You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wasn’t expecting this ending at all!!! I wish it didn’t have to end like it.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
*Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the e-ARC! All opinions are my own.*
This was actually my first Holly Jackson, which I know is an unlikely starting point for most people! I thought it was a pretty fun one! Or like... As fun as investigating your own murder can be? Our main character had pretty interesting character development, despite only spanning a week's time. I really enjoyed the side characters, especially Billy! He was a delight the entire time. The mystery itself wasn't too wild for me but it was interesting enough to keep reading, so I'll definitely take it. Overall, I definitely enjoyed this and could see myself picking more stuff from Jackson up in the future.
This was actually my first Holly Jackson, which I know is an unlikely starting point for most people! I thought it was a pretty fun one! Or like... As fun as investigating your own murder can be? Our main character had pretty interesting character development, despite only spanning a week's time. I really enjoyed the side characters, especially Billy! He was a delight the entire time. The mystery itself wasn't too wild for me but it was interesting enough to keep reading, so I'll definitely take it. Overall, I definitely enjoyed this and could see myself picking more stuff from Jackson up in the future.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Holly Jackson once again wrote a fast paced mystery that i read in a course of a couple of days. While it’s not her best work it’s definitely not her worst either. I want her to go back to series writing where she has more time to develop character arches and storylines but maintain the fast plot lines, i think she excels in that. The concept of the book was interesting and the ending was inevitable but it still made u feel for the characters, and while i say characters i don’t really mean Jet (the main). I understand that she was dying and that gave her a free for all to behave the way she did but it created a lack of sympathy i had for her. And while the romance was a subplot i also didn’t feel to strongly for it either. I guessed the “who” early on, just understanding Jackson’s writing, but the “why” remained a mystery, so half satisfying half not.
Okay y’all…I really debated giving this two stars but after some deep soul searching (aka thinking about it for 5 minutes), I decided that some of my issues were more personal gripes than actual flaws. So I’m settling on 3 stars…but barely.
The premise and set up? 10/10 plot points from me. This was one of the most original situations I’ve read in a while, and I was impressed. So conceptually, this book absolutely slayed and that’s why I was so excited to pick it up.
My first problem: the quality of the writing.
Why was it so staccato? So choppy?I legit had to reread entire paragraphs trying to figure out who was talking or what was even being described. It was giving first draft energy. I haven’t read any of Holly Jackson’s other books but I know they are quite successful and they are for young adult. Maybe that’s what’s irking me, this adult thriller is written like it’s young adult but in ink it says the main character is in her twenties.
Also, Jackson really had me thinking I was getting some next-level twist with all those carefully planted red herrings (especially Sophia, who absolutely deserved that letter) only for the “big reveal” to be a whole nothing ball. I could actually hear a balloon deflate in my mind.
On the bright side…Billy is bae. Protect him at all costs.
He’s soft, he’s complex, he’s sweet, he did right by Jet so I adore him. Romance girlies that are always asking me for a not so scary recommendation, THIS IS IT!
Speaking of Jet, why is everyone shocked by her character arc? Jackson laid out expectations very clearly by chapter 3. Where was the confusion? Honestly that is one of the things I liked most about this book, the fact Jackson was honest about what kind of future Jet was facing and didn’t miraculously pull a HEA out of thin air.
Have you read this one?
The premise and set up? 10/10 plot points from me. This was one of the most original situations I’ve read in a while, and I was impressed. So conceptually, this book absolutely slayed and that’s why I was so excited to pick it up.
My first problem: the quality of the writing.
Why was it so staccato? So choppy?I legit had to reread entire paragraphs trying to figure out who was talking or what was even being described. It was giving first draft energy. I haven’t read any of Holly Jackson’s other books but I know they are quite successful and they are for young adult. Maybe that’s what’s irking me, this adult thriller is written like it’s young adult but in ink it says the main character is in her twenties.
Also, Jackson really had me thinking I was getting some next-level twist with all those carefully planted red herrings (especially Sophia, who absolutely deserved that letter) only for the “big reveal” to be a whole nothing ball. I could actually hear a balloon deflate in my mind.
On the bright side…Billy is bae. Protect him at all costs.
He’s soft, he’s complex, he’s sweet, he did right by Jet so I adore him. Romance girlies that are always asking me for a not so scary recommendation, THIS IS IT!
Speaking of Jet, why is everyone shocked by her character arc? Jackson laid out expectations very clearly by chapter 3. Where was the confusion? Honestly that is one of the things I liked most about this book, the fact Jackson was honest about what kind of future Jet was facing and didn’t miraculously pull a HEA out of thin air.
Have you read this one?
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes