Over the line, in my opinion
345314
Having just seen the movie "Race to Nowhere", and having just finished reading Chua's book, I can't imagine any parent putting their children through such rigid instruction. In "Race to Nowhere", children are portrayed as stressed and over-scheduled almost to the point of suicide. I compared the serious issues from the movie with Chua's parenting methods and can't believe any child would be happy with such a strict need for performance. Personally, I think children who are raised under the pressures of competition tend to be very intelligent, but unfortunately they have little creativity and/or personality. They may be smart, but they are boring.
2210515
The NYT reviewer said something along the lines of "people will be talking about this one.  You heard it here first."  That intrigued me.  I thought the book was overrated.  An OK read.
3643582
I thought a touch over rated. A simple account of a love affair which for most part appeared one sided and un interesting. I wonder if it had lost something in translation.
3487824
The ways of a child.  I remembered this from when I was a kid.  Seems a little over the top now.  Just a little too intense...too on.
2248207
I've read many of these kinds of books and enjoy them very much.  I try to keep an open mind and make room for a wide spectrum of belief's. This book seemed to go over the edge for me. It seems to carry an agenda rather than a recounting of experiences. I returned my copy.  First time I've done that. I just felt ripped off.
1445899
80 cents a yard of this leader and have to change it quite often. When hooked on a big fish, the leader would be curled a little bit. I think it's over stretched. For this expensive line, I just hope it could last a bit longer.
2507522
I decided to give it a try since it was free.  Good thing, 'cause it wasn't worth it otherwise.  Maybe I'm not into the fantasy part of it enough, but there's just too much I can't stretch my brain around.  I could have enjoyed the story as much, and potentially even more, without the genie.  That was just too over the top.  Combining the young children, their trauma over losing their parents in such a horrific manner, and the sexual innuendos was a little too much at once.  This could have been a touching tale, and could have been almost fun to read if it hadn't been so over the top with the fantasy stuff.  The (human) characters were well established and I really enjoyed each of them for their own strengths - and weaknesses.  Anyway, if you're into fantasy and just unbelievable mish-mash, you'd probably enjoy this.  If you're looking for a story to remember, don't bother.
4887424
I really debated between a 1 star and a 4 star. A 1 star because it's so over the top and awful, and 4 because it's so over the top and awful. I compromised and gave it three. If you love OTT, TSTL, OMG Angsty McAngst, and emotional and verbal bloodletting then this PJ is for you.

Eleven years ago, at 17, Philippa finds out she's pregnant. The love of her life's scary, mean grandfather scares her off; he won't leave the estate to Scott who loves it. So really thinking this through carefully, P, the sacrificial martyr that she is, does what any sane girl would do: tells Scott that she's pregnant with another man's baby, and he was just there to break her in so to speak then leaves for parts unknown.

Philippa is now back in town with Scott's doppelg&auml;nger son, Simon. EVERYBODY from Scott's employees, Philippa's old boss, even Scott's own mother can see the resemblance between the H and the moppet. Everybody but Scott that is. Simon has a run-in, literally, with Scott's car that allows the H to blackmail the h into staying as his secretary and resident bed warmer with the son in the house.

Scott runs Philippa through the arm-twisting, hussy-shaming antics of ye olde school Harley hero. A forced seduction scene that ends in them being caught by their son the next morning. Oh yeah, not just caught but mom's nude. Nice mom. I almost threw my computer out the window at that scene as it was so yuck.

Scott is an out of control, rageaholic that wants to make the h suffer and does so quite nicely. Philippa, on the other hand, is an out of control nincompoop that still loves Scott despite how often he verbally abuses her and humiliates her. Heck, the love she shares may be in direct proportion to the mud slinging.

Penny Jordan raises the bar for crazy, tstl heroines. Philippa just may be the worst mother ever in fiction. Okay, Medea pretty much has that down as a lock, but P is a close second. Why is she the worst? Not only does she NOT tell the hero that he is a father, but when her son finds his birth certificate identifying Scott as his father, P asks him to not say anything. Her ten year old is supposed to go along with the story that the town lothario fathered him in order to spare Scott's feelings. (It's okay. Scott's wealthy so he can pay for all the psychiatric sessions later.) Then she allows the H to set her up as the village idiot harlot with her son in the house, and allows said son to catch her in flagrante. Oh, and not to mention this is after her son has needlessly grown up the child of a struggling single mother in an era that frowns upon single mothers and illegitimate children.

There is a lot of mud throwing and chiffon wearing. I'm telling you the old schoolers love their chiffon, and the H wears a silk shirt or two, of course.

And somehow, someway they end happily ever after...

Purple run-on prose. See below.

"It was a kiss that was a desecration of all that they had shared; of her tender and shy submission to him; of Simon's conception which had been a sharing and meeting of their souls as well as their flesh; and yet in spite of everything something inside her twisted and took fire, a spark which burned briefly before it was extinguished so that when he eventually lifted his mouth, and she became aware of the rough sledgehammer blows of his heart against her body, she was filled with self-disgust, with aching shame that she should have actually experienced in such a violent and destructive embrace, a fierce tug of sensuality that she had never known in the caresses they had exchanged before."
2989625
I read tons of murder mysteries, many of which sprinkle in some tough language that I would never be caught using.  I quit reading this after several pages.  This was over the top, or perhaps 'under the gutter'.
3763312
I've just finished reading this story arc in the form of individual issues from last year. I was aware of the controversy surrounding "the decision" made by the Parkers, and hoped that reading it myself in full would give me some sort of insight as to why that decision was made (an inescapable cataclysm requiring their sacrifice, or a deal that was thought to be straight-up but was turned on its ear by Mephisto's trickery, or something along those lines). Unfortunately, it only increased my incredulity, as the decision was essentially borne of the base obsession that Peter Parker has with keeping his (perhaps deservedly) sainted Aunt May alive.

I simply have a very hard time accepting the idea that these two people would forsake both their past and their future together (and any offshoots thereof) to give a few more years, at best, to a woman who has given everything she can to ensure their happiness as individuals and as a couple over the course of a long and fruitful life. They both must know that not only is May probably ready, and perhaps awaiting her eternal rest, she would also beat them both senseless if she were ever to find out about the arrangement that they made (in some sort of "cosmic epiphany" that I'm sure is in the works at some point).

(okay, I'm projecting, onto a comic book character, perhaps it's time to wrap up...)

Aside from that, the art just rubbed me the wrong way. All of the characters looked very rubbery, with facial expressions that didn't seem to quite fit onto their faces, and contortionist body language throughout (even by Spider-Man standards).

I'm hoping there's a re-re-boot that features the removal of this removal waiting for me on the shelves at some point, but I don't see that "day" coming. (I'm sorry.)
2619758
To be honest, I liked this book right up to the end. But the last chapters left me wondering if I'd picked up a different book. It just felt like the author ran out of steam.

A good enough read that I will probably pick up book two, but I will be expecting more than I got here.
523564
I can only say that I cannot finish this book because of the language and the insinuations about church groups. Yes, I know that I am easily offended, but that's my opinion. I can overlook an occasional word or innuendo, but line after line.... I'm sure there's a good story in there somewhere and maybe someday I will be able to skip ahead and finish this book.  Carolyn's story lines are good, I just wish she didn't feel like she had to trash it up.
3571961
This was my first (last venture) venture into "erotic romance".  I don't think of myself as a prude but this was over the top.  I've deleted it from my Kindle and assume my 72-year old aunt who has my other Kindle will do it too.
4745609
I liked  the  book  but  it  was  a  little  over  the  top  for  me .  I had  it  figured  out  right  away
46856
I think Anne Lamott is running out of steam. It was still a friendly book.
There were a couple of good lines.
882044
Jeff Abbott is a good writer, but this plot was over-the-top.  Any thriller requires some suspension of belief as the hero fights evil, but this was just too much. It really bordered on farce.  I finished it because I paid for it (unlike library books which I abandon when I don't like them), but I really can't recommend it.
3973710
I gave this book 3 stars because I thought it was okay. Although I enjoyed the story, it seemed the author overdid the main character's sympathy for the injustices suffered at that time in our history. It was slightly irritating.