The Alphabet Book Challenge, "O"

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 The "O" Books


Book one: Poor Deer by Claire

Two little girls who live next door to each other go out to a muddy lake to play. They are seen by a teacher who tells them they should go home. They go back to their houses and decide to play a version of hide and seek. The neighbor girl climbs into an old freezer. It locks. The other girl can't figure out how to open it. She tries and tries, finally gives up, and runs home, pretending to have been there all along. Hours later, the neighbor's girl is discovered. Dead.

Poor Deer is created at that moment. Poor Deer is part human, part little girl, and she tries her best to coax the girl into confessing, but it doesn't work. Poor Deer trails the girl as she grows up, becomes a teenager, deals with her crazy mom and her doting aunt. The girl figures the only way she can make everything right is to run away to Niagara Falls. 

Okay why? I was interested up until this point because it made no sense. By the time I got to the main character picking up two hitchhikers and running away to Niagara Falls, I was lost. It made no sense. The idea at the beginning was good, intriguing, almost spooky, but then...it went nowhere. The ending sucked. It tied nothing up. It left me wondering why I bothered to read the book. The writing was great. The author did a wonderful job with the characters, the situation, the guilt, and Poor Deer. But then...blah. Everything was left hanging. 

I give it two stars.

Book two: If We Were A Movie by Kelly Oram

Think romantic comedy/hallmark romance. Nate Anderson is the smallest (and most talented) of his musical triplet brothers. He is dating a control freak, Barbie. Nate enrolls in a college that his brothers and "Barbie" girlfriend are not attending. Unfortunately, they decide to follow him. Nate just wants to learn to be the best musician he can be. He doesn't want to put up with his brother's shenanigans; they want to party and date numerous women.  He wants to study and learn. When an argument ensues between his brothers, Nate decides he needs to move out of the party room he shares with them. He storms out, and goes to a coffee shop. He runs into an elderly woman who reads his fortune and introduces him to Jordan, a quirky young woman who believes everything has been done in the movies. He believes everything has been done in a song. 

They move in together. The two are clearly meant for each other and the journey for them to figure this out is well written.  I could see it playing out as I read. The setting was alive. The situation was believable and the characters were well written. 

Do they fall in love? I mentioned it was a bit Hallmarky. But if you are looking for a fun, light romance, pick this one up! I give it four stars.


Book Three: Sacred Cows by Karen Olson

This book was better than the first one, but not by much. It almost seemed to be a formula story. As if they plugged character names and a basic idea into AI, and voilà, a story. The main character was quirky, flawed, female, and a reporter with a chip on her shoulder. She has a mystery to solve. What it has to do with Cows and Sacred, made no sense.  I got lost in the main character. She was flawed. It was drilled in. It was never cleared up. 

I think the author had a good idea, but it got bogged down. Not all women protagonists need to be sexy and flawed. Can we not make them real? I was lost with the cows. Why sacred cows? What did the title have to do with the story.  It was never explained.

I give it three stars. Not impressed.





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