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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
I got this for free as an Amazon First Reads and I’m beginning to think I need to wait until the end of the month before choosing one because this is the second dud I’ve read this month.
This book reads like a terrible soap opera. From the beginning I felt like I was reading a novice author’s attempt at writing a heartwarming mystery, but at the end of every chapter I heard the sappy, maudlin music playing and with each passing page I found myself rolling my eyes.
I hated that the book started in the middle of a mystery. Ms. Nolfi kept hinting at a death and dragged out who died and how. The characters made no sense, the language varied from using the term “bestie” multiple times to using the word “jaundice” to describe a look given, which made me feel like I was reading a high schooler’s story and said high schooler tried tossing in some SAT words to make her writing level seem higher than what it actually is (I was actually reminded of the FRIENDS episode where Joey used the thesaurus on every word of his letter to the adoption agency on behalf of Monica and Chandler).
Christine Nolfi is definitely not a novice and according to my Read list I have read another of her books, but I didn’t give it any rating which leads me to believe I didn’t finish it.
I considered putting this one down multiple times but like the other horrible books I have suffered through I wanted to be able to rate and review it so should I happen upon it again I’ll remember it was insipid and the writing was sophomoric.
This book reads like a terrible soap opera. From the beginning I felt like I was reading a novice author’s attempt at writing a heartwarming mystery, but at the end of every chapter I heard the sappy, maudlin music playing and with each passing page I found myself rolling my eyes.
I hated that the book started in the middle of a mystery. Ms. Nolfi kept hinting at a death and dragged out who died and how. The characters made no sense, the language varied from using the term “bestie” multiple times to using the word “jaundice” to describe a look given, which made me feel like I was reading a high schooler’s story and said high schooler tried tossing in some SAT words to make her writing level seem higher than what it actually is (I was actually reminded of the FRIENDS episode where Joey used the thesaurus on every word of his letter to the adoption agency on behalf of Monica and Chandler).
Christine Nolfi is definitely not a novice and according to my Read list I have read another of her books, but I didn’t give it any rating which leads me to believe I didn’t finish it.
I considered putting this one down multiple times but like the other horrible books I have suffered through I wanted to be able to rate and review it so should I happen upon it again I’ll remember it was insipid and the writing was sophomoric.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
When The Storms Of Life Slam Into You. This is a book that can be a bit oppressive at times in just how *heavy* it is. Our main character has suffered a lot of loss that she's never fully recovered from - some more recent than others - and now she has to confront it all. And yet, it is because of such heavy tragedy that the book is able to explore all that it does and indeed show just the level of hope and forgiveness it does. By the end, the reader is left feeling much lighter and more hopeful for the future, and yet also somber in the face of all that has been lost and yet also all that has been found. If you're looking for a lighter, quirkier book ala Nolfi's earlier Sweet Lakes trilogy... this isn't that. But if you've been through some White Hurricanes yourself, or maybe are currently in the middle of one, and just need some level of hope to cling to... this is the kind of book you'll want to read. And let's face it - we've *all* been through a White Hurricane, are in one, or are about to be in one. (And often all three at once.) For those times and any other, this book is very much recommended.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an Amazon First Reads pick in October 2021.
I have never read this author before, but the story of a grieving woman taking in an abandoned teenager sounded like an intriguing story. However, the execution was...mostly forgettable.
The story was incredibly classist and judgemental of people struggling in life. There were judgements made about abortion, drinking, and underage sex. The main teenager in this story was so squeaky clean perfect, after being raised in an abusive household, it was impossible to take it seriously. He often spoke like a person a decade younger than who he was, and the impression was given that he wouldn't be a child worth saving if he wasn't willing to cater to everyone's needs.
Any and all hard edges apparently have to be removed from a person for this author to deem them a character worthy of redemption. As all people live in the grey area between good and bad decisions, that is how I like to read my characters. Perfection is not an interesting character trait.
Overall, my complaints about this book weren't enough to DNF, but I also am not interested in reading more that this author has to offer. This type of fiction seems like it is aimed at middle-class women of a certain age who want to believe that life and people fit into clean and neat little boxes.
I have never read this author before, but the story of a grieving woman taking in an abandoned teenager sounded like an intriguing story. However, the execution was...mostly forgettable.
The story was incredibly classist and judgemental of people struggling in life. There were judgements made about abortion, drinking, and underage sex. The main teenager in this story was so squeaky clean perfect, after being raised in an abusive household, it was impossible to take it seriously. He often spoke like a person a decade younger than who he was, and the impression was given that he wouldn't be a child worth saving if he wasn't willing to cater to everyone's needs.
Any and all hard edges apparently have to be removed from a person for this author to deem them a character worthy of redemption. As all people live in the grey area between good and bad decisions, that is how I like to read my characters. Perfection is not an interesting character trait.
Overall, my complaints about this book weren't enough to DNF, but I also am not interested in reading more that this author has to offer. This type of fiction seems like it is aimed at middle-class women of a certain age who want to believe that life and people fit into clean and neat little boxes.
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Child abuse, Rape
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This one started off a little slow for me but picked up after a couple of chapters. I went into this book not remembering what it was about so I felt a little caught off guard by my emotions when I figured it out. I have a teenager, and groups of friends, and the list of things that can go horribly wrong are terrifying to me and the relationship building and honesty. This is the second book I’ve read recently with some overlapping ideas and they shake me.
My emotions aside, I liked the characters well enough, the story was good enough, the end went a little overboard (as most books are doing lately it seems). But worth a read.
My emotions aside, I liked the characters well enough, the story was good enough, the end went a little overboard (as most books are doing lately it seems). But worth a read.
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
