Point Books Conducive To Firefly Beach
| Original Title: | Firefly Beach |
| ISBN: | 1470180642 (ISBN13: 9781470180645) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Meira Pentermann
Paperback | Pages: 333 pages Rating: 3.73 | 4662 Users | 455 Reviews
Details Of Books Firefly Beach
| Title | : | Firefly Beach |
| Author | : | Meira Pentermann |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Second Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 333 pages |
| Published | : | April 5th 2012 by CreateSpace (first published 2009) |
| Categories | : | Mystery. Fiction. Fantasy. Paranormal |
Ilustration As Books Firefly Beach
This book was not what I expected it to be. Frankly, I expected it to be a murder mystery. What I got was a lethargic story about a generic heroine digging up the past.The first problem I had with the book was the way in which things were described. The author literally tells us what color AWNING every building on a street is, in order, and describes to us the people - irrelevant people - in a store the main character is not even inside of. It is laborious, almost as if the author just wanted to make chapters longer.
Secondly, Beth is the plainest character. She is wrapped in all the cliches of chick lit. 30 something, experiencing a midlife crisis, no romantic life, a failed marriage, a parent deceased before their time, and a poor relationship with her mother. And then you come to find out she lost her virginity in an unsatisfying way, got knocked up (women in chick lit get knocked up when a man LOOKS at them, I swear), and, guess what, got an abortion. Everyone in chick lit gets an abortion.
The supporting characters fell flat - some were one-dimensional. Mary and Abigail had some truly tedious interaction. Saccharine-sweet gossips, a caricature of small-town life, interspersed with inevitable mother-daughter squabbles - all of which is supposed to be endearing, I'm sure. It is not.
Other characters were not so much one-dimensional as cell-shaded. The book presents to us what Kenny appears to be as well as his Tragic Past with heavy hands, artlessly telling us "He acts this way because of X, Y, and Z." Firefly Beach is MADE of exposition. It would have been a lot easier to take if it had simply implemented true flashbacks.
In theory, Beth is supposed to have undergone some kind of existential transformation - the book literally calls it a "spiritual journey", I believe - but I'm not buying it. All that Beth really does is realize she was a bitch to her mother, it's stupid to blame her father for dying, and start to actually care about something again, even if it is two people she never met. All of it seems very tidy, though. Sure, a ghost/muse/whatever has to taunt her for a while to get there, but in the end all it really takes for Beth to be reborn is to break down sobbing in a forest after finding a dead body... in a way that struck me as childish and disturbed, unlike any emotional display I've ever seen or heard of... And of course, it occurs with Kenny right there to be of comfort. While the book never officially "goes there", it is obvious the two are moving towards some kind of romantic relationship, which was an offensively obvious and convenient outcome pretty much from their first painfully awkward interaction.
In all this I almost forgot what might be one of my BIGGEST problems with the book: Katherine's diary. Or rather, Katherine. It boggles my mind that the author thinks this is what a teenager's diary sounds like. It was reminiscent of how 13 year old girls are depicted in commercials for comedy. Katherine was supposed to be 17 when she wrote the diary - yet she insists that she is "seventeen and a HALF" and calls her crush "Mr. Cutie-Pie." Repeatedly. It was insufferable, and offended me on behalf of teenagers everywhere.
Minor gripes:
- It is NOT that easy to sell paintings. Good grief. The term starving artist exists for a reason.
- The chapter titles were so pretentious and unnecessary. They bothered me a lot.
My one big relief:
- Beth and Susie are not the same person. I was truly concerned that this book was going to have an absurd yet predictable twist that Beth's mother wasn't biologically related, and Katherine was really her mother. Thank GOD, this did not happen.
In short, it was just poorly written. The elements of a good story were there, but they needed to be handled with much more subtlety and thoroughness than the author was willing to expend.
Rating Of Books Firefly Beach
Ratings: 3.73 From 4662 Users | 455 ReviewsCritique Of Books Firefly Beach
LOVED IT!!!No more crunching numbers....only a serene life filled with painting and relaxing. That is what Beth thought she would find when she moved to Virginia Point Cove.What she did find was many sad, lonely residents, a very unpleasant landlord, a jeweler who never spoke more than two words, a couple with a nosey wife, and a firefly that talked to her....yes a firefly. The firefly seemed to summon Beth with his wings and body turns. He frightened Beth at first until she realized he must beFirefly Beach, kept me riveted to my kindle. The story revolves around Beth, a recently divorced woman who has moved across the country for a new start. She is not prepared for the new start that finds her. With the help of a supernatural and very persistent firefly, she will face off with a troubling past, hers and others in her new hometown. Anyone who likes mysteries, coming of age stories and self-discovery stories will enjoy this story.Pamela Jo
This seems like a crazy-high rating for a free book I picked up on Book Bub and decided to read on a whim. I was sort of in between books, although I had officially started my next book club pick, which is non-fiction. I just wasn't gaga over it and felt like I needed something light to read in between. So I put it down and picked up this little gem. It engaged me from the very beginning. Not sure if it would win any awards for writing, but I thought it had a great plot and good characters. The
**4/4.5 Stars** (I am up in the air as to 4 stars or 4.5 stars... I will think on it and fully decide at a later date)Amazing book! The author did a great job depicting the setting for the story. It made me want to go back to the B&B in Camden, ME again. I could perfectly visualize the town, The Cove, and Firefly Beach. The book is a beautifully written mystery with a little supernatural thrown in. I was actually worried about half way through the book when the mystery seemed to be wrapping
The synopsis doesn't do this book justice. It is an emotional tale, and quite the journey for more than just Beth and the Firefly. This was one of those "deal of the day" ebook emails I get, and it seemed interesting enough to give a try. Honestly, the first 25% of the book didn't quite keep my attention, the author had a way of overly describing the scenery (but I skimmed thru that).Once Beth starts reading the diary, my attention was hooked 100%. The journey isn't only about the Firefly, it's
**4/4.5 Stars** (I am up in the air as to 4 stars or 4.5 stars... I will think on it and fully decide at a later date)Amazing book! The author did a great job depicting the setting for the story. It made me want to go back to the B&B in Camden, ME again. I could perfectly visualize the town, The Cove, and Firefly Beach. The book is a beautifully written mystery with a little supernatural thrown in. I was actually worried about half way through the book when the mystery seemed to be wrapping
When Beth Lamonte moves away from her old life and rents a house on the coast of Virginia, she encounters a bright firefly that will change her life. At first she thinks she's crazy, then she becomes curious and then her adventure begins. Beth finds herself being lead down the path of young girls life who disappeared from the house she is renting 20 years ago. As the story unfolds Beth starts to feel free from her old anchors and connects to parts of herself that make her whole and hopeful of
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