Friday, November 20, 2009

The Bottom Line, #5

The Bottom Line is a feature to designed to give quick and dirty reviews of books I've read, but I either don't have the time or the inspiration to write full reviews on them.


Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (April 7, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9781416570868
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Source: My Shelves
Rating: 2/5

I first discovered Mary Higgins Clark in middle school and I devoured all of her back list. And while I remember loving her older books, Just Take My Heart didn't measure up. I found the story to be completely predictable and the book as a whole was forgettable.


Good Harbor by Anita Diamant
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Scribner (September 17, 2002)
ISBN-13: 9780743225724
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Women's Fiction
Source: My Shelves
Rating:3.5/5

I loved Diamant's Red Tent, and while Good Harbor is a very different kind of book I really enjoyed it as well. The characters were vibrant, and while they were older than me, the story of their friendship was one that most women will understand and be drawn to.


Perfection: A Memoir of Betrayal and Renewal by Julie Metz
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Voice (June 9, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9781401322557
Genre: Non-Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3/5

I expected to like this book much more than I actually did. I read it this summer while on vacation and maybe it just didn't fit with my mood at the time. Perfection was very well written, and while I sympathized with Metz and understood her need to learn everything she could about her husband's affairs, I just wasn't pulled into the story.

5 comments:

Michelle (Red Headed Book Child) said...

I like the idea of The Bottom Line. I sometimes can't get the words to write a full review for some things.

I feel the way you do with MHC with John saul. I have read all of this back list when I was younger and when I read his newer ones I find them predictable. I think we are probably just more well read than anything.

Sandy Nawrot said...

I think many of the best seller authors tend to get in their ruts. I don't know if they have little elves writing their stuff, or what. (Well we know Patterson does.)

FYI, just finished Let Me Go on audio. I'm just shaking my head. What a mind-blowing four discs.

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

Looks like you read some so-so books this week. I've given up on Higgins-Clark these days. I did like Good Harbor, and Perfection (not so much).

Hope next week is more enjoyable.

Marie Cloutier said...

I like your mini reviews. Good Harbor sounds great. :-)

Zibilee said...

I also really like the mini reviews. Sorry to hear that you didn't like Perfection. I thought it was good, but it may not be the perfect book for everyone.