Search This Blog
April Reviews Link-Up
May Reviews Link-Up
June Reviews Link-Up
July Reviews Link-Up
August Reviews Link-Up
September Reviews Link-Up
October Reviews Link-Up
November Reviews Link-Up
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (3)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (2)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (2)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont (1)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*
International:
- Australia (1)
- Canada (1)
- England (7)
- France (1)
- Ireland (1)
- Italy (1)
- Scotland (2)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Invisible Doesn't Quite Do It For Me
5:58 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Dana Carlson's in the middle of a demolition job when she gets a distressed call from her 16-year-old niece, Peyton. Dana's got enough problems of her own—especially when a body is found in the building she just cleared for collapse—but Julie, her big sister, is dying. It's been almost 20 years since the sisters have seen each other; still, it's Julie. The secrets that have kept them separated all this time don't matter now. Dana needs to see her sister, needs to see if she's a candidate for kidney donation, needs to try to save the person who once saved her.
But she's too late. When Dana arrives in Black Bear, Minnesota, the little town where she grew up, her sister's already gone. Dead at 39. Julie Kelleher leaves behind a grieving husband and a shattered teenage daughter. Neither seem particularly eager for an intrusion from Julie's estranged little sister, but Dana's determined to stay. She wants to know Julie's family, the only blood relatives she has left. More importantly, she needs to figure out just what caused Julie to get sick. Everyone warns Dana to leave it alone—her blunt inquiries around town are doing more damage than good—but she can't. Something in Black Bear is not right and she's going to get to the bottom of it, no matter what it takes.
As Dana steps on toes all over Black Bear, she sees just how much things have—and have not—changed since her childhood days in the little town. The residents are still tight-lipped, judgmental and very, very good at keeping their own secrets. Secrets that could get them all killed.
Novels featuring small towns with big secrets always sound appealing to me, which explains why I picked up Invisible by Carla Buckley. As intriguing as its premise is, though, its execution leaves plenty to be desired. The characters aren't overly likable, the plot's pretty generic, and little about the story really rings true. Dana's sudden interest in the goings on in Black Bear is especially odd, considering she hasn't cared a lick about them for almost two decades. Ditto goes for her new-found concern for Peyton. Dana swivels from uncaring to passionate so fast that the shift seems too false, too contrived. It bugged me throughout the whole novel. So did the predictable storyline, the wooden characters, and the gaping plot holes. So, yeah. Invisible didn't quite do it for me. Ah, well. You win some, you lose some.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of dozens of other novels, although nothing's coming to my tired mind at the moment. Suggestions?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs) and brief references to illegal drug use and underage drinking
To the FTC, with love: I purchased a copy of Invisible from Target (I believe) with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
2 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
Sunday Post54 minutes ago
-
-
The Gathering by C.J. Tudor1 hour ago
-
-
FO Friday: Nathair Mitts4 hours ago
-
-
-
-
An Inconvenient Letter by Julie Wright9 hours ago
-
-
-
The Garden Girls Excerpt + Giveaway11 hours ago
-
-
-
-
Classics Club Spin #37, April 202413 hours ago
-
First Lines Fridays: April 19, 202414 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Reading as a retreat from reality2 days ago
-
42. Before Nightfall2 days ago
-
-
-
Novel Love Story4 days ago
-
-
Invisible Woman by Katia Lief1 week ago
-
Reading Recap March 20241 week ago
-
Waiting on Wednesday - Think Twice2 weeks ago
-
-
March Monthly Wrap-up2 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?6 months ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra9 months ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ▼ 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
Ah, too bad. At one time I had considered putting this on my wishlist. But I take your word for it, if it is so similar and formulaic in plot to dozens of others, I can take a pass. Thanks for the review. By the way, I like your grading system :) I try to give heads-up also if there is excessive sexual matter or violence in books I review.
ReplyDeleteThis is not about your review itself but as a fellow book blogger, I absolutely adore your love note to the FTC. Kudos!
ReplyDelete