Seven Sisters Is A Tease

My inexperience with the bold new world of publishing options in this day of e-readers comes to light with my reading of M. L. Bullock's serial novel, Seven Sisters. The site offering up the book lists the information you read below in "From the Publisher". It is listed as "Seven Sisters Series #1". What is more accurate, is that this the first installment of the serial, and NOT a complete book. It ends after a scant 100+ pages in the middle of a cliffhanger.

I was suspicious when the book downloaded and only had 122 pages. (Some of these final pages are the first chapter of the next "book"--which I can only guess is another installment as I suspect that each one is going to end in a cliffhanger.) The writing is mediocre at best. The characters, while believable, feel stereotypical and not very well fleshed out. It's unfortunate because the concept for the book seems good. A young woman has the "gift" (Carrie Jo would define it in other terms) of slipping into the past lives of people who inhabit the place she where she falls asleep/unconscious. This ability to see what happened long ago has impact on the here and now. Like I said, an interesting premise to run with.

It's truly unfortunate that the book feels like a bait and switch experience which leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Had I paid for a complete work, I may have kept on reading despite the writing not being great. But I'm not going to keep paying for sections of one book distributed in serial fashion, not knowing how many times the author will be trying to lure me back to the paypal button.

Thanks, but no thanks. I won't be recommending this book to anyone.

From the Publisher . . .

Carrie Jo has a secret—she dreams about the past. The handsome and wealthy Ashland Stuart has hired her to uncover the history and the secrets of Seven Sisters, an aging antebellum mansion in sultry downtown Mobile, Alabama. A series of dreams, an untimely death and the betrayal of someone she loves lead her back in time to uncover the truth about a missing young heiress and a web of secrets.

Will Carrie Jo slip into the shadows of Seven Sisters, following in the ghostly footsteps of the lost young woman, or can she solve this tragic mystery and find her own happiness?

About the Author . . .

Author M.L. Bullock enjoys the laid-back atmosphere and the spooky vibe of the Gulf Coast, especially the region's historic districts and sites. When she isn't visiting her favorite haunts in New Orleans or Old Mobile, you can find her flipping through old photographs or newspaper clippings in search of new inspiration.