Book Reviews: Darlene Quinn's Webs Series

I got pretty excited when I saw a whole series of interesting books on NetGalley, and downloaded them all over my holiday break. Darlene Quinn is an outstanding writer, and I enjoyed all four of the books.

Webs of Power
Set in the crazy world of 1980s high fashion retail, Webs of Power took me into a world I'd never really dreamed of. The author, Darlene Quinn, does a fantastic job of providing real insight and looks into what this world of power and money brokers was like, and takes you along for the ride. From a hostile takeover of retail giant Consolidated to Paige Toddman's unwanted pregnancy to Ashleigh McDowell's evil fiancé getting what he deserves... you'll constantly be jumping between these magically intertwined plot lines. Great book - and it really set up the rest of the series well! From reading the epilogue, Quinn actually has a background in major retail like she writes about, so it's obvious that not only did she inject research - but also her real life experiences - into her writing. Read via NetGalley. Amazon price - $7.99. More info here.

Twisted Webs 
I think this may have been my favorite of the four Webs books by Darlene Quinn. I was used to the characters after the first novel, and the story just keeps going at such a quick pace. Ashleigh McDowell Taylor gives birth to twins, and one is kidnapped from beside her hospital bed. The book spans more than 8 years, and two families as the story is unraveled of what actually happened on that fateful day when twins were separated and began to lead different lives. In addition to that main plot point, the novel has many complementary story lines ranging from Paige's reunion with her mom to Viviana De Mornay's dark secret - and even more - but they all tie to the theme of motherhood, so the book still flows between story lines. This sequel is set in the 1990s and continues a look at the inner working of the retail world and all it entails. Read via NetGalley. Amazon price - $7.99. More info here.

Webs of Fate
This was my least favorite of the four books, but probably more for the time period than anything else. I was expecting a continuation of books one and two (Webs of Power and Twisted Webs), but instead, the book went back in time to elaborate on the story of fashion designer Viviana De Mornay. I started out a little more confused because I wasn't expecting that, but the book was good otherwise. Back in the 1980s, you find Ashleigh McDowell suffering the betrayal of a dear friend. Webs of Fate, while not quite as great as the first two Web books, really gives a background for the personalities and stories that took place in Webs of Power and Twisted Webs. For that, I really have to give the author credit. She moves between the time frames seamlessly, tying so many story lines and characters together in dozens of ways. Read via NetGalley. Amazon price - $7.99. More info here.

Unpredictable Webs
This fourth Web book by Darlene Quinn sure lived up to its title! I'd rank it second of the four books, so that is high praise from me! I think the best part of this story was that there was nothing predictable about this book, especially since it followed a book that already caught me off guard with the timing jump. Unpredictable Webs jumped back into the future (haha) and picks up years after Marnie's kidnapping. Marnie is troubled, and starts causing problems that lead to not only her being in danger, but her twin being kidnapped as well. One of my favorite parts of the story is the fantastic friendship between Paige and Ashleigh as their lives change and grow - not to mention Viviana becoming a total cougar and revealing her softer side on top of it. Read via NetGalley. Amazon price - $7.99. More info here.

Hope someone enjoys this series as much as I did! Happy New Year, y'all!

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones