definitely a mixed bag
340880
The book consists of a few chapters of prose (about picking out a suit, shoes, etc) sandwiched in between numerous lists.  Some of the information is good, some is decent, some is bad, some is wrong, and some is just plain out of place.  For instance, there is a brief section on being single and a longer section on travelling; several of the topics seemed out of place in a book about "style".  There is good information in this book but unfortunately you have to wade through a lot of chaff to get to the wheat: "10 Musts to Have in the Car --  a detailed map covering a 50-mile radius from your house."  The book is also targetted at a slightly older demographic.  Of the fifty things that every man must know one of them is, "That Philip Roth, and not Norman Mailer, is the conscience of his generation."  Does anyone under 35 care about either of those people?
There is certainly enough useful information in this book (and it is mercifully brief) that you should spend a day or two reading it should the opportunity avail itself.  Just don't spend any actual money on this book.  Check it out from the library.
3033481
Love Lake Street Dive, but this album is a mixed bag for me.  It's highly overproduced and severely compressed so that the dynamics are missing making the music all loud and fatiguing to listen to. .  They sound like every other pop band on this album, and I suspect this is the result of moving to the Nonesuch label. Lots of stuff going on in the mix of this album such a excessive reverb and what sounds like artificial surround effects.  Lake Street Dive sounds best in their live presentations where they absolutely excel. This is not their best work.  Bring back the old Lake Street Dive.
2677250
I'm not sure where to start with this review as I have very mixed feelings about this book. First, I listened to the audio version. Johanna Parker does a good job with the voices however she reads so fast that at times I could hardly keep up with her. It was also exhausting. I know she can read slower because when she spoke as any character other than the main character Jace, she slowed down. However, when she spoke for Jace or just did the regular first person narration, she sounded like she was in a race to get through the book. This "speed" reading may have contributed to my second problem with the book (although I may still have experienced this if I read it in print, too) which was that I felt like I had information overload and the information was complex. At some points I just basically through up my hands and said to myself, whatever, I give up trying to understand the details. This lack of understanding of some of the history of the parallel universe Jace is in may come back to bite me if I decide to continue with the series, but hopefully the author will reiterate the salient points in other books. Another issue I had with the book is that I'm not sure I really liked Jace. I liked her sense of humor but she is quick to jump on people for the slightest reason, blowing things way out of proportion. The secondary cast of characters are interesting, especially Charlie- her bodyguard and partner- who is a good counterpart to Jace. The story was unique though and had its moments of excitement that kept me listening, although honestly, I did almost give up a few times. Because of all of these issues, though, I am not sure I will continue with the series. I will decide at some future point if I want to give the second book a try. If the synopsis interests you, I'd recommend trying the print version instead of the audio.
4140649
This expansion to the popular Betrayal at House on the Hill board game is a mixed bag.  On the positive side, the additional item, event and omen cards fit seamlessly into the base game adding both flavor and humor to the scenarios.  The new room tiles add both an additional floor to the house as well as some new mechanics for navigating about the mansion.  All in all, these components get a thumbs up.  However, the reason for buying this expansion is primarily to experience the new haunts to keep the game fresh and this is where Widow's Walk falls flat.

I've only played a few of the new haunts so far but clearly none of them were thoroughly play-tested before release.  Ideally, at the start of the haunt, both sides will have a chance to win in an engaging and interactive contest.  The new haunts we've played are confusing, vaguely worded and terribly one-sided.  Unlike the base game where the haunts were generally fun, balanced and humorous, our play group has found the expansion haunts logistically inconsistent and frustrating.

If you are simply interested in the new tiles and cards this game delivers.  However if quality haunts are your goal I'd pass on Widow's Walk.
3541158
I have to say that I was disappointed with this for the most part. I'm not sure what I was expecting- I think I was hoping that this would be the "Prince & Me" meets "Devil Wears Prada" and Sophie Kinsella. It has touches of all three, but in the end it just fell short of my expectations.

I think that part of this is because of the pacing. Sometimes you get some really great scenes in here that work incredibly well, other times this just feels like it's treading far too much water and as such, is taking far too long to get where it's trying to go. I couldn't help but occasionally wish that it was maybe about 50 pages shorter since it just seemed to be a bit tedious at points.

However that said, this isn't a bad novel in the slightest and for those with a bit more patience will probably find this more rewarding and for what's ultimately the two authors' first adult novel, it's a very good debut. (They have written some YA novels and a non-fiction book, but YA and adult fiction are two different writing spheres.) I also have to say that despite the occasional slow spots, the two authors have created some pretty good characters. I did feel like Bex was a sympathetic character and that's kind of what kept me going through the books- her interactions with her sister were especially the stronger parts of the novel.

Overall I think that I would recommend this, but as a library read. It's not bad and I have a feeling that this book is likely going to get a pretty big following, but I do think that this is going to be one of those "you like it or you don't" type of books like "Devil Wears Prada" or the Emily Giffin books. If you do want to buy this outright, read the sample first before deciding.
451529
This Molotov effort is a mixed bag.  "Here We Kum" is the strongest song, with some studio work to make it sound like it's starting and stopping.  "No Me Da Mi Navidad" is a fairly good mid-tempo rock song.  Molotov rocks hard on "Dance And Dense Denso", "Noko", "Queremos Pastel", and "Nostradamus Mucho".  On the other hand, "E. Charles White" starts with a phone conversation about how they need a song for the album, then the lrics are simply random names sung or shouted in a couple different novelty voices.  The song is listenable (despite the lack of lyrical effort) because of its catchy groove.  "Changuich A La Chichona" is Molotov showing off its sophmoric side by comparing Mexican sandwiches to women -- the annoying drum machine pattern kills the song for me.  "I'm The One" and "Hit Me" are mediocre rap songs with boring musical tracks.
Lastly, "Frijolero" is significant not because of the more traditional Mexican music, but because the lyrics are heartfelt about tensions between Mexicans and racists on the border.
This disc would have been stronger with more work on the rap songs and lyrics.  Maybe Molotov will learn a lyrical lesson from "Frijolero".
3971378
I've been contemplating for days how to rate this because it was a rather mixed bag for me. Vendetta is the first book in a new series by Lisa Harris. It introduces Nikki Boyd, an agent on the Missing Person Task Force in Tennessee. Her sister was abducted ten years ago and never found. Now Nikki is asked to investigate the disappearance of another young girl, and soon the hunt for the abductor becomes very personal to her.
On the positive side:
The book started off really strong and I was pulled in right from the start. The writing was good, the plot was fast paced and seemed to go somewhere interesting. I did not get bored and I did want to finish it.
On the negative side:
About halfway through, the plot turned into something comparable to a Lifetime Movie. That, combined with the fact that there was nothing new or different about Nikki was a bit of a disappointment. Maybe I just read too many thrillers or crime fiction, but the agent who is still grieving after having lost somebody close to them and then becoming obsessed has been done a few times. On top of that, Nikki's best friend died a year ago, and Nikki is very close to this friend's husband who is assisting her in the investigation. The only aspect that seemed to define both these characters was the fact that they had lost someone, felt guilty about it and were still trying to come to terms with their grief. Nothing wrong with that as such, but it just went on for too long and was the focal point of too many conversations.
So with all that in mind, I think this book will appeal to readers who prefer a clean, cozy and easily resolved type of suspense novel rather than the dark and gritty variety. If you don't mind discovering another formulaic agent, you will enjoy the writing, especially if you are leaning towards Inspirational Fiction.
I'm giving it 3 stars because I think it was one of these cases where I am just not the target audience for the type of book that it is.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
2585515
I found this book to be a mixed bag.
On one hand the authors documented the outrageous spending and ethical violations in Washington. They offer some sensible solutions. On the other hand their validation of domestic spying is questionable.

On Immigration they use the 9/11 high-jackers as an effective example of how visas sometimes shouldn't be issued and that visitors that overstay their visas have to be dealt with more effectively.

The chapter on the internal A.C.L.U. battle and the behavior of Mr. Romero (which is very J.Edgar Hooveresque) was mind-boggling!

The authors advocate the idea that Congress and Senators should work for minimum wage. This is fantasy, but it sounds good!! It's hard to argue for the ridiculous, self-serving, abbreviated work schedule of Congress. The authors are totally on point.

The pharmaceutical companies and their relationships with health care professionals in over-medicating patients is an issue that deserves more public scrutiny.

The authors serve up many examples of family members of Senators and Congressmen making the easy money as lobbyists.

They document the U.N. scandals very well. Particularly the Oil-For-Food scam. The authors listed the many beneficiaries of bribery. I disagree with their solution and would propose instead that the U.S.A. shut down and expel the United Nations.

I don't agree with the authors' positive attitude toward the PATRIOT ACT. There has to be a better way than giving up civil liberties and advocating the monitoring of internet usage or library reading lists. I am skeptical of the "thwarted terrorist activities" outlined in the book. By their very nature these cases would be difficult to detail. Spying isn't something any government is going to rush to admit. We are left as citizens to trust and believe what the Bush administration leaks to the public.

Overall "Outrage" is written quite well, although with a conservative twist.
4831791
This final Fables volume ended much more nicely than its sister series, Fairest, did. Like most of the series, however, it's still a mixed bag.

Half of this collection / final issue is devoted to resolving the main plot, a looming battle between sisters Snow and Rose, and the latter half is made up of short stories (1-5 pgs.) giving farewells to as many of the cast as they could squeeze in.

I, for one, do not buy the main plotline. I didn't get it back during volume 10 ("The Good Prince"), either. The problem with these major plot threads is that every important instance hangs on unknown magic propelling the story forward. Characters like Snow and Rose are given entirely undeserved power out of the blue because it's destiny, and the story needs to progress forward and our heroes suddenly have obscure destinies to fulfill. And that random gifting of power is the foundation for all the dialogue, all the conflict, and the final resolution (just as it was for the earlier Flycatcher/King Arthur arc).

The conflict between these sisters has never felt genuine. It's a minor tiff, a minor sibling squabble--a misunderstanding--and these previously good people are suddenly commanding others to commit suicide missions out of selfishness. I think Snow was the worse for wear here, as her decisions are entirely her own and come off as exclusively selfish, blatantly pushing friends to kill themselves for her. Rose's motivations are weighted more by that earlier Unknown Magic, or, Blah Blah Destiny Blah Blah.

And then our heroes realize this, drop the mic, and the story's over. I'm glad it's a bit of an anticlimax, personally, because: Again, I never bought the destined war between siblings and all of Fabletown. The anticlimax wasn't necessarily good--just a soft petering out--but it could have been worse, and would, I suspect, have felt too drawn out if there was a war taking up an additional 20-40 pages.

The short stories were mostly light-hearted and fun. Some don't really add anything; some are a bit too ridiculous to imagine as 'canon' futures; one even has a 3-page anti-feminist tirade for no reason at all other than for the author to have a grumble(--but that's expected, and this is far more low-key than Willingham usually makes it); others revive old faces from across the Fables-verse, and those cameos are nice to see.

Like most Fables volumes of the last 5 years (except the disgusting "Snow White" arc in volume 19...), this final farewell volume is pretty fun. Despite some very mixed feelings for the author's work, I had a pretty good time with the main series.
4319280
Marianne Williamson's book is truly a mixed bag -- some good and some marginal. The art and science of discernment is the skill of being able to separate each, and in this book that is not an easy task.
1. On one hand Williamson says that "every person in line is someone we can bless." She tells of how we are confronted with countless opportunities each day to effect the lives of others in a positive way. This is surely true. However, she is less clear on why we should place other people's interests ahead of our own. She seems to suggest that it is a matter of karma. That is, we do it to get when we give. This is subtly different from a motivation which solely desires to worship God through loving others.
2. Another concern with the book is Williamson's emphasis on 'mystical union'. Mysticism as a closeness with God and a practice of the presence of God seems a worthy goal. However, 'union' with God is an entirely different goal. If God is holy, just, eternal, and the transcendent Creator, then attempting to become one with God seems terribly foolish. However, if God is not personal, but is merely a 'force' or 'energy', then perhaps she is right.  So, the outcome depends directly on the nature of God, which is a topic she doesn't pursue, nor does she describe her theological view.  Trying to be one with God reminds me of the serpant who whispered, 'eat, and you will be like God'.
3. Williamson does a great job of addressing the problem of overscheduling and the distractions of pop-culture, and media. If God did create the universe then it does makes sense that God is to be found in the common and everyday things. That is, if God's fingerprints are on creation, then through this general revelation we can gain some understanding of God's nature. In turn we can reflect back to God praise, and blessing for the wonders of creation. This comes in the form of daily observation -- for instance, while commuting to work, or while doing the dishes. (I think of Brother Lawrence's book, 'Practicing the Presence of God)
4. I do question Williamson's monistic claim that everything connects to everything. She doesn't seem to leave room for 'good' to be distinct and separate from 'evil'. That is, she seems to blend everything in life, instead of finding what is good and praising it, and finding what is evil and denouncing it. Her claim seems to be '...it's all good'....... but is it? Isn't it good to call famine, rape, and sickness for what they are(evil), and not call them 'good'? Yes, good can come out of each, but they themselves are not good. Human suffering is not good.
5. In short, Williamson's insistence on a sort of magical oneness with all things leaves much to be desired. However, her understanding of finding the sacred in the ordinary is much needed -- and yet there is a big difference between understanding the ordinary as pointing to the divine, vs. seeing the ordinary as divine.  It seems Williamson falls into this later catagory.
4846602
This is a mixed bag; really mixed.  The "comeback" Roy, circa Travelling Willburys, is accurately captured here.  I wasn't looking for that Roy.  I was looking to renew my audio cassette Roy into a CD Roy - for a version that I couldn't find.  Seeing all the same titles on this "Essentials" collection - collections that are globally well done - I went for this one.  What you/I get/got is:  the very very originals, I'm guessing, as the arrangements are sparse and sound like a really young, "about to hit" artist.  The versions of his hits that I was looking for:  Only the Lonely, Running Scared, etc. must have been re-orchestrated or re-recorded after Roy "made it" - I just don't know where to find these fuller versions of his songs - and so I can't point the reader to another disk that would be better suited than this one to discover the "off the map" music of Roy Orbison.
1002719
I'm torn on this book. There were parts of it I really loved, including a twist I never saw coming, and I reached a point where I couldn't put it down. But I also had huge issues with large parts of it. For one, Cassie and Jack, the two main characters, aren't terribly likable in the beginning. Cassie is a little to into herself and how hot she is, and Jack is too cocky for his own good, so these two belong together, right? In some ways they do, but maybe not for the reasons I originally thought. Both have deep wounds that make them reluctant to commit. At least until they meet one another. And that's just the first of many cliches.

There's the hunky player who never sleeps with the same girl twice until he meets "the one." There's the girl with the sordid past who won't let anyone in until she meets the hunky player, who isn't her type at all, but the wins her over. And there are the mean girls out to sabotage the perfect relationship because if they can't have Jack, no one can. But for all the cliches, there were some genuinely unique aspects. The sports angle was a nice switch up from the over-the-top romance, and the aforementioned twist. Although once I got to the plot twist, I did accurately predict how it would turn out. Still, it was a bright heaping bowl of angst tossed onto a storyline that was sorely in need of some shaking up. That's another of my problems with the story, the whole middle was too much happy blissful kissyface, lacking any real conflict.

I also liked that it didn't immediately wrap up in a nice neat way. I like that the characters had to work at their happily ever after, even beyond when most authors would have tied a bow on it and called it done. So I guess I'm saying if you like messy romances, can deal with some pretty eye-roll-inducing stereotypes, and are willing to slog through some slow sections to get at the good meaty center, you'll enjoy The Perfect Game.

Plot
The main plot is the romance between Jack and Cassie. Can he get her? Can he keep her? Can he get her back? But where the story really shines, in my opinion, is the sub-plotting of both Jack's baseball career and Cassie's photography career.

World Building
The only real world building is that of professional baseball and it's done really well. But the world of professional photography didn't really click. I didn't buy into Cassie landing the perfect internship for a New York magazine with little or no effort on her part and that she was able to afford an apartment in Manhattan. Any budding photographer will tell you that just doesn't happen.

Characters
I wasn't a big fan of either Jack or Cassie in the beginning, but both grew on me by the end. And it's quite possible the author's intent was to create unlikable characters that become more likable as they grow and develop. Jack's brother, Dean, and Cassie's roommate, Melissa, are well rounded supporting characters, but I felt most of the rest of the cast was either stereotypical or flat.

Top Five Things I Enjoyed About The Perfect Game
1. The baseball. For me, this was one of the best aspects of the book.

2. The twist. I didn't see it coming which is the hallmark of an excelled plot twist.

3. The messy aftermath. The author didn't make things easy on either character and I appreciate that.

4. Dean and Melissa. These two should really be together. I'd have been more interested in reading about them than Jack and Cassie.

5. The quarters. The quarters lead to some of the sweetest moments in the book.

Bottom Line
The Perfect Game is a mix of unique storytelling and some cliches that make it difficult to read at times, but overall, it's enjoyable.
1715941
This was a very mixed bag for me. In some ways I truly enjoyed this book, and in other ways I just cringed.....

What I liked:
* The author's prose was very well done. The style of writing and editing were tight. I know that might sound trivial or anal to some people, but in this age of anyone writing and looking to get paid it means a lot to pay for quality work. Great editing as well.
* The characters were interesting. I really liked the primary as well as the secondary characters, and that is a hard thing to accomplish. I hope she continues with the others.
* The author made an effort, both on her part and her characters part, to research what she didn't know. It was obvious that she knew nothing about the D/s community and she wanted to do her best with police research. I respect owning up to ignorance.
* Interesting story line and combination of romance/suspense. Good humor.

What I didn't like:
* I felt like the characters were in their late teens or early twenties most of the time. The level of maturity for thirty year old was just lacking a bit. The girls had been running in a pack since they were kids, and it felt as if they became a hive or collective. When that happens sometimes individuality and maturity can be absent to a certain extent.
*An example of the above is that they all had very juvenile perceptions of the D/s community. She mentioned"sane and safe" yet forgot to mention the third of the Holy Trinity: consensual. Even neewbies know the three. They took an out-dated and stereotypical belief that the community is about locking a woman up in a cage and calling her a slave. Not knowing the subtle yet significant differences between a slave, a sub, and a pet is understandable yet not acceptable. Also, The Dark Prince was a sad caricature of a Master. It was cartoonish. But, maybe that was her intent.
*The humor was leaning toward being too slap-dash at times. I got the feeling that the author has a genuinely good sense of humor, but sometimes it came out as being too forced.

Over-all this was good writing. Unfortunately, I just skimmed through too much of it. Would I read more? Somewhat 'ify'.
4047224
First this is a 100% authentic review of this dvd. My intent with this review is to shed light on anyone wondering if they should shell out their hard earned $ for this product. The answer,much like the dvd itself,is a mixed bag. For sci-fi fans who enjoyed the H.G. Wells classic,and who don't mind obvious budget issues,as well as campy acting, this dvd might be ''somewhat'' pleasing. As for the rest of us who have had the pleasure of seeing far superior effects,acting,writting,and directing,this ''adaptation'' will be a waste of time and $. And considering this dvd runs an unbelievable 3 hrs in length,and is at the local wal-mart for $10 bucks,it will be more a waste of time than $. Well at least for those who were able to stay awake during those LONG 3 hrs. You may be asking why this dvd gets 2 stars instead of one. It gets one star for the shear effort of the cast and crew,who tried to do their best with the most shallow of production values,and little or no direction. How upon seeing the finished product one of them didn't come up to the ''director'' and say ''we need to talk'' is a question I would love to have answered. Its gets it second star as a tribute to all independent film makers,who had a dream,or vision, and saw it through. The nerve of the ''director'' showing this to anyone and expecting him/her to take it seriously, is mind numbing. And also asking for,and GETTING,this dvd distributed somewhere as large as wal-mart,is as they say an ''only in America'' thing. For that fact alone I was tempted to give it a 3rd star. Thank goodness the memory of seeing the lead actor do nothing more than run back and forth for 1/3 of the dvd,brought me back to my senses. In summary this dvd,apart from being a mild pleasure for the extremely bored sci-fi fan,is for the curious only.
4405699
I enjoyed this book for the most part, but as with previous Beverly Barton books, I have mixed feelings.

FBI Agent Nic Baxter and PI Griffin Powell team up to play adversary to the second half of the story of The Beauty Queen Killer's (from THE DYING GAME)--a killer only the two of them believe existed.

This is the first problem for me.  It is so obvious there were two killers in THE DYING GAME.  Two bullets struck the first killer, only one was accounted for.  After tearing apart the first killer's house, evidence from only half the murders attributed to the Beauty Queen Killer would have been found.  This is real basic stuff here.  To go along with the premise that only Nic and Griff see this as proof that there were two killers means you must believe an entire task force of FBI agents are idiots.

If you get past that, and you can if you concentrate on the storyline that eventually moves past that belabored point, the next problem is lying in wait.  Nic and Griff don't get along.  The same things are stated over and over again; `I don't like you', `I don't like you either', `We're not partners', `This is an unholy alliance', `You're not my type', `You're not my type either'.  I dislike Ms. Barton's redundancy, and have since the first book of hers I read.  Show me, don't tell me.

Nic is difficult to like, despite, or maybe because of, how often her past traumas and their effect on her are mentioned.  The abrupt change in her personality feels fake.  And, if she truly loved Griff, she wouldn't have by-passed him near the end of this story.

Griff is more likeable, although he never seems quite three-dimensional in this tale.  He also has a major personality shift, but his is slightly more believable than Nic's.

Although there are other characters that appear interesting, they are never really fleshed out into characters you can actually care about.

There are blatant typos in all of Ms. Barton's books, but that fault should be shared between her and her editor, and perfection in a book--in any written work--is nearly impossible to achieve.

Still, I was intrigued with the storyline.  Other than the glaring plot problem of the question of two killers, the tale moves along and finishes okay.  I will read another of Beverly Barton's books.  Despite finding some fault with her work, she has a certain knack for story telling.

Shelley Dawn, author of&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Sweet-Sweet-Jessie/dp/144954892X/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Sweet, Sweet Jessie</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Dark-Nights/dp/B003F24J2A/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Dark Nights</a>
1622024
The title is provocative, the story line is very promising, but the book ended up only so-so.

Peter is so cute, earnest, and funny, but he seemed a bit one-dimensional in his pursuit of Leslie. Katherine Deauxville didn't reveal much of his personality. I could not for the life of me figure out why he was so head over heels for Leslie, who seemed pretty uptight and lacked character and vivacity.

Overall, there were a handful of drop-dead funny scenes, but pages of drawn-out prose and descriptive scenes of high-society DC life in between. Around 120 pages into it, I was disappointed to find myself looking at how many more pages there were until the end. It was tough to finish, but the ending was pretty cute.

Really, this book was a mixed bag. There are better ones out there.
2660312
Complete mixed bag on this book.  On one hand I like that he didn't try to ride the success of She's Come Undone by writing to formula, but I think he goes overboard trying to get away from it with all the fat cracks and typical man stuff.  His main character just is not that likeable, so it's really hard to get through over 700 pages from his perspective. Add in the ancient history family stuff and I had a real hard time making it through, I actually skimmed on some of that stuff because I just couldn't do it. I don't think it added to the book at all. I think the author had too much he wanted to do with one novel. I found bringing characters from I know this much is true into the book a tad cheesy too.
If you are looking for a feel-good novel, this isn't it.  If you are looking for a unique story with varied characters, I think you'll like this (if you can get through the history bits).