1 out of 5 stars.
Emerald O'Brien, single mother of two, owns Chintz 'N China Tea Room, where guests are served a blend of tea and tarot reading. She never set out to be a detective but once word gets out that she can communicate with the dead, there's no turning back....
I really could not get into this book. I have liked Yasmine Galenorn's books in the past but this one just annoyed me to the point that I could not finish it. First off, the character development was just not there. I didn't feel any connection to any of them....even the main character, Emerald. Being first in the series, it was surprising that there was no "getting to know" the characters or real explanations as to who they were to Emerald. It was as if you just jumped into the middle of a book and you were supposed to guess how these people fit into her life. Even her children came off as one dimensional. The weirdest one for me though was....whatever his name was. The romantic story line between her and....him, never really built as much as it just suddenly happened. Not only that but he came off as really creepy and I could not figure out why she would date someone like him. They had no real connection and he seemed like a total jerk. As far as the sex scenes, those typically wouldn't bother me....IF there had been some chemistry between the two people. Unfortunately there wasn't.
I also agree with some of the other reviews I've read, that there were too many references towards food and tea. I understand she owns a tea shop, but do we have to read indepth details about all the tea she is selling, making, drinking, or owns? Also these people never seem to stop eating. I am surprised they had the time to even try to solve a mystery (what little of that there was) when they were so busy describing their food and stuffing their faces. It got to the point that just reading the book started making me either hungry or nauseated.
I didn't tap into any of the mystery part because I didn't feel there was any. Bottom line is it is basically a book about a woman who likes to eat, drink tea, call her friends babe and sleeps with a creepy guy all while being a single mom who sees dead people. Not sure I will even bother reading the next one in the series.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls (Ghost Hunter Mysteries, No. 5) by Victoria Laurie
2 out of 5 stars.
Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls is the 5th installment of the Ghost Hunter Mystery series.
For the next episode in their reality show "Ghoul Getters", M.J. and her crew travel to Ireland to visit a haunted castle. The castle is on a secluded island and at times, it cannot be accessed. Once there, it may be awhile before you can leave. M.J. has had plenty of experience with ghosts, but she is knocked off her feet by a powerful phantom, who is guarding some hidden gold. Some people who have encountered this phantom have died, and M.J. isn't willing to risk her life and would be more than happy to leave once they can actually get off the island, but there is a problem.....her producer, Peter "Gopher" Gophner has gone missing and MJ is afraid the Phantom has taken him. M.J. and her partner Heath have to stop the phantom and rescue Gopher before it's too late.
I was really not happy with the last book in this series so I was really hoping that this one would be better as I really like Victoria Laurie's books. Unfortunately this one is even worse than the last. I found myself having a really hard time even finishing it and had to force myself to get to the end. The whole "Scooby Doo" feel of it was disappointing. Gilley's whining was worse in this one...which I didn't think was possible. I do not care for the MJ/Heath romance either. I don't feel the connection between them. It seems to me the emotions leading to their "attraction" just kind of pops up as a second thought. Its not something that is woven throughout the entire book. There's no real build up. The only thing they seem to have in common is their gifts and Heath's grandfather. Unfortunately when it comes to Heath's psychic abilities, he is pretty much useless. There is nothing that he can do that MJ can't. I also don't understand why his grandfather is MJ's spirit guide. As for MJ, she has gotten to be so annoying for me that I can't stand her as a main character anymore. She once came off as a very independent and strong woman...now she is just an arrogant know it all. Her over use of the word spook grates on my nerves more and more. This book was so cartoonish it really should be in the childrens section (minus the really lame sex scene..if you can call it that). I think I may take a much needed break from this series and concentrate on some other books for awhile.
Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls is the 5th installment of the Ghost Hunter Mystery series.
For the next episode in their reality show "Ghoul Getters", M.J. and her crew travel to Ireland to visit a haunted castle. The castle is on a secluded island and at times, it cannot be accessed. Once there, it may be awhile before you can leave. M.J. has had plenty of experience with ghosts, but she is knocked off her feet by a powerful phantom, who is guarding some hidden gold. Some people who have encountered this phantom have died, and M.J. isn't willing to risk her life and would be more than happy to leave once they can actually get off the island, but there is a problem.....her producer, Peter "Gopher" Gophner has gone missing and MJ is afraid the Phantom has taken him. M.J. and her partner Heath have to stop the phantom and rescue Gopher before it's too late.
I was really not happy with the last book in this series so I was really hoping that this one would be better as I really like Victoria Laurie's books. Unfortunately this one is even worse than the last. I found myself having a really hard time even finishing it and had to force myself to get to the end. The whole "Scooby Doo" feel of it was disappointing. Gilley's whining was worse in this one...which I didn't think was possible. I do not care for the MJ/Heath romance either. I don't feel the connection between them. It seems to me the emotions leading to their "attraction" just kind of pops up as a second thought. Its not something that is woven throughout the entire book. There's no real build up. The only thing they seem to have in common is their gifts and Heath's grandfather. Unfortunately when it comes to Heath's psychic abilities, he is pretty much useless. There is nothing that he can do that MJ can't. I also don't understand why his grandfather is MJ's spirit guide. As for MJ, she has gotten to be so annoying for me that I can't stand her as a main character anymore. She once came off as a very independent and strong woman...now she is just an arrogant know it all. Her over use of the word spook grates on my nerves more and more. This book was so cartoonish it really should be in the childrens section (minus the really lame sex scene..if you can call it that). I think I may take a much needed break from this series and concentrate on some other books for awhile.
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