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whisper88's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-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
2.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage, Death, Alcoholism, Car accident, and Death of parent
mollywill's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Death
Moderate: Miscarriage
untanglingbooks's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
<doesn’t include any major spoilers>
Oof, reading this book was exhausting. When I first started reading it I got to around page 40 and then it took me 6 whole months to pick it up again. And honestly that’s all you need to know about the book.
About the plot: Sabrina finds herself in a restaurant with all the people she once put on a „Who would you want to eat dinner with once - dead or alive?“-list. The story then is told in alternating perspectives, one set in the present, one set in the past.
So, one of the people at the table is Sabrina‘s ex-boyfriend Tobias. And we first get an insight into how they met and how their relationship was developing. And then … yeah what happens then? Nothing. We have everyone share their thoughts about each other a little in the present, but in the past we only ever really get to know Tobias and a little Jessica - Sabrina‘s best friend. The problem is that Tobias and Sabrina‘s relationship is not even that interesting. It’s really just toxic and it has been from the very beginning and how it was told was just way too slow-paced, so that sometimes it felt like there was nothing happening at all.
In the last few chapters some of the other characters also got to tell their story and it finally felt like there was an actual plot, but in general this book just wasn’t my thing.
I found it boring, sometimes too cheesy and the plot was so slow-paced that it often felt like there was no plot at all.
I really would have been interested into learning more about Sabby’s relationship with Robert and Jessica and not just read about Tobias all the time.
I like the idea of that book and I also liked the writing style, but I really didn’t like the story.
Oof, reading this book was exhausting. When I first started reading it I got to around page 40 and then it took me 6 whole months to pick it up again. And honestly that’s all you need to know about the book.
About the plot: Sabrina finds herself in a restaurant with all the people she once put on a „Who would you want to eat dinner with once - dead or alive?“-list. The story then is told in alternating perspectives, one set in the present, one set in the past.
So, one of the people at the table is Sabrina‘s ex-boyfriend Tobias. And we first get an insight into how they met and how their relationship was developing. And then … yeah what happens then? Nothing. We have everyone share their thoughts about each other a little in the present, but in the past we only ever really get to know Tobias and a little Jessica - Sabrina‘s best friend. The problem is that Tobias and Sabrina‘s relationship is not even that interesting. It’s really just toxic and it has been from the very beginning and how it was told was just way too slow-paced, so that sometimes it felt like there was nothing happening at all.
In the last few chapters some of the other characters also got to tell their story and it finally felt like there was an actual plot, but in general this book just wasn’t my thing.
I found it boring, sometimes too cheesy and the plot was so slow-paced that it often felt like there was no plot at all.
I really would have been interested into learning more about Sabby’s relationship with Robert and Jessica and not just read about Tobias all the time.
I like the idea of that book and I also liked the writing style, but I really didn’t like the story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident and Death
Minor: Miscarriage
syoungsanchez's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage
markedwithanm's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Car accident
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Miscarriage
kelly_e's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Title: The Dinner List
Author: Rebecca Serle
Genre: Magical Realism
Rating: 5.0
Pub Date: September 11, 2018
T H R E E • W O R D S
Magical • Original • Reflective
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When Sabrina walks into the restaurant for her annual birthday dinner with her best friend, Jessica, she finds a table for six, not two. Around the table she finds the five people - her father, an old professor, an ex-boyfriend, and Audrey Hepburn - on her list of people she'd want to have dinner with. Brought together for one night, Sabrina questions how they got there? And why the dinner is even happening?
💭 T H O U G H T S
I adored this book! I'm not going to lie it absolutely broke me and I needed to keep the kleenex close by as I neared the end. I connected so much with Sabrina (through a shared expereience), and the story will stay with me for a long time. The Dinner List has a touch of magic (without being unrealistic) combined with a touch of tragic. It explores the complexities and messiness of life - from first love, to loss and grief, to friendship, and finally to forgiveness and healing.
Told in alternating chapters, between the present day dinner, and flashbacks to the evolution of Sabrina and Tobais' relationship; the plot is well-written and unfolds at the perfect pace. I definitely didn't know where the relationship chapters were going to go, and it took awhile to really take an interest in that part of the story compared to the actual dinner. What makes Serle's books wonderful is the romance isn't the main focus. She explores different types of love beyond romantic love and that's absolutely beautiful. Additionally, here book don't always tie up nicely in a bow, which is parallel to real life.
Overall, this was an extremely reflective book, and made me question who my five people, living or dead, would be. It left me really pondering life in general and why I'd choose these five people. After reading this one, Rebecca Serle has become a favourite author of mine, and I cannot wait to dive into her 2022 release One Italian Summer
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Rebecca Serle fans
• readers who loved The Light We Lost
• magical realism enthusiasts
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"'You know just because something is well known doesn't mean it's great or even good,' Tobias said."
"'Many things can be true at the same time,' Jessica says."
"That's the thing about life - these moments that define us emerge out of nothing. A missed call. A trip down the stairs. A car accident. They happen in a moment, a breath."
Author: Rebecca Serle
Genre: Magical Realism
Rating: 5.0
Pub Date: September 11, 2018
T H R E E • W O R D S
Magical • Original • Reflective
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When Sabrina walks into the restaurant for her annual birthday dinner with her best friend, Jessica, she finds a table for six, not two. Around the table she finds the five people - her father, an old professor, an ex-boyfriend, and Audrey Hepburn - on her list of people she'd want to have dinner with. Brought together for one night, Sabrina questions how they got there? And why the dinner is even happening?
💭 T H O U G H T S
I adored this book! I'm not going to lie it absolutely broke me and I needed to keep the kleenex close by as I neared the end. I connected so much with Sabrina (through a shared expereience), and the story will stay with me for a long time. The Dinner List has a touch of magic (without being unrealistic) combined with a touch of tragic. It explores the complexities and messiness of life - from first love, to loss and grief, to friendship, and finally to forgiveness and healing.
Told in alternating chapters, between the present day dinner, and flashbacks to the evolution of Sabrina and Tobais' relationship; the plot is well-written and unfolds at the perfect pace. I definitely didn't know where the relationship chapters were going to go, and it took awhile to really take an interest in that part of the story compared to the actual dinner. What makes Serle's books wonderful is the romance isn't the main focus. She explores different types of love beyond romantic love and that's absolutely beautiful. Additionally, here book don't always tie up nicely in a bow, which is parallel to real life.
Overall, this was an extremely reflective book, and made me question who my five people, living or dead, would be. It left me really pondering life in general and why I'd choose these five people. After reading this one, Rebecca Serle has become a favourite author of mine, and I cannot wait to dive into her 2022 release One Italian Summer
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Rebecca Serle fans
• readers who loved The Light We Lost
• magical realism enthusiasts
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"'You know just because something is well known doesn't mean it's great or even good,' Tobias said."
"'Many things can be true at the same time,' Jessica says."
"That's the thing about life - these moments that define us emerge out of nothing. A missed call. A trip down the stairs. A car accident. They happen in a moment, a breath."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Car accident, Death of parent, Grief, and Miscarriage
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Alcoholism
death of partnerelenatamsen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Death of parent, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Miscarriage and Car accident
Minor: Pregnancy and Injury/Injury detail
lit_with_lauren's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Car accident, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Miscarriage
stellashaughnessy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
loved this book! such an interesting take on grief and growing up. heartwarming and easy to stay engaged, I finished this book in one day (and will definitely re-read in the future!). would absolutely recommend
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Miscarriage
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