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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
I did the audio book for this one, which is 100% what I would recommend, since Dolly voices one of the main characters herself, and there are several other voice actors to do the other parts, so it's really more like a radio play than most audio books and that makes it really fun. Dolly also put out a fun companion album to this book with some new songs, so the book gets five stars for accompanying bonus features!
It has to be said that it's pretty clear in this book which parts are Parton and which parts Paterson came up with. I loved the parts that Dolly contributed, she narrates a character who is a thinly veiled version of herself, and I loved hearing her thoughts on the music industry as well as the fun "fairy godmother" role that character plays for the young female singer who is the other main protagonist. I want Dolly to invite me to her mansion to spend the night in a beautiful room and eat pancakes with her in the morning !
While that aspect of the book was a fun light read, the Patterson influenced "action" part of the book was not very interesting and unrealistic to the point of not being fun. Lots of chasing people about, improbably surviving a fall from a tall building, and a damsel in destress rescue near the end, that just seemed unrealistic and undermined all the strong, savvy features the first part of the book showed us about the young lead character.
So stronger near the start and in the Parton portions than near the latter part, but the ending was satisfying and it was a fun light read.
It has to be said that it's pretty clear in this book which parts are Parton and which parts Paterson came up with. I loved the parts that Dolly contributed, she narrates a character who is a thinly veiled version of herself, and I loved hearing her thoughts on the music industry as well as the fun "fairy godmother" role that character plays for the young female singer who is the other main protagonist. I want Dolly to invite me to her mansion to spend the night in a beautiful room and eat pancakes with her in the morning !
While that aspect of the book was a fun light read, the Patterson influenced "action" part of the book was not very interesting and unrealistic to the point of not being fun. Lots of chasing people about, improbably surviving a fall from a tall building, and a damsel in destress rescue near the end, that just seemed unrealistic and undermined all the strong, savvy features the first part of the book showed us about the young lead character.
So stronger near the start and in the Parton portions than near the latter part, but the ending was satisfying and it was a fun light read.
This is the second collaboration between James Patterson and a famous person I've read. The earlier collaboration, with Hilary Clinton, produced a hard to believe narrative with a few insider insights.
This work is similar. The predictable story arc includes some unexplained leaps (what happens to the 18-wheeler the protagonist carjacks early on?), but the interesting parts are the insights into songwriting and the music business. The protagonist, called AnnieLee for most of the book, and the Dolly Parton stand in, called Ruthanna, are ALWAYS working on song lyrics, in their heads if not on paper. They really REALLY enjoy camaraderie with each other. They love being in bars and chatting with the bartenders and barflys. They are baffled by the music biz handlers they must submit to. The handlers, for their part, don't understand these creative artists and aren't interested in understanding them. The "suits" see the artists as product, not people, so will cut every expense possible during a tour.
It doesn't make the music business seem like a fun place to be, a point that the Ruthanna character makes several times.
Patterson is a competent writer. He steps you through a predictable plot (spoiler: there's a happy ending). He keeps the number of characters small, so you can remember everyone. There's a lot of dialog to move the story along.
What's strange is what Patterson DOESN'T see and doesn't describe. You don't really know what people look like, particularly the only major male character, Ethan Blake. The characters seem to live in a world devoid of setting: not a word about the weather, barely a word about the landscape, plants, animals, buildings.
Different people see different things.
This work is similar. The predictable story arc includes some unexplained leaps (what happens to the 18-wheeler the protagonist carjacks early on?), but the interesting parts are the insights into songwriting and the music business. The protagonist, called AnnieLee for most of the book, and the Dolly Parton stand in, called Ruthanna, are ALWAYS working on song lyrics, in their heads if not on paper. They really REALLY enjoy camaraderie with each other. They love being in bars and chatting with the bartenders and barflys. They are baffled by the music biz handlers they must submit to. The handlers, for their part, don't understand these creative artists and aren't interested in understanding them. The "suits" see the artists as product, not people, so will cut every expense possible during a tour.
It doesn't make the music business seem like a fun place to be, a point that the Ruthanna character makes several times.
Patterson is a competent writer. He steps you through a predictable plot (spoiler: there's a happy ending). He keeps the number of characters small, so you can remember everyone. There's a lot of dialog to move the story along.
What's strange is what Patterson DOESN'T see and doesn't describe. You don't really know what people look like, particularly the only major male character, Ethan Blake. The characters seem to live in a world devoid of setting: not a word about the weather, barely a word about the landscape, plants, animals, buildings.
Different people see different things.
I loved this story. The full audiobook cast brought it to life.
I was excited to get an advance copy of Run Rose Run, not least because Dolly Parton is an international treasure for her philanthropy, much of which is based on supporting children to read.
AnnieLee makes her way to Nashville with limited belongings but a great deal of talent and a big voice. She persuades the manager of the CatsPaw Bar to allow her an open mike slot … which changes her fortunes and her life for the better. However, AnnieLee appears to be in danger. There are shady men hanging around the edges of her life and they threaten her potential success.
Run Rose Run is mainly a story about making it in the music business. It’s light and hugely entertaining, if not a little over worked. The thriller element is thin and obvious but it keeps the plot moving.
If you are after a twisty thriller, this one isn’t for you. However, if you’d like a light fun read about the music business and an underlying plot, this fits the bill.
Thanks to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for an ARC.
AnnieLee makes her way to Nashville with limited belongings but a great deal of talent and a big voice. She persuades the manager of the CatsPaw Bar to allow her an open mike slot … which changes her fortunes and her life for the better. However, AnnieLee appears to be in danger. There are shady men hanging around the edges of her life and they threaten her potential success.
Run Rose Run is mainly a story about making it in the music business. It’s light and hugely entertaining, if not a little over worked. The thriller element is thin and obvious but it keeps the plot moving.
If you are after a twisty thriller, this one isn’t for you. However, if you’d like a light fun read about the music business and an underlying plot, this fits the bill.
Thanks to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for an ARC.
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book was ok. I'm not super into country music but I do like Dolly Parton and I've read James Patterson before so I wanted to give it a try. I often thought AnnieLee was extremely naive and obtuse. I also thought she was unrealistically lucky. We didn't figure our what her mysterious past was until over 90% of the way through the book and I was frustrated when it kept getting brushed off. It made her character and the entire plot line feel shallow. The whole mystery was also completely dissolved in two chapters at the end of the story and had a neat and tidy happy ending that seemed rushed and out of place after everything. I wanted to like this book but I was pretty disappointed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Grief
I wanted to like it
I really wanted to like this book. I just didn’t. It read like a slightly racier Hallmark Movie. I had to force myself to finish it. I’m disappointed.
I really wanted to like this book. I just didn’t. It read like a slightly racier Hallmark Movie. I had to force myself to finish it. I’m disappointed.
this book kept me intrigued from page 1...... it is as heartwarming as it is sad ending on a sugar sweet note! Even if you are not a fan of mystery/suspense books you should read this one!
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
The audio version was nice and the full cast was nice. But it just wasn't as much of a thriller as I'd hoped it would be.