Book reviews written by GinRobi

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Small Favor

by Jim Butcher
- Rated 5 stars
“You owe me a favor, Harry…

Finally, it seems that life is calming down some for Harry. But you never know when the past will come back to bite you in the ass…

Winter’s Queen Mab seeks out Harry; he owes her two favors, and she’s come to collect on. As Winter’s Emissary, she’s putting Harry in charge of finding Gentleman Johnny Marcone. Seems the man has been kidnapped, and that move is against the Accords. Harry doesn’t want to, but he has no choice.

Summer’s Queen Titania doesn’t like what’s happening and is sending everything she can to stop him.

But that’s not the worst of it. When the Denarians roll into town, Harry knows no good could come of any of this, no matter what side is hitting at him. In an effort to get Marcone back, Harry has asked the Archive to mediate a meeting between Harry and Nicodemus. And Harry walked right into their trap, for it’s the Archive they’re after. Should she be broken and take one of the coins, all hell would literally break loose.

So, now Harry has to find the Archive as well as Marcone, repay the favor, keep from getting killed by Queen Titania’s emissaries, all the while trying to keep his friends alive. Could things get any worse?

**There is no stopping Jim Butcher! One of the best series I’ll continue to read until Harry is no more, and I hope that doesn’t happen for a really, really, really long time.

How can you not like Harry Dresden. He is chivalrous, caring, funny, does whatever he can to keep his butt and those of his friends from getting fried, can be a little slow on the uptake when it comes to women, and is completely selfless. He’ll put himself in harm’s way before standing behind someone else. And when scenes get tense, his quips and one-liners make me laugh sometimes to the point of tears. As a defense mechanism to push back his fear, I love it!

The action scenes are superb and well written; descriptions have you right there in the thick of it, seeing everything around you, without going overboard. All characters are three-dimensional and you care for everyone one of the good guys, all while rooting them on to taking down the bad guys. Oh, and a love interest is starting to bloom for Harry as well, I think. I’m very interested to see where that line goes.

Mr. Butcher, you are one hell of an author and I hope Harry is around for a long, long time. I can’t wait for my daughter to be old enough to read this series!”

GinRobi wrote this review Thursday, April 16 2009. ( reply | permalink )
The First Sin: A Lexi Steele Novel (Lexi Steele Novels)

by Cheyenne McCray
- Rated 4 stars
“Warning: Dark and Very Graphic

Alexi Steele is a top RED agent. She and her team plan to infiltrate exclusive S&M clubs of Boston’s inner circle; young ladies seem to be disappearing from clubs around Boston, never to be seen or heard from again. Word is, the women are being auctioned off to the highest bidder. And Lexi is determined to bring them down.

Nick Donovan’s sister is one of those missing young women. His only hope to finding her - join RED. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Karen Oxford, Lexi’s direct boss, has been trying to recruit him for years - nothing but the best of the best for RED’s clandestine operations. He’s turned her down every time, but now he has no choice, for he’s sure it’s the only way of finding his sister. Plus, he’s been eyeing Lexi: he wants her.

Now Lexi isn’t happy to end up stuck with Donovan. For her, he’s too close, too emotionally involved. Now she has no choice but to include him in the op, and now he’s her partner. The man is gorgeous as sin; does she want him as a partner in an S&M club? Only time will tell.

And as they go further under cover, not only are they getting close to who is behind the missing women, but they’re getting closer to each other as well, and they can’t deny themselves any more. But will this pose a problem for their undercover operation? Time is ticking, and both are afraid they may be too late.

**An excellent first novel!

I’ve never read a full-length Cheyenne McCray before. Now I’m wondering what the hell too me so long, LOL!

Lexi is a strong woman with a difficult past. Her family has no idea what she went through a few years before. Details of her past capture and torture are what Lexi hold deep - no one knows the full extent. But during her capture and subsequent torture, she was given an option: join them and become their assassin, or die - very slowly and very painfully. To save herself, she did as they asked, never asking questions, yet always looking for a way out. And just when she was close to getting caught, Karen Oxford gave her that way out. Now nightmares plague her. Lexi is one hell of a strong woman, who is willing to do what it takes to get the job done, no matter the cost to her. No one in her family, save her brother who is also another RED agent, knows what she actually does for a living, and Lexi has to keep it that way. I think not being able to talk about her past, holding it so close, is what hurts her the most, and when Donovan arrives into the picture, she may tell him some of it, but he doesn’t look at her as a monster; he understands what she went through.

Donovan will do whatever it takes to find his sister. Both, he and Lexi are like pitbulls, never giving up. Both are strong, determined characters, and the heat between them is palpable! Whew *faning myself*! Some of those loves scenes would have fogged my glasses if I was wearing them!

The action is superb. The mystery is great and I’m glad it’s not completely over, which means on to Book #2, LOL!

Warning: Memories of Lexi’s past torture, her capture by one of the current bad guys, as well as the BDSM aspect of the book, are very graphic and are not for everyone.”

GinRobi wrote this review Thursday, April 16 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Tribute

by Nora Roberts
- Rated 4 stars
“I was expecting more from NR…

Cilla McGowan, former child star, has grown up a woman who knows what she wants. And when she figures out how to get it, there’s no stopping her. Finally, her grandmother’s house, legendary actress Janet Hardy, is hers, and she wants to restore the old farmhouse that her mother has let fall apart. She dreams of becoming a contractor, ‘flipping’ houses for profit. And she’s well on her way.

And yet, at night, she has dreams - conversations with her long dead grandmother. And while cleaning out the attic, she finds letters written to her grandmother, left unsigned. Could it be real? Was Janet really pregnant before her death thirty years ago? And if so, why wasn’t that included in the autopsy? Cilla’s determined to figure it out.

Ford Sawyer, graphic novelist and neighbor across the road, has been forbidden to hold a power tool, LOL! Family and friends know that he couldn’t fix anything if his life depended on it. And that’s fine with him. He’d rather draw.

When the two finally meet, Cilla likes Ford, but doesn’t want anything to do with him. His charm seems to have power over her, but seeing her the dozen marriages between her mother and grandmother, she refuses to follow into their shoes. And yet, Ford’s subtle pushing hooks her in, and she falls for him. And to Ford, Cilla’s in an amazing woman.

Meanwhile, someone doesn’t want Cilla in town, fixing up the farmhouse. A violent assault on Cilla’s ex-husband/best friend, destruction of property, all attempts to make Cilla leave. But Cilla isn’t having it. The question is, can Cilla and Ford figure out who could hate her so much before the destruction turns to murder?

**I was expecting more.

I really liked Cilla’s determination, and going for what she really wants. The relationship between her and her mother soured my stomach; my mother and I have a best-friend relationship, and I couldn’t imagine going through what Cilla constantly goes through with her mother. I can understand her reluctance toward Ford, but I loved watching the sizzle between them. LOL, the banter couldn’t have been more perfect.

I liked how Ford viewed Cilla, and how he fell for her hard. It’s nice to see the guy admit it first for a change.

I felt really bad for Cilla’s ex-husband, Steve, who ended up nearly killed. And everything was the same old, tired, run-of-the-mill, suspense stuff. The property destruction could have been amped up; frankly, I thought it wasn’t enough. And the dreaming of conversations with her dead grandmother? Overdone and I could have done without some of it.

I was surprised by Cilla’s would-be murderer - yes an no. I was close. And again, that was predictable. The suspense could have been amped up as well.

And the only reason I’m giving this one 4 stars is because of Cilla and Ford. I really liked the two of them together.”

GinRobi wrote this review Thursday, April 16 2009. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink )
Paying the Piper (Leisure Fiction)

by Simon Wood
- Rated 5 stars
“Suspenseful and intense!

Eight years ago, a kidnapper dubbed the “Piper” began kidnapping children. Once the ransoms were paid, the children were returned, unharmed. During the last kidnapping, the Piper contacted Scott Fleetwood, a reporter with the San Fransisco Independent. Only, the man Scott was talking to wasn’t the real Piper. To teach the public, Scott, and the FBI a lesson, the real Piper murdered Nicholas Rooker and left the body in a park. Not a day goes by that Scott doesn’t think about Nicholas Rooker. And now the unthinkable has happened… Scott’s own son, Sammy, has been kidnapped right in front of the school. It’s the Piper - and it’s payback time.

A ransom is demanded, and Scott and his wife Jane, don’t have the funds. But Charles Rooker, Nicholas’s father, pops up at the most unexpected time and saves the day, putting up the ransom; he swears he harbors no ill will toward Scott and his family; he wants the Piper caught, once and for all.

And now the Piper has Scott running in circles and through hoops - for Scott has a lot to answer for. Scott has to do what the Piper wants him to do or the Piper will hurt Sammy. And if things couldn’t get any worse, in the middle of the night, their other son, Peter, is taken right from his own bed, with Jane unable to stop it. And a new ransom is demanded; Charles Rooker swoops in once again. He doesn’t care about the money - he wants the Piper caught. And now the Piper has made a new demand: Scott is given a deadline - he has to find the Piper.

But FBI Agent Tom Sheils is on the case. He still holds contempt towards Scott, but regardless, he’s determined to take down the Piper and bring the boys home. But he knows that Scott is keeping secrets, and he’s determined to get to the bottom of it. The question is: will Scott and Sheils figure it out - before it’s too late?

**Incredible suspense, the tension is palpable. There’s no putting this book down. Just when you think you’re starting to get a handle on what’s going on, who’s involved, a twist occurs that blows your theory out of the water, time and time again.

The characters are complex and full of emotion, especially guilt. The main character, Scott, feels it daily; not one day has gone by in eight years that he doesn’t think of what happened to Nicholas Rooker. All the main men characters feel some form of guilt, and because the FBI had been made fools of, Sheils still harbors anger toward Scott, making for some very, very tense scenes.

On the back cover of the book, there’s a quote from Book Browser: “Simon Wood knows how to create tension, he knows how to build three-dimensional characters, and he has proven he can tie everything together in a high-octane climax.” I couldn’t agree more. An excellent novel and highly recommended!”

GinRobi wrote this review Thursday, April 16 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Sizzle and Burn

by Jayne A. Krentz
- Rated 5 stars
“Excellent addition to the series!

When Raine went to her aunt’s house to begin clearing it out and putting it up on the market, she never expected to find a kidnap victim in the basement. The last thing she wanted was to have an agent on her doorstep - an agent from the one organization she never wanted to hear from again. Nor did she expect the sudden and intense desire to get him naked…

Zach Jones needs Raine’s cooperation and help. Nightshade needs to be shut down, and he believes that Raine’s past is connected. And now Raine had become the focus of a serial killer, while Nightshade is trying to eliminate Zack.

And just to complicate matters, Zach is experiencing the same sudden and intense desire to get her naked…

But is history about to repeat itself? Who’s after Raine? And who’s connected to Nightshade? And now that she’s fallen in love with Zach, it only seems to get more complicated…

**An excellent addition to the series!

I loved Raine’s attitude. She’s taken her aunt’s warning to heart; she may hear voices, but admitting it to anyone would make her look crazy. Bradley Mitchell, a detective with whom she’s worked several cold cases with, writes it off as instinct and intuition. And when she thought they could be something more, Mitchell shuts her down. She’s decided not to get close to anyone ever again. Seriously - who would want to be with a woman who believes she can hear voices in her head? I felt bad for her at first, but understood why. But when Zack enters her life, it’s now a possibility that she can be with someone who wouldn’t write her off as crazy. But he’s a Jones, soon to be named the head of the Arcane Society, a society she wants no part of after the death of her father and the betrayal towards her aunt.

Zach enjoys being an investigator and has no intension of being named the head of the Arcane Society, even though he’s the perfect fit. And after being betrayed and burned in the past, is vary wary of his feelings for Raine. But he needs Raine’s help, for Nightshade is growing, and he’s sure that Raine’s past is connected somehow.

I loved watching them come together; their hesitancy and wariness of each other only made things sweeter. And while both cases are connected, watching it unfold was terrific. Great action scenes, smooth love scenes, and terrific characters make up a great novel. A high recommendation for this series!”

GinRobi wrote this review Thursday, April 16 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Pleasure Unbound: A Demonica Novel (The Demonica Series)

by Larissa Ione
- Rated 5 stars
“Pleasure abound!

Tayla Mancuso is an Aegi Guardian; in other words, a demon slayer. She believes all demons are bad, especially after witnessing her mother’s murder by a demon.

While in the midst of slaying demons, her partner is killed and she’s hurt. She’s brought into the ER of Underworld General, where Doctor Eidolon patches her up. But as he’s repairing the damage, he notices something else… Tayla isn’t completely human.

They are unbelievably attracted to each other; the sparks hard to miss. Knowing she would have to betray him hurts like crazy - for demons are abominations to be killed. But at the last few second, complete catastrophy is averted when Tayla throws her exploding cell phone out into the parking lot. While two demons are killed and a few more injured, it could have been worse. And now Eidolon isn’t sure what to do with her, for obviously the second time she arrived at the hospital, it had been with ulterior motives. Even though she should be questioned thoroughly and disposed of, he can’t make himself or allow anyone else to do that to Tayla. For he’s sure Tayla is his mate. But first, he must explain to her why she’s been having weird symptoms, what’s been happening to her body, and that he can heal her just as much as she can help him divert turning into a monster.

But not everything is as cut and dried as Tayla believes. And now that the Guardian cell in New York is trying to kill her as well, someone out there is trapping demons and harvesting organs to sell on the magic black market. But she’s sure the head of the cell doesn’t know what’s going on. The question is, who is? And under what authority?

**Oh, did I enjoy this book, I could count the ways. Tayla is stronger than she appears, even after the rough childhood she lived. After witnessing the murder of her mother, she’s determined to take out as many demons as possible before she dies.

Eidolon is attracted to Tayla immediately, even when she’s hurt bad the first time he meets her. Once she’s no longer out of it, the sparks fly and you’re feeling the static even as you’re reading it!

What I liked was her inner battles. While she enjoys sex, she refuses to let go. She witnessed her mother’s rape and murder - so while she can find release when she’s ’self-servicing’, she can’t with a man. But I loved watching Eidolon bring her past that hang-up, and it was beautiful! The sex between the two is just as hot as the sparks between them when they’re not having sex, and it made this reader wish her husband wasn’t working nights, LOL! Whew!

There’s lots of action, a mystery, twists that have you wondering. And even though you get some of the answers, you don’t get them all, but the way it’s written, you’re not left feeling frustrated. In fact, you’re left feeling excited and anticipating the next novel in the series. My only mistake: not having Desire Unchained on-hand to read next, LOL! I liked the descriptions of the different demon races, from those that love to kill to those that wouldn’t harm a fly. Definitely a novel, a series, worth reading!”

GinRobi wrote this review Friday, March 27 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Blue Heaven

by C. J. Box
- Rated 5 stars
“My first C.J. Box - won’t be my last!

Their mother’s current beau was still there that morning and walked into the kitchen, finding twelve-year-old Annie and ten-year-old William at the table eating breakfast. Following a quick conversation, Tom promised William he’d take William fishing that afternoon - school was letting out early. Upset with her mother that she’d allow that man into her home, and upset that Tom broke his promise to William, the pair set out on their own to the creek. Neither knows how to fish, but Annie is a determined girl; she figures that if Tom knows how to fish, it can’t be all that hard to learn.

But once at the creek, the children witness an execution-style murder and are now on the run from the three men who spotted them. Only, it’s not just the three men: after being rescued, Annie quickly learns that their rescuer is in on it as well. Again on the run, they’ve taken refuge in Jess Rawlins’s barn.

Retired Santa Anita policeman, Eduardo Villatoro, has come to town, wanting to solve a case that still haunts him. A few years back, after the races in Santa Anita, several million dollars was being transfered from the racetrack to the bank. The armored cars were stopped and one of the officers were killed. All this time, the killers were never found, the money still missing. But several of the bills that matched the recorded serial numbers have been deposited lately, most through a bank in Kootenai Bay (Blue Heaven). Villatoro is determined to solve this last case.

Rawlins, an old-school rancher, thinks at first that Annie and William couldn’t have witnessed what they said they did. It didn’t make any sense; especially when the supposed killers turn out to be retired policemen from Los Angeles. But as Jess continues with questions while the children are hiding in his home, he learns that the children were right. Now the four men are heading the search for the missing children, one of them staying with their mother in her house, keeping her away from the public, the media and the phone. And now Jess, divorced with a mentally ill and drug-addicted son, a man about to lose his family’s ranch, is determined to keep the children alive. But what will he do when the killers figure out the children are hiding in his home?

**Fabulously told, rich with descriptions and well-developed characters.

Jess Rawlins doesn’t see himself as a brave savior; he only wants to do what’s right. But he is a strong man with strong beliefs, and he’ll do what he must to protect those children.

Annie - for a twelve-year-old, she’s turning out to be a brave and mature young lady. She does what’s necessary to protect her brother, right down to convincing Jess to teach her how to load and shoot a gun. William believes to be brave, even when scared spitless. I adored the children.

And the killers… they gave me the creeps. Being retired police officers, I think made the creeps worse. Vindictive, manipulative and cunning, I cringed everytime they determined what to do next to find the kids. I hated every single one of them. While they get what they deserve, I still wish more would have happened to them. If you as me, they got the easy way out.

Superb action, intense suspense, well-developed love-to-love and love-to-hate characters, incredible descriptions of what seems like a beautiful and relaxing place on earth, together with a tear-jerker ending, this was my first experience with C.J. Box. I can say with complete honesty it won’t be my last. A huge recommendation!”

GinRobi wrote this review Friday, March 27 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Whiskey Sour: A Jack Daniels Mystery (A Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels Mystery)

by J. A. Konrath
- Rated 4 stars
“A laugh-out-loud, in-your-face mystery.

Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels, yes that’s her real name, you can check her ID, is a divorced, 40 something insomniac, who is good at her job. And that’s it, as far as she believes. At one point, she had it all: marriage to a great guy, a budding career… only, her ambitions took over. She became a great lieutenant detective in the Violent Crimes unit, and believes her marriage failed because of it. In her words, “it was all her fault.” Married to her career, she doesn’t have a personal life. Her latest boyfriend left a “Dear Jack” letter on her fridge, then left a message on her answering machine asking her to put his things in storage. Instead, she left them in the hall.

A new case pops up; a woman found dumped in a garbage can, um, rear-end facing upwards. Stapled to the victim, a note: “you cant catch ME IM THE GINGERBREAD MAN.” And it doesn’t end there. More bodies are found, and other than finding twine imbedded in the victims’ wrists and ankles, there are very little clues to go on. With pressure from the mayor, Jack her her partner Herb, are now stuck with two FBI agents who are sent to profile their madman, using the ViCAP computer. Only, their profile is off - way off. And nothing they get from the computer is worth a dime.

Meanwhile, tampered candy is left in her car, causing havoc and ending up with eleven stitches in Herb’s mouth. Clues have her questioning her ex-partner, and Herb convinces Jack to try Lunch Mates, a dating service. And her lucky first date ended up with a hell of a lot more than he bargained for.

**Laugh-out-loud funny is right. The deadpan jokes had me cracking up. I liked Jack. I liked her in-your-face personality, and you really get the feel for her. No buttered up and overdone descriptions, the entire story is to the point. You get her background quick and easy, and you kind of feel bad for her. Being married to her job, she believes she can’t have a personal life, yet we see her make a friend out of a criminal she’d arrested when she was still in uniform, and the new guy, who got more than he bargained for, has kept in touch, even from the hospital. I think there’s hope for her yet.

I liked her partner, pushing without being pushy. I see him as her polar opposite, yet they’re both just as determined to get the job done and see justice is served.

I liked the mystery. Even though you know who the murderer is, it was watching the good guys going after him that was really well done. Warning: at one point, it does get a little gory. But I’m a Stephen King fan, so that didn’t bother me in the least. And getting inside the killer’s mind - enough to give me a couple of shivers.

While the story is a little less than three hundred pages, you get all of what a good book is made of. I liked the fact that there wasn’t any filler - nothing that draws you away from the plot, even when hitting Jack’s personal life. Straight, to the point, and still, it involves the story. Terrific novel, and I plan on continuing the series.”

GinRobi wrote this review Monday, March 23 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Hold Tight

by Harlan Coben
- Rated 3 stars
“Hold tight to what? (enter sarcasm here)

Tia and Mike Baye are worried. Since the death of their son’s best friend, Spencer, Adam has become withdrawn. Something’s wrong, and Tia convinces Mike to have software installed on Adam’s computer so that they can try to figure out what’s wrong. Mike is uneasy with this decision, for they are invading their son’s privacy. Would the lack of trust tear their family apart?

Tia prints out the report from Adam’s computer and goes through it. The cryptic message - “just stay quiet an all safe” - is alarming to both, Tia and Mike. Stay quiet? Why? What’s going on? They decide they have to do something. One e-mail on Adam’s computer is talking about a party, a party that Mike and Tia do not want Adam attending. With the idea of stopping him, Mike tells Adam that they’re going to a hockey game with, but Adam doesn’t show up. He’s taken off, and his parents are desperate to find him.

Tia and Mike’s daughter, Jill, is friends with Yasmin Novak. Yasmin has become an angry and hurt little girl; her teacher, Joe Lewiston, made the mistake of singling her out in class, and now she is incessantly being made fun of.

Joe Lewiston is sorry for what he’s done, no one understands how sorry. And now he’s become jumpy, going so far as to change the password on his wife’s e-mail account so that she doesn’t see what’s being sent to her.

Yasmin’s father, Guy, has taken to driving by the Lewiston’s home, slowing down as he goes by.

They Bayes neighbors are having a rough time. Their ten-year-old son is sick and needs a kidney transplant. Now, usually the father is the perfect match, but after tests are run, not only is he not a match, he isn’t the biological father. What secret is Susan Loriman hiding?

Meanwhile, there’s a killer out there who murdered two women; he’s looking looking for answers.

**Where do I begin? The story started out strong. You learn who the characters are, what they do, their worries, their frustrations. You get that something’s wrong. There’s a mystery and suspense, and you’re right with the parents as they search for their son.

All these story lines are connected, but it’s the coincidences that I had a very hard time with. How everything’s connected, by the smallest things, had me shaking my head. Unbelievable is what they were. Just when you think there’s a grander scale, everything is put to small individual things being linked together and it was ridiculous! (and here I am repeating myself!) And the reader is made to believe it! That just made it all that much more absurd!

I have to admit, though, the main point was brought up as parents point of view and beliefs. How far would you go to protect your child? Would you spy on them? Would you do what they Bayes did? And what of the consequences should your child find out you invaded their privacy? At what point do you let them go? And should your child find out, how would you go about repairing the damage? I liked that part - it had me thinking of what I would do once my kids hit that age.

The mystery, as far as the Baye family was concerned, was excellent. The rest, to me, was filler. I wished that Mr. Coben had concentrated on that alone, the rest was distracting. Not a bad book, but not high on my list of recommendations.”

GinRobi wrote this review Friday, March 20 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Twice Kissed (Zebra Romantic Suspense)

by Lisa Jackson
- Rated 3 stars
“Not as great as I was lead to believe…

While feeding her horses, a voice floats through Maggie’s mind. It had been years since she felt it for the last time. Her twin-sister’s voice. Her sister is in trouble. And she’s blaming her ex-husband, Thane Walker, the man Maggie had fallen in love with years ago. Not long after she hears the voice, Thane shows up on her doorstep; just before she disappeared, Marquise and Thane had gotten into an awful fight, and now the police believe him to be their number one suspect.

Mary Theresa, now known as Marquise, has disappeared without a trace, without the tiniest clue as to where she went. Maggie ships her daughter off to her in-laws while she heads to Denver with Thane to search for her sister. Plenty of suspects: from ex-husbands, ex-boyfriends, current boyfriend, co-workers, supposed friends… Did someone ‘help’ Marquise disappear? Was she kidnapped? Was she murdered? Or did Marquise do what she’s done before; disappear for a few days only to reappear as if nothing was wrong? No ransom note, no body. The police are digging, and so is Maggie. But she doesn’t understand what she finds, for her sister has a dark side that Maggie never knew about, and doesn’t want to believe.

**I was disappointed with this story. You’re first introduced to Maggie and her daughter, Becca. She’s in some small town in Idaho, escaping a troubled past, dragging her daughter with her. What happens at the beginning is quite promising - however, it doesn’t stay that way. Thane shows up, wanting her help. She ships her daughter off, heads to Denver with Thane, and begins learning things about her twin sister that she never knew. Suddenly, she has no clue who her twin sister really is.

But then the story gets kind of lame. There’s a flashback to when they were teens. While Maggie was the loner, the one who prefered to be by herself, Mary Theresa was becoming the wild child. The twisted family legacy was rather awful in a disgusting way, not horrifying. Yes, there was deceit and betrayal, but there was no originality to it. Horrible enough that Maggie wants to truly believe that nothing happened and she suppressed it. Mary Theresa sleeps with Thane while he’s drunk, pretending to be Maggie, then claims the baby is his - when it actually wasn’t. And it goes on and on. At one point, I was screaming “enough already!” Mary Theresa becomes the bad person; uses men to get where and what she wants, blah, blah, blah.

Mary Theresa was screwed up in the head, had been since she was a teenager. Even when she tries to make it right at the end, her vision of things was still skewed. Maggie… OMG, I’ve never met such a naive character. I mean really naive; not an inkling of what her sister was really like? Suppressing something so ‘horrible’ that she refuses to remember it? She was sixteen, for crying out loud! I can understand if she’d been twelve, but sixteen? And Thane - a charmer? I never felt the ‘charm’. And his biggest secret he was holding back had to do with the possibility of a seventeen-year-old son out there somewhere, that Mary Theresa had given up after they split, and she was trying to extort money from him. The threat was, either loan me the money or you’ll never find your son? *biggest eyeroll I can make* And the one who set up the disappearing act/killer - unoriginal to say the least. The one character I liked that seemed to have any common sense: Becca. For a kid, she was smart. She figured out her cousin was using her, what her aunt and uncle were up to, and headed straight for her mother the second she figured it out. While it was stupid how she did the latter, I still thought her the smartest.

After the story is finished, Ms. Jackson writes to her fans. The sentence: “A fun-loving triangle!” had my jaw dropping. Fun-loving? It was sick and twisted, not fun-loving! Ugh.”

GinRobi wrote this review Friday, March 20 2009. ( reply | permalink )