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sarahrheawerner's review against another edition
3.0
I read this over a retreat and was disappointed it wasn't as good as the first. I won't give you any spoilers, but a serious plot element from the first book was left out that left me confused. More to come. :)
willbefunorelse's review against another edition
4.0
If you can remember what Shakespearean character "Plum" may be short for, please let me know; I can't remember and not gonna lie, it's bothering me more than a little.
For the full review - including a pun worthy of Fozzie Bear - follow the link to That's What She Read
Guster Reading Challenge
"What You Wish For" / Lost and Gone Forever
Read a book that was on your wish list
For the full review - including a pun worthy of Fozzie Bear - follow the link to That's What She Read
Guster Reading Challenge
"What You Wish For" / Lost and Gone Forever
Read a book that was on your wish list
delaneyyyw's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
alikatson's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars... I'm of two minds about these books - I do like them but something is just off... I think the characters are supposed to be endearing and funny but often they miss the mark. Julia herself is that way and some of her family members? I'd stop talking to mine if they tried to get involved in my personal life that way. I did enjoy her standing up for herself and the complexity of the crime but I found myself irritated more than I'd like to be in a book. There were a few instances that could have been hilarious but they were off
My favorite part was Julia playing with her niece and nephew towards the end of the book. oh and the ending
Spoiler
Julia could have been a silly flirt to make Brisbane jealous but she didn't do anything except be hot and cold.My favorite part was Julia playing with her niece and nephew towards the end of the book. oh and the ending
Spoiler
Brisbane doesn't want Julia to come but she does anyway? It felt borderline obnoxious/desperate.amym84's review against another edition
4.0
The second book in the series picks up a few months after the end of the first book. Julia has been in Italy with two of her brothers and they are summoned home for the holidays. With a house full of guests a murder is the last thing on everyone's minds.
I liked this book a little more than the previous book in the series. The limited list of suspects was should have made the murderer easy to spot, but Deannna Raybourn did a great job of throwing in many twists and turns along the way. While I wasn't surprised about who the killer was, I was a little surprised at some of the events.
I enjoyed that we were able to see more of the March family. I find them a wonderful group of characters and I can only hope that more of them will be featured in stories to come.
So far I think this is a good series. There are moments that I wish certain events would move along quicker (ahem Julia and Brisbane), but regardless I'm happy to see where the story goes. Until Then!
I liked this book a little more than the previous book in the series. The limited list of suspects was should have made the murderer easy to spot, but Deannna Raybourn did a great job of throwing in many twists and turns along the way. While I wasn't surprised about who the killer was, I was a little surprised at some of the events.
I enjoyed that we were able to see more of the March family. I find them a wonderful group of characters and I can only hope that more of them will be featured in stories to come.
So far I think this is a good series. There are moments that I wish certain events would move along quicker (ahem Julia and Brisbane), but regardless I'm happy to see where the story goes. Until Then!
sarah_moynihan's review against another edition
3.0
This book was signifigantly slower paced than the first in the series, with the who-done-it not actually occuring until halfway through the book. That being said I still enjoyed the characters and was amused by their going-ons during all the set-up at the abbey until there was an actual mystery on their hands. I find the meddling, well-meaning ways of her familiy to be equal parts exasperarting and endearing.
Brisbane's engagement felt like a very cheap and flimsy ploy to place between the two of them. For one because he essentially fesses up to the charade quite early on and also for the fact that his fiancée is conveniently annoyning and charmingly naìve (even though Julia is constantly charmingly naìve). I was able to guess that there was something off about his finacee's character and that her demeanor was a facade for something. But as for the person guilty of the murder itself, I was very close. I had guessed early on that Emma was compensating for something, but I wasn't certain whether it was she or Easterly's cousin that was at fault for the murder. Either way, I guess I was correct in the long run.
I cannot finish this review though without first addressing Brisbane's behavior toward Julia. I know that a relationship between the two has been foreshadowed since he was first introduced, but I don't see the evidence to support it. Yes, he gave her his medallion. No, he made no attempt to reach out to her during their long separation. Sure, maybe he was trying to give her space to process all that she went though and his guilt of her having been put in the line of danger. BUT NEVET CHASE AFTER A MAN, JULIA. Come on now.
Brisbane's engagement felt like a very cheap and flimsy ploy to place between the two of them. For one because he essentially fesses up to the charade quite early on and also for the fact that his fiancée is conveniently annoyning and charmingly naìve (even though Julia is constantly charmingly naìve). I was able to guess that there was something off about his finacee's character and that her demeanor was a facade for something. But as for the person guilty of the murder itself, I was very close. I had guessed early on that Emma was compensating for something, but I wasn't certain whether it was she or Easterly's cousin that was at fault for the murder. Either way, I guess I was correct in the long run.
I cannot finish this review though without first addressing Brisbane's behavior toward Julia. I know that a relationship between the two has been foreshadowed since he was first introduced, but I don't see the evidence to support it. Yes, he gave her his medallion. No, he made no attempt to reach out to her during their long separation. Sure, maybe he was trying to give her space to process all that she went though and his guilt of her having been put in the line of danger. BUT NEVET CHASE AFTER A MAN, JULIA. Come on now.
soniapage's review against another edition
3.0
Another mystery with surprises. This one had sections which unfortunately veered more toward the romance genre but it was still fun.