I have taken a pass on this book!
354809
Warning: EXPLICIT INTIMATE ScENES!  It is quite a shame that this book is so graphic.  I loved the two main characters and loved the interaction between the two, that is until the sex scenes began.  I think that a warning should have been given in the book's description.  If I had known about the sex scenes, then I would never have purchased this book.  After the second scene, within 2 pages of each other, I promptly deleted the book.
4255050
I have screemed through this book and it didn't have a smoothly recipes in it at all. I feel like I have waisted my money on this book.
2358869
This book has to be the worse book I have picked up. I have tried several times to read this book however, I have not finished it and I don't think I ever will. I gave this book 1 star and I was being very generous!!
1656662
I did not enjoy this book - I wish I did not read it. I thought it copied the story lines of so many other current books and combined them all together - its like the author had no original ideas of her own.  If that was not bad enough, it started off pretty strong for me but less than half the way into the book, it went straight downhill from there.  The middle and ending did not do it for me at all. I could go on and on, but there is no point.
139399
Where to start?  I suppose that I really wish I'd read the user reviews about this book before picking up the audiobook for a long drive.  What torture!  As most people have said, you form no relationship with the characters (other than one of disinterest and dislike), it goes on and on and ON about things you DON'T CARE about, and it seems to be trying to put out a political message, but you're so annoyed by the characters, you can't even be bothered to care about it!  I found myself skipping over anything that involved the "mountain trust" or population control...soooooooo most of the book that involves Walter.

As I mentioned, I listened to it on audiobook.  The narration is alright.  I've listened to some other books read by the same narrator and he uses some of the same voices that he used for other books, so that was a bit confusing.  Lastly... the voice that he uses for Lalitha.  Oh.  My.  Goodness.  I could not STAND it!!!!!! I wanted to rip my ears off anytime she was speaking!

Skip this book! I don't know what the critics were thinking!
547871
I have thoroughly enjoyed this author's other books which prompted me to pre-order this for my Kindle.  I must say I've been very disappointed in the slow moving story and have not enjoyed this book at all.  While I can appreciate the experiences the author is going through, as I am the same age, this book did nothing to lift me up or enlighten me.  I found it just to be another story about someone searching for themselves after the age of 50.  My recommendation is to pass on it...it's been written many times before.
4583840
I'll keep it short since I have wasted already too much time on this book: I glanced over the 1 and 2 star reviews and agree with almost all of them. It's a terrible book! Hard to believe this is the same author who wrote the third book in this serie (Jokerman) which was ways better.
4532314
I was sorry to purchase this book, in fact ended up scanning through it TRYING to find something worth my time but eventually threw it away.  I'm really sorry too because I have enjoyed Diana's Outlander series - except Echo was too a disappointment.  But this book was so below the same quality, seen from the first chapter that starts with Jamie's masturbating!!??  Really?  The whole depth of his character that we have come to love and this is how he's introduced in this book????  Jamie was lost in this book.  I'll never understand why this was the assumed appeal- why should this have been the draw?  This book will appeal to any that are only focused on penises I'm afraid because not a chapter seems to get by without someone's penis leading the way.  Poor, poor quality!!!
957159
I generally only read free or cheap books, so I'm willing to overlook typos and so forth. I also don't expect to necessarily read the best books out there, but I was shocked to see how high the ratings were for this book. I BARELY made it through the book. (Really I only  finished it out of principle and I skimmed through entire sections quite a bit). Here were the reasons I did not care for this book:

1) Language! I'm okay with curse words and I openly admit I find them amusing and that they enhance certain conversations - In this book it was like "Let's see who can use the F-bomb the most!". It distracted from what the characters were actually even saying or talking about. Immature. I really don't think anybody actually talks like this.

2) It was a perfect life for everyone and the "problems" they did have were easily remedied. There was one fight and it was so absurd I wanted to smack everybody in the book. So the guy forgot to do something....doesn't have to mean there is a deep rooted reason for it that warrants everybody being mad. No worries though, it was all fixed in one conversation immediately after the fight happened.

3) Complete down play of the seriousness of rape and domestic violence.

4) There was actually too much sex. I started skimming over it. Unreal stamina on everybody's part.

5) Characters were flat. I didn't even feel I understood basic information about them. How old is Jesse?! She was "crushing" on him when she was 12, so either he was a teen pop star, or he is at least 6 years older than her. I am glad we weren't told he was like 15 years older or something I guess.

That being said - It was only 99 cents and I haven't wrote a book, so....I just felt like there was a lot more promise there than was delivered.
2123048
John Barnes can do better. Rambling plot threads, links to concepts in previous books not explained for a new reader to this series. I was unable to connect to the characters, and thus finally gave up at page 200 (out of 400) after many attempts to pick it up again, threw on the fire. Sorry John
2886312
This just made me want to be done reading. I actually came to read the reviews to see if it was just me. Her dust bunny managed to be boring. A bust bunny!  I really hope she puts more thought into the next book. She didn't even really create a cogent link between he and the previous characters. The carnival was a huge disappointment as well. What was the mystery? What was behind the games? What was special about the dust bunny's doll?  I'm both confused and disinterested at the same time.
3180938
Let me start by saying that when I bought this book, I was not expecting much. I justed wanted an easy,  pass-the-time book...still this book really managed to disappoint me. The heroine is just plain silly, you never feel the connection between the characters through out the book and this does not look like a book written by someone with experience! My advise, save your money and just move on!
1003322
After reading the first book, buying this book seemed like a no brainer! But, I stand corrected, this book lacked something the previous book had. I found myself, at times putting it downpicking it up---putting it down and picking it up. Just praying it was going to get better. To be honest, it was a little boring! Every time Walter or Cameron yawned in the bookI found myself yawning as well! Im not giving up on this author completely, but, if the next book is anything like this oneits definitely a done deal!
2832955
Wasn't very good! Did not  hold my  attention!
4109093
As many readers have posted, this book is a huge disappointment and a pain to plow through.  I closed the book up about 1/2 the way through as I just could not handle reading any more of it.  It was just too tedious plowing through the events, prior and current, as well as dealing with the people involved (=very boring) and not enough Kinsey.  I've loved the previous alphabet mysteries so am very disappointed in this one.  Given that this very talented author passed away recently, I can only assume she was not her usual self when she put this one together at the end of her life...understandable.  I have mentally retired Kinsey at the end of "X"!
1595020
I was very disappointed in this book, considering all of the accolades accorded it. The good points are that it was a very easy read (in spite of TOO MANY details about the preparation and boat details), kept me turning the pages to "see what would happen next" and I enjoyed her "mug-up" chapters, reflecting on her past sea adventures. I did have a problem with her refusing to tell the reader what a "fo'c'sle" was...she mentions it several times within the book and it would have been a simple matter to have defined it for us.

But that is NOTHING compared to her absymal reaction and lack of leadership in dealing with Carl's blatant racism. It was quite disturbing to me that Carl's behavior was allowed to go on unaddressed in stronger terms than how Linda dealt with it. When he made the comment about the knot he had recently learned to design being used as "a noose, maybe before the trip is over" and Linda stated "that's not funny" and he then retorted, "it's not meant to be" and then she DROPPED ANY FURTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS!! I kept waiting to see if she would pull him aside later and tell him under no uncertain terms that "making jokes" about hanging a black man is totally unacceptable on her boat! It would have been a teachable moment for her to impart some social awareness, especially since he was an ignorant 19 y.o. with only a 4th grade education and looked up to her as a mentor. But NOOOOOO, this never happened. To include him in the epilogue as one of her "good friends" to this day was disturbing to say the least. He has continued to go out into the world with his racist attitudes and this cannot be good for his fellow comrades.

Another problem I had was her lack of compassion for the fish she was killing, but I guess that's to be expected since this was her way of making a living. The way she coldly describes impaling a hook in the eye of a swordfish to haul it onboard or setting one on fire to ward off bad luck was very painful for me to read. She seems coldhearted and maybe all fisherpeople are like this. Which brings me to the FIRST thing that turned me off about this woman: her not wanting to be described as a "fisherwoman." My mouth dropped open with amazement. Her explanation for wanting to be called a "fisherMAN" was obtuse. That soured me, but I kept reading.

So, in summary, I had problems with her take on racism, treatment of living creatures and denying the validity of the appellation, "fisherwoman."

Some will undoubtedly say that I am being too critical and, perhaps, picayune but this is my review and my objections to the book.
3514911
Well, I had made a decision awhile back that I wasn't going to waste my time on books that I didn't like and ones that weren't living up to the hype.  This ones fits both categories.  I had to stop and read other reviews to see if it was just me -- obviously not.  Apparently the second half that tells the story from the wife's point of view is to be better, but I can't get there.  I simply cannot form any connection to "Lotto" on any level.  He is pretentious and just unlikeable.  The author has made this book torture to read.  Her words do not easily flow, and it is difficult to follow at times.  not a fan of this book, the characters, story line or this author's writing style!