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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
I usually like this series, but as others have noted, the sex scenes (or foreplay scenes) involving a barely pubescent girl are just creepy. I stopped reading halfway through.
Review copy from Publisher
Overall Rating 3.25
Story Rating 3.25
Character Rating 3.25
First thought when finished: Why couldn't the whole book be like the last few chapters!
What I Loved: The last 1/4 of the book rocked! It was full of action, suspense, and the characters finally were interesting. There was some cat/mouse action and Chris ended up being my favorite character in the whole book.
What I Liked: I haven't read the rest of the series but this one really stood on it's own. I could tell there was a serial killer I should have known more about but since that didn't come into play much with this story--I didn't feel left out. I like when an author can do that!
What made me go *sigh* again?: The teenagers "love" scenes. I get that this was mostly about Gabe but it just was a little too much!
Final Thoughts: I thought that the last few chapters saved this book for me and actually made me want to read some of the back story. However, if you have been reading the series I think you will not want to miss this edition.
Author:
[ai:Faye Kellerman|48913|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1208209970p2/48913.jpg]
Books in Series:
[bc:The Ritual Bath|104106|The Ritual Bath (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #1)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506733s/104106.jpg|2417][bc:Sacred and Profane|104093|Sacred and Profane (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #2)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506631s/104093.jpg|2356062][bc:Milk and Honey|152347|Milk and Honey (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #3)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172241857s/152347.jpg|1098877][bc:Day of Atonement|104094|Day of Atonement (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #4)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506633s/104094.jpg|100371][bc:False Prophet|104074|False Prophet (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #5)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506596s/104074.jpg|1742275][bc:Grievous Sin|104082|Grievous Sin (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #6)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506605s/104082.jpg|2864544][bc:Sanctuary|104083|Sanctuary (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #7)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223645738s/104083.jpg|100360][bc:Justice|104079|Justice (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #8)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506604s/104079.jpg|100358][bc:Prayers for the Dead|104076|Prayers for the Dead (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #9)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506597s/104076.jpg|2202864][bc:Serpent's Tooth|104084|Serpent's Tooth (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #10)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506606s/104084.jpg|932838][bc:Jupiter's Bones (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #11)|104081|Jupiter's Bones (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #11) |Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506605s/104081.jpg|147056][bc:Stalker|104077|Stalker (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #12)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1308957168s/104077.jpg|1830900][bc:The Forgotten|152354|The Forgotten (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #13)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172241887s/152354.jpg|4679281][bc:Stone Kiss|760054|Stone Kiss (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #14)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1178124355s/760054.jpg|932816][bc:Street Dreams|545912|Street Dreams (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #15)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255647365s/545912.jpg|447354][bc:The Burnt House|104075|The Burnt House (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #16)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1190185508s/104075.jpg|2505548][bc:The Mercedes Coffin|2275835|The Mercedes Coffin (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #17)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266691915s/2275835.jpg|2281920][bc:Blindman's Bluff|5458573|Blindman's Bluff (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #18)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1243318319s/5458573.jpg|5526159][bc:Hangman|7006959|Hangman (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #19)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1277744716s/7006959.jpg|7251580]
Overall Rating 3.25
Story Rating 3.25
Character Rating 3.25
First thought when finished: Why couldn't the whole book be like the last few chapters!
What I Loved: The last 1/4 of the book rocked! It was full of action, suspense, and the characters finally were interesting. There was some cat/mouse action and Chris ended up being my favorite character in the whole book.
What I Liked: I haven't read the rest of the series but this one really stood on it's own. I could tell there was a serial killer I should have known more about but since that didn't come into play much with this story--I didn't feel left out. I like when an author can do that!
What made me go *sigh* again?: The teenagers "love" scenes. I get that this was mostly about Gabe but it just was a little too much!
Final Thoughts: I thought that the last few chapters saved this book for me and actually made me want to read some of the back story. However, if you have been reading the series I think you will not want to miss this edition.
Author:
[ai:Faye Kellerman|48913|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1208209970p2/48913.jpg]
Books in Series:
[bc:The Ritual Bath|104106|The Ritual Bath (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #1)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506733s/104106.jpg|2417][bc:Sacred and Profane|104093|Sacred and Profane (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #2)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506631s/104093.jpg|2356062][bc:Milk and Honey|152347|Milk and Honey (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #3)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172241857s/152347.jpg|1098877][bc:Day of Atonement|104094|Day of Atonement (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #4)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506633s/104094.jpg|100371][bc:False Prophet|104074|False Prophet (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #5)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506596s/104074.jpg|1742275][bc:Grievous Sin|104082|Grievous Sin (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #6)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506605s/104082.jpg|2864544][bc:Sanctuary|104083|Sanctuary (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #7)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223645738s/104083.jpg|100360][bc:Justice|104079|Justice (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #8)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506604s/104079.jpg|100358][bc:Prayers for the Dead|104076|Prayers for the Dead (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #9)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506597s/104076.jpg|2202864][bc:Serpent's Tooth|104084|Serpent's Tooth (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #10)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506606s/104084.jpg|932838][bc:Jupiter's Bones (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #11)|104081|Jupiter's Bones (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #11) |Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506605s/104081.jpg|147056][bc:Stalker|104077|Stalker (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #12)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1308957168s/104077.jpg|1830900][bc:The Forgotten|152354|The Forgotten (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #13)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172241887s/152354.jpg|4679281][bc:Stone Kiss|760054|Stone Kiss (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #14)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1178124355s/760054.jpg|932816][bc:Street Dreams|545912|Street Dreams (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #15)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255647365s/545912.jpg|447354][bc:The Burnt House|104075|The Burnt House (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #16)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1190185508s/104075.jpg|2505548][bc:The Mercedes Coffin|2275835|The Mercedes Coffin (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #17)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266691915s/2275835.jpg|2281920][bc:Blindman's Bluff|5458573|Blindman's Bluff (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #18)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1243318319s/5458573.jpg|5526159][bc:Hangman|7006959|Hangman (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, #19)|Faye Kellerman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1277744716s/7006959.jpg|7251580]
Just recently rediscovered Faye Kellerman. Why did I stray away?! Love her books!
Gun Games by Faye Kellerman
Grade: DNF
I have never done a review on a book that I didn’t finish and am a little unsure of how to start. I was very excited to read Gun Games because it seemed like a different type of book from what I have been reading lately and I felt I needed to shake things up and expand my horizons. Unfortunately I had a very hard time connecting to the characters and the plot. I found myself at times thinking of my To-Do list or wondering if I should cook or get take out for dinner. When I read a book I like to get lost in it and go on a journey with the characters and I could never really connect with one character because of all of the different points of views going on. I felt that the characters all came off as the same person instead of a teenage boy or a grown police detective which I found highly annoying. I sadly could not finish this book and have no desire to try to do so in the future.
Grade: DNF
I have never done a review on a book that I didn’t finish and am a little unsure of how to start. I was very excited to read Gun Games because it seemed like a different type of book from what I have been reading lately and I felt I needed to shake things up and expand my horizons. Unfortunately I had a very hard time connecting to the characters and the plot. I found myself at times thinking of my To-Do list or wondering if I should cook or get take out for dinner. When I read a book I like to get lost in it and go on a journey with the characters and I could never really connect with one character because of all of the different points of views going on. I felt that the characters all came off as the same person instead of a teenage boy or a grown police detective which I found highly annoying. I sadly could not finish this book and have no desire to try to do so in the future.
My least favorite Faye Kellerman. Teen sex scenes? Really? How 'bout more Decker? More Rina? The story line was interesting, and I liked the ending, but a lot of the book fell flat.
Not what I’ve come to expect in this series. Too much teen romance. Hope it gets more back on track in the next book.
With the Decker children grown, it seems like this was thrown in to create a sense of family drama. It felt forced.
With the Decker children grown, it seems like this was thrown in to create a sense of family drama. It felt forced.
I think calling this a Decker/Lazarus book is a bit of a stretch. Rina and Peter are really minor characters in here, almost to the extent of being NPC. If this had been labeled differently, or marketed as a spin-off rather than part of the main series, my expectations would have been set appropriately. That said, the book was well-written and cleverly done - I just didn't like parts of it. I certainly wouldn't let a young or immature teen read this. If you have a teen reader yourself I'd suggest reading this beforehand so you can make your own decisions, and be ready to answer questions or correct any misapprehensions. The moral aspect is certainly lacking compared to the other books in this series.
Spoiler
I really disliked the description of underage sex, and the "normality" Kellerman depicted. That's not normal. And Chris Donatti has become almost like a deus ex machina plot-wise.
Teenage suicide is a terrible subject all the time, but this book makes things worse by concentrating on teenage infatuation and descriptions of such infatuation for too many pages. It was all made worse by my attempting to listen to it on CD, and thinking about the poor reader who had to say those cheesy lines. (Yes, teens do talk like that on Text, but not aloud I hope.)
I have liked all other Faye Kellerman books I have read or listened to, but I will not be recommending this one to anyone.
I have liked all other Faye Kellerman books I have read or listened to, but I will not be recommending this one to anyone.
I read tons of young adult fiction. Kellerman had no sense of YA dialogue. If this had been the first book I read by her, I'd never read another. Do we really need to know what Decker's coworkers are wearing every day? One of those books that made me glad I'm a speed reader, so I could skim through and see if it improved. It didn't.
Actually, 3.5. Reason? About 50% of the story is about Decker's 15-year-old foster son, piano prodigy Gabe Whitman, who meets a shy 14-year old LA/Persian Jewish girl, falling, apparently and mutually, head-over-heels for each other. He's a horny, 15-year old boy, but she's been raised as an Orthodox Jew in a very strict home, and the sex talk...then scenes...are more graphic and in-your-face than what I remember of previous books in this series. I'm not a prude (at all!), but she was so young and innocent that in some ways her capitulation was believable, but in other ways not. Of course, their story intersects with the case that Decker is working on (what a coincidence!) and everything turns out okay.... it was all okay - likable and interesting - but a little unbelievable.