Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Stora vackra liv by Emily Henry

66 reviews

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

This is only my second Emily Henry book so I can’t really comment on how it compares to her others. I really liked the mystery aspect with the unfolding of Margaret’s story, but the chemistry between Hayden and Alice fell flat for me. Not only did it go from 0 to 15 to 100 in a VERY short time, but there were silly “boundaries” that they kept setting themselves up to break. It got old pretty quick. After 2 books, not sure she’s an auto-buy another for me. But willing to try one more before I definitively decide!

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

Borrowed this from Libby twice before actually trying to finish it.  I like most of Emily Henry’s books but I could not get into this one at all.  The romance lacked and I don’t think the plot was interesting enough on its own.  It really gave off similar vibes to “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” and it was just disappointing.

Read For
✓ Slow Burn
✓ Summer Read
✓ Contemporary
✓ Rivals to Lovers 
✓ Reporter Interview

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

Spice Level: 🌶️
Sad Level: 💧

Plot: 2/10
Pace: 2/10
Ending: 4/10
Characters: 3/10
Enjoyability: 2/10
Writing Style: 2/10
Would I Recommend? No
Favorite Character: n/a

Favorite Quote: ❝Just because something doesn’t make money or win awards doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value.❞

POV: Duel, First Person
Pages: 432
Format: Audiobook
Language: English
Release Date: 22, April 2025

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional reflective 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: No

✍️ Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry ✍️

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 

Alice and Hayden, two writers are invited to a remote island to compete for the life story of a reclusive heiress. Bound by NDAs and unexpected chemistry, they discover Margaret’s past—and their own future—may be more tangled than either imagined.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one but I did really enjoy it! I continue to love Emily Henry’s writing, and this book wasn’t any different. I did wish for more chemistry and romance between Hayden and Alice as I thought some parts were quick or we didn’t get to see the lead up to them. I also didn’t find anything super significant about Margaret’s story, though I did enjoy those parts. It felt very similar to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and definitely wasn’t my favourite, but wasn’t bad. I did enjoy the narrators of the audiobook as well! 

Read this if you like: 
  • stories within a story 
  • rivals to lovers

Vibes: ✍️🌊📚🏯👵🏼🧡

Song that matches the vibe: Ankles by Lucy Dacus 

Full review including content warnings on my StoryGraph.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No

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

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

So good, very "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo"-esque but happier. Less Rom-com than her other books, more romantic fiction. Heartbreaking and healing at the same time. Wonderful.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional 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

This definitely seems more along the lines of fiction with romance, but not a capital R-romance if that makes sense, and that's okay! 

I was so bored and I feel like I've read this book before. I put down my print copy and then listened to the audio (thank you PRH Audio for the ALC), which was much better because Julia Whelan is an excellent narrator. I could listen to her forever. However.... altogether though, this was an EmHen flop (to me)

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious 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