Rating: 
Summary: Shallow rambling yarn
Review: After reading a parade of female writers, top picks by Oprah's Book Club, it was heart wrenching to discover that my gender lacks the talent to write a decent book. Along comes Iris Johansen and I was thinking, this woman "can write", oh my God. Only I didn't expect much to begin with. In
Reap the Wind, the author puts her fictitious "historical treasure" Wind Dancer in line with national treasures like Mona Lisa, David, Night Watch. Her characters are somewhat shallow, Caitlin's has more strength, her mother is vain, her lover a scoundrel, who takes her from the romantic setting of lavender and roses called Vasaro in France into a quagmire of international gangsters. Compared to her mediocre and somewhat exhaustively boring novels Reap the Wind and Long after Midnight, this one has more zing. I found her female characters bratty, spoiled, hostile, and
feeble minded, always exposed to the bad boys for rescue or destruction. I will give this author another try, because of the entertaining quality of her books for those evenings when I am content with some shallow rambling yarn.
Gerborg
Rating:
Summary: Shallow rambling yarn
Review: After reading a parade of female writers, top picks by Oprah's Book Club, it was heart wrenching to discover that my gender lacks the talent to write a decent book. Along comes Iris Johansen and I was thinking, this woman "can write", oh my God. Only I didn't expect much to begin with. In
Reap the Wind, the author puts her fictitious "historical treasure" Wind Dancer in line with national treasures like Mona Lisa, David, Night Watch. Her characters are somewhat shallow, Caitlin's has more strength, her mother is vain, her lover a scoundrel, who takes her from the romantic setting of lavender and roses called Vasaro in France into a quagmire of international gangsters. Compared to her mediocre and somewhat exhaustively boring novels Reap the Wind and Long after Midnight, this one has more zing. I found her female characters bratty, spoiled, hostile, and
feeble minded, always exposed to the bad boys for rescue or destruction. I will give this author another try, because of the entertaining quality of her books for those evenings when I am content with some shallow rambling yarn.
Gerborg
Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant
Review: Again, I can't stop reading. This was a great book!
Rating:
Summary: What's up with the cover?
Review: Can someone tell me why the White House is featured on the cover? It has absolutely nothing to do with the story. Did the publisher accidentally switch this with a Tom Clancy paperback??Otherwise, a decently plotted adventure marred by some leaden dialogue and that hoary old cliche about people who've concluded "love doesn't exist" until the right person inspires them to open their hearts. Yawn.
Rating:
Summary: CONSTANT ACTION
Review: I enjoyed the book a lot, but somehow it was not as spellbinding as the Wind Dancer. I didn't feel as attached to Alex and Caitlin as I was to Lion and Sanchia. Alex deceived Caitlin so as to use her as part of his revenge. Knowing Ledford, Alex should know what kind of danger he would expose his pawns to when the stake increased, he couldn't be so unscrupulous to disregard that. In a way, it casted Alex as a very manipulative man, though I do like him. At least Lion didn't lie to Sanchia about his intention to use her. Hmmm, the scenes on the couch and in the shower were tantalising. The character development of the supporting characters was not as compelling. I wished to get deeper into the character of Jonanthan Andreas, but there was not much offered. I liked the wit and charm of Kemal, of course, including the ending, which was delightful. Overall, I was impressed with the way the author plotted the Wind Dancer for publicity of the perfume. But I found the 'secrets' of the Wind Dancer a little far-fetched.
Rating: 
Summary: A good sequel but could be better
Review: I enjoyed the book a lot, but somehow it was not as spellbinding as the Wind Dancer. I didn't feel as attached to Alex and Caitlin as I was to Lion and Sanchia. Alex deceived Caitlin so as to use her as part of his revenge. Knowing Ledford, Alex should know what kind of danger he would expose his pawns to when the stake increased, he couldn't be so unscrupulous to disregard that. In a way, it casted Alex as a very manipulative man, though I do like him. At least Lion didn't lie to Sanchia about his intention to use her. Hmmm, the scenes on the couch and in the shower were tantalising. The character development of the supporting characters was not as compelling. I wished to get deeper into the character of Jonanthan Andreas, but there was not much offered. I liked the wit and charm of Kemal, of course, including the ending, which was delightful. Overall, I was impressed with the way the author plotted the Wind Dancer for publicity of the perfume. But I found the 'secrets' of the Wind Dancer a little far-fetched.
Rating:
Summary: I found the characters and locations intriguing.
Review: I had a difficult time putting this book down. The author has obviously spent time researching her history and she had me on the edge of my seat for the entire book. I look forward to reading the rest of the Wind Dancer series. If you like romance intermingled with mystery this book is for you. The secrets will suprise you!!
Rating:
Summary: I hope Final Target isn't the end of "The wind Dancer"
Review: I have now read the whole set to "The Wind Dancer" series, and I have a sad feeling of loss, because my time with them has come to an end. The characters in this book were excellent. Alex is a complex man with a complex life. He has lived a life of solving life's puzzles, a very intelligent man with a heart of gold, even though his intentions are good his actions can be somewhat deceptive, "give people what they want to get what you want" is the theory Alex lives by. When a man from Alex's past kills his best and only friend all he can think of is revenge, no matter what the cost or whom he hurts, Ledford will pay.
Caitlin has all she wants, but with money problems. She has Vasaro, family & friends, but how long she can keep Vasaro afloat before the bank takes over? Then Alex comes along with an offer anyone in her position couldn't refuse.
The question is can they both make it out of this deal alive... I didn't read the Wind Dancer series in order because I couldn't get my hands on them in the order they were written, but you don't have to, each book tells its own tale. One day I will start from the first book and end on the last though... that's how good these books are :) I can't even name which is my favorite they are all great. Final Target was the latest addition to this series and I hope Iris Johansen brings these characters back to life again at least one more time. An excellent read, it wont be a waste of your time.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing and spell bounding
Review: I read the wind dancer trilogy 10 years ago and I loved it. Iris Johansen is one of my favorite story tellers. Her name is the guarantee. The trilogy was well researched. When I read the winddancer, I really got hooked up and could hardly put it down. After reading it, I really went out of my way just to search for a copy of the Storm Winds and Reap the Wind. Now that I am 10 years older, I would like to read the Trilogy again.
Rating:
Summary: Good but not Great
Review: I read this last of book of the trilogy first & intent to go back & read the first two books. I thoroughly enjoyed the book - enough mystery, romance & adventure to keep me interested. The ending begs for a sequel! While writing a good murder mystery, Ms. Johanson keeps her characters 'good' -- even the bad guys have a 'good' streak. There are no real rough scenes as in murder mysterys by some other authors. In this sense, her characters are a little too tame for the roles they play, but...it's still refreshing to read a good book like this. I recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries, but not gore.
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