Review: Carved in Stone, A Review for the Blog Tea and Book
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 10 5, 2013
Carved in Stone was one of those books that left me feeling ambivalent. I didn't hate the book.. I just wasn't really thrilled with it. The truth is there was really nothing that was bad about it either. I have read several books by Kate Douglas and honestly, in general like her writing style, her characters, her story line, honestly just about everything. But in Carved in Stone, I kept expecting more. Maybe it was because it was a short (and by short I mean VERY short) novella and a lot was lost in the brevity. Although, I am not sure that was it. For me, it was lacking something.. BUT.. that is my opinion and as with all of my reviews, I seriously suggest you check it out for yourself. Especially those books I am not overly fond of.Alexandra Martin is the illegitimate daughter of a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer. Only problem is, those pictures he won the prize for, good old dad, stole from Alexandra. After years of neglecting her he steals from her.. sorta messes with a girl's head. That acclaim could have done wonders for her career as a nature photographer but instead it has left her on the brink of giving up and opening a studio.. you know, weddings, portraits, traditional stuff. Nothing wrong with that unless of course you have dreams of other things. But a last minute contract to photograph an unknown archaeological dig could change everything. Only it seems the archaeologist doesn't want A. Martin, he wants Alex Martin, her father.Nate Murdock knows he has found something special. Something that doesn't belong where it is now he just needs to prove it. When he looses his photographer at the last minute he discovers that famed photographer Alex Martin is available. Sorta.. He didn't do his homework and told the school secretary to get A. Martin. So when a gorgeous woman shows up, contract in hand Nate is furious. And pretty much remains so for most of the book.Both Nate and Alexandra have something to prove, dreams to fulfil and are willing to fight for them. Once they decide that they can actually work together, things only get more interesting. Seems, their location is also the home of some drug smugglers.. With only each other to count on!! Life is just getting interesting!!There is just so much going on in this book.. Alexandra's (justifiable) issues with her father. Her goals as a photographer, her drive and need to succeed. Nate's desire to prove something, his need for a great photographer and of course the drug smugglers.. oh and the ancients (so not gonna go farther into that.. best part of the story). Too much too fast.The one thing that constantly bit at me was Nate was a jerk... anger issues anyone? Seriously, Alexandra had much to prove but Nate was the one with the attitude! I get that you are disappointed but shoot let it go already.. the book isn't long enough for all that anger!Maybe if this would have been a longer story everything would have fit better.. like I said the potential for a really good story was there.. just didn't quite reach it.ShauniThis review is based on the ARC of Carved in Stone, provided by netgalley