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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'm just not in the headspace for this novel at this point. I'll read it when I feel more up to it
This was okay, I listened to it in one day. But I found myself wishing for more of the magical elements. I wouldn’t call this fantasy at all. It’s a murder mystery. I did appreciate all the twists and keeping me guessing
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was…fine. It started slow for me and it wasn’t until about two thirds of the way through when I got much more invested. I most appreciated how the author kept me guessing until the end, but felt some of the side stories were superfluous and it distracted me (I caught myself zoning out when reading a few times).
Side note: Christine Laken is a fabulous narrator, so if you’re wanting to listen to the audiobook, know she’s great!
Side note: Christine Laken is a fabulous narrator, so if you’re wanting to listen to the audiobook, know she’s great!
3.5⭐️ I was so excited for this one, I was lucky enough to get this on audio on its release day from Libby but it ultimately didn’t live up to my excited expectations. I LOVED The Unmaking of June Farrow, as that was my first Adrienne Young book. Then I read Spells for Forgetting and I didn’t love that nearly as much and if you’ve read them both - this one is closer in feel to Spells for Forgetting. It is definitely a murder mystery, set in a very atmospheric remote mountainous town with little to no magical realism that I’d come to love and expect from an Adrienne Young book. This is a super slow burn about James (a girl), looking into the death of her twin in the town they grew up. It is about familial connections, small town loyalties/secrets, second chance romance and finding the place you belong.
The first 60% moved at a pretty slow pace but I was engaged the entire time, setting up it’s characters, the backstories and initial investigation into Johnny’s death - then it hits the 60% mark and moves at a much quicker pace with one twist after another unfolding. It was a little jarring but still fun. Once the whodunit parts hit, I was scratching my head… I didn’t see it coming but it was also so far out of left field that it was almost too unrealistic. I wanted to care more for the story but it just fell a little flat in the end as it was just an OK/average story. I will continue to be the first to read Adrienne’s books and hope for the magic I know is possible with her books.
The audio was excellent, it kept me engaged considering the slow pacing. I tried to read this at the same time, but I probably would have DNFed it if I only read it and ended up returning the book early in favor of the audio.
This was my 3rd book of 2025
Format: Audio - Libby (library)
The first 60% moved at a pretty slow pace but I was engaged the entire time, setting up it’s characters, the backstories and initial investigation into Johnny’s death - then it hits the 60% mark and moves at a much quicker pace with one twist after another unfolding. It was a little jarring but still fun. Once the whodunit parts hit, I was scratching my head… I didn’t see it coming but it was also so far out of left field that it was almost too unrealistic. I wanted to care more for the story but it just fell a little flat in the end as it was just an OK/average story. I will continue to be the first to read Adrienne’s books and hope for the magic I know is possible with her books.
The audio was excellent, it kept me engaged considering the slow pacing. I tried to read this at the same time, but I probably would have DNFed it if I only read it and ended up returning the book early in favor of the audio.
This was my 3rd book of 2025
Format: Audio - Libby (library)