The story was flat. I didn't find the characters engaging.
One of my friends has been singing the praises of these Amish books for quite some time. After reading 10 books in a row about zombies, vampires, the apocalypse, aliens and murder, I decided I could use a little bit of R & R with the Amish.
It was very soothing to read. I just wish there had been a little more action. It was so chaste - a little peck on the cheek and then it's time for a wedding. Plus, it was so sexist. Women should be quiet and listen to the men. Women do all the cleaning and cooking. Ugh!
Although I'm not sure why I expected anything different. It was an Amish romance novel, not one of my beloved smutty historicals.
This may be one of my favorite books of 2011. At first I thought Lindsey was a whiny brat, but she quickly grew on me. It was fun to watch Lindsey discover a new side to herself - and I'm a sucker for a life-altering makeover like the one that takes place in this book.
Yes, some of the plot points are cliche, and I figured out the ending pretty early on. However, the characters are warm and well developed, the writing flows and the story is enjoyable to read. It felt a bit like a cozy blanket.
I committed a dreaded reading sin when I started this book. I have never read any of the other books in the series - *gasp*!
Luckily, it wasn't hard to figure out what was going on. Savannah is a detective who solves crimes. (Duh!) It was an easy book to read with witty dialogue and memorable characters. Savannah was fun and feisty -- Dirk was quite appealing as well. I was surprised by 'whodunit' at the end -- always a sign of a good mystery.
Also, Savannah is a plump heroine, which was always something I was always looking for in my chubbier days. It was always better to read about sassy ladies who looked like me than yet another waif. I will warn you -- do not read this book or any others in the series if you are dieting. Some of the food descriptions are drool-worthy.
I enjoyed this book so much, I went back and started the series from the beginning. I'm on book 4 and have enjoyed every story.
I thought this book was pretty terrible. For starters, the plot dragged ("and now we are going here...and now we are going here...and now we are going here. The End.")
And I have a huge problem with Ellie. I can't imagine that teenage girls are this shallow and superficial. And if they are, surely they would reconsider if they found out they were an archangel destined to save the world.
One minute, Ellie was fighting monsters and saving mankind. Two seconds later, she was pining over boys and braiding her best friend's hair. Surely there's a middle ground somewhere. It didn't seem very realistic to me.
I liked the first two books OK, so I'm a bit disappointed that the ending was such a dud. (Although I am by far not the target audience for this book, so take my opinion for what it's worth!)
This book didn't make me want to fling it across the room, so it's already one up on most of the books in the books in this genre.
I'm really enjoying this series! Weird alternate history, pioneers, magic -- what's not to love? I'm also enjoying the slight Nature vs Nurture theme. Will Eff, who was treated terribly for being an unlucky 13th child, end up being a better magician than her twin brother Lan, who was revered for being an extremely lucky 7th son of a 7th son? Maybe we'll find out in the next book!
I've decided this series is the VC Andrews of Christian fiction - trashy, trashy, trashy. I'm not sure why I picked it up - maybe all that 2012 crap I've been devouring. I just know I'm now going to have to read to the terrible end of this series.
The book was is preachy and hilarious. My favorite part was that the chosen peeps were taken to heaven without any clothes - in fact, even their contact lenses were left behind. (Am I juvenile to find that funny?) I was also impressed that fetuses were taken - but not the pregnant women.
Can't wait to read what happens next!
One of the twistiest books I've read in a long time - loads of fun!
