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A review by pastelwriter
A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is my first mid read from McGinnis, and I’m so sad 😭 This just didn’t hit the way I thought it would.
Overall, I don’t think the book is bad. I think it’s a perfectly okay book, which is why it’s standing at a 3🌟 rating. The truth of the matter is that I’m used to McGinnis’ books being a little more deranged, and this one was just missing that edge I’ve come to love when reading her works.
I would say that the only reason I continued on with this story was because I liked Lydia and Bristal. Their dynamic was super engaging, and they left me wishing they’d been plopped into the plot of a different novel. This one was a little too slow for them. It needed more urgency to keep up with two very strong-willed characters.
And that’s ultimately my main complaint about this novel. I felt no urgency. Since the characters were basically, from the get-go, only trying to solve a cold case… It didn’t feel imperative for them to solve it. The stakes of them needing their history credit and Lydia having an extra edge to get into college just simply weren’t enough. I think it would’ve worked out better if there had been a recent murder, and that’s what unlocked interest and impetus into digging into a 30 year old case.
As it was, the only thing I genuinely enjoyed about this book was the characters. The plot was lackluster, and it took way too long for the characters to do something truly unexpected and grasp my attention fully.
All in all, this will certainly not stop me from reading more books by McGinnis, but I’m sad to say it wasn’t another definitive win as the other four books I’ve read by her have been 😔
Overall, I don’t think the book is bad. I think it’s a perfectly okay book, which is why it’s standing at a 3🌟 rating. The truth of the matter is that I’m used to McGinnis’ books being a little more deranged, and this one was just missing that edge I’ve come to love when reading her works.
I would say that the only reason I continued on with this story was because I liked Lydia and Bristal. Their dynamic was super engaging, and they left me wishing they’d been plopped into the plot of a different novel. This one was a little too slow for them. It needed more urgency to keep up with two very strong-willed characters.
And that’s ultimately my main complaint about this novel. I felt no urgency. Since the characters were basically, from the get-go, only trying to solve a cold case… It didn’t feel imperative for them to solve it. The stakes of them needing their history credit and Lydia having an extra edge to get into college just simply weren’t enough. I think it would’ve worked out better if there had been a recent murder, and that’s what unlocked interest and impetus into digging into a 30 year old case.
As it was, the only thing I genuinely enjoyed about this book was the characters. The plot was lackluster, and it took way too long for the characters to do something truly unexpected and grasp my attention fully.
All in all, this will certainly not stop me from reading more books by McGinnis, but I’m sad to say it wasn’t another definitive win as the other four books I’ve read by her have been 😔