Endless

Endless (The Violet Eden Chapters #4)

by Jessica Shirvington

3 stars

446 pages

Published Aug. 28, 2012 by Hachette

Can I just say that if this was the last book in this series, I would have seriously had to hurt someone. The ending TOTALLY sucked. I was so bummed the entire rest of the day, because for some reason I thought that this was the end. Luckily I got on Goodreads to check. Whew. Disaster averted!

As it is, I still have mixed feelings about this installment in the Violet Eden series. Some good things happened. Some bad things happened. There still was all the violence and sexual tension that appear in the previous books. And some significant things happened and knowledge shared. But what's next?

I suppose the "financier" will have something to do with the next book - obviously. There was a huge fat question mark floating above his head at the end of the book.

I'm just happy that there is another book. Although, I'm hoping Number 5 is the last. There's only so much I can take, you know?

Serendipity

Serendipity (Only in Gooding #5)

by Cathy Marie Hake

2 stars

336 pages 

Published Nov. 1, 2010 by Baker Publishing Group

I was in the mood for a romantic novel, but I don't like all the graphic sex scenes, so I opted for a Christian version. I was quite happy with the lack of swearing and sex, but that's basically all the good I can say about this book.

It was booooring. And the ending was abrupt and did not satisfy many loose ends. But what bugged me the most was the mother-in-law. She was a horrible, horrible person. And for a Christian novel, I was surprised that the author did not offer any glimmer of kindness or charity in this character. All she did was berate, insult and degrade the woman her son had married.

I was confused, too, at the development of the love between the two main characters. It was choppy and terribly written.

I will not be reading any more books by this author 

The Friday Night Knitting Club

The Friday Night Knitting Club (Friday Night Knitting Club #1)

by Kate Jacobs

2 stars

352 pages 

Published Jan. 18, 2007 by Putnam Adult (first published January 1st 2006)

 

I had waited a few years for this book to finally be added as an ebook at my local library. I thought I would like this book - yarn and women crafters with a touch of romance thrown in? Sounds good! I love working with yarn, although I enjoy crocheting more than knitting. Maybe I was hoping for a bit of inspiration to get me back into knitting. I rarely delve into adult fiction, but I thought I'd make an exception for this one.

Unfortunately, when I closed the cover on my Nook after reading the last sentence, I was decidedly underwhelmed and not a little bit disgusted. I remember all sorts of hype associated with this book. Why? The ending was crap. If I had known what was going to happen (and I purposely did NOT read any spoilers beforehand), I would not have wasted my time. The only reason I gave it 2 stars was that the writing was pretty good - except for the swearing. TOO MUCH! I mean, come on! This is a book about knitting! You don't need to be dropping the f-bomb when you're purling!

So, I cannot recommend this book to any of my friends. Sorry. Actually - I'm not.

The Camelot Caper

The Camelot Caper

by Elizabeth Peters

2 stars

352 pages

Published Jan. 9, 2001 by Avon (first published 1969)

 

I got through this. It was OK. If you can forget the fact that half the storyline details are dropped and just focus on the general plot, you will enjoy it.

Alas, it's next to impossible for me to ignore glaring gaps. The love story aspect is not developed correctly at all. Details are glossed over - then BAM! they're engaged. What just happened??

Character development was seriously flawed and jagged.

And the ending SUCKED - confusing and lackluster.

I think the reason I actually got through this was the writing. It wasn't bad. In places, it was quite witty and clever. It's like ... you have high quality ingredients for a cake recipe - but you put them together totally wrong and the cake flops. This is what this book was - a flopped cake with great ingredients.

So much potential. Such bad execution.

The Maze Runner series

The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner #1)

by James Dashner

3 stars
 
374 pages 
Published Oct. 6, 2009 by Delacorte Press 

The first in this series The Maze Runner was OK. This is what I had to say about it back when I originally read it:

 "A young adult adventure/action story. It wasn't bad."
So not an overwhelmingly fantastic review, but not horrible.
 

It gets worse ... 

The Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner #2)

by James Dashner

2 stars
 
360 pages
Published Oct. 12, 2010 by Delacorte Press 

I have to be blunt ... I skimmed this. I read the first 40 or so pages and just couldn't stand all the terrifically awful deaths of these teenagers.

And honestly, I really only wanted to know how it ended. It seemed like I was thinking through the whole book "How can 'they' put these poor kids through this? They can't take anymore!" Indiscriminate killing, horrific scenes, and confusing plot line all required me to give it the 2 stars. I will read (or skim) the last book just to see how it ends. It had better have a good ending!

Can it get worse? Oh, yes it can ... 

The Death Cure (The Maze Runner #3)

by James Dashner

1 star (if that)

325 pages
Published Oct. 11, 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Lame, lame, lame ending. Please don't waste your time on this.

 The first book was decent, if completely unnecessarily violent. Book 2 was more disappointing. And this one was pretty terrible. The ending will make you say, "What?? THAT'S how he ends it? What was the point?"

Save yourselves!
Skip it.

Requiem

Requiem (Delirium #3)

by Lauren Oliver

2 stars

391 pages

Published Mar. 5, 2013 by HarperCollins Children's Books

I didn't think I could be so disappointed by such a bad ending after "Mockingjay," but I believe this one tops that horrific train wreck. My first word after realizing the book just ended was, "LAME!"

The entire book was a pretty good read (which is why I gave it 2 stars), full of action and angst and plot. I read and read. And then the book stopped. It just stopped. I turned the page expecting some more - some answers to questions, some loose ends tied up ... something ... and all I got was the Acknowledgments page. Abrupt.

It was as if Lauren Oliver didn't know how to resolve all the issues and problems facing Lena and Hana, so she didn't. She just dropped everything. No resolution, no denouement, no closure, no nothing. Because if this is the last book in the series, then Oliver needs to grow some imagination, or perhaps request an editor change.

I am beyond disappointed. I'm actually kind of angry.

Bad form, Oliver, bad form.

Pandemonium

Pandemonium (Delirium #2)

by Lauren Oliver

2 stars

375 pages

Published Feb. 28, 2012 by HarperTeen 

 

 

So I'm totally bugged by this book. And the more I think about it, the more I'm bugged!

Where should I start? Let's start with the writing. Writing was OK - but the "Then" and "Now" gimmick for each chapter was unnecessary and detracted from the flow of the story. Why not go with a traditional plot arrangement, where this happens first, then this, then that. Some stories are meant for plot jumping. This was NOT one of them.

Bug #2: Love triangle - you knew the whole book it was going to happen. I had even predicted (correctly) what the very last word in the book was going to be. There was no forethought, no twist, no creativity in this. The love triangle thing is overdone. Since Twilight, authors have been dividing their readers into "teams." Team Edward, Team Jacob, Team Alex, Team Julian. Get creative, authors! Do something different! Create tension some other way!

Bug #3: The finale of the book (they're in the hospital), was too easy, too convenient, too lacking. I'd give details away, but I won't. When you read it, you'll know. Scene development is important.
Anyway, despite all the bugginess, I did finish the book, which is why I gave it 2 stars (meaning "it was OK"). I'm not sure I'm going to read the next in the series. There are so many other books out there that are more worthy of my time.

Beautiful Chaos

Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3)

by Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl

2.5 stars

516 pages

Published Oct. 18, 2011 by Little, Brown and Company

I don't know why I continue to slog through this series. The books are too long, where nothing happens, and I don't really care about the (way too many to count) characters.

And to add to my dismay, this book ends with the cheesiest cliff-hanger ending ever. It's as if the authors knew that the rest of their book was boring and bland, so they decided to try and force the readers into actually caring about what happens next. I'm all for subtle manipulation, but this ventures into the realm of anvil-over-the head maneuvering.

The pacing of the story is dawdling and uneven. There are many chapters where nothing of importance is said or done. I'm a huge proponent of a good editor. I've said it before - USE one who is unafraid of the delete key! And if that shrinks the length of your book - fabulous. Trim the fat! 500+ page books are only as good as the writing. Condense and omit. It will make a better, more entertaining book.

I do appreciate the general lack of swearing and sex, though. That is a positive.

But we'll see if I get to the last book. It's not looking good.

Inheritance

Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle #4)

by Christopher Paolini

2 stars

860 pages

Published Nov. 8, 2011 by Alfred A. Knop

 

What a boring book. Which makes me sad and a bit mad that I spent how many hours reading and reading, just to get to an "eh" ending. But do you know what really irks me?? All the freakin' loose ends!!! Who was Angela, really? Who was the woman with the sword-fighting teen-age girl? What happens to Elva when she grows up? What about the dragons? Do Eragon and Arya ever get together? Did Jeod ever get to ride Saphira? And what happens to King Orrin? Oh, sooo many loose ends ...
This book would greatly be improved with a lengthy epilogue. An EPILOGUE, I say!!!

Towering

Towering

by Alex Flinn

2 stars

293 pages 

Published May 14, 2013 by HarperTeen

I am pretty bummed I had to give this book so few stars. It had such potential - part love story, part paranormal mystery - but the execution was lacking.

"Towering" is touted as a modern re-write of the Rapunzel tale, but the only tie-in the book contains is that one of the protagonists has long hair, which she cuts to make a rope so she can escape her tower prison/safe-house. The rest is an anti-drug PA (which I'm all for: Drugs=Bad!), but it just didn't jive with the spirit of the original Rapunzel tale. That, paired with poor character development, uneven pacing, and too many unanswered questions at the abrupt and unsatisfying ending made this book an unfortunate and forgettable work.

I did dig the book cover, though.