Lily

Whatever happened to editors?

Revisado: 07-08-24

Implausible story line, no sympathetic characters, and such poor grammar! The author doesn't know the difference between I/me, lie/lay, and other elementary word usages that a decent editor should have caught and corrected.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Please listen to this book before you vote

Revisado: 10-01-16

I wish there were free copies of this book available for anyone who's considering NOT voting for Mrs. Clinton in November, because a vote for ANYONE else could result in a Trump presidency, and that would be a nightmare.

This book, which is extremely well documented, is based on interviews with Mr. Trump and others who know him, as well as exhaustive research and past articles by the Washington Post and others. As far as I know, Mr. Trump has not challenged the facts in this book. Apparently his comment when it was released a few weeks ago was only: "Don't buy it: boring." Even though it is clearly not a supportive book, it's not all negative either. He's not the devil incarnate, just a businessman who inflates his abilities (and probably his wealth) who should never hold the reins of our country.

Trump is so clearly self-centered, greedy and narcissistic, he certainly isn't qualified for any public office. The man is NOT a servant; he's entirely self-serving.

At the end, I felt some compassion for him, because I think he really WANTS to be a man of the people - but he never will be. He's NOT like us! His supporters are behind him because they think he can DO something for them. He's like the rich kid in high school that no one really likes, but pretend to because he's got stuff they want. What happens when they find out he CAN'T make them rich? He said himself to the authors that he really doesn't HAVE any friends, just his family. I find that very sad - and very dangerous. Our president needs to be respected and LIKED to succeed at domestic and foreign affairs. The oval office is a dangerous place for a thin-skinned twitter-head who always NEEDS to prove that he's right.

Remember Mitt Romney telling his supporters they were not the "haves and the have-nots" but the "haves and the soon-to-haves"? I am afraid that's what Trump's followers also believe. And maybe he's not as rich as he says, but that's the attribute he values and guards most jealously. The authors clearly understood his net worth is the ONE thing that he never allows anyone to challenge. Because he knows that aside from his name and money, he's just an empty suit. That is if an empty suit can vilify people as he does. His supporters think/hope/believe he can transfer his wealth-producing abilities to the nation, but they forget that what wealth he does have was produced to the detriment of many, through lies, cheating, lawsuits, and bankruptcies (and yes, there were SIX, not FOUR, as he claims - as if that makes it less egregious. That's made clear by this book).

Think about the values we try to instill in our children. Does he demonstrate any of them? He's a liar, a racist, a misogynist, a loose cannon, a whiner, and probably not as good at creating wealth as he claims.

Please know the man before he ends up in the white house. Who knows how long - if ever - it would take us to recover.

We ARE a great nation: crime is down and prosperity is starting to rise. We have always BEEN a great nation, though we've done plenty of not-so-great things. Hopefully we will become a greater nation over time, as we could if we all became more generous, considerate and ethical. To admire and potentially elect Donald Trump can only make us less great.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 7 personas

Hard to turn off!

Revisado: 09-01-16

Love those sales, Audible! Otherwise I may never have selected this book. The story was riveting, suspenseful and twisty. All the ends tied up neatly; nothing too far fetched to be plausible. The narrator sounded just like the college boy telling the story. What more could you want?

If graphic descriptions of violence bother you, you may want to fast forward through a couple of scenes, but you won't miss anything essential to the storyline.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Why did I buy another Jodi Picoult book?

Revisado: 05-12-16

What disappointed you about Handle with Care?

As usual, this book was so full of implausible nonsense it made me ANGRY!

It starts with the family going to Disneyworld. The six year old daughter, who suffered from a genetic disorder called Osteogenesis imperfecta, "brittle bone disease", fell and broke both legs. At the hospital, they arrested the parents for child abuse and put them in jail, and placed the older daughter in foster care.

Really? They couldn't find anyone in the hospital who'd heard of a disease that occurs in 1 out of 20,000 live births? Rare, but still... They couldn't reach one of the child's doctors to confirm it? They didn't think it likely a child who was half the size of a typical six year old and had suffered dozens of fractures already might have an actual medical condition? Please!

This book, like every other I've read by this author, was rife with such ludicrous nonsense. The end was laughable. All in all an insult to my intelligence.

What could Jodi Picoult have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

A little research, a little more thought about plausibility.

Did the narrators do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yes.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Irritation

Any additional comments?

I bought this book because it was cheap and 18 hours long. I learned my lesson, finally: no more Jodi Picoult!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Am I the only one who didn't love this book?

Revisado: 11-17-15

What would have made The Husband's Secret better?

In my humble opinion, the book had several fundamental flaws. I can't tell you what would have made it better, because the whole premise, to me, was ridiculous. First, I (personally) WOULDN'T HAVE OPENED THE LETTER! So, on that basis alone, I found the whole thing implausible. Second, there were too many coincidences that I couldn't accept, and third, I found NONE of the characters believable or likable. Sorry...

Has The Husband's Secret turned you off from other books in this genre?

I'm not sure what the genre is...

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Well, it gave me a good question to pose to my friends: "If you found a letter written by your husband, addressed to you, but specifically to be read only after his death, what would you do with it?" It turns out that I'm an aberration when it comes to respecting a spouse's privacy (I would have given it to him unopened so he could put it away in a better place), and/or I just really like to delay gratification (because I would assume such a letter could only contain a good surprise worth waiting for!)

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Ann Rule does it again

Revisado: 11-17-15

If you could sum up Too Late to Say Goodbye in three words, what would they be?

Well, I can't, but I CAN sum it up in 125 words: I've read many of Ann Rule's books, and the "book-length" ones never fail to hold me in their grip. This true story took place in a Georgia county that I know fairly well, and Rule did a good job of describing it accurately. As always, the book is dense with description of characters and events, including in depth back stories. Rule must be adept at winning the confidence of the people who tell the stories she writes; the level of detail is often astonishing. I haven't enjoyed her "short-story" books nearly as much because the length is just not sufficient to "know" the people involved as I feel I know them at the conclusion of her major works. Ann Rule works hard, and it shows!

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes, I definitely learned a little more about how to commit the perfect murder - what pitfalls to avoid, and such ; )

What three words best describe Barbara Caruso’s voice?

Not. My. Favorite.

Any additional comments?

As an aspiring writer myself - of fictional crime - I've learned a lot from Ann Rule about pacing, story development and getting deep into the lives and psyches of the players. Mine are all made up, of course, but I think reading Ann Rule has helped me make them more "real".

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 17 personas

Creepy, creepy, creepy! In a good way...I guess?

Revisado: 11-17-15

Who was your favorite character and why?

I felt a lot of sympathy for Melanie and Miss Justineau - and that's about it! Both seemed like courageous, caring, ethical, genuine people doing their best in a horrendous situation.

What about Finty Williams’s performance did you like?

I'm a sucker for a British accent, and this reader's voice is especially warm and mellifluous.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were many moving moments - heartbreaking, frightening, angry, tense - I went through the whole gamut of emotions.

Any additional comments?

The summary of the book didn't indicate to me that this was a "zombie-apocalypse" type story, or I wouldn't have bought it. I'm definitely NOT a fan of that genre. Nonetheless, it kept me engaged throughout and rooting for Melanie and Miss Justineau. I knew early on that I shouldn't hope for a happy ending...

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Another interesting ride...

Revisado: 11-17-15

What did you love best about The Partner?

As usual, a good plot, lovable and despicable characters, and a good pace.

What did you like best about this story?

I like John Grisham's attention to detail, which makes his stories more plausible than maybe they SHOULD be! I get annoyed when, as I'm reading or listening to a book I find myself saying "but that doesn't make sense! He/she could've just....", or "that's so far-fetched - no one would ever do that!", or "come on - that's just WAY too much of a coincidence..." Grisham never makes me question plot points.

Which character – as performed by Frank Muller – was your favorite?

The main character, Patrick/Danilo was my favorite. Grisham always does a great job of developing his main character and makes you root for him - even if you suspect he might be a "bad guy".

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There was a moment that moved me to profanity, but I can't reveal that moment hear, as it would spoil the book for future listeners.

Any additional comments?

I almost hate to admit my love for John Grisham's books, because they are USUALLY - ultimately - predictable. But by the time the prediction comes true, I am so fully invested in the story, I'm relieved that the story resolves as I'd hoped. Note the emphasis on usually...

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 26 personas

I only made it through four chapters...

Revisado: 04-21-13

What disappointed you about A Little Night Magic?

Everything!

What was most disappointing about Lucy March’s story?

Granted, I didn't get very far into it. What I listened to was far-fetched and silly.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Amanda Ronconi?

I didn't think the narration was particularly bad. I think the narrator did the best she could with the material she was reading.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

All of the above, plus irritation.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Long live the King (I DON'T mean L. Ron Hubbard!)

Revisado: 03-15-13

Would you consider the audio edition of Inside Scientology to be better than the print version?

One drawback to listening to (instead of reading) this book is that every time David Miscavige (the current head of Scientology) is mentioned by his last name only (hundreds of times!), my split-second reaction was "now WHO is Miss Caviage?" before snapping back with an "oh yeah, that guy". I spent too much time dwelling on other ways the name could have been pronounced (or misprounounced) to prevent that. I wish the author had just referred to him as "David"! But that's just me!

Any additional comments?

What a fascinating book!

My son, a ceaseless searcher and student of philosophies, told me a few years ago that he had looked into Scientology, but they didn't welcome him into the fold because he didn't have any money. I'm sure glad they turned him down! After reading this book, I had to wonder if they also recognized that he was too intelligent to swallow what they offered and could end up being another whistle-blower.

Some of the stories in the book are so disturbing, I wonder how Scientology is still "in business" today! People have died, others have been imprisoned, and others driven to insanity by this "religion", yet people still join and drain their resources for what is on offer. By the way, the current head of this tax-exempt "church", David Miscavige, has a net worth of $50 million!

If you wonder about Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and other celebrity Scientologists, they're all in here! (And I still love them just as much - especially Tom!) Trivia Challenge: What celebrity visited a Scientolotgy center and loudly scoffed at the philosophy and saw it as a money pit that could make you insane. Hint: He attended with his Scientologist girlfriend, Peggy Lipton (of the Mod Squad). Give up? Elvis Presley! Long live the King!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 4 personas