Not quite up to snuff
924197
I really enjoyed this book, but I could only give it three stars, because it really got confusing. It was confusing because Nicholas's book came second in this series and this book, more or less takes place during the same time period. Ms. Burrowes has also introduced Gabriel who was with his wife in Ethan's book, but is courting Polly in this book, and his book comes out in September. I'm sure there is a reason behind the whole thing, but I can't see it.
4833874
This was enjoyable, but not nearly as good as most of Donaldson and Scheffler's many other efforts, the best of which include:&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Gruffalo-10th-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0330507419/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Gruffalo 10th Anniversary Edition</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Room-on-the-Broom/dp/0142501123/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Room on the Broom</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Snail-and-the-Whale/dp/B001TI32EI/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Snail and the Whale </a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Spiffiest-Giant-in-Town/dp/0142402753/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Spiffiest Giant in Town</a>, and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/A-Squash-and-a-Squeeze/dp/1405055286/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">A Squash and a Squeeze</a>.  (Of these, the latter is probably my favorite.)  I was surprised to see Santa Claus make an appearance in this book -- perhaps it would not be the best choice for kids/families that don't celebrate Christmas. If this is your first experience with Donaldson and Scheffler, please try some of their other titles!
620975
Fight Club was great.  Lullaby was amazing.  Pygmy was not worth reading.  Snuff was mediocre, but at least better than Pygmy.  And all of them are more alike than different - a possibly interesting hook of a premise, characters who are self-absorbed and damaged, a reliable number of plot twists, and a focus on the less attractive aspects of the human, both physiological and psychological which is played for humor.

Invisible Monsters is much like Snuff in that it has a passable story line, about 3 plot twists, and is full of sadly damaged people.  On one score it outdoes Snuff, in that it takes anything physically repulsive, and turns it up 2 notches.

Invisible Monsters is somewhat timely, in that it takes on the beauty standard, the beauty industry, and our obsessive gaze on feminine beauty at a time when this is being discussed and analyzed in the larger media.

I will not bother recounting the story line here, since numerous reviewers do that for you.  As for the plot twists, they add to the enjoyment of the book, but despite being "twists," can be seen coming from a ways back.  The characters are passably interesting, but only insofar as they are self-absorbed "monsters" each fighting their way around an obsession with physical and sexualized beauty in their lives.

Would I recommend it?  Only if the airport newstand is sold out of everything but romance novels.  Honestly, there are better uses for your time.
897589
I was expecting that there would be an equal number of every flavor in the box, but it seems to be a truly random assortment. (I did not take them all out and count to verify.)  Some of the flavors are not home-runs for me, but others may like them better than I did.  The main problem is that many cocoas don't fully mix.  I've had to cut away the foil lid and dredge the K-cup in my mug to get out all of the cocoa.  This is not unique to this product; I've had similar problems with other K-cup brands. (BTW, the Jr mint flavor is a particular problem, because I believe one of the candies is in the container and it never melts.)
815785
This book has the potential to go someplace good, but just doesn't quite get there. The ending, without a reveal, leaves me with many questions which I'm wanting answers to. I liked the flow though the character developement is just slightly lacking.

I'm confused in that the younger brother begins the story adamantly in love with one girl, deplores drink and is a good son even if he is not the favored son. By the halfway mark, the boy- and the author, seems to have forgotten the first love with no explanation or heartache or anything and is pretty much never heard from again. He becomes a favorite companion to the local tavern with the oldest brother without a qualm-farm work and father forgotten at home without any consequences and it's just not fleshed out well.

The ending involves intrigues and magics but without any explanations or plot it dies a quick death with the story's end.

Left me wanting a bit more than it gave me.
502670
Don't think I'll be in a rush to read more of this series, having tried two.  I realised very early on who had dunnit and why.  I look for some tension, some build up, but didn't find it here, I'm sorry to say.
2909979
I was excited about picking up a new book from the author who wrote great books like The Fan Man, The Exile, Dr. Rat, etc. but---

This one had promise for a while but then gets muddled in the middle and didn't really keep me interested. Characters like Oldcastle and Lizardo seem to be the heroes, but they take a backseat to others like The Observer, who, I think is the only interesting character in the story. There are others who are introduced, like Man O' War, but their impact on the story is unclear.

There's some interesting robotic encounters and other-worldly concepts that keep the reader involved, but, overall, the story is pretty anti-climatic. The theme of humans (or aliens) playing with mortality works well, but the story becomes made-for-tv and fizzles.

If you're looking for good Kotzwinkle, I'd recommend the books mentioned above as well as some earlier titles like The Midnight Examiner and The Bear Went Over The Mountain.
558999
I have read and enjoyed many of Sebastian Faulks's previous novels. This one is OK, but I don't feel it comes up to his usual high standard. Part of the problem for me is that the first story is so good that the ones which follow are a disappointment. And there's something slightly gimmicky about putting these different stories together and calling them a novel. Sure they all carry the "only connect" theme, but that theme runs through most decent modern fiction.

Measured against most new novels. A Possible Life is superior; it is only when measured against Faulks's previous work that it comes up a bit short.
3286319
It's only fair to make allowances for  a first novel. I might have given this fewer stars had it not been so. I had the plot sussed early on so it came as no surprsie which is unfortunate for a thriller. The concept was interesting but required the reader to suspend believability a little too much. I was resistant to that concept. If the author publishes a second novel I might be tempted to read it, if only to find out how his plotting may have progressed.
4063390
A little disappointed. Bought this album after hearing the Puppini Sisters on my Pandora stream, and I was really looking forward to it. But as much as I love the concept, and as great as their best moments are, the album is hit or miss. Not all the arrangements are terribly interesting, and the intonation isn't *quite* as spot on as it needs to be for harmonies this tight. It's not terrible, and there are some gorgeous moments. Just not quite enough of them.
3363906
I have enjoyed many of Stephanie Laurens Cynster books, and this one, unfortunately, I had some difficulty finishing.  It starts with an interesting premise--a mysterious laird is forced to kidnap a Cynster sister by his blackmailing mother, who seems to hold a terrible grudge against the Cynster family.

I found this framework to the internal story to be much more interesting than the actual kidnapping and rescue of Heather Cynster by the rake, Viscount Breckenridge.  The actual kidnapping and investigation by Heather was engaging for a time, but after her rescue, the story descends into a mixed up morass of Heather trying to force a declaration of love out of the Viscount, and him resisting.  Chapters of internal arguments and debates about exposing one's heart followed, interspersed with bedroom romps.  She won't say she loves him, but expects him to say it first, and he is hiding the somewhat cliche damaged heart of a rake, used so often in Regencies.  Both try to show their feelings through sex, and I wanted to hit them over the head after a while... I had some difficulty finishing this, and in fact ended up skipping several pages to try and pick up somewhere with more action.

What saved the book for me are the side characters and somewhat unique set up, like the wily kidnappers who bring a maid along to protect Heather's reputation, the mysterious laird and his hate-filled mother, as well as glimpses of beloved older characters like Scandal and Catriona and their children.  So, despite the dragging final chapters, I am very intrigued will buy the next book, if only to learn more about the Laird and his motivations.  If that book is not an improvement over this one, it might be the last Cynster book for me, though.

Anyone following the Cynster series will not want to miss this book, but just be warned, it is one of the weaker entries, in my opinion.
2661452
I suppose allowances should be made for this being a first novel but generally I found it rather unsatisfactory. The characters all tend to be unsympathetic ( Someone is murdering bookies, Like who cares?) The hero is a walking cliche, a P.I. who an ex sport figure, ex cop with a bad experience (the violent death of his partner) and who is also, quite frankly, a bit of a whiner. The few attempts at wisecracking dialogue are rather feeble and the explanation of the intriguing premise of how someone is a high security prison is leaving taunting messages for the hero is rather a letdown.
I did like the setting, a small town in Michigan on the shores of Lake Superior, the wintry descriptions and the interplay with the local characters as they sit in the tavern drinking their *imported* Canadian beer.
2722886
I don't like to be too quick to judge the first book in a new series, but this one doesn't really deliver strong characters or good plot development.  The idea of a cook book store, a murder of a young chef, and a good number of suspects seems to show promise.  There is even a cute kitten, who stays in the picture largely because the protagonist, Jenna, takes the kitten with her on her various escapades.  There are many moments of kitten cuteness, but overall, the characters just aren't well-defined and interesting, in my opinion.  The police chief doesn't exactly bungle the investigation, but she doesn't seem to do much about it either, and Jenna does a rather inept job of investigating and trying to determine a motive for the murder.  It all gets rather repetitive, but I did stay with it until the end.  I would give this series another chance by reading the second one, but so far "OK" is about the best I can give this first installment as a rating.
1865077
I don't know about this one. Dog Gone starts out reasonably well, and the story is ok, but it seems to me to be too much like conversation.  It's not boring, but there seems to be more information than is necessary, or information that could be presented in a better more interesting manner.  Then why four stars you may well ask.  Well, I read the sample of his Bootlegger novel, and there is energy, there is bite, there is interesting material, and the conversational tone has disappeared.  So my thought is that perhaps Dog Gone is an early attempt, and Bootlegger is an improvement.  I understand that I probably shouldn't include a second book in a review, but I don't make living doing this.  I do this to help my fellow readers.  So, I think Brother Clifton has potential as is evidenced by his book Bootlegger, not Dog Gone.
1955480
Interesting concept, but somewhat poor execution.
3612653
Why can't I get along with Nina George's books? Enticing covers, but reading the content is another thing altogether. I felt the same way withLittleParis Bookshop. Both books have a promising premise. I had high hopes forThe Little French Bistrobecause Marianne Lanz, the main character, had a marriage much like my first unpleasant stumble down the aisle. I could relate to her longing to escape, feeling there was no way out. Or that even death was the better alternative.  But - the book turned a corner and it just got to be too much. What started off well, ended up feeling unrealistic. A bit too fairytale-ish; kind of cheesy. I'm a sucker for a pretty cover. Nina George knows how to get my attention; just doesn't keep it. This was one of those books that left me feeling squirmy. In other words, I was anxious to get it over with. It's not an entirely unlikable story. Others may find it delightful. Just average for me. That cover though.

*Copy courtesy of Blogging for Books
4675964
I remembered Death is Now My Neighbor fondly and discovered that the pace was slower and the tone much more muted than I recalled. Morse and Lewis are in fine form, but the tone of this particular story has a disappointed edge. Morse is starting to recognize his mortality and the prospect of being alone and hangs over his headand in the reader's mindwhile the investigation slowly, slowly, slowly progresses. The ultimately solution to the criminal puzzle is great, but it takes way too long for Morse to get there.