Nova Books

While most reviews that you read, give you the opinion of the reader on that particular book, I tend to read as many books as possible by that author and then rate the book(s). I've always preferred history, biography and romance novels until my eldest daughter introduced me to a new mystery writer at the time...Tami Hoag. I started reading as a skeptic as mystery never really did anything for me; with an over populous of mystery writers, it was always the same storyline, thus I was always disappointed in the end. I have to say Tami's writing gave me a new respect for mystery. I have yet to read any other mystery books that I enjoy as much as Tami Hoag's. I recommend, Cry Wolf, Still Waters, A Thin Dark Line, Dark Paradise, Night Sins and my favorite, Guilty as Sin. I think what I love the most about her books is even when you've figured it out, your wrong, yes you are wrong fellow readers. Even when you finally know who "don-it" you still can't put her books down. As Tami's storylines unfold, I found them to be wickedly deceitful. The ending in Guilty as Sin shocked me and left me wanting to read more of her works. Full of suspenseful twists that only the written word can truly master, much like the old black and white Alfred Hitchcock tales did for the screen.

This book finishes the story started in Night Sins. The movie based on this story actually includes only the first book and I guess it's for a good reason: Night Sins is way better than this one. Well, this one is entertaining but in comparison to the other one this one is boring. Read it if you need to know who is the master mind behind the crimes.

This is a sequel to Night Sins, but it lacks the plot and mystery of the first book. Main character Jane is a few years older now and living on her own when she is targeted again. The unfortunate decision to bring back her "love interest" from the first book was longlasting. Most of the book is spent on arguements between the two,flirting, and sex scenes. I did a lot of skimming. Worst of all was that the matchup of the two lacked any chemistry and bordered on being a disgusting age difference especially considering they had met when Jane was a minor. Stick to the first book, this adds nothing but romance under the guise of mystery.

As written by several others here, 'Guilty as Sin' is the sequel and/or continuation of 'Night Sins'. Mitch and Megan are still around although with decidedly reduced roles. This book focuses on Ellen North and Jay Brooks. The two books together kind of remind me a bit of a 'Law and Order' episode, where one book is centered on police work and the second is centered on convicting the criminals. Ellen North is an assistant district attorney in Deer Lake, Minnesota and is simply one of the finest female (or male for that matter) characters I have ever seen in a novel. She is described in some reviews as the 'Ice Queen', but I don't see her that way. I see her as the Ice Queen wannabe. As for the dangerous love interest, Jay Brooks fits the bill well. Their attraction to each other is kind of funny at times as are most of these dangerous attractions in Tami Hoag's books, some bordering on laughable, but this one took more time to develop. Ellen North was tough and wanting to be in control of her emotions but she was constantly trying to reign in her anger or if she wasn't reigning in her anger, she was letting it fly uncontrolled. I loved her. I'm not sure about Jay. He took some getting use to as he was kind of obnoxious at the beginning as are many of Tami Hoag's hero types. Unlike 'Night Sins', I pegged the second bad guy in this book early and held firm in my suspicions right up to the end where I was proven right. The epilogue is kind of a chiller though...Is there another sequel in the works? hmmmmm... Anyway, this book was over 600 pages long and not dull at all. Probably the only thing I did not care for was Megan's replacement, Agent Wilhelm. Did Tami really have to make him so totally incompetent? If he rose to the rank of special agent, wouldn't he have at least some degree of intellignece when it came to investigation? Anyway, this is an exciting book that really deserves the title: Page Turner. Good characters, good plot, lots of chills and lots of twists. I would recommend this eagerly especially if you are a Tami Hoag fan, which I am. if you are not, well maybe you should be. Great book

This is a continuation of Night Sins. Josh Kirkwood, the little boy that had been kidnapped, is returned to his home, but won't say a word to anyone about who took him or what was done to him. ADA Ellen North is sure Dr. Wright (a prof from the local college) is the mastermind. Will she be able to nail him? Add in other subplots, creepy characters, a wacko woman, and a few twists and turns of fate, and you get a story that's a bit too long, but most loose ends are tied up; or are they?

What a disappointment! I loved Garwood's first contemporary novel, "Heartbreaker", and was excited to see more from the characters in "Mercy", but "Killjoy" lived up to its name. My complaint is simply that there is WAY TOO MUCH action/violence and not enough relationship development. Garwood went overboard with the suspense, and this loyal reader got left in the dust. I never connected with the characters, so I had a hard time rooting for them. I've had this problem with about 1/2 of Garwood's contemporaries ("Slow Burn" is another dud). I really wish she'd go back to writing her historicals for a while.

Killjoy is a pretty good book. What gives is 4 stars is the lack of tension between the 2 until the middle of the book. Great mystery and once the tension was there, it was good. Avery was tough and a true match for John Paul. It was fast paced and a very enjoyable read.

Two words will make you run for this book: John Paul. The deadly loner from the swamp is baaack (pant, swoon). This time he's on the trail of Monk, the hitman from Mercy, who got away. Monk tried to kill John Paul's sister, so John Paul is still patiently and systematically flushing him out. Whether he will bring Monk to justice legally or illegally remains to be seen... John Paul discovers Monk is playing killing games with three women. One has a niece, Avery, an FBI typist who is an excellent strategist and thinker. When Avery sets out to track her missing aunt down she tangles with the enigmatic, tough, opinionated Jean Paul. He has his own guerrilla agenda and doesn't want to deviate from it, even when they discover there's a more sinister reason for Monk's deadly hit than was apparent at first. Watching these two go head to head is sensual dynamite. And yes, Noah's back again, teasing us with his cheeky grin and flippant insults. Settle back for testosterone overload and enjoy... (Worth it just to hear John Paul grumble about Theo, his brother-in-law, and how Theo's likely to shoot himself in the foot if he has to get his gun out.)

When it comes to compelling novels of relentless suspense, Julie Garwood is in a class by herself. She is a dominating force in the craft of creating living, breathing characters in gripping situations. This offering takes us into the life of Avery Delaney, abandoned by her mother 3 days after her birth and raised by her Aunt Carrie and Grandmother Lola.
Now an adult, Avery works as a crime analyst for the FBI and possesses an uncanny talent for scrutinizing and deciphering clues. She must utilize her deductive gifts to find her Aunt Carrie, who has disappeared as well as stay one step ahead of a killer named Monk.

Although Garwood will never win the Nobel, the Booker, or any of the other prizes bestowed for writing prowess, she definitely takes home the gold in the category of "Fun light reading, no in-depth analysis required".

Julie Garwood writes good suspenseful books like Killjoy. I read it in four days, I could not put it down. The characters and the situations they found themselves in are really well written. And I agree with one of the other reviewer's about having Noah Clayborne as the main character in a novel, I would definately buy that one as well.

Another excellent sci-fi plot and premise. A total "what-if" scenario that opens your eyes and expands your mind. As a writer in this genre, I strive like Sir Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter, to reach readers on a personal level. Certainly, uncovering the truth throughout history would be a humbling experience, as the WormCam does in the book. I wanted the ending to continue longer, and feel this was the core theme they discovered too late, and is the reason I only give 4 stars. Otherwise hats off to these two legendary writers and this great book!

This novel is a great example of the "what if?" variety of science fiction. It takes one or two simple premises and takes them to a great number of logical conclusions. This is one of those books that will stick in your head and leave you pondering the possibilities for a long time to come.

If you're an Arthur C. Clarke fan (and who isn't?) then you must surely purchase and read The Light of Other Days, if only to see what Clarke's been up to lately. The book starts well and reads well. The conceit - though scientifically unsound - is that humanity learns to master wormholes, first for spying around the world (bringing personal privacy to an end) and then for traveling back in time and even out into space.

But as the book went on, getting weirder and weirder in that peculiar way of some people, that way of being fascinated by toys and gizmos and one's own strange ideas ... I don't know. It began to leave me cold. I finished it, but only barely. I would love to see more science fiction forgo the toys and gizmos and go back to being more heart-centered. What ever happened to books like Alas Babylon, where we step into a make-believe world of the future, only to find that friends and family remain our most important concerns?

Still, ya gotta love Clarke. If you're a sci-fic fan, buy this book and read it. You might like it better than I did.

I read this book a few years ago twice, because it was so exceedingly different than anything that I have ever read. Actually it is the BEST book that I have ever read, and I have read thousands of books, everything else pales by comparison in imagination and creativity. You may not agree with the book in any way, shape or form, but isn't that the reason one reads? To be taken to places that are very different from the daily grind (and don't you see a hint of possibility in our future in this book?)? If I only read to have someone to agree with my life, why bother to read? I read several of the reviews you see, especially the ones that gave 1-2 stars. One review stated that this book was garbage!How very sad! I have read nearly all of Arthur C. Clarks writings, this is his best. I am looking for his latest book right now. I thought so much of this book that I lent it to my daughter, she was blown away by it and also says that it is the very BEST book that she has ever read. She lent my book to someone else and now we are looking for replacements to make sure it remains in our libraries of excellent books. If you love imaginative writing this is it. Give it a chance.

The Light of Other Days, ostensibly co-authored by Arthur C. Clarke, is marketed as a philosophically intriguing tale of the transformation of Earth society in the not-so-distant-future, upon the advent of a remote viewing technology that removes all pretense of privacy from people's lives, and even allows observing events in the past. This is an enticing premise, but it's all downhill from page 1. In fact, the premise is all that's left after you discard the juvenile writing style, the paper-thin plot, the one-dimensional characters, and the Discover magazine-grade science.

I actually gave up on it halfway through, after enduring chapter after chapter of egregious exposition. Relentless, finger-wagging infodumps in dialogue and newscasts read like the following (paraphrased, but not the least bit exaggerated): "'As you know, David, the warning signs of global warming went unheeded way back in the early 2000s, and now there's a permanent El Niño.' 'Why yes, Kate, not only is England, which had to become the 52nd U.S. state after international trade collapsed, locked in ice, but more than 60% of the earth's land is no longer farmable.'" The most blatant morality plays in Star Trek aren't even this bad. These passages are also buffered by a superfluous sex scene that tries to appeal to women, but was clearly written by a man.

And then there's this gem of dialogue, at which point the book cannot be taken any less seriously: "It's like what happened to the copyright laws with the advent of the Internet. You remember that? ... No, you're too young. The Global Information Infrastructure--the thing that was supposed to replace the Berne copyright convention--collapsed back in the nought-noughts. Suddenly the Internet was awash with unedited garbage. Every damn publishing house was forced out of business, and all the authors went back to being computer programmers, all because suddenly somebody was giving away for free the stuff they used to sell to earn a crust."

Yeah, 2001 or Rendezvous With Rama this is not; it's nowhere near the quality of Clarke's own masterworks, or any others in the genre, for that matter. That said, though, had this been marketed as a teen/preteen volume, I think it would be tolerable. However, I expected far more sophistication from an adult work, especially one with Clarke's name on it. Save your cash and wait for the TV movie.

I happened across this book by sheer accident several years ago. Looked fairly interesting, but it turned out to be great! It was definately one of the best books I have ever read. If you love mysteries & unusual plots, this is a must. Read the editorials on the product page...It's that & more.

This has got to go down as one of my favourite books. I was gripped by the story line right from the start and finished it in record time. I can't wait to read his other books!

I read this book while on vacation. I can say that this book is a great beach read, it's very fast paced and it makes you think at some points - just don't think too hard or everything unravels. The idea of a common flu germ being used as a weapon by a rogue country was great and scary, but that's where the credibility stops. The terrorism by a fanatical cult was a bit much and a real stretch. I think having north korean terrorists active in the US would have been more realistic and therefore more frightening to the average reader. Don't most people read these types of books for a good thrill?

Again, great beach read - a few daiquiris and anything seems plausible. :)

This is the second book by John Case that I have read (after The Genesis Code). This author, who uses a pseudonym, is very skilled in the suspense/thriller genre.
The First Horseman is a riveting read that, just like The Genesis Code, is not only entertaining but also scary, because it could happen. The characters in the book are very well developed while the story continues to move; you all of the sudden feel like you know these people and can't figure out when it happened.
The book tends to move around a lot; there are several story lines that intertwine and all of it fits perfectly for a climactic finish, but it can get just a little confusing if you don't pay close attention to names. If you see a name early in the book, rest assured, it will come back up before the end; even if you have forgotten.
All in all, a fantastic read about an all-too-real topic. I will definitely read all of John Case's works. This book is almost a 5/5; I would give it 4.5/5, it is a great book.

This is a very topical issue and extremely intriguing and entertaining.
John Case writes a very good tale, and takes you right into the story line.
There is no reason that the subject matter couldn't become reality, and this makes it more worrying, but such a great story.

This was an entertaining and quick read. However, as I read it, details kept coming up that made me think, "Huh, that doesn't seem to make sense." This happened so many times that I was extremely frustrated by the end of the book. I posted a discussion on several of these... see if you agree with me, those of you who've read the book.

I also was extremely offended by the depiction of teachers in this book as selfish, lazy, uncaring, snobbish, clueless, or incompetent. The only teacher who had any redeeming value was Betsy, and even she was hardly a good example. Depictions like this are one of the reasons why the teaching profession does not receive the respect that it deserves. Most teachers I know, myself included, are very hard-working, constantly striving to improve themselves by continuing their own education so that they can better help their students, and care about their students' progress and welfare. Although I do not work at a private school, I cannot imagine that ANY school's administration would allow their staff to be so lax in controlling the students' whereabouts and behavior, particulary an exclusive private school which places so much emphasis on its reputation and good name. I did not find many of the incidents involving the school and its administration believeable. I have read a few other of Hoffman's novels, and found even the supernatural/magical aspects of them to work well in the context of the novels and their characters... but even the REAL stuff in this book just didn't jive well with me. Read The Probable Future or Practical Magic, and skip this book.

I was in Reno visiting friends, when I stopped by the Salvation Army. Never know what you're going to find in one of those stores. I found this book, just browsing around, picked it up for half a buck, hardcover, almost mint. Went back to the Circus Circus, great rooms there for not much money during the week, plus you get a great buffet down the street at the Peppermill.

I love Reno. And I love Alice Hoffman. And because I do, I cracked the book, intending to only read a chapter or two. I read halfway through the book, would've kept reading, but we had to go to dinner with those friends we came to visit. Afterwards though, I finished this. Heck with CNN and the Hillary, Obama fight -- this was an Alice Hoffman book I hadn't read. Gotta get your priorities in order, after all.

This is a story about spoiled kids in a New England prep school. They think they're better than the townies, but the townies like the dough the school brings in, they coexist. Then a couple not so spoiled kids get admitted and nothing is ever the same.

This is a tale of murder and the supernatural. It's chilling and good, captivating and original, delicious and warm, heartbreaking and cruel. It's not tender. It is Alice Hoffman and it is a book not to be missed. I somehow did miss it though, but I'm more than glad I finally got to it.

Reviewed by Vesta Irene

As I read more of Alice Hoffman's books, I am become more and more drawn to her writing style. Infact, it's difficult for me to start another book after finishing one such as this. I really need time to digest and think back. Hoffman's books read like dreams, weaving in and out of characters, stories and even timeframes. She may tell about something that happened in the past on the same page as a real-time happening. In "The River King", Hoffman is drawn to roses, lightning, water and pale "star-light" hair. The story itself is a tale of love and loss, cruelty and joy. I highly recommend this book, especially if you like whimsy and a touch of magic in your read.

It is hard for me to believe that Ms Hoffman purposely wrote a character with such charm, sweetness and kindness as Gus and then had him tortured and murdered is a horrific manner and conclude with no real consequences granted to the murderers.

If any reader has any sense of empathy, don't read this. I suppose if you have a heart of stone, the obscene story in this book may soften it. Some reviewers stated that this book "left a bad taste" or they needed a shower after reading it, with me, this book scarred my soul.

I cannot find any redeeming quality to this story. The cruelty inflicted on the character Gus is unimaginable and beyond reason. Alice Hoffman has lost me forever and further more, I will advise everyone (& then some) I know to avoid her novels. In fact, this story caused so much pain, I may take out an ad or two to warn the public. (See my review of the film at Netflix)

Is this what is called entertainment? If so, ripping heads off puppies is entertaining.

As a parent who paid high priced broading school tuition, no well-heeled school would have allowed any student to be so isolated & ignored to be made so vulnerable to die at the hands of sadistic bullies. And that point alone (& there are many others), allows me to dismiss this awful story as the rubbish it is.

I am a dyed-in-the-wool fan of Alice Hoffman's and had heard how astounding this book was. I agree that the story of a misfit, Gus, fighting to survive in a upper-classed prep school spins a great tale of intrigue. When he is found dead we must investigate with, Abe, a wounded detective, who wants to know if Gus's demise was by suicide, accident or murder. Hadden, the rich school, would just as soon let sleeping dogs lie and pay the town off for silence. Stubborn Abe will not be bought and the story sizzles with suspense. Carlin, as much a misfit as Gus, fights with Abe to solve this mystery and it a bit gruesome to say the least.

My only complaint would be the verbosity of description. Every tree, every bush, every flower, every shimmer of water is detailed to the point of nauseum. Hoffman gifts rich prose every book, but I think this was overkill. I found myself waterlogged and exhausted, drudging through the mire of repetitive info on all of nature. However, it wasn't disturbing enough to stop me from reading every page and being ultimately happy with the startling outcome.

I've read some of Coulter's historical romance novels, and enjoyed them, but this is not one of her better efforts. I'm halfway through the book, and am persisting only to find out the solution to the mystery. The characterizations are inconsistent--at times, characters change attitudes practically mid-sentence. I half-expect the villains to be wearing top hats, capes, and twirling black mustaches. The dialogue is amateurish and silly. I know that she has re-written other books of hers, and I think that this one needs the same treatment, because it reads like a book written by an adolescent who only imagines what adults say and do. I will probably try one more in this series to see if the books improve, but not until I "cleanse my palate" with a few other books. ETA: I have now finished it, and the ending was so contrived that it really wasn't worth my time--time I'll never get back.

I didn't read the Coulter FBI series in order, so I know that this isn't her best work in the series. I went back to this one for background information on one of her recurring characters. It is a good "light" read and shows off Coulter's strengths - characters and setting of place. I FEEL like I could drive to this town and know my way around. She has a wonderful way of making you feel the wind in your face and hear it howling around the eaves of the house. As stories go, it's "eh". I highly recommend others in the series - The Maze, Riptide, etc.

This is a readible beach book. The plot is interesting and there are a few surprizes. I didn't find any of the characters likible except for the FBI agent who is the friend of the hero.There are two mysteries going on here. One involves Sally 's(the lead female) father's death and the second one is the source of the small town of Cove's income. Some of the inhabitants of Cove are very irritating and so is Sally .
The actions that take place in this novel could never take place in real life. This is not a police procedural. It is an FBI fantasy novel. 2 1/2 stars.

I apologize for all you Coulter fans but OMG can just one of her FBI series books not follow the formula: Big strong FBI man meets damsel in distress and two weeks later decides he want to marry her and have babies? Ugh. I read these sorts of books for the suspense and the mystery which for the most part she does fairly well; however, it is so mired in the thinnest of sexual undertones that it can be hard not to discount the whole storyline.

I've been starving for good murder mysteries lately and I can't get enough of them. This book does not fall into that category. I read this book all the way through, but I wouldn't have if it hadn't been for all the crazy stuff that happened, which I guess kept it from being completely boring. It really was just ridiculous. I think it was very poorly written, somtimes hard to read/understand, and conversations between characters were too lengthy and sometimes one sided. Just a silly, silly book. Because of this, I will probably never pick up another book by Catherine Coulter.

Dark Paradise by Tami Hoag is the same old story of the city girl who goes out west and meets the cowboy who is basically a pain in the tush, but she falls for him anyway. What makes it all new is that most of the people in the story have gone out west seeking a simpler way of life and while some of them just want to live, others are there to hide.
In today's world people often wonder how many amenities they would give up in order to dump the mass of complexities they live with. This gives the setting a contemporary tone, it's not about yesterday, it's about today. The cowboy feels his way of life slipping away and resents those newcomers who threaten his lifestyle and the land while accepting those who want only to live a simple life. Mixed in with all the rest is the savage unconquered land that attracts conquerors and savages. It is by exploring these conflicts that the writer breathes fresh life into an old plot.
What starts as a boy meets girl evolves into a complex mix of motives and murders. The story keeps you guessing till the very end as each little mystery gets solved and bigger mysteries are exposed. There is no let up in the action and the book is hard to put down.

This book was definitely worth the time. The pace was unerringly well-timed and the author should get an award for this piece!

I have really enjoyed every Tami Hoag novel I have read and I've read quite a few. Well, I've enjoyed every one of them up to this one. This was just goofy. I could not even enjoy a plot with possibilities because the characters were so absolutely ridiculous. Instead of a love affair, Marilee should have had grounds for a lawsuit. I only hoped that maybe the hero would turn out to be a psycho killer so he could be eliminated. This, I guess, is one of Tami Hoag's earlier works when she was in transition mode from romance writer to mystery/thriller writer. I am glad she progressed from this trash. I could not recommend this even to fans of Tami Hoag. And now, I am about to begin reading Guilty as Sin, the sequel to Night Sins. I'm still a Tami Hoagfan.

This has to be the worst book that I have ever read. I can read a book in a day or 2, but with this one I spent 4 days on it, and then I was only half way through it. I finally skimmed the rest of the book because it was so boring.

I hated the character of J. D. Rafferty. If a man talked that bad to a woman in real life he would have a busted lip. Why in the world would Marilee Jennings want anything to do with his sort is beyond me.

I didn't even like the other charters of the book, they were boring and the story just seemed to go nowhere.

I have read all of Tami Hoag's books, this is the only one that was missing from my collection of her books. I am glad I got it at a yard sale for .50 cents. That is about all this book was worth.

Other people may like this book, but this is just my opinion.

This book would have been good had the author not inserted the raunchy sex. I would not recommend this book.

I am a great fan of Helen Fielding's work, to a point. I simply adore the Bridget Jones books, as do many people. When I came across this book at the dollar store, I thought I had hit paydirt... a Fielding novel for a dollar?

I could not have been more disappointed. The character development is weak, and Fielding shows none of her insight or understanding of the human psyche and shortcomings that shines so clearly in the Jones books. If you loved Bridget, do yourself a favour, skip this one, and try the Shopaholic books by Sophie Kinsella instead.

I loved both of the Bridget Jones books, so I decided to read this one also written by Helen Fielding. I had a hard time getting through it because it was very boring with not much action. Probably the last 40 pages were the best because there was an actual, clear plot to them which made them page-turning. I was very disappointed by this book because it did not have the Bridget Jones' humor I expected and it also did not have a good, focused plot and therefore wasted a couple hundred pages.

As a major fan of the Bridget Jones books, I didn't think it possible for Helen Fielding to write a bad book. She proved me wrong. So wrong, I could not finish it. Ugh.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Some politics were inserted in the book, but Fielding managed to keep it lighthearted. I recommend all of Fielding's books. Her writing style has drawn me to British humor and I can't seem to get enough.

Two years before Helen Fielding published Bridget Jones's Diary, she put out Cause Celeb, the story of how literary publicist Rosie Richardson ends up running a refugee camp in northern Africa and getting pushed into the funny, often hypocritical world of celebrity charity. The book essentially has three parts: (a) Rosie's love life in London, (b) Rosie in the refugee camp, and (c) Rosie organizes a celebrity charity event.

Part A is like Bridget Jones's Diary except not quite as funny. It's still entertaining, though. Part B is what makes the book most worthwhile. I read the book after encountering comments from Dorothea Hilhorst that Fielding's novel captures the nuances of non-governmental organization work much more accurately than official reports tend to: "The novel...brings out how this NGO is shaped by actors in the organization and their surrounding networks. These people carry out activities according to their understanding of the situation and follow the whims of their personalities, motivated by various combinations of sacrifice, self-interest, vanity and compassion... The novel delightfully turns the refugees into real people--good and bad, loveable and pitiful--who actively endeavor to enrol NGO staff members and visitors to provide the necessary assistance" [1]. I agree that Fielding does this well.

Part C is the weakest, but it pokes some lively, enjoyable fun at celebrities getting involved in charity, both their motives and their lack of real knowledge about the issues.

Overall, I found the book engaging and entertaining and read it in just a week.

Note, for those who are concerned about this sort of thing, that the book has a couple of sexual situations and quite a bit of strong language, as I imagine you would encounter if you actually organized a celebrity charity event.

[1] Dorothea Hilhorst, The Real World of NGOs: Discourses, Diversity, and Development (London: Zed Books), 2003, quoted in Lewis, Rodgers, and Woolcock, "The Fiction of Development: Literary Representation as a Source of Authoritative Knowledge."

Dennis Coupland's Miss Wyoming was not at all what I expected, but it was well worth the wild read. Part social commentary on the cult of celebrity and part gonzo Hollywood buddy book, this is a fun story that has some very poignant moments. From the aging movie producer in recovery to the crazy mom of the former child beauty queen, the characters are well-drawn.

The locations lack detail and panache, but the real story here is the people. This book leaves you wanting just a little bit more.

Whatever Miss Wyoming is--a publishing-quota filler, a bout of writer's block, evidence of exhaustion (the man is prolific)--the writing is not representative of the writer.
Why's it stink? Well, mostly because it's just lazy, and ill-conceived. Coupland spends these 311 pages taking aim at the easiest target, Hollywood phonies, filling Miss Wyoming with insufferably obnoxious characters and their tirades of referential dialogue. Normally in his books, this character/type is the exception, a trivial anomaly who's mostly there to mock. Here, though, they're the rule, and there's not one tolerable character because of it. Even the two "heroes" are tossed off, lame approximations of outsider underdogs. The writing is weak too, bereft of Coupland's usual incisive wit and shrewd perception, instead given to sassiness and stupid similes. The book at times even verges on self-parody (Chapter Four), where the prose is so stereotypically rote it could have been spat out from a machine, or a beginning college creative writer.
Anyway, Douglas Coupland is a great author. Almost all of his other work is gold-plated gold. This is his dud. All authors have them; so be it. Read literally any other of his works.

If you are addicted to reading the tabloids then you'll love this book. If you're looking for depth, and intellectual stimulation stay away!

I hated it, then I was indifferent, then I briefly liked it, now I'm indifferent. I think I agree with the other posters who said the characters were not well developed. It's one of those works where you shouldn't think too much; otherwise you'll spoil it for yourself and the author. At the end of the day, if a novel brings me to Amazon to read other reviews, it must deserve at least 3 stars.

Would you be seriously interesting in knowing who Miss Wyoming is? No.
So why read this book?

MMM is a good writer (especially A Dangerous Woman), but this book is flat.

Fiona is unsympathetic. She is a 30 year old brat. Her feeling of being an outsider is self-induced, and the constant episodes where she is "acting out" are repetitive and exasperating. The other main characters are equally repellant.

The book suffers from sloppy editing, as well.

No one hits a home run with every book, but this one doesn't even make it to first base.

I almost didn't read this book because it started out slow and uninteresting, so I read the last page, before returning it to the library. For some reason I decided to continue reading and became completely hooked. I'm not going to give a synopsis of the book because many people have already done that and I don't think it is necessary. Even though I did read the last page before continuing on it didn't tell me everything. OK, the clues are abundant in this book and I have figured out a good bit of where it is going. I have figured out who Fiona's father really is but I haven't completely figured out what happened to her mother. For some reason I am finding it impossible to ignore this book and am enjoying it, except for the incredible number of typos and the repetitious use of "she bit her lip", "he bit his lip." Far too much lip-biting and I find it very annoying that the author doesn't seem to be able to come up with a more realistic way to describe the character when he/she is upset, angry, etc. How many people in real life do you see always biting their lip? See, just a small but annoying detail. This is not the best book I've ever read but it's a better than average read. I read "A Dangerous Woman" but have not read any of the author's other books. Maybe I should try another one to see if it is better than "Fiona Range."

In general I liked this book. There was something about it that reminded me of Richard Russo's work. It told an interesting (albeit predictable) story. Fiona is definitely a flawed character, but I found myself rooting for her.

That's not to say that the book does not have problems. As mentioned by other reviewers, there are numerous typos - far too many. Also, there are too many repetitive scenes with too much repetitive dialogue. How many times did we have to read about Patrick calling Fiona and leaving messages about needing to talk to her, or conversations between Elizabeth and Fiona that started out pleasantly enough but ended with Fiona's outrage, only to have the next conversation between them be the exact same way. There was also a problem with the chapters. Each chapter contained several breaks, which was fine, but where there should have been a break, none existed. It definitely hurt the flow of the story.

I also think that Morris was a little unfair to her main character. I think she tried at times to make her more screwed up and unlikable then she needed to be. For example, Fiona tells Rudy she loves him, they have sex, she feels guilty, tells him she doesn't love him, then tries to seduce him, only to be hurt by his rejection (which again was repetitive, since the same thing happened with George.)

I'll give this one three stars. It needed to be shortened by about 100 pages to be a five star book.

Fiona Range is a good book for someone who does not know good literature. There are so many typos that it is distracting to someone who knows how to use grammar. Tbe plot is too simplisitic for a book this long--maybe better suited to a novella or a short-story. Also, the characters, excepting for Fiona, were very shallow and needed more purpose. Considering that the author has written much more enjoyable novels previous to this--it leaves the reader with the sense that it was intended as a money-maker, not a heart-warmer.

truly bad. I read four books per week, and maybe twice a year don't finish one. Fiona Range is one of those. I don't know which was worse:
1. the egregious typos -- authors get to read the galleys before they go to press -- was Morris too lazy, or what?
2. lack of plot, dialogue that does not progress the story, repetitive scenes