Scan barcode
ceruleanjen's review
1.0
I'm a big fan of Melody Carlson's books, namely the True Color series and the Carter House Girls series, so I was excited to hear about this book. The concept sounded really cool and unique--a girl who gets visions from God? Really interesting. I really wanted to read it and was happy when I was finally able to get it. Sadly this book fell really short of my expectations.
Why I Didn't Like It:
1. Too Preachy.
Yes, Melody Carlson is Christian fiction writer. I'm perfectly aware of this and used to seeing religion in her books, BUT this book felt overly preachy, something which I dislike in fiction.
2. Unlikable Main Character.
I'm sorry, but I found Samantha to be very unlikable as a main character. It's important to like the main character, especially in first person. On top of being really preachy, I hated the times when she would get judgmental. She seemed to get really bent of shape when someone would tease her about being a psychic. I'm perfectly aware of what the Bible says, but no need to explode over it. As the book went on, I found myself caring less and less about what happened to Samantha. I didn't much care for the way she treated her brother, either.
3. Disinterest in Most Side Characters.
Honestly, the only side character I liked was Ebony. Everyone else was either unmemorable or bland.
4. Unrealistic Teenage Voice and Word Usage.
I struggle with this in my own works as well, but there were many times were the teenagers sounded very unnatural. I would pause and think to myself, "This character is a teen?"
5. The End.
The ending felt like a letdown after all of the build-up during the book. I expected some kind of climax...but it didn't feel like one at all.
Kudos to the book for:
1. Beautiful Cover. I know, I know, blame my artistic side for admiring the cover so dang much.
2. Great Idea/Concept.
3. Strong ethnic character (Ebony).
4. Realistic situations (online predators, drugs, etc.)
I can't give the book more than a star because after the first few chapters, I despised it. I kept hoping that the book would get better, but it really didn't. If you like preachy books, you'll probably like it. If not, you will probably hate it.
Why I Didn't Like It:
1. Too Preachy.
Yes, Melody Carlson is Christian fiction writer. I'm perfectly aware of this and used to seeing religion in her books, BUT this book felt overly preachy, something which I dislike in fiction.
2. Unlikable Main Character.
I'm sorry, but I found Samantha to be very unlikable as a main character. It's important to like the main character, especially in first person. On top of being really preachy, I hated the times when she would get judgmental. She seemed to get really bent of shape when someone would tease her about being a psychic. I'm perfectly aware of what the Bible says, but no need to explode over it. As the book went on, I found myself caring less and less about what happened to Samantha. I didn't much care for the way she treated her brother, either.
3. Disinterest in Most Side Characters.
Honestly, the only side character I liked was Ebony. Everyone else was either unmemorable or bland.
4. Unrealistic Teenage Voice and Word Usage.
I struggle with this in my own works as well, but there were many times were the teenagers sounded very unnatural. I would pause and think to myself, "This character is a teen?"
5. The End.
The ending felt like a letdown after all of the build-up during the book. I expected some kind of climax...but it didn't feel like one at all.
Kudos to the book for:
1. Beautiful Cover. I know, I know, blame my artistic side for admiring the cover so dang much.
2. Great Idea/Concept.
3. Strong ethnic character (Ebony).
4. Realistic situations (online predators, drugs, etc.)
I can't give the book more than a star because after the first few chapters, I despised it. I kept hoping that the book would get better, but it really didn't. If you like preachy books, you'll probably like it. If not, you will probably hate it.
lulu_loves_conan_gray's review
3.0
To me, Sam was not real. It just seems like she's fake and I had a hard time believing she wasn't a 40 year old who knew alot about life. The topic/idea of the book was good but the characters kinda sucked.
More...