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1.91 AVERAGE
1.91 AVERAGE
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skimmer just didn't work for me. I started reading with an open mind, especially since the description made the book seem promising; however, the actual content didn’t match what I was expecting—and not in a good way. Based on my experience with the book, I would give it a score of 0.25 out of 5 stars.
One of the reasons I deducted a star is because the characters fell flat and lacked growth or development, which made it hard to care about them or find them memorable. Another reason I deducted a star is that many of the African American characters came across as stereotypical, which was disappointing—especially for a historical fiction novel that partially takes place during the Civil Rights Movement and afterward. I do appreciate that the author attempted to write from a different perspective, but there were clear inaccuracies. Overall, the portrayals didn’t feel respectful or well-researched.
The plot was another issue, which was yet another reason I deducted a star. It felt disjointed and hard to follow, with several scenes seemingly added just for shock value. Some historical facts were included, but they felt randomly inserted and didn’t serve the story in a meaningful way. I also found the point of view switches to be jarring—they often happened abruptly, without clear transitions or announcements, which made the reading experience more confusing. I know this can be a stylistic choice, but personally, it didn’t work for me. The sex scenes—though occasionally tied to the plot—were awkwardly written and felt unnecessary. The final star was deducted because the ending felt abrupt and rushed, and the romance introduced near the end came off as forced and unearned, rather than a natural conclusion to the characters’ arcs.
One of the biggest letdowns was that the book's description didn’t accurately represent its content. Much of what was previewed in the description doesn't happen until well past the halfway point, which left me feeling misled.
That said, the editing was solid. I only noticed a few minor grammatical errors toward the second half of the book, and they were minimal. It's clear there was effort put into polishing the final draft. Unfortunately, that's the only strong point I can highlight.
This book had potential, but for me, it missed the mark in several important areas.
One of the reasons I deducted a star is because the characters fell flat and lacked growth or development, which made it hard to care about them or find them memorable. Another reason I deducted a star is that many of the African American characters came across as stereotypical, which was disappointing—especially for a historical fiction novel that partially takes place during the Civil Rights Movement and afterward. I do appreciate that the author attempted to write from a different perspective, but there were clear inaccuracies. Overall, the portrayals didn’t feel respectful or well-researched.
The plot was another issue, which was yet another reason I deducted a star. It felt disjointed and hard to follow, with several scenes seemingly added just for shock value. Some historical facts were included, but they felt randomly inserted and didn’t serve the story in a meaningful way. I also found the point of view switches to be jarring—they often happened abruptly, without clear transitions or announcements, which made the reading experience more confusing. I know this can be a stylistic choice, but personally, it didn’t work for me. The sex scenes—though occasionally tied to the plot—were awkwardly written and felt unnecessary. The final star was deducted because the ending felt abrupt and rushed, and the romance introduced near the end came off as forced and unearned, rather than a natural conclusion to the characters’ arcs.
One of the biggest letdowns was that the book's description didn’t accurately represent its content. Much of what was previewed in the description doesn't happen until well past the halfway point, which left me feeling misled.
That said, the editing was solid. I only noticed a few minor grammatical errors toward the second half of the book, and they were minimal. It's clear there was effort put into polishing the final draft. Unfortunately, that's the only strong point I can highlight.
This book had potential, but for me, it missed the mark in several important areas.
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy
Minor: Fatphobia, Death of parent
Terrible. Avoid
slow-paced
Absolutely awful. Terrible, disjointed writing. Conversations that didn’t make sense and seemed to move all over the place. Unlikeable characters. Just the worst.
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I wrote this review for Onlinebook club for compensation. Would have dnf if I didn't need to read the whole book.
The premise of this book was intriguing. I found the first scene a bit clunky but it was a good hook. The author seemed to be setting up several interesting characters and stories.
It also felt like the book was going to use historical events to frame the story. Unfortunately the historical ties were simply random historical fun facts the characters gave. Everytime a character brought up a historical figure or event it felt more like the author bragging then connecting to the story. This gimmick became annoying very quickly.
The pacing of the story was difficult to follow. An hour would take up several pages and then we would skip several years or weeks in a paragraph.
The plot meandered. There is nothing that really happened in the book outside of the blurb. This also could be why the tone felt so off. Was this historical fiction, a coming of age story, romance, or a thriller? It tried to be everything which left me frustrated and distracted.
The characters felt one dimensional. We were constantly reminded that Vanessa was the most beautiful orphan ever. All the characters felt like caricatures, especially in the second half of the book. There was nothing to like about any of them. Except maybe Trish who was fun and had a distinct voice but still felt like a typical "best friend" who has no life outside the main character. I'm baffled by the love story. There was no chemistry and the reader was just told how much they loved each other. But they barely had a connection.
The sexual content was very awkwardly written. Then there were a few sexual assault scenes that were given unnecessary and upsetting details.
Overall, I wish that the characters were fleshed out, the story focused on a shorter time frame and that the author would show and not tell. Out of five stars this is a one star book. The plethora of problems made it a difficult read.
The premise of this book was intriguing. I found the first scene a bit clunky but it was a good hook. The author seemed to be setting up several interesting characters and stories.
It also felt like the book was going to use historical events to frame the story. Unfortunately the historical ties were simply random historical fun facts the characters gave. Everytime a character brought up a historical figure or event it felt more like the author bragging then connecting to the story. This gimmick became annoying very quickly.
The pacing of the story was difficult to follow. An hour would take up several pages and then we would skip several years or weeks in a paragraph.
The plot meandered. There is nothing that really happened in the book outside of the blurb. This also could be why the tone felt so off. Was this historical fiction, a coming of age story, romance, or a thriller? It tried to be everything which left me frustrated and distracted.
The characters felt one dimensional. We were constantly reminded that Vanessa was the most beautiful orphan ever. All the characters felt like caricatures, especially in the second half of the book. There was nothing to like about any of them. Except maybe Trish who was fun and had a distinct voice but still felt like a typical "best friend" who has no life outside the main character. I'm baffled by the love story. There was no chemistry and the reader was just told how much they loved each other. But they barely had a connection.
The sexual content was very awkwardly written. Then there were a few sexual assault scenes that were given unnecessary and upsetting details.
Overall, I wish that the characters were fleshed out, the story focused on a shorter time frame and that the author would show and not tell. Out of five stars this is a one star book. The plethora of problems made it a difficult read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Police brutality, Medical content, Abortion, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Classism
TL;DR: I really wish I could give this book negative stars.
I was really looking forward to Deceptive Calm, but unfortunately, it ended up being a major disappointment. The book tries to juggle too many genres—romance, thriller, historical fiction, and women’s fiction—and ends up falling short on all fronts.
The story follows a young woman named Vanessa, a light-skinned Black woman who, after a series of events, decides her best chance at a better future is to pass as white. She changes her identity, gets a job, marries, and even has a child without ever revealing her true race. The premise sounded compelling, which is what initially drew me in—but the execution just didn’t live up to the potential.
One of the biggest issues was the pacing. The book opens with an overwhelming amount of historical background, delivered in long, textbook-like sections. Much of it is delivered through a nun who seems to exist solely to dump information, and this drags on for at least the first hundred pages. Rather than weaving the historical context naturally into the story, it felt like I was reading a history lecture. Even small events, most of which are already covered in the book’s summary, are stretched out unnecessarily and consume a large chunk of the book.
Later on, Vanessa becomes a reporter, but this shift introduces an overload of technical jargon and details that felt tedious and unnecessary. The central plot——doesn’t even surface until around 60% of the way in. That storyline wraps up quickly, in about 15 pages. Honestly, about half the book could be cut and replaced with deeper, more meaningful plot development.
Another weak point is Vanessa’s best friend, Trisha. Despite being framed as a major character, she adds very little to the story. We get page after page about her life, but it never amounts to anything significant or gives us insight into her relevance.
I also had a major issue with the graphic, explicit scenes involving Vanessa’s abusive husband. While they were clearly intended to showcase his abuse, they came across as vulgar and unnecessary, especially since they didn’t contribute meaningfully to the narrative.
On top of that, the grammar throughout the book was sloppy. There was at least one mistake in nearly every paragraph. Combined with characters speaking in heavy dialects and slang, it made the book difficult to read and follow.
To be fair, the core premise had promise, and the overall plot had the potential to be powerful and thought-provoking. But it needed far more polish and tighter storytelling to pull it off.
I wouldn’t recommend Deceptive Calm to anyone looking for a well-written, engaging, or emotionally resonant read. It was honestly one of the worst books I’ve ever read. It tries to do too much—and ends up doing none of it well.
I was really looking forward to Deceptive Calm, but unfortunately, it ended up being a major disappointment. The book tries to juggle too many genres—romance, thriller, historical fiction, and women’s fiction—and ends up falling short on all fronts.
The story follows a young woman named Vanessa, a light-skinned Black woman who, after a series of events, decides her best chance at a better future is to pass as white. She changes her identity, gets a job, marries, and even has a child without ever revealing her true race. The premise sounded compelling, which is what initially drew me in—but the execution just didn’t live up to the potential.
One of the biggest issues was the pacing. The book opens with an overwhelming amount of historical background, delivered in long, textbook-like sections. Much of it is delivered through a nun who seems to exist solely to dump information, and this drags on for at least the first hundred pages. Rather than weaving the historical context naturally into the story, it felt like I was reading a history lecture. Even small events, most of which are already covered in the book’s summary, are stretched out unnecessarily and consume a large chunk of the book.
Later on, Vanessa becomes a reporter, but this shift introduces an overload of technical jargon and details that felt tedious and unnecessary. The central plot—
Spoiler
the conflict with her father-in-law, who tries to kill herAnother weak point is Vanessa’s best friend, Trisha. Despite being framed as a major character, she adds very little to the story. We get page after page about her life, but it never amounts to anything significant or gives us insight into her relevance.
I also had a major issue with the graphic, explicit scenes involving Vanessa’s abusive husband. While they were clearly intended to showcase his abuse, they came across as vulgar and unnecessary, especially since they didn’t contribute meaningfully to the narrative.
On top of that, the grammar throughout the book was sloppy. There was at least one mistake in nearly every paragraph. Combined with characters speaking in heavy dialects and slang, it made the book difficult to read and follow.
To be fair, the core premise had promise, and the overall plot had the potential to be powerful and thought-provoking. But it needed far more polish and tighter storytelling to pull it off.
I wouldn’t recommend Deceptive Calm to anyone looking for a well-written, engaging, or emotionally resonant read. It was honestly one of the worst books I’ve ever read. It tries to do too much—and ends up doing none of it well.
TL;DR: I really wish I could give this book negative stars.
I was really looking forward to Deceptive Calm, but unfortunately, it ended up being a major disappointment. The book tries to juggle too many genres—romance, thriller, historical fiction, and women’s fiction—and ends up falling short on all fronts.
The story follows a young woman named Vanessa, a light-skinned Black woman who, after a series of events, decides her best chance at a better future is to pass as white. She changes her identity, gets a job, marries, and even has a child without ever revealing her true race. The premise sounded compelling, which is what initially drew me in—but the execution just didn’t live up to the potential.
One of the biggest issues was the pacing. The book opens with an overwhelming amount of historical background, delivered in long, textbook-like sections. Much of it is delivered through a nun who seems to exist solely to dump information, and this drags on for at least the first hundred pages. Rather than weaving the historical context naturally into the story, it felt like I was reading a history lecture. Even small events, most of which are already covered in the book’s summary, are stretched out unnecessarily and consume a large chunk of the book.
Later on, Vanessa becomes a reporter, but this shift introduces an overload of technical jargon and details that felt tedious and unnecessary. The central plot——doesn’t even surface until around 60% of the way in. That storyline wraps up quickly, in about 15 pages. Honestly, about half the book could be cut and replaced with deeper, more meaningful plot development.
Another weak point is Vanessa’s best friend, Trisha. Despite being framed as a major character, she adds very little to the story. We get page after page about her life, but it never amounts to anything significant or gives us insight into her relevance.
I also had a major issue with the graphic, explicit scenes involving Vanessa’s abusive husband. While they were clearly intended to showcase his abuse, they came across as vulgar and unnecessary, especially since they didn’t contribute meaningfully to the narrative.
On top of that, the grammar throughout the book was sloppy. There was at least one mistake in nearly every paragraph. Combined with characters speaking in heavy dialects and slang, it made the book difficult to read and follow.
To be fair, the core premise had promise, and the overall plot had the potential to be powerful and thought-provoking. But it needed far more polish and tighter storytelling to pull it off.
I wouldn’t recommend Deceptive Calm to anyone looking for a well-written, engaging, or emotionally resonant read. It was honestly one of the worst books I’ve ever read. It tries to do too much—and ends up doing none of it well.
I was really looking forward to Deceptive Calm, but unfortunately, it ended up being a major disappointment. The book tries to juggle too many genres—romance, thriller, historical fiction, and women’s fiction—and ends up falling short on all fronts.
The story follows a young woman named Vanessa, a light-skinned Black woman who, after a series of events, decides her best chance at a better future is to pass as white. She changes her identity, gets a job, marries, and even has a child without ever revealing her true race. The premise sounded compelling, which is what initially drew me in—but the execution just didn’t live up to the potential.
One of the biggest issues was the pacing. The book opens with an overwhelming amount of historical background, delivered in long, textbook-like sections. Much of it is delivered through a nun who seems to exist solely to dump information, and this drags on for at least the first hundred pages. Rather than weaving the historical context naturally into the story, it felt like I was reading a history lecture. Even small events, most of which are already covered in the book’s summary, are stretched out unnecessarily and consume a large chunk of the book.
Later on, Vanessa becomes a reporter, but this shift introduces an overload of technical jargon and details that felt tedious and unnecessary. The central plot—
Spoiler
the conflict with her father-in-law, who tries to kill herAnother weak point is Vanessa’s best friend, Trisha. Despite being framed as a major character, she adds very little to the story. We get page after page about her life, but it never amounts to anything significant or gives us insight into her relevance.
I also had a major issue with the graphic, explicit scenes involving Vanessa’s abusive husband. While they were clearly intended to showcase his abuse, they came across as vulgar and unnecessary, especially since they didn’t contribute meaningfully to the narrative.
On top of that, the grammar throughout the book was sloppy. There was at least one mistake in nearly every paragraph. Combined with characters speaking in heavy dialects and slang, it made the book difficult to read and follow.
To be fair, the core premise had promise, and the overall plot had the potential to be powerful and thought-provoking. But it needed far more polish and tighter storytelling to pull it off.
I wouldn’t recommend Deceptive Calm to anyone looking for a well-written, engaging, or emotionally resonant read. It was honestly one of the worst books I’ve ever read. It tries to do too much—and ends up doing none of it well.