Reviews

Copper Beach by Jayne Ann Krentz

inmyhumbleopinion's review against another edition

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4.0

If you like The Arcane series by JAK you will enjoy this. Ms. Krentz says she will be keeping this trilogy in the present and just under her JAK author name. I’ll admit that it screws up my shelving to have JAK with Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick.
This is another paranormal, mystery and romance. Nobody does this quite like Jayne Ann Krentz. In Copper Beach we meet Sam Coppersmith and Abby Radwell. I really enjoyed the Sam/Abby dynamic. Abby has a gift for recognizing “hot” books or those that radiate paranormal energy. She has the added gift of being able to unlock the encryption that’s been put on some of the aforementioned “hot” books. Sam’s gifts deal more with crystals. Sam and Abby meet when Abby is being blackmailed into using her gifts to find and unencrypt a book that will lead to the Phoenix Mine that contains crystals of unknown power. Sam’s family has been protecting the location of the mine as the crystals in the mine are very powerful and the equipment to test them safely doesn’t exist yet.
I figure the next two books in this trilogy will deal with Sam’s brother and sister.

caitcoy's review against another edition

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2.0

I'm not sure what it is with Jayne Ann Krentz lately, but I just haven't bee able to get into either Copper Beach or the sequel, [b:Dream Eyes|15765663|Dream Eyes (Dark Legacy, #2)|Jayne Ann Krentz|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1346076693s/15765663.jpg|19033873]. The characters haven't been as interesting as earlier books (even books from last year), and in fact feel just like other characters she's created previously, the storylines have felt recycled and not terribly interesting and it's really starting to disappoint me. I love Krentz and have read almost everything she's written (and loved most of it) but Copper Beach just didn't cut it for me. I had to force myself to read the last fifty pages because I just didn't care what happened to the characters or even the villians. Disappointed, but I'll still probably pick up her next one.

jaga119's review against another edition

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3.0

I would give this book 4 stars if only it wasn't the I don't know which number of the same book by Ms. Krentz. I like her books, I like her style, but lately it seems to me she's writing the same thing over and over. Maybe I should stop expecting romance? Because where is the romance in meeting, deciding something clicked, having sex a few times and getting engaged? Little emotion, no conflict or doubts, nothing unexpected or really exciting.

If I wanted to read a suspence I would pick some other author, because, with all due respect, the plot was too predictable to be really satisfying.

I don't mind the paranormal aspect of her books, but why can't she write as good romance stories as when the paranormal wasn't there? A real shame.

jazzrizz's review against another edition

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4.0

I really didn't know what to expect with this new series. I know she's separating her pen names, so I really thought Krentz would go back to modern romance/suspense type books. I was a little surprised she kept the Arcane element for this Krentz.

Not that I'm complaining! I love the Arcane elements to her books. Sam & Abby are great, and the storyline kept my attention.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

laurenjodi's review against another edition

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3.0

Copper Beach
3 Stars

Series note:Although set in the same world as the Arcane novels, this series involves a completely new set of characters, and aside from the psychic powers, there is no mention of the Arcane Society or any of its members.

This first book in the Dark Legacy trilogy follows the same formula as most of Krentz's other works whether historical, contemporary, or futuristic. In fact, the tone and style of writing, as well as the inclusion of crystals and a Dust Bunny-like canine, are more in line with the Ghost Hunters series written under her Jayne Castle pseudonym. Nevertheless, it is still an enjoyable read as the characters are likable and the mystery is intriguing.

Sam and Abby are sweet together and Sam's parents, especially his eccentric father, are very entertaining. The mystery is comprised of various different threads that are skillfully developed throughout the story and ultimately converge into a cohesive whole. That said, some readers may become confused with the confusing amount of information and detail. Moreover, the resolution to one particular plot point is rather anti-climactic -
SpoilerI was expecting more action and suspense from the Knox thread due to the exposition in the prologue
.

The next book in the trilogy focuses on Sam's brother, Judson. Unfortunately, it appears that Krentz discontinued the series before Emma's book. Perhaps she will return to it in the future.

axkerti's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

keeks84's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.75

masquerader888's review against another edition

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3.0

Copper Beach—Dark Legacy book one by Jayne Ann Krentz

I always enjoy Ms. Krentz’s books, and this was no exception. She writes with style and panache, creating delectable candy books that I love to devour.

Copper Beach was a good opening effort to a new series; however I do feel that much of the creative force in this book was spent on set-up for future installments and not particularly on the story within it. The characterization in a lot of places seemed a bit rushed, and some of the secondary characters felt a little like space-holders, awaiting future books to actually mean anything. The plot also felt the pinch of a new series start-up, spending lots of time cementing elements for future use and wrapping up this story with a hat-trick. I feel that this series has lots of room to grow, and I will enjoy taking the journey with these characters and exploring the world that is being created, but there is still a ways to go before we get to that complete world or fleshed-out series.

This is the first book from Ms. Krentz in quite some time that has not been a part of her Arcane Society series. While I happened to thoroughly enjoy the Arcane series I do understand the need to do different things and that all of Ms. Krentz’s fans might not want to only read in that universe. That said, as far as I can see the biggest difference so far in her Dark Legacy series vs. the Arcane is the history and known secondary characters. We are still immersed in the world of the paranormal, but this time we’re working without a net.

Abby Radwell was an interesting character, and I happen to adore the concept of her being able to “unlock” psychic code in books. Her history was richly woven even if she bore a lot of the brunt of working without a net when it came to dealing with the peculiarly of her paranormal gifts. With that in mind I found it a bit difficult to embrace her easy acceptance of our hero Sam Coppersmith. With Sam we have a different story. The rare earths and ability to psychically interact with crystals I had zero problem with, I also dig his near-genius talents in designing and creating mechanical mechanisms based on that crystal ability. Sam turned out to be the well-rounded character in this book for me, even if much of his past and endeavors remain hidden.

I give this book a high three stars ★★★ with hopes that the series will improve from here.

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asalters's review against another edition

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4.0

Another GREAT read by Jayne Ann Krentz! I love the way she writes her paranormal stories! I can't wait to read the next book that comes out!!

cristina0194's review against another edition

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4.0

The mystery around this book was ok, but I don’t believe in supernatural powers, so this was a downfall for me. 4 stars for the love story and for family ties... oh, and for Newton! He was a brave dog and made the story funny sometimes.