One word: DISAPPOINTING
925318
I picked up Sharon Sala's Remember Me because it was a recommendation for people who like Meryl Sawyer's works. The two cannot be compared. Sala's characters are one-dimensional and her plot is predictable.  The genre of the novel is titled "Romantic Supense", but the work was surprisingly sparse in both these characteristics. A lack of intrigue coupled with an immature writing style leaves this book one I would not recommend.
4458213
So after the disappointment of book one surely book two would improve, but alas i was sorely disappointed again. The book was to drab and easy to predict, to hold my attention for long, but i stuck it out. Unfortunately, i have become so bored with the story that i will waste no further money to find out what happens next.
893444
Ahem, call me disappointed. Slow, tedious, and full of bugs. Some
times, the guard's heads stretch out like rubber bands for no apparent
reasons.  (save, exit, restart) Your weapon will disappear, it sounds
like you are firing, but nothing happens and it is no longer
visible. (save, exit, restart). Then, to top it off, all of the sudden
I'm back in windows and the game has simply disappeared. (frequent
saves, restart, hopefully you haven't gone too far before you last
save!) Even without these 'glitches' the game was completely boring,
your character is a guy who sneaks around and tries to bonk people on
the head when they're not looking. Give me the old fashioned chain gun
any day. After reading the other 5 star reviews, I got all excited
... and ordered this extremely disappointing game. The only thing I
liked about the program was the introduction and the cut scenes. I am
not a sceptic, and I walked into this with a completely open mind,
full of anticipation, kinda like Christmas morning, I don't often have
any money to blow on a game. Do yourself a favor and find something
else, if you want it that badly, give me a call and I'll send you mind
COD!
3488465
First of all, I have to say that I have enjoyed all of Ms. Adair's T-FLAC books up until now.  Second, I hate to be too critical of any author, because just getting published these days requires true grit.  Having said this, I feel I just have to comment on Edge of Danger. I was just soooooooooo disappointed.  The whole wizard thing.  The mental rape.  The dangerous, oops I mean apocalyptic robot.  I felt so cheated.  Especially since I think the back cover description was so misleading, giving no clue to expect a teleporting wizard.  Yes it spoke of a paranormal unit, and telepathic powers, but hey, this is a far cry from what direction this novel really took. It's not that I don't realize I did choose to read fiction.  But, for me this was like picking up my mug of morning coffee, and taking that first big sip only to discover I've got myself a cup of tea.

I am genuinely happy for those of you who found enjoyment in Edge of Danger.  I, however, wish that Ballantine Books were offering the same money back guarantee offered currently by Penguin Books - if your not satisfied, return the book, and get a full refund.
629586
Armentrout left a lot to be desired with this one, as it fell drastically short of her last novel. The whole thing sounded like a public service announcement or one of those terrible back-to-school specials. The characters weren't fully fleshed out, or all that likable, to be honest.

If There's No Tomorrow is divided into three parts -- Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. The 'Today' chapters seemed to go on and on, and the 'Tomorrow' chapters felt sloppy and rushed. I enjoyed the 'Yesterday' chapters, but everything else about this book was a disappointment.
3688920
Perhaps my expectations were too high. Perhaps I expected something entirely different than what was served. Perhaps it was just poor timing when it came to reading this... Though UNREMEMBERED by Jessica Brody was an enjoyable enough read, a poorly executed "mystery" and characters lacking in emotional depth caused it to fall a bit... flat.

Flat. What an excellent word to describe this book. Let's start with the main character, Violet (aka. "Seraphina" according to the description, which itself is a spoiler that completely kills one "mystery" element in the book). She is a positively "perfect" being, and we are constantly reminded of this fact throughout the book. Oh, and she has purple eyes. Seraphina is so perfect and flawless, in fact, (and don't forget she has purple eyes) that it is obvious that she is either a) an unnatural human/science experiment/robot or b) an alien. Take your pick. And she is super smart and probably has the highest IQ in the world, buy yet she knows nothing at all about the modern world... Hmm, I wonder where she came from? Either she comes from a) a different time or b) another planet. Again, take your pick. Other than these attributes, there was very little that made Seraphina interesting.

UNREMEMBERED was too entirely predictable and so straight forward in how it was presented from the very beginning. As a result, the element of mystery was killed for this (typically naive) reader. In fact, even though it is also supposed to be a romance novel, I found my self not at all invested with either of the romantic interests. So even that part of the story fell a bit flat for me. Sadly, the other half of the love story, Zen, simply came across as a lucky hormonal boy who happened to fall in love with the "perfect woman". I think that any boy who happened upon her could have easily fit the bill. I tried to find some redeeming quality that would make Zen special or stand out as more than just a cardboard character, but I couldn't... Not to mention, there seemed to be too many characters thrown in the story out of convenience, as though they were there just to help the characters along in their quest. And the bad guy... Is it bad that I didn't feel the tension with this one?

I do not want to sound too negative, though. The writing IS quite good and the words/dialogue flow fairly easily. While much time is spent running (from both the obvious truth and the bad guys) and the pacing is off a bit, I still found UNREMEMBERED to be a quick and entertaining enough read. At least, I wasn't bored, even though I knew the outcome before I read it. How exactly was the pacing off? Well, UNREMEMBERED starts right off with the discovery of Seraphina, but after that it contains an overly slow middle + a too quick resolution. While this is actually the typical pacing of mystery fiction, in this case the element of mystery wasn't exactly there... so phooey.

I do know many other readers who have found the story to be quite exciting and the mystery to be rather unpredictable, though. Maybe I will be the black sheep when all is said and done.

Will I be continuing the series? Well, UNREMEMBERED did end on a pretty big cliffhanger, one that sends the characters and story in a direction that could be insanely awesome. Plus, now that the predictable brouhaha of discovering the origin of Seraphina is over and done with, perhaps the story can move forward to something more gripping. I have a feeling that, in spite of my lack of a full connection with UNREMEMBERED, I will still be checking out book two when it is released.
4535793
I really should give it a one. This is such a disappointing book, one that could have worked with a more skilled author (or if not that, then a skilled editor). A novel about a little town in Iowa where an avid bibliophile has lived (she dies immediately) and where a young woman, once a book seller, from Sweden comes to visit, has such potential. We could expect few of the residents to be readers. But the characters--and they are very confusing to follow--are one-dimensional on the whole. I didn't bother to go beyond the first 100 pages (hence why this should be a one-star). If you want to read a well-written novel about a book store, real Gabrielle Zevin's The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry.
4232691
The first book in the series, "To Your Scattered Bodies Go" was fantastic - filled with original ideas and interesting concepts. Unfortunatley, it was all downhill from there. The second book, "The Fabulous Riverboat", maintained interest by introducing Sam Clemens. But then the rot set in. The only thing that got me though the third volume, "The Dark Design", was the hope that in the end a satisfactory conclusion would be reached, and reading that book was the only was to get there. Finally came "The Magic Labyrinth". The best thing that can be said is that it was obvious Farmer had no conception of how to end the series. The important characters, the ones you care about, are killed off with no apparent purpose except to create an artificial shock. The ending, involving secondary characters, in incredibly weak and shows a complete case of, "Well, I have to end it, so let's do THIS". A total disappointment, not at all worthy of the promise the first book showed. I pity the people who followed this series all the way to the end only to be confronted with this. There is a lesson to be drawn here - never start a series if you have no idea how to come to a competent ending. This has all the hallmarks of a book that was written to fulfill a contract. I would give it no stars except that I have to give it at least one. My advice: read "To Your Scattered Bodies Go" for good Scifi; read "The Fabulous Riverboat" for enjoyment; but forget "The Dark Design" and definitley do not read this book. Whatever explanation you may conjure in your imgaination can not help but be infinitely superior to what is in this book. Without doubt, one of the most disappointing books I have ever read, in any category. Avoid at all costs.

jaman57
1915327
What. A. Disappointment. For a novel in the suspense thriller genre, there was very little suspense, let alone any thrills. What does it say when my favorite character, and the most deserving of empathy was Jack, who wasn't even really one of the main characters?

Although the plot was mildly intriguing, it was hampered by a boring narrative and too slow pace, the worst being the Casey chapters. Instead of feeling sympathy for her, I felt those parts of the book were one ginormous pity party. Oh boo fricking hoo. So her parents weren't ideal. Instead of striving to become a better person (or at least better than her parents) she just came across as a major whiner (or, in the British spelling, whinger). Seriously, the Casey chapters were far too many, and went on far too long to my mind. SPOILER!!! Further, once readers learned that Casey drowned but that her body was never recovered, I had a very strong suspicion I knew what happened to her (that is, Charlotte was in fact Casey), and I read on just to see if that was proven correct and how Casey was able to masquerade as someone else. As to that, yes, I was right, but the author did a piss poor job establishing a plausible milieu for Casey to pretend to be Charlotte for over a year! END SPOILER!!!  Bollocks to that, I say. Further, speaking of the Casey narration, shame on the author! The final Casey chapter was pure exposition! As I read on, I was gobsmacked that Debbie Howells was so audaciously and lazily writing in a purely expository manner! Well, that put a neat little bow on the hows and whys of Leah and Angel. All I need is a handheld bell as I echo the nun in the Game of Thrones episode chanting shame, shame, shame.

My review included Britishisms here and there. This was deliberate for two reasons: one  the novel takes place in Britain. And two, it jumps out at me when a novel takes place in Britain but British vocabulary is replaced with American idiom (such as cell phone or real estate agent). When this happens, I just wonder if it was a deliberate decision by the publisher or those word were inserted by the author.

Anyway, that was mild curiosity more than anything else. Its just too bad the novel wasn't engrossing enough to make my mind wander to other things. My final verdict: skip this one.
446503
I picked this up due to the amount of hype and hubbub about the series.  I was hoping to find another series I could (ahem) sink my teeth into.  I had previously read "The Host" by the same author, and enjoyed it, so I thought this would somewhat the same.  Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

All of the characters are two-dimensional.  Bella shows some promise at the beginning, but quickly falls off into infatuation -- the only thing she thinks about is Edward.  And I thought she was supposed to be an "outcast," what with the not fitting in comments, etc.  But she seems to have fit in right away without even any effort.

The text is repetitive, to say the least.  The book could have been half as long if Meyer had limited herself in the number of times she told us that Edward was cold, and beautiful, and perfect in every way.  Oh, and how many times do we need to hear about Bella's scent?  Speaking of perfection -- every time Bella calls him "perfect" or says "he can do anything," his family laughs.  But we never get to see why.  I know the book is in first person, from Bella's POV, but still...it is possible to present something that the reader can understand while the character doesn't, even in first person.

In truth, this is a romance novel with vampires, for teenagers.  Three-quarters of the book is about these obsessive feelings they have for each other, which came from a "love at first sight" (or maybe smell) event, rather than developing true feelings for each other.  There's no real antagonistic presence until the last hundred pages or so, when some reasonable action develops.

Unlikely I will read the rest of the books, or go see the movie.  But if you enjoy romance novels, particularly paranormal or teenage romance, then this book will be right up your alley.
1499447
The only reason I bought this book was because the first book was very good and I was eager to know what happens next. But sadly this one was bit disappointing.
In this collection, theres not one single story but a couple of separate stories that span one or two issues. Each of these stories is okay but none of these stories have a proper ending. Always at the end, its like To be continued kind, which makes you feel irritated. One of the story that I was looking forward to was the one with Red Lanterns but unfortunately that was also mediocre (or rather below average). It seemed like a crossover just to garner attention rather than be something interesting.
The artwork is okay. Though there are quite a different number of artists in this collection, the difference in art as you read issue after issue is not considerable, fortunately.
The characterization is something that didn't work in this book. Paul Cornell had done a pretty good job defining the characters in Volume 1. But Jenkins and Milligan have spoilt all that Cornell had built. Even within this collection, the characters portrayed by Jenkins differ from those portrayed by  Milligan. Ill give two examples. Initially, Apollo has no problem taking orders from the Engineer but in Milligans stories, he seems to suddenly start disliking taking orders. Initially, Midnighter is shown to have a bit of guilty conscience for being a killing machine. Later, in Milligans story, it is implied at one point that if Midnighter sees that any teammate is acting suspiciously, he will not hesitate to kill the teammate. Disgusting.
Also, at the end, one of my favorite character leaves the team so I won't be that much keen in reading the upcomg volumes.
After  reading this book, my interest in Stormwatch has decreased considerably. (And this book I had only bought because I got it at a good discount).  DC made a mistake by removing Paul Cornell from this series, and that too just after the first volume. He had done wonders to this book. Now its kind of heading nowhere.
This book is hardly worth spending your money on .
1897605
Did I read the same book as some of the other reviewers who gave this a glowing review??

I am a fan of mysteries, and have read more than I can count. I expect at least one of two things from a mystery, especially a series: either an exciting plot or great character development. This series used to have decent plots, but the characters have always been lacking. This book falls flat on both counts.

I find myself actually disliking Alex, which I'm pretty sure is not supposed to be the case with the main protagonist. Her conversations with her girlfriends do not ring true for any woman who has ever had a close friend. Alex comes across as brittle and prissy. Fairstein hardly even lets the poor girl eat! Alex is forever losing her appetite and "picking at" food rather than consuming it. I suppose that's necessary for her to maintain the body that in an earlier book was described, as I recall, as being 5'10" and 120 lbs. *snort* Yeah, that's a woman we can relate to. The poor thing seems to survive on nothing but Dewar's.

Doesn't Mercer have a wife and child now? And yet, he spends most evening with Mike and Alex. Huh?

Mike is slightly less annoying here, having cut back a bit on the "Blondie" references. But dull? Okay, so he's mourning, but does he have to be so *boringly* in mourning?

Mercifully, there is less discussion of the intrepid trio watching Final Jeopardy, a twee little game that quickly grew old in earlier books. There is, of course, the requisite Martha's Vineyard interlude. Again we hear about the transcendent beauty of the island, the ludicrously pampered life of Alex whose wealth enables her to keep a spare hotrod there and have someone to maintain the house, shop for her, etc. Yawn. We got it, Fairstein, you love Martha's Vineyard. Fine, but it's getting to be a snoozefest.

Oh, and in this story we're also treated to what in the real world is called a stalker, but in Fairstein world is apparently supposed to be a man romantically smitten with Alex. Mind you, he fell for Alex during a half-hour plane ride during which she hardly spoke except to weave lies about herself. Behavior that her would-be suitor apparently found charming. But such apparently is the beauty of Alex that she has the power to drive men wile even by being rude and dishonest.

And the motivation for the murder of the dancer--HUH? What?? This is the best she could come up with? Good lord, but that was a letdown.

The one mildly interesting aspect of this book was the description and history of the theater venues. But this alone does not make a book worthy of being published.

Fairstein jumped the shark a couple of books ago. It reminds me of Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series, which started out strong but eventually disintegrated into silly nonsense. I'm sad to say that I'm done with this series now.
2259154
This is not the Alan Dean Foster who wrote the far superior "Splinter In the Mind's Eye". This reads more like gun-for-hire fanfic with very little emotion or creativity in play. The characters are all one-dimensional with no internal dialogue or backstory to provide motivation for a thin story that's basically a checklist of what made A New Hope work. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I sure hope that the cinematography, acting, and effects are able to do something with this disappointing plot. What a waste of an opportunity. Heir to the Empire was a far more entertaining, interesting way to continue the Star Wars story.
981518
I have read everything Auster has published, including his poetry; I guess you could call me a fan, or a fanatic.  This time around I was disappointed.  All the signature intertextuality was there (as already alluded to by other reviewers) but the degree to which the stories successfully commented upon the central narrative fell far, far short of what Auster has achieved in works like The New York Trilogy.  Perhaps that earlier book succeeded so well because it was his first and most challenging treatment of the man-walks-out-of-his-life premise, and its subtle and brilliant resolution rested on telling romps through canonical works like Don Quixote and Walden.  This time, as in The Book of Illusions, the oeuvre is an invented one, and while diverting for awhile, it leads Auster into a very familiar narrative trap; the surprise is that this time our Houdini imagines no escape.
I kept reading because I hoped that Auster's revisitation of so many old scenes meant he had something new left to make of them, and because the presence of a new device (footnotes) seemed to bolster these hopes.  It was a bummer to get to the part where the narrator invariably pauses and tells you that all of that was nothing compared to how it all ended, because this time there was nothing behind the curtain I hadn't already surmised.  My brother suggests I write Paul an e-mail telling him he's not allowed to write this book anymore, but I'm afraid until I track down his address these comments will have to suffice.
3719567
I eagerly await the books in the "Orchard" series, and this one was no exception.  When it came up for pre-order, I ordered it immediately and marked the calendar when it would be delivered.

Sadly, this book bore no resemblance to any of the other books in the Orchard series, and was a bitter disappointment.  I don't see how it could even qualify as a cozy, or as part of the series.  For those of you who "know" Meg, you know there's always a dead corpse that she somehow gets involved with.  ** Spoiler Alert ** There isn't any dead corpse in this book, and it seems to me she's spending her time trying to find out what a 200 year old Sampler has to do with her, and why she found it in her house.

The usual cast of characters are present; Seth, Bree, Art, however, with no death to investigate and somehow get involved in, I found this read to be a bit on the boring side, and quite a departure from the premise of the Orchard series.  I feel it was a waste of good money and pre-order wait time.  It makes me wonder if I'm going to want to read the next book, if there is one, because this was quite a letdown.  Sorry, Ms. Connolly, but you should have stuck to your tried and true in this series and not wasted the readers time on something as mundane as finding the origin, story and owner of a sampler, that quite miraculously, no one before Meg for over 200 years, ever came across.  Really?  Thank you for reading my opinion.
3536624
I was genuinely disappointed for the first time reading one of the breed books. I not only disliked the main characters but found myself annoyed with characters I had already come to love from previous books. I read 3 other books while having to force myself through this one on the chance that there's something in there I will have to have for the next one.

The heroin is indecisive, too weak to truly stand up for herself and to traumatized to just get with the program.  The hero is tolerable and may have been interesting with a better partner but as is, he is underdeveloped  and underwhelming. Characters like Cassie, Hope, and Dash are also disappointingly  unempathic  and at times cruel. Characters that we expect the best of have let us down. Jonas is probably the only character in the book I didn't find myself disenchanted with simply because Jonas is expected to act like a dictatorial tyrant.

Altogether I desperately hope that this won't be the new direction she takes the series in. But... I do love this series so I wait with bated breath for the next one.
2409458
I was finally coerced and guilted into reading "Guilty Pleasures", book one in the Anita Blake series. I won't be reading any more. The series protagonist, Anita Blake, comes across as a flat, one-dimensional character and the stereotypical human-vampire-lycanthrope trope offers nothing new or original. Sure the vampires are "out" and known to humans but even that failed to bring this story to life or elicit much emotion from me. This over-hyped, mediocre book offered  nothing new or exciting as far as urban fantasy world-building or storytelling. In fact, I'd like to slap the person who foisted this boring book onto me. But at least the chore is done. If you are interested in real, well-written urban fantasy, then do yourself a favor and read Gaiman's "Neverwhere," Hearne's "Iron Druid Chronicles," Butcher's "Dresden Files," Simon Green's "Nightside," or Mike Carey's "Felix Castor" novels and leave this faux-UF grease spot in your rearview mirror.