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Review Date: 1/6/2007
Helpful Score: 6
I *really* want to like this series more than I do. The plots are interesting and well thought out, the cast of supporting characters is terrific and the tea shop is the perfect cozy setting - especially in Charleston. This book is similar to the earlier ones in the series - well written, well plotted and well...static. I just don't get a connected feeling to Theodosia or her suitors. Still, worth reading, especially if you enjoy tea lore and recipes.
Review Date: 7/27/2007
Helpful Score: 8
Ahhhh, finally! I loved the first book in this series and the second, but readers need to be aware that the storyline from the second abruptly ends to be picked up in the third. Nicely plotted (perhaps better than the first two), this picks up the series arc while having a self contained story of it's own to tell. Character development is still a bit choppy and forced, but not enough to keep it from being a very solid paranormal series with a unique perspective.
Review Date: 3/11/2007
Helpful Score: 2
Love this series. Melanie and Faith wind up competing in a dog food company contest, thanks to Davey submitting the entry as a surprise. When one of the contestants owners dies, Melanie and the crew investigate. Plot was a little too neat, but lots of great series development here.
Review Date: 12/17/2007
Helpful Score: 2
I still like this series, though I continue to think that the author is cheating a bit on some of the character development by using famous historic figures for many of the master vampires. Still, the book was fast moving, has some great supporting characters and a nice twist on the vampire/mage mythos. Loved some of the new characters introduced in this installment, looking forward to the third book.
Review Date: 3/24/2007
Helpful Score: 9
Interesting take on decluttering. The fundamentals are the same (toss, give, repair boxes, etc.) as most other books on the topic, but the coverage of impact of clutter on various parts of one's life is fascinating. Inspiring read.
Review Date: 6/30/2007
Helpful Score: 3
An excellent entry into this series, which is easily one of the top historical ecclesiastical series around. Intelligent, well plotted, beautifully researched and presented, always with an interesting cast of characters and a new facet of the times presented. Sister Frevisse and the prioress travel to conduct priory business only to arrive at St. Mary's nunnery in time to discover a much disliked local bureaucrat has been murdered and no one, including his wife and his clerk, seems particularly upset by his demise.
Review Date: 6/7/2006
Helpful Score: 1
Wow! Very well done with a premise that could have been not so good. Definitely a series worth picking up.
Review Date: 5/27/2007
Helpful Score: 4
Not a bad series start at all - the Georgian period is underrepresented in the historical mysteries and the author does a wonderful job of portraying the period. The plotting is a bit awkward but comes together reasonably well at the end, Richard Fairfax has promise as a main character.
Review Date: 1/27/2006
Helpful Score: 3
I love this series, but not the strongest entry. Buck is one of my favorite recurring characters and I loved his part in this, but I missed the usual dog show elements as well as Holly being in top form. This was more of a swing book to advance the personal life elements of the series, in my opinion. Worth reading for any fan of the series, however.
Review Date: 11/5/2007
Third in the series and developing nicely. There was a plot twist that I felt was unnecessary and a bit gratuitous, but Brandt has cleaned up the technical errors from earlier books and invested time in character development and it shows. Wonderful setting, nice handling of dialect (which could potentially be irritating), solid plot. It feels like the series is starting to mature and come together.
Review Date: 10/24/2007
Helpful Score: 3
I'm going to review the first four books of this series as a "set" since they contain a world story arc that carries through them and most readers will prefer to have all four on hand before starting the series. This is the fourth book in the Riley Jenson Guardian series, which are paranormal romances set in Melbourne, Australia. Arthur does an excellent job of balancing the paranormal and the romance elements of the story and, while the moon cycle sexual responses of the werewolves echo a bit of LKH's "ardeur", Arthur pulls it off much more smoothly. The paranormal elements are well thought out with a few nice twists to standard mythos. Characters are well drawn, though a bit unbelievably perfect at times. Each book does have a standalone plot with a satisfying conclusion, but as I mentioned, there is a "world arc" that carries through all four books.
Review Date: 7/21/2006
Helpful Score: 1
A nice solid entry into the McCone series - Sharon revisits an old case with a new twist. For readers of the series, there is a nice advancement of Hy and Sharon's relationship.
Review Date: 6/9/2007
Helpful Score: 3
In the beginning, this series was about a marine scientist (with a hidden past) and a bunch of eccentrics in a small marina in Sanibel, FL who ran into situations that needed fixing, gradually revealing various hidden talents of the characters. Over time, Doc Ford became more "covert action guy of the world" with a "dark side" than "science nerd who can really surprise you". This book is a throwback to the earlier books in the series - *loved it*. :)
Review Date: 11/5/2007
Second in the series. Hannah has moved to the BVI to take a job as police detective and underwater investigation specialist. I really like this series in general, though there are some annoying technical errors and, at times, the main character is a bit strident in her self doubts to the point of near paranoia. That said, it's a solid series with a great location and an interesting subject matter. The cast of supporting characters has potential, especially the other members of the force. Well worth picking up.
Review Date: 4/27/2007
Helpful Score: 5
Best yet, easily. Well written, no loose ends, nice to see a bit more of Butters and more of Bob's past.
Review Date: 5/3/2006
Helpful Score: 2
Just started this series after reading quite a few well deserved enthusiastic and positive reviews. Very much looking forward to reading the other books if they are as much fun as this one was to read. :)
Review Date: 8/2/2007
Helpful Score: 2
I read most of this series years ago and for some reason got sidetracked after the previous book, so I was delighted to discover four "new" books to read as I remember loving the series. Unfortunately, this was just not a compelling book - while some level of consumerism was inevitable, given the murder location (a hot new mall opening) the book and the characters come across terribly shallow. The mystery was well paced, though I did feel like critical information was held back to the end. The plot suffered from having an unsympathetic victim and a few too many twists. A quick read with some series character development, but I think I'd recommend new readers go back to the beginning of the series.
Review Date: 4/20/2007
Helpful Score: 1
This series continues to get better and better. Very happy to see Susan return and her "situation" addressed.
Review Date: 1/20/2006
Helpful Score: 1
Definitely one of the best ST:TNG numbered novels. Two plots in one with Picard and Crusher dealing with a plague and hostile populace while Riker, Troi and Barclay try to stop a Federation observer from violating the Prime Directive. Pure Trek.
Review Date: 10/24/2007
Helpful Score: 7
Hurray! Everyone is back in Manhattan at the Village Blend again (which is where this series belongs) and bodies are dropping from the balconies. A new decaffeinated bean has been developed by an old friend of Matteo's and someone seems determined to stop it's launch. Some new faces join the familiar baristas, several personal plotlines are advanced for series fans and the trivia in this installment focuses on the cultivation and hybridization of coffee varieties. There was a tiny bit of cheating in late introduction of hints, but the pace and tone of the story was smooth enough that it was forgiveable.
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