Driving home from work on a summer afternoon, Melba Burns witnesses a nightmare collision. She abandons her car, quits her job, and stops driving. The wreck ends Melba's desire for success at any cost; she retreats into her beloved old farmhouse yearning for a simpler peace. But peace has never met Melba's stunning new roommate JoLee Garry, a magnet for messes and trouble. JoLee brings a series of unexpected guests who transform Melba's solo life into something different, darker, and richer.
Why I didn't finish reading the book:
I put down the book after page 50, which truthfully I was surprised I'd even gotten that far into the novel. From the first few pages I knew that this book was not for me, but I thought that I should push ahead to at least page 50 just to make sure. And I was right - Guest House was not my cup of tea. I found myself annoyed by the characters - Melba was dull and JoLee was a caricature of a bad cliche. The story itself was unmoving and boring. There was just something lacking from the book that made it difficult for me to connect with on any level. I found some characters to be superfluous and the tone to be depressing. The editing should have been tighter. Overall, those 50 pages were ones that did not leave a positive impression on me, which is precisely why I chose not to finish reading Guest House. Oh well. Not every book is for everyone, right?
Just so you know:
Guest House did get some rave reviews over on Amazon - people rated it 5 stars! So, there are people out there loving this book and you may be one of them. Different strokes and all that. If you are interested in reading Guest House, I'm willing to give up my copy of it. Its barely been read - so its like new. So, if you would like to win it - just leave a comment with your email address and I'll let the random number generator choose the winner and email that person by Tuesday (June 1st). Sorry, but this is only for US residents. Good luck!!
P.S. Thanks Anne (from The Book Report Network) for providing me with a copy of Guest House to review!
5 comments:
This book doesn't sound my kind either. It's hard trying to love books that are not meant for one.
Wow--it sounds like you did well to get to page 50! I have got to get better about doing that instead of pushing on waiting for something positive to happen.
Ekk this book doesn't sound right for me either. Thanks for your honesty!
This book is on my "to read" list! I think it sounds like something I would enjoy. I would love to win your copy, but I am not in the US!!
Hmm, I think I'll pass on reading it. Too bad, the cover is great and I thought it sounded like it might be good. It's always disappointing when something that could be so strong turns out weak. I felt that way with Elizabeth Berg's Year of Pleasures.
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