No. 13), Under the Radar (Sisterhood Series

As in all the Sisterhood Series books, this a very good book. I love these books and I have never gotten so involved in reading books as much as I have this series.
Finally, stories of where Justice does over come the injustice of the world.
I highly recommend these books, I have never enjoyed books as much as I have these and I read a lot. I have read many good books, but this series I feel that I know the characters peronally.
I want to belong to the Sisterhood.

Another attention holding read couldn't stop until the end.Fern Michaels, please give us more plots to enjoy. it's nice to think that people can still care about what's right and wrong even if it's fiction, Maybe people will consider what they can do in today's real world.

"Under The Radar" caught me from the very start. Knowing a little about some of the characters made it even more exciting. The life style they were trying to expose made it an interesting read. As many people are unaware that this life style is still going on undercover.

I liked this one but with mixed feelings too. The characters were there and they fought evil and won but it just felt like it was missing something. The depth just didn't feel like it was there. And I'm not sure that I can blame the fact that Charles wasn't in charge either. I also have to say I wasn't feeling the Charles part of the story when he did show up. Which was pretty briefly. Myra didn't really "stand by her man" and was kind of mean I thought. On more than one occasion as a matter of fact. Yes, Charles was still being secretive and he found out some things that were beyond painful personally. But still, I didn't like that part of the story very much at all. Well, better m
luck with the next story.

I liked this one but with mixed feelings too. The characters were there and they fought evil and won but it just felt like it was missing something. The depth just didn't feel like it was there. And I'm not sure that I can blame the fact that Charles wasn't in charge either. I also have to say I wasn't feeling the Charles part of the story when he did show up. Which was pretty briefly. Myra didn't really "stand by her man" and was kind of mean I thought. On more than one occasion as a matter of fact. Yes, Charles was still being secretive and he found out some things that were beyond painful personally. But still, I didn't like that part of the story very much at all. Well, better m
luck with the next story.

This is the 13th book in the Sisterhood series, featuring a group of women who have formed a sort of secret vigilante group. If you haven't read any of the series yet, I wouldn't recommend starting with this one, as I didn't feel it was very strong. Okay if you already know the characters, not so much if you're new to the series.

The book starts off by the vigilantes losing Charles, their main strategist, as he heads off to deal with a personal crisis. Myra, his lady love, goes with him at the last minute. Their's is a secondary story, but it wasn't very satisfying and I didn't really like it. Didn't feel right for some reason, especially how it ended.

The main story is the remaining women taking on their first "mission" without Charles leading the way. They have to come up with their own plan, transportation, support system, and exit strategy for the very first time. Actually, they don't do too bad, but some things were a little too easy. Plus, for a group of intelligent women who have already completed several successful missions, they seemed a little clueless at times. And Jack and Harry's behavior was downright annoying.

While I in no way, shape, or form condone polygomy, I didn't like the way the polygomists were portrayed in this story. Yes, the men were slime for brainwashing and treating the women this way, but there were too many sterotypes running around. And the way the Sisters treated the women at the end was uncalled for and a little mean-spirited. Not very Sister-like at all.

All in all, didn't feel that the plot was as well done as past books in the series. Fern Michaels is a better writer than this, so not sure what went wrong. Maybe it's time for the Sisters to retire and have Fern move on to other series. They could do cameos every now and again, but don't think they are strong enough to continue on their own any longer.

Only gave this one 3 out of 5 stars, as it was a disappointment. I will no doubt read the next book, should there be one, but I hope the Sisters get their act together by then.

After the success of their FINAL JUSTICE mission, the seven Sisterhood members return to their mountaintop retreat looking forward to some R&R. One hour later before anyone can fully settle back, the alarm rings. The women react instantly only to their shock mentor Charles and Myra leave together by copter. He leaves behind an enigmatic note for the team.

Almost immediately after the helicopter lifts off, retired judge Pearl Barnes needs their help. She has rescued fourteen pregnant teens from a polygamous sect and needs the Sisterhood to finish their trip to safety. The teammates set forth as they fully support Pearl's Underground Railroad that rescues abused females, but also fear their first project sans Charles.

By removing the mentor for most of the story line, Fern Michaels refreshes her Sisterhood saga as they are on their own for the first time after a dozen previous adventures with Charles available. The Story line is fast-paced from the moment that Pearl calls for their help and never slows down as they try to keep the teens safe. With echoes of the Texas raid last year, fans of the saga will appreciate Fern Michaels' latest twist.

Harriet Klausner

UNDER THE RADAR (13th in Sisterhood series) by Fern Michaels starts slow, but picks up to a flying finish as the Sisters and their friends operate without a leader.
Summoned by his friend across the pond on family business, Charles & Myra leave the mountain just before a call for help from Pearl Barnes. Annie assumes control and the sisters & their friends are off on another mission without a plan or a director.
Literally flying by the seat of their pants calls on all of the skills in the heavy arsenal at their command. They tackle a sect who use freedom of religion to bilk the government of welfare payments by conducting a baby farm.
A fast read for a rainy summer a day with a special visit with old friends.
Nash Black, author of Indie finalists WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and HAINTS.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

The seven women making up the Sisterhood have just returned to their mountain command center when their chief coordinator, Charles Martin, and mentor, Myra Rutledge, are called away in the middle of the night for a family emergency. Shortly after they leave, the Sisters receive a phone call from former judge Pearl Barnes who has just happened across a stranded bus full of pregnant teens. As it turns out, these girls are part of a polygamist sect. The Sisters step in to aid in rescuing the teens and plot to take down the leader of their sect in a scandal ripped from today's headlines. It will take everything they have to handle this case, especially with the head of their operation incommunicado.

I liked the premise of Under the Radar and it started out in typical Sisterhood style with a little bit of fluff, several empowered females and adventure to spare. However, once the Sisterhood gets to the compound, everything falls apart. I have a whole laundry list of issues with the book, which can only be presented in atypical style for me.

1. It's camouflage!" not "speckled suits." I find it extremely hard to believe that a presumably intelligent man (a lawyer or reporter - I forget who it was in that scene) in his 30s (what I'm estimating the age) would have never heard of camouflage and not know what to call it.

2. I was highly offended by the derogatory impression given of the National Guard in Under the Radar. The characters referred to them as "pretend soldiers" who never do anything, are all overweight and women who put on makeup with a trowel. What is this... propaganda? I almost quit the book right then and there.

3. If one more character snarled or gave an evil laugh or an evil smile, I think I would have screamed! Not to mention all the "love of his (her) lifes" used throughout the novel.

4. I was appalled at the way the Sisters treated the women in the cult compound. The women in the compound have lived there for their entire lives and were subject to such severe brain washing and emotional abuse that they didn't know how to respond any other way than they did. Yet the Sisters kept calling them stupid, calling them other names, insulting them, and physically abusing the women for living the only life they knew how to live. The women in the compound truly did not know that what they were doing was wrong. That was all they'd ever known. They have never lived outside the compound so they had no way of realizing that their way of life was so horrible and what they were doing was so terribly wrong. Yes it was wrong, I don't ever condone that type of behavior. However people subject to that kind of torture would have absolutely no idea of that. To have the "heroines" treating them so abusively actually disgusted me. I don't care if the book is fiction or not. The Sisters' behavior was anything BUT heroic in the second half of the book and I was repulsed.

5. Can someone explain to me how someone who has never driven an 18-wheeler in their life would be able to climb up into the cab, with a full trailer attached and just drive? There's no way they'd be able to steer and maneuver it properly to get it where they wanted it on the first try. Impossible!

6. Enough about the pumpkins already! There was absolutely no need to keep talking about the blasted pumpkins and have them as a part of the "plan." I was so sick of hearing about them that if I had read Under the Radar at Halloween time, I'd not even be able to stand seeing them in the stores I was so sick of hearing about them!

I was so turned off by Under the Radar I don't know as I even want to continue in the Revenge of the Sisterhood series after this one. I'm sorry Fern Michaels but this book was so far below standard for you, it should never have been published like this! If this is the future of the series, then it is best ended right now.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, March 2010. All rights reserved.

I have always liked Fern Michaels and have really liked the Sisterhood series; however, on this one I had to keep looking to see if someone else had written it. The plot was ok but I have to agree with the others regarding the way the Polygamists were portrayed. Why the shaving of the women's heads and why make the men strip naked? I have no sympathy for the Polygamists but it would be nice if it was at least a little bit believable. A little more research would have been nice.

The way Jack & Harry argued back and forth was ridicules. They did that to some degree on the previous books but this one was a lot more childish and it went on and on and on.

I did like the spin about Charles & Myra and the way the Sisterhood had to come up with a plan and execute it on their own.

It was nice to read the next three chapters of Razor Sharp. I liked it so far and look forward to reading the rest of it.

I have always enjoyed the "Sisterhood" and eagerly await each new release - but, Under the Radar fell short of my expectation and of Fern Michaels writing. The plot was good. The problem is that Jack and Harry come across a petty, immature and shallow 40-ish men. The women act as though they have never had a responsible thought in their heads. Jack is the most annoying and the cause of the Sisterhood's notoriety. The actions of the Sisterhood just didn't make sense - shaving of the heads, etc. Maybe it is time for them to fade into the sunset. A spin off of Maggie, Lizzie and - or Bert would be more in the "spirit" of the Sisterhood. Having said all this, I'll end up buying the next one released and hope for better!

First off, I suppose I have to take some responsibility here, because when I purchased this book, I didn't realize that it was part of a series. Had I realized that, I wouldn't have bought it - but I did, and I'm trying to struggle through it. For being such a bestselling author, I thought Ms. Michaels' writing style was atrocious, amateurish at best. Her writing seemed very lazy to me. Every other thing that she didn't want to take the time to explain was simply described as "special." Special hospitals, special cell phones, et cetera ad nauseum. I'm only halfway through the book, and like I said, I realize now that this is part of a series, but you'd think that there would be at least a bare minimum of refresher or "catch-up" regarding the characters. I literally do not know one thing about these charachters other than their (ridiculous) names. (Seriously? Cosmo Cricket? Really?) I wish that the story line was compelling enough for me to want to go back and read the first 7 books in this series, but I can assure you that if they are all written this sloppily, I will never, ever pick up another book by Fern Michaels.

Another thing that bothered me is the way the polygamist sect is portrayed in this book. I am in NO way standing up for their beliefs and practices, but they are portrayed as cartoonish caracitures. Anyone who's read any real-life accounts of life in a polygamist sect (if you haven't, read Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall immediately) knows that there's so much more to the story than just a bunch of backwards inbreds. It feels like Ms. Michaels did no research whatsoever on the subject; she just took a few facts gleaned from the news, combined with the indelible images of the women in their old-fashioned dress, and slapped together some semblance of a plot. It's just not enough for me.

Maybe these sorts of books appeal to some people who don't want to have to do any actual thinking as they read. And I like an escapist novel just as much as the next person - I just prefer them to be written by someone who can write above a junior high level. I honestly would give this book zero stars if I could. If you are reading this review, you're probably a huge Fern Micheals fan, and think that I'm completely full of s**t. But if you have never read her books, and prefer a finely crafted novel that will make you think and will stick with you long after you read the final page - look elsewhere!!!

I honestly think this is probably the best one of the Sisterhood series...I have read every one in order, and like Harry Potter fans, anxiously await the latest releases for the Sisterhood series. I even pass them around to my friends, and they've all become addicted as well!!