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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
I want to say 2.5 stars rounded up but maybe I'll stick with the solid 3 because I did like it a little better than the first one I think but I just... I really don't know what to say about this book or how to review it. I can't get over the end game of the mystery itself, it was just so... so painfully obvious I was like from page one there's NO way that's gonna be the ending, and I was so set in that mindset that the fact that it ACTUALLY WAS the ending threw me for a loop because I still can't believe it, it's called Grave Surprise and somehow I was both surprised while also not being surprised in the slightest, I just, I saw it coming and yet I didn't?? Mostly I'm mad at myself for automatically tuning out flashing red sirens thinking they were red herrings, like I was jumping through hoops chasing wild geese suspecting this and that and this while there was a big old arrow pointing at the murder right in front of me, but I'm also mad at the book for holding that arrow and not trying to spin it at all, you know? Am I making sense? Probably not, but anyway.
Things I liked:
-The introduction of Manfred, I read Midnight first so it was interesting to see some more of his origins here and I hope to see even more of him in the future of this series. I like his personality in Grave Surprise actually more than in the Midnight books because in those, he almost feels like a subdued watered down version of the fun and forward ball of energy and spark he appears to be here. He seems cool and I like that we get to see more of his psychic prowess as well.
-The scene at the end of chapter seven, if the rest of the book held the same amount of spooky vibes as that scene, we'd be golden.
-The fact that there was at least one person who didn't outright despise Harper and Tolliver and what they do.
-The writing itself flows well enough I suppose, though it's nothing too special
-The fact that I kept guessing to the very end but hate myself because my initial gut feeling was correct all along and I ignored it, I'm just reeling honestly, this is a plus and minus.
Things I didn't like:
-The increasingly weird relationship between Tolliver and Harper, even if they are step siblings, I just think it's... odd, definitely odd and uncomfortable at times and definitely appears to be slowly (or rapidly depending on how you look at it) approaching romance territory. I feel like it'd be less weird if they hadn't insisted on referring to each other as brother and sister the whole time, but nope, it's weird, okay? Also just the amount of focus on their sex lives in general, give me more ghosts instead, please.
-The reveal, or should I say the "reveal," gaah I don't know what to think there, like I didn't see it coming only because I so blatantly saw it coming, I hate it, but I don't hate it, it was alright
-Lots of repetitive information, especially about Harper and Tolliver's past.
-The epilogue-y ending
-I don't know honestly, quite a few things though I'm blanking and this review is getting long and I shouldn't be so harsh honestly
Don't get me wrong, this is not a bad book, I enjoyed reading it well enough, and throwing around theories in a buddy read of it with Summer (speaking_bookish) was a blast. The mystery was intriguing, the red herrings got me good and the suspects were all certainly suspect. Plus I like the general concept of Harper's powers and where new information/events in this book will take us in the future, what can I say, I'm a sucker for ghosts and psychic-y powers, so... yeah. There's my two or three or four or five cents on the subject.
Things I liked:
-The introduction of Manfred, I read Midnight first so it was interesting to see some more of his origins here and I hope to see even more of him in the future of this series. I like his personality in Grave Surprise actually more than in the Midnight books because in those, he almost feels like a subdued watered down version of the fun and forward ball of energy and spark he appears to be here. He seems cool and I like that we get to see more of his psychic prowess as well.
-The scene at the end of chapter seven, if the rest of the book held the same amount of spooky vibes as that scene, we'd be golden.
-The fact that there was at least one person who didn't outright despise Harper and Tolliver and what they do.
-The writing itself flows well enough I suppose, though it's nothing too special
-The fact that I kept guessing to the very end but hate myself because my initial gut feeling was correct all along and I ignored it, I'm just reeling honestly, this is a plus and minus.
Things I didn't like:
-The increasingly weird relationship between Tolliver and Harper, even if they are step siblings, I just think it's... odd, definitely odd and uncomfortable at times and definitely appears to be slowly (or rapidly depending on how you look at it) approaching romance territory. I feel like it'd be less weird if they hadn't insisted on referring to each other as brother and sister the whole time, but nope, it's weird, okay? Also just the amount of focus on their sex lives in general, give me more ghosts instead, please.
-The reveal, or should I say the "reveal," gaah I don't know what to think there, like I didn't see it coming only because I so blatantly saw it coming, I hate it, but I don't hate it, it was alright
-Lots of repetitive information, especially about Harper and Tolliver's past.
-The epilogue-y ending
-I don't know honestly, quite a few things though I'm blanking and this review is getting long and I shouldn't be so harsh honestly
Don't get me wrong, this is not a bad book, I enjoyed reading it well enough, and throwing around theories in a buddy read of it with Summer (speaking_bookish) was a blast. The mystery was intriguing, the red herrings got me good and the suspects were all certainly suspect. Plus I like the general concept of Harper's powers and where new information/events in this book will take us in the future, what can I say, I'm a sucker for ghosts and psychic-y powers, so... yeah. There's my two or three or four or five cents on the subject.
I can't get enough of her books. I don't know why but I like her style of writing. One thing I don't like about series books is they sometimes write to much about stuff I've already read about in the previous books. Why would anyone want to start a series in the middle anyways? Oh well I'm sure some editor tells them to do it for some reason.
Full review at:
http://hollybooknotes.blogspot.com/2008/10/tis-season-too.html
http://hollybooknotes.blogspot.com/2008/10/tis-season-too.html
Enjoying re-reading this series, my love for its quirks has definitely held strong. I was so pleased to discover Manfred is in this story!
I'm freezing right through this series. Still enjoying them.
Enjoyed this book, but the ending seemed a bit hasty - too many details crammed into the last chapter!
Bleh. I agree with what other reviewers have said. Fairly solid mystery, Charlaine Harris always gets you intrigued and sucks you in, good side characters, unexpected twists. However, the relationship between the main character and her stepbrother is ick. Maybe if she hadn't introduced him to the reader as her brother in the first book, before after a time she explains that he is actually her stepbrother. I don't know how other people think it's not creepy. I'll probably keep reading the series anyway but..ick.
I love the Sookie Stackhouse books, and I enjoyed the first book in this series, but I couldn't even finish this one.