Category Archives: 2.5 Stars

*Review* The Murmurings – Carly Anne West

The Murmurings Cover The Murmurings

Carly Anne West

384 pages

ISBN: 9781441798

Read 7-23-13

Format: Hardcover

Source: Library

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Everyone thinks Sophie’s sister, Nell, went crazy. After all, she heard strange voices that drove her to commit suicide. But Sophie doesn’t believe that Nell would take her own life, and she’s convinced that Nell’s doctor knows more than he’s letting on.

As Sophie starts to piece together Nell’s last days, every lead ends in a web of lies. And the deeper Sophie digs, the more danger she’s in—because now she’s hearing the same haunting whispers. Sophie’s starting to think she’s going crazy too. Or worse, that maybe she’s not…

Well, the cover looks kind of nice and creepy and the synopsis sounds like it would be a bit spooky, but…it just didn’t live up to what I was hoping for. The writing was okay, some of the descriptions were really good, but the dialogue could have been better since it didn’t feel very natural at some points.

Sophie was an okay character, she had a lot to deal with from the death of her sister and Evan was a good guy, but I didn’t see any kind of build up to a relationship or any kind of connection. I have no idea why they liked each other or why Evan decided to start hanging out with Sophie.

There were several instances were I don’t know how they came to conclusions on things, like who the “insider” was. They were talking about going somewhere and that the insider was there and suddenly Sophie somehow knew exactly who it was. There was also no explanation as to how Dr. Keller knew that Sophie was hearing the murmurings since she didn’t tell anybody.

The ending was kind of anticlimactic and also had no real explanation. I don’t really like unclear things like this. I like to know why it worked and how they knew this important information. I hate to say that this book was pretty disappointing.

No explanations, not creepy, no romantic connection, good descriptions.

2.5 bookmark

Vyki Signature Trans 2

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Filed under 2.5 Stars, Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Review, Supernatural, Young Adult

*Review* Freaky Green Eyes – Joyce Carol Oates

 Freaky Green Eyes

Joyce Carol Oates

368 pages

ISBN: 9780064473484

Read 9-25-12

Format: Audiobook

Source: Library

Add it on Goodreads!

“Later, I would think of it as crossing over. From a known territory into an unknown. From a place where people know you to a place where people only think they know you.”

Sometimes Franky Pierson has a hard time dealing with life. Like when her parents separate and her mother vanishes, Franky wants to believe that her mom has simply pulled a disappearing act. Yet deep within herself, a secret part of her she calls Freaky Green Eyes knows that something is terribly wrong. And only Freaky can open Franky’s eyes to the truth.

I thought this book sounded really interesting from the synopsis.  Alter ego? Missing parent? Sounds like a good story set up.  Unfortunately, I was fooled.  I really didn’t care for this book, even from disc 1, but I kept on trucking. Continue reading

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Filed under 2.5 Stars, Audiobook, Fiction, Review, Tough Stuff, Young Adult

*Review* After – Amy Efaw

 After

Amy Efaw

350 Pages

ISBN: 9780670011834

Read 5-3-12

Source: Library

Format: Audiobook

An infant left in the trash to die. A teenage mother who never knew she was pregnant . . . Before That Morning, these were the words most often used to describe straight-A student and star soccer player Devon Davenport: responsible, hardworking, mature. But all that changes when the police find Devon home sick from school as they investigate the case of an abandoned baby. Soon the connection is made, Devon has just given birth; the baby in the trash is hers. After That Morning, there’s only one way to define Devon: attempted murderer. And yet gifted author Amy Efaw does the impossible, she turns Devon into an empathetic character, a girl who was in such deep denial that she refused to believe she was pregnant. Through airtight writing and fast-paced, gripping storytelling, Ms. Efaw takes the reader on Devon’s unforgettable journey toward clarity, acceptance, and redemption.  

     The synopsis of this book had me very intrigued, but unfortunately it wasn’t what I was hoping for.  I wasn’t pulled in or overwhelmed by what happened and it didn’t get to me emotionally like I wanted it to.  There were a few rare scenes that stirred me, but I felt it wasn’t as good as it could have been.  I also felt it would have been much better has it been written in a first person POV.  I am always able to give a bigger emotional connection in my writing if I write it from first person since I put myself in it as best as I can.

I listened to this book instead of reading it, and after hearing the reader for Daughter of Smoke and Bone, this reader was kind of flat.  I also wasn’t a big fan of the main character, Devon.  She hardly spoke through the whole book and she really annoyed me.  I didn’t feel any sympathy for her and it seemed like all she did was have a bunch of excuses.

Some of the writing was okay, but it seemed to be very repetative.  I can’t count how many times “orange jumpsuit” was used.  There were things that I didn’t like about the way things were at the detention center in the book.  I work at a detention center, and tehre was plenty I didn’t agree with.  For starters, a male officer would never escort a female inmate, especially not a female juvenile, alone.  Considering I work at a detention center, the setting didn’t feel quite right, so it just didn’t do it for me.  Of course, it ws also a juvenile detention center in a state other than mine, so it really could be that different, but I don’t see a lot of what I disagree with happening.  Sorry, bit I’m biased.  It’s unfortunate I didn’t enjoy it because I really wanted to.  The only part I can say I did for certain like was the way it ended, it was right.

Good ending, repetative, didn’t emotionally connect, didn’t favor the main character.

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Filed under 2.5 Stars, Audiobook, Fiction, Tough Stuff, Young Adult
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