himself. He was funny and he was also compassionate and like Cinder he was dealt a rough hand. Though it's completely different because yes, he's a prince, but he's suddenly thrown into this tough position and his decisions mean the fate of his country. But he had a clear head and struggled to do his best in deciding what to do. But one thing that wasn't a struggle for him was Cinder. At least as far as we see. They are continuously running into one another and he doesn't even hesitate to be kind and gently flirtatious with her. And though he doesn't know she's cyborg he does know she's not royalty and he still pays her attention. I totally loved him for that. And don't worry, yes- he's completely swoon-worthy! He's not a bad boy, but he's still swoony!The stepmother was definitely evil and had me so angry! I totally wanted to reach in and strangle her. Same with the one stepsister. The other one was kind and has her own story but I don't want to spoil it for you. The Cinderella part of the story was perfect. It was definitely it's own retelling but still followed along enough that it was pretty obvious that it was a retelling of Cinderella.The sci fi elements were important but somehow the book was never heavy. There wasn't lots of long descriptions or a ton of backstory. For me it was perfect. I got enough that I wasn't confused but not so much I felt overwhelmed. I thought the world building was good but some may feel it's lacking because we don't really learn a whole lot about things from before. But really, I thought it was perfect and in future books I'm sure we'll learn much more.This was a clean read that had me on the edge of my seat. While it's fairly long I read it in only a day because it was so good and was fast paced. I very highly recommend this book!Disclosure: I received this book free of charge through the amazon vine program for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

How is the relationship?

I didn't think it was possible, but Stephanie Perkins managed to make me love Lola and the Boy Next Door even more than Anna and the French Kiss. Another home run for the Queen of Contemporary Young Adult Romances.Lola was not your average girl. She saw every day as a chance to reinvent herself, with wigs and costumes; she marched to her own drummer and if you didn't like it, tough noogies. She lived with her too-good-to-be-true dads and dated an older "bad boy." Everything was going pretty dandy for Lola until her old neighbors moved back into the house next door.I loved Lola's dads - they let her just be herself and were there when she needed them. They were kind (to each other and to her) and thoughtful and just quirky enough. Her boyfriend, Max, was a few years older, and this was mentioned several times, in an effort to make their relationship almost... naughty. I didn't think the age difference was that big a deal.The neighbors, the Bells, included twins Calliope and Cricket. Calliope was a talented figure skater whose family had moved back to town to advance her career. She was spoiled and selfish, and not a likable character at all. Cricket, well he's one of my favorite book boyfriends ever. He was sweet and nerdy and made of pure awesome.Most of the novel was spent building up the horrible thing that Cricket did to Lola before the Bells moved away, and once we found out what he did, it was a huge letdown. Honestly, it was no big deal at all, and I thought she overreacted quite a bit. The dialogue was fun and real; Lola really had a tendency to say what she was thinking, which led to some amusing situations.The setting of the novel was so well described, I felt like I was right there in San Francisco with the characters. Everything was so lush and descriptive, I loved it. For fans of Anna and the French Kiss, we are treated to a few scenes with Anna and Etienne in Lola. They are just as in love, and Anna provides a sounding board when Lola needs someone to talk out her issues.There were a few clichés, and some predictable bits, but they were few and far between. The quirky and fun nature of the book more than made up for those few drawbacks.

What about action ?

Of all the Reacher novels I think that this is the best one. It has all the great action of his novels, plus it gives insight into Reacher himself. Great novels have great character development. This one fits the bill.

What do you think about thing?

I am a big fan of Gillian Flynn, having read and loved her first two novels. She does not disappoint this time. You probably have already heard about the plot, which revolves around the strange disappearance of Amy Dunne on the day of her fifth wedding anniversary to Nick. There is no need to give more plot detail as that will spoil the twists and turns. The writing is excellent and engaging. Flynn continues to explore the darker side of humanity, although I did not find this book as wrenching and disturbing as her first two. But there is plenty of nasty stuff in here, don't worry!This is a great read and definitely recommended. I am already looking forward to her next book.

How strength was it?

After just one book, I'm already a fan of Amy Tintera and her writing! I found her debut, Reboot, to be an absolutely stunning dystopian offering with a strong romantic plot line and well-placed humor to balance the novel's darkness and violence.The main character, Wren, is known the most deadly and dangerous of the Reboots by her peers and the HARC, the corporation which effectively rules the Republic of Texas. Reboots, which at first might sound suspiciously like zombies, are actually quite different. In the novel, it's briefly theorized that Reboots may be more advanced humans whose bodies had the capabilities to manipulate the virus that swept through the population. Their deaths were actually more akin to a resting period - or incubation period, perhaps - for the virus and that, instead of killing them, it made them stronger, both physically and mentally (if you count less emotion as a strength). Reboots, however, are no longer considered humans but Other (by both the HARC and the remaining human population) and have become slaves tasked with hunting down and capturing or killing human criminals.Perhaps because they are labelled Other, the Reboots themselves, especially those labelled with higher numbers indicating that they were "dead" longer than lower numbered Reboots, no longer consider themselves human. They consider themselves a race unto themselves. For me, this stood out as an important detail: I knew Reboot featured a romance, but I couldn't imagine how the inhuman Wren would suddenly be able to fall in love, especially a love that was strong enough to change how she interacted with the world.Wren and Callum's romance was believable for me because Callum, a 22 (and, therefore, a Reboot who is, except for a few physical changes, still pretty much human) sees Wren as more than Other - allowing her to see herself as more than the narrow label of Reboot as determined by the HARC. Some may have found the romance odd in a world filled with so much violence and so little emotion, but, for me, the love between Callum and Wren, the understanding and connection between them, is the only force that could effectively combat the kind of brainwashing the Reboots endured at the hands of HRAC. It reminded me strongly of the aftereffects of colonization, where, after time, the colonized may view themselves negatively when the viewpoint of the conquerors is repeatedly forced upon them.The relationship between Callum and Wren was one of my favorite aspects of the novel. I loved Callum, he was a typical human guy, which I think was necessary distinction. I could see how some might think the relationship (and the laughter between the characters) a bit odd in the midst of such darkness, but I think Wren and Callum acting less serious and enjoying life was a sign of hope... that there was still something left to fight for when everything else had become so unrecognizable. Others might wonder how Wren could be both a killing machine for the HRAC and, simultaneously a giggling teenager, but I think it just shows how desensitized Wren had become at the hands of the HRAC and her parents, before she became a Reboot, and that how she lives her life & values are a direct result of those influences, not who she truly is. Plus, in a world where you really can't be sure you'll live to see the next day, making out with the person you're head over heels for, potentially for the first and last time, seems like a fantastic idea.I felt the pacing of this novel was absolutely perfect. I never once felt bored or rushed while reading. The novel ends on a cliffhanger, but not before wrapping up the bulk of the action in book one. Instead of leaving tons of unanswered questions throughout the entire book and into the next installment, Tintera presents new questions and a new setting for book two as well as leaving some of the overarching, deeper questions. I cannot wait for book two, where I hope we'll find out more about what exactly Reboots are and how things will change after the game-changing events in Reboot.Don't waste any time, grab a copy of Tintera's debut as soon as possible!

What is the emotion you feel?

holy hell!!! 5 stars are most definitely NOT enough!!!! this book was absolutely amazing! !! Kristy you out did yourself!!! if you haven't read this series then you have no idea what your missing! !!! I loved them all!!! thank you kristy for allowing us to read, love, and enjoy your books!!!! This book left me speechless!!! Loved it to the mother F***ing checkered flag!!!!

How is the thing with the plot?

First of all it could have been a GREAT book suspense etc. But the ending OMG seriously anyone who says this book is sooo great and amazing etc must think that being in a messed up relationship is cool! I read this book because it was recommended by my sister. I thought okay she has good taste. After I was finished, and from someone who reads quite a bit it was hard to finish this, I called her to say WHY did you do that to me. She started laughing saying someone told her to read it as a mean joke too. This book is about a deranged psycho girl who needs to grow up and realize everything isnt about her. She is not happy in her marriage and realizes her hubby is cheating and takes matters into her own hands. No, not like a mature adult by just leaving, and no, not like a bitter wife who wants to take more then half. Ohh no, she fakes her kidnapping then frames a friend that tried to help after her web of lies her for murder. But that's not the best part this IDIOT stays with her. Ohh the pathetic we really love each other BS. I will only recommend this book to someone who I don't like or who I want to play a joke on and make them waste their time.

How is book?

I am going to start my little review with the one aspect of this gem of a book that I disliked: it becomes apparent towards the end that it is "part one" of a series. This might not be a negative for some folks, but I am rather tired of the trend that YA books MUST be serialized. One of these days I would really like a great, thrilling, stand-alone YA story.Okay, enough of that grumpiness.So, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I liked it a lot. It has a stunningly lovely cover. I liked the integration of creepy old photos with the story, and I thought the tale was great fun, spooky and imaginative. The action bogged down a bit in the middle of the book, but there is very welcome and scary jolt around chapter nine that sets the story apace again. Most of the characters are interesting and curious(peculiar!), although the protagonist, Jacob, is not really one of them. The conceit of a hidden time-loop world, extraordinary and ageless children, shape-shifting bird/governesses, and ghastly wights and horrid hallowgasts make for a thrilling adventure. As noted, the story slogs a bit in the middle, but there are enough twists, chases, and creepy revelations towards the end to save it. I will seek out the next installment because I want to find out how the kids and the Bird fare in their quest, but gosh I sure do wish that it had simply been a bigger book with tighter storytelling. That said--I highly recommend Miss Peregrine and her fabulous wards as a great read and even better leaping off point for a day's musings. It's a story that stays with you even after you shut the book.Be sure to check out the author's website---- for some great videos and news about his upcoming photo collection book called Talking Pictures.

How were the details described in the book?

I am not even sure how I came about the Wool series. But, I am glad that I found it. The writing is clear, concise, descriptive and captivating. The story will keep you reading and make it hard to put down. I would like to point out that it is also a simple story with few characters, and that is a compliment.I understand that this is a self-published work. If true, its even more impressive as the writing, as others have noted, is pure, concise, grammatically correct and just plain well put together. I recommend it highly.

How is the friend?

I am very blessed to have amazing friends that lead me to amazing books. For the past week I have listened to them talk about this book called Wallbanger. To be completely honest, I thought the name was intriguing. I mean really wall sex is the shiz. However, my TBR list is exploding and I didn't need to add to it. After days passed and they wouldn't stop talking about it, I started to feel a bit left out. Needless to say when this came available for review I grabbed it fast. I devoured it in one day and I'm happy to report that it is all they claimed it to be and more.The humor and snark has a style all of its own. It's really like nothing I have experienced before and she did an outstanding job hooking you in and keeping you turning pages. It's not full of drama and overcoming obstacles, it's more about finding and claiming love.It's loaded with sexual tension, witty comebacks and snappy banter. This couple has the longest foreplay session in the entire universe. Let me tell you though, you're missing out on nothing in the steamy department. I mean its definite talent if an author can turn making apple pie into erotic flirting. I give props for that.This book delivers it all. Simon and Caroline are magic together. The secondary cast is incredible. The funny and flirty text messages back and forth are comical. The journey we follow Caroline on as she tries to find her "missing O" (yes, it's that O I'm talking about) is simply hilarious. Clive the wonder cat, is one hell of a pussy that plays a huge role in the story. I had tears rolling down my face from laughing so hard while reading his POV at the end. I can't recommend this story enough. This book is the perfect combination of everything I crave in a story. It's steamy, sexy, sweet, romantic, heartwarming, snarky, witty all rolled into one hell of a banging experience. Read it, you will love it. I promise!

How was the end?

I labeled this a legal thriller although 'thriller' is really too exciting a word to be placed on this book. It's not one of Grisham's best; just an okay read.It's about a young man set to embark on a legal career, so it's a little different from Grisham's norm. Kyle McAcoy has played it safe all his life--good school, good grades, doing all the right things. Should one bad night ruin his whole life? What if that bad night involved something immoral and illegal? Kyle has a chance to become an associate at the most prestigious law firm in Manhattan. But, a college "indiscretion" jeopardizes all that. Soon, the job is the least of his worries as he battles thugs, fights for his life, and is being blackmailed to commit fraud and treason.This book involved an incident that will make you question the main character, at least I did. There are some things for which there is NO excuse and I think Kyle got the consequences he deserved (at the very least), even though he was a passive criminal. His silence was enough. I know many will disagree with me, but he got his just desserts. And, I'm pretty sure Kyle feels the same way as I do about the situation, which made him redeemable enough for me to keep reading about him.The book was both interesting and depressing. It's a look into the life of a corporate lawyer. Is money really worth all that? It was just okay for me. It was not really the gripping legal thriller I was hoping for. It felt very tame and only mildly interesting. The ending was so ridiculous that is wasn't even credible and I walked away feeling a little cheated. Very unsatisfying.

How good is the story?

I came across Atlas Shrugged here on Amazon while looking for something else entirely. I read some of the reviews. Many people loved this book, and some people absolutely hated it. There was a real conflict going on. The one star reviews sighted an overly lengthy tomb that was preachy and highly opinionated with poorly drawn and poorly developed characters, unrealistic dialogue and confusing descriptions. The 5 star reviews touted amazing characters, poetic descriptions and ground breaking philosophy. But, it was the comments to the 5 star and 1 star reviews that got me interested. I read a comment on a one star review that the commenter thought the one star review was unwarranted and the reviewer needed to read some in-depth analytical books addressing this book and its author's philosophies - then re-read and try the review again (and that the second time around couldn't possibly be a low rating). Well, any book that needs other books to explain it and make it understandable and worthwhile does not sound like a good book at all in my opinion. Other commenter on the 1 star reviews basically said that the reviewers (and anyone who would rate this book low) were a bunch of closed minded sheep that COULD not or WOULD not understand the monumental, brand new philosophy in this book. Well, when anyone says that the reason a book is not liked is because of stupidity, ignorance or willful disregard, it makes me wonder - about both the book and the commenter. On the other side, the comments on some of the 5 star reviews accused those reviewers of being brainwashed cult followers. Overall, I was interested enough to read the sample on my Kindle. I wanted to know what all the controversy was about. I was pretty underwhelmed, and I have to say, I agree more with the 1 star reviewers than the 5 star. It was not well written, it was unrealistic in many ways, not believable at all, and was way too long. I was not fired up in either way. I do not vehemently hate it, nor did I absolutely despise it. I was pretty unimpressed, both with the writing itself and the concepts therein.As I said, the book is not well written. Many of the reviewers did comment on this, and the response from those who loved the book were often that English was author's second language so cut her some slack. I do not agree that that is an acceptable reason nor is it even a good excuse. A good editor or even a proof reader, even a few willing friends, could have cleaned it up. There is no reason why a book should be published like this. A few examples follow. Verb tense. Often the verb tense was inappropriate, especially when switching between past memory to current time. At one point, a character was thinking about an oak tree from his child hood (in past tense) and then this sentence "He stood there for a while, making no sound, then he walked back to the house." Now, of course, after a moment of thought and a quick re-read, I figured out that he was still remembering a memory and not actually looking for a moment and walking back to the house NOW, but when there are multiple instances of verb tense mix ups throughout, it makes for a very confusing, jarring read. There are also many places were the wrong form of a verb or adjective is used, such as singular versus plural. An example: "It was as if normal existence were (should be was rather than were) a photograph." And "-not more than every fourth one of the stores was (should be were) out of business; its (should be their) windows dark." A proof reader or editor would have easily corrected this. Also, there were sudden point of view changes without indication or warning, one moment we are in one character's head, with their thoughts and feelings, and then we are suddenly in the head of another, then back again. Then, there is Rearden's name. He's referred to both as Hank and as Henry. Again, I figured it out, but there were a few pages where people were talking to "Henry" and I was thinking, did someone else walk in? I read back and forth, trying to find where it was explained that Hank was Henry, and couldn't find it. Earlier in the book, people would suddenly speak up that hadn't been initially described as being in the scene, so it wasn't unprecedented to have new characters show up without introduction.In addition, the sentence structure was rather cumbersome and confusing at times. Sentences are very long, repetitive and strung together with commas and semicolons. Example: "The notes flowed up, they spoke of rising and they were rising itself, they were the essence and form of upward motion, they seemed to embody every human act and thought that had ascent as its motive." Or "But from the sunset far at the end of the street, yellow glints caught his eyes, and the eyes looked straight at Eddie . . ." So, were the yellow glints at the end of the street and did the glints catch his attention? Because, if they did, how can he look at Eddie at the same time he's looking at the glints? Were they supposed to be caught IN his eyes? I think so. Or ". . . not an active fire, but a dying one which it is too late to stop." This sentence indicates that it's too late to stop the fire, which doesn't make sense because the fire is dying. But I think what it is actually trying to say is that it is the dying of the fire that is too late to stop. There were instances of this thoughout the book, and it made reading it difficult because I found myself re-reading and re-reading, before I got it. You can't just read through this book non-stop with images and experiences running through your head, because the words keep getting in the way.I don't know about all readers, but I would guess many of them would be thrown off balance and just plain confused by the writing of this book. I was. I had a writing teacher once who gave some of the best advice I've ever gotten, "You want readers to read your story not the words of your story. You want them to read without seeing the words. If they are seeing the words or worse, being confused and tripped up by them, then you have failed." That was certainly true for me reading this book. It was only a string of words without imagery that envoked no feeling.Onto the characters. I too found them to be unrealistic, contradictory, and poorly drawn. There were only a few types of people in this book, those portrayed as stupid, selfish (wanting things only for their own gratification) and charitable beyond any rational reason and those portrayed as cold, emotionless and selfish (wanting things only to feed their vision). I would agree with the other reviewers who said the dialogue was preachy, contrived and unrealistic. Example: "Of what importance is an individual in the titanic collective achievement of our industrial age?" or "little slum children", "it's purely non-commercial", and "selfish greed for profit is a thing of the past.", or this great big long, incongruous statement, "I'm not going to requisition a new typewriter. The new ones are made of tin. When the old ones go, that will be the end of typewriting. There was an accident in the subway this morning, their brakes wouldn't work. You ought to go home, Eddie, turn on the radio and listen to a good dance band. Forget it, boy. Trouble with you is you never had a hobby. Somebody stole the electric light bulbs from off the staircase, down where I live. I've got a pain in my chest. Couldn't get any cough drops this morning, the drugstore on our corner went bankrupt last week. The Texas-Western Railroad went bankrupt last month. They closed the Queensborough Bridge yesterday for temporary repairs. Oh well, what's the use? Who is John Galt?" Who says things like this? Nobody! People don't talk like that. They give speeches with that kind of language, maybe, but not talk to each other like that in everyday conversations.I found no new concepts in this book. The individual versus the whole, society versus industry, ect . . . Rand did not discover something new and reveal it in this book. Nor was her restated concepts portrayed in any realistic setting. The man who runs the train company is whining in response to urging to use a big, established, good quality supplier because the small company (low quality and long lead times that cost them months of time and money) should be given a chance. Or defending a failing venture in an undeveloped country because - shouldn't those countries have help and have modern facilities too? And he's telling his more efficient, hardworking and profit minded hardnosed co-owner sister that she doesn't understand or care about the human element . . . well, as far as business is concerned, of course she doesn't! And to portray any leader of a business as this man is silly. I work in a manufacturing field, and I can tell you, a vendor that provides high cost, low quality parts and is constantly blowing delivery dates is dropped. Same with business ventures, if something isn't making a profit, it goes. And what's this whole resistance to using the new type of metal? "but - but no ones used this new type of metal before . . ." Once again, businesses are always looking for the newest tech, the newest discoveries and inventions to make themselves bigger and better and give them an edge and make them money. This whole business set up in this book just seriously annoyed me. No business runs like that, it couldn't, and rendering one as such, even to make a point, just rang false for me. In the book, sentiment, affection, charity were portrayed as weak, negative emotions that none of the obviously strong, truly successful, hero characters had, even towards their families. The strong heros were condescending, arrogant and bitter.I did read the forward, which had some comments on Rand, as well as some explanations of her characters and the parts they played. Again, if I have to have things spelled out before hand and be TOLD (because it's apparently not clear enough in the book itself) what something ACTUALLY means (because my own ability to drawn my own conclusions must be faulty or my willful ignorance might make me ignore logic and reason) then I suspect there is something lacking in the book itself, either in the nuts and bolts of the writing or in the characters or plot. I found all that to be true in this instance. The actual structure of the writing was confusing and repetitive as well as contradictory, and both the characters and the plot were unrealistic, unrelatable, inhuman and also contradictory. Clarity, concise and realistic dialogue, sympathetic characters, believable plot/people/motivations/actions were all lacking. As a story, it is not something I want to read. As a philosophy, it was nothing new or groundbreaking, that I need to read, and certainly don't want to if its not well written.Quote from Rand: "I seem to be both a theoretical philosopher and a fiction writer. But it is the last that interests me most; the first is only a means to the last . . ." Well, this book is not evidence that supports this statement. It is the exact opposite, in my opinion. This fiction book was not a vehicle for her philosophy. Her philosophy was a vehicle for this book. That was evident to me in the preachy speeches of the characters and the unrealistic mold every scene was shoved into. She did not use her fiction to tell about a philosophy but rather used her philosophy to tell a story. Everything was drawn and built to fit that philosophy.Quote from Rand: ". . . creating a new, original abstraction and translating it through new, original means. This, as far as I know, is only ME - my kind of fiction writing . . . May God forgive me if this is mistaken as conceit. As near as I can now see it, it isn't . . ." Well, I saw nothing new or original in the philosophy and certainly nothing new in this book, and to think it is, to judge one's own work as such, sounds conceited to me. And, in reading Rand's other statements in the forward, she certainly left me with an impression she is an elitist, arrogant, condescending and bitter woman, just like the heroes she created. I will definitely not be paying the high Kindle price to read the rest of this book.This all makes me sad, in a way. There were moments and certain descriptions that were like breathtaking snatches of sunlight and left me thinking - wow, this woman could have been a great novelist. With a little editing, a little less soap box preaching, a grounding in realistic, believable settings and characters, she could have written a tremendous book. There is talent here, but its warped and lost in the extrusion through her narrow and bent mold.

What is your best experience?

This book went back to the basics and we got to enjoy what Anita does best! I am really sad to see all the poor reviews out there. This book was great! I read where the thought has been that the ending wrapped up too fast. But people the whole book was devoted to getting to the great ending. Do you not see all the awesome story lines this ending has opened up???!!!! I highly recommend this book - I have made time to read it twice and will start a third read soon.

What is gift?

In a remote part of Wisconsin, Gar Sawtelle, his wife Trudy and their young son, muteEdgar makes a living breeding and training dogs. Edgar has developed a unique special relationship with Almondine, one of the family dogs; the pair communicates in a way that his parents are unable to do with their son.The family is contented although the work with the canines is hard. When Gar's brother charming brother Claude comes home the family dynamics change but not in a positive manner. Soon after his arrival Gar dies and the silent Edgar is unable to call for help. He is filled with remorse and guilt making his grief even more difficult. However, he soon believes his father was murdered by his uncle who has spent an exorbitant amount of time with his mom. Fearing he may be next, Edgar flees accompanied by his best friends Almondine and two other dogs.Hamlet is brought into modern day Wisconsin as readers feel the destiny of tragedy will occur from the moment Claude arrives and after that happens, a sense of a second calamity once Edgar concludes his uncle killed his father to eliminate the sole barrier to his mother. Readers will be spellbound by David Wrobleweski's retelling of the classic as the key cast comes alive especially the mute Edgar who readers get to know by his thoughts and his communication with Almondine (sort of in some ways like the Ghost). This is a fascinating winner, but at 566 pages set aside some time.Harriet Klausner

Are evil people on story line of this book?

I tend to avoid the blockbuster bestsellers. But my mother's friend gave her The Help, and she passed it on to me. I wasn't very interested, although the movie trailers looked better than I'd expected. But I was in desperate need of something distracting one night, something other than what I'd been reading or, it seemed, anything else within reach, and The Help next thing I knew it was 2:30 AM and it was only through sheer willpower that I put this down and tried to go to sleep. Tried. It wasn't easy. I read this book in three sittings, and it would have been one if I'd had any say in the matter. That hasn't happened in a while.An indication of how thoroughly distracted I was: I loathe, despise, and abominate the present tense in fiction. It's silly to admit it, but I was halfway through the book before it really registered that all three points of view in The Help are present tense. I grew used to it in Aibileen's section - it was just a part of the dialect, of Aibileen's voice; the same was true of Minny's, and by the time I started Skeeter's first chapter I was well beyond simply engrossed. I literally did a double-take when for some reason one present-tense usage registered It was simply that I was paying far more attention to what was happening than to how it was written - and it's been a very long time since that happened, that thoroughly.It should not have been so very compulsively readable. Present tense; dialect to one degree or another throughout; but the three women whose voices tell the story are so vibrant and alive that Kathryn Stockett might have been able to get away with future tense Pig Latin and still produced gold. (I wouldn't recommend it, however.) Aibileen and Minny and Skeeter are each in her way wounded, and are not about to be sharing everything right off with someone they know as little as the reader. It takes time to gain their friendship and their confidence, and in the meantime the secrets they keep are only hinted at, to torment and tease. When the secrets are finally revealed, in their own time, they are equal to their buildup. Again, not something easily pulled off.Each section is written just as if the narrator were talking to the reader, truly in her voice. Each woman's voice belongs to her and her alone. Aibileen's dialect is heavy, warm but mildly ironic, bitterness and sorrow always just below the surface - or higher. I adore Aibileen. Minny's mother was a schoolteacher and had no patience for slang, and Minny has never quite lapsed from her high standards; neither of these women is stupid, not by a long mark, but Minny's voice has a closer relationship to formal grammar - along with a bigger helping of sarcasm and bitterness. Skeeter is a college girl, and her voice, always worried, is closest to standard - but she is still a Mississippi girl and still calls the Harper & Row editor Missus Stein. One test of good fiction writing is whether a character's dialogue can be matched to that character based on style and syntax alone. Any single paragraph in this book can pass that test.I feel a little stupid that some of the dangers of the time and place never occurred to me. The 60's aren't my milieu. I happily missed nearly all the decade, and the only thing I've regretted was the moon launch (and maybe the Beatles). Plus I'm a Northern girl; even at the worst of it, before I was born, it wasn't quite as bad here. (Partly because, I find, segregation was more due to strictly separated neighborhoods (or rather neighborhoods and ghettos) than law.) I knew some of it, of course. I knew the basics of the story of Emmet Till (though I didn't realize he was only 14; or maybe it was another case I had heard of. There were no doubt many). But I simply was clueless about how prevalent and constant the danger was. Every day, every action, every word and look and conversation and quirk of an eyebrow might be scrutinized, and might lead to ... anything. Being fired; being beaten; being killed. Crosses burned, houses burned, bodies burned. And even beyond the danger, almost as hard to live with had to be the constant, continuous barrage of words. Even someone otherwise not unfriendly thought nothing of what is now (happily almost universally) considered outrageous remarks. Complete strangers were free to say appalling things.I know - I've been sheltered, that this was such a revelation to me. Don't think I'm not, in a large way, grateful.If I had been forced to say what I expected from The Help it would probably have been social commentary. Heart-warming. Heartstring-tugging. Some facile tale of some white girl's exposé on racial inequality. I was shocked, actually shocked, at the level of anxiety in this novel - it was more intense than a great many books intended as suspense novels. There was the not-quite comic suspense of what exactly the deal was with the pie. But, more, much more, there was the concern, the need to know if these women were going to be all right. There was no guarantee of that, none. Someone's review of another book nailed it:"Yes, somehow Mason made even those aspects of the novel incredibly interesting though it's a subject in which I have very little interest. I sympathised very much with Eloise's terrors and her courage at facing them - in fact I found I couldn't stop worrying about her even when I wasn't reading the book."I cared about these people. (Not characters: people.) I worried about them - yes, even when I wasn't reading the book. I learned from this, factually and emotionally. I was deeply impressed - this was a beautiful, beautiful book.

What is actually better sequel?

I loved this book. The plot was awesome and very intriguing. The love between the two is very endearing. I recommend this to all of my friends.

How were the words heard?

Subject matter is difficult, of course, but through the eyes, heart, and mind of a an adolescent girl, this book is beautifully and hauntingly written. It is crucial that we truly know this truth of our humanity and history.

How is the book?

Night Owl by M. PierceMatthew (Night.Owl) & Hannah (Little.Bird)****Possible Spoilers****HOLY FREAKING HELL!!!! I was bowled over!!! From the very first conversation to the last words uttered in this book, my life will never be the same! I'm making a "list" of ways this book has changed me. LOL! I've never read a book like this before and I'm pretty sure I NEVER will again! M. Pierce whoever you are, whatever you are, you're a freaking genius and should be given a damn Pulitzer!I still honestly can't believe I'm putting this into words because my brain still feels all mushy and scrambled! BUT... here it goes. I was intrigued from the first line of this tale. Hook, line, and sinker! I ate up every word and devoured it with reckless abandonment! I felt like with every word, every sentence, and every turn of the page I was digging my own grave and I didn't care. I wanted to get deeper and more absorbed into the lives of these two completely diverse people! The need, the loneliness, the angst, the sex, the love, the humor, the dread, and most importantly the acceptance.Matthew a.k.a. Night.Owl is so unlike any other leading male character I've read before. He has so much power and knows how to use it, but throughout this tale he seems to lose it and it wounded me to see him suffer even though he was in the wrong. His "ass***ery"<<-- (sorry Amazon won't let me swear) was very refreshing and for some reason my mind wanted, no needed that to make me feel the complete chaos that he was. It's like he wanted to know so many things about Hannah, but he knew wanting those things were wrong on so many levels, but he couldn't stop himself. He made me want so many things for him and he made me make sure my B.O.B. had new batteries!!! From his dirty blonde hair to his beautiful green eyes, he made my heart skip a beat with that dynamite smile of his. How was it you describe his smile M. Pierce? "Matt's smirks came in flavors- two parts kindness, one part wicked amusement, a little lust in the mix. Oh, and one hundred percent smug bastard."This beautiful, free spirited, hard working, and loveable "Little.Bird" Hannah had me at "hello." She was so agreeable to just about everything that was asked of her, but seriously, she didn't really have anything else and nothing to lose, so why not! Hannah was that girl that would bend over backwards for her friends and family and be fierce to those who tried to hurt any of her loved ones. I was almost frightened for her at times, but it seemed what I thought might be terrifying or fearful, turned out to be vibrant and alive. Funny how things can come full circle and after pushing through some shadows, you finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. Hannah was my light! She pulled me through this ordeal with her courage and her sturdiness. "Always, Matt, always speaking to me from any mouth but your own. Don't you know that I love you? I see you under all your lies, and I always find you." That line right there solidified my love for that smart Little.Bird!The build up and tension leading to the climax was exhilarating and rewarding. It doesn't end the way I expected it to and I'm not sure if I could say it's a cliffhanger or not! You'll just have to pick up your own copy and be the judge. I, myself will be a forever "fan-girl" of this remarkable author and will bite my nails till the next installment comes out. Please God, make it come out soon!!! Pretty please with tons of sugar, honey, and whipped cream on top!!! After 233 (Kindle version) pages of this messed up, wonderful story, I'm here to say, GO BUY IT - LIKE RIGHT EFFING NOW!!!!5 MUTHA EFFIN' STARS!!!!!

How would you describe the gift of Gregory in writing historical fiction?

This book is one you will never forget reading. Being an avid reader who has read thousands of books, I can honestly say this one is unforgettable, and one of the most surprising ones I have ever read. So many secrets and mysteries are revealed, and you have no clue about how horrible they are until near the end. It grabs you from the first page, and you can't put it down. You feel for the characters Sky and Holder. How the author can write so convincingly about the tragedies in this book is hard to understand, but she does it so well. And in the end, you are amazed at the strength and love that can come out of such life-changing acts. This author has written a wonderful and heart warming book in spite of the subjects involved. I will purchase her other 2 books, and can't wait to read them! This book is worthy of 10 stars. NOTE: It's 6 months later and I just finished reading this book for the second time. It is that good!!

What about life ?

Emaline is very happy with her life. She works at her grandmother's beach resort and has a steady boyfriend, Luke, who is described as "hot" without a shirt. Her job involves making sure everyone has a comfortable stay and she has made no plans for the future, not because she fears anything but just seems to take life as it rolls by day after day. But that's about to change quite a bit - life is change at certain stages whether one wants it or not, and the essence of this story is how one embraces, fights, or flies from it.When Emaline is taking a VIP package of wine and fruit to one of the more luxurious resort areas, she meets a summer intern named Theo, who is working with a snooty director on a documentary film about a famous painter who lives like a regular guy and really doesn't want the hype. Add to the mixture that Emaline's absent father all of a sudden shows up exhibiting interest in his daughter's education and college application process. At first she is cautious, then enthused, and later shocked by his on again, off again presence. She and Luke start to fight, have some misunderstandings, a betrayal and then a break-up. But as upset as she is initially, she begins to realize the future may not have as many predictable scenarios as she had hoped.Forced to turn down a Columbia University acceptance, she decides to go to a local college but she's not so sure that Luke will be part of that future picture. Maybe she should change her plans totally. But things get complicated when a relationship with Theo starts to grow and her father moves into the area, bringing her half-brother Benji along, who comes to worship the ground Emaline walks on. Mom and Grandma are not so sure about all these changes!This is a tough, tender novel full of shifts in points of view about certain people. The characters are presented with all their best assets and toughest, weakest flaws. Unlike other books where characters paint black and white caricatures, Emaline learns to deal with whatever comes moment to moment. Love is a changing phenomena as well and passion is something to follow with all of one's being! Readers will love this very real, smart and sassy character and the story threading and weaving its way around her town of Colby, a place built on sand that is far more solid than one could dream! Very nicely done, Sarah Dessen! More please!

How was the story?

The Book Thief is a powerful book. It's a book that I would call beautiful and epic and unique. With personified Death as the narrator, the story is told from a unique perspective that's strangely akin to a human's.It's hard to describe how wonderful this story is. While it's set in Hitler's reign of Nazi Germany, the story is filled with humor and life. Many times I found myself laughing out loud at something that was said or done. The protagonist, a young orphan girl named Liesel, learns to live with her new foster parents, to make friends in Munich, to follow the Nazi propaganda, to learn how to get on with life during the oppressiveness of war. Her life's story is amazing and inspiring.Death's perspective describes many things in colors and sounds, and the adjectives throughout this book are as close to realism as possible. It was as if I could reach out and touch what Death was describing. And since Death talks about his life during World War II, the descriptions are surreal and ghastly.Liesel soon discovers that stealing makes her feel alive, that taking things is her way to stay apart. She turns to stealing books, and the book thief is born.I liked how Death eased the burden of his tale throughout the story, by foreshadowing what was to come. This caused the novel to be tinged with tragedy everywhere, but it was not overwhelming. And even though I knew the direction the story was headed, I couldn't help but feel sad by the end of the novel. Actually, it made me feel like I should cry, but I couldn't bring myself to.My favorite thing in the book was the relationships Liesel had with Rudy and Hans. Rudy was her best friend, and the two had a great friendship. Hans was her foster Father, and their love for one another was obvious.There were many scenes from the book that were memorable, but I hesitate to write on them to remain spoiler free. Suffice it to say that the book was unforgettable.The only thing I didn't like in the book was that it was marketed as a Young Adult book, targeted for teens. The author, Markus Zusak, did not write the book with a YA audience in mind, but this was decided by the publishers to market it this way (presumably because the protagonist was an adolescent/teen girl.) So if you abstain from YA books, don't let the tag scare you away, it definitely works as an adult novel.All in all, The Book Thief was a superb novel. Its realism is phenomenal, its story is brilliant, and its characters are believable. I'm likely to remember this story for a long time, and it's one that I can see myself going back and reading again, enjoying it a second time around.Two of my favorite quotes from the book:"You see, even Death has a heart.""'Don't get caught.' This from a man who had stolen a Jew."

How is the book?

The book is beautifully written and captured my interest from page one. The descriptions of both scenery and family relationships particularly between father and daughter are graphic. This is a story of great tragedy and love. I completely recommend it

What is the sentiment of the story?

I tried to read this book once before... and I didn't like it, I wasn't interested in dystopian novels and I didn't like that all the characters had such bizarre names. So I closed the book and let it go. When the movie came out and was a huge success I decided I wanted to read it and see the movie, I read about 6 chapters before going to the movie and the writing was really good, after seeing the movie I went home to finish the book. It did not disappoint. In fact it had me buying book 2 immediately after and now I'm halfway through it.There isn't much to add to other reviews because everything has been said. Reading the book at the same time as watching the movie I think they did an excellent adaptation of the story and Suzanne Collins has a beautiful style of writing even when it's something as sad and serious as The Hunger Games. What a creative idea. This book is just so full of imagination and you can tell she put so much into writing it. Definitely a 5 star and it's no wonder she's the next big thing in book and media headlines!

Was the series perfect?

I just love all of Cassandra Clares books. When her first series came out i just ate it up and this one is just as good. If you have not real all her books yet... start ordering.

How would you describe the book?

I just finished Hopeless, by Colleen Hoover a short while ago. This book exceeded my already high expectations. After reading Colleen's other two books, Slammed and Point of Retreat, I knew that this author had a rare and beautiful talent for writing.Her books are never easy to read, in the sense that they are never light fluffy reads. Yet, they are full of substance, life lessons, and teaching us that no matter our circumstances in life, it is important to gather strength, and courage.Hopeless, was no different. At the beginning of the story, we learn that Sky was adopted when she was five years old, and has a very close relationship with her adopted mother Karen. We also learn about her best friend and the fact that both girls like to sneak boys into their room at night which has earned them a negative reputation. When Sky is making out with a boy, or should I say when he is making out with her, she feels nothing. She becomes numb and counts the stars on the ceiling in her bedroom.Sky's life changes when she meets Dean Holder or just Holder as he goes by. He sparks intense feelings inside her. As the two get to know one another, they get extremely close and fall hard for each other. Little by little, Sky starts having nightmares, and remembering long forgotten/repressed memories from her childhood. Holder helps her unravel the mystery of her past, as well as cope with what she finds out. She in turn, teaches him about love, hope, strength, and new begininngs.What I love about Colleen Hoover's writing the most, is her ability to make a story come alive in your imagination. I could picture the characters, their voices, and events that took place with great clarity. I also love how I am able to grow such deep attachments to the characters through her writing. I don't feel like I'm reading a story. I feel like I am experiencing someone else's life through their eyes. Sky and Holder became so real to me that when I experienced the depth of their pain, I had to keep saying to myself, "This is just a story, it's not real." However, the painful events made me feel so bad inside for the people that have gone through, or are currently going through, some of the events that happened to Sky and Holder.Hopeless blew me away. It is a story that will stay with me forever. I recommend Hopeless to everyone who loves to read and appreciates a good story! I give Hopeless 5 Heart Aching Stars!

How is the thing with the plot?

These two people are totally crazy! I enjoyed the the book just to see what would happen next. Very entertaining.

How good is the book?

This book did not meet the expectations I had for it. The characters were difficult to identify with, the plot was too slow and drawn-out. There were spots in the middle where I was skipping around just to see if there was anything to look forward to. I struggled to finish it, and wasn't even all that satisfied with the ending once I finally got there. Many other mystery/thrillers surpass this book in terms of plot and character development. I wouldn't waste my time with this one, but there are obviously plenty of readers who've enjoyed it too, so buy it if you dare, but don't say no one warned you!

How do you like the author?

Although the book moved at a reasonable pace I felt the ending was very weak ... I was disappointed with this offering.I have read 5 other Lee Child books and found this to be his weakest to date.

How is the effect?

Since receiving the book, my attitude and life is so much better. Daily I read something from this book. I have become a calmer person. Things that would easily anger me seem unimportant now. Life is to be enjoyed, that is a choice we can make, it is ours for the asking. Thank you Rhonda Byrne. The video is awesome also!

Do you travel or flying in chapter?

*********SPOILERS****************The cover, oh the glorious cover. I love all of the covers for this series. This one, with the mockingjay bursting out of the circle, is just beautiful and a bit symbolic. I literally was petting this book when it arrived on my porch. I probably shouldn't be telling people that.I'll start off my review by saying that I really loved this book and it's one of my favorite series' as a whole. I think Suzanne Collins' writing is beautiful and she never fails to surprise me. Typically I can figure out what is going to happen in a story, but I find myself always saying things like, "wow!" or "oh my gosh" while reading her books. A huge bravo to her there. Mockingjay was heartbreaking and beautiful.Finnick is the character that grew the most for me. He caused me to tear up on more than one occasion and his death was the one that hit me the hardest. There were a few moments with Finnick that I found myself re-reading the passages. They included his monologue for the propos where he outed President Snow for what he was putting the victors through, his reunion with Annie, his final moments and when he gave Katniss the rope. Picture Annie without Finnick and I dare you not to cry. Wah. He became one of my favorite characters out of all three books. I think he even beat Rue out.I wish we would have found out exactly what happened to Cinna. I cried when they gave Katniss the book from him. I so wished he was coming back.Now, I do have one major gripe with the book....Gale. I felt like he was cheated. Having some fancy job in District 2 where he was on the TV was insulting to his character, I think. Gale having a high-profile job seems so out of character for him. He felt out of character for most of the book, in fact. His story is something I am still thinking about and I don't think I will ever be satisfied with it. My friend, Laura, commented that he would have been better off heading off into the wilderness with only a knife and a bow. I couldn't agree more. I didn't need him to end up with Katniss, I just needed him to be himself. Oh well, I could go on and on with this one.Another smaller one is that I found it a bit unbelievable for the main four (Katniss, Gale, Peeta and Haymitch) to all survive. Death is a huge part of that world, it is a war after all, so it seems as if all four of them making it out, damaged as they were, was unrealistic.Also, here is a little grumble for the fan-base. I really, really don't like when "teams" are brought into the foreground with this trilogy. I get the whole "Team Edward" and "Team Jacob" thing because, face it, Twilight is basically a love story with a dash of paranormal. The Hunger Games trilogy is so much more. It's a dystopian war society where the love story is just a small part of what is happening. I would have loved the books just as much (probably a bit more) if the love triangle wasn't involved. I mean, do love triangles actually happen in real life? I have a hard enough time getting one guy to have an interest in me, let alone two guys who would absolutely do anything for me. That's another story, I suppose. Sorry if I offended anyone there, that wasn't my intention at all.

What is your favorite book?

Tom hopes the isolated life on the lighthouse island will insulate him from the post-war demons that haunt him. He dedicates himself to his new bride and embraces the keeper's job as a sacred responsibility. But, he finds life is full of the unexpected, the unsummoned challenges that define a life, and carve out consequences. What happens when good people choose expedience over right, when they persuade themselves that an accident of fate is not a chance occurrence but a miracle intended to allay their private sorrow? As the story unfolds with a gripping pace, the reader will confront deeply personal questions. Given similar circumstances in their own lives, what would they choose? Will their moral compass illuminate an integrous path, or will they succumb to the desire of their soul to have that one dream fulfilled? This book will stay with you, not only for its power but also for the lyrical writing.

How was the characterization of actors?

Don't waste your money on this book, it's popularity is all hype, which the publisher and author I'm sure are loving. I read the reviews of the book here on Amazon and decided not to purchase it, but talk about it is everywhere and I wanted to see what the big deal was. I'm very glad I got it at the library, it's everything the poor reviews had said it was. The writing is poor, the characters are not compelling or well developed. The hype comes from the fact that the author writes about a topic (sexual dominance) that is usually a hush-hush topic. This book is probably a great read for a man. It's basically a sexual fantasty story as a man would like the story to go.

How was the character development?

This book is so hard to review because no words I can use to describe the book will do justice to this absolutely beautiful book. The world created by the author is so unique and detailed that after I finished the book, I missed it like I had physically been there and enjoyed the circus. It is as if the circus really exists and the stories became part of my memories. I think the best word to describe the book is enchanting.Needless to say, I loved this book. I loved the magic and every one of the characters. The story and the characters were so complex and carefully thought out and described. It was so easy to get lost in the book, have no idea how many pages I had just read, and feel like I had been magically transported to another place. This book instantly made it into my top five favorite books of all time.If you are looking for a beautiful and magical book, look no further. I cannot wait to read it again and again, so that I may live in a dream like the rveurs.

How did you like the book?

It was just very predictable and the characters weren't very realistic or believable. They seemed immature. I doubt I would recommend to a friend.

Is this book interesting?

Hey! I love my audible books and this was the first I have had that has a man and a woman reading. I loved it. I love listening in my car and this is one that I probably wasted a lot of time and gas just hanging out in my car...driving home slower...to work slower.I must say that Amy in this book is so smart...even the author is so smart or rather clear headed. With my ADD there is no way I could figure out how to do something like this. I must admit I had figured out what had happened pretty early on but I can tell you that it does not diminish the story line.It does seem set up a little to have another book...which I would be happy to read.They are filming the movie down close to my hometown in Cape Giradeau, MO. Ben Affleck is playing Nick I guess and not sure of the rest. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT IN AUDIO!!

How is story line?

The story line is very interesting giving the reader a different perspective of the German people during WWII . I had seen the movie and loved it. This is what drew me to read the book. However, I like the movie better because it did not tell you ahead of the story the outcomes, while the book does. I like to be surprised by an ending.

Who is author ?

I wanted to try this series out after hearing it and the author likened to J.K. Rowling-- in that with her 4 books, Stephenie Meyer had cultivated a media storm of sales very quickly, comparable (but not nearly on the same level) to the Harry Potter series. That got my attention, so I went out and bought the first book in the series, Twilight.The book starts and already we know a few things: The main character, Bella Swan, is seemingly apathetic about everything in her life. She is leaving Phoenix, where she was living with her mother, to go stay in rainy little Forks, Washington where her father Charlie works and resides. Bella refers to her parents, Charlie and Renee, by their first names rather than Mom and Dad. This isn't particularly significant, but just annoys me for some reason. It's also a glimpse into the family dynamics of the characters. You get the impression off the bat that they are this modern, laid back family...but it doesn't take long for the author to reverse that and put Bella back into her place as far as women's "roles" and "duties". She is 16, 17, but doing the cooking and grocery shopping for her police chief father and herself. Ok, whatever. She breezes indifferently through school, brushing off kids her own age because she has to "cook dinner for Charlie", making it sound like she's an old married maid rather than a highschool teenager.Fast forward- things start to change for Bella one day when she sees a pale and mysterious boy that she can only describe as "gorgeous and perfect." He is Edward, of the elusive Cullen clan of Forks. Her first day seeing him, she thinks he hates and despises her because he clenches his fists and leans away at the sight of her. Later, accident prone Bella gets in a near death accident but Edward swiftly and mysteriously swoops in and saves her. Turns out he doesn't hate her, its just that he's a vampire and no one has ever smelled that good to him before. And then its all history from there. They know very little about eachother, just that *he* is 'gorgeous' and immaculately put together, and *she* has an irresistable scent and is clumsy so he's inclined to protect her. The book is melodramatic in the way that only naive teenagers can be, as the two profess their undying and eternal love for eachother.Overall there is just little character development, a general lack of imagination, and it's just unrealistic. Yes we are all well-aware its a fan-fic, but in terms of Bella and Edward's relationship-- they are two strangers who are madly (key word mad) in love with eachother. What kind of love is that? She's the first human who's mind he can't read, and she smells "mouthwatering", so automatically she's the love of his immortal life? And he is pale and marble-like and has icy skin and is gorgeous. Bella shuns all her friends and admiring boys from her school because she's so enamored with Icy Edward. Because he is 'gorgeous'. That's about all you get as far as the character depth goes. I think it kind of speaks volumes when a book of this subject matter is actually boring. Meyer's writing is flat and boring and has all the creativity of a fire ant.I can see how these books became popular- it kind of reminds me of how R.L. Stine's "Goosebumps" series was really popular when I was younger. These are similar in that they have an alluring and interesting subject matter, but ultimately (if you know better) you lose interest because Meyer's just kind of misses the mark. It is unlike the Harry Potter series, in that J.K. Rowling does an amazing job at completely capturing your attention and taking you to this whole other imaginary realm of wizards and witchcraft, etc. Her details are exquisite, very clever, and Harry Potter really can be enjoyed by adults as well as younger readers. Whereas the twilight series really stands out as young-adult and not much else. The premise of this whole series, while not original by any stretch of the imagination, wasn't a bad idea... it just would have been better by leaps and bounds had the author fleshed out the details a little better, and gave us more substance to work with. I also kept waiting for the "mystery and suspense" as described on the back cover, but that never came either. This author's idea of suspense and intrigue really just made me yawn. I read the book as if someone had already told me everything that was going to happen- that's how predictable the plot turns were. I like a good love story as much as anybody else. And a love story mingled with the occult? I'm all for it. But this story is just full of so many holes and breadth in general that I found it hard to stay interested. Twilight is shallow and dull and for the life of me I can't comprehend why people are ranting and raving about it. It just seems like one of those 'latest fads' type thing. Right now this is all the rage, but when the novelty wears off...Twilight is very forgettable.Christina McColl, 2008-29-09

How is read?

If you read the "Author's Note"at the end of this book you will see why this book is so lame. The book was fine for the first half and went rapidly downhill afterward.

How can I get half of the hotel payment?

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins is the last book of the Hunger Games trilogy. Each book manages to stand on its own, but the truth is they are just sections of one book that is so hard to put down that the publishers did the readers a favor by breaking it up. All of it is extremely well written, with tight suspense, touching love scenes and the grinding, merciless affects of war on every aspect of all the character's lives.Katniss and Peeta are both severely damaged, but manage to carry on. Gale does his best for the rebellion, but in the end learns the cost of being ruthless.Perhaps one of the best things about this story is the ACCOUNTING. Each decision the characters make has an upside and a downside and what they win is always shown very clearly against what they have lost.This story touches the heart of wars and the powerful people who gain advantages from having others fight them. Moving the pieces around on their game boards in their safe war rooms, they never have to think of the real people who are left with the choices to fight or die because they have been unfortunate enough to have some use to the game makers.The story is very hard to put down; it is a fast satisfying read.

How would you describe the book?

I just finished Hopeless, by Colleen Hoover a short while ago. This book exceeded my already high expectations. After reading Colleen's other two books, Slammed and Point of Retreat, I knew that this author had a rare and beautiful talent for writing.Her books are never easy to read, in the sense that they are never light fluffy reads. Yet, they are full of substance, life lessons, and teaching us that no matter our circumstances in life, it is important to gather strength, and courage.Hopeless, was no different. At the beginning of the story, we learn that Sky was adopted when she was five years old, and has a very close relationship with her adopted mother Karen. We also learn about her best friend and the fact that both girls like to sneak boys into their room at night which has earned them a negative reputation. When Sky is making out with a boy, or should I say when he is making out with her, she feels nothing. She becomes numb and counts the stars on the ceiling in her bedroom.Sky's life changes when she meets Dean Holder or just Holder as he goes by. He sparks intense feelings inside her. As the two get to know one another, they get extremely close and fall hard for each other. Little by little, Sky starts having nightmares, and remembering long forgotten/repressed memories from her childhood. Holder helps her unravel the mystery of her past, as well as cope with what she finds out. She in turn, teaches him about love, hope, strength, and new begininngs.What I love about Colleen Hoover's writing the most, is her ability to make a story come alive in your imagination. I could picture the characters, their voices, and events that took place with great clarity. I also love how I am able to grow such deep attachments to the characters through her writing. I don't feel like I'm reading a story. I feel like I am experiencing someone else's life through their eyes. Sky and Holder became so real to me that when I experienced the depth of their pain, I had to keep saying to myself, "This is just a story, it's not real." However, the painful events made me feel so bad inside for the people that have gone through, or are currently going through, some of the events that happened to Sky and Holder.Hopeless blew me away. It is a story that will stay with me forever. I recommend Hopeless to everyone who loves to read and appreciates a good story! I give Hopeless 5 Heart Aching Stars!

How is the mystery like?

This is a book I almost gave up. I listened to it on audio, and a few hours in I felt like I was still listening to background and set-up and was anxious for the story to get started. Thankfully, once it got rolling it was a snowball I couldn't stop. Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander are very interesting characters... very alike in some ways, polar opposites in others. I spent a great deal of time wondering how their stories would be tied together, and I wasn't disappointed when they eventually were. The mystery of Harriet's disappearance was also very interesting, and the whole story is nothing you would ever expect when the investigation begins. I just had a couple of problems with it... the author tends to refer to everyone by their last name, which is much harder for me to follow. For some reason, I just don't remember last names as well as first names, so every time someone was mentioned that we hadn't heard of in a while, I had to think for a minute about who they were talking about. Also, there's a bit of a loose end with the Harriet investigation that I was expecting to be tied up that never was. I was expecting a small twist that never came.Overall, I quite enjoyed this and look forward to reading the next two (assuming the third makes it through translation to English). The ending to this one was sad in a way I didn't expect, and I'm anxious to see what it means for Blomkvist and Salander. If you start reading this and struggle a bit through the beginning, just stick it out... It gets so much better!

How is the series?

After waiting months and months for Entwined With You to come out, especially with the release date being pushed back, I was very worried that it wasn't going to live up to my expectations of what I remembered of Gideon and Eva. I was wrong. I was not disappointed. The passion and chemistry between them was just as intense if not more!I felt like I got to know Gideon a whole lot more in this book than I did in the previous two in the series. Gideon's fears and vulnerability were more prevalent. He was still the all-consuming alpha male that I adore, but I loved being able to see his tenderhearted part a little more.Eva and Cary's relationship took a little more of an interesting edge to it as Eva had to keep secrets from her best friend, whom she used to tell every aspect of her life to. Also, having Eva's father, Victor make another appearance, added a little more drama and background into Eva's life.I didn't like Corrine from the beginning in the first book, and I disliked her even more with her involvement in this one. I actually liked having Brett around again. I think he adds a certain flair for drama and angst that makes it a little more interesting.As always, the sex in the Crossfire books was amazing! The steaminess and intimacy factors were a lot more intense. The connection between Gideon and Eva seemed to have risen to an entirely different level than that of Bared to You and Reflected In You. Some scenes in particular were just mind-blowing and scorching!I am very happy that Entwined With You isn't the end of the road for Gideon and Eva, I think that their story definitely has some more obstacles and twists that can make for very interesting follow ups. I just hope that we don't have to wait quite as long for the next one as we did between Reflected and Entwined.

How is the matter?

Since the book has been out for almost a year, guess I'm a late bloomer on this one. I'd have to say it's THE best book I've read in ages.The subject matter is fascinating and illuminating. Brown did a tremendous job taking the topic and weaving a superb suspense novel. It's classified as fiction, however, it certainly has some very valid points. With the world situation as it is, it made this reader pause and think.I already have Angels & Demons sitting here ready to start. A genius of an author with a unique twist on an old subject. The story gripped me till the very end, as one twist after another was revealed.Well done!

What do you think about the story?

I read this book in one day. It sucks you in right from the start and you can't put it down. Abbi has a great way of doing that with all her books. I really loved the Too Far series and was happy to hear some of the characters were getting their own books. This one did not disappoint. There was a lot of sexual chemistry between these two characters but I'm not totally convinced that there is true love there. I think Woods is more of a protector to her. I was glad Grant made an appearance in this book and really can't wait for him to get his own book and find a nice girl (that's not Nan!!!). Can't wait to continue with this story in the next book. Would I recommend this book...HELL YEAH I would!!! Read it people!!!

Why do I have a unique gift?

I truly loved this book. It made me sit down like a crazy addict and read and read. Sometimes I felt the text dragged on a bit, but the author expertly shows her knowledge of the time era and racial segregation of the classes. The characters are unique from each other and are well-rounded. A lovely story that most readers will enjoy because it offers hope to an otherwise bleak past.

How do you rate the write?

This book is by far one of the best books I have ever read. I briefly had a problem adjusting to writing style but once lost in the story I was hooked. This author is exceptionally talented. Many other authors might fill several pages with description while this author paints extremely vivid pictures with only a few brush strokes. I also enjoyed the conversational tone of the narrative. As if, Katniss was telling her tale directly to me in my own home and if you know Katniss, she doesn't just trust anyone. So the illusion that I might just be a personal friend and confident to Katniss was truly impressive. And oh, did I feel her pain, her rage, her despair! Not very often there comes a story that is truly magic! I mean, Harry Potter, was a story about magic and has the place of highest honor on my bookshelves next to the Lord of the Rings books, but this one is entirely different. This book made me apart of the action. It made me feel like I know the characters on a personal level and once I was back in my own world I was left with a feeling like I'd just had a visit from an dear friend. I can't remember if I've ever read a book like it.

What is the greatest love?

I almost didn't buy it because of the many bad reviews but after reading this I loved Abby and Travis's story! I have come to the conclusion that quite a number of people grew up with a "charmed" childhood and had it pretty good so I understand why they wouldn't "get" this story or like it. Life isn't all a bed of roses for everyone. And I like many others come from an abusive and violent childhood. My step-father didn't break things or hit other people, he hit me and my sister and my brother. The emotional, mental, and physical abuse he put us through was a nightmare. He appeared to be a great guy with a great life and no one thought differently. But I knew the monster he hid well. Travis's outbursts and breaking things is really nothing, he never hits Abby or any other woman. He is a bit possessive but he doesn't try to hide how he feels and is very aware when he messes up, I don't feel this books sends the wrong message. I have been known to violent outbursts and throwing things but I never hurt anyone. So I felt their story was actually refreshing to read something that didn't have the constant "happy, happy, life is perfect to it." I can't wait to read Travis's POV!

How is the friend?

After hearing from a few blogger friends how hilarious and great this book was, I was really looking forward to listen to the audiobook of it. It was just as fun as I thought it would be, but also had a greater story than I imagined it would. Not only was it laugh out loud funny, but it was really sweet too. I really came to like the characters a lot. Not just Caroline and Simon, but all of them. I wanted to get to know all of them! But besides that, you would assume that this book is all about sex by the cover and synopsis, but it's really not. In fact, I was actually surprised by how little actual sex was in the book. Instead, it was a great story about getting to know each other and getting to know themselves along the way.Caroline was an incredibly fun character. She is successful, smart, has awesome friends, has a kickass cat, and is in general pretty happy with her life. One exception is her missing "O". That's right, she has lost her orgasm. Now in a new apartment, she finds out the first night that her neighbor has some pretty amazing sex. Proof being that his "Wallbanging" knocks a picture off her wall! Not only that, but his partners are all quite entertaining with their vocals. Caroline has a funny nickname for each of them! The best thing about Caroline was her inner dialogue. OMG she was so funny. She gets really irritated by Simon at first, but they finally make a truce and she finds that she likes spending time with him and getting to know him. I love that she was a very strong and independent woman, and she wasn't going to just fall at his feet like every other girl. If she was going to have him, she would be the only one.Simon was awesome!! He is charming, funny, sexy, and also has a broken side to him that he keeps hidden. It's in no way some super secret thing or anything, but it was really great to see him slowly figure out himself while trying to figure out Caroline. He was my favorite character I think. He was honest and up front about things, but he wasn't really into talking about personal things. He does eventually open up and I loved seeing him really let someone in. He was so different with Caroline than he seemed around everyone else. You could tell he really cared about her way before she could actually tell.The chemistry between them is great. You knew they were great for each other, but they both kept it strictly friends. It was so fun to see them go from pretty much hating each other, to tolerating each other, to a growing friendship and spending time together. Movie nights, cooking together, just hanging out. They fell into such a comfortable and routine companionship that it was so obvious that they were falling for each other, and only they couldn't see it. It was a nice change to have a slow build up since so many books are insta love now. Them getting to know each other made the story so great!!I listened to the audio and I have to say that the narrator was really great at putting the emotion into the book. She really brought Caroline to life. If she was angry, sad, happy, whatever, you knew. He doing the male voice was pretty good too. I find that it's a lot easier for male narrators to do a female voice, than a female trying to do a male voice so I tend to not be too bothered by that. The only bad thing about the narrator being so into the reading was the steamy scenes. She gets very into the moaning and groaning, and it made me feel a little awkward listening to it. It felt like I was intruding on something personal lol!! Luckily there aren't all that many scenes like that so there was a minimum to my blushing. The rest of the book was made better by how much the narrator really got into it though. I have put her on my list of awesome narrators.This book was a perfect mix of steamy and hilarious. I found myself literally laughing out loud at some points. (and getting some really weird looks). It was fun and entertaining and I didn't want to put it down. This book did really great in both the plot and character development. I found myself lost in the book and feeling like these were people I actually knew and hung out with! I cared about the outcome of their situations and I wanted them to be happy. I love when a book can really suck me in like that, and this one sure did! Bonus points also because we get a chapter from her cat which was super fun!!* A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation.

How is book?

If you think you can have tons of rich powerful men all over you though you can't bother to do anything for yourself including bathe, wash your clothing or comb your hair, this is the book for you.If you think you can be considered smart and clever and not get through university without knowing how to open an email account, this is the book for you.If you dream of having all your financial problems resolved through the luck of roommates with rich parents or attracting the right guy with your ass though you never bother to work out, this is the book for you.If you dream of having a man constantly tell you to eat disgusting unhealthy piles of pancakes and sausages instead of having to worry about your figure, this is the book for you.If you dream that people are going to see through all your disgusting flaws though you can barely murmur more than the word "oh" and do more than blush in your life, this is the book for you.IF on the other hand you're a woman who despises book companies generating fake reviews, playing into your psychology to sell a crap book, has a hard time reading unedited manuscripts and has a good grasp of your own psyche, you're going to find this book so bad it will generate absolute contempt in you. You need look no further than the author to understand exactly who this book is for.

Why was the book too short?

I have loved both books so far... my only grip is the books are to short and the ending cliff hangers are driving me crazy. I just wished this was one big long novel. Just as you get deep into the book and it gets really interesting it ends and you half to wait on the next book. The characters and story line are great.

What is the quality of the series?

This series was great. I really enjoyed them, and though some people were saying the book were poorly written, I 100% disagree.

How is writing style?

This book is very deep in a disjointed kind of way. I didn't enjoy it. The author obviously speaks to many readers, just not this one.

How did you find the mystery?

So, I finally get around to reading this INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON. Where to begin? Hm... Well, first of all, it's really poorly written. The writing style is trite at best, often choppy, full of unenlightened cliches, red herrings and loose ends that never get tied. As far as the plot is concerned, the mystery is fairly predictable, and the plot "twists" utterly unoriginal, except to say some of them are just DISGUSTING for the sake of being disgusting. People make a big ado about how the female protagonist is such an "original creation" and a heroine of post-modern feminism, blah blah. No. Lisbeth Salander appears to be just one of Larsson's (many) ways to exploit and glorify rape and female brutalization. By the way, the book's title in the original Swedish is "Men Who Hate Women." That's right, even the original title sucks. At some point, Lisbeth decided to sleep with the OTHER (utterly unimaginative) main character (who smells oddly of Larsson himself, and yet is apparently a walking aphrodisiac) only to first lament in the mirror the fact that she allegedly has no boobs. Seriously: a heroine for the ages??? Also, what's with all the product placement in this novel? Was Larsson getting kick-backs from Apple? I guess we'll never know now...Watch the Swedish film instead, which is much better than the book, seeing as it's free of Larsson's crappy writing and many of his pointless "plot details" (most of which involve everyone having sex with the Larsson stand-in anyways).

What were the scenes like?

Kathryn Stockett has created a story in The Help with an updated reflection upon a time in our nation when there was a divisive chasm between the races. A time when Americans, especially the "gentile Southerner", felt superior to their fellow black citizens. A time when our generation can now only hang their heads in shame for what an earlier generation did, said, felt and acted upon fellow black Americans.Stockett's fiction creatively twists the story so that the reader can only ponder along with the story's characters if this story is indeed fiction or not. Her ability to tickle our psyche is genius.The characters are fresh and easily identifiable while the language puts the reader right in the room with the characters. Her ability to put the reader into the character's mind in each chapter is equally intelligent as we become the thoughts of the character very readily. She enables this transference without the use of quotations of the character and uses the language of the character in their musings. (Such as when a character is thinking: I gone take that breakfast to her. Not: I'm going to take that breakfast to her.Nice read, somewhat compelling with the reader wanting to discover the outcome of the book Skeeter submits for publication, what the locals reactions will be, will there be repercussions with the contributors and what will Skeeter's life path become.Read it, read it. Great book.

What do you think about book?

Im probably the last one out there who hadn't read this series, so when I was getting ready for a three week vacation, I decided to bring these books along. I agree with many of the negative reviews, this book was poorly written, and by the end of the third book I was tired of reading about Christian and Ana's sex. But the story, the love, the passion, was highly addictive. I needed to read all three. Is this book going to show up on a classics list in 25 years time, I hope not. But it was a good summer beach read.

Was the series perfect?

I just love all of Cassandra Clares books. When her first series came out i just ate it up and this one is just as good. If you have not real all her books yet... start ordering.

How is the book?

This is a suspenseful, first-person account of the raid that took down Osama bin Laden in May, 2011. The author, writing under the pseudonym of Mark Owen, was one of the elite SEAL Team Six operators that participated in the raid (his real name has since been revealed as Matt Bissonnette). The book debuted at number one on Amazon. It does not disappoint.The first half of No Easy Day covers Bissonnette's work in SEAL Team Six prior to the Osama bin Laden raid. After a cliffhanger opening that anticipates the climax of the book, the story backs up several years to Bissonnette's Green Team training. He was already a Navy SEAL at this point, but he was trying to become a member of the elite Seal TEAM Six, which is composed of the "best of the best." We follow his deployments in both Iraq and Afghanistan, where the recounting of certain missions serves to establish the proficiency of the author and his team at their job. This is rather standard fare for the subgenre.The latter half of the book is devoted to the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound, including the extensive preparations and some of the political aftermath. The actual raid is told in almost moment-by-moment detail, transporting the reader to the compound in Abbottabad. The scene is described so richly that it feels as though we are climbing the stairs with the team as they close in on bin Laden. Several maps and charts help us to picture the location.No Easy Day focuses almost exclusively on Bissonnette's training and deployments. We learn very little about his personal life, which--combined with his intentional pseudonymity--makes it harder to connect with him emotionally. This information was omitted for obvious security reasons. He does share the toll that SEAL life takes on family life, however. "Many of my teammates suffered through bitter divorces. We missed weddings, funerals, and holidays. We couldn't tell the Navy no, but we could tell our families no. And we did often. . . . Work was always the number one priority. It took everything out of you and gave back very little. . . . everything else in the world took a backseat" (106-7). For those wanting a fuller portrait of a Navy SEAL's personal life, see the excellent book by Eric Blehm,Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown, which details the life of SEAL Team Six operator Adam Brown.Bissonnette does not engage in self-aggrandizement or bravado, which has marred some earlier books by former Navy SEALs. The author seems to have a realistic view of himself. He says at one point: "I am not unique or special" (298). He does not hesitate to share instances in combat when he was afraid or made a mistake. He occasionally engages in self-deprecating humor. He regularly dishes out praise for his teammates. Bissonnette says that today's SEALs have "evolved past being egomaniacs" (289). Such professionalism is appreciated.Bissonnette states in the introduction that he has sanitized the book so that it presents no threat to national security. The identities of those involved are masked; special tactics and technology are not revealed; and certain information is generalized. The author says, "If you are looking for secrets, this is not your book" (x). Yet none of these precautions affect the impact of the book. There is still enough specific information to make the action riveting.Despite Bissonnette's precautions, the book is nonetheless generating controversy. Some special operators have challenged his decision to reveal details about the mission, breaking their traditional code of silence. The Department of Defense has threatened to sue because he did not present the book to the Pentagon for inspection prior to publication. The author has responded by pointing out that many people, from the President on down, have revealed details about the mission. He says, "If my commander in chief is willing to talk, then I feel comfortable doing the same" (298). He claims that everything in the book has already appeared in other unclassified sources (xi). I for one am glad that the book was released. It shows that those who commit acts of terror will suffer retribution--perhaps even deadly retribution--for their evil. This should serve as a warning to our enemies.At the end of the book are the names of those SEALs who have paid the ultimate price since September 11, 2001. Bissonnette claims that he is donating the majority of the proceeds from the book to charities that support the families of these fallen Navy SEALs. He encourages readers to donate as well.The book is well-written and a page-turner. Even though the outcome of the book was already known, it maintains a high degree of suspense throughout to see how the situation actually played out. I read it in one sitting. Highly recommended.

How does the story feel?

This book is enchanting, magical, thought provoking and a must read if you enjoying being taken to places of wonderment and beauty

How good is that book?

This book was a big surprise. My ratings stay below 5 unless it's among the best books I know. The story is captivating. I loved it. The writing is outstanding. Even though it's fantasy sci-fi, it's logical, makes sense and has great insights and lessons. I was able to anticipate several things, which is a good thing - it didn't go off on some lame tangent attempting a plot twist fail. There are interesting stories within the story. Stephanie is a very talented writer and we're lucky to have her. She does write from a female perspective (slightly girly), but that's hardly noticeable. Mainly, the male behavior and lack of male considerations like leadership or security (in this context) were more of an external way a girl might think/observe a guy as opposed to realistic male thinking or behavior. The only thing I thought this book lacked was an opening background chapter to give better setting and perspective. The opening is hard to follow and I got the same complaint from a young less experienced reader (who kind of lost interest over it). It's like you wake up looking through a microscope with no context for what you're observing, so disorienting might be a better description. You don't want to lose readers of such a fantastic book with that kind of opening. The very ending also was short on details to make it more plausible and believable - specifically, how they were "found".I can see why they were quick to make a movie of this book - it could be really good. Hopefully, the same level of attention and budget as the twilight films, as it could be really bad too. I am really looking forward to the movie and am glad that I finished the book first, because I know there's no way to fit all of the story in. Either way - movie or not - read the book! It is more than worth the time.

How is the write?

I was surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did in that it is written in First Person which, in my opinion, limits fleshing out supporting characters. However, since Ms. Tartt has such a natural way of describing a scene and possesses a wonderfully large vocabulary, this was not a problem. The book is rather long but keeps you interested. The only reason I gave this a 4 star rating as opposed to 5 is the last chapter. I'll leave it at that. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys changing plot lines and a bit of intrigue.

How is the book?

Before I read the book Real, this was my #1 all time favorite book. I absolutely LOVE this story, I find myself trying to find similar stories and outside of Real none holds a candle to how awesome this book truly is. Definitely a must read!

How it is the story?

I am a romance book addict. But sometimes books can get SO CHEESY! This book can be so funny and romantic at the same time! I recommend this book to the all hopeless romantic (including myself) that believes in love!

How was the character development?

I tried to like this and be open to J.K. Rowling writing something other than Harry Potter, but this story was so slow, depressing and heavy, I honestly could not finish it. I want to say it was too many characters, but I was able to read Game of Thrones with it's huge cast with no problems. I just can't say for sure what the problem was other than it was almost as if she set out to prove she could write adult fiction but tried too hard.

How is the quality of the book?

I loved this book. LOVED.I went into it a bit wary because of the hype - I'd heard so much about it, so many GOOD things, that I was afraid my expectations were too high. In the end, my expectations WERE high, but the book met them, if not quite in the ways I thought.I saw Erin Morgenstern say on Twitter and in interviews many times (to the point where she started to sound annoyed, but I don't blame her) that the book is neither YA nor a series, despite how it has been portrayed in some reviews/stories. Both of these things is true. It is not YA, though a teen would certainly enjoy it since it's not like teens read nothing but YA (or that adults DON'T read YA). And to me, it utterly stands alone. I can't even see where a sequel would go, with the caveat that there is such a beautiful world here that it could be explored in perhaps entirely different stories. What I would like to see more than a sequel would be short stories, honestly.Because it is truly the world in this book that is magnificent - not the "world" at large as in Harry Potter or Dresden Files or other books with complicated mechanics of magic, but instead the microcosm of the circus that is painted so beautiful. In all honesty the characters fell much flatter for me than I would typically tolerate in my fiction, but I came to realize that they were really playing second fiddle to the setting as the protagonist.My one serious complaint would be that the time jumping makes it difficult to follow - a problem that was exacerbated by the fact that I was listening to the book on audio and couldn't flip back to see how much time had passed, what time period I was in, etc. For that reason, even though the narration is beautifully done by Jim Dale, I might recommend reading it in hardcopy.Though reviews liked to compare the book to Harry Potter, it reminds me much more in feel if to anything, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. It's very adult (in terms of maturity, not theme) and very Victorian. The book picks up momentum as it goes along, not unlike a train, and all of the loose ends begin to tie together at the end masterfully.Don't get scared away by the hype - read this because it's gorgeous.

How is book?

Really enjoyed the first book. Tolerated the second. This book was terrible. The author seemed to want to get it over and done with. Plot line was stupid.

How is your evaluation for the book?

Move over Christian and Anna, Gideon and Eva - - Ethan and Brynne have arrived - - with a BANG! What a fantastic beginning to the new series, "The Blackstone Affair", by Raine Miller.Following a life-altering experience Brynne Bennett moves to London to attend University and escape her past. To help pay her bills she does some modeling, which she is quite good at. Her photographer, Ben, has a gallery showing and is exhibiting a large wall hanging of Brynne, in all her glory. Ethan Blackstone, millionaire owner of Blackstone Security, attends the showing and is drawn to Brynne's photo and ultimately buys it for his home. While at the showing he spots Brynne chatting with Ben and follows her out when she leaves. He offers her a ride home and, strangely drawn to him, Brynne accepts. So it begins.We are guided through the fragile beginnings of Ethan and Brynne's relationship and begin to hope for their success. While there are similarities to 50 Shades and Bared to You, the characters of Ethan and Brynne are very strong in their own right and you are compelled to learn their individual stories. The last chapters of this book absolutely blew me away! I love Raine Miller's writing style and this book did not disappoint in that area.I finished this book in a day and I am anxiously awaiting the release of the 2nd installment, All In.

How quality is the word on story?

This is a classic story to have in a stack of bedtime books.Pros:Not a lot of words, and children don't get boredHas items you can look for in the next pageGreat rhythm while reading, the story flows from page to pageA good wind down book at the end of the day.Cons:None!This book is absolutely lovely and our little one loves to have this read to her again and again. Even if it isn't night time this book became a daytime favorite. I point to the animals and different things around the room. This is a great addition to have to a little ones library!

What is your feeling about this book ?

When I bought it, I wasn't aware that it was a book targeted at younger audiences (at least it seems to be).The main characters are 12-18 years old and while the plot is fairly interesting the characters are pretty black and white ... you know who's good and who's bad in the same way as in most Harry Potter books. The characters are nowhere near as interesting or ambivalent as lets say in Game of Thrones, nor do the plot or the characters take any surprising twists or turns.I'd say it's popcorn fiction. The book does by no means come anywhere near R.R.Martin's books (Game of Thrones) or books written by William Gibson ... neither in complexity/atmosphere nor in their tendency to surprise. But it is still fairly well written and an easy entertaining read and it has its good moments. Certainly suitable for most teenagers. Essentially I'm sure, people who are fine with Harry Potter books, will like this one too.Also, if you saw the movie, there's still something for you in the book. I saw the movie later and found many scenes in the movie which I would not have understood without the book. Naturally a few plot parts were missing from the movie too. So I imagine reading the book after the movie will still have some good moments.If you're still not sure if you should read it, click on the 1-star reviews and sort for most helpful first. The one by "Alex" sums up the weak part nicely, although personally I think the overall rating is overly critical and harsh.

How do you like the end?

This novel is full of twisty turns. I was halfway through the book when all of a sudden I had a huge ah-ha! moment. The writing was really good, and the story was clever. I won't be recommending it to my friends because the ending left me with a sick feeling in my stomach, but I am glad I read it nonetheless.

How is book?

This story line is amazing. I love the sacrifice. That author did an amazing job building characters and plot. Great read.

How was the story line?

It was fast paced and kept me very interested in finding out what would happen to Peeta and Katniss. I liked it the most because the story line was unique and like nothing I had ever read.

How is the sex scene?

I loved this book so much! From the very first page to the very end. It kept me flipping pages like if I was in a race or something. It was intense & these sex scenes were very steamy; there was a point in where I thought "I could probably get pregnant from just reading this lol" I recommend this book to everyone over 18 that is lol Great storyline & I can't wait to start reading other Jasinda Wilder books!

What is the overall quality of the book?

A fast-paced, yet intricate and disturbing read, that's almost impossible to put down. (I read it in one setting.) "Dark Places" will resonate, and possibly give you nightmares, long after you're done reading it.This novel works on many levels: as a psychological drama, whodunit (the ending is highly unpredictable and there are a lot of red herrings) and grisly (emphasis on the "gris") crime thriller.The main character, Libby, is at once almost completely unlikable and highly empathetic. The survivor/witness (though she remembers nothing) of a violent rampage that wiped out her family when she was young, adult Libby meets up with a group that thinks the man convicted, based on Libby's (coached) testimony, is innocent. To complicate matters further, the convicted man is Libby's older brother, Ben, a teenager at the time of the crime. And the memories Libby does have of him are confused, at best.The story ricochets from violent, in-depth descriptions (there is a LOT of gore; not a story for the faint of heart) of the almost unthinkable crime and the quiet, tortured thoughts in Libby's own head.This very well written story is scarier than any horror novel. Because, as in reality, there is nothing supernatural that is as creepy, or gruesome, as what people do to one another.

How unusual is this book?

I think this book has been unfairly advertised in order to hopefully grab people who enjoyed the Harry Potter books. when I was given this behemoth of a novel to read, I was told I'd like it because "its a mix of Harry Potter and Jane Austen." Its an entirely different kind of novel than Harry Potter; and the only connection to a Jane Austen novel would be that its set in old England and uses old English ("chuses" for example). That said, the writing style is more in line with Jane Austen than some of the modern authors. But, I wouldn't call this book Harry Potter done by Jane Austen. Its also a fairly hard book to get into which is highly different from the pickup and readability of Harry Potter.I don't even want to talk about what the book is about and my recommendation is to not read the book jacket because it basically tells you the entire story. Strange and Norrell tells the story of a magician, Norrell, who wants to bring magic back to England under his own terms. But it doesn't start out like that. It starts out with totally different characters who consider themselves magicians but don't practice. Then it becomes a different novel about Norrell and his personal idealogies...then it involves Strange and tells his whole life history up to this moment before showing his ideologies.Part of the problem with the novel in its early pages is that it has a ton of beginnings. It feels like the story will be about one thing but then introducing someone else gives another beginning to the story. Its filled with too many false starts. It also spends a large portion of the book setting up what will unfold in the last two hundred pages; in fact the majority of the story dictated in the book flap happens in the last half of the novel. Fans of very pickup and read novels will probably be turned off early on. Its a shame because this novel is very rich.It has a lot of subtext involving the time period (1800s) that fans/history buffs of the time period will enjoy. I hate to call it a historical fiction, but it closely resembles this but with a fantastical twist (namely magic). Susanna Clarke spends a good deal of time describing the time period, the setting, the characters, their motivations, etc that you really do get a good feeling for the characters. She does a good job developing characters that will definitely have an idealogical and moral confrontation. Clarke does tend to lean on cliches every now and then, what with the yes-men surrounding Norell and their tireless bickering on who's better. Its handled deftly, but its still cliched at parts.My recommendation is that if you enjoy a quick read (and I don't mean page length) then I would just check this novel out. If you are interested in devoting a good portion of your time to a novel that is thick with description, characterization and a plot that involves a ton of setup and involves a ton of characters that need to be introduced, then this is a good novel for you.

How is the sex?

I'll start with a few confessions: All the hype surrounding E L James' erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey finally prompted a download to my Kindle. However, a stockpile of Bing Rewards meant I didn't actually have to pay for what may be the most horribly edited book ever to become a bestseller.Simply put, curiosity finally got the better of me after having a few good laughs with my husband over all the delightfully negative reviews already on Amazon. Plus, I wanted a lite read for a long Memorial Day weekend drive. Not to mention, various snippets have shown ladies from the View, Good Morning America, and countless other shows referring to how hot the book got them. What's titillating about this book? Nothing. For supposedly being an S & M novel, the sex is surprisingly bland. And repetitive.What bothered me the most as a reader is how the story is narrated in first-person point of view, and yet the author still uses italics to represent Anastasia's banter with her sub-conscious. Ana's repeated reference to her vagina as being down there creates unintended comical effects. Yes, Ana's head is apparently in her vagina. She is a horribly conceived character devoid of personality, except for the moments when she refers to others by their defining traits, such as Blonde One and Blonde Two.Although unlikely, it's believable that a young woman would remain a virgin throughout four years of college. What is less believable is Ana's never having experienced an orgasm. Specifically, the reader soon sees that almost anything can make Ana climax. Then one must consider she does not have her own lap-top or even an email address! Reasons are never given why she is best friends with a wealthy roommate. Plus she's a decidedly British girl who likes her tea bag out. Yeah, all college students living in the land of Starbucks eschew coffee for tea. The scene where Ana vomits after downing five margaritas was almost good. Throughout the rest of the book she's drinking wine all the time, so as with everything else, she seems to lose her innocent qualms quickly.Then there's Christian Grey. E L James does manage to create a few intriguing motivational points to establish his character, but they fail to coalesce into believable actions. For being such a supposed dominant, he's always giving in to Ana. This young billionaire is on the phone a lot, but it's never clear how he made his fortune. Given his age, the author should have fashioned him after Mark Zuckerburg. The way E L James incorporates the clauses of their contract and emails between Christian and Ana read as filler and the sure mark of an amateur writer. But it's shame on the editors and publishers, not the author.Even if Fifty Shades of Grey did get started as Twilight Fanfiction, there is no excuse for how shoddily it reads. E L James obviously knows little about the geography of North America, and much of the gallivanting about did little to advance the story, particularly the narrator's trip to her mother's in Savannah, GA (My guess is that it might be the one place in America the author has some familiarity with since she was specific put the mother's house near Tybee Beach.) Alas, a re-write could have set the novel in and around the author's London home rather than the far-flung Seattle location. Perhaps then the setting details would have added, rather than, detracted from the story.All novels show promise. It's just extremely disheartening that Fifty Shades of Grey was published with such rough edges. Anyone who gives this book a passing score really needs to re-think their criteria for good books. Or maybe this book precisely appeals to its niche. Just like Edward and Bella make for trite and boring lovers, so too do Christian and Anastasia make for dull and uninspired sex fiends.[...]

How is the attention span?

More of a story about a crime drama than a crime drama itself, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" follows a journalist sucked into a strange proposition to discover the secrets behind a decades-old suspected murder that took place in the middle of a highly dysfunctional family gathering.The book is set in Sweden and for an American reader, the Swedish proper nouns (towns/people) were a bit tough to follow, particularly in the context of trying to keep details straight for what I thought was a crime drama. It turns out those details aren't terribly necessary to the story (whose over-detailed nature seems to be a subject of some criticism), so just reading through casually was a better idea.For my taste, the book was a bit long and tedious in the first half, although it definitely picked up towards the middle and was quite exciting through the conclusion.Be warned that the subject matter contains some violence, including rape, incest, and battery of women. It isn't overly graphic, but the subject matter could definitely be disturbing for some.All in all it was an interesting read. I'd recommend reading it as a story rather than a crime drama, in as much as tracking all of the details and trying to solve the crime as a reader was a detriment to the first bit of the book for me. But reading it casually provided an interesting story with plenty of excitement towards the end.

How is story?

This book is absurdly bad. The plot is ridiculous. The characters are stereotypes at best. The language is full of cliches, e.g., "Her heart thundered in her chest."

What is the research?

Ken Follett is a master story teller and again I could not put the book down. Highly recommended read as he has a knack of bringing you into each family without being confused. His research is excellent.

What story do I tell you?

I really tried to read this book, but I could not bear how awful each of the characters were and how awful they were to each other - they deserved every awful thing that happened to them. I stopped reading it. Life is too short to read awful books like this

What is the scene like?

Cade MacKenzie is a marked man. After his cover was blown while working to take down the del Fuego cartel, he saw the woman he was in love with taken away. He is no longer the man he once was. There is darkness in him that wasn’t there before, but when he moves in next door to Bayleigh Scott she awakens something in him that he thought was long dead.Cade is the definition of alpha male. He is hard, sexy, and in control. Yet his past leaves a trace of vulnerability that is very attractive. He is also cocky in a way that is a total turn on instead of off putting. Bayleigh is a tough one in her own right, but her insecurities are a little clearer. I love the way Cade just sends her into a tailspin!Hart delivers her readers a very sexy suspense, and I completely ate it up. Of course I have read romantic suspense before with the emotionally wounded alpha male, and the woman who brings him redemption. It is a fairly common formula, but it is for a reason. Readers respond to it plain and simple. Cade’s story reached out to me, and I fell for him right along with Bayleigh. This is a couple that can crank up the heat! The scenes between the two are both sexy and erotic. The element of danger was also a plus. I must say Hart did a wonderful job. I giveCade: A MacKenzie Family Novel 4 masks!After finishing the book my first thoughts were of Cade’s brothers and how I need to know about them. This isn’t the first MacKenzie family novel, but Cade stands alone really well.. My second thought was I want to review every one of them! All of the lovely readers out there who have been braving the subzero temperatures need to grab this read and let Cade warm you up on a winter’s night!**Reviewed by Teresa D. for ThatsErotica.com**

How did you like the art?

This is the most in-depth Batman comic I have ever read, and has become my favourite Batman story of all time. The story deals with Joker escaping, paralyzing Barbara Gordon, kidnapping Commissoner Gordon, and trying to prove that any man can go crazy in a single, bad day. As Batman hunts the Joker, the reader is treated to the Joker's origin story, and sees how thin the line is that seperates Batman from the Joker.I won't try to get into the psychological aspects of this story -suffice it to say that other reviews have covered it throughly and any attempt on my part would only make me look foolish. However, I will say that the most chilling part about this book is how, if you replace Batman and the Joker with two everyday people, the events still feel horribly real. This is not escapist reading as all comic books have been labeled, in fact, this is the book to show people who don't believe that powerful stories can be told in this medium. Both Batman and the Joker had a single bad day - so why didn't Batman go insane like the Joker did? The reader wants to know the fine line that seperates these two characters, partly so they can realize how close to crossing that line they are in their own lives. The art is truly amazing -detailed, moody, and brilliantly inked - the scenes in the Joker's funhouse scare the reader as much as they scare Gordon. The flashbacks are also impressively tied into the present, with similiar situations bookending each scene. The story begins and ends on the same note, like a vicious, never-ending cycle. Plus, you know you have something special when, after all the vicious, sadistic things the Joker has done, you still feel sorry for him."The Killing Joke" is a true masterpiece, and earns its place as one of the best comics of all time, and a true work of fiction.

How twisted is the story?

Torn from You begins immediately after that crazy cliffhanger from With You. I do recommend that you read With You first because I think it is important for you to understand the connection between Emily and Sculpt/Logan. You will find that their relationship is raw and intense.Emily’s is ripped from her simple life. She is thrust into a dark world that is dangerous, abusive and disgusting. She is at the mercy of evil men who want to train her and sell her as a sex slave. But when she thinks the man she has given her heart to is there to save her, she couldn’t be so wrong.When Emily realizes it was Sculpt who brought her to Mexico and he owns her, she is horrified. Everything that she had come to know has been torn apart. Emily’s heart is shattered and she has no other choice but to do what she has to in order to survive.Her days in captivity will test her strength and her ability to survive. The torture and torment that she goes through was heartbreaking to read. Logan owns Emily and she has to submit to him so that she is not sold to someone else. Raul who is the man in charge is evil to the core. He has agreed to allow Logan to have Emily but is watching them closely. Emily is torn between the hate she feels towards Logan and the guilt she feels for allowing herself to desire this man and continues to feel the raw and intense feelings she had when they first met. Ultimately, she does everything that Logan asks of her, although some is degrading and horrific, she has to survive and has no choice.As days slowly pass Emily continues to sink into her confusion with Logan. There are moments when she sees glimpses of the Logan she fell in love with but then it is quickly replaced with the cold and ruthless man who brought her into the darkness. She doesn’t know what to believe. He is protecting her from some evil things but why has he done this to her.“We were torn apart, because Eme – I’d never have stayed away from you any other way.”For me, the first part of this book was very dark and intense. I fell in love with Sculpt/Logan in With You then everything fell apart when I met him again in Torn from You. I felt the hate and anger that Emily did. But seeing bits and pieces of the old Logan gave me hope.The second part of the book took on a NA feel for me. I still loved it but it definitely shifted gears for me. It is 2 years later when we find Emily coping the best she can within the life she has rebuilt for herself. She has not had any contact with Logan and has no idea where he is. Her heart has mended a bit but she still carries around quite a bit of pain and anger from what she went through.Then one day Logan resurfaces again. Logan wants Emily back. He needs her back in his life. Emily is harboring quite a bit of anger and hatred. She is frightened of him. She hates that he reminds her of such a horrific part of her life. But Logan is willing to fight to get Emily back into his life. He needs her to understand why he did what he did and to let him help her heal.What we find out about Logan, his family and what he goes through is heartbreaking. But will what he tells Emily be enough? Is her heart strong enough to open up again and let him back in. We watch Emily struggle with her feelings but still stay strong. Logan is willing to do anything to get her back. Emotions are high and still very raw. We get some much needed answers but not without more crazy stuff.This was definitely a crazy ride for me. I loved Emily who was that girl who was beautiful on the inside and beautiful on the outside. She was a fighter and a survivor. She cared deeply. Sculpt/Logan was one of those characters that had me loving him one moment and hating him the next. He was intense and for me I thought he was emotional. He rarely loved and when he did he did it deeply.I also thought the other characters were great too. Some were a bit crazy like Georgia (who should probably lighten up on the drinking) but she was great. Deck was a badass and I loved him. Kat was an amazing friend and so was Matt. Crisis added a bit of craziness and Ream; I wonder what his story is.Looking forward to more things from this author!

How was the book?

I absolutely LOVED this booked. I started it around 11pm, and finished at 6am without a single break. The plot, the charaters, the co-dependant relationship are simply amazing and thought provoking. While I feel like I could relate to Abby at times, and America, it was Travis' intense longing and Abby's absolute denial of their attraction, that kept me turning the pages to see when they would finally connect. Its a story line that still sticks in my mind, and I will definately read it again!

How was the story?

The Book Thief is a powerful book. It's a book that I would call beautiful and epic and unique. With personified Death as the narrator, the story is told from a unique perspective that's strangely akin to a human's.It's hard to describe how wonderful this story is. While it's set in Hitler's reign of Nazi Germany, the story is filled with humor and life. Many times I found myself laughing out loud at something that was said or done. The protagonist, a young orphan girl named Liesel, learns to live with her new foster parents, to make friends in Munich, to follow the Nazi propaganda, to learn how to get on with life during the oppressiveness of war. Her life's story is amazing and inspiring.Death's perspective describes many things in colors and sounds, and the adjectives throughout this book are as close to realism as possible. It was as if I could reach out and touch what Death was describing. And since Death talks about his life during World War II, the descriptions are surreal and ghastly.Liesel soon discovers that stealing makes her feel alive, that taking things is her way to stay apart. She turns to stealing books, and the book thief is born.I liked how Death eased the burden of his tale throughout the story, by foreshadowing what was to come. This caused the novel to be tinged with tragedy everywhere, but it was not overwhelming. And even though I knew the direction the story was headed, I couldn't help but feel sad by the end of the novel. Actually, it made me feel like I should cry, but I couldn't bring myself to.My favorite thing in the book was the relationships Liesel had with Rudy and Hans. Rudy was her best friend, and the two had a great friendship. Hans was her foster Father, and their love for one another was obvious.There were many scenes from the book that were memorable, but I hesitate to write on them to remain spoiler free. Suffice it to say that the book was unforgettable.The only thing I didn't like in the book was that it was marketed as a Young Adult book, targeted for teens. The author, Markus Zusak, did not write the book with a YA audience in mind, but this was decided by the publishers to market it this way (presumably because the protagonist was an adolescent/teen girl.) So if you abstain from YA books, don't let the tag scare you away, it definitely works as an adult novel.All in all, The Book Thief was a superb novel. Its realism is phenomenal, its story is brilliant, and its characters are believable. I'm likely to remember this story for a long time, and it's one that I can see myself going back and reading again, enjoying it a second time around.Two of my favorite quotes from the book:"You see, even Death has a heart.""'Don't get caught.' This from a man who had stolen a Jew."

How is end?

I have never read anything quite like this book before. On the surface it's a very simple story, but underneath it digs much deeper.This is more than just a story of a boy and some zoo animals on a lifeboat. It's a great story of survival but also goes far beyond that.The pacing of the book is fairly slow. The prep work and detail before Pi makes it onto the boat takes about 100 pages, and the bulk of the book takes place on the lifeboat. The pacing doesn't make it boring, the book held my interest, but I will call it an investment.I don't want to ruin anything in the story. I thought the ending was amazing, and made the rest of the book that much more powerful.Although the book didn't make me "believe in God," I won't be forgetting it anytime soon.

How is the write?

There was so much hype about this novel, I was anxious to read it. I had not read anything by this author so didn't know what to expect. However, I was not disappointed.The characters are strong, the descriptions of the Museum of Modern Art and various paintings, New York City, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam are vivid, and the sad life of a motherless boy are enough to recommend this book.The first 550 pages are so well-written that I didn't want to put the book down. But I did put it down, then picked up it up and it seemed as though I had never stopped! I would have given this novel 5 Stars, but after the first 550 pages, the plot got weaker and slower and stayed that way until the end.It's obvious Ms. Tartt put lots of research into her novel and she is to be commended. I will definitely read other books by her.

How is the story?

Some authors (Patterson, Clancy) don't so much write books any more as create franchises. I'm very sorry to say that Preston and Child seem to be at the same place. Pendergast's preternatural abilities, close calls, and absolute freedom from the FBI for which he purportedly works, have worn thin. The plots have become predictable. It's simply no longer fun and the character, once rather distinctive, has become cliché. It's hard to believe these guys wrote Relic and have wound up here.

Does the reader satisfied with the story?

I might just be the last person on the planet to read The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins' 2008 post-apocalyptic YA dystopian science fiction novel. After my wife raving about it, and with the movie coming up next month, I finally got to it, and I loved it. So if I was not, in fact, the last person to start this series and you haven't checked it out yet, read on to find out why you ought to read it as well.Katniss Everdeen is a 16 year old girl in District 12, a coal-mining town in the country of Panem. She supports her family after her father died in mining accident several years before the events of the novel by illegally hunting in the nearby forests. Each year, as punishment for an uprising long ago, the Capitol randomly selects a one boy and one girl aged 12 to 18 from each of the twelve districts to participate in the Hunger Games, an arena death match where only one contestant can survive. When her 12 year old sister Prim is selected, Katniss volunteers to take her place.Collins artfully crafts an exciting story that fires on all cylinders. Action? I mentioned "post-apocalyptic arena death match," right? Romance? More than covered. Compelling protagonist? Katniss is fantastic. She's strong, tough, determined, loyal, but she still has many of the normal concerns of a teenager, and flaws that make her believable. Interesting setting? Very much so. I devoured every bit about the world and wondered about what it implied for the larger setting, eager to find out more about what this unfortunate world is like and how it came to be.I've read several other dystopian novels - 1984, Brave New World, Cloud Atlas - and The Hunger Games fits right there alongside them, despite it's YA target audience and teen protagonist. I was amazed at how grim Collins could get and still manage to keep things YA. It actually reminded me some of the works of Robert Louis Stevenson such as Treasure Island, which can be challenging and have complex characters and violence, but still be appropriate for the younger reader. We seem to be living in a golden age of YA fiction that adults can enjoy, with Collins, J.K. Rowling, Scott Westerfeld and others crossing over to adult audiences with their excellent YA novels.I listened to the audio version, read by Carolyn McCormick. McCormick does an excellent job narrating the novel. She manages to convey the tension well, and her different accents and male voices are strong.As I said, I'm probably the last person to read The Hunger Games. But if not, if someone out there reads this review and hasn't read The Hunger Games yet, do so now. It's a great book, and I can't wait to keep reading and find out what happens in the rest of the trilogy.

Can you write your opinion about this book?

I love Mia Sheridan. This book is unexpected, and in a world where every book blurs together, it's nice to read something refreshing.

How is story?

Let's face it--I'm a huge Lisa Scottoline fan and this book kept me guessing. The main character was a little hard to warm up to because of the way she handled her problems in the beginning. She didn't show much strength when faced with accusations. Saving her child should have been a no-brainer, but she allowed other parents to cause self doubt. Excellent writing style but not one of my all-time fav Scottoline books. I miss the law office.

How is the write?

There was so much hype about this novel, I was anxious to read it. I had not read anything by this author so didn't know what to expect. However, I was not disappointed.The characters are strong, the descriptions of the Museum of Modern Art and various paintings, New York City, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam are vivid, and the sad life of a motherless boy are enough to recommend this book.The first 550 pages are so well-written that I didn't want to put the book down. But I did put it down, then picked up it up and it seemed as though I had never stopped! I would have given this novel 5 Stars, but after the first 550 pages, the plot got weaker and slower and stayed that way until the end.It's obvious Ms. Tartt put lots of research into her novel and she is to be commended. I will definitely read other books by her.

How was the characterization of actors?

This is Book is awful. It's not exactly terrible as much as it is highly boring and repetitive. Please see the other critical reviews, as they pretty much sum up my thoughts. Perhaps a slightly intriguing, if cliche, storyline-- but with the most juvenile, basic writing I have read. Phrases are repeated over and over again dozens of times. If I had to read about "those pants that hung so deliciously from his hips" again, I would have croaked. This goes with the "# shades of grey" phrase, as in 7 shades of <expletive> up, fifty shades of mysterious, shades of grey, shades of whatever..... Someone just finished their high school literature devices cla ss ;-) And the characters are just so flat and ridiculous. Finally, the ending is quick, unresolved, and ridiculous. Perhaps a clever way for the author to extract more cash from you by offering sequels? Terrible!The biggest problem with Kindle and iBooks is that you can neither give the book back nor give it away! Hard to believe this is a best seller. Do yourself a favor and skip this one!

Is the movie dialogue good?

Dry humor, witty remarks, and a bit of sarcasm, written in first person by the man we all now know as House. For me, the actual plot - which is sort of a spy thriller; part serious, part satire - was secondary to the writing and the characters. I didn't particularly care what they were doing. I just loved reading his words. His characters are vivid and unique. He has a true gift for writing dialogue and even his narrative sucked me in and held me in place.In all fairness, however, I must admit that the plot was at times convoluted in such a way that it could be difficult to follow. I think, in Laurie's effort to bring suspense to the story, he sometimes leaves the reader dangling in the wind. However, the entertainment value of his writing style carried me through any little rough spots in the plot.When I turned the last page, I was sad to say goodbye to the characters. Thomas Lang, Laurie's main character, wants to live on in my mind. And, for me, that's the mark of a great story.

How do you like the book?

Great book I loved it can't wait to see the movie I loved the humanities how people have different types of personally but can change.

Was the second book more exciting?

This book was just so crazy! I couldn't stop reading if you thought the first book was intriguing the you just have to read this one. It has more action and it has a total different affect on me like things I didn't expect to happen! I couldn't put this book down I highly recommend it to all and if you haven't read the first book you definitely should.

How is the personality of the hero of the book?

"Would you like to come now, gorgeous?"Story's answer sounded breathless. "What do you think?" Her head fell back against the wall with a thud. One of his hands slid up her bare thigh, higher and higher until it reached her ___. She felt him gather the backside of her thong in his fist, twisting the fabric until it wrapped around his fingers once. The silky material pulled taut, sliding over the most sensitive part of her and making her head spin. His teeth scraped against her neck, sending a thrill of sensation shuddering through her body."Say please, baby.""Please," she moaned.I was lucky enough to purchase several of the Entangled Brazen books on sale a couple months ago. I love the Entangled Brazen series because you can always expect a solid, steamy read and Officer Off Limits did not disappoint. It was exactly what I needed to get my out of a book funk when book after book was not working for me.I think what I liked best about this book were the characters. Story was quirky without being ditsy. She was confident but vulnerable enough to seem real. She also was fun without being dumb. It seems like a lot of females heroines can be annoying but I thought she was very likable. I'll try not to gush when saying how much I liked the character of Daniel. Besides being incredibly good looking and sexually gifted, he also seems to have somewhat of a dominant streak and he's a dirty talker. I kind of feel like I hit the lotto =) For me, Daniel was the best kind of hero. In between the demands and dirty talk he managed to be sweet too."Belong to me, Story. Even if it's just for a little while."Yep, Daniel was totally swoon worthy!The chemistry between Story and Daniel was immediate and hot, both in and out of the bedroom. I loved their banter back and forth and did I mention, these two together were HOT!"Push your hot ___ up against me and take it deeper." She arched her back to comply, whimpering when she felt herself stretching to accommodate his size. "What's the matter, Story? Don't you want me as deep as I can go?""Yes!""Say it, then, baby. Say `Daniel, please ____ me deep.""Daniel..." She trailed off on a moan, wanting to say the words, but hesitating. She'd never spoken like that before. It would be wrong. It would be wonderful."Oh no. You wanted to be turned around and ______ like a bad girl. Now you'll say the bad words that go along with it. Tell me what you want.""____ me deep," she cried. He drove into her with deeply satisfied growl. "Very good. Now you get more."Officer Off Limits was the best kind of quick romance for me. It was steamy, made me laugh, and even managed to throw in a twist towards the end I wasn't expecting. There were a couple references to events that happened in popular culture that I thought were well timed and really cute (Kanye West and the Taylor Swift debacle). Couple all that with a dirty talking hero with alpha tendencies and I was a happy girl.Just a note, this is the third book in the Line of Duty Series, all stand-alone books and all written by the same author. I read Protecting What's His a while ago and although I enjoyed it, I definitely liked this book better. I need to go back and read the second book in the series and plan on doing that soon.