So not a VC Andrews book!!
919180
I love VC Andrews books usually!  I know that her ghost writer can sometimes really hit a home run with his books but some of them just really leave me saying, "What the F*** did I just read honestly!?!"  Look Dude if  you're going to write boring crap then put your own name on it and don't tarnish the name of a good writer.

This book is lackluster, at best.  There is this somewhat suspenseful buildup that the main character could find out about her family and her new found friends but it just falls seriously short leaving the reader having a "WTF" moment.

I had  such high hopes but was disappointed.
865252
This book, like every other written by VC Andrews' ghost writer, was a horrible disappointment.  The Dollanganger and Heaven series and My Sweet Audrina are literally impossible to put down; I think we as readers need to accept that although Ms. Andrews' outlines may have lived on, her storytelling talent died with her.

Scattered Leaves, due to its premise, had the potential to be completely fascinating (not many fiction books about early puberty, and so much could be done with the subject, esp using VC's noir style) BUT completely failed to deliver anything but shallow characters and undeveloped themes.
2606466
I bought this book because I read M. T. Pope's 3 book series "Both Sides of the Fence" and loved them.  This book wasn't even worth $2.99!! I don't think it was 100 pages!  I downloaded it to my kindle and was prepared for another great read and was very disappointed.  All it was was a gay guy that loved to go to jail just for the sex.  The first chapter describes him seducing the guards and his cell mate.  Then in the second chapter he gets killed while seducing an inmate in the shower and that was the end of the book! I don't even know why it is being called a "book"(?) I was very disappointed and really should have asked for my money back.

DON'T BOTHER!
582427
Sorry Gary but this is not what I wanted.  A "how-to" book it's not.  This book skims over the industry and is mostly all "Gary" and his wonderful past.  Okay, I concede, he's had a excellent career and I'd enjoy reading his bio but I did not intend to get it out of this book!  I think Gary owes me a free VO session!
3889695
This is not the book. It is a trivia question book. i was looking forward to a good ghost written Clancy novel but this selection sure is not it!
4788220
For those of you looking for a step by step guide to B.O.Y., this is NOT it! Thoroughly disappointing, it is a compilation of stories of folks and the things they have spent their money on. How did they do it? Bank on Yourself! How do you do that? Call an advisor! I did read the entire book, which I purchased on Kindle as Nelson Nash's Infinite Banking is not available on Kindle yet. An absolute waste of time... you can find out much, much more simply by googling "infinite banking". I do plan on getting into a whole life banking system, but please - don't spend your money on this gal's infomercial. And on top of everything else, it's boooooooring...
1670184
If you are looking for a written version of the movie you have come to the wrong place! This book is a slow moving look at life in the Royal Navy back in its hayday.  While it does cover that topic in a somewhat interesting manner, it does not resemble the fast moving movie in anyway.  There is not one naval battle of any consequence in the book.  It is really unfair to judge the book based on the movie, but I want to make sure that no one else buys this book expecting an action packed story filled with exciting naval battles.
2189387
Just finished the new Charlie-class by David Meadows. The technical accuracy fell off somewhat from his earlier book Echo-class  (yeah, what imaginative naming) - or at least he made more gross mistakes like the crappy idea of re-equipping a Permit with bow/aft torpedo configuration (kiss the spherical sonar goodbye, not to mention the problems of adding a aft torpedo room to a design that never meant for it), not realizing the Charlie already HAD an aft torpedo room ... etc.

If anything, given that the book is all about ASW warfare, why isn't it Victor-class rather than Charlie. The Victor has a better sonar, if nothing else.

But technically nitpicks aside, the guy managed to insert the superiorities that led to the American win with a subtlety the likes of Tom Clancy can't begin to lick the heels of. The Americans subtly see more and farther, giving their ship the edge, without any TC type stupidities like the kamikazeing Chinese subs in SSN or a murderous overwhelming technical advantage so beloved by the likes of Dale Brown (and TC of course).

The subtlety is beyond any technothriller I've read, and is perhaps the most realistic (despite the flaws proposed by the pros) display of the kind of edges a superior team gets over a less experienced one in technothriller fiction.
522568
For those of you who are looking for quality medieval romance literature with a developed storyline, plot, intrigue and romance (and yes, a little sex) this is NOT it!  I don't know what kind of literature readers who rated this with 4+ stars are reading, but this is the kind of romance book I refer to as "cheesy."  I couldn't even finish reading it after the 2nd chapter...I felt it was an insult to my intelligence.  There is literally no depth or richness to the story.  Most of the book is made up of conversation (bordering on ridiculous given the time period).  Just chattering back and forth in a stereo-typed "sex will win you over eventually" act.

If you are looking for a medieval (which I LOVE) book that will hold you, is realistic, and has a wonderful storyline and character development... try Anita Mills' "Fire" series, or Susan King's early Scottish Highlander series (i.e. "The Raven's Moon" - which won best romance novel of the year), or Robyn Carr's early writings "By Right of Arms", or "The Braeswood Tapestry" or even Julie Garwood's "The Bride."

As to the reader's who rated this with 4+ stars, please take a look at the books I have suggested.  You will easily see which romance literature really does deserve that kind of rating.  There is a HUGE difference.  For me, (and perhaps it's because I have a writing degree)...sorry Christina Dodd, I am never going to waste my time reading you again.
740325
I didn't purchase this book...it was tacked onto the back of "Anaconda" (which I regrettably purchased)...so I figured "why not?"...and read it.  I can truthfully say it's not a book I would've read otherwise.  I don't like books where the male character is a spoiled brat who gets whatever he wants and if he's denied, he plots until he makes it happen....and a female character who grovels even when she's treated like a doormat.

Tyler Locklin is a condescending, arrogant and conceited man-slut and proud of it.  He's immature.  After once being in a serious relationship and giving his heart over and then being cheated on, his new motto is "love 'em and leave 'em".  He's bitter.  But unless he cleans up his rep. he faces losing his position and his future as CEO in his and his fathers multibillionaire business (which this author assumes we're supposed to know what their business is).  Anyway, his rep. has made him a liability.  But does HE care?  Nah...because nobody tells HIM what to do.  He's proud and never apologizes and never, ever begs.

This is a story I've read many times before and told much better.  It's nothing new or original.  In fact, a movie was made about it with the exception of the added steamy romance.  It's the usual story of a damaged rich young man (25) who vows to never again get attached to a woman...well, until he meets Victoria Young (22)...and cannot shake the attraction that refuses to let him go.  Victoria Young works for a devilish fashion designer boss...and this is where The Devil Wears Prada comes in.  Works in fashion? Check!  Mean witch of a boss? Check!  Treats you like worthless pond scum?  Check! Size 6-8 is considered fat? Check!  Enjoys her bagels and donuts and fatty foods?  Check!  Famous white book?  Check!  Token gay guy? Check!  Theres much more but you get the gist.  I never connected with our protagonists because the story is so rushed and fast paced.  And besides, they're kids!  25 and 22??!?  Anyway, the characters have little depth...again probably because it's so rushed.  But I could hardly tolerate Victoria...most of the time she was simply TSTL with her simpering around this guy who's a known man-slut.  But what does she do?  Well....whatever he asks.  The writing isn't bad and I loved the controversy (when Victoria finally grow as a backbone).
2024502
Too short....it's a novel along the line of VC Andrews legacy...incest.homosexuality.lies.deceit.homosexuality.rape.
1908768
Well, I am not finishing this book. I bought it in the dollar section of Half Price Books, attracted by the cover and its Venetian setting, and the idea that it was also about vampires! Upon later research, I discovered that it was the 19th book in a series that currently has 24 books. While I hate to read books out of order, I figured that I would start with this one, and then, if I liked it, go back and read the rest. Unfortunately, this book did not in any way catch my interest. It was not poorly written, and the historic detail seemed immaculate, but I am halfway through it and what little plot there is to speak of, I just do not care what happens. There is more historic detail than plot or character development. Anything remotely interesting that is mentioned, is evident that it happened in a past book. There were letters that seemed rather lively, but this last letter that I read: a bill from a tailor, just put me over the edge. Reading this felt like a total waste of time, and as a result, I have no intention of digging up the previous 18 books. Oh, also, there was nothing vampirish about this either... the main character walks in the sunlight and everything!
641436
I read this book quite awhile back before all the buzz about it. I was not impressed with the storyline and hope no one is misled into trying to accept was the author cites as facts and use them for the purpose of embellishing your views of Christ and the Gospel. Consider this --> The Bible is intended to be "stand-alone" and "infallible" (and also contains severe warnings about "adding to or subtracting from it".) These are basic tenents of Christianity. If these tenets are NOT held to be true then it stands to reason that it would be silly to place your faith and eternal destiny in the Bible and Christianity. BUT, if they are held to be true then it logically follows that to try and "explore ones faith" by accepting the baseless (and insulting) views about Jesus which the author espouses would defy sound reasoning and be 100 percent CONTRADICTORY... i.e. How can the author say it should help people to "explore their faith" when it is directly contradictory to what their manual of faith (the Bible)says. (To assert that Jesus started a family that would later be involved in orgies!?!? COME ON!!!! Really and truly what is happening here is no different than what happened in the garden of Eden. Satan questions God's Word and will use every lie and trick to get people sidetracked into believing ridiculous things. If you want a good story, look elsewhere; if you want to explore your faith, then read the Bible or a book that helps to understand (not undermine/insult) its teachings. See my other reviews for some awesome books that will help you increase your faith.
3433930
If you are looking for a book about Jesus (to brainwash your kid?), this review isn't for you. This book simply doesn't belong in this series. These books are for historical figures, not mythical characters.

I don't think superstition and religion have any place in history books, unless it is a study of the cultural influences that led to myth creation. Whether it is the bible, or Greek or Roman mythology, It is all cute, but not fact or historical - clearly.

Let me know when "Who was Mohammad?" or "Who was Ganesha?" come out... Then we can all laugh.
[...]
538361
This book is frankly disappointing in it's blatant need to connect vampires to fallen angels, which has nothing to do with real folklore.  It's just popular now in realms of fiction and people look for ways to justifying by thin connections to the actual stories.  A beautifully illustrated and stylish and well bound book wasted on content that people will mistake as legitimate folklore.  Frankly I'm tired of people haphazardly tying vampires to fallen angels.  There's nothing to that in the actual folklore.  This takes flying leaps of assumption and speculation and passes off "interpretation" as fact.  It's shamefully misleading.  I know this is more or less for kids bot Robert Curran's Book on vampires isn't so blatantly deceptive, misleading, just for the "cool" factor of tying fallen angels to vampires.  Actual vampire folklore has nothing to do with fallen angels, no matter how many ways you might try to twist the lore to fit that narrative.

It's not really a book on "Vampirology" (if you want to call it that) but a novel in disguise.  A very misleading title.  And the lore within it is more to do with fallen angels and demons being called vampires, which has become an obnoxious trend (in my opinion) of pop culture. I partly blame The Strain but it's actually been going on since around 1997 with the NBC TV mini-series version of House of Frankenstein in which the vampire was actually a fallen angel.  For some reason people latched onto that idea even though it was one of the worst aspects of that mini-series.  That's not a vampire at all. That's a demon.

Trusting this book for your vampire folklore is like trusting the TV show Once Upon a Time for your King Arthur lore.  (Don't...)

Moloch wasn't even actually a demon in The Bible but a God people were sacrificing children to inside a brazen bull (essentially a furnace shaped like a bull).  He wasn't portrayed a demon until the seventeenth century epic poem Paradise Lost.  That's not even folklore.  That's Biblical fan fiction.
1578846
*SPOILER ALERT* Very disappointed. I know Honor Harrington is supposed to be infallible, but her victories tend to have way less to do with her ability and more to do with the super-convenient deus ex circumstances that always accompany her. Almost always, the deus ex is based on some previously unmentioned Manticoran technology. Hey look, we have a ton of missile pods even though everyone thought they were obsolete! Wow, look at that, it's possible to come in completely undetectable if you burn thrusters only, and no one else has ever been bold enough to take that risk! Yippee, Grayson developed a "dogfighting" LAC that we're telling you about right before the climactic battle! Well, in this one, White Haven and Harrington are both beneficiaries of huge Grayson fleet detachments that throw off Republican planning. And hey, one of those detachments arrived the day before the Republican attack! Woohoo, what luck! And that's not even mentioning the magical coincidence of the half-pay Manty admiral who owned his own Q-Ship and just happened to be in the right place and time to essentially discover the hidden Republican fleet in Silesia, and who made that discovery by essential reading the enemies' minds. But that's not unusual for Honor and anyone else of her inner circle. Honestly, I was really hoping the Giscard and Tourville were about to hand White Haven and Harrington their own asses for a change. A series where the main character and her team are infallible and invincible, especially when it's through third party means, despite what the 'faxes and public seem to believe, well, it gets boring fast.
2828434
I went against my better judgement and chose this book for our book club meeting without having read it first.  Normally that is a qualification for choosing books - read them yourself first!  The thing was, everyone in our group loves Michael Baisden.  A few of us had heard him on the radio when we were lucky enough to live in areas that pick up his show.  Some of us had been to his different national events and vacations, etc. I figured that this book choice would be a no brainer.

Unfortunately, it didn't turn out that way.  Men Cry In The Dark is just really o-k-a-y.  It wasn't anything stellar, and it ws really forgettable.  I just expected more from such a talented radio personality, and this book left me cold.  I really wouldn't recommend it unless you have nothing else to read and someone gives it to you free.

Sorry, Mike, I STILL LOVE YOU - and everyting is everyTING - but this book is NOT.