Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Stora vackra liv by Emily Henry

36 reviews

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

               This book felt like it was trying to be two books at once. It was trying to be a bit of both a literary mystery and a contemporary romance book. The two didn’t weave that well together, however. 

              I hated all the edging the author did with the MC’s sexual relationship. I think she was trying to keep it from being “too spicy” for her readers, but still spicy enough. However, it just got frustrating. I get the building anticipation of them having intercourse, but it just took too long! 

              I liked most of the characters, all the townspeople, Cecil and Margaret especially, though others not as much, looking at you, Alice, and especially her mom, and Theo. 

              Overall, it was a decent book. Mostly, the structure just didn’t work for me. As well as the drawn-out nature of the MCs’ relationship, and their admitting their feelings and desires. 


  
​Narrator Rating:​ 4.75 stars
             I wish they’d gotten someone else to narrate the section of the book that was supposed to be part of the biography. Julia Whelan is wonderful and did an amazing job, however, I feel like having dual narration would have been better for the two intertwined sections of the book. 



Elements 
Heartfelt-💔💔💔 
Horror- N/A
Love aka Romance- 💋 💋 💋 💋 & 1/2
Predictability-🔮 🔮 🔮 
Spice-  🌶  🌶  🌶 
Tear- 😭 & 1/2
Thrill- N/A
Humor- 😜 😜 & 1/2

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was one of my favourite reads this year! 
The last couple of chapters felt rushed but overall a really cute story that had layers to it and a surprising amount of substance. This book broached some important topics that I don't often see addressed in romance books, and while some parts weren't resolved, they were handled well and leave room for the reader to contemplate. I might be an Emily Henry fan now 😍

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Emily Henry we are so back!!!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

I LOVE Emily Henry’s writing - DO NOT GET ME WRONG… but this one was not my fav.

In other Emily Henry’s books, the central plot IS the love story, and the subplots are about work or friendships, or family. In this story, the actual romance felt more like a subplot to me. It wasn’t Hayden and Alice’s story. It was Margaret’s (the lying old lady). The two storylines felt like they were competing for page time and the flip flopping pace wasn’t great. It felt like two separate books mashed together. 

I did love the storytelling of Margaret’s life when it got to the interesting parts, but I wasn’t a fan of her “telling her story” but not being fully truthful and wasting these journalists time. Not cool, Peggy. Not cool. 

I actually didn’t like Margaret in the end. She sucks. The manipulative old wench. She was quite selfish in her endeavours and I don’t know how they forgave her and wrote her story for her anyways. Kind of wish they touched on that redemption arc a little more rather than just stating it happened. 

Happy that Alice and Hayden got a happy ending though! Probs wouldn’t name my baby after an aunt I never knew that was an ex-cult member, but whatevs, it’s their baby! Good for them! 

No matter what, I’ll always love and treasure the beauty that is Emily Henry’s writing. She could write a refrigerator manual and I’d read it.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Not my favorite Emily Henry book (I’ve now read all of them), but I liked how she took a chance to do something different. I personally don’t think the story was unique enough to grab my complete attention, but it had some lovely moments and the ending was really well done. Also screw you Julia Whelan for making me emotional from your beautiful narration.

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