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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
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:
Yes
as someone whose thesis was on self-reflexivity in movie musicals of the 2000s, i love that phoebe's dissertation was on a niche topic in media and culture
I loved the quirkiness of the characters especially Phoebe. This was really cute but there were times when I found myself not paying attention to the audio. I still enjoyed and loved the ending.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC. It hasn't affected the contents of my review.
I was a bit iffy on this one to start, because the premise and how it was being executed seemed really thin. But you should know before you read this, it's not really a book about a woman who thinks her next door neighbor is a serial killer, despite what the blurb says. The serial killer thing is a metaphor. I really ended up liking it after my initial trepidation. And it's funny!
Phoebe has temporarily relocated to Florida to help her younger brother clean out their childhood home after the death of their father, who Phoebe was estranged from. She is a graduate student about to defend her PhD, which centers on true crime as a literary genre, and Phoebe is truly a huge nerd about this subject. She's always spouting off facts about books she's read and TV specials she's seen, and she knows all the Do's and Do Not's to avoid being serial killed. One of my favorite parts of the book was her constantly and casually just bringing up morbid shit during otherwise normal conversations and the people around her just sort of lovingly tolerating it.
But anyway, so I mentioned above that this isn't really a book about a woman who thinks her hot next door neighbor is a serial killer and then somehow falls in love with him anyway. This is really not that book. She thinks Sam is a serial killer for about five minutes, and everyone acknowledges her obsession with his behavior is both a distraction for herself as she comes to terms with the changes in her life and part of the everyday walls she builds up between herself and other people. Once you realize that's what's actually going on, and she's not paranoid, the book becomes a joy to read. I loved her relationship with her brother, loved watching her open herself back up to friendship and love, and I loved loved loved the chemistry between her and Sam, the next door neighbor, who is a shy cinnamon roll of a man.
This is a really good romance and also a character study, but if you happen to love both romance AND true crime, I highly recommend putting in a pre-order or reserving it at your library, because it's quite a good time. I felt seen in a sort of uncomfortable way, but also heartwarmed. There's also a cat.
Chipping Away at Mt. TBR, July 2022—Book 2/31
I was a bit iffy on this one to start, because the premise and how it was being executed seemed really thin. But you should know before you read this, it's not really a book about a woman who thinks her next door neighbor is a serial killer, despite what the blurb says. The serial killer thing is a metaphor. I really ended up liking it after my initial trepidation. And it's funny!
Phoebe has temporarily relocated to Florida to help her younger brother clean out their childhood home after the death of their father, who Phoebe was estranged from. She is a graduate student about to defend her PhD, which centers on true crime as a literary genre, and Phoebe is truly a huge nerd about this subject. She's always spouting off facts about books she's read and TV specials she's seen, and she knows all the Do's and Do Not's to avoid being serial killed. One of my favorite parts of the book was her constantly and casually just bringing up morbid shit during otherwise normal conversations and the people around her just sort of lovingly tolerating it.
But anyway, so I mentioned above that this isn't really a book about a woman who thinks her hot next door neighbor is a serial killer and then somehow falls in love with him anyway. This is really not that book. She thinks Sam is a serial killer for about five minutes, and everyone acknowledges her obsession with his behavior is both a distraction for herself as she comes to terms with the changes in her life and part of the everyday walls she builds up between herself and other people. Once you realize that's what's actually going on, and she's not paranoid, the book becomes a joy to read. I loved her relationship with her brother, loved watching her open herself back up to friendship and love, and I loved loved loved the chemistry between her and Sam, the next door neighbor, who is a shy cinnamon roll of a man.
This is a really good romance and also a character study, but if you happen to love both romance AND true crime, I highly recommend putting in a pre-order or reserving it at your library, because it's quite a good time. I felt seen in a sort of uncomfortable way, but also heartwarmed. There's also a cat.
Chipping Away at Mt. TBR, July 2022—Book 2/31
slow-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Yes
emotional
fast-paced
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
I wanted to enjoy the book so much, but I just couldn’t. Half the book was just the main character literally making true crime/serial killers her entire personality. It was way too much and I had to force myself to keep reading. Finally at halfway the “romance aspect” kicks in and it just doesn’t feel right. Sam is a great character - super loveable and charming. But Phoebe was just hard to like and last minute “reasons why” she was the way she was fell flat. I wanted more romance and less true crime puns.
lighthearted
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