Question: How is your evaluation for the book?

Move over Christian and Anna, Gideon and Eva - - Ethan and Brynne have arrived - - with a BANG!  What a fantastic beginning to the new series, "The Blackstone Affair", by Raine Miller.Following a life-altering experience Brynne Bennett moves to London to attend University and escape her past.  To help pay her bills she does some modeling, which she is quite good at.  Her photographer, Ben, has a gallery showing and is exhibiting a large wall hanging of Brynne, in all her glory.  Ethan Blackstone, millionaire owner of Blackstone Security, attends the showing and is drawn to Brynne's photo and ultimately buys it for his home.  While at the showing he spots Brynne chatting with Ben and follows her out when she leaves.  He offers her a ride home and, strangely drawn to him, Brynne accepts.  So it begins.We are guided through the fragile beginnings of Ethan and Brynne's relationship and begin to hope for their success.  While there are similarities to 50 Shades and Bared to You, the characters of Ethan and Brynne are very strong in their own right and you are compelled to learn their individual stories.  The last chapters of this book absolutely blew me away!  I love Raine Miller's writing style and this book did not disappoint in that area.I finished this book in a day and I am anxiously awaiting the release of the 2nd installment, All In.

Answer: What a fantastic beginning to the new series

Move over Christian and Anna, Gideon and Eva - - Ethan and Brynne have arrived - - with a BANG! <hl> What a fantastic beginning to the new series , "The Blackstone Affair", by Raine Miller. <hl> Following a life-altering experience Brynne Bennett moves to London to attend University and escape her past. To help pay her bills she does some modeling, which she is quite good at. Her photographer, Ben, has a gallery showing and is exhibiting a large wall hanging of Brynne, in all her glory. Ethan Blackstone, millionaire owner of Blackstone Security, attends the showing and is drawn to Brynne's photo and ultimately buys it for his home. While at the showing he spots Brynne chatting with Ben and follows her out when she leaves. He offers her a ride home and, strangely drawn to him, Brynne accepts. So it begins. We are guided through the fragile beginnings of Ethan and Brynne's relationship and begin to hope for their success. While there are similarities to 50 Shades and Bared to You, the characters of Ethan and Brynne are very strong in their own right and you are compelled to learn their individual stories. The last chapters of this book absolutely blew me away! I love Raine Miller's writing style and this book did not disappoint in that area. I finished this book in a day and I am anxiously awaiting the release of the 2nd installment, All In.

Move over Christian and Anna, Gideon and Eva - - Ethan and Brynne have arrived - - with a BANG! <hl> What a fantastic beginning to the new series <hl>, "The Blackstone Affair", by Raine Miller.Following a life-altering experience Brynne Bennett moves to London to attend University and escape her past. To help pay her bills she does some modeling, which she is quite good at. Her photographer, Ben, has a gallery showing and is exhibiting a large wall hanging of Brynne, in all her glory. Ethan Blackstone, millionaire owner of Blackstone Security, attends the showing and is drawn to Brynne's photo and ultimately buys it for his home. While at the showing he spots Brynne chatting with Ben and follows her out when she leaves. He offers her a ride home and, strangely drawn to him, Brynne accepts. So it begins.We are guided through the fragile beginnings of Ethan and Brynne's relationship and begin to hope for their success. While there are similarities to 50 Shades and Bared to You, the characters of Ethan and Brynne are very strong in their own right and you are compelled to learn their individual stories. The last chapters of this book absolutely blew me away! I love Raine Miller's writing style and this book did not disappoint in that area.I finished this book in a day and I am anxiously awaiting the release of the 2nd installment, All In.

<hl> What a fantastic beginning to the new series <hl> , "The Blackstone Affair", by Raine Miller.


Question: What do you think about the story?

My faith was made even stronger by reading this.  The adult in me kept wanting to be skeptical but the author kept backing everything up with scripture.  If you trust in the Lord and His word then you will notice exact references to what we expect heaven to look like.  I enjoyed the fact that the author did not ask his son leading questions and just let him tell what everything was like.  Thankfully, you do not have to be a well educated theologian to enjoy this book about a young child's short trip to heaven.  God's word even tells us that we must have child-like faith.  When will we ever learn to just take the Lord by what He says.  Storyline is wonderful.  Make sure you keep a tissue handy.

Answer: Storyline is wonderful

Storyline is wonderful .

My faith was made even stronger by reading this. The adult in me kept wanting to be skeptical but the author kept backing everything up with scripture. If you trust in the Lord and His word then you will notice exact references to what we expect heaven to look like. I enjoyed the fact that the author did not ask his son leading questions and just let him tell what everything was like. Thankfully, you do not have to be a well educated theologian to enjoy this book about a young child's short trip to heaven. God's word even tells us that we must have child-like faith. When will we ever learn to just take the Lord by what He says. <hl> Storyline is wonderful . <hl> Make sure you keep a tissue handy.

My faith was made even stronger by reading this. The adult in me kept wanting to be skeptical but the author kept backing everything up with scripture. If you trust in the Lord and His word then you will notice exact references to what we expect heaven to look like. I enjoyed the fact that the author did not ask his son leading questions and just let him tell what everything was like. Thankfully, you do not have to be a well educated theologian to enjoy this book about a young child's short trip to heaven. God's word even tells us that we must have child-like faith. When will we ever learn to just take the Lord by what He says. <hl> Storyline is wonderful <hl>. Make sure you keep a tissue handy.


Question: Was the series perfect?

I just love all of Cassandra Clares books. When her first series came out i just ate it up and this one is just as good. If you have not real all her books yet... start ordering.

Answer: this one is just as good

I just love all of Cassandra Clares books. <hl> When her first series came out i just ate it up and this one is just as good . <hl> If you have not real all her books yet... start ordering.

I just love all of Cassandra Clares books. When her first series came out i just ate it up and <hl> this one is just as good <hl>. If you have not real all her books yet... start ordering.

When her first series came out i just ate it up and <hl> this one is just as good <hl> .


Question: What is the quality?

This book was great.  I am sad that the author doesn't have more novels out there.  I devoured this book.  The ending was so perfect that it didn't have you hanging for more...except another story as good.  Certainly the best work of fiction I read this year.

Answer: Certainly the best work of fiction I read this year.

This book was great. I am sad that the author doesn't have more novels out there. I devoured this book. The ending was so perfect that it didn't have you hanging for more...except another story as good. <hl> Certainly the best work of fiction I read this year. <hl>


Question: Do you like to write?

I picked up this second book the day I finished Book 1.  I had this book done in 2 days.  Something about these books just draw you in.This book picks up days after Book 1 which I really like.  And while the physical chemistry/bedroom action continues, this time around the story isn't solely about them/sex but includes a subplot.  And while book 1 was about Ana experiencing new things, this time Christian is the one experiencing a new way of life and many firsts.While in Book 1 I didn't really feel the writing was bad, now I have to agree with some of the reviewers that have complained about the repetition in the writing.  In Book 1 she had my complete attention the entire time, where in this one after countless rounds of sex, I found myself thinking, "here we go again, sex time" and not really into what was going on. I was more interested in the plot and what was going to happen that involved what was outside of their relationship. This time it was another scene, another panty drop.  One of my friends that is reading the same book said she's getting tired of reading "I'm going to take you now" which I found hilarious. While some things changed, it was pretty much written as "sexual trigger, kiss, pant, pant, tease, foil packet and bliss in unison".  Nobody has that kind of moment EVERY time.  And much of the general dialogue is repetitive.  But not so much that I couldn't enjoy the story.The emails are in this and continue to be enjoyable.For repetitive writing, I'd give this a 3 star.  But since the plot was about more than just their sex life and it was engaging, I gave this book 4 stars, because I really did like the overall storyline, which is the main point of reading a book.I look forward to reading the final book.NOTE:I also agree with the readers that have complained about the Kindle book costing more than the paperback. What a joke!  We pay more for digital format than those that buy books that use actual materials and printing costs?? Cmon publisher!I read that Ian Somerhalder from Vampire Diaries said he would be interested in playing Christian in the movie.  He would be PERFECT in my book.

Answer: I picked

<hl> I picked up this second book the day I finished Book 1. <hl> I had this book done in 2 days. Something about these books just draw you in. This book picks up days after Book 1 which I really like. And while the physical chemistry/bedroom action continues, this time around the story isn't solely about them/sex but includes a subplot. And while book 1 was about Ana experiencing new things, this time Christian is the one experiencing a new way of life and many firsts. While in Book 1 I didn't really feel the writing was bad, now I have to agree with some of the reviewers that have complained about the repetition in the writing. In Book 1 she had my complete attention the entire time, where in this one after countless rounds of sex, I found myself thinking, "here we go again, sex time" and not really into what was going on. I was more interested in the plot and what was going to happen that involved what was outside of their relationship. This time it was another scene, another panty drop. One of my friends that is reading the same book said she's getting tired of reading "I'm going to take you now" which I found hilarious. While some things changed, it was pretty much written as "sexual trigger, kiss, pant, pant, tease, foil packet and bliss in unison". Nobody has that kind of moment EVERY time. And much of the general dialogue is repetitive. But not so much that I couldn't enjoy the story. The emails are in this and continue to be enjoyable. For repetitive writing, I'd give this a 3 star. But since the plot was about more than just their sex life and it was engaging, I gave this book 4 stars, because I really did like the overall storyline, which is the main point of reading a book. I look forward to reading the final book. NOTE: I also agree with the readers that have complained about the Kindle book costing more than the paperback. What a joke! We pay more for digital format than those that buy books that use actual materials and printing costs?? Cmon publisher!I read that Ian Somerhalder from Vampire Diaries said he would be interested in playing Christian in the movie. He would be PERFECT in my book.

<hl> I picked <hl> up this second book the day I finished Book 1. I had this book done in 2 days. Something about these books just draw you in.This book picks up days after Book 1 which I really like. And while the physical chemistry/bedroom action continues, this time around the story isn't solely about them/sex but includes a subplot. And while book 1 was about Ana experiencing new things, this time Christian is the one experiencing a new way of life and many firsts.While in Book 1 I didn't really feel the writing was bad, now I have to agree with some of the reviewers that have complained about the repetition in the writing. In Book 1 she had my complete attention the entire time, where in this one after countless rounds of sex, I found myself thinking, "here we go again, sex time" and not really into what was going on. I was more interested in the plot and what was going to happen that involved what was outside of their relationship. This time it was another scene, another panty drop. One of my friends that is reading the same book said she's getting tired of reading "I'm going to take you now" which I found hilarious. While some things changed, it was pretty much written as "sexual trigger, kiss, pant, pant, tease, foil packet and bliss in unison". Nobody has that kind of moment EVERY time. And much of the general dialogue is repetitive. But not so much that I couldn't enjoy the story.The emails are in this and continue to be enjoyable.For repetitive writing, I'd give this a 3 star. But since the plot was about more than just their sex life and it was engaging, I gave this book 4 stars, because I really did like the overall storyline, which is the main point of reading a book.I look forward to reading the final book.NOTE:I also agree with the readers that have complained about the Kindle book costing more than the paperback. What a joke! We pay more for digital format than those that buy books that use actual materials and printing costs?? Cmon publisher!I read that Ian Somerhalder from Vampire Diaries said he would be interested in playing Christian in the movie. He would be PERFECT in my book.


Question: How does the story feel?

Answer: is enchanting, magical, thought provoking and a must read if

<hl> This book is enchanting, magical, thought provoking and a must read if you enjoying being taken to places of wonderment and beauty <hl>

This book <hl> is enchanting, magical, thought provoking and a must read if <hl> you enjoying being taken to places of wonderment and beauty


Question: Was the writing style of the book conversational?

We read this in our book club. It was one we especially enjoyed and one that lead many of our group to seek out more of this author’s books. The episode in the mall in St. Louis was especially fun for me. The style was different, fun, and the book had several surprising turns.

Answer: and the book had several surprising turns

We read this in our book club. It was one we especially enjoyed and one that lead many of our group to seek out more of this author’s books. The episode in the mall in St. Louis was especially fun for me. <hl> The style was different, fun, and the book had several surprising turns . <hl>

We read this in our book club. It was one we especially enjoyed and one that lead many of our group to seek out more of this author’s books. The episode in the mall in St. Louis was especially fun for me. The style was different, fun, <hl> and the book had several surprising turns <hl>.

The style was different, fun, <hl> and the book had several surprising turns <hl> .


Question: How was the action in the book that you completed reading?

Hello allwell i just got through reading the latest Robert Langdon novel and lety me say it was a good book but it also has its probl;ems. First off lets get to what is good about the book.1. Robert langdon is in uncharted territory. One of Robert Langdons greatest gifts is not just for symbolism but also his ability of having a photographic memory. In this book at the very begining it was taken away from him, this leaves him in very uncharted territory and Dan brown really brings this through2. the action is good. Throughout the book the action is swift and the characters reaction to things is very real and you can feel the emotion of the moment come through.3. the characters are not cookie cutter bad guys or good guys. This is one book were the landscape of who is bad and who is good is always changing from the first page you think you got things figured out but by the end only person you really have faith in as far as where he stands is Robert langdon and there were more than a few OMG moments where the tides sift and suddenly good is bad and bad is good.However there is some bad things too1. Book requires you to do some research. IF you have never been to venice or florence this book requires you to look up some stuff online to get what it looks like. Now while this aint necessary a bad thing if you are just looking for a good afternoon yarn or something for you to read during flights this may not be the book for you.2.There are times when you get confused Throughout the book there was times were i got confused with much of the jargon and while this is eventually made up for later it did pull me out of what was going on a little.Overall this is a good book for some late night reading but if you are looking for a time killer then you might want to go somewhere else, still though i cant wait for the next robert langdon book

Answer: the action is good

the action is good .

Hello allwell i just got through reading the latest Robert Langdon novel and lety me say it was a good book but it also has its probl;ems. First off lets get to what is good about the book.1. Robert langdon is in uncharted territory. One of Robert Langdons greatest gifts is not just for symbolism but also his ability of having a photographic memory. In this book at the very begining it was taken away from him, this leaves him in very uncharted territory and Dan brown really brings this through2. <hl> the action is good . <hl> Throughout the book the action is swift and the characters reaction to things is very real and you can feel the emotion of the moment come through.3. the characters are not cookie cutter bad guys or good guys. This is one book were the landscape of who is bad and who is good is always changing from the first page you think you got things figured out but by the end only person you really have faith in as far as where he stands is Robert langdon and there were more than a few OMG moments where the tides sift and suddenly good is bad and bad is good. However there is some bad things too1. Book requires you to do some research. IF you have never been to venice or florence this book requires you to look up some stuff online to get what it looks like. Now while this aint necessary a bad thing if you are just looking for a good afternoon yarn or something for you to read during flights this may not be the book for you.2.There are times when you get confused Throughout the book there was times were i got confused with much of the jargon and while this is eventually made up for later it did pull me out of what was going on a little. Overall this is a good book for some late night reading but if you are looking for a time killer then you might want to go somewhere else, still though i cant wait for the next robert langdon book

Hello allwell i just got through reading the latest Robert Langdon novel and lety me say it was a good book but it also has its probl;ems. First off lets get to what is good about the book.1. Robert langdon is in uncharted territory. One of Robert Langdons greatest gifts is not just for symbolism but also his ability of having a photographic memory. In this book at the very begining it was taken away from him, this leaves him in very uncharted territory and Dan brown really brings this through2. <hl> the action is good <hl>. Throughout the book the action is swift and the characters reaction to things is very real and you can feel the emotion of the moment come through.3. the characters are not cookie cutter bad guys or good guys. This is one book were the landscape of who is bad and who is good is always changing from the first page you think you got things figured out but by the end only person you really have faith in as far as where he stands is Robert langdon and there were more than a few OMG moments where the tides sift and suddenly good is bad and bad is good.However there is some bad things too1. Book requires you to do some research. IF you have never been to venice or florence this book requires you to look up some stuff online to get what it looks like. Now while this aint necessary a bad thing if you are just looking for a good afternoon yarn or something for you to read during flights this may not be the book for you.2.There are times when you get confused Throughout the book there was times were i got confused with much of the jargon and while this is eventually made up for later it did pull me out of what was going on a little.Overall this is a good book for some late night reading but if you are looking for a time killer then you might want to go somewhere else, still though i cant wait for the next robert langdon book


Question: How was the writing style?

First person narration is a favorite of mine, so a friend gifted me a copy of this e-book for Christmas (it was a book she loved and she knew I'd love it, too). Not all authors can pull off first-person narration, but this author did it splendidly -- handling the viewpoint of two different characters. Both characters have their own definite personalities and ways of expressing themselves.Some find fault with the ending of this tricky tale, but for me it was satisfying and fitting. Your mileage may differ, but even if it does, it's still worth your while to read what comes before the final pages.This is an author to watch.

Answer: Some find fault

First person narration is a favorite of mine, so a friend gifted me a copy of this e-book for Christmas (it was a book she loved and she knew I'd love it, too). Not all authors can pull off first-person narration, but this author did it splendidly -- handling the viewpoint of two different characters. Both characters have their own definite personalities and ways of expressing themselves. <hl> Some find fault with the ending of this tricky tale, but for me it was satisfying and fitting. <hl> Your mileage may differ, but even if it does, it's still worth your while to read what comes before the final pages. This is an author to watch.

First person narration is a favorite of mine, so a friend gifted me a copy of this e-book for Christmas (it was a book she loved and she knew I'd love it, too). Not all authors can pull off first-person narration, but this author did it splendidly -- handling the viewpoint of two different characters. Both characters have their own definite personalities and ways of expressing themselves.<hl> Some find fault <hl> with the ending of this tricky tale, but for me it was satisfying and fitting. Your mileage may differ, but even if it does, it's still worth your while to read what comes before the final pages.This is an author to watch.


Question: What do you think about story?

...to continue reading this book. I'm one-fourth of the way through. Yes  this is definitely a page turner. Yes, his work is well-researched. Yes, the reader will learn a lot about Florence, Italy and Dante's Inferno. Thus three stars instead of two.But the story feels formulaic. After reading his other Langdon books, the reader knows Langdon will chase and be chased and that there will be situations that seem improbable to get out of and/or survive.I also find that that this story uses too many elipses (...) and too many (?!) in dialogue. It's intrusive.

Answer: the story feels formulaic

But the story feels formulaic .

...to continue reading this book. I'm one-fourth of the way through. Yes this is definitely a page turner. Yes, his work is well-researched. Yes, the reader will learn a lot about Florence, Italy and Dante's Inferno. Thus three stars instead of two. <hl> But the story feels formulaic . <hl> After reading his other Langdon books, the reader knows Langdon will chase and be chased and that there will be situations that seem improbable to get out of and/or survive. I also find that that this story uses too many elipses (...) and too many (?!) in dialogue. It's intrusive.

...to continue reading this book. I'm one-fourth of the way through. Yes this is definitely a page turner. Yes, his work is well-researched. Yes, the reader will learn a lot about Florence, Italy and Dante's Inferno. Thus three stars instead of two.But <hl> the story feels formulaic <hl>. After reading his other Langdon books, the reader knows Langdon will chase and be chased and that there will be situations that seem improbable to get out of and/or survive.I also find that that this story uses too many elipses (...) and too many (?!) in dialogue. It's intrusive.

But <hl> the story feels formulaic <hl> .


Question: How long is this book?

I am a veteran of about 15 or so different King novels and I have to say that Under the Dome really was on the low end of the quality spectrum.  The premise to me sounded really interesting and I was pleased to receive the book as a gift this Christmas.  Much like favorites like the Stand and Needful Things, UTD starts of with a lot of intrigue but really fails to deliver any payoff.To sum up the plot I would liken this novel to a combination of Storm of the Century and Needful Things.  It relies heavily on the Stephen King theme of entrapment and the moral and social conflicts that can arise.  King loves to trap his characters in various ways whether it be in bondage, a storm, mist, vagabond trucks, a crazy dog, or in this case, an invisible dome.  The basic premise of the story is very similar to that of The Mist or Needful Things with how the town dynamics change after the Dome falls and the rise of the villain(s).  Its the standard "everyone has some dark secrets under their normal demeanor" story.  But unfortunately like other King novels, nothing really happens in Dome.In the afterword King responds that in this book he was really trying to keep the pedal to the metal and that his editor pushed that sentiment.  My questions are what pedal and where was the metal???  He also admits that the book was a dinosaur and his editor was responsible for the 1075 page "more manageable" tome we see now.  Makes me wonder how long and boring it was originally?The Good:The concept was kind of interesting.  In typical King fashion you have no idea why the Dome exists or what it is so you get kind of drawn in pretty quick.Some characters are fairly interesting in the classic King way.It's not a terribly challenging read.The Bad:Too many of the characters are rigid and devoid of any depth or intrigue.  Most characters are just introduced only to be slaughtered so the reader quickly loses interest in most of them.The main villain is quite weak and very unbelievable at times.You don't really care about the main characters at all.Lots of filler content.  Probably 300+ pages of needless story.The Ugly:It's way too long.  I am not adverse to a 1000+ page book but so little happens it's unnecessary.  The book takes place in a about a week and the payoff ending occupies about 30 of those pages.  Quite ridiculous.  Needful Things had a lot more going on in fewer pages.  Because of the size of this story and lack of substance it is easy to get bored.  The filler gets annoying too.  Usually just a lot of meaningless characters doing nothing of any value to the story just being paraded in front of you.  They may add some human quality to the story but are ultimately un-needed.Worse, the book is ridiculously heavy.  Boring and heavy, not a good combo.Lastly, the ending, like many King novels to me, is incredibly weak.  The standard I find for King, and what I love, is that he creates amazing life like characters I feel like I know and care for, and then builds a thrilling tale over 2 acts.  Almost universally I find that King struggles with the 3rd act and the ending.  He has let me down quite a few times in several stories with seemingly simple solutions to what he presented as a complex thrilling problem.  UTD is exactly that just minus the thrilling buildup.  I never felt like any tension was building in this novel.  In fact it worked opposite to that.  The first several hundred pages were very tension fueled as no one seemed to know what was going on but once you were introduced to the cardboard characters and got used tot he Dome the story really calms down and just doesn't move much for about 500 or so pages.  Worse the main villain is entirely predictable and boring.  His plots unfold too neatly and the reader will not believe he is as convincing as King tries to make him.  Probably King's worst Antagonist ever.  Plus the ultimate ending left a lot of questions unanswered and was so overly simplistic it didn't reward the reader for those 1000 pages in any way.  It was typical to King in some ways but there was virtually no lead up to it.  It just pretty much happened and any foreshadowing of these events were buried in 100s of pages of meaningless text.I just felt the ending was a cheap cop out and in an ironic way made much of the story unnecessary because it seems the residents could have resolved the problem far quicker and with less chaos than they ended up facing.  In other words most of those who die died unnecessarily.  Worse, the ending doesn't really resolve the biggest question the reader will have.My final verdict is that if the book had been shorter, I am thinking maybe 700 pages, then it would have been paced better and could have been more rewarding.  But as it is the book is just too long, too slow, and too simple to be a rewarding read for hardcore King fans.If you are new to King I would not recommend this read.  It would turn you off completely.  GO to the Stand, Needful Things, Hearts in Atlantis, etc...  For existing fans, well, just be warned that it's one of his longest train wrecks to date.  King admits he tried to write this story back in the 70's and gave up on it.  Maybe even today the project was just too ambitious even for him.  Any experienced King reader will recognize all of the themes in this book whether they be political, moral, religious, emotional, supernatural, etc.  You have met all these characters before just in more vivid detail elsewhere.King was capable of much better.  My rating would be a 2.5 star because I found about half the book to be enjoyable to some degree.  Despite the weak characters there were some elements of King's voice in there.  His characters were merely shallow vehicles for his obvious emotional opinions of the world in which we live.  The conflicts he tried (and mostly failed in my opinion) to achieve represent King's own personal struggles with the world.He commentates (usually indirectly) on Political corruption, religious fundamentalism, censorship, human dominance or submissiveness, addiction, etc.  While I was not crazy about the story, and in most ways felt it failed to entertain, I did find some enjoyment of exploring these themes in King's mind.  The final scenes of the ending represent a strong King theme (and obvious opinion) buried in an abrupt and out of the blue ending.  At least King left the reader with a chance to salvage something from the stroy despite it's obvious shortcomings.

Answer: I am a veteran of about 15 or so different King novels

<hl> I am a veteran of about 15 or so different King novels and I have to say that Under the Dome really was on the low end of the quality spectrum. <hl> The premise to me sounded really interesting and I was pleased to receive the book as a gift this Christmas. Much like favorites like the Stand and Needful Things, UTD starts of with a lot of intrigue but really fails to deliver any payoff. To sum up the plot I would liken this novel to a combination of Storm of the Century and Needful Things. It relies heavily on the Stephen King theme of entrapment and the moral and social conflicts that can arise. King loves to trap his characters in various ways whether it be in bondage, a storm, mist, vagabond trucks, a crazy dog, or in this case, an invisible dome. The basic premise of the story is very similar to that of The Mist or Needful Things with how the town dynamics change after the Dome falls and the rise of the villain(s). Its the standard "everyone has some dark secrets under their normal demeanor" story. But unfortunately like other King novels, nothing really happens in Dome. In the afterword King responds that in this book he was really trying to keep the pedal to the metal and that his editor pushed that sentiment. My questions are what pedal and where was the metal??? He also admits that the book was a dinosaur and his editor was responsible for the 1075 page "more manageable" tome we see now. Makes me wonder how long and boring it was originally?The Good:The concept was kind of interesting. In typical King fashion you have no idea why the Dome exists or what it is so you get kind of drawn in pretty quick. Some characters are fairly interesting in the classic King way. It's not a terribly challenging read. The Bad:Too many of the characters are rigid and devoid of any depth or intrigue. Most characters are just introduced only to be slaughtered so the reader quickly loses interest in most of them. The main villain is quite weak and very unbelievable at times. You don't really care about the main characters at all. Lots of filler content. Probably 300+ pages of needless story. The Ugly:It's way too long. I am not adverse to a 1000+ page book but so little happens it's unnecessary. The book takes place in a about a week and the payoff ending occupies about 30 of those pages. Quite ridiculous. Needful Things had a lot more going on in fewer pages. Because of the size of this story and lack of substance it is easy to get bored. The filler gets annoying too. Usually just a lot of meaningless characters doing nothing of any value to the story just being paraded in front of you. They may add some human quality to the story but are ultimately un-needed. Worse, the book is ridiculously heavy. Boring and heavy, not a good combo. Lastly, the ending, like many King novels to me, is incredibly weak. The standard I find for King, and what I love, is that he creates amazing life like characters I feel like I know and care for, and then builds a thrilling tale over 2 acts. Almost universally I find that King struggles with the 3rd act and the ending. He has let me down quite a few times in several stories with seemingly simple solutions to what he presented as a complex thrilling problem. UTD is exactly that just minus the thrilling buildup. I never felt like any tension was building in this novel. In fact it worked opposite to that. The first several hundred pages were very tension fueled as no one seemed to know what was going on but once you were introduced to the cardboard characters and got used tot he Dome the story really calms down and just doesn't move much for about 500 or so pages. Worse the main villain is entirely predictable and boring. His plots unfold too neatly and the reader will not believe he is as convincing as King tries to make him. Probably King's worst Antagonist ever. Plus the ultimate ending left a lot of questions unanswered and was so overly simplistic it didn't reward the reader for those 1000 pages in any way. It was typical to King in some ways but there was virtually no lead up to it. It just pretty much happened and any foreshadowing of these events were buried in 100s of pages of meaningless text. I just felt the ending was a cheap cop out and in an ironic way made much of the story unnecessary because it seems the residents could have resolved the problem far quicker and with less chaos than they ended up facing. In other words most of those who die died unnecessarily. Worse, the ending doesn't really resolve the biggest question the reader will have. My final verdict is that if the book had been shorter, I am thinking maybe 700 pages, then it would have been paced better and could have been more rewarding. But as it is the book is just too long, too slow, and too simple to be a rewarding read for hardcore King fans. If you are new to King I would not recommend this read. It would turn you off completely. GO to the Stand, Needful Things, Hearts in Atlantis, etc... For existing fans, well, just be warned that it's one of his longest train wrecks to date. King admits he tried to write this story back in the 70's and gave up on it. Maybe even today the project was just too ambitious even for him. Any experienced King reader will recognize all of the themes in this book whether they be political, moral, religious, emotional, supernatural, etc. You have met all these characters before just in more vivid detail elsewhere. King was capable of much better. My rating would be a 2.5 star because I found about half the book to be enjoyable to some degree. Despite the weak characters there were some elements of King's voice in there. His characters were merely shallow vehicles for his obvious emotional opinions of the world in which we live. The conflicts he tried (and mostly failed in my opinion) to achieve represent King's own personal struggles with the world. He commentates (usually indirectly) on Political corruption, religious fundamentalism, censorship, human dominance or submissiveness, addiction, etc. While I was not crazy about the story, and in most ways felt it failed to entertain, I did find some enjoyment of exploring these themes in King's mind. The final scenes of the ending represent a strong King theme (and obvious opinion) buried in an abrupt and out of the blue ending. At least King left the reader with a chance to salvage something from the stroy despite it's obvious shortcomings.

<hl> I am a veteran of about 15 or so different King novels <hl> and I have to say that Under the Dome really was on the low end of the quality spectrum. The premise to me sounded really interesting and I was pleased to receive the book as a gift this Christmas. Much like favorites like the Stand and Needful Things, UTD starts of with a lot of intrigue but really fails to deliver any payoff.To sum up the plot I would liken this novel to a combination of Storm of the Century and Needful Things. It relies heavily on the Stephen King theme of entrapment and the moral and social conflicts that can arise. King loves to trap his characters in various ways whether it be in bondage, a storm, mist, vagabond trucks, a crazy dog, or in this case, an invisible dome. The basic premise of the story is very similar to that of The Mist or Needful Things with how the town dynamics change after the Dome falls and the rise of the villain(s). Its the standard "everyone has some dark secrets under their normal demeanor" story. But unfortunately like other King novels, nothing really happens in Dome.In the afterword King responds that in this book he was really trying to keep the pedal to the metal and that his editor pushed that sentiment. My questions are what pedal and where was the metal??? He also admits that the book was a dinosaur and his editor was responsible for the 1075 page "more manageable" tome we see now. Makes me wonder how long and boring it was originally?The Good:The concept was kind of interesting. In typical King fashion you have no idea why the Dome exists or what it is so you get kind of drawn in pretty quick.Some characters are fairly interesting in the classic King way.It's not a terribly challenging read.The Bad:Too many of the characters are rigid and devoid of any depth or intrigue. Most characters are just introduced only to be slaughtered so the reader quickly loses interest in most of them.The main villain is quite weak and very unbelievable at times.You don't really care about the main characters at all.Lots of filler content. Probably 300+ pages of needless story.The Ugly:It's way too long. I am not adverse to a 1000+ page book but so little happens it's unnecessary. The book takes place in a about a week and the payoff ending occupies about 30 of those pages. Quite ridiculous. Needful Things had a lot more going on in fewer pages. Because of the size of this story and lack of substance it is easy to get bored. The filler gets annoying too. Usually just a lot of meaningless characters doing nothing of any value to the story just being paraded in front of you. They may add some human quality to the story but are ultimately un-needed.Worse, the book is ridiculously heavy. Boring and heavy, not a good combo.Lastly, the ending, like many King novels to me, is incredibly weak. The standard I find for King, and what I love, is that he creates amazing life like characters I feel like I know and care for, and then builds a thrilling tale over 2 acts. Almost universally I find that King struggles with the 3rd act and the ending. He has let me down quite a few times in several stories with seemingly simple solutions to what he presented as a complex thrilling problem. UTD is exactly that just minus the thrilling buildup. I never felt like any tension was building in this novel. In fact it worked opposite to that. The first several hundred pages were very tension fueled as no one seemed to know what was going on but once you were introduced to the cardboard characters and got used tot he Dome the story really calms down and just doesn't move much for about 500 or so pages. Worse the main villain is entirely predictable and boring. His plots unfold too neatly and the reader will not believe he is as convincing as King tries to make him. Probably King's worst Antagonist ever. Plus the ultimate ending left a lot of questions unanswered and was so overly simplistic it didn't reward the reader for those 1000 pages in any way. It was typical to King in some ways but there was virtually no lead up to it. It just pretty much happened and any foreshadowing of these events were buried in 100s of pages of meaningless text.I just felt the ending was a cheap cop out and in an ironic way made much of the story unnecessary because it seems the residents could have resolved the problem far quicker and with less chaos than they ended up facing. In other words most of those who die died unnecessarily. Worse, the ending doesn't really resolve the biggest question the reader will have.My final verdict is that if the book had been shorter, I am thinking maybe 700 pages, then it would have been paced better and could have been more rewarding. But as it is the book is just too long, too slow, and too simple to be a rewarding read for hardcore King fans.If you are new to King I would not recommend this read. It would turn you off completely. GO to the Stand, Needful Things, Hearts in Atlantis, etc... For existing fans, well, just be warned that it's one of his longest train wrecks to date. King admits he tried to write this story back in the 70's and gave up on it. Maybe even today the project was just too ambitious even for him. Any experienced King reader will recognize all of the themes in this book whether they be political, moral, religious, emotional, supernatural, etc. You have met all these characters before just in more vivid detail elsewhere.King was capable of much better. My rating would be a 2.5 star because I found about half the book to be enjoyable to some degree. Despite the weak characters there were some elements of King's voice in there. His characters were merely shallow vehicles for his obvious emotional opinions of the world in which we live. The conflicts he tried (and mostly failed in my opinion) to achieve represent King's own personal struggles with the world.He commentates (usually indirectly) on Political corruption, religious fundamentalism, censorship, human dominance or submissiveness, addiction, etc. While I was not crazy about the story, and in most ways felt it failed to entertain, I did find some enjoyment of exploring these themes in King's mind. The final scenes of the ending represent a strong King theme (and obvious opinion) buried in an abrupt and out of the blue ending. At least King left the reader with a chance to salvage something from the stroy despite it's obvious shortcomings.


Question: How is the quality of the series?

This series has made me cry, laugh out loud, sigh, and get angry enough to throw my brand new iPhone.  Through all those emotions though the major emotion was the pleasure and enjoyment if a series fantastically done. I could not wait for this book and I am sooo sad that this series is complete. I can say that this will remain on my reread list for a long time to come. Thanks for the fantastic story and I hope to see more with Becks and Haddie. I think their story will be hilarious. Love this book,series and author.

Answer: Love this book,series

Love this book,series and author.

This series has made me cry, laugh out loud, sigh, and get angry enough to throw my brand new iPhone. Through all those emotions though the major emotion was the pleasure and enjoyment if a series fantastically done. I could not wait for this book and I am sooo sad that this series is complete. I can say that this will remain on my reread list for a long time to come. Thanks for the fantastic story and I hope to see more with Becks and Haddie. I think their story will be hilarious. <hl> Love this book,series and author. <hl>

This series has made me cry, laugh out loud, sigh, and get angry enough to throw my brand new iPhone. Through all those emotions though the major emotion was the pleasure and enjoyment if a series fantastically done. I could not wait for this book and I am sooo sad that this series is complete. I can say that this will remain on my reread list for a long time to come. Thanks for the fantastic story and I hope to see more with Becks and Haddie. I think their story will be hilarious. <hl> Love this book,series <hl> and author.


Question: How did you like the art?

This is the most in-depth Batman comic I have ever read, and has become my favourite Batman story of all time. The story deals with Joker escaping, paralyzing Barbara Gordon, kidnapping Commissoner Gordon, and trying to prove that any man can go crazy in a single, bad day. As Batman hunts the Joker, the reader is treated to the Joker's origin story, and sees how thin the line is that seperates Batman from the Joker.I won't try to get into the psychological aspects of this story -suffice it to say that other reviews have covered it throughly and any attempt on my part would only make me look foolish. However, I will say that the most chilling part about this book is how, if you replace Batman and the Joker with two everyday people, the events still feel horribly real. This is not escapist reading as all comic books have been labeled, in fact, this is the book to show people who don't believe that powerful stories can be told in this medium. Both Batman and the Joker had a single bad day - so why didn't Batman go insane like the Joker did? The reader wants to know the fine line that seperates these two characters, partly so they can realize how close to crossing that line they are in their own lives. The art is truly amazing -detailed, moody, and brilliantly inked - the scenes in the Joker's funhouse scare the reader as much as they scare Gordon. The flashbacks are also impressively tied into the present, with similiar situations bookending each scene. The story begins and ends on the same note, like a vicious, never-ending cycle. Plus, you know you have something special when, after all the vicious, sadistic things the Joker has done, you still feel sorry for him."The Killing Joke" is a true masterpiece, and earns its place as one of the best comics of all time, and a true work of fiction.

Answer: The art is truly amazing -detailed

This is the most in-depth Batman comic I have ever read, and has become my favourite Batman story of all time. The story deals with Joker escaping, paralyzing Barbara Gordon, kidnapping Commissoner Gordon, and trying to prove that any man can go crazy in a single, bad day. As Batman hunts the Joker, the reader is treated to the Joker's origin story, and sees how thin the line is that seperates Batman from the Joker. I won't try to get into the psychological aspects of this story -suffice it to say that other reviews have covered it throughly and any attempt on my part would only make me look foolish. However, I will say that the most chilling part about this book is how, if you replace Batman and the Joker with two everyday people, the events still feel horribly real. This is not escapist reading as all comic books have been labeled, in fact, this is the book to show people who don't believe that powerful stories can be told in this medium. Both Batman and the Joker had a single bad day - so why didn't Batman go insane like the Joker did? The reader wants to know the fine line that seperates these two characters, partly so they can realize how close to crossing that line they are in their own lives. <hl> The art is truly amazing -detailed , moody, and brilliantly inked - the scenes in the Joker's funhouse scare the reader as much as they scare Gordon. <hl> The flashbacks are also impressively tied into the present, with similiar situations bookending each scene. The story begins and ends on the same note, like a vicious, never-ending cycle. Plus, you know you have something special when, after all the vicious, sadistic things the Joker has done, you still feel sorry for him."The Killing Joke" is a true masterpiece, and earns its place as one of the best comics of all time, and a true work of fiction.

This is the most in-depth Batman comic I have ever read, and has become my favourite Batman story of all time. The story deals with Joker escaping, paralyzing Barbara Gordon, kidnapping Commissoner Gordon, and trying to prove that any man can go crazy in a single, bad day. As Batman hunts the Joker, the reader is treated to the Joker's origin story, and sees how thin the line is that seperates Batman from the Joker.I won't try to get into the psychological aspects of this story -suffice it to say that other reviews have covered it throughly and any attempt on my part would only make me look foolish. However, I will say that the most chilling part about this book is how, if you replace Batman and the Joker with two everyday people, the events still feel horribly real. This is not escapist reading as all comic books have been labeled, in fact, this is the book to show people who don't believe that powerful stories can be told in this medium. Both Batman and the Joker had a single bad day - so why didn't Batman go insane like the Joker did? The reader wants to know the fine line that seperates these two characters, partly so they can realize how close to crossing that line they are in their own lives. <hl> The art is truly amazing -detailed <hl>, moody, and brilliantly inked - the scenes in the Joker's funhouse scare the reader as much as they scare Gordon. The flashbacks are also impressively tied into the present, with similiar situations bookending each scene. The story begins and ends on the same note, like a vicious, never-ending cycle. Plus, you know you have something special when, after all the vicious, sadistic things the Joker has done, you still feel sorry for him."The Killing Joke" is a true masterpiece, and earns its place as one of the best comics of all time, and a true work of fiction.

<hl> The art is truly amazing -detailed <hl> , moody, and brilliantly inked - the scenes in the Joker's funhouse scare the reader as much as they scare Gordon.


Question: How do you like the book?

Answer: Great book I loved it

<hl> Great book I loved it can't wait to see the movie I loved the humanities how people have different types of personally but can change. <hl>

<hl> Great book I loved it <hl> can't wait to see the movie I loved the humanities how people have different types of personally but can change.


Question: What do you think about this movie including the dialogue?

I'm struggling to recall a time other than this where I wished--to the fullest extent--that a relationship was real instead of part of a book. And the inner romantic in me was wishing that I could clone Lucas for myself and lock him away in my room forever. This novel is not only a gem among contemporary romance novels under the mature young adult genre, but it is a sparkling diamond among indie writing. This is a book that any romance lover cannot afford to miss. It'll be twelve dollars well spent because the story hidden in its pages is worth even more.Jacqueline was dating the golden-boy, future politician at her old school. She gave up her dreams of going to a prestigious music school to follow him to college, only to have Kennedy eventually dump her with one of the stupidest excuses in the history of the world. Days later, his friend and enemy attempts to rape her after a party to get even. Lucky for her, a mysterious and tortured stranger shows up and saves her. She finds herself falling for him, just as she becomes flirty with a class tutor that's trying to help her save her grade that she let drop due to the initial devastation of her break-up. With the creepy stalker occasionally turning up at the worst times, Jacqueline begins a journey of self-discovery and strength while finding what it truly means to be in love. This novel will undoubtedly pull at your heart-strings and keep you flipping the pages like there's no tomorrow. I had no problem finishing it in a single day.This novel left me with a huge sense of power when I finished reading. It's as if I found my inner strength right along Jacqueline. It stresses that everyone has freedom of choice and it also shows that we cannot dwell on the past, but look forward to the future and always keep ourselves open to possibilities. I feel as if these lessons are strong ones to learn in life, and they're one of the countless reasons that I loved this book.But the main reason that I loved this book was the amazing plot that slowly put Jacqueline and Lucas together. Everything about their relationship and the progress of them getting to know each other was not easy, even if the simple act of being together was. They had secrets, worries, and their pasts holding them back. They took this journey together and learned so much more about themselves, making all the obstacles that they put in their own way disappear. Lives that they unintentionally made so hard and burdensome became easy with the other by their side. Jacqueline--musical, intelligent, strong and driven. Lucas--quiet, brooding, artistic, and hard to figure out. Together, they will go on a journey that will tug at your heartstrings and make it skip a beat, only to have it explode with joy or a multitude of other strong emotions seconds later.5 stars to this novel because it will not disappoint. My only disappointment is that this book is indie published. While it is a huge gem, the bookish nerd in me prefers hard-covers, and I so badly want to see this baby in a hard-cover. It deserves it. This story will stick with you for a while and will give you so much hope for your future.Be aware, that this book tackles huge subjects such as rape, intimidation, and forceful attempts to silence victims. Don't worry, none of it is detailed, but it is certainly mentioned and you can tell what is happening. It is a prevalent undercurrent throughout the novel. Despite it tackling such heavy topics, the book is overall light-hearted. I don't like any of the aforementioned topics, and even then I understood their importance to the book and found it quite easy to handle them. All Jacqueline needed was a little girl power to get her by.

Answer: This novel is not only a gem among

I'm struggling to recall a time other than this where I wished--to the fullest extent--that a relationship was real instead of part of a book. And the inner romantic in me was wishing that I could clone Lucas for myself and lock him away in my room forever. <hl> This novel is not only a gem among contemporary romance novels under the mature young adult genre, but it is a sparkling diamond among indie writing. <hl> This is a book that any romance lover cannot afford to miss. It'll be twelve dollars well spent because the story hidden in its pages is worth even more. Jacqueline was dating the golden-boy, future politician at her old school. She gave up her dreams of going to a prestigious music school to follow him to college, only to have Kennedy eventually dump her with one of the stupidest excuses in the history of the world. Days later, his friend and enemy attempts to rape her after a party to get even. Lucky for her, a mysterious and tortured stranger shows up and saves her. She finds herself falling for him, just as she becomes flirty with a class tutor that's trying to help her save her grade that she let drop due to the initial devastation of her break-up. With the creepy stalker occasionally turning up at the worst times, Jacqueline begins a journey of self-discovery and strength while finding what it truly means to be in love. This novel will undoubtedly pull at your heart-strings and keep you flipping the pages like there's no tomorrow. I had no problem finishing it in a single day. This novel left me with a huge sense of power when I finished reading. It's as if I found my inner strength right along Jacqueline. It stresses that everyone has freedom of choice and it also shows that we cannot dwell on the past, but look forward to the future and always keep ourselves open to possibilities. I feel as if these lessons are strong ones to learn in life, and they're one of the countless reasons that I loved this book. But the main reason that I loved this book was the amazing plot that slowly put Jacqueline and Lucas together. Everything about their relationship and the progress of them getting to know each other was not easy, even if the simple act of being together was. They had secrets, worries, and their pasts holding them back. They took this journey together and learned so much more about themselves, making all the obstacles that they put in their own way disappear. Lives that they unintentionally made so hard and burdensome became easy with the other by their side. Jacqueline--musical, intelligent, strong and driven. Lucas--quiet, brooding, artistic, and hard to figure out. Together, they will go on a journey that will tug at your heartstrings and make it skip a beat, only to have it explode with joy or a multitude of other strong emotions seconds later.5 stars to this novel because it will not disappoint. My only disappointment is that this book is indie published. While it is a huge gem, the bookish nerd in me prefers hard-covers, and I so badly want to see this baby in a hard-cover. It deserves it. This story will stick with you for a while and will give you so much hope for your future. Be aware, that this book tackles huge subjects such as rape, intimidation, and forceful attempts to silence victims. Don't worry, none of it is detailed, but it is certainly mentioned and you can tell what is happening. It is a prevalent undercurrent throughout the novel. Despite it tackling such heavy topics, the book is overall light-hearted. I don't like any of the aforementioned topics, and even then I understood their importance to the book and found it quite easy to handle them. All Jacqueline needed was a little girl power to get her by.

I'm struggling to recall a time other than this where I wished--to the fullest extent--that a relationship was real instead of part of a book. And the inner romantic in me was wishing that I could clone Lucas for myself and lock him away in my room forever. <hl> This novel is not only a gem among <hl> contemporary romance novels under the mature young adult genre, but it is a sparkling diamond among indie writing. This is a book that any romance lover cannot afford to miss. It'll be twelve dollars well spent because the story hidden in its pages is worth even more.Jacqueline was dating the golden-boy, future politician at her old school. She gave up her dreams of going to a prestigious music school to follow him to college, only to have Kennedy eventually dump her with one of the stupidest excuses in the history of the world. Days later, his friend and enemy attempts to rape her after a party to get even. Lucky for her, a mysterious and tortured stranger shows up and saves her. She finds herself falling for him, just as she becomes flirty with a class tutor that's trying to help her save her grade that she let drop due to the initial devastation of her break-up. With the creepy stalker occasionally turning up at the worst times, Jacqueline begins a journey of self-discovery and strength while finding what it truly means to be in love. This novel will undoubtedly pull at your heart-strings and keep you flipping the pages like there's no tomorrow. I had no problem finishing it in a single day.This novel left me with a huge sense of power when I finished reading. It's as if I found my inner strength right along Jacqueline. It stresses that everyone has freedom of choice and it also shows that we cannot dwell on the past, but look forward to the future and always keep ourselves open to possibilities. I feel as if these lessons are strong ones to learn in life, and they're one of the countless reasons that I loved this book.But the main reason that I loved this book was the amazing plot that slowly put Jacqueline and Lucas together. Everything about their relationship and the progress of them getting to know each other was not easy, even if the simple act of being together was. They had secrets, worries, and their pasts holding them back. They took this journey together and learned so much more about themselves, making all the obstacles that they put in their own way disappear. Lives that they unintentionally made so hard and burdensome became easy with the other by their side. Jacqueline--musical, intelligent, strong and driven. Lucas--quiet, brooding, artistic, and hard to figure out. Together, they will go on a journey that will tug at your heartstrings and make it skip a beat, only to have it explode with joy or a multitude of other strong emotions seconds later.5 stars to this novel because it will not disappoint. My only disappointment is that this book is indie published. While it is a huge gem, the bookish nerd in me prefers hard-covers, and I so badly want to see this baby in a hard-cover. It deserves it. This story will stick with you for a while and will give you so much hope for your future.Be aware, that this book tackles huge subjects such as rape, intimidation, and forceful attempts to silence victims. Don't worry, none of it is detailed, but it is certainly mentioned and you can tell what is happening. It is a prevalent undercurrent throughout the novel. Despite it tackling such heavy topics, the book is overall light-hearted. I don't like any of the aforementioned topics, and even then I understood their importance to the book and found it quite easy to handle them. All Jacqueline needed was a little girl power to get her by.


Question: How fascinating is the book?

There is no doubt that the story captured in the book is truly incredible, and the facts are worth learning. But there is a difference between a 5 star story and a 5 star book. The writing was blessedly straightforward, but it often felt like there was room for more nuance.

Answer: There is no doubt that the story captured in the book is truly

<hl> There is no doubt that the story captured in the book is truly incredible, and the facts are worth learning. <hl> But there is a difference between a 5 star story and a 5 star book. The writing was blessedly straightforward, but it often felt like there was room for more nuance.

<hl> There is no doubt that the story captured in the book is truly <hl> incredible, and the facts are worth learning. But there is a difference between a 5 star story and a 5 star book. The writing was blessedly straightforward, but it often felt like there was room for more nuance.


Question: How was the characterization of actors?

This is Book is awful. It's not exactly terrible as much as it is highly boring and repetitive. Please see the other critical reviews, as they pretty much sum up my thoughts.  Perhaps a slightly intriguing, if cliche, storyline-- but with the most juvenile, basic writing I have read. Phrases are repeated over and over again dozens of times. If I had to read about "those pants that hung so deliciously from his hips" again, I would have croaked. This goes with the "# shades of grey" phrase, as in 7 shades of <expletive> up, fifty shades of mysterious, shades of grey, shades of whatever..... Someone just finished their high school literature devices cla ss ;-) And the characters are just so flat and ridiculous. Finally, the ending is quick, unresolved, and ridiculous. Perhaps a clever way for the author to extract more cash from you by offering sequels? Terrible!The biggest problem with Kindle and iBooks is that you can neither give the book back nor give it away!  Hard to believe this is a best seller. Do yourself a favor and skip this one!

Answer: it is highly boring and repetitive

This is Book is awful. <hl> It's not exactly terrible as much as it is highly boring and repetitive . <hl> Please see the other critical reviews, as they pretty much sum up my thoughts. Perhaps a slightly intriguing, if cliche, storyline-- but with the most juvenile, basic writing I have read. Phrases are repeated over and over again dozens of times. If I had to read about "those pants that hung so deliciously from his hips" again, I would have croaked. This goes with the "# shades of grey" phrase, as in 7 shades of <expletive> up, fifty shades of mysterious, shades of grey, shades of whatever..... Someone just finished their high school literature devices cla ss ;-) And the characters are just so flat and ridiculous. Finally, the ending is quick, unresolved, and ridiculous. Perhaps a clever way for the author to extract more cash from you by offering sequels? Terrible!The biggest problem with Kindle and iBooks is that you can neither give the book back nor give it away! Hard to believe this is a best seller. Do yourself a favor and skip this one!

This is Book is awful. It's not exactly terrible as much as <hl> it is highly boring and repetitive <hl>. Please see the other critical reviews, as they pretty much sum up my thoughts. Perhaps a slightly intriguing, if cliche, storyline-- but with the most juvenile, basic writing I have read. Phrases are repeated over and over again dozens of times. If I had to read about "those pants that hung so deliciously from his hips" again, I would have croaked. This goes with the "# shades of grey" phrase, as in 7 shades of <expletive> up, fifty shades of mysterious, shades of grey, shades of whatever..... Someone just finished their high school literature devices cla ss ;-) And the characters are just so flat and ridiculous. Finally, the ending is quick, unresolved, and ridiculous. Perhaps a clever way for the author to extract more cash from you by offering sequels? Terrible!The biggest problem with Kindle and iBooks is that you can neither give the book back nor give it away! Hard to believe this is a best seller. Do yourself a favor and skip this one!

It's not exactly terrible as much as <hl> it is highly boring and repetitive <hl> .


Question: Which story is relatable?

Easy read and great happily ever after. The characters are honest & refreshing. A lovely road trip and happy story. Everyone would live to find someone like these two did.

Answer: happily ever after

<hl> Easy read and great happily ever after . <hl> The characters are honest & refreshing. A lovely road trip and happy story. Everyone would live to find someone like these two did.

Easy read and great <hl> happily ever after <hl>. The characters are honest & refreshing. A lovely road trip and happy story. Everyone would live to find someone like these two did.

Easy read and great <hl> happily ever after <hl> .


Question: What were they based on to write this book?

Okay, okay, so I tend to be one of those people who doesn't read the hot, bestselling "must-read" books until everyone else on the planet has, but sometimes there's a good reason for that--and this book is a prime example of that. After finishing this book, I can only shake my head in amazement at its popularity.There's no reason to get into a "loved it/hated it" war with fans of the book. Instead, I'd like to give an honest blow-by-blow description for those who haven't read the book yet but are considering it. The book begins with about 100 pages devoted to intrigue in the world of Swedish financial publications...zzz...huh? What? Oh, I'm sorry. I fell asleep just typing that sentence, so imagine how bored I was while slogging through those dreary chapters. The book does begin to get interesting afterward, when an old man hires our intrepid main character to investigate the disappearance of his beloved relative, who vanished from an island years before in a sort of a "locked room" type mystery.During the investigation, our intrepid main character comes across a series of old murders that could be linked to the disappearance of the old man's relative. Was she the victim of a serial killer? Did she vanish because she knew too much? These plot twists make the book much more exciting--for a while. Unfortunately, though, the mystery behind the disappearance of the girl is laughably un-mysterious, and the story of the serial killer is trite, worn-out, and needed far more explanation in order to be really interesting. For instance--and I don't feel a spoiler alert is necessary here--the killer performs some strange rituals during the killings, but the reasons behind these are never explained. Once the killer is revealed, the only explanation seems to be that the killer was a nut job who did crazy things.So, in conclusion--tired plot, poorly-executed mystery, too many boring chapters about Swedish financial publications, and about 300 pages too many in general (I'm starting to think there's a dire shortage of editors in Sweden). My advice? Read at your own risk--but keep plenty of strong coffee at hand. You'll need it.

Answer: There's no reason to get into a

Okay, okay, so I tend to be one of those people who doesn't read the hot, bestselling "must-read" books until everyone else on the planet has, but sometimes there's a good reason for that--and this book is a prime example of that. After finishing this book, I can only shake my head in amazement at its popularity. <hl> There's no reason to get into a "loved it/hated it" war with fans of the book. <hl> Instead, I'd like to give an honest blow-by-blow description for those who haven't read the book yet but are considering it. The book begins with about 100 pages devoted to intrigue in the world of Swedish financial publications...zzz...huh? What? Oh, I'm sorry. I fell asleep just typing that sentence, so imagine how bored I was while slogging through those dreary chapters. The book does begin to get interesting afterward, when an old man hires our intrepid main character to investigate the disappearance of his beloved relative, who vanished from an island years before in a sort of a "locked room" type mystery. During the investigation, our intrepid main character comes across a series of old murders that could be linked to the disappearance of the old man's relative. Was she the victim of a serial killer? Did she vanish because she knew too much? These plot twists make the book much more exciting--for a while. Unfortunately, though, the mystery behind the disappearance of the girl is laughably un-mysterious, and the story of the serial killer is trite, worn-out, and needed far more explanation in order to be really interesting. For instance--and I don't feel a spoiler alert is necessary here--the killer performs some strange rituals during the killings, but the reasons behind these are never explained. Once the killer is revealed, the only explanation seems to be that the killer was a nut job who did crazy things. So, in conclusion--tired plot, poorly-executed mystery, too many boring chapters about Swedish financial publications, and about 300 pages too many in general (I'm starting to think there's a dire shortage of editors in Sweden). My advice? Read at your own risk--but keep plenty of strong coffee at hand. You'll need it.

Okay, okay, so I tend to be one of those people who doesn't read the hot, bestselling "must-read" books until everyone else on the planet has, but sometimes there's a good reason for that--and this book is a prime example of that. After finishing this book, I can only shake my head in amazement at its popularity.<hl> There's no reason to get into a <hl> "loved it/hated it" war with fans of the book. Instead, I'd like to give an honest blow-by-blow description for those who haven't read the book yet but are considering it. The book begins with about 100 pages devoted to intrigue in the world of Swedish financial publications...zzz...huh? What? Oh, I'm sorry. I fell asleep just typing that sentence, so imagine how bored I was while slogging through those dreary chapters. The book does begin to get interesting afterward, when an old man hires our intrepid main character to investigate the disappearance of his beloved relative, who vanished from an island years before in a sort of a "locked room" type mystery.During the investigation, our intrepid main character comes across a series of old murders that could be linked to the disappearance of the old man's relative. Was she the victim of a serial killer? Did she vanish because she knew too much? These plot twists make the book much more exciting--for a while. Unfortunately, though, the mystery behind the disappearance of the girl is laughably un-mysterious, and the story of the serial killer is trite, worn-out, and needed far more explanation in order to be really interesting. For instance--and I don't feel a spoiler alert is necessary here--the killer performs some strange rituals during the killings, but the reasons behind these are never explained. Once the killer is revealed, the only explanation seems to be that the killer was a nut job who did crazy things.So, in conclusion--tired plot, poorly-executed mystery, too many boring chapters about Swedish financial publications, and about 300 pages too many in general (I'm starting to think there's a dire shortage of editors in Sweden). My advice? Read at your own risk--but keep plenty of strong coffee at hand. You'll need it.


Question: What do you think about odd thomas book one?

I liked this so much on Tuesday that I read it a second time on Wednesday (today).  In general, I like a book this smart and good to be a bit longer.  A scene in Coeur d'Alene would have been so great.  Mal's sisters are probably fun and how darling is he with little blond nieces and nephews?  I am feeling as if the ending was rushed by a deadline.  But whatever -- I've been waiting for this book since June and it was a fun two days.  Five easy stars.

Answer: I like a book this smart and good to be a bit longer

I liked this so much on Tuesday that I read it a second time on Wednesday (today). <hl> In general, I like a book this smart and good to be a bit longer . <hl> A scene in Coeur d'Alene would have been so great. Mal's sisters are probably fun and how darling is he with little blond nieces and nephews? I am feeling as if the ending was rushed by a deadline. But whatever -- I've been waiting for this book since June and it was a fun two days. Five easy stars.

I liked this so much on Tuesday that I read it a second time on Wednesday (today). In general, <hl> I like a book this smart and good to be a bit longer <hl>. A scene in Coeur d'Alene would have been so great. Mal's sisters are probably fun and how darling is he with little blond nieces and nephews? I am feeling as if the ending was rushed by a deadline. But whatever -- I've been waiting for this book since June and it was a fun two days. Five easy stars.

In general, <hl> I like a book this smart and good to be a bit longer <hl> .


Question: How is the write?

There was so much hype about this novel, I was anxious to read it. I had not read anything by this author so didn't know what to expect. However, I was not disappointed.The characters are strong, the descriptions of the Museum of Modern Art and various paintings, New York City, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam are vivid, and the sad life of a motherless boy are enough to recommend this book.The first 550 pages are so well-written that I didn't want to put the book down. But  I did put it down, then picked up it up and it seemed as though I had never stopped! I would have given this novel 5 Stars, but after the first 550 pages, the plot got weaker and slower and stayed that way until the end.It's obvious Ms. Tartt put lots of research into her novel and she is to be commended. I will definitely read other books by her.

Answer: The first 550 pages are so well-written that I didn't want to put the book down

There was so much hype about this novel, I was anxious to read it. I had not read anything by this author so didn't know what to expect. However, I was not disappointed. The characters are strong, the descriptions of the Museum of Modern Art and various paintings, New York City, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam are vivid, and the sad life of a motherless boy are enough to recommend this book. <hl> The first 550 pages are so well-written that I didn't want to put the book down . <hl> But I did put it down, then picked up it up and it seemed as though I had never stopped! I would have given this novel 5 Stars, but after the first 550 pages, the plot got weaker and slower and stayed that way until the end. It's obvious Ms. Tartt put lots of research into her novel and she is to be commended. I will definitely read other books by her.

There was so much hype about this novel, I was anxious to read it. I had not read anything by this author so didn't know what to expect. However, I was not disappointed.The characters are strong, the descriptions of the Museum of Modern Art and various paintings, New York City, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam are vivid, and the sad life of a motherless boy are enough to recommend this book.<hl> The first 550 pages are so well-written that I didn't want to put the book down <hl>. But I did put it down, then picked up it up and it seemed as though I had never stopped! I would have given this novel 5 Stars, but after the first 550 pages, the plot got weaker and slower and stayed that way until the end.It's obvious Ms. Tartt put lots of research into her novel and she is to be commended. I will definitely read other books by her.

<hl> The first 550 pages are so well-written that I didn't want to put the book down <hl> .


Question: What is gift?

In a remote part of Wisconsin, Gar Sawtelle, his wife Trudy and their young son, muteEdgar makes a living breeding and training dogs.  Edgar has developed a unique special relationship with Almondine, one of the family dogs; the pair communicates in a way that his parents are unable to do with their son.The family is contented although the work with the canines is hard.  When Gar's brother charming brother Claude comes home the family dynamics change but not in a positive manner.  Soon after his arrival Gar dies and the silent Edgar is unable to call for help.  He is filled with remorse and guilt making his grief even more difficult.  However, he soon believes his father was murdered by his uncle who has spent an exorbitant amount of time with his mom.  Fearing he may be next, Edgar flees accompanied by his best friends Almondine and two other dogs.Hamlet is brought into modern day Wisconsin as readers feel the destiny of tragedy will occur from the moment Claude arrives and after that happens, a sense of a second calamity once Edgar concludes his uncle killed his father to eliminate the sole barrier to his mother.  Readers will be spellbound by David Wrobleweski's retelling of the classic as the key cast comes alive especially the mute Edgar who readers get to know by his thoughts and his communication with Almondine (sort of in some ways like the Ghost).  This is a fascinating winner, but at 566 pages set aside some time.Harriet Klausner

Answer: Edgar flees accompanied by his best friends Almondine and two other dogs

In a remote part of Wisconsin, Gar Sawtelle, his wife Trudy and their young son, muteEdgar makes a living breeding and training dogs. Edgar has developed a unique special relationship with Almondine, one of the family dogs; the pair communicates in a way that his parents are unable to do with their son. The family is contented although the work with the canines is hard. When Gar's brother charming brother Claude comes home the family dynamics change but not in a positive manner. Soon after his arrival Gar dies and the silent Edgar is unable to call for help. He is filled with remorse and guilt making his grief even more difficult. However, he soon believes his father was murdered by his uncle who has spent an exorbitant amount of time with his mom. <hl> Fearing he may be next, Edgar flees accompanied by his best friends Almondine and two other dogs .Hamlet is brought into modern day Wisconsin as readers feel the destiny of tragedy will occur from the moment Claude arrives and after that happens, a sense of a second calamity once Edgar concludes his uncle killed his father to eliminate the sole barrier to his mother. <hl> Readers will be spellbound by David Wrobleweski's retelling of the classic as the key cast comes alive especially the mute Edgar who readers get to know by his thoughts and his communication with Almondine (sort of in some ways like the Ghost). This is a fascinating winner, but at 566 pages set aside some time. Harriet Klausner

In a remote part of Wisconsin, Gar Sawtelle, his wife Trudy and their young son, muteEdgar makes a living breeding and training dogs. Edgar has developed a unique special relationship with Almondine, one of the family dogs; the pair communicates in a way that his parents are unable to do with their son.The family is contented although the work with the canines is hard. When Gar's brother charming brother Claude comes home the family dynamics change but not in a positive manner. Soon after his arrival Gar dies and the silent Edgar is unable to call for help. He is filled with remorse and guilt making his grief even more difficult. However, he soon believes his father was murdered by his uncle who has spent an exorbitant amount of time with his mom. Fearing he may be next, <hl> Edgar flees accompanied by his best friends Almondine and two other dogs <hl>.Hamlet is brought into modern day Wisconsin as readers feel the destiny of tragedy will occur from the moment Claude arrives and after that happens, a sense of a second calamity once Edgar concludes his uncle killed his father to eliminate the sole barrier to his mother. Readers will be spellbound by David Wrobleweski's retelling of the classic as the key cast comes alive especially the mute Edgar who readers get to know by his thoughts and his communication with Almondine (sort of in some ways like the Ghost). This is a fascinating winner, but at 566 pages set aside some time.Harriet Klausner

Fearing he may be next, <hl> Edgar flees accompanied by his best friends Almondine and two other dogs <hl> .Hamlet is brought into modern day Wisconsin as readers feel the destiny of tragedy will occur from the moment Claude arrives and after that happens, a sense of a second calamity once Edgar concludes his uncle killed his father to eliminate the sole barrier to his mother.


Question: How is the friend?

After hearing from a few blogger friends how hilarious and great this book was, I was really looking forward to listen to the audiobook of it. It was just as fun as I thought it would be, but also had a greater story than I imagined it would. Not only was it laugh out loud funny, but it was really sweet too. I really came to like the characters a lot. Not just Caroline and Simon, but all of them. I wanted to get to know all of them! But besides that, you would assume that this book is all about sex by the cover and synopsis, but it's really not. In fact, I was actually surprised by how little actual sex was in the book. Instead, it was a great story about getting to know each other and getting to know themselves along the way.Caroline was an incredibly fun character. She is successful, smart, has awesome friends, has a kickass cat, and is in general pretty happy with her life. One exception is her missing "O". That's right, she has lost her orgasm. Now in a new apartment, she finds out the first night that her neighbor has some pretty amazing sex. Proof being that his "Wallbanging" knocks a picture off her wall! Not only that, but his partners are all quite entertaining with their vocals. Caroline has a funny nickname for each of them! The best thing about Caroline was her inner dialogue. OMG she was so funny. She gets really irritated by Simon at first, but they finally make a truce and she finds that she likes spending time with him and getting to know him. I love that she was a very strong and independent woman, and she wasn't going to just fall at his feet like every other girl. If she was going to have him, she would be the only one.Simon was awesome!! He is charming, funny, sexy, and also has a broken side to him that he keeps hidden. It's in no way some super secret thing or anything, but it was really great to see him slowly figure out himself while trying to figure out Caroline. He was my favorite character I think. He was honest and up front about things, but he wasn't really into talking about personal things. He does eventually open up and I loved seeing him really let someone in. He was so different with Caroline than he seemed around everyone else. You could tell he really cared about her way before she could actually tell.The chemistry between them is great. You knew they were great for each other, but they both kept it strictly friends. It was so fun to see them go from pretty much hating each other, to tolerating each other, to a growing friendship and spending time together. Movie nights, cooking together, just hanging out. They fell into such a comfortable and routine companionship that it was so obvious that they were falling for each other, and only they couldn't see it. It was a nice change to have a slow build up since so many books are insta love now. Them getting to know each other made the story so great!!I listened to the audio and I have to say that the narrator was really great at putting the emotion into the book. She really brought Caroline to life. If she was angry, sad, happy, whatever, you knew. He doing the male voice was pretty good too. I find that it's a lot easier for male narrators to do a female voice, than a female trying to do a male voice so I tend to not be too bothered by that. The only bad thing about the narrator being so into the reading was the steamy scenes. She gets very into the moaning and groaning, and it made me feel a little awkward listening to it. It felt like I was intruding on something personal lol!! Luckily there aren't all that many scenes like that so there was a minimum to my blushing. The rest of the book was made better by how much the narrator really got into it though. I have put her on my list of awesome narrators.This book was a perfect mix of steamy and hilarious. I found myself literally laughing out loud at some points. (and getting some really weird looks). It was fun and entertaining and I didn't want to put it down. This book did really great in both the plot and character development. I found myself lost in the book and feeling like these were people I actually knew and hung out with! I cared about the outcome of their situations and I wanted them to be happy. I love when a book can really suck me in like that, and this one sure did! Bonus points also because we get a chapter from her cat which was super fun!!* A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation.

Answer: how

<hl> After hearing from a few blogger friends how hilarious and great this book was, I was really looking forward to listen to the audiobook of it. <hl> It was just as fun as I thought it would be, but also had a greater story than I imagined it would. Not only was it laugh out loud funny, but it was really sweet too. I really came to like the characters a lot. Not just Caroline and Simon, but all of them. I wanted to get to know all of them! But besides that, you would assume that this book is all about sex by the cover and synopsis, but it's really not. In fact, I was actually surprised by how little actual sex was in the book. Instead, it was a great story about getting to know each other and getting to know themselves along the way. Caroline was an incredibly fun character. She is successful, smart, has awesome friends, has a kickass cat, and is in general pretty happy with her life. One exception is her missing "O". That's right, she has lost her orgasm. Now in a new apartment, she finds out the first night that her neighbor has some pretty amazing sex. Proof being that his "Wallbanging" knocks a picture off her wall! Not only that, but his partners are all quite entertaining with their vocals. Caroline has a funny nickname for each of them! The best thing about Caroline was her inner dialogue. OMG she was so funny. She gets really irritated by Simon at first, but they finally make a truce and she finds that she likes spending time with him and getting to know him. I love that she was a very strong and independent woman, and she wasn't going to just fall at his feet like every other girl. If she was going to have him, she would be the only one. Simon was awesome!! He is charming, funny, sexy, and also has a broken side to him that he keeps hidden. It's in no way some super secret thing or anything, but it was really great to see him slowly figure out himself while trying to figure out Caroline. He was my favorite character I think. He was honest and up front about things, but he wasn't really into talking about personal things. He does eventually open up and I loved seeing him really let someone in. He was so different with Caroline than he seemed around everyone else. You could tell he really cared about her way before she could actually tell. The chemistry between them is great. You knew they were great for each other, but they both kept it strictly friends. It was so fun to see them go from pretty much hating each other, to tolerating each other, to a growing friendship and spending time together. Movie nights, cooking together, just hanging out. They fell into such a comfortable and routine companionship that it was so obvious that they were falling for each other, and only they couldn't see it. It was a nice change to have a slow build up since so many books are insta love now. Them getting to know each other made the story so great!!I listened to the audio and I have to say that the narrator was really great at putting the emotion into the book. She really brought Caroline to life. If she was angry, sad, happy, whatever, you knew. He doing the male voice was pretty good too. I find that it's a lot easier for male narrators to do a female voice, than a female trying to do a male voice so I tend to not be too bothered by that. The only bad thing about the narrator being so into the reading was the steamy scenes. She gets very into the moaning and groaning, and it made me feel a little awkward listening to it. It felt like I was intruding on something personal lol!! Luckily there aren't all that many scenes like that so there was a minimum to my blushing. The rest of the book was made better by how much the narrator really got into it though. I have put her on my list of awesome narrators. This book was a perfect mix of steamy and hilarious. I found myself literally laughing out loud at some points. (and getting some really weird looks). It was fun and entertaining and I didn't want to put it down. This book did really great in both the plot and character development. I found myself lost in the book and feeling like these were people I actually knew and hung out with! I cared about the outcome of their situations and I wanted them to be happy. I love when a book can really suck me in like that, and this one sure did! Bonus points also because we get a chapter from her cat which was super fun!! * A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation.

After hearing from a few blogger friends <hl> how <hl> hilarious and great this book was, I was really looking forward to listen to the audiobook of it. It was just as fun as I thought it would be, but also had a greater story than I imagined it would. Not only was it laugh out loud funny, but it was really sweet too. I really came to like the characters a lot. Not just Caroline and Simon, but all of them. I wanted to get to know all of them! But besides that, you would assume that this book is all about sex by the cover and synopsis, but it's really not. In fact, I was actually surprised by how little actual sex was in the book. Instead, it was a great story about getting to know each other and getting to know themselves along the way.Caroline was an incredibly fun character. She is successful, smart, has awesome friends, has a kickass cat, and is in general pretty happy with her life. One exception is her missing "O". That's right, she has lost her orgasm. Now in a new apartment, she finds out the first night that her neighbor has some pretty amazing sex. Proof being that his "Wallbanging" knocks a picture off her wall! Not only that, but his partners are all quite entertaining with their vocals. Caroline has a funny nickname for each of them! The best thing about Caroline was her inner dialogue. OMG she was so funny. She gets really irritated by Simon at first, but they finally make a truce and she finds that she likes spending time with him and getting to know him. I love that she was a very strong and independent woman, and she wasn't going to just fall at his feet like every other girl. If she was going to have him, she would be the only one.Simon was awesome!! He is charming, funny, sexy, and also has a broken side to him that he keeps hidden. It's in no way some super secret thing or anything, but it was really great to see him slowly figure out himself while trying to figure out Caroline. He was my favorite character I think. He was honest and up front about things, but he wasn't really into talking about personal things. He does eventually open up and I loved seeing him really let someone in. He was so different with Caroline than he seemed around everyone else. You could tell he really cared about her way before she could actually tell.The chemistry between them is great. You knew they were great for each other, but they both kept it strictly friends. It was so fun to see them go from pretty much hating each other, to tolerating each other, to a growing friendship and spending time together. Movie nights, cooking together, just hanging out. They fell into such a comfortable and routine companionship that it was so obvious that they were falling for each other, and only they couldn't see it. It was a nice change to have a slow build up since so many books are insta love now. Them getting to know each other made the story so great!!I listened to the audio and I have to say that the narrator was really great at putting the emotion into the book. She really brought Caroline to life. If she was angry, sad, happy, whatever, you knew. He doing the male voice was pretty good too. I find that it's a lot easier for male narrators to do a female voice, than a female trying to do a male voice so I tend to not be too bothered by that. The only bad thing about the narrator being so into the reading was the steamy scenes. She gets very into the moaning and groaning, and it made me feel a little awkward listening to it. It felt like I was intruding on something personal lol!! Luckily there aren't all that many scenes like that so there was a minimum to my blushing. The rest of the book was made better by how much the narrator really got into it though. I have put her on my list of awesome narrators.This book was a perfect mix of steamy and hilarious. I found myself literally laughing out loud at some points. (and getting some really weird looks). It was fun and entertaining and I didn't want to put it down. This book did really great in both the plot and character development. I found myself lost in the book and feeling like these were people I actually knew and hung out with! I cared about the outcome of their situations and I wanted them to be happy. I love when a book can really suck me in like that, and this one sure did! Bonus points also because we get a chapter from her cat which was super fun!!* A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation.