Independence by Shelly Crane

Book Review # 12

Independence

by Shelly Crane

     In the fourth and final installment, Maggie and Caleb must tie up all the loose ends of their lives and make a way to be together completely on their own. But of course, nothing can stay simple for the Jacobsons. Enemies who were thought to be dissolved have decided to not go down so easily. And old flames come calling for more than just Maggie. Caleb is torn between leading his family and personal wants. Maggie is torn between Caleb and being the leader of their people. But neither will let what they need most to be pushed to the wayside. They are determined to make it all work, design a plan toward destiny, and make everything right again for themselves and their family.

And then there's a wedding...

   This whole series was just a make you smile series. The big plot points were fairly predictable, the relationships were a bit fast paced, and the writing wasn't absolutely phenomenal, but the story was entertaining. It was a story about love, a basic 'love conquers all' kind of series. The characters definitely developed over the books and were either awesome from the start or became what I knew they had the potential to be, which, most of the time, almost made up for the little bumps in the road.

      

     This book was dual POV between Caleb and Maggie, and I love when books have multiple point of views so you can see all sides of what's going on. This was not my favorite dual pov execution. The character's seemed to sound exactly the same and, even though at the beginning of the chapter it would say who's point of view it was in, I found myself forgetting who was talking and getting confused. I felt like there was almost no difference in how the two character's thought which became annoying at certain points. 

   

     And this book had the flat line effect. 

The Flat Line Effect:

When a book gives the impression that there will be a big finale, or a heart-stopping climax...

and then nothing happens.

You keep waiting and waiting but the (story) line stays unmoved, and utterly... flat.

I believe the real word for this is anticlimactic.

      Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say that it was anticlimactic, the author did give us a little something, it just wasn't what I had expected. Overall, the book was a fun read, not too heavy, not too dark, just entertainment.

My Rating: 3/ 5

                          -Sarah Elisabeth          

  Enwhay ethay orldway opsstay inningspay... E'reway illstay eadingray.

               (When the world stops spinning... We're still reading)