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amanda_reads13's reviews
461 reviews
The Favorites by Layne Fargo
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The story follows Kat and Heath as they navigate the world of completive figure skating.
This book was addictive, toxic, and messy AF. I loved every minute of it! It was over the top with the dramatics and there was a whole lot of miscommunication (which I hate), but I couldn't put it down. Apparently the world of figure skating is cutthroat and completely ruthless. So much backstabbing and sabotage! Fargo explores topics such as childhood trauma, classism, toxic relationships, manipulation, lies and betrayal.
Really, this is a story about ambition, obsession, and love.
This book is written from Kat's point of view, but also through interviews done for a documentary. So we get the input of many different characters. I actually really like the way it was written, I thought it was quite unique. Also, I like that we got an outsider view of what Kat was telling us. I do really wish that we got Heath 's point of view at some point though.
Kat and Heath have been each other's person since they were kids. Their history runs deep and their connection and chemistry is palpable. There is nothing more important to Kat than winning an Olympic gold and nothing more important to Heath than Kat. Their relationship is a toxic rollercoaster and both characters are flawed to the point of being unlikable... Yet, you can't help but root for them. They love each other one moment and stab each other in the back the next, but always find their way back. You're going to want to reach through the book and smack them or strangle them many times.
Bella lived for the drama. She was Kat's "friend" all the while stabbing her in the back at every turn. Like Kat, she would do anything to win, but she went way too far.Whether it was partnering with Heath, injuring Kat, waging psychological warfare against Kat (showing her at Heath had been in Russia those 3 years right before they went on the ice!!), or literally hooking up with/having a BABY with Heath. How these three co-exist in the end is beyond me.
The only somewhat likable character was Garrett. Even at that, he kind of sucked. When it comes down to it, all 4 of them were just puppets in Shelia's (Garrett and Bella's mom) dream of an Olympic legacy. She was the worst of all of them.
Tropes: childhood friends to lovers to enemies to lovers, love triange, figure skating, scandal, turbulent past, toxic relationship, interview style
This book was addictive, toxic, and messy AF. I loved every minute of it! It was over the top with the dramatics and there was a whole lot of miscommunication (which I hate), but I couldn't put it down. Apparently the world of figure skating is cutthroat and completely ruthless. So much backstabbing and sabotage! Fargo explores topics such as childhood trauma, classism, toxic relationships, manipulation, lies and betrayal.
Really, this is a story about ambition, obsession, and love.
This book is written from Kat's point of view, but also through interviews done for a documentary. So we get the input of many different characters. I actually really like the way it was written, I thought it was quite unique. Also, I like that we got an outsider view of what Kat was telling us. I do really wish that we got Heath 's point of view at some point though.
Kat and Heath have been each other's person since they were kids. Their history runs deep and their connection and chemistry is palpable. There is nothing more important to Kat than winning an Olympic gold and nothing more important to Heath than Kat. Their relationship is a toxic rollercoaster and both characters are flawed to the point of being unlikable... Yet, you can't help but root for them. They love each other one moment and stab each other in the back the next, but always find their way back. You're going to want to reach through the book and smack them or strangle them many times.
Bella lived for the drama. She was Kat's "friend" all the while stabbing her in the back at every turn. Like Kat, she would do anything to win, but she went way too far.
The only somewhat likable character was Garrett. Even at that, he kind of sucked. When it comes down to it, all 4 of them were just puppets in Shelia's (Garrett and Bella's mom) dream of an Olympic legacy. She was the worst of all of them.
Tropes: childhood friends to lovers to enemies to lovers, love triange, figure skating, scandal, turbulent past, toxic relationship, interview style
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Moderate: Drug abuse
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Years after her brother has gone missing, Barbara goes missing from her family's summer camp.
This is both a mystery about what happened to the kids and an exploration of misogyny in the 1970s. We get to see the treatment of women in not only various stages of life, but also various social economic standings. In this, she explores generational wealth, gender, and misogyny. She also explores the idea of class divide between the rich who summer here and the townies who live here year round. We get an insight into the differing treatment of the two groups. There's also the exploration of dysfunctional parent-child relationships as seen through many of the women in this story. This theme is weaved throughout every storyline in this book.
It was an interesting choice to set this in the '70s because we get two very different groups of women, those who are the older generation and are still controlled and gaslit by men and the younger generation who are fighting against that. We have characters like Barbara, Judy, and TJ who don't fit into the stereotypical role of" a woman" in the '70s. Then we have women like Louise and Alice who are still being controlled by the men in their lives. It's a very interesting dichotomy.
All this leads to a very interesting plot, that said, there's a lot of unnecessary storylines and information in this book that doesn't add to it. For example, we get Louise's story and a lot of information about her family, but this story doesn't lead anywhere. It just acts as a distraction. I get it serves to highlight the preferential treatment that the rich gets from the police, but we don't get a resolution, so why is it there? There's too many questions left unanswered about her. The same can be said for Tracy.
I have mixed feelings about the ending of this book. I think the resolution of Bear's story was anticlimactic. The alcoholic mother took her son in a canoe on the lake when it was storming and he drowns. The grandfather, father, and groundskeeper cover it up, bury him in the woods, and lead police in the community on a goose chase pretending he is " lost ". All the while framing an innocent man for his "disappearance ". Where as I think Barbara's story led to a more thought-provoking ending. Barbara hates the life she has and spends the summer with TJ planning her escape. In the end, we find that she has escaped to TJ's family's cottage in the woods and is living on her own terms. I think this is a really interesting way to end her story, Barbara desires freedom from her family, from the misogyny, from the expectations, and the wealth of her family. She gets all those things in the end.
This is both a mystery about what happened to the kids and an exploration of misogyny in the 1970s. We get to see the treatment of women in not only various stages of life, but also various social economic standings. In this, she explores generational wealth, gender, and misogyny. She also explores the idea of class divide between the rich who summer here and the townies who live here year round. We get an insight into the differing treatment of the two groups. There's also the exploration of dysfunctional parent-child relationships as seen through many of the women in this story. This theme is weaved throughout every storyline in this book.
It was an interesting choice to set this in the '70s because we get two very different groups of women, those who are the older generation and are still controlled and gaslit by men and the younger generation who are fighting against that. We have characters like Barbara, Judy, and TJ who don't fit into the stereotypical role of" a woman" in the '70s. Then we have women like Louise and Alice who are still being controlled by the men in their lives. It's a very interesting dichotomy.
All this leads to a very interesting plot, that said, there's a lot of unnecessary storylines and information in this book that doesn't add to it. For example, we get Louise's story and a lot of information about her family, but this story doesn't lead anywhere. It just acts as a distraction. I get it serves to highlight the preferential treatment that the rich gets from the police, but we don't get a resolution, so why is it there? There's too many questions left unanswered about her. The same can be said for Tracy.
I have mixed feelings about the ending of this book. I think the resolution of Bear's story was anticlimactic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Rook & Rebel by Kate Crew
dark
fast-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
2.0
Regan has spent the last year trying to prove to her sick father that she is fit to take over the family business, with no success. Her seemingly perfect life is thrown on it head when she meets Rook.
Listen... if you take this for what it is, it could be a fun ride. That said... It was a pretty absurd and obvious plot with some major plot holes and not the greatest writing. The chemistry was lackluster and the character's behaviour gave me whiplash.
As a child Rook and his sister Evie lost their parents to a house fire, since then, he has been plotting his revenge against those responsible. Now, he is the head of a pack of bikers who find and trade information in the criminal world. Of course that man he is out to seek revenge on is Regan's father. He is a walking red flag... Minus the fun.
Regan (Rebel) is a privileged, rich kid who is bored with her life. She's tired of her father treating her poorly ...so she rebels by hooking up with the man who tried to rob her date? The start of the book makes absolutely no sense. Rook tries to rob her date at gunpoint and when the date runs away leaving her alone with the robber (Rook), she happily accepts a ride home from him? Make it make sense.
She's incredibly naive and whiny and puts herself in incredibly dangerous situations. You see a man murder somebody in front of you and you keep wanting to date him? Again, make it make sense. This girl has zero self-preservation ... she would be the first person to die in a slasher film.
If you are looking for darker romance with some humour, I would highly suggest Lights Out.
Tropes: biker/rich girl, found family, stalker, revenge
Listen... if you take this for what it is, it could be a fun ride. That said... It was a pretty absurd and obvious plot with some major plot holes and not the greatest writing. The chemistry was lackluster and the character's behaviour gave me whiplash.
As a child Rook and his sister Evie lost their parents to a house fire, since then, he has been plotting his revenge against those responsible. Now, he is the head of a pack of bikers who find and trade information in the criminal world. Of course that man he is out to seek revenge on is Regan's father. He is a walking red flag... Minus the fun.
Regan (Rebel) is a privileged, rich kid who is bored with her life. She's tired of her father treating her poorly ...so she rebels by hooking up with the man who tried to rob her date? The start of the book makes absolutely no sense. Rook tries to rob her date at gunpoint and when the date runs away leaving her alone with the robber (Rook), she happily accepts a ride home from him? Make it make sense.
She's incredibly naive and whiny and puts herself in incredibly dangerous situations. You see a man murder somebody in front of you and you keep wanting to date him? Again, make it make sense. This girl has zero self-preservation ... she would be the first person to die in a slasher film.
If you are looking for darker romance with some humour, I would highly suggest Lights Out.
Tropes: biker/rich girl, found family, stalker, revenge
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Amid Clouds and Bones by Ella Fields
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Mildred is a "half-breed" who is forced into an arrangement marriage with Atakan, a fae prince. In her world there are human, Seelie Fae, and Unseelie Fae. Her marriage is meant to bond the humans and Seelie Fae against a common enemy, the Unseelie Fae. The Unseelie Fae have been banished behind a barrier wall of magic and their king, Vane, is trying desperately to free them and get revenge.
I am torn, this book started off so strong and I was so intrigued, then it all went a bit downhill. I think this could have been a phenomenal series, but as a stand alone, it felt rushed, has too many plot holes, and too many things felt forced.
I really enjoyed banter and enemies to lovers/mates story between Mildred and Atakan. He was the best part of the book, by far. When she is taken by Vane, I was concerned this would be another Tamlin/Rys copy & paste. I was presently proven wrong. That said, I feel like the whole love triangle was pointless and its purpose was not flushed out at all.
Mildred (awful name choice) was made to be this strong and independent character, unfortunately she was pretty reliant on men to save her the whole time. I liked how witty and quick she was with the comebacks. BUT When she is taken by Vane, her naivety really shines as she is so easily manipulated by him.He needs her to fall on love with him to break the barrier and flat out tells her this is his goal! She doesn't really grow and get the depth of character I was looking for.
The only thing I didnt really see coming was thatAtakan was actually a shifter and could shift into the dragon thingy. This could have made for such an incredible climax to the story. Unfortunately the ending felt rushed, flat, and incomplete. The battle scene was lackluster and was over in a flash. What should have felt like a grand battle, felt more like some little boys arguing over a girl. I wanted more.
Tropes: enemies to lovers/mates, fae/human, fantasy, forced proximity, arrange marriage, one bed, love triange
I am torn, this book started off so strong and I was so intrigued, then it all went a bit downhill. I think this could have been a phenomenal series, but as a stand alone, it felt rushed, has too many plot holes, and too many things felt forced.
I really enjoyed banter and enemies to lovers/mates story between Mildred and Atakan. He was the best part of the book, by far. When she is taken by Vane, I was concerned this would be another Tamlin/Rys copy & paste. I was presently proven wrong. That said, I feel like the whole love triangle was pointless and its purpose was not flushed out at all.
Mildred (awful name choice) was made to be this strong and independent character, unfortunately she was pretty reliant on men to save her the whole time. I liked how witty and quick she was with the comebacks. BUT When she is taken by Vane, her naivety really shines as she is so easily manipulated by him.
The only thing I didnt really see coming was that
Tropes: enemies to lovers/mates, fae/human, fantasy, forced proximity, arrange marriage, one bed, love triange
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
The Second Husband by Kate White
mysterious
medium-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
3.0
2 years ago Emma's first husband was found murdered but the case was never solved. Now they're reopening the investigation and it's leading Emma to discover things she never saw before.
I think a three is generous for this one, there's just so many plot holes and the story branches out into unnecessary places. Emma's not really the most reliable narrator, she goes back and forth between thinking her husband, Tom, is guilty and not. Did he stalk her? Did he murder her first husband? Was he obsessed with her? Is he lying to her?Then she goes and makes very rash and stupid decisions that make her look guilty.
The author definitely wants us to think that Tom killed Derek. Based on how hard the author is pushing us to believe it's him, it's pretty obvious it's not. Once she brings up the fact that the paintings might be a forgery to Kyle and his reaction, it's pretty clear who the killer is. Kyle obviously sold the paintings and was trying to cover it up. Maybe Derek found out and Kyle attacked him out of anger or to keep him quiet.
The ending of this book was incredibly disappointing. You don't really get a resolution at all, you get an idea of one but not really. Who really killed Derek? Who really killed Taylor? How much is Tom actually lying about? There's too many answered questions.
I think a three is generous for this one, there's just so many plot holes and the story branches out into unnecessary places. Emma's not really the most reliable narrator, she goes back and forth between thinking her husband, Tom, is guilty and not. Did he stalk her? Did he murder her first husband? Was he obsessed with her? Is he lying to her?Then she goes and makes very rash and stupid decisions that make her look guilty.
The author definitely wants us to think
The ending of this book was incredibly disappointing. You don't really get a resolution at all, you get an idea of one but not really. Who really killed Derek? Who really killed Taylor? How much is Tom actually lying about? There's too many answered questions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Murder
Catch the Sun by Jennifer Hartmann
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-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
5.0
TW this is not a young adult book due to very heavy themes and sexual content.
Ella's life of torm apart when her brother does the unthinkable and is sentenced to death row. Now a pariah, Ella is trying to navigate her new life and broken family.
Jennifer Hartman does it again. This story was so beautiful and heartbreaking, such a rollercoaster of emotions. The story and characters are so complex and have so much depth. This book explores the ideas of finding hope after loss and trauma, forgiving yourself, and the complexity of relationships/family.
When she was seven, Ella moved away with her father and meets Max, they quickly become best friends. Out of nowhere, her father send her back to live with her mother and she loses contact with Max.
Years later, Ella is living the perfect life when brother Jonah is convicted of double murder and put on death row. Ella's world falls apart and she becomes the target of bullying and abuse. After going broke, Ella and her mother move back to the same small town she lived in before.
Max, his twin brother (McKay), and father were abandoned by their mother and are barley surviving. Their father drank away his pain and will often have violent outbursts directed at his sons. Everything has fallen on to Max's shoulders and he is hanging on by a thread.
Ella reconnects with Max and though they fight their feelings, they can't deny the pull they have. They endure so much trauma and abuse that they are scared to love and let anyone in.ex. McKay tries to rape Ella and when she falls off the bluff, he leaves her for dead. After her brother is released on a technicality, he shoots McKay.
Ella is so lost. She loves her brother, he has always been her protector, but her feelings are odds with the fact that he is a convicted murderer. She has always wanted to defend him, but there was always a kernal of doubt.When she finally frees herself from the burden of him being on her conscious, she becomes lighter and free. He had been the albatross around her neck.
It was so beautiful to see Ella and Max's relationship develop as they learn to drop their guards and trust one another. They are one another home, neither time nor space could ever destroy that.
So much happens in this story, but the one constant is Max and Ella's support for one another and their unconditional love. They will so anything for each other even if that means giving each other the space to heal. Though that was a hard part to read,their almost 3 years apart gives Ella a chance to find herself and heal her heart and gives Max a chance to settle his life. It was a necessary part to their story. You need to love yourself before you can love another.
The ending was perfect. He finds her on her 21st birthday and surprises her with a small horse farm.
Tropes: second chance, childhood best friends, small town, first loves, coming of age
Ella's life of torm apart when her brother does the unthinkable and is sentenced to death row. Now a pariah, Ella is trying to navigate her new life and broken family.
Jennifer Hartman does it again. This story was so beautiful and heartbreaking, such a rollercoaster of emotions. The story and characters are so complex and have so much depth. This book explores the ideas of finding hope after loss and trauma, forgiving yourself, and the complexity of relationships/family.
When she was seven, Ella moved away with her father and meets Max, they quickly become best friends. Out of nowhere, her father send her back to live with her mother and she loses contact with Max.
Years later, Ella is living the perfect life when brother Jonah is convicted of double murder and put on death row. Ella's world falls apart and she becomes the target of bullying and abuse. After going broke, Ella and her mother move back to the same small town she lived in before.
Max, his twin brother (McKay), and father were abandoned by their mother and are barley surviving. Their father drank away his pain and will often have violent outbursts directed at his sons. Everything has fallen on to Max's shoulders and he is hanging on by a thread.
Ella reconnects with Max and though they fight their feelings, they can't deny the pull they have. They endure so much trauma and abuse that they are scared to love and let anyone in.
Ella is so lost. She loves her brother, he has always been her protector, but her feelings are odds with the fact that he is a convicted murderer. She has always wanted to defend him, but there was always a kernal of doubt.
It was so beautiful to see Ella and Max's relationship develop as they learn to drop their guards and trust one another. They are one another home, neither time nor space could ever destroy that.
So much happens in this story, but the one constant is Max and Ella's support for one another and their unconditional love. They will so anything for each other even if that means giving each other the space to heal. Though that was a hard part to read,
The ending was perfect.
Tropes: second chance, childhood best friends, small town, first loves, coming of age
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Forget You Know Me by Jessica Strawser
mysterious
tense
medium-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
2.5
One evening, while on a video chat with her friend, Liza sees a masked man enter Molly's house. After driving through the night to check on her, she receives an icy reception. Confused as to what is happening, she drives home only to find out that she has had her own near miss.
I definitely wouldn't classify this as a thriller, more of a family drama/ relationship drama. I thought it was a really interesting premise and had a lot of potential, but I just wasn't really drawn into the story or captivated by the characters. The characters were kind of bland and boring, and there really wasn't much growth to them. All these relationships are toxic, nobody's, honest with each other and nobody trusts each other.
The whole premise of this book is that everybody is lying to everyone and everybody's keeping secrets. You can't really trust what anybody says.
Molly has been in pain ever since giving birth to her son and has tried everything possible to help herself, but nothing is worked. In order to pay off some of the debt she's accumulated, she takes out a sketchy loan and doesn't tell her husband.
Her husband, Daniel, catches somebody stealing at work. Only the thief has leverage over Daniel knowing that he has taken a few " work trips" that aren't quite on the up and up. AKA he's probably having an affair. So the thief uses this to try to blackmail Daniel.
Molly has grown close to a male neighbour and their daughter are friends. Molly feels like their relationship is teetering on the edge of inappropriate. One day she makes an off-handed comment to him about him "breaking into her" house.
After the break-in we are given three possible suspects : the neighbor, The lone sharks, or the thieving coworker. All of them are plausible. From the beginning I suspected it was Daniel. So I wasn't surprised when it was revealed to have been him who had broken into the house.
All the while we have a subplot with Liza and her drama. After leaving Molly's house that first night she comes home to find that her apartment building had burnt down and that everybody on her floor had died. So essentially her seeing Daniel break in saved her life.
There's almost too much going on. Well nothing's going on.
I definitely wouldn't classify this as a thriller, more of a family drama/ relationship drama. I thought it was a really interesting premise and had a lot of potential, but I just wasn't really drawn into the story or captivated by the characters. The characters were kind of bland and boring, and there really wasn't much growth to them. All these relationships are toxic, nobody's, honest with each other and nobody trusts each other.
The whole premise of this book is that everybody is lying to everyone and everybody's keeping secrets. You can't really trust what anybody says.
Molly has been in pain ever since giving birth to her son and has tried everything possible to help herself, but nothing is worked. In order to pay off some of the debt she's accumulated, she takes out a sketchy loan and doesn't tell her husband.
Her husband, Daniel, catches somebody stealing at work. Only the thief has leverage over Daniel knowing that he has taken a few " work trips" that aren't quite on the up and up. AKA he's probably having an affair. So the thief uses this to try to blackmail Daniel.
Molly has grown close to a male neighbour and their daughter are friends. Molly feels like their relationship is teetering on the edge of inappropriate. One day she makes an off-handed comment to him about him "breaking into her" house.
After the break-in we are given three possible suspects : the neighbor, The lone sharks, or the thieving coworker. All of them are plausible.
All the while we have a subplot with Liza and her drama. After leaving Molly's house that first night she comes home to find that
There's almost too much going on. Well nothing's going on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
The Better Sister by Alafair Burke
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
3.0
One night Chloe comes home to find her husband Adam dead. Now Chloe's stepson, Ethan, accused and on trial for his murder.
This was a fairly predictable suspense story. Our narrator is incredibly unreliable and our characters are all pretty unlikable.
Chloe's older sister, Nikki, was once married to Adam and is the birth mother of Ethan. Years after their divorce and getting sole custody of Ethan, Adam moves to New York and starts seeing Chloe (yes, his ex's sister). Twisted.
Chloe and Adam's life seems picture perfect. She runs an online magazine and he is a lawyer, they have a second home in the Hamptons, and send their son to a ritzy private school. But all is not what it seems.
During Ethan's trial secrets are revealed that threaten everyone.Adam has been getting more and more manipulative and abusive towards his wife and son. Chloe couldn't leave Adam since she had no legal right to Ethan, so she stayed to "protect" him. To get "revenge" she starts an affair with Adams coworker. We find out that Adam also abused and manipulated Nikki the same way which is how he got custody of Ethan.
I feel like the big twist at the end was anti-climatic.It seemed pretty obvious that Nikki was involved in the murder. The twist of planting the knife on Adam's boss was interesting tho.
This was a fairly predictable suspense story. Our narrator is incredibly unreliable and our characters are all pretty unlikable.
Chloe's older sister, Nikki, was once married to Adam and is the birth mother of Ethan. Years after their divorce and getting sole custody of Ethan, Adam moves to New York and starts seeing Chloe (yes, his ex's sister). Twisted.
Chloe and Adam's life seems picture perfect. She runs an online magazine and he is a lawyer, they have a second home in the Hamptons, and send their son to a ritzy private school. But all is not what it seems.
During Ethan's trial secrets are revealed that threaten everyone.
I feel like the big twist at the end was anti-climatic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Margo is trying to navigate the world while being a young single mom with money problems. Trying to raise her son alone is one thing, but doing it while broke is a whole other level of difficult. After running out of options, she turns to Only Fans.
I really enjoyed this story. It was a quirky and funny story unlike any other I have read. It is a very character focused story about young motherhood and the stresses that come along with it. It is about a woman who will do anything to provide for and protect her son.
As a college student, Margo begins an affair with her married professor and gets pregnant. Of course he wants nothing to do with it and walks away, even going as far as forcing her to sign an NDA. With little support and resources, she turns to Only Fans to support herself and son. Then out of nowhere her ex sues her for full custody and she has to navigate the legal system and CPS to fight to keep her baby.
The author tackled the subject of sex work in the modern world and emphasizs the fact that sex work is work. Margo turns to sex work when she has no other options and instead of being applauded for fighting to support her child, she is faced with intense judgement.
I really loved seeing the evolution of her relationship with her father. Jinx was an absent father when Margo was a child, but he is back in Margo's life and a huge support for her. He is a drug addict, but is determined to get clean for Margo and her son. Their relationship is so strange, but also kind of heartwarming.
I really liked that the romance took a backseat in this book, it was there, but was a subplot kind of buried into the background. A man saving her was not the point, Margo saved Margo.
The only thing that threw me off was how the story flip flipped between 1st and 3rd person.
Tropes: single parent, found family
I really enjoyed this story. It was a quirky and funny story unlike any other I have read. It is a very character focused story about young motherhood and the stresses that come along with it. It is about a woman who will do anything to provide for and protect her son.
As a college student, Margo begins an affair with her married professor and gets pregnant. Of course he wants nothing to do with it and walks away, even going as far as forcing her to sign an NDA. With little support and resources, she turns to Only Fans to support herself and son. Then out of nowhere her ex sues her for full custody and she has to navigate the legal system and CPS to fight to keep her baby.
The author tackled the subject of sex work in the modern world and emphasizs the fact that sex work is work. Margo turns to sex work when she has no other options and instead of being applauded for fighting to support her child, she is faced with intense judgement.
I really loved seeing the evolution of her relationship with her father. Jinx was an absent father when Margo was a child, but he is back in Margo's life and a huge support for her. He is a drug addict, but is determined to get clean for Margo and her son. Their relationship is so strange, but also kind of heartwarming.
I really liked that the romance took a backseat in this book, it was there, but was a subplot kind of buried into the background. A man saving her was not the point, Margo saved Margo.
The only thing that threw me off was how the story flip flipped between 1st and 3rd person.
Tropes: single parent, found family
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
You, with a View by Jessica Joyce
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
After discovering somethings about her grandmother's past, Noelle winds up going on a roadtrip with her childhood frenemy, Theo, and his grandfather.
This was a really cute story. I loved the banter and push and pull between Noelle and Theo. The progression of their relationship felt so natural. You could feel the chemistry between them even when it was just through their competitive behaviour. I love how they combine the road trip with the letters and the story of Paul and her grandmother. I think it's such a lovely way to parallel her grandmother's relationship with Paul and her relationship with Theo.
Noelle and Theo grew up as childhood rivals, they competed at everything. Now as adults, Noelle is back living with her parents after losing her job and Theo is part of Forbes 30 under 30. She feels like such a failure and doesn't where know what to do with her life. One day she finds some pictures of her grandmother with a man who is not her grandfather. She puts together a video on tiktok asking if anybody knows who he is. When she gets a DM from a man claiming that it's his grandfather. We then find out that this mysterious man is Paul Theo's grandfather.
Noelle has lost the most important person in her life and being able to connect to her grandmother through Paul is such a gift. Not only does Noelle get to learn about her grandmother's past, but she also learns a lot about herself along the way. She's always been afraid to go after her dreams of being a photographer and this trip, along with the support of Paul and Theo, has open her eyes to so many possibilities.
Paul is the grandparent everyone wants. He is supportive of his grandson and loves him more than anything. When he meets Noelle, he can tell that she is struggling. He takes her under his wings and treats her as his own family. He has such a big heart.
Theo's always been successful at everything he's done but came from a very different family than Noelle. Where she had incredibly supportive parents, he had a father was never happy with anything he did. As an adult, he creates a travel app with three of his friends, but now his professional world is falling apart. We see him go from being so closed and scared to trust Noelle to learning to open up his heart to her.
Tropes: road trip, childhood frenemies, found family, close proximity
This was a really cute story. I loved the banter and push and pull between Noelle and Theo. The progression of their relationship felt so natural. You could feel the chemistry between them even when it was just through their competitive behaviour. I love how they combine the road trip with the letters and the story of Paul and her grandmother. I think it's such a lovely way to parallel her grandmother's relationship with Paul and her relationship with Theo.
Noelle and Theo grew up as childhood rivals, they competed at everything. Now as adults, Noelle is back living with her parents after losing her job and Theo is part of Forbes 30 under 30. She feels like such a failure and doesn't where know what to do with her life. One day she finds some pictures of her grandmother with a man who is not her grandfather. She puts together a video on tiktok asking if anybody knows who he is. When she gets a DM from a man claiming that it's his grandfather. We then find out that this mysterious man is Paul Theo's grandfather.
Noelle has lost the most important person in her life and being able to connect to her grandmother through Paul is such a gift. Not only does Noelle get to learn about her grandmother's past, but she also learns a lot about herself along the way. She's always been afraid to go after her dreams of being a photographer and this trip, along with the support of Paul and Theo, has open her eyes to so many possibilities.
Paul is the grandparent everyone wants. He is supportive of his grandson and loves him more than anything. When he meets Noelle, he can tell that she is struggling. He takes her under his wings and treats her as his own family. He has such a big heart.
Theo's always been successful at everything he's done but came from a very different family than Noelle. Where she had incredibly supportive parents, he had a father was never happy with anything he did. As an adult, he creates a travel app with three of his friends, but now his professional world is falling apart. We see him go from being so closed and scared to trust Noelle to learning to open up his heart to her.
Tropes: road trip, childhood frenemies, found family, close proximity
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief