Review by Cess Audrea Bensonss -- Lemoncella Cocktail
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Cess Audrea Bensonss
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- Joined: 18 Jul 2017, 05:37
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- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-cess-audrea-bensonss.html
- Latest Review: "Lemoncella Cocktail" by Rene Natan
Review by Cess Audrea Bensonss -- Lemoncella Cocktail
[Following is a volunteer review of "Lemoncella Cocktail" by Rene Natan.]
3 out of 4 stars
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Lemoncella Cocktail by Rene Natan is a stand alone novel and follows a young man named Patrick Carter who lives in the province of Ontario, Canada. Patrick has a deep and unsettled past and therefore does not like to be in the limelight. However, walking home, he suddenly hears the screams of teenager Samantha. Patrick rushes in to help and soon finds his life irrevocably changed.
The task force will stop at nothing to capture the ones who attacked Samantha, and Patrick is along for the ride. Will they figure out why Samantha was targeted? Will they catch the ones responsible for nearly drowning her?
Written in alternating perspectives, Natan has created a story where most of the characters are likable and relatable. Patrick, for example, seems like a typical average-day guy. In reality, he is kind, thoughtful, and is willing to risk his own life to save another. Jessica, Samantha’s grandmother, is warm and welcoming, and is very appreciative toward anyone who is helpful, even strangers. There are several others, but these two are the ones who I would not mind being friends with.
The premise of the book is strong and could have easily been one to grab the attention of many. However, there are aspects of the novel that do need some improvement. For one, the blurb and genre is misleading. When reading the blurb, I get the impression that Patrick was extremely reluctant in helping out with the case. In reality, it does not take long for this young man to volunteer hours upon hours with the case. Also, I first believed this was to be a crime and/or mystery, but due to the book’s presentation, it is more suited to be young adult.
There were also some inconsistencies within this read that were distracting. For instance, five-year-old Justin, Samantha’s brother, is not allowed to use a kitchen knife, yet by the end, it was stated that his “usual” part of the meal to prepare is a salad, which knives are typically used. Then, there was a case where a character’s name was misspelled. Emy, one who is helping out in the investigation, is referred to as “Emily” just once in this read.
In addition, many conversations are stiff and unrealistic. This includes bits and pieces of romance, which felt awkward and out of place. But, what I found most frustrating is when a scene could have been expanded and more intense, the author just briefly mentions the events in these scenes. For instance, there was an attempted murder at a hospital, and I found myself backtracking to make sure I didn’t miss the attempted murder sequence; I did not. The characters simply stated the murder almost happened and that was that. Scenes like this happened a few times throughout Lemoncella Cocktail.
I will advise for future readers that the significance of the title is not revealed until the very end, which was also frustrating because I continually searched for its significance right from the start. When I did learn the meaning behind the title, it did not really tie into the rest of the story, which was surprising.
After considering all of this, I rate Lemoncella Cocktail a 3 out of 4 stars. Overall, the premise is promising and the characters are likable, however, it needs quite a bit of work before I can give the read a higher rating. Perhaps someone in the young adult age group may enjoy this read, however, if you’re looking for something to keep you at the edge of your seat, this might not be a read for you.
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Lemoncella Cocktail
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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3 out of 4 stars
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Lemoncella Cocktail by Rene Natan is a stand alone novel and follows a young man named Patrick Carter who lives in the province of Ontario, Canada. Patrick has a deep and unsettled past and therefore does not like to be in the limelight. However, walking home, he suddenly hears the screams of teenager Samantha. Patrick rushes in to help and soon finds his life irrevocably changed.
The task force will stop at nothing to capture the ones who attacked Samantha, and Patrick is along for the ride. Will they figure out why Samantha was targeted? Will they catch the ones responsible for nearly drowning her?
Written in alternating perspectives, Natan has created a story where most of the characters are likable and relatable. Patrick, for example, seems like a typical average-day guy. In reality, he is kind, thoughtful, and is willing to risk his own life to save another. Jessica, Samantha’s grandmother, is warm and welcoming, and is very appreciative toward anyone who is helpful, even strangers. There are several others, but these two are the ones who I would not mind being friends with.
The premise of the book is strong and could have easily been one to grab the attention of many. However, there are aspects of the novel that do need some improvement. For one, the blurb and genre is misleading. When reading the blurb, I get the impression that Patrick was extremely reluctant in helping out with the case. In reality, it does not take long for this young man to volunteer hours upon hours with the case. Also, I first believed this was to be a crime and/or mystery, but due to the book’s presentation, it is more suited to be young adult.
There were also some inconsistencies within this read that were distracting. For instance, five-year-old Justin, Samantha’s brother, is not allowed to use a kitchen knife, yet by the end, it was stated that his “usual” part of the meal to prepare is a salad, which knives are typically used. Then, there was a case where a character’s name was misspelled. Emy, one who is helping out in the investigation, is referred to as “Emily” just once in this read.
In addition, many conversations are stiff and unrealistic. This includes bits and pieces of romance, which felt awkward and out of place. But, what I found most frustrating is when a scene could have been expanded and more intense, the author just briefly mentions the events in these scenes. For instance, there was an attempted murder at a hospital, and I found myself backtracking to make sure I didn’t miss the attempted murder sequence; I did not. The characters simply stated the murder almost happened and that was that. Scenes like this happened a few times throughout Lemoncella Cocktail.
I will advise for future readers that the significance of the title is not revealed until the very end, which was also frustrating because I continually searched for its significance right from the start. When I did learn the meaning behind the title, it did not really tie into the rest of the story, which was surprising.
After considering all of this, I rate Lemoncella Cocktail a 3 out of 4 stars. Overall, the premise is promising and the characters are likable, however, it needs quite a bit of work before I can give the read a higher rating. Perhaps someone in the young adult age group may enjoy this read, however, if you’re looking for something to keep you at the edge of your seat, this might not be a read for you.
******
Lemoncella Cocktail
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Cess Audrea Bensonss's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "Lemoncella Cocktail" by Rene Natan
