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annagwritesandreads's reviews
244 reviews
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5/5 Stars
General Description: Lucy thought she was home free from her hometown rumors around her best friends' murder. However, when a popular podcast picks up the case, Lucy finds herself in a unique position: run from the rumors, or get justice for her best friend. Lucy was there the night of her best friends murder but can't remember a thing. Can this podcast actually help her or will it solidify her as a murderer?
The good:
- The format of the podcast was exquisite to hear in the audiobook format
- It was quick paced
- I really enjoyed the resolution at the end.
The loss of a star and a half:
- The romance subplot was unnecessary and took away from the story for me.
- This book needed no spice. I don't know why there was any in this book.
Overall, if you're looking for a unique audiobook, this should be your next pick if you like mysteries in your ears!
General Description: Lucy thought she was home free from her hometown rumors around her best friends' murder. However, when a popular podcast picks up the case, Lucy finds herself in a unique position: run from the rumors, or get justice for her best friend. Lucy was there the night of her best friends murder but can't remember a thing. Can this podcast actually help her or will it solidify her as a murderer?
The good:
- The format of the podcast was exquisite to hear in the audiobook format
- It was quick paced
- I really enjoyed the resolution at the end.
The loss of a star and a half:
- The romance subplot was unnecessary and took away from the story for me.
- This book needed no spice. I don't know why there was any in this book.
Overall, if you're looking for a unique audiobook, this should be your next pick if you like mysteries in your ears!
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
General Description: A Mi'kmaq family in Nova Scotia makes their way down to Maine every summer to pick blueberries. However, one summer, Ruthie, the youngest of the family, goes missing. Joe, the second youngest, was the last one to see her alive. Where is Ruthie? How will this impact Joe?
The not bad?
- You get a resolution at the end.
- There are are no lingering questions.
The Loss of 3 stars:
- If I gave you more of those description, the entire book will be spoiled for you. I did not enjoy anything int he book because I felt spoiled.
- The writing was long and windy, it jumped time a bunch and was not a cohesive book.
- I clearly missed the popular mark, but this character driven story was not executed in a way where i could care about any of the characters.
Overall, if you don't like character driven books, I would not recommend it. If you like character driven books, you will probably enjoy it more than I did.
The not bad?
- You get a resolution at the end.
- There are are no lingering questions.
The Loss of 3 stars:
- If I gave you more of those description, the entire book will be spoiled for you. I did not enjoy anything int he book because I felt spoiled.
- The writing was long and windy, it jumped time a bunch and was not a cohesive book.
- I clearly missed the popular mark, but this character driven story was not executed in a way where i could care about any of the characters.
Overall, if you don't like character driven books, I would not recommend it. If you like character driven books, you will probably enjoy it more than I did.
Hearts That Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for early access to this book!
4/5
Note: This is the 2nd book in the...whatever this is, so if you haven't read Threads that Bind, there will be major spoilers below. Proceed at you own risk!
General Description: Io has her fate spelled out to her, but she's not sure how that's going to help her when everyone she knows has either betrayed her or she cannot find. She is holding out hope on a golden thread to find the answers about her fate. Joined by the wraith mob queen Bianca, Io must set out to find the true criminal behind everything that brought her beloved city into chaos. Can she do it in time and accept her fate?
The good:
- The world is beautiful, I love the concept and it feels extremely unique.
- The mystery kept me engaged the entire time.
- I love seeing everyone's powers come to life so vividly, it was pretty each to picture everything that was happening in my head while I was reading.
- Io is a very consistent main character and really makes the story accessible.
The loss of a star:
- The pacing was a bit odd; I feel like so much would happen at times, but we'd only move forward bout 3 pages on the story? It threw me off.
- the ending was just extremely lackluster and it really took away from the entire book for me. I'm left feeling a bit confused on what is going to happen next? I'll change my review to 4.5 stars if there is another book coming out but I dont' think it's clear at the time of writing this if there is.
4/5
Note: This is the 2nd book in the...whatever this is, so if you haven't read Threads that Bind, there will be major spoilers below. Proceed at you own risk!
General Description: Io has her fate spelled out to her, but she's not sure how that's going to help her when everyone she knows has either betrayed her or she cannot find. She is holding out hope on a golden thread to find the answers about her fate. Joined by the wraith mob queen Bianca, Io must set out to find the true criminal behind everything that brought her beloved city into chaos. Can she do it in time and accept her fate?
The good:
- The world is beautiful, I love the concept and it feels extremely unique.
- The mystery kept me engaged the entire time.
- I love seeing everyone's powers come to life so vividly, it was pretty each to picture everything that was happening in my head while I was reading.
- Io is a very consistent main character and really makes the story accessible.
The loss of a star:
- The pacing was a bit odd; I feel like so much would happen at times, but we'd only move forward bout 3 pages on the story? It threw me off.
- the ending was just extremely lackluster and it really took away from the entire book for me. I'm left feeling a bit confused on what is going to happen next? I'll change my review to 4.5 stars if there is another book coming out but I dont' think it's clear at the time of writing this if there is.
The First Loss by J.D. Linton
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
4.5/5 Stars
Note: While this is a prequel, I would recommend reading The Last Storm and The Last Draig first.
General Description:
Elora lost her parents at a young age and was adopted by the leaders of her kingdom. She has gone to a political meeting every year. One year, in the orchard, she meets a man named Wryn and they develop a friendship over letters. However, Wryn is not who he says he is. Wryn is Vaelor, ruler of his kingdom. What will happen when Vaelor realizes he wants Elora more than just a friend? Will he be able to tell her the truth while keeping his kingdom together?
All the goods:
- Vaelor was the character I was most excited to see (iykyk). I loved seeing the magic he had and how it was explained
- I loved seeing Elora's supportive family throughout the novel.
- It felt like meeting the side characters for the first time and I loved the feeling of seeing them grow.
- JD warns you that it's a tragedy and she delivers in the best way.
The loss of a star:
- The spice is always a bit much for me, but always makes sense in terms of the plot. Maybe one day I'll be a spicy reader lol.
Overall, if you are a spicy romantasy reader, you need to read all of JD's books. Again, I'd recommend reading this third. But that's just my opinion.
Note: While this is a prequel, I would recommend reading The Last Storm and The Last Draig first.
General Description:
Elora lost her parents at a young age and was adopted by the leaders of her kingdom. She has gone to a political meeting every year. One year, in the orchard, she meets a man named Wryn and they develop a friendship over letters. However, Wryn is not who he says he is. Wryn is Vaelor, ruler of his kingdom. What will happen when Vaelor realizes he wants Elora more than just a friend? Will he be able to tell her the truth while keeping his kingdom together?
All the goods:
- Vaelor was the character I was most excited to see (iykyk). I loved seeing the magic he had and how it was explained
- I loved seeing Elora's supportive family throughout the novel.
- It felt like meeting the side characters for the first time and I loved the feeling of seeing them grow.
- JD warns you that it's a tragedy and she delivers in the best way.
The loss of a star:
- The spice is always a bit much for me, but always makes sense in terms of the plot. Maybe one day I'll be a spicy reader lol.
Overall, if you are a spicy romantasy reader, you need to read all of JD's books. Again, I'd recommend reading this third. But that's just my opinion.
The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
4.5/5 Stars
Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and Yume for the advanced reader copy of this book!
General Description:
Maya Hoshimoto used to be an intergalactic thief. However, now she's in college, so she's changed her way. However, one object that would take her out of retirement would be the Stardust Grail, an object that her friend Auncle could use to have children and create nodes (the intergalactic airways). When a journal from a famous explorer is found, Maya feels the grail is closer than before. Then, her friend Auncle reappears and Maya knows it's time to officially find the grail. However, the government wants the grail too. Who will get to it first?
All the goods:
- Yume is SUCH a creative. I loved the world that was built and wish I could be as creative.
- Maya is such a great main character. She's quick witted, smart, and leads with her heart which I love.
- There are some twists in this book that had my jaw on the floor.
- I would read more about the side characters and other beings in this book. I was left wanting more stories from the universe but also felt the book tied up with a bow at the end, which is a weird feeling but I was very happy with it.
The loss of a star:
- This is definitely on me as a reader, but due to me needing to essentially see a movie in my head while I'm reading. Some of the places were just very hard to imagine in my mind and it took me out of the book a bit. Maybe if I went to space it'd be easier to imagine...oops.
Overall, Yume does it again with a great sci-fi book. I feel like any sci-fi fan needs to add Yume immediately to their TBR. If you're unsure about sci-fi, I think Yume's books are also accessible enough that they are great books to introduce you to the genre.
Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and Yume for the advanced reader copy of this book!
General Description:
Maya Hoshimoto used to be an intergalactic thief. However, now she's in college, so she's changed her way. However, one object that would take her out of retirement would be the Stardust Grail, an object that her friend Auncle could use to have children and create nodes (the intergalactic airways). When a journal from a famous explorer is found, Maya feels the grail is closer than before. Then, her friend Auncle reappears and Maya knows it's time to officially find the grail. However, the government wants the grail too. Who will get to it first?
All the goods:
- Yume is SUCH a creative. I loved the world that was built and wish I could be as creative.
- Maya is such a great main character. She's quick witted, smart, and leads with her heart which I love.
- There are some twists in this book that had my jaw on the floor.
- I would read more about the side characters and other beings in this book. I was left wanting more stories from the universe but also felt the book tied up with a bow at the end, which is a weird feeling but I was very happy with it.
The loss of a star:
- This is definitely on me as a reader, but due to me needing to essentially see a movie in my head while I'm reading. Some of the places were just very hard to imagine in my mind and it took me out of the book a bit. Maybe if I went to space it'd be easier to imagine...oops.
Overall, Yume does it again with a great sci-fi book. I feel like any sci-fi fan needs to add Yume immediately to their TBR. If you're unsure about sci-fi, I think Yume's books are also accessible enough that they are great books to introduce you to the genre.
The Housemaid Is Watching by Freida McFadden
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
4.5/5 Stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for early access to one of my most anticipated reads, and it did NOT disappoint.
Note: This is the 3rd book in the series, so there will inherently be spoilers in the description/review. Scroll at your own risk!
General Description:
Millie's back, but in her mom era. With two kids and luck in the market, Millie gets her family out of a small apartment to her dream home on Long Island. However, the cul-de-sac is not what Millie expected. One neighbor relentlessly flirts with her husband to the point where Millie is shocked her husband is allowing this, while the other wants nothing to do with her and keeps her kid on a leash (literally). However, once a dead body is discovered in the cul-de-sac, Millie has to bring back her old ways to figure out how to protect her family while finding the true murderer in the cul-de-sac. Will Millie be able to do it?
All the goodies:
- The callbacks to the other two books in the series were amazing, I loved seeing some surprising characters in this novel.
- Freida is the queen of plot twists and this is on par with the twists in the other Housemaid books.
- I like the personalities of Millie's children. They really added to the story in a way I was not expecting.
- This definitely has a lot of tensions filled, creepy vibes that kept me turning the pages until I was sad it was over. Such a fast-paced book (as always with Freida).
The loss of a half-star:
- I was expecting our most intense book yet. However, I felt it was not as intense/violent as the previous books. Which made it a bit lackluster in that aspect.
Overall, if you're read the other 2 books in the series, I don't see how you could NOT want to continue!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for early access to one of my most anticipated reads, and it did NOT disappoint.
Note: This is the 3rd book in the series, so there will inherently be spoilers in the description/review. Scroll at your own risk!
General Description:
Millie's back, but in her mom era. With two kids and luck in the market, Millie gets her family out of a small apartment to her dream home on Long Island. However, the cul-de-sac is not what Millie expected. One neighbor relentlessly flirts with her husband to the point where Millie is shocked her husband is allowing this, while the other wants nothing to do with her and keeps her kid on a leash (literally). However, once a dead body is discovered in the cul-de-sac, Millie has to bring back her old ways to figure out how to protect her family while finding the true murderer in the cul-de-sac. Will Millie be able to do it?
All the goodies:
- The callbacks to the other two books in the series were amazing, I loved seeing some surprising characters in this novel.
- Freida is the queen of plot twists and this is on par with the twists in the other Housemaid books.
- I like the personalities of Millie's children. They really added to the story in a way I was not expecting.
- This definitely has a lot of tensions filled, creepy vibes that kept me turning the pages until I was sad it was over. Such a fast-paced book (as always with Freida).
The loss of a half-star:
- I was expecting our most intense book yet. However, I felt it was not as intense/violent as the previous books. Which made it a bit lackluster in that aspect.
Overall, if you're read the other 2 books in the series, I don't see how you could NOT want to continue!!
Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
General Description: Beth, Michael, and Nicole are grieving the loss of their mother. However, these siblings have not interacted with each other for at least a year, and their father disappeared 7 years prior. The tensions are already high and get worse when they discover a VHS tape from Summer 1999, which shows their father covered in blood, asking their mother to help him cover up a murder. The siblings now have to find out the truth, but they uncover more mysteries than they were anticipating. Will they be able to figure it all out?
The goods:
- These were my favorite plot twist by Jeneva ever (I know some people are saying it's predictable, I am not one of those people. Do with that information what you will).
- It was a quick read, which is appreciated when I feel like every book I read lately is about 400 pages lol.
- The layers of mystery in this book and how all the plots are closed was very nicely done.
- I appreciated the sibling relationships and how they were explored.
The loss of a star:
- I don't think this is a true thriller, but more of a tension filled mystery, which I feel like are two very different things. It was slower paced in the beginning but once I got to like 15% I did not want to put it down. I wish it was marketed as a pure mystery instead of thriller.
Overall, I feel like if you liked The Perfect Marriage, you may not like this book. However, I do think this could be your first Jeneva Rose book to determine if you'd like her other books or not.
The goods:
- These were my favorite plot twist by Jeneva ever (I know some people are saying it's predictable, I am not one of those people. Do with that information what you will).
- It was a quick read, which is appreciated when I feel like every book I read lately is about 400 pages lol.
- The layers of mystery in this book and how all the plots are closed was very nicely done.
- I appreciated the sibling relationships and how they were explored.
The loss of a star:
- I don't think this is a true thriller, but more of a tension filled mystery, which I feel like are two very different things. It was slower paced in the beginning but once I got to like 15% I did not want to put it down. I wish it was marketed as a pure mystery instead of thriller.
Overall, I feel like if you liked The Perfect Marriage, you may not like this book. However, I do think this could be your first Jeneva Rose book to determine if you'd like her other books or not.
Zero Days by Ruth Ware
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
3.5/5 Stars
General Description: Jack and her husband Gabe have made a living off of testing companies security system. However, when Jack returns home from one of these jobs and finds Gabe brutally murdered, she knows she has to find out who did it. The police believe Jack did this, but Jack knows that's on true. On the run for the truth, can Jack convince police to look elsewhere besides her and can she bring justice to Gabe's murderer?
The goods:
- I do think the action scenes were well done.
- Jack's determination to solve her husband's murder was admirable and I overall liked her as a character.
- I did think the concept and the information you learn about the technological world was extremely interesting.
- Majority of the plot twists did hit pretty hard in my opinion, especially near the end.
The loss of 1.5 stars:
- The whole star loss is because this book just felt it is dragged? I don't fully know how to explain it while listening to the audiobook because a lot was happening, but I also felt like not a lot happened. I had to make myself turn back on the audiobook to listen to it.
- For how smart Jack is, I was so disappointed she fell for one of the police's tricks and it made me not trust her characterization. It really took me out of the story early on.
Overall, I don't think this should be your first Ruth Ware book, I've seen others rave about The Woman in Cabin 10 and others, so maybe try one of those first to see if you're a Ruth Ware fan before picking up this one.
General Description: Jack and her husband Gabe have made a living off of testing companies security system. However, when Jack returns home from one of these jobs and finds Gabe brutally murdered, she knows she has to find out who did it. The police believe Jack did this, but Jack knows that's on true. On the run for the truth, can Jack convince police to look elsewhere besides her and can she bring justice to Gabe's murderer?
The goods:
- I do think the action scenes were well done.
- Jack's determination to solve her husband's murder was admirable and I overall liked her as a character.
- I did think the concept and the information you learn about the technological world was extremely interesting.
- Majority of the plot twists did hit pretty hard in my opinion, especially near the end.
The loss of 1.5 stars:
- The whole star loss is because this book just felt it is dragged? I don't fully know how to explain it while listening to the audiobook because a lot was happening, but I also felt like not a lot happened. I had to make myself turn back on the audiobook to listen to it.
- For how smart Jack is, I was so disappointed she fell for one of the police's tricks and it made me not trust her characterization. It really took me out of the story early on.
Overall, I don't think this should be your first Ruth Ware book, I've seen others rave about The Woman in Cabin 10 and others, so maybe try one of those first to see if you're a Ruth Ware fan before picking up this one.
Only If You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
General Description: Margot was supposed to be going to college with her best friend, but she died before they were able to go to college together. The death hangs over Margot her entire freshman year and she doesn't really make many friends, until the summer before sophomore year begins, and Lucy Sharpe invites Margot to live with her and two friends over the summer. Margot agrees because Lucy reminds her of her dead best friend and she wants to try to get control of her life back. However, we flash forward a year, and Lucy a missing, one of their fraternity neighbors is dead, and at the center of it is Margot and her two roommates, Sloane and Nicole. Where is Lucy? Who is the murderer in the house?
The goods:
- After the lackluster All The Dangerous Things, I felt like the plot twists were back in full force and i was engrossed in them.
- The book was fast-paced and I found myself continuously wanting to read it over other books I was reading at the time.
- I did feel like I was living in a college house next to a frat, it felt much more believable than her previous novel.
- the side characters (and side mysteries) were giving me everything I needed in this book. Even as we switched time periods, I was fully sold on all plot lines.
The loss of a half-star:
- For a stand alone, I feel like I didn't get full closure on the characters. I wish it was a bit longer and either more wrapped up, or left us with an opening to a second book.
Overall, if you were on the fence with Stacy Willingham after All The Dangerous Things, you should pick this up. She'll suck you right back in, giving you similar fillings to A Flicker In The Dark.
The goods:
- After the lackluster All The Dangerous Things, I felt like the plot twists were back in full force and i was engrossed in them.
- The book was fast-paced and I found myself continuously wanting to read it over other books I was reading at the time.
- I did feel like I was living in a college house next to a frat, it felt much more believable than her previous novel.
- the side characters (and side mysteries) were giving me everything I needed in this book. Even as we switched time periods, I was fully sold on all plot lines.
The loss of a half-star:
- For a stand alone, I feel like I didn't get full closure on the characters. I wish it was a bit longer and either more wrapped up, or left us with an opening to a second book.
Overall, if you were on the fence with Stacy Willingham after All The Dangerous Things, you should pick this up. She'll suck you right back in, giving you similar fillings to A Flicker In The Dark.
That's Not My Name by Megan Lally
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
General Description: A girl wakes up on the side of the road, with no memory of who she is. A police officer finds her and while trying to figure out who she is at the police station, her dad shows up and says she's Mary. He has all the proper documentation, photos from when she was younger, and she goes home with him. But she doesn't feel like a Mary. Drew is searching for his girlfriend Lola, even though he's the prime suspect. He stops at nothing to get lead after lead to find Lola, even if the police will do nothing. Will Drew find Lola in time? Will Mary be able to to discover who she truly is before her situation takes a turn for the worse?
ALL The goods:
- Freida McFadden Level Plot Twists. That's all.
- I loved how Mary's perspective gives us a day by day breakdown. I am not sure 100% how losing your memory works, but this felt very realistic in terms of how she got it back.
- Drew's perspective gives us a bit more action packed, fast paced view into trying to beat the clock to find his missing girlfriend.
- The book kept my interest the entire time and found myself neglecting other books to keep listening to this one because I had to get answers that badly.
- The introduction to the book is one of the best hooks I've read in a while. I was in from page one.
Overall, if you like thrillers, pick this up next. You'll want to add Megan Lally to your auto-buy authors list.
ALL The goods:
- Freida McFadden Level Plot Twists. That's all.
- I loved how Mary's perspective gives us a day by day breakdown. I am not sure 100% how losing your memory works, but this felt very realistic in terms of how she got it back.
- Drew's perspective gives us a bit more action packed, fast paced view into trying to beat the clock to find his missing girlfriend.
- The book kept my interest the entire time and found myself neglecting other books to keep listening to this one because I had to get answers that badly.
- The introduction to the book is one of the best hooks I've read in a while. I was in from page one.
Overall, if you like thrillers, pick this up next. You'll want to add Megan Lally to your auto-buy authors list.