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bmyurs's reviews
272 reviews
Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes
funny
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
5.0
The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!
Overall I think this book was trying to do too much- the storyline was fine; Jane spends the summer uncovering the past history of a house from her hometown and in the process uncovers some hidden history about her own family's origins on the island. The author though tried to pull in all sorts of other topics ( environmental impact of colonization, Native American and white relations, the spiritualist movement) that just felt forced within the overall plot. She tried tying them into Jane's storyline, but there were times when it felt like I was reading a Wikipedia article on the topic instead; for me it just bogged the story line down. If you can breeze past those points, and enjoy a slow burn of a plot with no real bag or twist at the end, then this might be the book for you.
Overall I think this book was trying to do too much- the storyline was fine; Jane spends the summer uncovering the past history of a house from her hometown and in the process uncovers some hidden history about her own family's origins on the island. The author though tried to pull in all sorts of other topics ( environmental impact of colonization, Native American and white relations, the spiritualist movement) that just felt forced within the overall plot. She tried tying them into Jane's storyline, but there were times when it felt like I was reading a Wikipedia article on the topic instead; for me it just bogged the story line down. If you can breeze past those points, and enjoy a slow burn of a plot with no real bag or twist at the end, then this might be the book for you.
The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
3.75
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!
I've read many other books by Larson in the past, and this continues in the same stream as his others. Focused on the window of time leading up to the beginning of the Civil War (For Sumter), it centers in on a few parallel story lines- a debutante in Charleston, Major Anderson station at Fort Sumter, Lincoln and his cabinet, and a few southern rebels pushing for secession. It took awhile to get into the book (and to keep the various stories straight); once you get past that point, then it's smooth sailing from there. I have a background in American History and have studied the Civil War a lot; there were still nuggets of information in Larson's book that were new to me which was nice. Appreciate that he didn't just focus on the big stars of the story (Lincoln et.al.)- he gave equal time to to everyday people who lived and witnessed these events.
I've read many other books by Larson in the past, and this continues in the same stream as his others. Focused on the window of time leading up to the beginning of the Civil War (For Sumter), it centers in on a few parallel story lines- a debutante in Charleston, Major Anderson station at Fort Sumter, Lincoln and his cabinet, and a few southern rebels pushing for secession. It took awhile to get into the book (and to keep the various stories straight); once you get past that point, then it's smooth sailing from there. I have a background in American History and have studied the Civil War a lot; there were still nuggets of information in Larson's book that were new to me which was nice. Appreciate that he didn't just focus on the big stars of the story (Lincoln et.al.)- he gave equal time to to everyday people who lived and witnessed these events.
This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
emotional
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.75
One in a Millennial: On Friendship, Feelings, Fangirls, and Fitting In by Kate Kennedy
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
The Medici Heist by Caitlin Schneiderhan
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Thanks to NetGalley and McMillian Children's for an ACR copy of this book.
Overall - 2 stars. Gosh this book had so much potential. It's essentially a historical version of Ocean's 11, so I had really high hopes. It took me a long time to get into the book- there were a lot of characters and constant changes in POV, which made it hard to sort out who was who. This is written for a youth audience, and it definitely hit that mark with it's tone, dialogue, and plot line. I just kept forcing myself to keep reading on thinking things would all of a sudden come together and the plot would sudden get better, but it never did.
Overall - 2 stars. Gosh this book had so much potential. It's essentially a historical version of Ocean's 11, so I had really high hopes. It took me a long time to get into the book- there were a lot of characters and constant changes in POV, which made it hard to sort out who was who. This is written for a youth audience, and it definitely hit that mark with it's tone, dialogue, and plot line. I just kept forcing myself to keep reading on thinking things would all of a sudden come together and the plot would sudden get better, but it never did.
One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book.
In this sophomore novel by Jamie Day, a set of sisters (and a few random staff) are trapped in their father's hotel during a hurricane as they sort out who will take the inheritance. Is it dark? yes, both literally and metaphorically. Is it twisty? yes, some of the twists I suspected and others really threw me off. Did it fully capture my attention? Eh. Was I riveted to keep moving onto the next chapter? Not really.
The characters are all varieties of awful- and not in a "gosh I want to see them get their comeuppance" but they fell flat for me- I didn't really care what happened to any of them. Not as good as Day's first novel, which I liked much better. This plot also all happens over the course of a single weekend, and has a bit of a whodunnit vibe, which I think put me off. Overall 2.75 stars.
In this sophomore novel by Jamie Day, a set of sisters (and a few random staff) are trapped in their father's hotel during a hurricane as they sort out who will take the inheritance. Is it dark? yes, both literally and metaphorically. Is it twisty? yes, some of the twists I suspected and others really threw me off. Did it fully capture my attention? Eh. Was I riveted to keep moving onto the next chapter? Not really.
The characters are all varieties of awful- and not in a "gosh I want to see them get their comeuppance" but they fell flat for me- I didn't really care what happened to any of them. Not as good as Day's first novel, which I liked much better. This plot also all happens over the course of a single weekend, and has a bit of a whodunnit vibe, which I think put me off. Overall 2.75 stars.
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!
Lucy Foley has done it again- a dark and twisty tale of when rich people make terrible choices (and the consequences for everyone around them). The book (like many others by Foley) is told in multiple perspectives, giving an air of deception on how everyone is related to one another. Everyone has gathered at a new posh resort, but not everyone will leave alive.
Reading this book gave me a modern take on Agatha Christie novels- there's specific roles that each person plays, and it's a whodunnit to sort out how everyone knows one another, and who is actually the murderer. Compared to other Foley books I was able to predict sooner who was responsible, but that didn't make me like this book any less. In fact I liked this one better than the Paris Apartment, or the Hunting Party!
Would recommend for anyone else who has read her books, likes a modern take on Agatha Christie murder mysteries, or enjoys authors like Rachel Hawkins or Ellery Lloyd.
Lucy Foley has done it again- a dark and twisty tale of when rich people make terrible choices (and the consequences for everyone around them). The book (like many others by Foley) is told in multiple perspectives, giving an air of deception on how everyone is related to one another. Everyone has gathered at a new posh resort, but not everyone will leave alive.
Reading this book gave me a modern take on Agatha Christie novels- there's specific roles that each person plays, and it's a whodunnit to sort out how everyone knows one another, and who is actually the murderer. Compared to other Foley books I was able to predict sooner who was responsible, but that didn't make me like this book any less. In fact I liked this one better than the Paris Apartment, or the Hunting Party!
Would recommend for anyone else who has read her books, likes a modern take on Agatha Christie murder mysteries, or enjoys authors like Rachel Hawkins or Ellery Lloyd.