Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell

41 reviews

emherrick's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The cast of characters is an interesting concept; however, I think some characters were more well developed than others. The main plot isn't what you think, the murder that is teased in the beginning does not happen until about 80% in. However, I did not really mind because I was invested in Lottie searching for answers regarding her mother.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, and Murder

Minor: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

stacylaughs's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Took way too long to get to the murder. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, Sexism, and Emotional abuse

xxenjoy's review against another edition

emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Really enjoyed the second half of this book. It has a very slow start, and might have done better as a novella. I found the first 1/3 of the book to be almost painfully slow, but the writing was good enough that I pushed through and I'm glad I did. Loved the concept though, and I would be happy to read again, just probably from part way through. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Sexual assault

Overarching theme of a missing parent and the child's reaction to it. Cheating, grooming

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I had such a good time with this book, and I'm really excited to read more by this author. Love this ferda girlies. Would read a whole set of these baking mysteries. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic friendship, and Murder

Moderate: Alcohol, Infidelity, Abandonment, Bullying, Classism, Grief, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Blood, Misogyny, and Rape

mirlezen's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Blood, Mental illness, Alcohol, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism and Infidelity

Minor: Classism

grayb14's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Alcohol, and Death

Minor: Alcoholism

leenzreadz's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Rape and Sexual harassment

Minor: Death of parent

nika_nix's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I loved the concept so much - The Great British Bake-Off meets mystery sounded like a perfect book for me. Unfortunately, ai found both the baking competition and the mystery lacking. I've seen reviews saying that this one revolved too much around the baking show and not enough on the mystery and I thought that would be perfect for me, since I love reading about baking and mysteries in the cozy mystery genre usually disappoint me anyway. However, it turned out that exactly the opposite is the case. Not enough baking and show elements and way too many different "mysterious" plotlines that all led absolutely nowhere and the resolution of this book is the most stupid thing I've ever read. I know this is a debut but I can't believe that this poorly plotted mystery got published in the first place. The writing is fine, the concept is genious but if you're going to write a mystery/thriller you need to have clever twists and intriguing plot, which this book does bot have. She should've just wrotr about the baking show, those parts were actually good, there was just too littlr of them.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Death and Death of parent

emma6544's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I really liked this book. It was a light mystery set on a country estate where a fictional baking show is set. This definitely made it feel like the Great British Bake Off. 

 Some characters are not utilised as much as I like (Peter). But I like what the author did at the end

Grafton, the Manor House, in passed to Lottie, who with another contestant, hires Peter to repair the period features.

and I was able to predict the big mystery quite quickly. 

Overall, I would recommend this book if you want to read a mystery that feel easy and light mystery. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Violence

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Death of parent

terraash's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 This book was described as a thriller, but I didn't get that at all. The majority of the book was focused on the baking, which I did enjoy, but left little room for the murder that happened at the beginning. In fact, the clues the characters mention in regards to sabotage and Lottie's past aren't connected to the murder at all, and it just feels disjointed. The ending felt a bit jarring, with the epilogue cutting to a year later before we get to find out what actually happened that night. I found most of the characters to be unlikable, but that felt intentional. Overall, I didn't hate it, but I was left feeling unsatisfied after reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Death of parent

Moderate: Rape and Sexual harassment