anicevirgo's reviews
640 reviews

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.75

Before I get started...

BARBARA YOU NO GOOD RAGGEDY A** B*TCH! HOW DARE YOU! 

Ok now that I got that out...

Taylor Jenkins Reid SNAPPED on this. I've read/listened to a few of hers and I think this is her best book yet. It's the 80s, astronauts and lesbian love for me! The narrators did an amazing job in the audiobook. I had to keep reminding myself that it was set in the 80s and back then not everyone was accepting of gay people. I'm an 80s baby and can remember some of that. 

Let me just say that my heart heart so bad for Frances. I hate she got an ain't sh*t mother but Joan more than made up for it by being an amazing auntie. Like how in the hell do you choose a man over your child and then just up and send the child to boarding school to get rid of them? Nasty work! My baby is ten and I couldn't imagine her being away from me like that. 

Joan and Vanessa had lightning in a bottle. I loved their love. It just sucked that they couldn't love out loud. That ending had me about to sob. Happy she made it. RIP Griff. Such a great listen/read.

The Spite House by Johnny Compton

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

4.0

I listened to this because I love the narrator Adam Lazarre-White and ended up being so happy I listened because JOHNNY COMPTON DID THAT! I can't believe this is his debut novel! He did a great job of conveying how a father is willing to do anything to protect his children. There were parts of the book where I audibly GASPED. I was shaken and stirred. There were so many parts that made me so sad. Can't wait to read more from Mr. Johnny. 

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous challenging dark emotional

3.0

Ok I finally read/listened to this and I can see why it's so popular. Those sex scenes were STEAMY! I had to wait a million pages later but when it happened...OOH WEE!  A lot of things were a bit predictable but I still enjoyed Fourth Wing. I wanted to cry when Liam died! He was such a sweetheart. I had a feeling it would either be him or Rhi to die because everyone knows the sweet secondary characters are the first to go. I need Violet to forgive Xaden, he did what he had to do. I HATE Violet's mother. You know your daughter wasn't made for battle and was better off being a scribe yet you still sent her? What a heartless heffa. Dain can go to hell because he had no faith in Violet whatsoever and had the nerve to not believe her when she said that girl tried to kill her. That's why she wasn't feeling that ol nasty kiss he gave her. Loser. 

AND THE DRAGONS! Baby I love Tairyn (sp?) so much! The shade that dragon would throw at Violet lmaoooo and I love how she gave it back.  And sweet little Andrana! I wanted to squeeze her little scaley cheeks. I'm so happy the dragons made it out of this book alive. The fact that Violet bonded TWO dragons and can throw lightning, COME ON SIS! Can't wait to read the next book.

Bad Things (Very Bad Things Book 1) by Bre Simone

3.0

I totally thought the surprise ending would be that Richmond was banging one of Miya's ho friends lol. Everyone just loves having sex around her and she sure does love watching, lil freaky voyeur. I hate how her friends used her for a place to have sex but happy that she didn't give into temptation and cheat on Richmond. I hate that she couldn't tell Richmond the truth from the get go. Not sure if I'll read the next one in the series but everyone in this book is a hot mess. A good and quick read.

The Humble Lover by Edmund White

dark fast-paced

2.0

Maybe picking this book to be my first intro to Edmund White was a mistake. This was so sad and nasty lol. I am not a prude by far but there were many many moments while listening to this where I clutched my imaginary pearls. I've heard great things about Edmund White especially since his recent passing and will try another one of his books. 

The Stranger at the Wedding by A.E. Gauntlett

medium-paced

2.0

This was an ok listen. The narrator did a good job but the plot just fell flat to me. Annie was a weirdo. 

The Locked Door by Freida McFadden

dark medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No

3.0

This was an interesting listen that kept my attention from start to finish. I did not see that curve ball coming! I thought it was

Grady

doing all the killing. I'm so glad she didn't hurt her schoolmate all those years ago. There were parts where I felt like this kind of dragged but still a good listen. 

Do You Remember by Freida McFadden

fast-paced

2.0

This may be my least favorite Freida book. I felt like I was more confused than Tess! That husband was a piece of work. All that lying he did. And her "friend" wasn't shh either. 

Brain Damage by Freida McFadden

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

2.0

CLARK YOU RAGGEDY (INSERT 100 CUSS WORDS HERE). 

Charley was dumb af to be a doctor but she didn't deserve what Clark did to her. There were parts in this that shouldn't have been funny but they were like when Charley was in recovery and thought the nurse's nametag said "rapist" when it said "therapist". Bless her heart! Her recovery was amazing. I hate Clark made her feel less than. Boy wtf you mean you're gonna move your girlfriend into MY HOUSE? I was spitting fire lol. I don't know how she didn't see he was a scumbag on day one but many of us have been duped by scumbags before so I won't be too hard on her.  Jamie was so sweet. I like how their relationship progressed. This was an ok book. This must be an older one because I didn't get the Big Frieda curve ball that I'm so used to. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence

Want to Know a Secret? by Freida McFadden

dark fast-paced

3.0

April's mama was saying she was confused toward the end and chile I was too lol. I enjoyed this in the beginning but then somewhere near the end I started getting confused like I usually do with Big Freida's books. Still enjoyed it. April's and Julia's husbands wasn't shhh! This kind of gave me Desperate Housewives vibes. I always enjoy the surprises Freida throws in her books.