Review: No. Just No.
Rating: 1 out of 5
Date: 06 11, 2013
*This review has been edited to clear up a misunderstanding that I said other reviewers were not honest - when it was meant as a disclaimer. So let's try this again...*~~~~Disclaimer: This review is an honest review. No monetary compensation was provided in exchange for a review. I purchased this book on Amazon on 6.1.13. ~~~I hate giving one star reviews. But, I have to put out the thoughts that the others seem to have completely overlooked and that I think other readers wold appreciate knowing before buying. The book may have been edited since the time of this review.Original review:The theme of the book has potential. It's a 'mystery man seduces unsuspecting/innocent girl through mysterious letters/encounters' story. Laura is a talented cello player at a private school and much of her life experiences revolve around the healing ability of her music.However, the book is nearly impossible to read without getting frustrated. By chapter two I was so overcome with the fury of the numerous misspelled words, sentence fragments, and run-ons that I found it hard to even finish the book. It was like pulling teeth.Just some things I ran across in the first TWO chapters:1. Reinventions - "Oh, and we watched The Notepad." - Really? Just say the name of the movie and give credit where credit is due. No use trying to reinvent the wheel2. Overuse of ellipsis - I counted 6 over a whole two pages3. Unnecessary descriptions - ""Perfect," Cassie grins as Anna unsuccessfully tries to hide her laughter by placing her hand over her mouth." The dialog before this didn't suggest anything remotely funny and this makes it sound like the girls about to die in a fit of laughter or something.4. We're still in chapter 1 and this Laura girl has been building up this mysterious stranger that she has been receiving letters from. And then she justifies her secrecy (not telling her friends about it) with "I am just sort of seeing someone. I haven't told them because it's kind of one-sided and I'm not even sure if it will amount to anything, or what it even is." NO JOKE. What? I thought you haven't seen/met him yet. Her description of one-sided here makes it seem like they've met and shes crushing on him but he's not a clue!5. And don't get me started on the long winded sentences! The above example was a mild case of "fear of the period". Here are some others that I couldn't pass up."I think of the water behind me though I can no longer hear it, always cool regardless of the weather, rustling quietly while no one listens, a pool of calm in a sea of noise." BREATH! Holy mother of..."I can play like this, always, no matter what happens around me, even if my untrained voice breaks apart."6. Even more, when she's not being long winded she reads like a robot. I can't help but read choppily in my head every for much of the book (when I'm not reading on a single breath that is). Prime examples:"I try to find that kind of peace every time I play. It reminds me of the home I left behind. I shut my eyes and sing.""I touch the soft petals. My heart races. Tomorrow. What had he meant by that."7. Starting every sentence with "I" and "I'm"8. And finally, just overall obvious errors that should have been caught -"I think of these things as someone right stops next to my cello case." Come on!!!Hold up! One more for the road, folks. This one is my favorite:"I'm never that careless, especially with my cello, but at that moment it doesn't matter if my carelessness is strange because it's unforgivable, because I'm so careless that I smash the gift he left me: a single white rose." WT-MOTHER-F DOES THAT MEAN???? WHY????Multiply that over several chapters and you have yourself Love Me in Shadows.Wait, so what was this story about again?