Amy

I won't summarize what anyone can read in a book preview. This book was really fun to read and would make a GREAT movie!

This book comes across as having plot that is great at the skeletal level but does not flesh out well. The main plot points were cool references to old mystery fiction, and the ending had a fun twist, but by the time I got to it, I felt so disconnected from the rest that I didn't really enjoy it. There were relationships among peripheral characters that were unnecessary in my opinion and did nothing to advance the plot. There were some fun moments , like one that echoed Poe (when he goes to the cellar to get a bottle of wine, I wondered if he'd be chained and sealed in a wall); and I also thought of Virginia Woolf (I'll leave it at that). In general, I feel like this author overkills his reminders of how well-read he is when it comes to mystery fiction, and sometimes I just want his books to be his own. Like, I get it. You're an expert on the mystery genre. Again, it seemed like this particular book was a great thought that was poorly executed. I like some of his other books, so I'll keep reading. Possibly, Gwen the FBI agent will show up in later books since this one is marked #1 in the series. I'll give the next one a go, I guess.

This book was terrible. The story sounded interesting initially, and the plot in the first half was well-developed. However, the last half read like an idea that needed to be finished because the ending was already decided. The answer to the big question “why” was answered quickly and unconvincingly. What I disliked the most about this book was how grossly sexist the male characters were, especially coming from a female author. The character development was horrible to begin with, but this aspect solidified how I felt about this book. Crap. Don't waste your time.

This was a very fun series to read. I don't normally read YA novels, but this series was so interesting. There were plenty of nods toward Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes, so if you love those type of quirky detective novels, this series is worth the read. You do have to start with the first, though, since they are all one complete story.

People either hate or love this book. I picked it up with no expectations. I considered watching the show, and I like to read books before movies/shows. I really loved it. I know nothing about chemistry, so I wasn't evaluating the character based on her knowledge or presentation of science. I really did laugh out loud in moments, and I don't usually do that. I think the book is meant to be a bit outlandish, so my advice would be not to take the coincidences and slightly unbelievable things too seriously. Just enjoy the narrative.