Author: Sara Shepard
Genre: YA crime fiction
Rating: 2/5 star
I received this book from the publisher via Readers First. Thanks goes to Readers First for the chance. This in NO way effects my opinion on the book.
The Amateurs: Follow Me is book two in the Amateurs series by bestselling author Sara Shepard. It continues the story of book one as the Amateurs get a new case with too close links to their original case - the murder Helena Kelly. From the off I quickly noticed that this book would make less than perfect sense without prior reading the first book. I had read a sampler of the book prior to receiving the arc though that seemed good so I continued in hope. Unfortunately, this particular book turned out not for me.
I found the characters quite dull and certainly unrelatable. Seneca had none of the qualities I expect and love in a detective and thus I couldn't find myself liking her character which seemed to me half done. I think the main problem here was this book is certainly sitting on the shelf between contemporary, crime and YA - three genres which in my opinion do not mix and the third being a YA I can merely tolerate at best.
The writing style was good. I couldn't say that Shepard didn't have skill but the YA element screamed out in the writing and everything seemed like a classroom soap opera rather than a serious crime story. I like to try and pull out the good points in books I do not like so I don't leave a wholly negative review but in the case of this book - I could find no good points.
Overall, I wouldn't personally recommend. Though if YA or contemporary crime is your thing then certainly try it yourself. As I like to say, one persons dislike is another persons love.
Genre: YA crime fiction
Rating: 2/5 star
I received this book from the publisher via Readers First. Thanks goes to Readers First for the chance. This in NO way effects my opinion on the book.
The Amateurs: Follow Me is book two in the Amateurs series by bestselling author Sara Shepard. It continues the story of book one as the Amateurs get a new case with too close links to their original case - the murder Helena Kelly. From the off I quickly noticed that this book would make less than perfect sense without prior reading the first book. I had read a sampler of the book prior to receiving the arc though that seemed good so I continued in hope. Unfortunately, this particular book turned out not for me.
I found the characters quite dull and certainly unrelatable. Seneca had none of the qualities I expect and love in a detective and thus I couldn't find myself liking her character which seemed to me half done. I think the main problem here was this book is certainly sitting on the shelf between contemporary, crime and YA - three genres which in my opinion do not mix and the third being a YA I can merely tolerate at best.
The writing style was good. I couldn't say that Shepard didn't have skill but the YA element screamed out in the writing and everything seemed like a classroom soap opera rather than a serious crime story. I like to try and pull out the good points in books I do not like so I don't leave a wholly negative review but in the case of this book - I could find no good points.
Overall, I wouldn't personally recommend. Though if YA or contemporary crime is your thing then certainly try it yourself. As I like to say, one persons dislike is another persons love.