Reviews - Half-Blown Rose | The StoryGraph

249 reviews for:

Half-Blown Rose

Leesa Cross-Smith

3.5 AVERAGE

zinatakara's review against another edition

3.75

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I have to start this review by saying the ending pissed me off SO BAD. After trudging through, we never get resolution. We never even get the satisfaction of her finally telling her husband. I’m angry. The highlights of this book were the playlists. I made them on Spotify and played the while I read. While they’re not genres I usually listen to, I loved every song. The playlists were the perfect accompaniment to the book. I also loved the way the book was written in various types of ways, including texts, emails, journal entries, snippets of other (fictional) books and screenwriting. They all made it so good. However, the book dragged for me. Getting through it felt like a chore and then to get to the end and have no resolution really pissed me off.

angelreads_and_writes's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 43%

It was too

chemeducator's review

2.5

challenging emotional slow-paced

gaylewallis4's review

4.0

keelmd77's review

2.0

Ugh! I was excited to read this one, then I saw the author wrote one of my favorite books- “this close to okay” so I was REALLY excited, the crushingly disappointed as the MC may be one of the most selfish, boorish and interesting characters of all time. Glad I speed skimmed this one.

amor_sonrisa21's review

4.0

WOW! What an intricate story! Definitely a page turner.

Leesa Cross-Smith is an expert short story writer IMO and this book is written is such a way that I think really elevates her strengths. There are pieces that are traditional novel format, some scenes written like a screen play, excerpts from a book referenced within the book (mind-blowing) music and playlists that really set the tone for the main characters feelings, thoughts, and travels.

I am overall really impressed with how well this story flows with so many characters, locations, and flashbacks. Leesa expertly shows the humanity of her characters by displaying their mistakes, love, and joy.

I will say that I wish there was more exploration or discussion about race since it is a major theme in this story and sort of weird to not address it. Something I was waiting for during my reading.