Hidden Object Vampires Temple – Find Objects in Mystery and Fantasy Pictures
Games and Entertainment
App
Are you looking for wonderful vampire games? Do you want to become a true vampire hunter? Here is an...
My Teacher's Crazy Day
Games and Entertainment
App
~~> Rise and shine! It’s time to go to school! You’ll just LOVE being a teacher! ~~> Get ready...
Dictionary - Offline English Dictionary
Reference and Education
App
Came across a fascinating new word while reading an English Classic? Writing an article & looking...
What The Fox?
Games and Entertainment
App
What, The Fox? is a challenging puzzle adventure filled with funny foxes where the goal is simple:...
Stack the States®
Education and Games
App
▸ Voted Best Kids App for iPad! -Best App Ever Awards ▸ Voted Best Educational Game App -...
Word Master Pro - Practical scrabble-like game
Games
App
Advantages of the Pro version: **Ad-Free Experience** **7 additional board layouts** **Randomize the...
Never Alone: Ki Edition
Games and Education
App
A worldwide App Store Editors’ Choice. “Stunningly poignant - and quite brilliant. 10/10.” -...
Toca Life: Office
Entertainment and Games
App Watch
Ever wonder what grown-ups really do at work all day? In Toca Life: Office, you get to tell stories...
T.I.M.E Stories
8.0
Rate It
Tabletop Game
The T.I.M.E Agency protects humanity by preventing temporal faults and paradoxes from threatening...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated It's Always the Husband in Books
Jan 21, 2018 (Updated Jan 21, 2018)
Be forewarned: this is a book populated by annoying, pathetic, self-involved characters. While it supposedly centers on a friendship that begins in college, that couldn't really be further from the truth. These three girls are not friends. The centerpiece is wealthy Kate Eastman, a daughter from a privileged family, who somehow attracts everyone into her orbit, despite being a real narcissistic jerk. Frankly, it's hard to read a book when you really don't care about anyone. This is exacerbated by some stilted and forced writing--backed up by cliches--that makes the novel hard to read at times.
I was amazed by Kate's power over everyone and frustrated by their devotion to her. We are probably supposed to feel sorry for her, due to her hateful family and deceased mother, and for the other characters and the power the Eastmans exert over them. But I just couldn't -- at least not continuously throughout the novel. In fact, it's impossible to root for either side, or anyone, in this book.
Now, the second half of the novel switches over to the present day and allows a bit more focus on a mystery. You're left guessing and there is at least less spotlight on the girls and their pettiness (though it's definitely still there). Unfortunately, I thought the second-half mystery was somewhat spoiled (not to spoil anything myself) by a main player in the puzzle plot who carried a ridiculous and biased torch for Kate, despite having spent a sum total of about three hours in her presence. That one plot point irked me so much that I enjoyed the second half of the novel less than I would have otherwise. And the second half is better: I read it straight through in an evening, and it kept me turning the pages, wondering how things would turn out.
Unfortunately, it was marred by the earlier half of the book, a cast of despicable characters, and some cliched writing that left a lot to be desired. Still, I have to hand it to Campbell: she kept me reading in spite of all of that. Because of that, I'm going with 3 stars: a combination of 2.5 for the first half of the novel and 3.5 for second.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review.