stclare
Lawrence Public Library
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Haunted HousesHaunted Houses, Unknown
Unknown - 2008Unknown, 2008
stclare's rating:
Added Dec 04, 2017
stclare's rating:
Added Nov 17, 2017
Comment:
I had hopes Pandora's character would bring a unique spin on the historical romance yarn but it all turned out to be a carbon copy of every Kleypas romance historical novel: Super Alpha Male who is strong like a Greek god, great in bed, apathetic to women, overly protective, rich to excess, immune to flaws and turns into a wet weepy whiny mess once he falls in love with the leading woman who will ultimately curl up in his lap like a little helpless child. I had hoped for an intriguing story line (the anarchist plot could have been intriguing) but it was the typical of what's to be found in all the novels with lots of sex scenes (same as the rest, just the names change). Sadly, if you're read one Kleypas historical romance, you've read them all, it's time to find a new author. The contemporary romances at least had characters of more depth and flaws that enabled redemption and some semblance of plot.I had hopes Pandora's character would bring a unique spin on the historical romance yarn but it all turned out to be a carbon copy of every Kleypas romance historical novel: Super Alpha Male who is strong like a Greek god, great in bed, apathetic to…
Cold-hearted RakeCold-hearted Rake, Large Print
by Kleypas, LisaLarge Print - 2015Large Print, 2015
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Holds: 0 on 1 copy
stclare's rating:
Added Oct 30, 2017
stclare's rating:
Added Oct 12, 2017
Comment:
The first two books in the series were good reads but this one falls short. It repeats itself over and over to the point it's not mysterious what's going on, it's annoying. It became to the point of skimming. Grayson's a bit too perfectly understanding, with the characters feeling artificial whereas in past books they had more depth. It was a disappointing 'next' in a series that when reading felt more like the writer had an obligation to get it done on schedule than write a good read.The first two books in the series were good reads but this one falls short. It repeats itself over and over to the point it's not mysterious what's going on, it's annoying. It became to the point of skimming. Grayson's a bit too perfectly…
The ChoiceThe Choice, Book
by Sparks, NicholasBook - 2007Book, 2007
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Holds: 0 on 1 copy
Holds: 0 on 1 copy
Added Feb 09, 2017
Comment:
Just like every other Sparks book.
Married 'til MondayMarried 'til Monday, Large PrintA Chapel Springs Romance
by Hunter, DeniseLarge Print - 2015Large Print, 2015
stclare's rating:
Added Jan 27, 2017
Comment:
While the series of Callahan brothers is an easy read they are also all exact replicas of each other. Abby, Lucy, Eden, Paige are all women with abandonment issues regarding their fathers who fall for a Callahan man (Ryan, Zac, Beau and Riley respectively), rebuffed, in love and then flee, realize what they were missing, only to meet up again in a lackluster end with religious bits shoved in. The carbon copy similarities were disappointing in what could have been a good read but the author fails to do little but repeat the same story line in the series but with a different character's name. Story is also slow and repetitive. Overuse of 'scent of spicy buffalo wings', all the women repeatedly smell like flowers, men repeatedly smell like the woods and their issues are stuck in a loop taking up large sections of the story not moving forward, just spinning in circles. Could have been better than it was.While the series of Callahan brothers is an easy read they are also all exact replicas of each other. Abby, Lucy, Eden, Paige are all women with abandonment issues regarding their fathers who fall for a Callahan man (Ryan, Zac, Beau and Riley…
Falling Like SnowflakesFalling Like Snowflakes, Book
by Hunter, DeniseBook - 2015Book, 2015
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Holds: 0 on 1 copy
stclare's rating:
Added Jan 27, 2017
Comment:
While the series of Callahan brothers is an easy read they are also all exact replicas of each other. Abby, Lucy, Eden, Paige are all women with abandonment issues regarding their fathers who fall for a Callahan man (Ryan, Zac, Beau and Riley respectively), rebuffed, in love and then flee, realize what they were missing, only to meet up again in a lackluster end with religious bits shoved in. The carbon copy similarities were disappointing in what could have been a good read but the author fails to do little but repeat the same story line in the series but with a different character's name. Story is also slow and repetitive. Overuse of 'scent of spicy buffalo wings', all the women repeatedly smell like flowers, men repeatedly smell like the woods and their issues are stuck in a loop taking up large sections of the story not moving forward, just spinning in circles. Could have been better than it was.While the series of Callahan brothers is an easy read they are also all exact replicas of each other. Abby, Lucy, Eden, Paige are all women with abandonment issues regarding their fathers who fall for a Callahan man (Ryan, Zac, Beau and Riley…
The Goodbye BrideThe Goodbye Bride, Book
by Hunter, DeniseBook - 2016Book, 2016
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Holds: 0 on 1 copy
Added Jan 27, 2017
Comment:
While the series of Callahan brothers is an easy read they are also all exact replicas of each other. Abby, Lucy, Eden, Paige are all women with abandonment issues regarding their fathers who fall for a Callahan man (Ryan, Zac, Beau and Riley respectively), rebuffed, in love and then flee, realize what they were missing, only to meet up again in a lackluster end with religious bits shoved in. The carbon copy similarities were disappointing in what could have been a good read but the author fails to do little but repeat the same story line in the series but with a different character's name. Story is also slow and repetitive. Overuse of 'scent of spicy buffalo wings', all the women repeatedly smell like flowers, men repeatedly smell like the woods and their issues are stuck in a loop taking up large sections of the story not moving forward, just spinning in circles. Could have been better than it was.While the series of Callahan brothers is an easy read they are also all exact replicas of each other. Abby, Lucy, Eden, Paige are all women with abandonment issues regarding their fathers who fall for a Callahan man (Ryan, Zac, Beau and Riley…
Just A KissJust A Kiss, Book
by Hunter, DeniseBook - 2016Book, 2016
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stclare's rating:
Added Jan 27, 2017
Comment:
While the series of Callahan brothers is an easy read they are also all exact replicas of each other. Abby, Lucy, Eden, Paige are all women with abandonment issues regarding their fathers who fall for a Callahan man (Ryan, Zac, Beau and Riley respectively), rebuffed, in love and then flee, realize what they were missing, only to meet up again in a lackluster end with religious bits shoved in. The carbon copy similarities were disappointing in what could have been a good read but the author fails to do little but repeat the same story line in the series but with a different character's name. Story is also slow and repetitive. Overuse of 'scent of spicy buffalo wings', all the women repeatedly smell like flowers, men repeatedly smell like the woods and their issues are stuck in a loop taking up large sections of the story not moving forward, just spinning in circles. Could have been better than it was.While the series of Callahan brothers is an easy read they are also all exact replicas of each other. Abby, Lucy, Eden, Paige are all women with abandonment issues regarding their fathers who fall for a Callahan man (Ryan, Zac, Beau and Riley…
stclare's rating:
Added Jan 27, 2017
New OrleansNew Orleans, Unknown
Unknown - 2007Unknown, 2007
Added May 26, 2016
stclare's rating:
Added May 23, 2016
stclare's rating:
Added Apr 27, 2016
Comment:
A quick fun read.
Bing Crosby RediscoveredBing Crosby Rediscovered, Unknown
Unknown - 2014Unknown, 2014
stclare's rating:
Added Apr 13, 2016
stclare's rating:
Added Apr 06, 2016
Comment:
I was very disappointed. I really started skimming thru multiple pages. The sex scenes offered nothing new and got old. Every other paragraph was about how attractive he was. Seriously, we got it - don't have to mention it on every page. The idea that something was going to come up with Nathan is obvious is the first book but instead of making that a focus they just go on dates and have fights and sex. Zzzzzz. There was nothing really interesting about it. I was really hoping she was going to break up with him and go out with Bret and then maybe something interesting might finally happen in that relationship because the Gideon thing got boring. Even Cary got boring. In the first book she was interesting and stood her ground, the second one she was pathetic.I was very disappointed. I really started skimming thru multiple pages. The sex scenes offered nothing new and got old. Every other paragraph was about how attractive he was. Seriously, we got it - don't have to mention it on every page. The…
The Girl on the TrainThe Girl on the Train, Book
by Hawkins, PaulaBook - 2015Book, 2015
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stclare's rating:
Added Apr 05, 2016
Comment:
Reminded me of a Hitchcock film though there's no stellar blonde. Still, it's a fast read and quite captivating. Fun.
stclare's rating:
Added Apr 05, 2016
Comment:
For Sparks, it was okay. Getting Mike & Julie in love as a little too drawn out. The suspense of Richard was enjoyable. Sparks' novels aren't always thrillers and the aspect certainly helped. The latter half of the book was a mess. A third of the way from the end two cop characters are introduced who take up the main story line while the main characters sit on the side lines (in a cabin) while these new characters unfold what's made into more of mystery than it needs to be. Would have preferred the mystery at the end be uncovered along the way by the main characters. Made for an uneven story.For Sparks, it was okay. Getting Mike & Julie in love as a little too drawn out. The suspense of Richard was enjoyable. Sparks' novels aren't always thrillers and the aspect certainly helped. The latter half of the book was a mess. A third of…
Added Apr 05, 2016
Comment:
Bottom line - It could have been better. Too much was a rehash of the first book. Instead of rehashing the same conversations with Ana, what about his individual thoughts after he got home? It would have been a great opportunity for reflections of his past regarding Elena, growing up, anything besides the exact same of Fifty but his thoughts (which were that of a 12 year old and the 'gosh I hope she likes me' comments). Total missed opportunity to do something interesting.Bottom line - It could have been better. Too much was a rehash of the first book. Instead of rehashing the same conversations with Ana, what about his individual thoughts after he got home? It would have been a great opportunity for reflections…
stclare's rating:
Added Apr 04, 2016
Comment:
The Worst of SparksThe book mirrors other of Sparks’ works and for someone who writes easy to read material he lacks originality or the ability to go in a new direction. I’ve read a handful of his books and find them all predictable leaving me with no desire to read more. While his writing style is easy to read I’m bored of reading the same set up: small town North Carolina, the female and male lead always ‘age well’, the female lead always has mother issues and of course, but it’s nothing the man can’t fix because he’s always just a tad better than her, and someone is always going to die - more often than not there’s going to be a ghost or a letter. This book manages to recycle a few of his own books, an accident at the ‘bend in the road’ and the rich girl and boy from the n’er do well family recycles the Notebook. Instead Amanda, the female lead spends most of the time in the book with her internal thoughts while Dawson’s character is flat, thinking of how he has little to offer in life but does little to change it and pines for two decades of the same girl - not uncommon for Sparks’ men. This leaves the characters with little interest as to why one would care for them and leaves the reader with an abundance of dull internal thoughts to skim over, making the book a faster read - which helps (skimming). Ultimately Amanda’s mother is right, she is selfish. At the time of reading you don’t want to think that, but in the end (which is another point) the story is about satisfying Amanda’s happiness, everyone will sacrifice (even their lives) to make Amanda happy (because she’s not going to do it herself.) In the end, ugh, Sparks tends to fail at endings. I don’t know if he loses interest and wants to move to another project by the time he gets to the end but it feels either rushed or anti-climactic. As is not uncommon for Sparks’ books, new characters get introduced in the last fourth of the book, characters we’re just meeting and have no reason to care about who take up a large section of the book when we should be wrapping up the characters we have invested so much time with.The Worst of SparksThe book mirrors other of Sparks’ works and for someone who writes easy to read material he lacks originality or the ability to go in a new direction. I’ve read a handful of his books and find them all predictable leaving me with…
Code Name VerityCode Name Verity, Book
by Wein, ElizabethBook - 2012Book, 2012
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stclare's rating:
Added Mar 30, 2016
Where's Amelia Earhart?Where's Amelia Earhart?, Unknown
Unknown - 2009Unknown, 2009
stclare's rating:
Added Mar 24, 2016
stclare's rating:
Added Mar 24, 2016
Comment:
Can't picture a sexy man named Gideon, sounds like a troll. The compassions to Fifty Shakes are obvious. Eva/Ana have some differences when Eva doesn't spend all her time blushing and blanching. The characters are more equally weathered and Cary is a far better roommate than what's her name in Fifty. Still it gets old a pretty quick when it's the same scenes, she runs, he runs after her, they gloss over everything with sex and are genuinely surprised when they're fighting again. Shocking. ;>Can't picture a sexy man named Gideon, sounds like a troll. The compassions to Fifty Shakes are obvious. Eva/Ana have some differences when Eva doesn't spend all her time blushing and blanching. The characters are more equally weathered and Cary…
Anatomy of A Food AddictionAnatomy of A Food Addiction, UnknownThe Brain Chemistry of Overeating : An Effective Program to Overcome Compulsive Eating
by Katherine, AnneUnknown - 1996Unknown, 1996
stclare's rating:
Added Mar 24, 2016
Howard HughesHoward Hughes, UnknownThe Real Aviator
Unknown - 2004Unknown, 2004
stclare's rating:
Added Mar 24, 2016
Freedom From AddictionFreedom From Addiction, UnknownThe Chopra Center Method for Overcoming Destructive Habits
by Simon, DavidUnknown - 2007Unknown, 2007
stclare's rating:
Added Mar 24, 2016
Comment: