Books are like Air ...

02/21/2013 --Overall Stars = 3 StarsBook Cover / Book Blurb = 4 / 4 = 4 StarsWriter’s Voice = 2.5 StarsCharacter Development = 4 StarsStory Appreciation = 3 StarsWorth the Chili = 2 Stars [$7.00 Amazon & $7.43 on B&N]Okay, I feel a bit guilty for giving an average rating to a book that took courage to write. The topic needs to be screamed from the rooftops, my opinion only. Human trafficking, in particular, the kidnapping of a teenage girl from the front of her home and then her story. Eleven long years of captivity. The topic gets 5 HUGE STARS from me, however the execution could have been better.What I thought worked really well:1 -- Obviously the topic. I think the author captured the abduction and living situation very well. This is a story that plays out too often with very little known about it. I commend this author for bringing us this story.2 -- A good third of the book, very beginning, is one very long intimate scene. There were parts I didn't like about it, and you'll see that in a minute, but this one scene of intimacy was some of the best I've ever read.3 -- I liked the cover and the blurb. Got me to read it almost immediately. Look at my TBR pile -- yep, to be commended.But, the things that didn't work for me interfered with my enjoyment:1 -- The intimate scene mentioned above? It has a obnoxious voyeur. This was explained, but I didn't buy this guys presence in everything during their first meeting. Just annoying as hell. The character also wasn't drawn for us well. Beef him up a bit and give him a bit of personality, and maybe it works.2 -- The author deviated into the mundane and the story got incredibly boring about 2/3's in. Hard to keep going when you really know how it is going to turn out. No surprises.3 -- As much as I liked RJ, I didn't think his story well told. Not enough depth when he could have been incredible he only turned out so/so.4 -- Overall, with this stories topic, the story lacked depth. We had the whole Nicky element, but we only had him in two real scenes. Just too much surface, very little depth. Told me how to feel but I didn't feel it.5 -- Therefore, the story was too long. Probably could have lost about 70 pages and been much better.I did enjoy the story. I do think this could have been an incredible story that turned out mediocre. Could have been the author, could have been the editing, could have been the publisher's requirements. Whatever the reason, I was a bit sad. It just could have been so much better.BTW: I've noted this very type of format issue [lack of depth] with this publisher in the past. I rather think Ellora's Cave plays a key role in the mediocrity mentioned above.Happy Reading!