Anyway...I'm really ticked about this book. I know it's fiction, so why is it bugging me? Here's the gist: A female detective has reached rock bottom because she's lost everything after blowing the whistle on her partner/lover because he faked a confession from a suspect in the murder of a little girl, and the wrongly accused man kills himself. The mother of the child acted very suspiciously at the time. The detective, and the woman's husband, suspect she might have ben involved. Time goes by and the detective is literally homeless when the child's father locates her and begs her to help find the real killer. She moves in with him, begins searching for the truth, and finds it. She and the father of the little girl become lovers.
The issues...
Almost everyone in the story was involved in the little girl's death; the former partner/lover, the mother of the child, the FATHER of the child, AND the protagonist's SISTER and, indirectly, the protagonist's brother-in-law. The book never explained why the child's father would take the detective off the streets, give her a home, and convince her to investigate his daughter's death, since he was behind it. And, rather than redeeming herself at the end, the protagonist, after learning her sister was involved, blackmails her sister and says if she will give her $50,000 dollars to start a new life, and let her take her niece (criminal sister's daughter), she'll disappear. That's the way it ends. So...the sister, the child's mother, and the child's father get away scot free after being involved in the murder of a child. (The mother has another child at home, but she 'likes' this one, so he's probably safe) The former partner/lover is in prison already for his part in the fake confession, but he won't serve as much time as he would have if he were found guilty of the little girl's death. The brother-in-law was killed by detective's sister. Oh yes, and detective's sister and father of dead child were lovers. Which also makes no sense. The detective could have blown the lid off their crime/operation and redeemed herself and gotten her job back. The whole crime was perpetrated for money. The father took out a $5,000,000 life insurance policy on his child. Which, in itself, is a huge red flag, and would never fly. There were some other things, like how the evidence was uncovered, which had me rolling my eyes, but I won't bore you further with all of that. :)
I am never tempted to give a bad review if a book is simply boring or poorly written. But, this book was good, and I was invested and engaged, and the end totally screwed it up for me. Maybe the author thought he was being clever in having so many twists, but they were unbelievable twists, and they only served to ruin the novel.
Hmmm...I suppose now I HAVE shared my feelings, and maybe I can move on. :)
What about you? Do you ever post negative book reviews?
The picture accurately describes my feelings about the book from what you wrote. I don't give poor reviews. I once or twice gave a 3-star. I adhere to the old adage, if you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all. (Wish I could follow that in real life. LOL) My rationale is that most writers work really hard to complete a book. Maybe other people will love it. Maybe it's me. If a book is poorly written or an eye-roller, I won't even finish it. Same if it's boring. There are too many good books waiting for me to read.
ReplyDeleteBTW, have you read the reviews of this book yet?
I think you hit on the right reasoning...the author thought a convoluted plot equaled clever. Instead, it turned an interesting premise into an unbelievable mess. I worry sometimes when I think I've got too many twists going. They really do have to be believable. As for reviews, I don't leave bad ones. Why make someone feel bad when you don't have to?
ReplyDeleteDiane, yes, so true. I don't finish those books either. That's one reason I was so steamed about this one. I was invested and I did finish. The author highly disappointed me. Yes, I have read the reviews. Most were glowing. Only a few bad ones, and they did touch on the issues with the ending. I also keep thinking of plot holes. Sheesh, such a mess. And this guy is mega successful
ReplyDeleteYes, Jannine. That's what I'm thinking. I worry about that too. Simple is better, I think. I definitely don't want to make an author feel bad. This author probably doesn't read his reviews, he's quite successful and had many, many reviews. Mostly positive.
ReplyDeleteAlicia, I hope writing to us about the damn book helped you. I've decided if I can't give a 4 or 5 I don't review it. Nice principal but it won't help with the pickle I'm in right now. I'm supposed to lead a book discussion a month...books written by our group. I think I'd have to give this first one a 3.5...a rating not allowed...so I won't review it. I've decided I'll lead the discussion with 'what people liked' about the book and hold off on any criticism. Critique AFTER the book has been published is REALLY tough.
ReplyDeleteThat's a tough one, Rolynn. Ugh, Alicia. That is one convoluted book and I hope I never pick it up. I'm reading a famous author's book right now and I won't say who but her initials are NR. I'm normally entertained but this time she is trying to impress with how much she learned about training dogs. I literally skimmed a whole chapter about a session that added zip to the plot. She's also getting away with a lot of stuff lesser known writers are not allowed to do. I am tempted to write her a bad review. Her fans should know to steer clear of this one. But I won't.
ReplyDeleteI never, ever, ever, post a bad review or anything under a 3, because it's hard enough on authors to promote their books in this glutted free book world. If I can't give it a decent review, I don't review it at all. It could even lead to revenge reviews of your own work..
ReplyDeleteThat does sound like one mess of an ending...In fact, I could have dreamed it up!! :-) I hope it helped to air some of your grievances, and he'll (most probably!) never know how you feel.
ReplyDeleteI remember when hubby and I went searching to buy our first home. The realtor said no matter how much of a dump you think a house is, someone else will come along and love it, or at least see potential. "There's a buyer for every house," or something like that.
I'm not sure I believe that with every book, but sometimes it seems like that! Still, I never leave bad reviews. My goal in writing a review is to tell others what books I like, not tear down the ones I don't.
Great topic!
I won't leave a bad review either for the same reasons as all of you but that book sounds awful Alicia.
ReplyDeleteGood luck and God's blessings
PamT
I won't leave a bad review. I've gotten my fair share and know how it feels. Sometimes you do learn about your weaknesses and sometimes it wounds you so badly you doubt yourself as a writer. Knowing how hard it is to finish a book, I cut other writers slack. If the book is bad, I simply delete it from my Kindle.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading a Sparks book now and dealing with his head hopping from one paragraph to the next and insta-love declaration that hit me like a bucket of cold water. Yet he is adored by readers. I'm not sure he can be put in the romance genre...perhaps he's created his own.
The plot of the book you described sounded too convoluted for me. My head would be spinning. And I've been told my plot are too heavy...kinda like my hips, I suppose. Great post, Alicia.
Heavens, that is a lot of twists and a very dark story. I would imagine I'd have a hard time liking it, as well. I usually don't leave bad reviews because they are, after all, only my opinion. Many times I've said poor things about a book I didn't like, then another person comes along who sees it differently. Usually, I can see that person's point. This is what usually keeps me from posting a bad review. I wasn't a fan of The Hunger Games, and my opinion, while still mine, was wrong at certain parts. But, gosh, sometimes I really want to write a review for books I don't like.
ReplyDeleteJust read a NY Times best seller that I would give a mediocre review at best. From the cover to the end, it irritated. Cover shows 3 women w/arms linked. Book flap reveals the women are tied by WWII - though in different parts of the world. NO interaction until the last 1/10th of the book. Many opportunities for dramatic suspense missed. Too many coincidences to believe. GAH! Well, now I feel better. thanks for posting and enabling my catharsis.
ReplyDeleteWhat a complicated, frustrating story! I hate investing my time with a book to have it end up making me crazy! 😹
ReplyDeleteI never give a bad reviews, though. If I can't give at least 3 stars I leave it alone.
I never would have made it anywhere near the end of that book, but I don't leave bad reviews, either. My rule is at least four stars, or I keep my opinion to myself.
ReplyDeleteRolynn - I feel for you. That IS tough. Yes, actually, it did help to tell you all about it. :) I absolutely will not give it a bad review. Thinking about it, I don't even want to. I just want to discuss, which I did, LOL. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteBrenda...I think I cracked your code. ;) I don't care for any of her books that I've tried to read, but it's apparent, many, many people disagree with me. To each his or her own, right? I'm glad I'm not the only one tempted to leave bad reviews, but who also resists the temptation! :)
That is so true, Elizabeth. With all the free books, it's difficult to give our work value, isn't it? Nope, I won't leave a bad review either, but for me, bad reviews do not keep me from trying a book, since ALL books that have very many reviews have some bad ones. Thanks for visiting!
Yeah, it was a real disappointment. I was engaged until the awful ending. No, he will never know how I felt about it, because in spite of my summation, I will not, cannot, bring myself to give it a bad review. Ha, that realtor was correct. This book only had a few bad reviews, and pretty much all of them hated the ending. Some hated the protagonist. I didn't, I like flawed characters, but at the end, I hated her.
Pamela, yes, it was. Well, it was good up until the end. :/
Yes, Vonnie. I wouldn't want to make an author feel bad. I have had my share of bad reviews, for sure. :) I honestly don't mind a bad review, but if course, we'd all rather everyone love us. I agree about Sparks. I like the movies more than I do the books, partly because of the head-hopping and partly because they do fall in love way too easily. At least the movies don't take as long. :) I heard he doesn't consider himself romance, so maybe that's why. Thanks so much!!
Hi Kara...yes, well, reviews ARE just opinions, and we have the right to have them. And to share them, but as authors, I feel we should be a little more careful and sensitive about slamming other authors' books, even when we're tempted. :) I did not like The Hunger Games either. You aren't wrong, because whatever you didn't like about it is your opinion, and you are welcome to feel it. :) Thanks for stopping by!
Wow, Susan. That does sound like a disappointment. Yes, it's therapeutic to vent a little, even if we don't do so in a review. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, Darcy, so frustrating. I agree. I usually don't give less than 4 stars. Although, sometimes I dip down to 3.
Agreed, Alison. Yeah, it was tough going there at the end. :)
Definitely a believer in "if you can't say something nice..." Sounds like a very frustrating book. One reason I like romance is that it leaves me feeling good. Why read something that is going to leave me angry or upset. There's enough of that in real life--why find it in fiction?
ReplyDeleteMy initial reaction was so sorry you wasted your time, but then again maybe you learned something. That plot, and all the twists involved does sound like a mess. Author convenience at best. What a horrible topic to base an entire book on. IMHO anyway.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Diane. Although, I like suspense, even without romance, because usually, the bad guys all get their comeuppance, and the hero/heroine grows and/or is admirable. Not so with this one.
ReplyDeleteYes, Margo. I learned something, never to read another of his books, LOL. :)