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bizarrebrunette's reviews
19 reviews
What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5 stars
CW: SA, using sex as a coping mechanism for trauma.
Naomi Shaw is a survivor. When she was young, she was stabbed 17 times by a serial killer. Her friends were witnesses and Naomi was rescued. Her testimony put a serial killer in prison. Several years later, this serial killer dies, so Naomi visits her small town to reunite with Cassidy and Olivia. As they talk, it's clear that lies bind them and what they say on the stand is not what played out. Is it worth digging up what happened all those years ago? or should things stay as they were?
When I started this book, I wasn't sure if I liked the writing style. There are flashbacks of the three girls in the same chapter as present-day events. I found this confusing to follow. I wish the flashbacks were their separate chapters because I think that would have been easier to follow. On top of that, it felt like as the reader, I didn't know what was going on. For most thrillers I read, it's clear what the story is and the twists come later. In this book, it's clear that the characters are holding onto secrets and sometimes things were mentioned before they were explained which felt frustrating at times. That said, once I was a third of the way through this book, I was hooked. With every chapter, more is revealed and I couldn't stop reading until I figured out what happened.
For the characters, Naomi had to grow on me. There was a moment early on in the book where I cringed on Naomi's behalf When she tried to convince Cody (who's married and a dad) to come into her motel room to sleep with her. GIRL NO. Naomi uses sex in a way that's hard to read at times. Throughout the book, I think Naomi recognizes this and with the way the events unfolded, I could see Naomi changing or seriously committing to the therapy she needs. Cass is the lighthearted one in the group, but can also be mean. The way she treats Naomi is deplorable and Naomi pushes it off as that's how she has always been. I couldn't stand Cass from the get-go. Liv is processing her trauma quietly and she seems to be with her thoughts. These three girls are friends because of that event, without it, I don't believe their friendship would have lasted. Despite this, I was fully invested in them as characters with all of their flaws.
The setting of this book was chilling. The deep, rich forests outside of Washington state. The way the girls played outside in the forest as children and where Naomi was attacked. I'd argue this book is teetering on being a horror book versus a straight-up thriller. Reading this book reminds me of a movie, but I'm hiding that behind spoiler tags Stand by Me. Persephone is the body in this book Kate Alice Marshall does an excellent job at creating this small town with its deep secrets and how this one event in Naomi's life will unearth everything which is what happens through and through.
With the reveals, I predicted some, but not others. Persephone is Jessi Walker, a waitress in the town. She was having an affair with Cass's dad who is the mayor. Jessi confronts Cass's dad and Cody, the man who saved Naomi, shows up to deal with the situation. They argue and Cody pushes Jessi who hits her head on a rock. Jessi in her delirium crawls into the cave where she dies. Cass knows all of this and leads Naomi and Liv to her body where they idolize it in their game. From there, Cass blackmails Cody with this information as she sees Cody at her dad's house panicking about Jessi's fall. Liv (pressured by Cass) stabs Naomi 17 times in a sacrifice. Cass didn't think Liv would do it, but she does. They leave her and Cody sees her and rescues her. In the showdown, Naomi leads Cody to Jessi's corpse and Naomi puts it together that Liv found out about Jessi and Cody shoots her. Cass shows up and explains to Naomi what happened that day and how Cass and Naomi lied about it. Naomi can escape and Cody takes a plea deal for his role in the crimes OH and Ethan is the serial killers' son, that one I did not put together I loved the final reveal because I thought it was so interesting. I had an inkling as to one of the characters and how there was something up about them, so the fact that I was right, I felt validated. This book is one twisty, psychological, and horrific turn and I was along for the ride.
The only grievance I have with this book that I wanted to mention is Naomi. The way sex was described in this book made me uncomfortable. I think it can be realistic that instead of drowning your sorrows or trauma in alcohol, using sex can be a coping mechanism. As a reader, I was uncomfortable reading these portions of the book. I don't think it was wrong to include this, but I felt the book would have proceeded the same without it.
This book was heavy, I feel like I need to watch an animated movie after reading this book. I need a breather from thrillers after reading this one.
CW: SA, using sex as a coping mechanism for trauma.
Naomi Shaw is a survivor. When she was young, she was stabbed 17 times by a serial killer. Her friends were witnesses and Naomi was rescued. Her testimony put a serial killer in prison. Several years later, this serial killer dies, so Naomi visits her small town to reunite with Cassidy and Olivia. As they talk, it's clear that lies bind them and what they say on the stand is not what played out. Is it worth digging up what happened all those years ago? or should things stay as they were?
When I started this book, I wasn't sure if I liked the writing style. There are flashbacks of the three girls in the same chapter as present-day events. I found this confusing to follow. I wish the flashbacks were their separate chapters because I think that would have been easier to follow. On top of that, it felt like as the reader, I didn't know what was going on. For most thrillers I read, it's clear what the story is and the twists come later. In this book, it's clear that the characters are holding onto secrets and sometimes things were mentioned before they were explained which felt frustrating at times. That said, once I was a third of the way through this book, I was hooked. With every chapter, more is revealed and I couldn't stop reading until I figured out what happened.
For the characters, Naomi had to grow on me. There was a moment early on in the book where I cringed on Naomi's behalf
The setting of this book was chilling. The deep, rich forests outside of Washington state. The way the girls played outside in the forest as children and where Naomi was attacked. I'd argue this book is teetering on being a horror book versus a straight-up thriller. Reading this book reminds me of a movie, but I'm hiding that behind spoiler tags
With the reveals, I predicted some, but not others.
The only grievance I have with this book that I wanted to mention is Naomi. The way sex was described in this book made me uncomfortable. I think it can be realistic that instead of drowning your sorrows or trauma in alcohol, using sex can be a coping mechanism. As a reader, I was uncomfortable reading these portions of the book. I don't think it was wrong to include this, but I felt the book would have proceeded the same without it.
This book was heavy, I feel like I need to watch an animated movie after reading this book. I need a breather from thrillers after reading this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Critical Role: Bells Hells — What Doesn't Break by Cassandra Khaw
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 stars
"What doesn't break can always bloom."
CW: Abuse, violence.
Critical Role: Bells Hells is a prequel novel that follows Laudna, a sorcerer/warlock before Critical Role's third campaign starts. The book details how Laudna met The Briarwoods, waking after being hung from The Sun Tree, and how she interacts with Delilah.
OOF, this was a heavy read. Laudna was one of my favorite characters from Bells Hells, so when I heard about this book, I knew I wanted to read it when it was released. This book does not hold back in Launda's brutality The beginning is about Laudna attending dinner with The Briarwoods. There is a lot of detail about Laudna, seeing her dead parents and being killed. While I wouldn't say the descriptions are graphic, it is enough that I found reading this part mildly upsetting. I'm not saying that as a critique because I think if you're going to tell Laudna's story, it's setting up Delilah to be the villain. My favorite moments from the book were the beginning and the end. I thought it was interesting to get more of a timeline for when Laudna heard Delilah in her head and the ending leads right into where campaign #3 begins. I loved the Imogen reveal and how Imogen protects Laudna from the mob of people.
In the middle part of this book, I felt the pace slowed considerably. It felt like things were being repeated over and over again Laudna shows up in an area, she does something, she's chased out of the town. I get it because Laudna looks like a walking corpse, but can there be more to the story than that? There were things I would have loved to see included in this book that weren't I would have loved to see more of Laudna and who she was as a person. I liked reading about the sections where Laudna would take care of affairs when a person died. I think that's interesting! It gives Laudna more personality and what motivates her. I understand this was meant to be a short story, but I wish this would have been longer and focused less on Laudna's connection with Delilah, but what motivates Laudna and what she was up to before the campaign began.
I liked this and I'm glad I read it. I could see myself re-reading or relistening to this before I rewatch campaign #3.
"What doesn't break can always bloom."
CW: Abuse, violence.
Critical Role: Bells Hells is a prequel novel that follows Laudna, a sorcerer/warlock before Critical Role's third campaign starts. The book details how Laudna met The Briarwoods, waking after being hung from The Sun Tree, and how she interacts with Delilah.
OOF, this was a heavy read. Laudna was one of my favorite characters from Bells Hells, so when I heard about this book, I knew I wanted to read it when it was released. This book does not hold back in Launda's brutality
In the middle part of this book, I felt the pace slowed considerably. It felt like things were being repeated over and over again
I liked this and I'm glad I read it. I could see myself re-reading or relistening to this before I rewatch campaign #3.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Gaslighting
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
dark
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
5.0
5.75 stars
For a New Year's Eve trip, several friends rent a lodge in the middle of the wilderness. Emma, Mark, Samira, Gilles, Nick, Bo, Miranda, Julien, and Katie reunite to reminisce about their days attending Oxford together. A few days later, one of them is found dead. Meanwhile, Heather and Doug who work at The Lodge are trying to find the missing guest. The Hunting Party is told from both the past and the present before converging into the pinnacle reveal of who killed whom.
The Hunting Party feels like the training wheels book. The Hunting Party walked, so The Guest List and The Paris Apartment could run. This book felt slower than her other books. I struggled to connect with the characters at first and it wasn't until a few connections were dropped that I was invested, but it took till page 200 before I got there. I felt there were a few red herrings and dropped plot points that I wish would have tied into the story. The Ripper. I wanted the serial killer to be a part of this at least. At first, I thought Iain was the killer, but no, he was transporting drugs. It felt random, why would The Lodge need to be dealing drugs? I felt this wasn't explained well and was random. The serial killer exists to provide another motive for who killed Miranda, but I felt there was plenty of that from the friend group itself. It would have been interesting if the serial killer was also a part of the friend group. I think it would have been fascinating to have this friend you have known for decades be capable of that. I thought it was odd that Emma only got four years for killing Miranda. Emma also attempted to shoot Katie, so not sure why Emma wouldn't have gotten more years in prison. With that said, I liked the hunting party aspect. This book reminded me of This is Our Story by Ashley Elston which is essentially the YA version of this book. I liked both books for what they were as they both created this setting of "friends go hunting and one of them dies." It makes for the perfect mystery.
The characters all sucked, yet here I am invested in the drama. I knew there was something about Katie, but man, she really sucks. Katie having sex with Miranda's husband, Julien. All because Katie was jealous of Miranda's beauty. Absolutely not. I did not empathize with her at all. Katie could have become her own person and distanced herself from Miranda, but no, she sleeps with her husband. Straight to friend jail for you. There's Emma, who seems to want to be accepted by everyone else despite being the newest in the group. Emma is obsessed with Miranda and wants to be her. It's revealed she is the stalker that Miranda was referencing. Emma is the one who kills Miranda in the end after Miranda calls her a psycho. With thrillers, I don't mind reading books where I hate everybody. It's nice to root for someone, but also, I'm okay with just diving into the chaos of this friend group. There were plenty of motives amongst the friend group as to who would have the motive to kill someone else. I felt there was enough going on where I didn't put two and two together until closer to the end which was a nice surprise. I will say, Heather and Doug were great. They were probably the most noble or the characters that were actually good. Heather's grief with losing her husband in a fire and Doug's PTSD from his days in the military. Those two deserve each other and I hope they end up together which is heavily implied in the end.
Of all the Lucy Foley books I read, this was my least favorite. With that said, it was still enticing to read and I think it's clear when I read Lucy's other books, that there is a vast improvement in the story and how to juggle multiple character perspectives. The Hunting Party was well worth the read.
For a New Year's Eve trip, several friends rent a lodge in the middle of the wilderness. Emma, Mark, Samira, Gilles, Nick, Bo, Miranda, Julien, and Katie reunite to reminisce about their days attending Oxford together. A few days later, one of them is found dead. Meanwhile, Heather and Doug who work at The Lodge are trying to find the missing guest. The Hunting Party is told from both the past and the present before converging into the pinnacle reveal of who killed whom.
The Hunting Party feels like the training wheels book. The Hunting Party walked, so The Guest List and The Paris Apartment could run. This book felt slower than her other books. I struggled to connect with the characters at first and it wasn't until a few connections were dropped that I was invested, but it took till page 200 before I got there. I felt there were a few red herrings and dropped plot points that I wish would have tied into the story.
The characters all sucked, yet here I am invested in the drama. I knew there was something about Katie, but man, she really sucks.
Of all the Lucy Foley books I read, this was my least favorite. With that said, it was still enticing to read and I think it's clear when I read Lucy's other books, that there is a vast improvement in the story and how to juggle multiple character perspectives. The Hunting Party was well worth the read.
The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
2 stars
In 1977, Beth Greer was tried and acquitted for the murder of two men. Beth continued to live in Claire Lake, Oregon where the crimes occurred. Currently, Shea Collins is a writer for a True Crime website. She's written extensively about the Lady Killer case, which Beth was linked to. After meeting Beth in a chance encounter, Shea asks her for an interview and is surprised when Beth says yes. Will Shea finally solve this infamous case and did Beth do it?
After reading The Book of Cold Cases, I can't help but feel disappointed. I had been anticipating that this would be a fast-paced thriller and that's not what this book was. While Shea researches this case, she feels a strange presence in the house which reveals that there are ghosts in the house. I wasn't a fan of this if I'm honest. If you removed the ghosts from the story, the book for the most part would have been the same, so it felt unnecessary. On top of that, if I'm going to read a book with ghosts, I want to feel scared and I never felt that way while reading this.
Regarding the characters, they didn't stand out to me. Shea lives a life that's mostly isolated based on her childhood Shea was almost kidnapped at 9 years old and when she escaped, her kidnapper killed another little girl instead. I would have liked more character development with Shea. She exists in this story, but there's nothing memorable about her. It would have been interesting to hear why she created her blog and what motivates her to do what she does. Shea was supposed to be important to the story because she meant to put the pieces together, but there was nothing developed about her. This book is story-driven which is fine, however, I like thrillers with a good balance between building the story and developing detailed characters.
With how everything plays out, I can't help but feel underwhelmed. Beth has a half-sister named Lily who murdered the two men. I thought the two men would somehow relate to the story, but they didn't. It's not explained why Lily is the way she is. Why does she kill these men? There's no rhyme or reason for why Lily does what she does. The author hints at this with Lily's history and how her mother was SAed by a man and Lily later kills the man who did this to her mother. I didn't think that was a strong enough link as to why Lily did this. I found that to be aggravating. I felt certain plot points were dropped or I thought would be more important to the story and they weren't. It was a bit frustrating. Towards the end of the book, I was more reading this book to finish it, but not because I cared about what would happen. The climax of the book was Shea battling Lily as a ghost. It wasn't compelling at all.
The Book of Cold Cases was simply not my taste. I like thrillers and I like ghost stories, but I don't need them to be combined into one book. Simone St. James as an author may not be for me.
In 1977, Beth Greer was tried and acquitted for the murder of two men. Beth continued to live in Claire Lake, Oregon where the crimes occurred. Currently, Shea Collins is a writer for a True Crime website. She's written extensively about the Lady Killer case, which Beth was linked to. After meeting Beth in a chance encounter, Shea asks her for an interview and is surprised when Beth says yes. Will Shea finally solve this infamous case and did Beth do it?
After reading The Book of Cold Cases, I can't help but feel disappointed. I had been anticipating that this would be a fast-paced thriller and that's not what this book was. While Shea researches this case, she feels a strange presence in the house which reveals that there are ghosts in the house. I wasn't a fan of this if I'm honest. If you removed the ghosts from the story, the book for the most part would have been the same, so it felt unnecessary. On top of that, if I'm going to read a book with ghosts, I want to feel scared and I never felt that way while reading this.
Regarding the characters, they didn't stand out to me. Shea lives a life that's mostly isolated based on her childhood
With how everything plays out, I can't help but feel underwhelmed.
The Book of Cold Cases was simply not my taste. I like thrillers and I like ghost stories, but I don't need them to be combined into one book. Simone St. James as an author may not be for me.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship
The Spectacular by Fiona Davis
emotional
reflective
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
5 stars - all the stars.
New York City—1956. Marion is a young woman who decides to follow her dreams of auditioning to be a Rockette. Much to her father's chagrin, he would rather see her marry off and start a family. Marion loves being a Rockette and feels like she's following in her mother's footsteps, as she also wants to balance a career in the arts. In a turn of events, Marion is a witness to a bombing committed by the man known as the "Big Apple Bomber." Marion is now involved as she partners with a psychiatrist to investigate and stop future bombings.
I LOVED this book. I am not sure why I was sleeping on Historical Fiction as a genre. This was the first book I read by Fiona Davis and definitely not the last. I like the way Fiona describes New York as I felt I could picture the city full of life in my mind. When Marion goes to work, dances in her shows, and takes the subway when she has to, I thought about who she was and what her life looked like. I think this imagery is crucial in Historical Fiction because if I don't feel involved with the story, why bother to continue reading?
Regarding the characters, I liked reading about Marion and her struggles. Marion is aloof and naive. She says things that feel privileged and once she goes into the city, she realizes how sheltered her life was. I felt for Marion because her struggles felt real. She was torn between the life she wanted and what her father desperately wanted for her. Her father was aggressive in the way that she wanted to live her life which pushed her away. It was true to the period, but I felt for her. I truly despised her father and found it difficult to feel sorry for him Simon did not provide evidence as to the bomber's identity as he hid files from former employees. On top of that, Simon was aggressive in his approach to Marion and told her she had to leave the house if she went to the city. When Marion did, Simon was shocked. HELLO! You were the one who asked her to leave. Marion grew throughout the book and her decisions toward the end were selfless taking care of her father when he reveals his Parkinson's diagnosis. She knows how poorly he treated her and it could have been easy to cut him out of her life, but she didn't. The level of maturity that Marion showed is admirable. OH, and Simon threatened to have full custody of the children, both Marion and Judy when Lucille wanted a career on broadway. This man was the worst Marion was a character I was rooting for and I wanted her to follow her dreams.
It's not often that books make me think, but The Spectacular got to me. I thought about my own life and how I had a choice. I could go off to college or travel. I think back to my mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother's generations and how there was a role women had to fill. It makes me sad. I feel fortunate to have all the experiences I have had knowing that women didn't always get the option. I think about the romance in the story and how realistic it felt. Marion and Peter ended up not being together for 36 years. Peter ended up working for the FBI in Virginia while Marion stayed in New York. Peter was scared that he would develop schizophrenia and didn't want Marion to have to take care of him. Both Marion and Peter had their own dreams and while it was heartbreaking that they didn't get to be together, they ended up having a moment toward the end of the book. It shows that some may experience the "one who got away" but also how two people may need to go their own way even though it may be devastating. There's so much to talk about with this book and I didn't even go into how corporate greed plays into this as well.
The Spectacular was so good and will be a go-to recommendation to friends and family. I'm going through Fiona's other books and adding them to my shelf as a reminder to read her other books.
New York City—1956. Marion is a young woman who decides to follow her dreams of auditioning to be a Rockette. Much to her father's chagrin, he would rather see her marry off and start a family. Marion loves being a Rockette and feels like she's following in her mother's footsteps, as she also wants to balance a career in the arts. In a turn of events, Marion is a witness to a bombing committed by the man known as the "Big Apple Bomber." Marion is now involved as she partners with a psychiatrist to investigate and stop future bombings.
I LOVED this book. I am not sure why I was sleeping on Historical Fiction as a genre. This was the first book I read by Fiona Davis and definitely not the last. I like the way Fiona describes New York as I felt I could picture the city full of life in my mind. When Marion goes to work, dances in her shows, and takes the subway when she has to, I thought about who she was and what her life looked like. I think this imagery is crucial in Historical Fiction because if I don't feel involved with the story, why bother to continue reading?
Regarding the characters, I liked reading about Marion and her struggles. Marion is aloof and naive. She says things that feel privileged and once she goes into the city, she realizes how sheltered her life was. I felt for Marion because her struggles felt real. She was torn between the life she wanted and what her father desperately wanted for her. Her father was aggressive in the way that she wanted to live her life which pushed her away. It was true to the period, but I felt for her. I truly despised her father and found it difficult to feel sorry for him
It's not often that books make me think, but The Spectacular got to me. I thought about my own life and how I had a choice. I could go off to college or travel. I think back to my mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother's generations and how there was a role women had to fill. It makes me sad. I feel fortunate to have all the experiences I have had knowing that women didn't always get the option. I think about the romance in the story and how realistic it felt.
The Spectacular was so good and will be a go-to recommendation to friends and family. I'm going through Fiona's other books and adding them to my shelf as a reminder to read her other books.
Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
0.25 star
I'm a Grinch. This is the 2nd Holiday Romance I have tried to read from Tessa Bailey and I think that's it for me. I'm sorry, but Aidan hiring Stella without doing a background check is irresponsible, who cares though since Stella's hot and goth am I right? I'm all for second chances and I do believe Stella deserves it, but Aidan should have at least asked her first.
With this book being only 248 pages, everything felt rushed. Aidan meeting Stella, it seems like he was obsessed with her and not in a good way. There needed to be more build-up between the two of them for me to feel that they were great together. By the end of the book, I was just glad that I didn't have to read about them anymore.
I think another letdown for me was the plot points that were dropped. For example, Stella's friend Nicole showing up in her life again could have been interesting. The idea of peer pressure from friends or having a friend in your life that's toxic. Stella and Nicole have 1 conversation that's so short. They both went to prison together and they have one conversation on half of a page, seriously?
I never want to hear the phrases "milk me" or "gorgeous buns" in any smut book ever again. If you think I'm kidding, I'm not. This is the first book I have read where I visibly cringed when I read about Aidan and Stella getting it on and that's not a good thing.
I am glad this is over, so I can read anything else.
I'm a Grinch. This is the 2nd Holiday Romance I have tried to read from Tessa Bailey and I think that's it for me. I'm sorry, but Aidan hiring Stella without doing a background check is irresponsible, who cares though since Stella's hot and goth am I right? I'm all for second chances and I do believe Stella deserves it, but Aidan should have at least asked her first.
With this book being only 248 pages, everything felt rushed. Aidan meeting Stella, it seems like he was obsessed with her and not in a good way. There needed to be more build-up between the two of them for me to feel that they were great together. By the end of the book, I was just glad that I didn't have to read about them anymore.
I think another letdown for me was the plot points that were dropped. For example, Stella's friend Nicole showing up in her life again could have been interesting. The idea of peer pressure from friends or having a friend in your life that's toxic. Stella and Nicole have 1 conversation that's so short. They both went to prison together and they have one conversation on half of a page, seriously?
I never want to hear the phrases "milk me" or "gorgeous buns" in any smut book ever again. If you think I'm kidding, I'm not. This is the first book I have read where I visibly cringed when I read about Aidan and Stella getting it on and that's not a good thing.
I am glad this is over, so I can read anything else.
Icebreaker by Hannah Grace
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
3.5 stars (rounded up to 4)
Anastasia (Stassi) Allen dreams about being an Olympic Figure Skater. Between her college classes at UNC Maple Hills, she trains with her skating partner, Aaron, to qualify. Nate Hawkins is the captain of the UNC Maple Hills hockey team. His dream is to get drafted into the NHL after college graduation. When an incident shuts down the extra arena, Stassi and Nate must share it, much to Stassi's chagrin. Stassi originally wanted nothing to do with Nate, but she couldn't deny their amazing chemistry on and off the ice.
I was on the fence with this series. I read Wildfire earlier this year and it was okay. I didn't want to give up on the series until I read Icebreaker. I enjoyed Icebreaker a lot more than I enjoyed Wildfire. I liked how skating was the backdrop of the series. I'm biased since I'm a figure skater, so I felt the setting and plot were interesting. Regarding the characters, I loved Nate. Nate and Russ had a lot of similarities. Nate was genuinely a good person and treated Stassi well. He fell head over heels for her; it was so cute to read about.
One thing I'm realizing about this series is that there's always going to be a degree of immaturity with the female leads. I preferred Stassi versus Aurora for a variety of different reasons. However, Stassi would get on my nerves at times Stassi trying to convince Nate to have sex with her when she was drunk. Calling herself an "Uber Slut" on Nate's phone. I think Stassi thinks she has her life figured out, but in reality, she's insecure about herself. This feels on point for a 21-year-old college student. I try to put that into perspective when I read this series.
Icebreaker redeemed this series for me and I can't wait to read the third book which focuses on Henry. I'm here for the smut and this series delivers, that's for sure.
Anastasia (Stassi) Allen dreams about being an Olympic Figure Skater. Between her college classes at UNC Maple Hills, she trains with her skating partner, Aaron, to qualify. Nate Hawkins is the captain of the UNC Maple Hills hockey team. His dream is to get drafted into the NHL after college graduation. When an incident shuts down the extra arena, Stassi and Nate must share it, much to Stassi's chagrin. Stassi originally wanted nothing to do with Nate, but she couldn't deny their amazing chemistry on and off the ice.
I was on the fence with this series. I read Wildfire earlier this year and it was okay. I didn't want to give up on the series until I read Icebreaker. I enjoyed Icebreaker a lot more than I enjoyed Wildfire. I liked how skating was the backdrop of the series. I'm biased since I'm a figure skater, so I felt the setting and plot were interesting. Regarding the characters, I loved Nate. Nate and Russ had a lot of similarities. Nate was genuinely a good person and treated Stassi well. He fell head over heels for her; it was so cute to read about.
One thing I'm realizing about this series is that there's always going to be a degree of immaturity with the female leads. I preferred Stassi versus Aurora for a variety of different reasons. However, Stassi would get on my nerves at times
Icebreaker redeemed this series for me and I can't wait to read the third book which focuses on Henry. I'm here for the smut and this series delivers, that's for sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder
Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
4.5 stars
Successful filmmaker, Guy Howard, was 10 when his step-father, Luke Ryder was murdered. The murder has gone unsolved for close to 20 years. Guy decides enough is enough and partners with a TV producer to launch a six-episode series reinvestigating the crime. Guy wants the truth, that's all that matters to him. In six episodes, readers will become hyperfocused on the crime, the secrets, and who could gain from Luke's death. Can you solve the crime or are you simply along for the ride?
This is unlike any book I have ever read. Murder in the Family reminds me of a read-along version of one of those "Hunt a Killer" boxes. Instead of being written like a typical book, there are news articles, images, and other illustrated clues throughout the story. Most of the dialogue is from the TV episode scripts of the six experts they have hired to help investigate. I wasn't expecting this when I originally picked up the book, but I loved it and would love to read more thrillers in this format.
As for the story, I was immediately hooked. It's not often that I stay up till midnight reading a book. I finished this book in a few days and towards the end of the day, I couldn't wait to pick up this book and continue where I left off. Any book that feels addicting will automatically be a book that I rate highly even if I'm not a fan of how the story plays out.
With that said, I liked the first half of the story. The first reveal was a jaw-dropper.Luke Ryder wasn't Luke Ryder at all. He was a con man. Born Jonah McKenna, he faked his death in Canada. From there, he took on the identity of Eric Fulton, a man murdered in New York. Finally, he met the real Luke Ryder in Beirut when a car bomb went off. Luke died, but Eric took on Luke's identity. I was not expecting that and it added so much to the mystery of who could have killed him. It changed the original investigation and opened up new motives for why someone would want Luke dead. I felt the second half of the book and the killer reveals to be lackluster in comparison. So you think that fake Luke would have someone from his past who killed him? Oh no, Guy as a 10-year-old killed Luke for no other reason than he hated him? Guy has no recollection of this. His sister, Amelie, covered it up. There's no point in writing that Luke is a Con Man if he ends up being murdered by a family member. It felt like a waste of a reveal to me. I mentioned the similarity between this book and the "Hunt a Killer" boxes. I have completed some of the "Hunt a Killer" boxes where the killer reveal seems out of place and I'd put Murder in a Family in that category.
The characters aren't the focus, yet they end up playing a big role in the end. I felt this to be a bit implausible as well as forced. All 6 investigators have a connection to the case. Bill is a PI who knew Luke Ryder wasn't Luke Ryder before the show was filmed. Alan's sister was conned by the fake Luke. Those 2 connections were fine, the others, not so much. Mitchell was having sex with Maura, Guy's sister when she was underage. Hugo was having an affair with Caroline, Luke's wife, and Guy's mom. Laila's brother was killed by a drunk driver who was believed to be killed by the real Luke before his identity was stolen. Finally, JJ is believed to have been Caroline's son before she had Guy. I think it was interesting that some of the investigators had information about the crime, I don't think they all had to be involved, it got to be too much OH and on top of that, I can't believe Hugo wouldn't admit that he had an affair with Caroline. The investigation focused on "Caroline's Mystery Man" and he didn't think to come out and be honest. C'mon. All the connections to the original crime were a bit much towards the end.
I'm glad I read this! I thought this was a fast read and I looked forward to reading this book to figure out what truly happened to Luke. If this author writes more books in this format in the future, I'd read them in a heartbeat.
Successful filmmaker, Guy Howard, was 10 when his step-father, Luke Ryder was murdered. The murder has gone unsolved for close to 20 years. Guy decides enough is enough and partners with a TV producer to launch a six-episode series reinvestigating the crime. Guy wants the truth, that's all that matters to him. In six episodes, readers will become hyperfocused on the crime, the secrets, and who could gain from Luke's death. Can you solve the crime or are you simply along for the ride?
This is unlike any book I have ever read. Murder in the Family reminds me of a read-along version of one of those "Hunt a Killer" boxes. Instead of being written like a typical book, there are news articles, images, and other illustrated clues throughout the story. Most of the dialogue is from the TV episode scripts of the six experts they have hired to help investigate. I wasn't expecting this when I originally picked up the book, but I loved it and would love to read more thrillers in this format.
As for the story, I was immediately hooked. It's not often that I stay up till midnight reading a book. I finished this book in a few days and towards the end of the day, I couldn't wait to pick up this book and continue where I left off. Any book that feels addicting will automatically be a book that I rate highly even if I'm not a fan of how the story plays out.
With that said, I liked the first half of the story. The first reveal was a jaw-dropper.
The characters aren't the focus, yet they end up playing a big role in the end. I felt this to be a bit implausible as well as forced.
I'm glad I read this! I thought this was a fast read and I looked forward to reading this book to figure out what truly happened to Luke. If this author writes more books in this format in the future, I'd read them in a heartbeat.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
January is one of my least favorite months. It's dark, snowy, and depressing. Part of why I chose to read The Guest List is that it seemed to be a darker thriller. The Guest List immediately captured my attention. I wanted to read The Guest List any time I had free time and spent my entire Friday night reading half the book in one sitting. I loved the Guest List and even though I did guess one of the bigger reveals early on, it was still so satisfying to see that I was right.
A wedding party flocks to a remote, Irish island. The wedding is breathtaking until someone is murdered. As the story progresses, secrets are revealed, and everyone seems to have ulterior motives.
One reason I loved The Guest List is the setting. The wedding takes place on this remote Irish island with a chapel, house, and lavish tents are set up to house guests. There's a small Celtic cemetery located nearby giving this island a haunted feel to it. I took pauses while reading The Guest List to imagine the island in my mind. The setting for me helped solidify the story and made me want to continue reading.
There were several perspectives to read from. Usually, I'm not a fan of this because it becomes too many characters to hear from, however, Lucy Foley does a great job balancing all the characters. Out of all the character perspectives, I felt drawn to Hannah especially. Hannah (plus-one) was the best. I love how protective she felt over Olivia and how Olivia reminded her of her sister Alice. Hannah is an outsider to the wedding party especially because she comes from a working-class background. Hannah seems like a cool person who's down to have fun, however, she's subjected to this wedding and being there because of her husband Charlie being best friends with the bride, Jules. Hannah was the character I was rooting for. Besides Hannah, I liked seeing Hannah bonding with Olivia. Olivia is Jule's half-sister.
The big reveal as mentioned above was something I ended up predicting about halfway through the book. In some cases, I can become disappointed if I predict a book's plot, although, in The Guest List, I was more excited to see how everything came together. There was a smaller reveal that felt more shocking to me.
As far as the ending to The Guest List, I thought it wrapped everything up while also leaving a few loose ends. It wasn't enough to feel that there was a glaring plot hole, but enough for me to think about what could happen after The Guest List ended
The Guest List was everything I wanted in a thriller: an intriguing setting, a sprinkling of characters to root for and characters you would like to see burn, and a few twists throughout. I don't have anything bad to say about The Guest List. If anything I wish I had read this earlier!
A wedding party flocks to a remote, Irish island. The wedding is breathtaking until someone is murdered. As the story progresses, secrets are revealed, and everyone seems to have ulterior motives.
One reason I loved The Guest List is the setting. The wedding takes place on this remote Irish island with a chapel, house, and lavish tents are set up to house guests. There's a small Celtic cemetery located nearby giving this island a haunted feel to it. I took pauses while reading The Guest List to imagine the island in my mind. The setting for me helped solidify the story and made me want to continue reading.
There were several perspectives to read from. Usually, I'm not a fan of this because it becomes too many characters to hear from, however, Lucy Foley does a great job balancing all the characters. Out of all the character perspectives, I felt drawn to Hannah especially. Hannah (plus-one) was the best. I love how protective she felt over Olivia and how Olivia reminded her of her sister Alice. Hannah is an outsider to the wedding party especially because she comes from a working-class background. Hannah seems like a cool person who's down to have fun, however, she's subjected to this wedding and being there because of her husband Charlie being best friends with the bride, Jules. Hannah was the character I was rooting for. Besides Hannah, I liked seeing Hannah bonding with Olivia. Olivia is Jule's half-sister.
The big reveal as mentioned above was something I ended up predicting about halfway through the book. In some cases, I can become disappointed if I predict a book's plot, although, in The Guest List, I was more excited to see how everything came together. There was a smaller reveal that felt more shocking to me.
As far as the ending to The Guest List, I thought it wrapped everything up while also leaving a few loose ends. It wasn't enough to feel that there was a glaring plot hole, but enough for me to think about what could happen after The Guest List ended
The Guest List was everything I wanted in a thriller: an intriguing setting, a sprinkling of characters to root for and characters you would like to see burn, and a few twists throughout. I don't have anything bad to say about The Guest List. If anything I wish I had read this earlier!