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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Trafficking
Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's rare for a book to make me cry, but this one did, and for all the best reasons. I have thoroughly enjoyed the entire Collector series, but this one was extra special because of how well I could relate to Mercedes. Hutchison brings characters to life in a way that few writers can accomplish. They are real people, reacting to extraordinary and mundane situations the way I'd expect real people to react. It's refreshing and makes the events of this book hit that much harder. I can't wait to read more from this amazing writer!
I still really liked this story, but it was difficult to get through at times and stay with the story.
The change of name for Bliss to Victoria-Bliss was also confusing and irrelevant I felt. And the constant washing off of makeup in every single chapter was a little repetitive.
Overall it was another great read by this author and I absolutely love the unique and captivating stories she writes.
The change of name for Bliss to Victoria-Bliss was also confusing and irrelevant I felt. And the constant washing off of makeup in every single chapter was a little repetitive.
Overall it was another great read by this author and I absolutely love the unique and captivating stories she writes.
The Summer Children is hard to review as the third in The Butterfly Garden series. I honestly wish The Butterfly Garden had remained a stand alone novel and not a trilogy. The Butterfly Garden brought the reader deep into the lives of the victims and I felt their terror and horror and felt deep compassion. It was a book unlike any I've ever read. I read Roses of May (the second in the series) and thought it was good, but really strayed from what made The Butterfly Garden great. The Summer Children focused mostly on the FBI agents who were just all too perfect and chummy buds who had sleepovers all the time. What the heck was that all about? This is a character-driven novel, but I just found the characters too unrealistic and the crimes just kept piling up to the point I couldn't even keep the names of the victims straight. so I mostly just wanted the book to end. I can't give The Summer Children less than three stars because of Dot Hutchison's writing, but I have to say I'm glad I'm finally done reading this book.
Also, can anyone tell me why the trilogy is called The Collector? The Collector was only in book one. He's not at all tied to the other two books in the trilogy.
Also, can anyone tell me why the trilogy is called The Collector? The Collector was only in book one. He's not at all tied to the other two books in the trilogy.
Another hauntingly beautiful book in this series. This series is dark and raw in the best way. Can’t wait to read book 4
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Disclaimer: This review contains my thoughts on the series as a WHOLE, with notes about individual books.
This was one of the most impactful series I've ever read.
Hits:
- From the writing to the storytelling, each book had a different way of captivating me.
- I enjoyed the way each story was told. The first two books do not have chapters, which threw me off initially; however, the more I read, the more I didn't mind it. Moreover, the first two books contain long sections that switch between two POVs. Though the setup was different than what I'm used to, I feel it worked for the stories being told.
- The writing in this series was very raw. From sadness to anger to disgust, each story took me through various emotions and hit me right in the gut. Throughout reading, I was left stuck multiple times, staring at the wall and reflecting.
- The one thing that really stood out to me in this series is how Hutchison covered every layer of the topic focused on in each book, including ones I didn't even consider. Specifically, in book 1, there were things highlighted that I didn't even consider about the topic until it was discussed in depth by one of the characters. This led to some deep reflection, which put many things into perspective regarding the subject(s) at hand.
- I could definitely see this series being on television, specifically because it highlights critical real-world issues impacting society today. I feel it did very well with putting things into perspective and bringing awareness to the problems each book shed light on.
Misses:
- Books 2-4 didn't stick with me as much as book 1 did. Moreover, I don't feel any of the other books held a candle to book one.
- My least favorite out of the series was book 4. Though I feel it did wrap up the series well and provide closure, there were a lot of moments where we got long tangents about things that we either already knew or were just redundant and said before in a different way. It made the story drag, and I was left rushing to get through it just so I could move on. In addition, there was some romance, and as a personal preference, I do not enjoy it in thrillers.
Overall:
I enjoyed my experience with this series, and it's one that I will forever think about.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced