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_beccareads's reviews
70 reviews
When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
"I do believe now that when the world tips over, joy spills out with all the sorrow."
Jandy is one of my favourite authors, so I was so excited for this and wow, it did not disappoint!
Following the multiple POVs of the Fall children, we learn the cursed history of the family that has followed them for five generations, and how it has all unfolded to lead to where Cassidy, Dizzy, Miles and Wynton are today.
I'll be honest, I struggled with maybe the first 50-ish pages of the book; it felt a little slow and I wasn't connecting with the characters, but I'm so glad I continued on, because if I hadn't, I would've missed out on what was one of the best books I've read this year.
Jandy has this remarkable gift for capturing raw human emotion and weaving it into characters so beautifully complicated they feel real.
Reading this felt like an emotional journey, and I really went on a ride with the characters, moving from hating some of them to wanting to grab them into my arms and protect them. This is, at its heart, a magical, devastating, yet beautiful exploration of love, family dynamics, friendship, the tragedy of life and destiny.
I laughed, I cried, I sobbed on public transport, my heart broke and came back together, and I wish I could do it all over again.
Overall, I would recommend this book to literally anyone who'll listen to me.
Thank you, Tandem Collective, for letting me take part in the readalong for this. 🧡
Jandy is one of my favourite authors, so I was so excited for this and wow, it did not disappoint!
Following the multiple POVs of the Fall children, we learn the cursed history of the family that has followed them for five generations, and how it has all unfolded to lead to where Cassidy, Dizzy, Miles and Wynton are today.
I'll be honest, I struggled with maybe the first 50-ish pages of the book; it felt a little slow and I wasn't connecting with the characters, but I'm so glad I continued on, because if I hadn't, I would've missed out on what was one of the best books I've read this year.
Jandy has this remarkable gift for capturing raw human emotion and weaving it into characters so beautifully complicated they feel real.
Reading this felt like an emotional journey, and I really went on a ride with the characters, moving from hating some of them to wanting to grab them into my arms and protect them. This is, at its heart, a magical, devastating, yet beautiful exploration of love, family dynamics, friendship, the tragedy of life and destiny.
I laughed, I cried, I sobbed on public transport, my heart broke and came back together, and I wish I could do it all over again.
Overall, I would recommend this book to literally anyone who'll listen to me.
Thank you, Tandem Collective, for letting me take part in the readalong for this. 🧡
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
challenging
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
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
5.0
Meet Lucy Chase, the girl who's accused of murdering her best friend. Though she was never convicted, the shadow of suspicion and guilt follows her around relentlessly.
Desperate for a fresh start, Lucy flees to LA, hoping to escape the whispers and sidelong glances. For a while, it works. She carves out a semblance of normality - until a popular true-crime podcast digs up the past, forcing her to confront the ghosts she left behind.
Fast forward five years, and our girl's back in her hometown, reluctantly reliving the whole mess. Why? To finally crack the case of what really went down with her bestie.
Now, let me rave about the real stars of the show - Lucy and her grandma. These two are comedy gold, serving up sarcasm and wit that had me cackling. Honestly, they're some of the best characters I've come across in ages.
The podcast angle? Genius. It kept me on my toes and added a modern twist to the classic whodunit. But what really got me was how we're right there with Lucy, watching her slowly convince herself she might be capable of murder. It's a slippery slope into morally murky waters, and it's utterly captivating.
Plot twists? Chef's kiss. They caught me completely off guard. The format's fresh, the characters are to die for, and the story had me hooked from page one.
Overall, this was an easy five stars. If you're in a reading slump, this book is your ticket out. It's a must-add to any thriller lover's TBR list. Trust me, you won't regret picking this one up!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Desperate for a fresh start, Lucy flees to LA, hoping to escape the whispers and sidelong glances. For a while, it works. She carves out a semblance of normality - until a popular true-crime podcast digs up the past, forcing her to confront the ghosts she left behind.
Fast forward five years, and our girl's back in her hometown, reluctantly reliving the whole mess. Why? To finally crack the case of what really went down with her bestie.
Now, let me rave about the real stars of the show - Lucy and her grandma. These two are comedy gold, serving up sarcasm and wit that had me cackling. Honestly, they're some of the best characters I've come across in ages.
The podcast angle? Genius. It kept me on my toes and added a modern twist to the classic whodunit. But what really got me was how we're right there with Lucy, watching her slowly convince herself she might be capable of murder. It's a slippery slope into morally murky waters, and it's utterly captivating.
Plot twists? Chef's kiss. They caught me completely off guard. The format's fresh, the characters are to die for, and the story had me hooked from page one.
Overall, this was an easy five stars. If you're in a reading slump, this book is your ticket out. It's a must-add to any thriller lover's TBR list. Trust me, you won't regret picking this one up!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
If I had to describe this book in one not entirely sensical sentence, it would be: “it’s a thriller, but not a thriller, thriller”.
Following three separate povs of the Lamb family who lived at 16 Cheyne Walk, we discover how Lucy, Libby, and Henry suffered behind the doors of their Chelsea mansion.
The family that moves in with the Lambs are not all they seem, and as the Lambs slowly start to lose their grip on reality and their house, the family upstairs sink their claws in deeper.
At first, I really struggled with the multiple povs, and it felt like an information overload. I would have loved it if Lisa had titled the chapters after the narrator because this would have made it much easier and more enjoyable to read.
That being said, once I settled into the rhythm of it, I actually quite enjoyed the context of each of their stories. My heart ached for Lucy, and I just wanted her to have her happy ending!
And speaking of endings, I found the majority of the plot rather predictable, which took the fun out of it for me.
Overall, this was a good book, but definitely not one to write home about. A couple of the twists caught me off guard, but the majority were fairly obvious.
A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I’m actually so sad to be writing this review!
After reading The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip I was so excited for the book as Ashley had quickly become my new fave romance author, but truthfully this read left me a little disappointed.
After setting the bar so high, I feel like this book just missed the mark. I found it really hard to connect with the characters, and I really couldn’t get behind their love story, as there was so much focus on other sub plots and characters (in fact, I can’t even remember the main characters names now…).
I don’t know, maybe I would’ve enjoyed this more if I haven’t had read her other books first…
As with her other books, I think Ashley’s concepts are really great, and I did enjoy the idea of a girl finding herself lost in the setting of her favourite romance, but the execution just felt quite anticlimactic.
Overall, this book left me quite disappointed BUT if you’ve not read her other books, I’d definitely give those a go, because they are true perfection!
After reading The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip I was so excited for the book as Ashley had quickly become my new fave romance author, but truthfully this read left me a little disappointed.
After setting the bar so high, I feel like this book just missed the mark. I found it really hard to connect with the characters, and I really couldn’t get behind their love story, as there was so much focus on other sub plots and characters (in fact, I can’t even remember the main characters names now…).
I don’t know, maybe I would’ve enjoyed this more if I haven’t had read her other books first…
As with her other books, I think Ashley’s concepts are really great, and I did enjoy the idea of a girl finding herself lost in the setting of her favourite romance, but the execution just felt quite anticlimactic.
Overall, this book left me quite disappointed BUT if you’ve not read her other books, I’d definitely give those a go, because they are true perfection!
Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark by Jessa Hastings
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
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
5.0
I love this series so much.
I’ve put off reading this book for the longest time, simply because I didn’t want to admit it was all coming to an end, but wow, I’m so in awe of these books.
What an emotional rollercoaster, this book really delved deeper into Magnolia and BJ’s love, and it felt so amazing to finally see them communicating with each other. Their journey, the growth, the insatiable love between them really was just perfect. I especially loved seeing how much BJ has grown, and the way that man talks about love, fuck, I want everyone I know to feel a love as great as his.
I’m also not sure I’ll ever recover from losing Bridge, I wish we could’ve seen her live out an incredible life, psychoanalysing Magnolia at every chance she got. But, that’s not how life works, and the way Jessa depicted Magnolias grief was really powerful.
Now, can we talk about the suspense around why they needed to get out of London so quickly… I’m truly dreading the next Daisy book, because I was literally a big anxious mess reading Magnolias and BJs pov around it.
Whatever is brewing in the Haites world is not going to be good, and I’m just not ready for the heartache.
I’ve put off reading this book for the longest time, simply because I didn’t want to admit it was all coming to an end, but wow, I’m so in awe of these books.
What an emotional rollercoaster, this book really delved deeper into Magnolia and BJ’s love, and it felt so amazing to finally see them communicating with each other. Their journey, the growth, the insatiable love between them really was just perfect. I especially loved seeing how much BJ has grown, and the way that man talks about love, fuck, I want everyone I know to feel a love as great as his.
I’m also not sure I’ll ever recover from losing Bridge, I wish we could’ve seen her live out an incredible life, psychoanalysing Magnolia at every chance she got. But, that’s not how life works, and the way Jessa depicted Magnolias grief was really powerful.
Now, can we talk about the suspense around why they needed to get out of London so quickly… I’m truly dreading the next Daisy book, because I was literally a big anxious mess reading Magnolias and BJs pov around it.
Whatever is brewing in the Haites world is not going to be good, and I’m just not ready for the heartache.
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I knew I was setting myself up for heartache with this book, I mean it’s literally in the title, but I still found myself looking for hope.
Set in a world where everyone’s death is predicted, we follow Matteo and Rufus who receive the death cast call telling them they’ve got 24 hours (or less) to live. This premise of this book was great, and I think if it was written as a more contemporary/adult book it easily could’ve been a five stars for me.
However, whilst it wasn’t my favourite read of the year, it definitely got me thinking…
If you knew the next 24 hours were going to be your last, how would you spend it? Would you even want to know? And would you tell your loved ones?
Overall this was a good read, I think Adam perfectly depicted the tiny heartbreaks that are laced within grief, I just wish it was written from a more mature reader.
Set in a world where everyone’s death is predicted, we follow Matteo and Rufus who receive the death cast call telling them they’ve got 24 hours (or less) to live. This premise of this book was great, and I think if it was written as a more contemporary/adult book it easily could’ve been a five stars for me.
However, whilst it wasn’t my favourite read of the year, it definitely got me thinking…
If you knew the next 24 hours were going to be your last, how would you spend it? Would you even want to know? And would you tell your loved ones?
Overall this was a good read, I think Adam perfectly depicted the tiny heartbreaks that are laced within grief, I just wish it was written from a more mature reader.
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was another book club pick for me, and one I wouldn’t have chosen for myself, but I was pleasantly surprised!
It would’ve been a 5 star but the beginning was a little slow for my preference, and that’s probably because I’m not a massive fantasy lover, so world-building can drag a bit for me but when I finally got stuck in, I was obsessed.
I really loved the plot, it was unlike anything I’ve read before, and the whodunnit element had me coming up with multiple theories, racing to the end to find out the truth.
I also think the way Death was depicted was particularly beautiful, and it really hit home for me, because without death would we cherish life as much as we do?
Overall, this was a great read and I’m so excited for the second book and to see what happens with Fate!
It would’ve been a 5 star but the beginning was a little slow for my preference, and that’s probably because I’m not a massive fantasy lover, so world-building can drag a bit for me but when I finally got stuck in, I was obsessed.
I really loved the plot, it was unlike anything I’ve read before, and the whodunnit element had me coming up with multiple theories, racing to the end to find out the truth.
I also think the way Death was depicted was particularly beautiful, and it really hit home for me, because without death would we cherish life as much as we do?
Overall, this was a great read and I’m so excited for the second book and to see what happens with Fate!
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Another quick and easy read by Ali! Having a science degree myself I always like her scientific spin on romance, and although it’s practically the same plot as The Love Hypothesis I did still enjoy it.
Ali’s books and style of writing are perfect for getting you out of a slump, because it’s just such a reliable read. I particularly enjoyed this one because it seemed to focus a bit more on the science which was great.
If you want a quick and easy romance read this is perfect.
Ali’s books and style of writing are perfect for getting you out of a slump, because it’s just such a reliable read. I particularly enjoyed this one because it seemed to focus a bit more on the science which was great.
If you want a quick and easy romance read this is perfect.
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was actually book club pick, and one I wouldn’t normally have reached for myself, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Emily Wilde, a scholar, is currently immersed in drafting a full encyclopaedia of faeries. Her latest expedition has taken her to Ljosland, an icy land where the hidden ones live, aiming to uncover their secrets like never before.
I really did enjoy the last third of this book, as I found myself completely caught up in the story and eager to find out what was going to happen next. I also enjoyed the romance aspect which became more of a focus in the last part of the book, and I was keen to hear more.
The main reason I couldn’t rate this higher than a 3, is because the first two thirds of the book were just, incredibly slow and dare I say… boring?
I understand all fantasies have some world building to do at the start, but I just couldn’t get on board with book at the start. It was simply just too slow for me.
Overall, I was actually quite surprised by this book as I did really enjoy it in the end, it’s just a shame that I had to drag myself through the start. However, if you enjoy fantasies and you don’t mind slow books, you’ll definitely enjoy this!
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I loved this so much! I literally devoured it in a few hours - it’s the perfect quick romance, that’ll have you smiling and kicking your feet.
As a fellow massive rom-com fan, this just felt like the perfect nod to everything that makes them so comforting.
I loved the references, all the clichés, and the playlists, and if I was to read this again, I’d definitely listen to the songs as I was reading!
Honestly if you love romance, this book won’t disappoint you, and it gave me that incredible nostalgic feeling of watching your first rom-com and longing for your own meet-cute.