Any book that makes me look like a lunatic in a corner of a tea shop deserves five stars from me. I wanted to finish the book in the shop but I kept getting annoyed/curious/scared/worried stares from people when I got to the twist and started whispering "what? ... what?!! ... what the f--?!!". I wasn't embarrassed, instead I wanted to look back at them and say "can you believe this?!!" while pointing at a book looking incredulous with one eyebrow raised. But I didn't want to be banned in there. I like their tea. It was then I knew I had to finish the book within the confines of my bedroom. There I can be free.
Seriously, though. This one came as a surprise from the very second I found it on my office table (thanks, Bart!). Heh. I always say I like a good mystery so this falls under that category. Another thing I like is culture. I know people always say we should be free from culture that constricts the society (and this book is filled with it since it's about some Romany gypsies living and thriving to keep their traditions in the retro era) but I always believed the only way we can free ourselves of anything is to understand it. Not hating it and running away from it. But let's not get off topic. When I read this I realized I don't know much about gypsies except ... well, Esmeralda's of the Hunchback of Notre Dame and her people ...erm ... sorry yeah, ignorant, I know. It's an interesting setting with sympathetic characters. Too bad about Tene, though.
So anyhoo, the twist. It was kinda ridiculous, I know, but it worked for me. I've read stuff with more ridiculous plots they should be classified as fantasy. This one is realistic enough for me. Now please excuse me while I hunt her other book down.
Five stars.
This is a fast read (if I hadn't been busy) and an uncomplicated one but the way I feel about it is a bit -- contradicting. I like the genre and the writing should be easy for anyone to follow but it's still just -- not a page-turner. I liked the old New York setting and I'm in love with old circus and old magic concept but for some reason I couldn't connect with this one. I have to admit I expected more from it so maybe there lies they problem? I'm also getting tired of the love triangle thing in YA so there's another star off the rating. I'd still like to read the second book and see how it turns out. I think I would give this a 3.5 at most.
This one is especially ... erm ... special, because of the stories behind this story (read the Acknowledgements too, please). It's a great medium to discuss PTSD and TBI which has been causing a bit of buzz in the social media. A bit as in it's not enough especially for those involved/suffering from it.
If in fairy tales we don't know what happens after the prince marries the princess, in crime books we don't know what happens to victims after they've been rescued. Or not. In crime books, readers are often focused on solving the puzzle and finding out who the evil serial killer is. What happens after the fact is no longer relevant. This is the story that decides it IS relevant.
Storytelling-wise, it's a classic Tami Hoag so (for me) it got a bit predictable. It doesn't make me love her any less lol. There's just one minor detail that bugs me. SPOILER ALERT: When Dana woke up she was told she was in a car accident then -- what? I thought since she's behaving unpredictably she would've made a big deal out of it ... but I guess forgot to do that? Sorry, I'm a stickler for unimportant things.
Four stars.
I had such high hopes for this book because 1) i like mystery thrillers, 2) i like small towns that were made for vacations and 3) most of the reviews I saw were okay. I was left with a lot of questions after reading it, though. In some cases, that can be a good thing ... but not here. The thing that got me through this book is the character development. It was pretty good. But then it kept going and going and going that it dragged and I forgot what the story was all about ... like ... i forgot what I'm supposed to say now.
2 Stars
I liked this book. It was fast to read because the prose was easy. It was told through different perspectives/mediums but it wasn't confusing. I gave a lot of smothered laughs and maybe got a little teary-eyed somewhere. But for a book that I really liked, this doesn't leave a lasting ... feeling. I don't even remember which part I got teary-eyed for, I just knew I did. I knew I hated the gnats when I was reading it and I loved Bernadette and totally feel for her but ... writing this review a few days after I read the book, I feel like I've already moved on. I guess this is one amazing in-betweener?
3.5 bordering on 4?
I never thought you could romanticize being a handmaid this much. Or at all. I mean, I thought Jane Eyre's ambition to be a governess was a tad bit glamorized but this ... heh.
If I was to make the blurb for The House At Riverton I'd say: This story is basically about the scandal within a prominent family told through the eyes of a maid who eavesdropped on her employers the whole time. It dragged a bit (when they were describing how they were polishing silver) but I expected that.
It took me three tries before I got into it and in the end I'm glad I persisted (or someone else persisted because this book was highly recommended *coughshovedcough* to me). Ok seriously, if you're a Jane Austen fan you might enjoy this. I'm more into Charlotte Brontë and Mark Twain (if I ever read classics) but I still enjoyed reading this. I liked the twist, I sort of predicted it five paragraphs before it happened but it was ... pretty well thought of. I guess I should've predicted it from the beginning because they kept repeating it over and over and Grace kept repeating the word "secret" over and over but ... yeah.
What I enjoyed the most is not the story, though, but the characters. I loved some of them, hated some of them, was amused by some of them. I guess the characters were ... well built and they fit. Each and everyone of them. Florence's name making a short appearance was a bit cheesy but, hey, it worked. [Even Hannah being super selfish worked. I mean she was spoiled since she was a kid and she gets away with pretty much everything she did so her decisions weren't so surprising. I thought her character was super consistent.
If you're a Harry Potter fan and you haven't read this, you're doing yourself a disservice. I don't want to have to explain again how amazing I think this fanfic is anymore so just DOWNLOAD IT ... for FREE!!! I love how I didn't have to pay to extend my HP experience but I really hope this would come out in print and that Mr G. Norman Lippert gets paid. Yes, I know about copyright issues but *cougheEricVanLustbadercough*. For now, dear people, please buy this guy a coffee. Better yet, buy his non-JP works (that was what I did haha) here:http://www.jamespotterseries.com/. I mean, seriously.
Now, I am super sad to know that the author cannot promise to make another installment because life gets in the way. (That's why I said buy his other works. So he can continue writing more. Purely selfish reasons, I know. Lol.) All that being said, I think this is a good "ending" to the series. It didn't end per se. Like the author said, there's still a lot of story there. But some parts, somehow, gave me (so I'm assuming it would be the same experience for Potterheads) closure. Yes, I'm talking about the mirror of Erised. I wish he'd included Ron and Hermione in that scene, though.
Here are a few things I'd like to see on the possible installments: the "relationship" between James and Petra explained, George Weasley's spark and faith in magickind to come back, and more of the Snape paintings terrorizing James lol.
I'd really like a JP #5, #6 and #7. :(
