Lady

This story started out with so much promise. The main character's voice was vivid and smart. The original story problem was outlined with clarity. There was also a sexy love interest. But then came the middle, and everything just fell apart. The story turned into cliched mush. I hated the slightly racist depiction of the Davina. And, Olivia's smart, sassy voice is absolutely lost to her brainless actions. Ultimately, we're left with one of those stories that starts off well, but doesn't hold to the original promise. The narrator was brilliant though. She really breathed life into the characters.

This was such a fun listen. The characters are well-drawn, and crazy. I loved the book. I hope Ms. Grover Swank will write more in this vein. In looking at her Audible listing, it appears that she's writing mainly young adult books. My fingers are crossed for more like this one.

This story has lots of potential. I think it would have been better with a different narrator, and I say that as a fan of Johanna Parker's narration of the Sookie Stackhouse series. In this book, however, the narration was rushed, which made it difficult to get a sense of the story. The story had a lot of interesting elements, seemed well-researched, and pretty well-written. I do think it's worth a credit if you can get past the rapid pace of the narration.

The story had a rushed feel at the beginning, but once it settled into a rhythm, it turned out to be a fun adventure. The characters were well-developed. The author played a bit with cultural stereotypes, but in a way that superseded the stereotypes she employed. She also has a strong understanding of cultural myth and fairy tales. Grimm Legacy, contrary to the subject matter, was not overly childish. It was innocent and light-hearted with lots of hints of darkness, perfect for a parent of a tween or teen who wants a smart, sophisticated story without the story relying on sex, drugs or foul language. I would have given the story five stars, but the beginning with the charitable young girl imagery was a bit too sweetly simplistic for me. I'm just glad I kept listening because very little of the remainder of the story used trite cultural imagery as character development. I work with teens and have found that anything that hints at simplistic is the kiss of death. Really enjoyed the story, it was well-worth a credit.

Because this is a quick listen, I did not expect such well-developed characters. My assumption was wrong. The characters are interesting, developed, and compelling. It's my first time listening to a story by this author. I am now a fan. She only has one other story on Audible, but I'm getting that one as well, and I look forward to more. Hopefully, all of her stories will be as interesting and complex as the Keeper of the Way. I'm glad I took a chance on the author and this story, it was definitely well-worth it.

There is nothing overly objectionable about the story. It's just a snore-fest; which is surprising because the author includes several elements that should be, on the surface, exciting. If you're looking for a plodding, but adequate story, this serves well enough. It lacks sparkle and grows tedious at times, but many regencies do. My main problem is that the author had so much to work with; yet somehow, she managed to wring every ounce of excitement from the story, only to replace it with monotony.

The story is compelling. It could have easily been a Hunger Games, as the concept is really interesting. The most unfortunate aspect of the story is that it suffers from being overwritten. The overuse of adjectives is distracting, as is the main character's inconsistent emotional perspective, but get past those two things and it's quite good. The only other problem is that the writer could have taken the story in a more expansive direction, especially at the end where the main character, Tatiana, has knowledge that could be used to jump start the next book in the series; but rather than having her share the information, the author takes a more reflective route. It would have been cool for Tatiana to share knowledge that she had gained in the hidden library. Again, this is a good story, though overwritten. Oh, and one final thing, there was a weird blip at the end of the audio. The story is drawing to a close, then abruptly, we are in the midst of another story, different character names and all. I imagine that will be fixed at some point.

Did not purchase the print version.

Kinsella's ability to keep you reading, and even rooting for the main character, if when you think the character is an idiot.

The ending was really interesting. When Sam texted an entire church full of people, and when Sophie is on the church steps, and they are texting each other. Very creative.

Sam. He sounds cute and smart.

The problem with this book is that it doesn't live up to its potential. It's not well-written. The time-line seems mixed up and haphazard, opting for a day-in-the-life, now speed forward a month style. Also, the author assumes her readers hold the same value system that she does, expecting us to applaud the main character's choices. Consequently, the story also lacks a strong character arc. Alex is the same at the end of the story as she is in the beginning. She quits her job not because she comes to understand that it's not who she's meant to be, not because she comes to understand that the industry is corrupt or lacking. She quits because she doesn't have enough brilliance to overcome the problems facing her. In the end, she's an idiot who deserves everything she gets.

In the way of contemporary chick lit, rather than the story being empowering with the woman overcoming her problems and triumphing, the character walks away leaving the male culture of Wall Street. She admits defeat. It would be nice for stories like this to have the character find a way to beat the culture, rather than walking away in search of happiness elsewhere, but that's not happening here.

I don't think I have.

I would have cut out all of the drinking. It may be typical of Wall Street, but it wasn't necessary in the story. The character was more of a lush than anything else.

There was no way to connect to the character. This story could be made into a movie and find huge success like Devil Wears Prada, but like Devil Wears Prada, it's likely that the movie will be much better than the book.