Eleven Hours

Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing third book
Review: A pregnant woman (actually, a VERY pregnant woman, just a couple of weeks away from giving birth). A psycho kidnapper. A frantic husband. A black, competent & cool cop. Helicopters. Stolen cars. A climactic scene in the end (I won't specifically mention what happens but it's easy to guess from about page one).

Remind you of anything? Yes, you guessed it. "Eleven hours" reads exactly like a screenplay, & a very predictable & boring one, too. I'm not saying it's not a suspenseful, quick read. It is, if you happen to be one of those people that haven't seen this kind of thriller in the movies (a thousand times, too) & thus if you're likely to be surprised by any of it. I wonder what Paullina Simons was thinking. I remember reading somewhere that this book was written quickly. Well, I'm not surprised: if it was indeed written quickly, it's equally quickly read & even more quickly forgotten. She probably was hoping "Eleven Hours" might be turned into a movie, & I wonder if it has or if it will...

If I sound bitter, it's simply because "Tully" has been one of my favourite books for many years, I've read it & reread it & always felt it is an extremely well written & very emotional book, with strong characters. I also quite liked "Red Leaves". So this third book was a big disappointment from an author I've grown to like & admire. Comparing "Tully" to "Eleven hours" is like comparing a good, elaborate, lovingly made home-cooked meal to a quick, greasy, unhealthy hamburger. Both serve their own purpose I guess, but there really is no comparison.

Rating:
Summary: Eleven Hours
Review: A pregnant woman (actually, a VERY pregnant woman, just a couple of weeks away from giving birth). A psycho kidnapper. A frantic husband. A black, competent & cool cop. Helicopters. Stolen cars. A climactic scene in the end (I won't specifically mention what happens but it's easy to guess from about page one).

Remind you of anything? Yes, you guessed it. "Eleven hours" reads exactly like a screenplay, & a very predictable & boring one, too. I'm not saying it's not a suspenseful, quick read. It is, if you happen to be one of those people that haven't seen this kind of thriller in the movies (a thousand times, too) & thus if you're likely to be surprised by any of it. I wonder what Paullina Simons was thinking. I remember reading somewhere that this book was written quickly. Well, I'm not surprised: if it was indeed written quickly, it's equally quickly read & even more quickly forgotten. She probably was hoping "Eleven Hours" might be turned into a movie, & I wonder if it has or if it will...

If I sound bitter, it's simply because "Tully" has been one of my favourite books for many years, I've read it & reread it & always felt it is an extremely well written & very emotional book, with strong characters. I also quite liked "Red Leaves". So this third book was a big disappointment from an author I've grown to like & admire. Comparing "Tully" to "Eleven hours" is like comparing a good, elaborate, lovingly made home-cooked meal to a quick, greasy, unhealthy hamburger. Both serve their own purpose I guess, but there really is no comparison.

Rating:
Summary: Wile away an afternoon
Review: Although not as well written as her first novel "Tully" this is an entertaining novel that will suck you in with graphic descriptions of violence and the awfulness of being nine months pregnant on a hot and sticky day. Didi is a very likeable character although I was a littl oververse to having religion forced on to me through out the book. It was a nice way for me to wile away the afternoon in hospital waiting for a day procedure. Definetly not heavy reading.

Rating:
Summary: Good read, but lay off the bible bashing next time
Review: As with many of the other reviewers, I found this book a good, quick read. The fast pace and roller coaster style managed to cover some of it's flaws very well.

Once I had scratch the surface though I found the character's a little thin and lacking dimension. This I could forgive. However the major disappointment for me was the repetitive reference's to "god". This left a bad taste in my mouth to say the least. I was left with a real sense that the author had an ulterior motive when writing the novel.

I don't mind an academic "discussion" relating to religion, in fact this is an essential element in establishing a character, however if I wanted to be converted I would have read the Bible.

Rating:
Summary: Shopping can be Hazardous to Your Health
Review: Didi Wood is nine months pregnant and miserable. All she wants to do, besides giving birth, is to go on a short shopping spree before she's supposed to meet her husband for lunch. But she never makes that lunch date, because she's accosted and kidnapped by a man she met in the mall. The next eleven hours are pure terror for her. Meanwhile, her husband, the police and the FBI are all trying to find her while she wonders if God is punishing her. She's terrified, her husband is terrified, her abductor is crazy and this is one five star pulse thumping book that you won't be able to put down.

Reviewed by Vesta Irene

Rating:
Summary: A Little Incongruous in Places
Review: I found the novel easy to read, however, the language, in a few places, was disconcerting. For example, Didi continues to try and pray for his soul and the souls of others, claiming in part to be raised Episcopalian but preaching to him about Heaven like she is a devout Baptist. Her husband works for a religious publishing company, but cusses like a sailor after the first half of the book. The story line isn't bad, but it isn't all together believable either. The book is rated "okay" on my own scale.

Rating:
Summary: A Little Incongruous in Places
Review: I found the novel easy to read, however, the language, in a few places, was disconcerting. For example, Didi continues to try and pray for his soul and the souls of others, claiming in part to be raised Episcopalian but preaching to him about Heaven like she is a devout Baptist. Her husband works for a religious publishing company, but cusses like a sailor after the first half of the book. The story line isn't bad, but it isn't all together believable either. The book is rated "okay" on my own scale.

Rating:
Summary: New reader of Simons! Page turner!
Review: I've not read any of PS's work, so I was not disappointed as other fans were. I was totally enthralled. I made the mistake of picking up the book at 2am, just to read for a few moments before hitting the hay. (I'm a bit of an insomniac with a night shift job) I put the book down at 4:30am, completed.
I couldn't put it down, even for a bathroom break * I took it with me!*
Aside from a bit of religion thrown in ( which isn't MY thing, but certainly LOTS of others "thing") it was a great read.
I felt the characters palpatations, her intense sense of dehydration.. her natural instinct to protect her unborn child..I of course will say that I would have done it differently if given that situation, but of course this is fiction, it's not supposed to be real, just FEEL like it. And this does! IT FEELS like it!
Thanks Paullina! Worth the bags under my eyes, and my intense sleepy head! Definately WORTH IT!
I compare her with other authors I've read, Sandra Brown (Stand Off), Catherine Coulter *her FBI series, Johanna Lindsey, etc.
Very good thriller Thank you!

Rating:
Summary: A First Rate Nail-Biter!
Review: Paullina Simons is a really versatile, captivating writer. I read this book when my daughter was pregnant and working in the Dallas mall where this book begins. I couldn't put it down. Read it in one sitting. I immediately passed it on to my daughter, her friend,and it made the rounds to any number of other friends. We were all hooked and had to have more of Paullina's work. If you enjoy this book, I recommend her other books TULLY and RED LEAVES. All are different, but, equally, engaging. I have just placed my order for her new work, THE BRONZE HORSEMAN.

Rating:
Summary: One of the worst books ever written
Review: The only good thing about this book was the premise: a 9-months pregnant woman goes missing from the mall. In the hands of a more gifted writer, it could've been a really compelling read. In the hands of Ms Simon, it is forgettable and a waste of time.

There is so much wrong with this book, I don't know where to start. Thinly drawn characters. Improbabilites (the husband would NOT be allowed to actively participate in the actual investigation of his missing wife). A lead character (the pregnant woman) so completely dense that she doesn't figure out what the kidnapper wants until he tells her towards the very end(it took every ounce of willpower for me not to scrawl a huge "DUH!" on the page his intent is revealed). Finally, the worst 'sin' committed by Paulina Simons is that this should have been a suspenseful book and it simply was not. It was an absolute yawner.