Review by Vscholz -- Toxic Side Effect by Sandy Magner

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Vscholz
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Review by Vscholz -- Toxic Side Effect by Sandy Magner

Post by Vscholz »

[Following is a volunteer review of "Toxic Side Effect" by Sandy Magner.]
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2 out of 4 stars
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When her father dies under suspicious circumstances, Jennifer seeks out the truth to clear her mother's name as a murder suspect. She already knew that her parents had an agreement about her father's long-term extramarital affair, but she knew nothing of the other secrets he hid. The two main suspects are the wife and the girlfriend; Jennifer's loyalty is torn because she suspects her mother and feels sympathetic for her father's girlfriend. How can she come to terms with her father's secrets while still cherishing his memory?

Sandy Magner's Toxic Side Effects is a sequel to Pocket Dial. It is not necessary to read the first book in order to understand this one, unless more background information on Jennifer's past is desired. Events of the prior story are briefly mentioned throughout, but they do not directly impact the new plot. This story is told by Jennifer and is in present tense, a tense that is not used frequently. I appreciate that the present tense is used because it gives the story a sense of urgency and the reader can experience the events as Jennifer does.

The plot is a classic mystery—there is a murder and two main suspects. Even though it is not necessarily innovative, it makes the book an easy read. The sentence structure is simple enough to follow and the reader remains engaged, but the characters are extremely immature given their ages. Jennifer is in her forties with two grown children, yet her actions are that of someone much younger. The reaction she has to her seventy-one-year-old father dying aligns more with that of a teenager who has never experienced death than with a twice-divorced middle-aged mother of two. Her septuagenarian mother even acts much younger than her age, creating online personas to watch her husband's girlfriend from afar.

While reading, I found myself swaying between sympathy and irritation with the characters, especially Jennifer. I recently lost my grandfather (who was like a father to me), so I understand her anger and hurt, but my ability to relate to Jennifer ended there. Perhaps I have experienced more death in my life than Jennifer, so someone else may relate to her better. Each of the characters act much younger than their apparent ages; if the story were rewritten with the characters being at least twenty years younger each (with exception of Andy), it would be less frustrating and more believable--at least for adult readers.

I picked up this book because it sounded like it would be full of family drama different from my own, and I watch a lot of true crime shows (such as Snapped and Forensic Files). It definitely delivered on the dramatics, but not necessarily in a good way. The relationships and reactions within this story were more along the lines of dramatic reality tv than dramatic fiction; had the former been expected, the story would have been better. The immaturity of the characters grated my nerves (especially Jennifer's best friend Kat) and I continued reading because the story itself is not bad—just the characterization.

I rate this story 2 out of 4 stars. If the characters were younger, then I would rate it higher. There are also more than ten typographical errors throughout which prevents a four-star rating. I would recommend this story to fans of fictional crime; fans of true crime may to find too many flaws with how the story unfolds. I would also recommend it to people who are looking for a fast read that does not require much commitment.

******
Toxic Side Effect
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As for you & your heart & the things you said & didn't say, she will remember them all when men are fairy tales in books written by rabbits. (Schmendrick the Magician)
jcoad
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Post by jcoad »

Great review and insights into the story. It is annoying when you want to "yell" at the characters in the book instead of turn the page. Unfortunately this sounds like a great story idea that doesn't live up to it's potential. I appreciate your honesty in the review.
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Vscholz
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Post by Vscholz »

jcoad wrote: 15 Aug 2018, 17:39 Great review and insights into the story. It is annoying when you want to "yell" at the characters in the book instead of turn the page. Unfortunately this sounds like a great story idea that doesn't live up to it's potential. I appreciate your honesty in the review.
Thank you for your response! It is a bit disappointing that this story doesn't live up to its potential, but it makes me want to read more by Magner so that I can see how she develops as an author. I find the growth of an artist (regardless of genre or medium--music, movies, books, etc.) to be fascinating and I love to track such things!
As for you & your heart & the things you said & didn't say, she will remember them all when men are fairy tales in books written by rabbits. (Schmendrick the Magician)
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Post by Abigail R »

Thanks for the honest review. I think there is probably enough dramatic reality tv type storylines so I understand your frustration and want for a more believable story.
It sounds like a good read but maybe far more dramatic than it needs to be.
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Post by Julie Green »

Excellent review. It is a shame when poor character development spoils the plot. I will give this one a miss.
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Post by Ruba Abu Ali »

Well-developed characters are essential for me to enjoy the book. I think I will skip this one. I loved your fantastic review, though. Thanks. :tiphat:
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Vscholz
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Post by Vscholz »

Abigail R wrote: 17 Aug 2018, 21:27 Thanks for the honest review. I think there is probably enough dramatic reality tv type storylines so I understand your frustration and want for a more believable story.
It sounds like a good read but maybe far more dramatic than it needs to be.
I enjoy reality TV sometimes but other times... I need a break to enjoy some true fiction, lol.
As for you & your heart & the things you said & didn't say, she will remember them all when men are fairy tales in books written by rabbits. (Schmendrick the Magician)
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Vscholz
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Post by Vscholz »

Ruba Abu Ali wrote: 18 Aug 2018, 16:38 Well-developed characters are essential for me to enjoy the book. I think I will skip this one. I loved your fantastic review, though. Thanks. :tiphat:
Thank you so much! I read a lot of what I call "junk" books because they are easy to read so I don't always mind the lack of character development.
As for you & your heart & the things you said & didn't say, she will remember them all when men are fairy tales in books written by rabbits. (Schmendrick the Magician)
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Vscholz
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Post by Vscholz »

Julie Green wrote: 18 Aug 2018, 02:20 Excellent review. It is a shame when poor character development spoils the plot. I will give this one a miss.
It really would do much better if it were were rewritten with teenage characters (because of the dramatics) and marketed for that audience.
As for you & your heart & the things you said & didn't say, she will remember them all when men are fairy tales in books written by rabbits. (Schmendrick the Magician)
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Post by Georgia Lyonhyde »

Another well-written review by you. :clap:. I think I could probably cope with the immature characters and the drama and as you seem to suggest that the story itself was ok, I can imagine giving this a read. It sounds like the type of book that's ideal for a holiday. Nothing to be taken too seriously, and an easy simple read.
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Post by LaurenHaupt »

Was it predictable? Did you guess who did it? It's a shame the characters are a little immature. The book still sounds good. Thank you.
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Post by pinklover »

Hmmm, the cover picture is intriguing as I watched it carefully and the plot seems full of secrets to discover.
When everything seems too late, but it's not. God is there! Just keep on believing Jesus.
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Vscholz
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Post by Vscholz »

LaurenHaupt wrote: 15 Sep 2018, 19:41 Was it predictable? Did you guess who did it? It's a shame the characters are a little immature. The book still sounds good. Thank you.
From reading the official review (as it is BotD), I may have missed the humor in the characterization. Oops!

I don't think I would call it predictable, but there are clues that could be easily missed until it hits you right in the face. Even then, I wasn't sure until the final reveal.
As for you & your heart & the things you said & didn't say, she will remember them all when men are fairy tales in books written by rabbits. (Schmendrick the Magician)
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