There are some interesting mysteries yet to unravel after completing this first novel of the Unholy Island series. And they are intriguing enough to *There are some interesting mysteries yet to unravel after completing this first novel of the Unholy Island series. And they are intriguing enough to *almost* entice me to continue reading the series. However, I probably won't because I found the nonsensical, forced, rushed romance that was a big focal point of this story to be annoying and unnecessary. If the author had the patience and the story telling chops to make the love interests slowly fall for each other over the course of the series, it could be along the lines of spectacular. As it is, regrettably, it's wholly (or should I say unholy) unspectacular and instead grating and juvenile, as are so many romances in contemporary novels these days. I didn't believe it. And if you can't sell the reader on the relationship being anything more than precursory attraction (especially in a stort that seems to take place inside of a week) while trying to proclaim repeatedly that it supposedly deeper than that, then you shouldn't include the romance. It ruined the book for me. Stick to the intriguing supernatural mysteries and avoid using the word 'crush' five times in as many paragraphs, and then maybe you've got a series worth reading. I feel my pickiness isn't going to be shared by many other readers, so if that doesn't seem offputting to you, then please take no offense! I don't judge others for what they find entertaining or enjoyable. Instead, I share my honest experience, which may be helpful to those with standards similar to mine....more
Regrettably I had to DNF this novel at just under 40% of the way through. I was optimistic that I would enjoy this because the previous novel I read bRegrettably I had to DNF this novel at just under 40% of the way through. I was optimistic that I would enjoy this because the previous novel I read by Sharon Lynn Fisher, Salt and Broom, which is also the first novel of hers I have read, was so delightfully cozy and with clever dialogue and characters with depth and likeable, interesting personalities. This feels like a shadow of that other book, and not done nearly as well. One of the main reasons I typically don't enjoy romance novels is because so many are written in such a shallow, juvenile manner where the only thing bringing the main love birds together is a mutual physical attraction. This book was relying far more on that shallow physical attraction that was lazily arrived at, while trying to convince you through reassurance rather than 'action' that the attraction is based on the appreciation of the other's intelligence or...I don't even know what because they hardly know each other for such a short period of time and there's not a single interaction that lights a spark and shows us some reason for the two to like each other besides "heart shaped lips" and "charm". I also just wasn't digging the inanely calm and mundane dialogue that would occur directly after something crazy and supernatural would happen. It took me out of the story, and the story could have been interesting but it fell apart for me completely with the shallowness of the romance and the unreal feel of the dialogue. Darn. I really was excited to find an author who could write romance novels like Salt and Broom. Apparently that was a one hit wonder, which I will cherish and going forward leave my reading of her work to that one book....more
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