Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
This was such a good read, just like the others in the series, just like a Criminal Minds episode on paper. Absolutely loved it and would 100% recommend to anyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Child abuse
Years after the last case, the team is back and this time the case is hitting too close to home. Melanie Ramirez has been with the team since the beginning but soon has blooded children showing up at her doorstep knowing her full name. The “Angel” has saved them from their home lives and gave the children to Ramirez because they know she will help. Now the team must go back through cases they’ve helped with to discover their ties to this mysterious Angel before they kill another family again.
While I LOVED the first two books in the series, this book was really good!! I love that with each book you get an in-depth look into a different member of the team. Ramirez was very much a side character in the last two books so I really enjoyed getting to know her better! The villain was difficult to guess and the case really kept you on the edge of your seat
While I LOVED the first two books in the series, this book was really good!! I love that with each book you get an in-depth look into a different member of the team. Ramirez was very much a side character in the last two books so I really enjoyed getting to know her better! The villain was difficult to guess and the case really kept you on the edge of your seat
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
I've really enjoyed all three of these books. The author lays it on a bit thick with all the stuff about how the characters are family -- after awhile you're like "okay! we get it!" But the characters are likable and compelling, and the mystery aspect is well done. All three are good, but The Butterfly Garden is still my favorite.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Simplemente maravilloso, la serie de libros se vuelve mi lugar seguro de relectura.
If I could, I would give this book 0.5 stars. The Butterfly Garden was so great, so fantastic to read I promised myself I would read the whole trilogy. Roses of May was worse but still readable (I left a review for that one too). But what the hell was this book?
First of all, let me say that the story had great potential from start to finish, but it was not used at all. And what I complained about in my Roses of May review exponentially grew here. Sometimes it felt like a teenager writing fanfiction wrote this novel, and because I know what the author can do, it was even more disappointing.
Humour, I cannot get past the humour. For example: Stearling sneaking up on Eddison and scaring him wasn't too funny the first time, why does it need to be repeated at least 6 times in the book? Another example is present in the last two books, the fact that anytime a possibility that a woman could hang out with the already present female characters, the next sentense is sure to be "Poor Eddison." On top of that, Eddison in particular seems to be a completely different character than people who know him very well think he is.
But let's get more general and think about the book as a whole. Comparing all the main characters from the first book and the third. In the first, Inara and Bliss were lovable; compassionate and strong. In this one, they are just annoying and one-dimentional - Bliss is an angry bitch with a heart and Inara is a stoic with a heart who has warmed to her 'family'. Apparently we are calling victims family now. And the policemen? I mentioned Eddison, Vic is just a daddy shaddow on a page, and Romiras? All of a sudden she speaks Spanglish, which is written so unbelievably it is hardly worthy of an eye-roll. She and Eddison now suddenly speak it and address each other as hermano/a. Stearling is suddenly on the team (not going into that) and they all have teenage girl sleepovers.
In short, this book made me angry from the beginning and I only read it because I promised myself to finish the trilogy and because despite everything, I wanted to know what will happen to the fantastic characters from The Garden. But in all honesty, my opinion is that the book is very lazily written.
First of all, let me say that the story had great potential from start to finish, but it was not used at all. And what I complained about in my Roses of May review exponentially grew here. Sometimes it felt like a teenager writing fanfiction wrote this novel, and because I know what the author can do, it was even more disappointing.
Humour, I cannot get past the humour. For example: Stearling sneaking up on Eddison and scaring him wasn't too funny the first time, why does it need to be repeated at least 6 times in the book? Another example is present in the last two books, the fact that anytime a possibility that a woman could hang out with the already present female characters, the next sentense is sure to be "Poor Eddison." On top of that, Eddison in particular seems to be a completely different character than people who know him very well think he is.
But let's get more general and think about the book as a whole. Comparing all the main characters from the first book and the third. In the first, Inara and Bliss were lovable; compassionate and strong. In this one, they are just annoying and one-dimentional - Bliss is an angry bitch with a heart and Inara is a stoic with a heart who has warmed to her 'family'. Apparently we are calling victims family now. And the policemen? I mentioned Eddison, Vic is just a daddy shaddow on a page, and Romiras? All of a sudden she speaks Spanglish, which is written so unbelievably it is hardly worthy of an eye-roll. She and Eddison now suddenly speak it and address each other as hermano/a. Stearling is suddenly on the team (not going into that) and they all have teenage girl sleepovers.
In short, this book made me angry from the beginning and I only read it because I promised myself to finish the trilogy and because despite everything, I wanted to know what will happen to the fantastic characters from The Garden. But in all honesty, my opinion is that the book is very lazily written.
4.5 stars
The Summer Children is the third story in the collector series. This book can be read out of order but note that there are references to the other novels that can spoil the other stories.
I know I’ve practically said this in all of the stories in this series... this story can be ripped out of the headlines. This particular novel hit me hard as it involved children. Unlike the other two stories, this villain seemed to have good intentions at heart until all good intention go awry.
This story focuses on agent Ramirez and the reasons why she became an FBI agent for the crimes against children department. While the story was great, there were a few things that bothered me... because this novel focuses on Ramirez, we got to know her story, like I mentioned before. What caught me off guard and was a bit annoying in the overuse was the fact that she would randomly start speaking in Spanish. I understand that this can be a thing... heck, I’m guilty of doing this myself when my emotions get the better of me. What was worse was that she would break out in fullness conversations with Eddison in Spanish... this particular action was disconcerting since it never occurred in HIS novel and their many interactions. If this was a thing they did, it would have been nice for the continuation or introduction of this habit.
Other than that, it was a really great series not for the faint of heart. If you’re a fan of law and order, you will enjoy this series and the characters of this story. I really liked how the victims of the other stories formed friendships and found ways to cope despite the tragic events in their lives.
~enjoy
The Summer Children is the third story in the collector series. This book can be read out of order but note that there are references to the other novels that can spoil the other stories.
I know I’ve practically said this in all of the stories in this series... this story can be ripped out of the headlines. This particular novel hit me hard as it involved children. Unlike the other two stories, this villain seemed to have good intentions at heart until all good intention go awry.
This story focuses on agent Ramirez and the reasons why she became an FBI agent for the crimes against children department. While the story was great, there were a few things that bothered me... because this novel focuses on Ramirez, we got to know her story, like I mentioned before. What caught me off guard and was a bit annoying in the overuse was the fact that she would randomly start speaking in Spanish. I understand that this can be a thing... heck, I’m guilty of doing this myself when my emotions get the better of me. What was worse was that she would break out in fullness conversations with Eddison in Spanish... this particular action was disconcerting since it never occurred in HIS novel and their many interactions. If this was a thing they did, it would have been nice for the continuation or introduction of this habit.
Other than that, it was a really great series not for the faint of heart. If you’re a fan of law and order, you will enjoy this series and the characters of this story. I really liked how the victims of the other stories formed friendships and found ways to cope despite the tragic events in their lives.
~enjoy
In book number 3, the storyline much more closely follows the life of the third FBI agent, originally introduced in the Butterfly Garden, than it did the lives of the other two agents. We’re introduced to Mercedes’ girlfriend, who has a problem with Mercedes job in Crimes against Children and when her job literally shows up at her door in the way of children covered in blood, saying that an angel has murdered their parents, it really puts their whole relationship into perspective. This one was yet again even more different from the first two in the way and format that the story was told. I was a little unhappy with the whodunnit at the end, but at least I felt that the justice served was finally finally worthy of the whole book.
At times, it felt like Dot Hutchinson was trying too much too tie characters of the past in with the present story, and I almost agree with some reviewers saying that this shouldn’t have been a trilogy- these should have been stand alones. Regardless, this was yet another fine piece of terrifying writing.
I do have to mention though, there are all sorts of gross, scary triggers. Suicides, abuse, sexual abuse, drug use, murders, etc. And the scene depictions can get quite graphic. Even prepared by my coworker for what to expect, at times I was overwhelmed. Nonetheless, I truly enjoyed this read, and am so thankful and grateful for the life I have been able to live thus far.
At times, it felt like Dot Hutchinson was trying too much too tie characters of the past in with the present story, and I almost agree with some reviewers saying that this shouldn’t have been a trilogy- these should have been stand alones. Regardless, this was yet another fine piece of terrifying writing.
I do have to mention though, there are all sorts of gross, scary triggers. Suicides, abuse, sexual abuse, drug use, murders, etc. And the scene depictions can get quite graphic. Even prepared by my coworker for what to expect, at times I was overwhelmed. Nonetheless, I truly enjoyed this read, and am so thankful and grateful for the life I have been able to live thus far.
It felt like watching a classic episode of law and order SVU. Loved it.
This book was good! The only thing that got me a little annoyed were the parts of Spanish. As a spanish speaker it was cringy for most of the book. I know Mercedes is latinx but it felt a little like too much for me. The story thou, was heartbreaking and just touching in many ways. Not my favorite from the series but getting there!