Jenny Reviews: Innocence by Dean Koontz + Nowhere But Home by Liza Palmer

I am doing another two-for-one today because both of these books are A) really good and B) really hard to rate. They have nothing in common, but the fact that I read them back-to-back has gotten me thinking (always a dangerous thing) about rating and reviews and what makes a good/great book. This post is part book review and part musing.

The Vitals

Innocence by Dean Koontz
Release Date: 10 December 2013
Page Count: 480
Genre: 
Target Audience: Adult
Series: No
Source and Format: Lesley Anne; Paperback
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (From Goodreads)
In Innocence, Dean Koontz blends mystery, suspense, and acute insight into the human soul in a masterfully told tale that will resonate with readers forever.

He lives in solitude beneath the city, an exile from society, which will destroy him if he is ever seen. She dwells in seclusion, a fugitive from enemies who will do her harm if she is ever found. But the bond between them runs deeper than the tragedies that have scarred their lives. Something more than chance--and nothing less than destiny--has brought them together in a world whose hour of reckoning is fast approaching.

Notes on Innocence

1. The writing is phenomenal. This is my first book by Koontz and it will definitely not be my last. He has gone on my list of "Authors I Read Because of How They Write". This list contains authors such as Elizabeth Kostova and Kate Morton. The way they string words together is marvelous.

2. The story was odd. I am still not sure if I like it or if I am ambivalent. It starts out really engaging and pulls you in immediately. By the end I was wondering if Koontz is beyond brilliant or simply ran out of steam. I cannot tell you much without spoiling it, but the reason behind the main characters ostracization from society is... original. Kind of hard to wrap your head around. BUT society's reaction to this is spot on and the reason I am leaning towards Koontz being brilliant. 

3. How do I rate this book?! The writing is wonderful. The characters are engaging, for the most part. The commentary on human nature is inspired. The storyline is just a little off. I ended up giving it 4 stars because I did enjoy it, for the most part, and the writing is perfect. It seems I have a higher tolerance for mediocre storytelling when the storyteller is a master of language.

Overall Diagnosis

The Vitals

Nowhere But Home by Liza Palmer

Release Date: 2 April 2013

Page Count: 384

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Target Audience: Adult

Series: No

Source and Format: Purchased; Kindle e-Book
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (From Goodreads)

Queenie Wake, a country girl from North Star, Texas, has just been fired from her job as a chef for not allowing a customer to use ketchup. Again. Now the only place she has to go is home to North Star. She can hope, maybe things will be different. Maybe her family's reputation as those Wake women will have been forgotten. It's been years since her mother-notorious for stealing your man, your car, and your rent money-was killed. And her sister, who as a teenager was branded as a gold-digging harlot after having a baby with local golden boy Wes McKay, is now the mother of the captain of the high school football team. It can't be that bad…

Who knew that people in small town Texas had such long memories? And of course Queenie wishes that her memory were a little spottier when feelings for her high school love, Everett Coburn, resurface. He broke her heart and made her leave town-can she risk her heart again?

At least she has a new job-sure it's cooking last meals for death row inmates but at least they don't complain!

But when secrets from the past emerge, will Queenie be able to stick by her family or will she leave home again? A fun-filled, touching story of food, football, and fooling around.

Notes on Nowhere But Home

1. This was a wonderful story. The characters are so real and I want to be friends with them. The story was unique and yet easy to relate to (at least for me). The humor was one of my favorite parts. This is one of those books that makes you happy for no particular reason.

2. The plot had a couple of holes that were filled a bit too conveniently for me. Some of the ways that information was revealed was too easy and unrealistic. This kept me from loving the book.

3. How do I rate this book? I enjoyed the story immensely but was disappointed in the way things were so easily resolved. No lie, all people had to do was talk to one another, just once, and most issues were resolved. Now, I realize this is probably a clever way of showing how communication is so important but it was just a little too easy. I highly recommend it but I do not love it.

Overall Diagnosis 

Do y'all see why it was so hard to rate these books? How do you decide the number of stars when a book is really great but just didn't appeal to you personally? Or what do you do when you love a story but was not impressed with the way it is resolved?