Tag Archives: book review

The Wives by Tarryn Fisher (BR00184)

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The WivesPLOT OR PREMISE:

A wife of a polygamist starts to wonder about his other two wives and seeks them out, only to find a potentially dark secret.

WHAT I LIKED

The original premise was unusual and intriguing, and the writer’s use of an unreliable narrator is creative.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

The original premise is interesting enough for you to want to find out about a three-wife relationship, where all three wives are kept separate. For most people, the immediate reaction would be, “Why would any woman agree to this ridiculously unbalanced relationship?”, and for the story to work, you have to see it “working”. Except it never does. For example, you don’t see why the protagonist would agree, nor given the fact she is neurotic and alone for four days of the week, she never tries to find out info about the other two. Really? Add in some obvious and not so obvious gaslighting themes that go nowhere, a ridiculous fantasy ending, and it’s hard to finish.  » Read the rest

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Down The River Unto The Sea by Walter Mosley (BR00183)

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Down the River Unto the SeaPLOT OR PREMISE:

A detective was framed for rape, temporarily jailed, kicked off the police force and is working as a private investigator looking at a potential case of corrupt cops who tried to commit murder.

WHAT I LIKED

Mosley always creates compelling characters (like Easy Rawlins) and Joe King Oliver is no exception. Much of what you see is part of a long history … the story could have been told as a Western, or as pulp noir with Sam Spade, or as Spenser for Hire (or any of Robert B. Parker’s characters really). It is a “man’s story” taking care of “his business”, in a dark world that is full of violence which he would prefer to avoid but willing to endure when necessary. The main case (Oliver’s own) is compelling, but a little light in places. Where it falters, the case of his client steps in to keep the story moving.  » Read the rest

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Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull (BR00182)

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Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (Fablehaven, #4)PLOT OR PREMISE:

Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull (BR00182)

WHAT I LIKED

The story of Kendra and a duplicate is interesting, but a bit slow for most of it. But once the Dragon sanctuary is involved, it takes off again.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

Seth is being stupid again and it is really starting to take away from the story. If it was just him in the story, I would have stopped reading long ago. Plus the faux Kendra story is pretty one-sided for most of it. Finally, the teams are separated in the sanctuary, and everyone relatively carries on as if it is “business as usual”, despite thinking the others have died. Really?

MY RATING

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Legend: 1/5 Finished 2/5 Not bad 3/5 Good 4/5 Enjoyable 5/5 Excellent

THE BOTTOM LINE

Great dragons, bad story

See more details –> goodreads

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Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull (BR00181)

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Grip of the Shadow Plague (Fablehaven, #3)PLOT OR PREMISE:

Darkness has come to Fablehaven, with many creatures being turned from light to dark.

WHAT I LIKED

There are almost three stories working at once, which adds to the complexity – Seth running around being annoying and self-centred in the Preserve; Kendra going to another Preserve on a quest; and a giant battle at the end that seems almost Lord-of-the-Rings-like.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

The three stories are not well-integrated, and could rally stand alone. Seth is still being annoyingly self-centred to drive plot devices along, and I don’t know if the author wants us seeing him as brave or just stupid. Things tend to work out, but they would have been better if he did nothing. There are also a LOT of characters to keep track of in each segment.

MY RATING

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Legend: 1/5 Finished 2/5 Not bad 3/5 Good 4/5 Enjoyable 5/5 Excellent

THE BOTTOM LINE

Lots of things happening, almost too much

See more details –> goodreads

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Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull (BR00180)

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Rise of the Evening Star (Fablehaven, #2)PLOT OR PREMISE:

Kendra and Seth start to receive their training in protecting the Preserve from three experts.

WHAT I LIKED

The three experts and their specializations are pretty cool, all with slightly different skills and personalities. And the finale seems like a solid “Indiana Jones” challenge.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

The book is a lot slower than the first, and while Seth isn’t quite as annoying, the ending reads almost like a copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (series of chambers, different puzzles) and the main protagonist, Kendra, is relatively an observer for most of it while others do the heavy lifting.

MY RATING

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Legend: 1/5 Finished 2/5 Not bad 3/5 Good 4/5 Enjoyable 5/5 Excellent

THE BOTTOM LINE

Not as good as the first book

See more details –> goodreads

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