Fast Forward

Rating:
Summary: Fast forward me to book #2!
Review: Ariel Gold wakes up in a body that she swears isn't her's and not a clue as to who she is. Even though Ariel doesn't know who she is or who is trying to kill her, I liked her from the start. Obviously a smart, independent woman used to fending for and taking care of herself, she makes a great character for the first in a series of books. By the end of the book Ariel has made herself into a better person that she was before the amnesia and along the way we get to enjoy a great mystery story. Thanks Amazon for introducing me to this author. I eagerly look forward to the other books in the series.

Rating:
Summary: Fast Read
Review: I immediately got into this book, a real page turner from the very first page with lots of interesting characters (just who is going to be the love interest -- for once it is not painfully obvious). The plot line itself unfortunately got more and more implausible as it was unraveled. But that didn't detract too much from the story.

It was wonderful to read about a woman who was of independent financial means and to learn how she got there. But would that it would be so easy to lose weight simply because you don't like the way you look and you decide not to eat so much! I didn't quite get that whole aspect of the plot and it seemed to get A LOT of unnecssary play. In addition, that strong independent woman is also portrayed as being rather unnattractive and socially isolated as well as being chunky. Such unfortunate and untrue stereotypes. How refreshing if that had been turned on its head.

Still, this is a definite add-to-the-beach-bag book. Don't expect anything deep or heavy -- think Die Hard with amnesia and you get the idea. Fast and easy reading!

Rating:
Summary: A bizarre but fascinating tale.
Review: I liked this book, and I would have given it five stars, except the ending kind of fizzled. The plot was suspenseful and kept me hooked from beginning until I was three quarters of the way through, and then it just sort of faded. Ariel is quite the character, but the references to her weight are never sewn up tightly. I truly expected her to be "someone else". The story leaves many details unexplained and offers a multitude of conjecture that doesn't satisfy the reader at all. Some of the story was so unlikely it was hard for me to absorb and accept as fact. Still, I kept turning the pages, and spent a few extra hours in the evening reading, so four stars is applicable. The book left me not sure if I would read this author again, so I give it a big Maybe.

Rating:
Summary: A Quick Read- Ariel's Best.
Review: I would give this 5 stars but it's not like it's Shakespeare or Poe...it's a very good novel, though.

I won't recount the story; I'm sure many, many reviewers already have. However, I must say that this is an exceptionally entertaining book. You will have a hard time putting it down, such is the story and it's wonderfully likable characters.

This book is the best of the Ariel Gold series of the three that I've read so far; "Double Take" was a too-long letdown and now that I'm reading "Split Image' I'm finding that I don't even care what happens in the story anymore...I get the feeling this was not intended to be a series.

Rating:
Summary: This book is hard to put down!
Review: Imagine waking up with partial amnesia (you know about most things, but not your personal history, who you used to know, or anything about what you do for a living). That's bad enough, but what if you think you are in the wrong body? To add a little excitement, your house has been turned upside down, and your shirt is covered with blood. To make matters even worse, you are soon forced into killing somebody. The situation goes downhill from there.This is one of the most exciting books I have read in a long time. It is the author's first novel. My wife and I couldn't put the book down. If you like mysteries and outstanding character development, this book is for you. In fact, the book was so good that I wrote a letter to the author, congratulating her. That is a first for me, and I am an avid reader!

Rating:
Summary: Mystery Loving Reader from Texas
Review: Judy Mercer did a wonderful job on her first novel! I found Fast Forward intriging and a very fast read. I love mysteries and crime dramas. In the case of Ariel Gold, being amnesiac wasn't bad enough; she also felt that her body wasn't hers, which put a new twist on an amnesiac storyline. As the characters are developed, you find yourself questioning everyones involvment. Fast Forward is a real page-turner and I can't wait to read the next Ariel Gold in "Double Take" by Ms Mercer.

Rating:
Summary: REWIND INSTEAD
Review: Mercer's debut novel certainly has a unique and interesting plot. The problem: the book is way too long and the plot gets so intricate it stops making sense. By the time the novel ends, I'm not sure exactly who Ariel Gold is....Mercer makes Ariel a strong presence, which is to her credit, but how come Ariel is so disappointed in her body weight? Even with amnesia, past references indicate she was always chunky.
I don't know whether I'll continue with this one or not; reviews of her follow-ups indicate they aren't as involving.

Rating:
Summary: REWIND INSTEAD
Review: Mercer's debut novel certainly has a unique and interesting plot. The problem: the book is way too long and the plot gets so intricate it stops making sense. By the time the novel ends, I'm not sure exactly who Ariel Gold is....Mercer makes Ariel a strong presence, which is to her credit, but how come Ariel is so disappointed in her body weight? Even with amnesia, past references indicate she was always chunky.
I don't know whether I'll continue with this one or not; reviews of her follow-ups indicate they aren't as involving.

Rating:
Summary: Fast Forward is Right!
Review: This is the kind of book you read quickly, because nowhere seems a good place to stop. There are too many intriguing questions waiting to be answered. Yes, there are some potentially implausible turns and amnesia is always a tough sell, but those factors only demonstrate what a terrific story-teller Mercer is. I raced merrily through the pages (with my suspended disbelief stumbling along behind), eager to find out what was really going on. A fun read.

Rating:
Summary: Engaging Plot
Review: While the plot is engaging and the suspense keeps you hanging onto the edge of your seat, Fast Forward is a worthy first book from an author & to a series.

Ariel Gold wakes up with no memory. We watch as she tries to piece together her life, and figure out what happened that put her in this position to begin with. At just over 330 pages it seems we wait forever through mysterious discoveries, budding friendships, interesting personal revelations until the end. Just when I was starting to get antsy for the end, the story really pulled me in & finished strong.

I am looking forward to reading the next novel in this series, and I'm betting I will even enjoy it a bit more than this one- as some of this book got tedius with character development that might not boggle down the next book.