I really, really hate writing bad reviews. But then I also really, really hate it when people cut and paste (or possibly paraphrase) information off of the Internet and try to sell it to people. As a freelance editor, I ran into this a lot. People just want to slap some information together and call it a book. I don't know that this is what Macallagh did in this offering. She claims to be an experienced dog trainer. But when all of the information in your book can very easily be acquired through a simple Google search, there's really not a lot of added value to your book. And, as a reader, I find this a bit insulting and quite irritating.
I decided to read this book because, at the time, it was free, and I have a puppy. She's a great dog and I was able to train her to do all of the things in this book in a few days when I first got her several months ago. We are still struggling a bit with potty training--and I have tried every thing mentioned in this particular book. So, it wasn't insightful in the area that I needed help in, and if even I know how to get my puppy to sit, lay down, stay, and heel, well, you don't have to be an experienced dog trainer to be able to do that.
Maybe if I could get my dog to heal instead....
The best part about this book is that it's a super quick read. I think I read the whole thing in twenty minutes. However, that really shouldn't be the best thing about a book.
Oh, and the list of websites in the back where you can find all of the information for free is also good. Or, you could just Google "puppy training" and you're covered. For reals.
Also, as a teacher I was a little insulted when the dog trainer author went off on a tangent about how students are given credit for being close in math nowadays. Say what? What school are you referring to and how exactly do you know this? Not in my school! And.... what does this have to do with getting my puppy to stop leaving random puddles in the kitchen?
The grooming information can basically be summed up thusly: Get your dog groomed.
Perhaps as we start to move out of the era when Amazon paid the same rate for all Kindle Unlimited titles regardless of page number we will start to move away from people furiously throwing short, meaningless compilations of information off of the 'net onto an author page and calling themselves writers. That was the idea, anyhow. (I will say it doesn't appear as if this book is currently enrolled in the KDP program, so perhaps I am off on a tangent now.) In the meantime, I will continue to stick with the information I learned at the few classes I took several years ago at the local PetCo to help my puppy. Does that make me an expert? I did sleep at a a Holiday Inn last night....
Maybe someday I will write a book about how to get your dog to pee in your kitchen (it's really easy--give her a lot of water and then ignore her for a few minutes).
If you'd like to read my two star Amazon review, you can find it here (I don't believe in one star reviews.) If you'd like to give this one a read yourself, you can find it here. It's currently priced at $1.49. Let me know what you think!
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Sunday, October 25, 2015
My Review of Paper in the Wind:Autism in the Wake of Tragedy by Olivia Mason-Charles
As the parent of a daughter with autism, this book hit home for me. So many of the scenes described in the book registered memories of similar experiences I had with my own daughter. There's a lot that can be given away with just a few misplaced words, and I don't want to give any of the surprises away for future readers, but I will say that when Mason-Charles talks about meltdowns that leave scars on parents, both externally and internally, I know of what she speaks. So, she had me from chapter one.
The story is told from the perspective of a father with two autistic daughters, though the focus is really on only one of those girls. In the beginning, the daughter, Alexa, can only speak a handful of words. She is frustrated with the world around her, and that frustration comes out in the form of aggression. Her father continues to search for new therapies, new methods of addressing the challenges of autism, and eventually begins using Applied Behavior Analysis. This is a method that worked very well for my own daughter so it tells me the author knows what she is talking about. It was also great to see Mason-Charles pointing parents in the right direction who may still be searching for some form of hope. ABA has routinely shown promising results when utilized correctly with children with autism and any reader looking for an answer should probably start there.
The hope continues to grow as we follow Alexa's life. Any parent who is wondering what will become of their child with autism will find inspiration in the outcome of Alexa's journey. This is definitely an inspiring story, despite the way that it starts out.
And the darkness at the beginning of the story isn't solely due to the autism--there's more to the story than that. I found Mason-Charles's choice at the beginning regarding Alexa's mother and sister very intriguing and it helped to draw me into the story and move it along.
This is a very quick read. I read it in less than an hour. But it resinates, particularly if you have a child with autism. It will stick to you and keep you thinking.
I gave this book 4 stars. What kept it from 5 stars? Well, in a book this short, it is very difficult to fully develop the characters and the plot. There were several instances where I felt topics were skimmed or just touched on that could have been unraveled at a slower pace, which would have lent to the intrigue of the story. Likewise, because the story is told in first person, it's very difficult to understand the supporting characters without some deep conversation, and there really wasn't a lot of dialogue to help us see what was going on in the heads of the other characters, including Alexa. Anyone who could enlighten me as to what is going on inside the head of a child with autism would definitely score big points in my book. I wonder every day exactly what my daughter is thinking, and though I do get more clues now that she is older and more verbal, there are lots of times when I still have no idea what she is thinking. It would have been nice to have more glimpses into Alexa's thought process.
Overall, this is a great read and I highly recommend it. You can find my review here and check it out for yourself here. The current price is free, though it is regularly $2.99.
The story is told from the perspective of a father with two autistic daughters, though the focus is really on only one of those girls. In the beginning, the daughter, Alexa, can only speak a handful of words. She is frustrated with the world around her, and that frustration comes out in the form of aggression. Her father continues to search for new therapies, new methods of addressing the challenges of autism, and eventually begins using Applied Behavior Analysis. This is a method that worked very well for my own daughter so it tells me the author knows what she is talking about. It was also great to see Mason-Charles pointing parents in the right direction who may still be searching for some form of hope. ABA has routinely shown promising results when utilized correctly with children with autism and any reader looking for an answer should probably start there.
The hope continues to grow as we follow Alexa's life. Any parent who is wondering what will become of their child with autism will find inspiration in the outcome of Alexa's journey. This is definitely an inspiring story, despite the way that it starts out.
And the darkness at the beginning of the story isn't solely due to the autism--there's more to the story than that. I found Mason-Charles's choice at the beginning regarding Alexa's mother and sister very intriguing and it helped to draw me into the story and move it along.
This is a very quick read. I read it in less than an hour. But it resinates, particularly if you have a child with autism. It will stick to you and keep you thinking.
I gave this book 4 stars. What kept it from 5 stars? Well, in a book this short, it is very difficult to fully develop the characters and the plot. There were several instances where I felt topics were skimmed or just touched on that could have been unraveled at a slower pace, which would have lent to the intrigue of the story. Likewise, because the story is told in first person, it's very difficult to understand the supporting characters without some deep conversation, and there really wasn't a lot of dialogue to help us see what was going on in the heads of the other characters, including Alexa. Anyone who could enlighten me as to what is going on inside the head of a child with autism would definitely score big points in my book. I wonder every day exactly what my daughter is thinking, and though I do get more clues now that she is older and more verbal, there are lots of times when I still have no idea what she is thinking. It would have been nice to have more glimpses into Alexa's thought process.
Overall, this is a great read and I highly recommend it. You can find my review here and check it out for yourself here. The current price is free, though it is regularly $2.99.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
My Review of Watch Over You by Mason Sabre
I almost gave up on this book several times. I'm glad I didn't. I download a lot of books, and I don't always check the genre. From the description, this sound like a contemporary romance book. But if you check the genre, you'll see it's classified as paranormal. If you forget that, you wont' be reminded of it until you are well into the book--if you make it that far.
The first third of the book seems rather regular and a bit boring. Most of this first section is all about the main character, Tara, drinking coffee, staring at a book she's not reading, and longing for her dead husband, Eric. Then, she meets Devon and starts longing for him, too. But that's about it. The reader finds out later why this is, but if you're not patient, you might give up on it and miss a spectacular ending.
It took me a really long time to figure out what was happening. I won't give anything away here, but once the paranormal bits start to creep in, the story picks up. While it's still a little slow in places and you kind of want to shake Devon and yell, "Just tell her whatever the crap it is you came to tell her!" wait it out. It's worth it.
I think the story idea is brilliant. Sabre's creativity and ability to imagine a world so complex as thoroughly as he does is impressive. I just wish the pacing had been a bit faster and there had been some more clues toward the beginning of the book to keep me engaged. There's a lack of foreshadowing that leaves the reader confused. And, generally speaking, when a book confuses me, I give up on it. The only reason I pressed on with this one is because of all of the great reviews.
I will also say this book could benefit from a thorough edit. It is written in British English so perhaps that is part of the difficulty I had with some of the lingo. I'm definitely not used to reading about a car having "tyres" or hitting a "kerb." But there are some punctuation issues (like two periods) and a few phrases that make no sense, such as, "It baffled him as to how Tara had had enough a strong enough will to move the chars before; it shouldn't have been possible." Clearly, it should be "had enough" or "a strong enough," but not both. This is not the only example in the book where this sort of an error occurs and while it doesn't ruin the story, it is annoying. I would gladly give this one a thorough edit for a very fair price should Sabre request my services.
I think this book has a lot of potential. It reminded me a lot of The Shack by William P. Young, and if you haven't read that, you need to. I can even see Watch Over You being a movie someday. It's not necessarily a new idea, but Sabre's take on it is new, and even though his characters don't always do what you want (or expect) them to, you can't help but feel for them.
You can read my four star Amazon review here. I would have given it five stars if it had moved a little faster and/or had less editorial mistakes. If you'd like to check this one out yourself--and I suggest you do--you can download it from Amazon here. The current price is $2.99
The first third of the book seems rather regular and a bit boring. Most of this first section is all about the main character, Tara, drinking coffee, staring at a book she's not reading, and longing for her dead husband, Eric. Then, she meets Devon and starts longing for him, too. But that's about it. The reader finds out later why this is, but if you're not patient, you might give up on it and miss a spectacular ending.
It took me a really long time to figure out what was happening. I won't give anything away here, but once the paranormal bits start to creep in, the story picks up. While it's still a little slow in places and you kind of want to shake Devon and yell, "Just tell her whatever the crap it is you came to tell her!" wait it out. It's worth it.
I think the story idea is brilliant. Sabre's creativity and ability to imagine a world so complex as thoroughly as he does is impressive. I just wish the pacing had been a bit faster and there had been some more clues toward the beginning of the book to keep me engaged. There's a lack of foreshadowing that leaves the reader confused. And, generally speaking, when a book confuses me, I give up on it. The only reason I pressed on with this one is because of all of the great reviews.
I will also say this book could benefit from a thorough edit. It is written in British English so perhaps that is part of the difficulty I had with some of the lingo. I'm definitely not used to reading about a car having "tyres" or hitting a "kerb." But there are some punctuation issues (like two periods) and a few phrases that make no sense, such as, "It baffled him as to how Tara had had enough a strong enough will to move the chars before; it shouldn't have been possible." Clearly, it should be "had enough" or "a strong enough," but not both. This is not the only example in the book where this sort of an error occurs and while it doesn't ruin the story, it is annoying. I would gladly give this one a thorough edit for a very fair price should Sabre request my services.
I think this book has a lot of potential. It reminded me a lot of The Shack by William P. Young, and if you haven't read that, you need to. I can even see Watch Over You being a movie someday. It's not necessarily a new idea, but Sabre's take on it is new, and even though his characters don't always do what you want (or expect) them to, you can't help but feel for them.
You can read my four star Amazon review here. I would have given it five stars if it had moved a little faster and/or had less editorial mistakes. If you'd like to check this one out yourself--and I suggest you do--you can download it from Amazon here. The current price is $2.99
Friday, October 16, 2015
My Review of The Lot by Chris Morrow
The Lot is the name of the first short story included in this trio of shorter works by award winning author Chris Morrow. I purchased the book in order to read the title story, but I read all three, and I'm glad I did.
The main character in The Lot is a rock music producer named Cody. Even though he was born a couple of decades before me, we have a lot in common in that we both grew up chasing fireflies, untethered from the world with technology, and running around empty lots near our homes. While I wasn't the one playing baseball, I have legions of memories of watching my older brother play ball in the lot next to my grandma's house and even more memories of watching him play on an actual baseball field, my dad almost always nearby in the dugout as the coach. Regardless of whether or not you grew up with baseball as a part of your life, you have fond memories of running around outside in the summer time, or you just have nostalgia for small town life, this story is sure to strike a cord with you.
It's a quick read. I read it in one sitting in less than thirty minutes, even with my daughter constantly interrupting. But it will stay with you long afterwards, particularly the little twist Morrow throws in toward the end. The introduction of Cody's brother, Adam, is expected and still startling when it finally happens. It is only because Morrow is an outstanding storyteller that he is able to take the expected and turn it into one of those moments that makes the reader say, "Wait. What?"
And Morrow does this in the two other installments included in this selection as well. The second story, Dinner for the Dead is told from the perspective of an actual member of the recently departed. Again, Morrow tells the story so well, you find yourself wondering if he has connections on the other side. How else could he be so familiar with how a haunting works? But this isn't a horror story, not really. It's a provocative look at what one might do when one has passed on, especially if one is desperately searching for absolution, as our main character is. I love it when an author finds a clever way to bring a story back around, and Morrow does this exceptionally well in this one.
The last story in the compilation, Fear and the Storm, manages to take almost every phobia one can imagine and wrap them into one compact, creepy tale. Jill is afraid of just about everything, and when a terrible storm hits as she and her husband Jim are moving cross-country, she finds herself faced with every single torment imaginable. These nightmare scenarios not only include an impending tornado, but Jill also finds herself in a small, dark, enclosed place where she can both see and hear bugs and rats. Yes, RATS. EEWW! To top it all off, she is faced with the possibility of losing a loved one. While all of these things make this a great read, the surprise at the end is what will leave you asking your friends if they've read this one yet so you can talk it over. You're gonna want to hash this one out with somebody--it's just that good.
While it was Morrow's longer work, the award winning The Devil's Choir, that made people start talking, his shorter works are worth a read as well. I highly recommend The Lot. My five star Amazon review hasn't posted yet, but you can see for yourself by purchasing The Lot here. You can also find The Devil's Choir here.
In the interest of full disclosure, I will happily admit that I have met the author, though that does not affect my review. I know lots of writers and not all of them are particularly talented. Not all of them will get my five star review.
The main character in The Lot is a rock music producer named Cody. Even though he was born a couple of decades before me, we have a lot in common in that we both grew up chasing fireflies, untethered from the world with technology, and running around empty lots near our homes. While I wasn't the one playing baseball, I have legions of memories of watching my older brother play ball in the lot next to my grandma's house and even more memories of watching him play on an actual baseball field, my dad almost always nearby in the dugout as the coach. Regardless of whether or not you grew up with baseball as a part of your life, you have fond memories of running around outside in the summer time, or you just have nostalgia for small town life, this story is sure to strike a cord with you.
It's a quick read. I read it in one sitting in less than thirty minutes, even with my daughter constantly interrupting. But it will stay with you long afterwards, particularly the little twist Morrow throws in toward the end. The introduction of Cody's brother, Adam, is expected and still startling when it finally happens. It is only because Morrow is an outstanding storyteller that he is able to take the expected and turn it into one of those moments that makes the reader say, "Wait. What?"
And Morrow does this in the two other installments included in this selection as well. The second story, Dinner for the Dead is told from the perspective of an actual member of the recently departed. Again, Morrow tells the story so well, you find yourself wondering if he has connections on the other side. How else could he be so familiar with how a haunting works? But this isn't a horror story, not really. It's a provocative look at what one might do when one has passed on, especially if one is desperately searching for absolution, as our main character is. I love it when an author finds a clever way to bring a story back around, and Morrow does this exceptionally well in this one.
The last story in the compilation, Fear and the Storm, manages to take almost every phobia one can imagine and wrap them into one compact, creepy tale. Jill is afraid of just about everything, and when a terrible storm hits as she and her husband Jim are moving cross-country, she finds herself faced with every single torment imaginable. These nightmare scenarios not only include an impending tornado, but Jill also finds herself in a small, dark, enclosed place where she can both see and hear bugs and rats. Yes, RATS. EEWW! To top it all off, she is faced with the possibility of losing a loved one. While all of these things make this a great read, the surprise at the end is what will leave you asking your friends if they've read this one yet so you can talk it over. You're gonna want to hash this one out with somebody--it's just that good.
While it was Morrow's longer work, the award winning The Devil's Choir, that made people start talking, his shorter works are worth a read as well. I highly recommend The Lot. My five star Amazon review hasn't posted yet, but you can see for yourself by purchasing The Lot here. You can also find The Devil's Choir here.
In the interest of full disclosure, I will happily admit that I have met the author, though that does not affect my review. I know lots of writers and not all of them are particularly talented. Not all of them will get my five star review.
My Review of Seven Sisters (Seven Sisters Book 1) by ML Bullock
Before I begin with my review of this book, I am going to go off on a little rant. If you're not up for it, by all means skip to the section below that starts with "THAT BEING SAID" in all caps.
I know that a lot of authors read this blog. How do I know? Simple--I have a lot of friends that are authors, and they are often kind enough to check out my blog posts. So I hope that they will pay particular attention to what I am about to say. Likewise, a lot of readers read this blog--and some of them are leaving decent reviews (4 or 5 stars) for books like this one--the one causing this rant. And I'm gonna ask them to stop.
Here's the deal. I'm a Reading Specialist. That's what I do for a living. I teach kids how to read and write. And one of the basic concepts I teach is that a story is made up of three parts; a beginning, a middle, and an end. I also teach story arcs--where every story has a problem and a solution (or resolution.) So, in order for a novel to be a complete story, it has to have all of those components. If you write a "book" and you separate the full story arc into two or more parts, you aren't selling us a book. You're selling us part of a book. When one is writing a series (and as you can see in the title, that's what this allegedly is) each book in the series must still contain the same components of a complete story (beginning, middle end/problem--solution). Close out one problem, open another. That's fine! But if you only start a problem and don't finish it at all, that's not a book. Anything less than a full story arc and we don't have a book--we have a "sample" of a book. And, for that I have to shout, "Bullocks!" (Perhaps my first clue that this was a sham could have been found in the author's last name.)
Why the rant now? Because the last two "books" I have read have had this same sort of ending, that's why.
And it's aggravating.
Because, otherwise, this was a good story (or start to a story) and it stinks that I don't know what happens. And in looking at reviews, there's no resolution in book two either.
THAT BEING SAID, Seven Sisters is a very engaging, interesting read. Bullock is a very talented writer who creates a complicated world, two of them actually, and guides the reader between antebellum Mobile and present day. All of her characters on both sides of the plot line are engrossing. Once can't help but feel for Calpernia from the very beginning. And the true protagonist of the story, Carrie Joe, is also enjoyable from the first time we meet her as she is moving to Mobile to take on the restoration project at a plantation named Seven Sisters. Being a history major in college with a focus on Civil War history, this book was right up my alley. I also love the paranormal twist Bullocks brings in.
As far as the writing is concerned, the vast majority of it is well-crafted with lots of imagery and foreshadowing weaved into the story as it moves along at a nice pace. Some of the dialogue seems contrived, but it isn't enough to take away from the impact of the story. There was one instance where I really wished the plot would have built a little more, rather than just suddenly seeming to interject an important piece of information out of nowhere (deus ex machina in an innocent fashion, no doubt) but it is forgivable. There's no offensive language, no raunchy love scenes, yet the story is enticing, and keeps you thinking even when the book is not in your hands.
But I don't recommend you read it unless you're willing to shell out however much money it takes to buy the entire series. And I'm not sure if the series is complete yet, either, since I won't be reading the rest.
My review on Amazon is located here. I gave it three stars. If it had finished with an ending, a conclusion, a resolution, I would have given it five stars. But I can't give five stars to the first quarter of a book. If Gone with the Wind had ended right after Scarlet met Rhett, would it have been the best selling fiction book of all time ? I don't think so.... If you'd like to check out Seven Sisters for yourself, you can find it on Amazon here. The current price is FREE.
I know that a lot of authors read this blog. How do I know? Simple--I have a lot of friends that are authors, and they are often kind enough to check out my blog posts. So I hope that they will pay particular attention to what I am about to say. Likewise, a lot of readers read this blog--and some of them are leaving decent reviews (4 or 5 stars) for books like this one--the one causing this rant. And I'm gonna ask them to stop.
Here's the deal. I'm a Reading Specialist. That's what I do for a living. I teach kids how to read and write. And one of the basic concepts I teach is that a story is made up of three parts; a beginning, a middle, and an end. I also teach story arcs--where every story has a problem and a solution (or resolution.) So, in order for a novel to be a complete story, it has to have all of those components. If you write a "book" and you separate the full story arc into two or more parts, you aren't selling us a book. You're selling us part of a book. When one is writing a series (and as you can see in the title, that's what this allegedly is) each book in the series must still contain the same components of a complete story (beginning, middle end/problem--solution). Close out one problem, open another. That's fine! But if you only start a problem and don't finish it at all, that's not a book. Anything less than a full story arc and we don't have a book--we have a "sample" of a book. And, for that I have to shout, "Bullocks!" (Perhaps my first clue that this was a sham could have been found in the author's last name.)
Why the rant now? Because the last two "books" I have read have had this same sort of ending, that's why.
And it's aggravating.
Because, otherwise, this was a good story (or start to a story) and it stinks that I don't know what happens. And in looking at reviews, there's no resolution in book two either.
THAT BEING SAID, Seven Sisters is a very engaging, interesting read. Bullock is a very talented writer who creates a complicated world, two of them actually, and guides the reader between antebellum Mobile and present day. All of her characters on both sides of the plot line are engrossing. Once can't help but feel for Calpernia from the very beginning. And the true protagonist of the story, Carrie Joe, is also enjoyable from the first time we meet her as she is moving to Mobile to take on the restoration project at a plantation named Seven Sisters. Being a history major in college with a focus on Civil War history, this book was right up my alley. I also love the paranormal twist Bullocks brings in.
As far as the writing is concerned, the vast majority of it is well-crafted with lots of imagery and foreshadowing weaved into the story as it moves along at a nice pace. Some of the dialogue seems contrived, but it isn't enough to take away from the impact of the story. There was one instance where I really wished the plot would have built a little more, rather than just suddenly seeming to interject an important piece of information out of nowhere (deus ex machina in an innocent fashion, no doubt) but it is forgivable. There's no offensive language, no raunchy love scenes, yet the story is enticing, and keeps you thinking even when the book is not in your hands.
But I don't recommend you read it unless you're willing to shell out however much money it takes to buy the entire series. And I'm not sure if the series is complete yet, either, since I won't be reading the rest.
My review on Amazon is located here. I gave it three stars. If it had finished with an ending, a conclusion, a resolution, I would have given it five stars. But I can't give five stars to the first quarter of a book. If Gone with the Wind had ended right after Scarlet met Rhett, would it have been the best selling fiction book of all time ? I don't think so.... If you'd like to check out Seven Sisters for yourself, you can find it on Amazon here. The current price is FREE.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
My Review of Lady Falls (The Black Rose Trilogy Book 1)
The initial scenes of this novel had me captivated: a young orphan girl tormented by a vulgar headmistress, a sinister stranger showing up in a thunderstorm to "save" her, the promise of vengeance being gained, no matter the cost. Even the setting--Victorian England (though it seems more Regency to me, which is even better for the story line)--is quite interesting, and from the very beginning, I was lured in by author Renee Bernard's mesmerizing characters. Unfortunately, the strong plot line did not hold throughout and I was left more than slightly disappointed by the conclusion.
However, another of Bernard's talents lies in creating bits of prose and dialogue that sound very much like one would expect for the period (even if her vision seemed a bit off to me). She certainly knows how to turn a phrase, pick the perfect adjective, and create a beautiful metaphor. I was extremely impressed with her ability to choose colorful words that supported her characters and made them seem real, and for the most part, likable.
Towards the end of the novel, however, when the plot seems to disintegrate, those characters begin to make choices that seem very disingenuous and I agree with more than one fellow reviewer who also said some deus ex machina was happening here. (If you're not familiar with the term, this is, essentially, when an author makes something happen because it has to--in order to save an otherwise doomed plot.) We are told in the beginning that the Earl of Trent (sometimes called Geoffrey, which is confusing at times) is seeking revenge on someone. We find out pretty quickly that this someone happens to be Phillip Warrick and that the lady of the house, Raven Wells, (remember that orphan?) has fallen for Warrick. It isn't until very, very, very (did I say very?) late in the story that we are reminded of this--sort of out of the blue. And the character of Trent goes from a somewhat likable, if not a bit eccentric and power hungry, guy to a soul so despicable you'd think the devil would be hanging out in his war room taking notes.
And what of our hero, Mr. Warrick? Well, he also loses his mind at the end of the book and acts completely out of character, transforming into yet another monstrous, chauvinist oinker.
This is the first in a series of three books, and I don't think I'll be reading the next two. While Bernard is an amazing writer, I am not a fan of her story telling. This is the opposite of most of the books I have read recently where the story is pretty decent but the writing is unimpressive. I may be willing to give another series or stand alone of hers a try at some point, but as far as Raven Wells is concerned, I can only hope she recovers from the treachery imposed upon her by the two men in her life. Incidentally, this is a cliffhanger and even though the first chapter of the next book is included, there is no resolution--none. So, if that sort of thing drives you crazy, keep it in mind before you make your purchase.
I must also mention there are some pretty explicit scenes in the book, and I would not recommend it for younger readers at all.
You can read my 3 star Amazon review here and check out Lady Falls for yourself here. Current price is 99 cents.
If you have a book you would like for me to review, please send me an email at amyevanhorn@gmail.com. I am currently reading Seven Sisters by M.L. Bullock.
However, another of Bernard's talents lies in creating bits of prose and dialogue that sound very much like one would expect for the period (even if her vision seemed a bit off to me). She certainly knows how to turn a phrase, pick the perfect adjective, and create a beautiful metaphor. I was extremely impressed with her ability to choose colorful words that supported her characters and made them seem real, and for the most part, likable.
Towards the end of the novel, however, when the plot seems to disintegrate, those characters begin to make choices that seem very disingenuous and I agree with more than one fellow reviewer who also said some deus ex machina was happening here. (If you're not familiar with the term, this is, essentially, when an author makes something happen because it has to--in order to save an otherwise doomed plot.) We are told in the beginning that the Earl of Trent (sometimes called Geoffrey, which is confusing at times) is seeking revenge on someone. We find out pretty quickly that this someone happens to be Phillip Warrick and that the lady of the house, Raven Wells, (remember that orphan?) has fallen for Warrick. It isn't until very, very, very (did I say very?) late in the story that we are reminded of this--sort of out of the blue. And the character of Trent goes from a somewhat likable, if not a bit eccentric and power hungry, guy to a soul so despicable you'd think the devil would be hanging out in his war room taking notes.
And what of our hero, Mr. Warrick? Well, he also loses his mind at the end of the book and acts completely out of character, transforming into yet another monstrous, chauvinist oinker.
This is the first in a series of three books, and I don't think I'll be reading the next two. While Bernard is an amazing writer, I am not a fan of her story telling. This is the opposite of most of the books I have read recently where the story is pretty decent but the writing is unimpressive. I may be willing to give another series or stand alone of hers a try at some point, but as far as Raven Wells is concerned, I can only hope she recovers from the treachery imposed upon her by the two men in her life. Incidentally, this is a cliffhanger and even though the first chapter of the next book is included, there is no resolution--none. So, if that sort of thing drives you crazy, keep it in mind before you make your purchase.
I must also mention there are some pretty explicit scenes in the book, and I would not recommend it for younger readers at all.
You can read my 3 star Amazon review here and check out Lady Falls for yourself here. Current price is 99 cents.
If you have a book you would like for me to review, please send me an email at amyevanhorn@gmail.com. I am currently reading Seven Sisters by M.L. Bullock.
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