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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thought the narrator did a good job. I was able to speed the recording up to 2.0 and still understand everything.
There were a few twists I did not see coming which kept the book interesting. Selene is very narcissistic and it makes it hard for the reader to like her or have any compassion for her. Tansy is a bit of a push over and you just want to shake her and say "seriously, what are you thinking? It won't end differently this time?" The book was written well enough that I had strong feelings about most of the characters.
There were a few twists I did not see coming which kept the book interesting. Selene is very narcissistic and it makes it hard for the reader to like her or have any compassion for her. Tansy is a bit of a push over and you just want to shake her and say "seriously, what are you thinking? It won't end differently this time?" The book was written well enough that I had strong feelings about most of the characters.
This was an interesting slow burn domestic violence thriller, than a fast paced on the edge of your seat.
Gehrman handled mental health problems and domestic violence in a graceful way, with a writing style that left you feeling like you were having a chat with these characters instead of truly reading about their story, which I enjoyed.
The beginning of this story is fairly slow but you do get a lot of good back story information about the characters.
The suspense of finding out what secret Selene was holding over Tansy’s head that kept Tansy sort of fearful made you want to read to the end.
Overall, if you like a slow burn suspense this is for you; but if you want more intensity, this isn’t it.
The narration was really well done; as I did go back and forth between reading and listening. I always like when a narrator changes their voice so you know a different character is talking.
3.75-4 ⭐️
Thank you @crookedlanebooks for an ARC!
Gehrman handled mental health problems and domestic violence in a graceful way, with a writing style that left you feeling like you were having a chat with these characters instead of truly reading about their story, which I enjoyed.
The beginning of this story is fairly slow but you do get a lot of good back story information about the characters.
The suspense of finding out what secret Selene was holding over Tansy’s head that kept Tansy sort of fearful made you want to read to the end.
Overall, if you like a slow burn suspense this is for you; but if you want more intensity, this isn’t it.
The narration was really well done; as I did go back and forth between reading and listening. I always like when a narrator changes their voice so you know a different character is talking.
3.75-4 ⭐️
Thank you @crookedlanebooks for an ARC!
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Tansy has had a couple decades to ruminate over what happened one summer and how her friend Selene saved her. Then Selene shows up and asks a favor, thereby pulling Tansy back in to her twisted web. Really what this book teaches the reader is that no matter how bad something looks, face up to it when it happens because it is going to be a lot worse 20 years down the line. Isn't hindsight great? I liked how the characters pushed and pulled each other and how the webs got tighter and tighter. I will admit to expecting at lease one more big twist than we got, but in hindsight (ha! ha!) I think that was for the best. The plot itself was a bit farfetched but perhaps not to the complete point of unbelievability. It stayed this side of the line and kept the reader guessing.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was more a character driven, slow burn of a story than the page turning thriller I expected. I enjoyed the first half of the book more as we got to meet the characters with the tension hanging around them. As the story progressed it picked up some romance and family relationship elements and lost much of that tension. If you enjoy romance then this may work well for you, it's not my thing, esp in thrillers.
Overall, not bad just not for me. I felt the ending was a bit unrealistic although it matched the events of the rest of the story so not unexpected.
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ebook in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Overall, not bad just not for me. I felt the ending was a bit unrealistic although it matched the events of the rest of the story so not unexpected.
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ebook in exchange for a fair and honest review.
slow-paced
This story is full or twists and turns. Some you don’t see coming and some you can figure out before your told.
I felt like this story was a little slow and not very interesting at the beginning. I contemplated DNFing it. But then a twist I wasn’t expecting occurred and I stay wrapped up in the story and needing to know what happened next.
Overall a good story with some great characters!
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a copy of this audiobook. This is my honest voluntary review.
I felt like this story was a little slow and not very interesting at the beginning. I contemplated DNFing it. But then a twist I wasn’t expecting occurred and I stay wrapped up in the story and needing to know what happened next.
Overall a good story with some great characters!
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a copy of this audiobook. This is my honest voluntary review.
The Summer We Buried
Jody Gehrman
Thriller
336 pages
My rating: ⭐️⭐️✨
This one just unfortunately didn’t do it for me - I was waiting for a bigger twist that unfortunately never came. I didn’t particularly like the ending and I found it frustrating that much of the drama could have been avoided if everyone wasn’t so dead set on keeping their secrets!
Single POV
Decades-old crime
Secrets, secrets, secrets!
Explores friendship and trauma
Epilogue
TW: Rape, abusive relationship
#caitsquietplacereviews #caitsquietplace #cqpthrillers
Jody Gehrman
Thriller
336 pages
My rating: ⭐️⭐️✨
This one just unfortunately didn’t do it for me - I was waiting for a bigger twist that unfortunately never came. I didn’t particularly like the ending and I found it frustrating that much of the drama could have been avoided if everyone wasn’t so dead set on keeping their secrets!
Single POV
Decades-old crime
Secrets, secrets, secrets!
Explores friendship and trauma
Epilogue
TW: Rape, abusive relationship
#caitsquietplacereviews #caitsquietplace #cqpthrillers
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really liked the book and the characters in it. I am not sure that I could be as understanding as Tansy and Zach regarding Selene's drama, mental illness, and lack of personal responsibility. I think the author did a great job of trying to explain borderline personality without just glossing over it and chalking her to being "crazy". She did a great job of showing how hard it is to love someone with a mental illness and still want and try to be there for them.
I did not see the ending coming! Which always makes me happy! I would totally read another book by this author!
#TheSummerWeBuried
#NetGalley
I did not see the ending coming! Which always makes me happy! I would totally read another book by this author!
#TheSummerWeBuried
#NetGalley