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Sunday, August 22, 2010

Envy - Audio Book by Sandra Brown - A Review

My book club picked this book to read this summer.  I was hesitant.  Don't get me wrong, I read a lot of Sandra Brown, but I haven't read them since the sizzling summer days of the 1990's.  I enjoyed that "sort" of thing back then.

The book takes us from The Florida Keys, to New York to St. Anne's Island, Georgia.  The author does a pretty good job of including scenic, historic and pop culture events into the story.   The characters are well developed and interesting. We go from the past to the future and bounce from location to location.  Saundra Brown does that well.

The book is a about authors and publishers, love, hate, money and ENVY.  Of course.   It was a good read.   I will post a summary below as I don't want to spoil. There are some twists and turns in the plot.  I believe most are predictable, but that isn't always bad.  Everything doesn't have to be a big ole surprise right?

If you like her novels for the gratuitous sex, then you won't be disappointed.  I think it went a bit too far, but that is just me.  I wasn't offended, (those who know me will know that isn't it).  I just found it unrealistic.  I won't expound, as I think my blog is still pretty "G" rated last time I checked.  I will say when I say unrealistic , I mean maybe very awkward, and near impossible, like I would cock my head to the side and try to get a mental image, and say...'naw...not happening.."   The over use of the "F" bomb is a problem.  Again, I am not a prude but it lost its effectiveness.  And there was an abundance of metaphors that drove me crazy.  Just a few too many. 

It was a good summer read.  Sandra Brown can put together a good plot.  I just got annoyed with some of the ingredients. I would recommend this book.  Summer read, airport read, vacation read..you name it.  I could see it as a movie, or mini series.  

The best part of the book for me is the book within a book. I gotta love that, and that part was really well done.   It makes it all worth while.

I listened to the audio.  I think I give the audio production and A-/B+.   Sometimes I  thought the Parker character sounded like a dumb oakie and the Southern drawl was off.  That could just be me.  I would recommend  it nonetheless.  I heard some of it in the car and I know passersby were looking at me as I cupped my hand over my mouth for a number of reasons.  (wink)


Click here to read a summary.

8 comments:

bermudaonion said...

I wonder sometimes why authors feel the need to add all the sex and language - when it's appropriate for the book, it doesn't bother me; otherwise I can live without it in my books.

Kaye said...

Kathy said it perfectly, there's no need for it. I'm glad I read your terrific review because normally I like Sandra Brown but I'll pass on this one. Thanks, Toni!

Shelley said...

As someone whose writing is pretty much sexless (sigh), I was amused by the image you create of tilting your head in perplexity trying to figure out how some of this "literary" sex could ever actually happen!

Toni said...

Kathy..I guess it was warranted??? But It was over done in my opinion. I was enjoying the story and the book in a book plot and it cheapened the excellent plot. There was a token "slutty girl" and an affair that was sort of annoying to me too. Still I enjoyed it. I wonder if hearing it audibly was harder to take than reading.

Kaye...thanks for your comment... Yeah... I keep wanting to say it was okay and warranted...but if I gasp...then you know it is bad. LOL

Shelley...there were some questionable pauses on my part to imagine.. ha ha... not saying it was all bad..just sayin..... It is a bit funny in hind sight.

Oh said...

I haven't read Sandra Brown since the '90s either! Hmmm...maybe should give it a whirl...actually, I'm halfway through Pride and Prejudice and also Eat, Pray, Love. I could use some of Brown's light stuff, maybe!

Oh said...

I haven't read Sandra Brown since the '90s either! Hmmm...maybe should give it a whirl...actually, I'm halfway through Pride and Prejudice and also Eat, Pray, Love. I could use some of Brown's light stuff, maybe!

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