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bobinsbooknook's reviews
218 reviews
What a Way to Go by Bella Mackie
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
If I had to sum up this book in a few words it would be: predictable, boring and flat.
The only props I’ll give this book is I enjoyed the nod and slight tie in to Mackie’s other book “How to kill your family” … but otherwise it was a flop.
I couldn’t find a single character POV I enjoyed as they all felt very much the same, self-serving and snobby. I’d argue the vast majority is just people complaining out the ‘hardships’ of being rich and bitching about their family with predictable secrets.
I can’t say there was a single plot point that felt worth the wait or was surprising in anyway - except maybe the very end which was actually more disappointing than what I had hoped!
This pseudo-reality of purgatory felt poorly executed and just a lazy way to add humour and narrate stories that would have been more interesting if told by a POV in the situation rather than just watching.
Overall I feel this book tried too hard to be humorous and get the reader to hate these characters … that it completely forgot to build any character to root for or a plot to grip.
The only props I’ll give this book is I enjoyed the nod and slight tie in to Mackie’s other book “How to kill your family” … but otherwise it was a flop.
I couldn’t find a single character POV I enjoyed as they all felt very much the same, self-serving and snobby. I’d argue the vast majority is just people complaining out the ‘hardships’ of being rich and bitching about their family with predictable secrets.
I can’t say there was a single plot point that felt worth the wait or was surprising in anyway - except maybe the very end which was actually more disappointing than what I had hoped!
Overall I feel this book tried too hard to be humorous and get the reader to hate these characters … that it completely forgot to build any character to root for or a plot to grip.
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
As my first book by Leigh Bardugo, I definitely fell in love with her writing style and prose.
The 16th century Spain setting was perfectly written. Enchanting and incredibly atmospheric, the settings was brilliantly executed , though sadly for me the plot itself just didn’t quite hit the mark. I do feel a vast majority of the book is spent setting the atmosphere over progressing the plot itself which did slow down the book and weaken my reading experience.
Whilst I enjoyed the heroine over course of the book, the romance interactions between her and the MMC felt superficial and I couldn’t get invested in it. Without this investment I felt the ending lacked the impact it aimed to delivery sadly.
In places where the plot became more invested in the magic aspects I found myself hooked but do feel this was slightly more watered down than I would have hoped for. Personally, had this book focused more on the magic element and the trials and betrayal within that over the hidden religious aspects it could have been a stronger read.
Overall not a bad read, just felt like this author fell in love with the setting and world building and didn’t deliver the same attention to the plot itself.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.5
There is a lot to love about this book; the characters, the plot and writing were incredibly well done and hard to fault.
For me, the real strength of this book lays with the writing juxtaposition between the gaming aspects of the characters and relationships in contrast to the reality of their lives and bonds. I loved how the various games depicted the change in the characters needs - particularly the pioneer chapter.
The characters themselves were never meant to be perfect but their imperfections made them feel very real and stirred a lot of emotions throughout the book Marx death and Sam’s phantom limb pain broke my heart! . Sam and Sadie’s bond continuously shifted in form but still felt very strong in any case. The history for these characters really made them come to life!
My only critique is in some places the book did start to dry up and slow down and some sub-characters felt half baked (E.g Zoe, Ant and Simon). I wish they had padded out more and get a stronger story around the impact they had on the main characters.
Overall a read that has a lot to love and provides a unique perspective to enjoy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Xenophobia
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Evidentially this book must be the classic marmite conundrum… you either love it or hate it, and sadly I fall into the latter. I had hoped to love this book as it had recieved such high praise. Had it not been one of my 25 books to read in 2025, I would honestly would have DNF’d.
Whilst the food aspect of this book was well written , both rich and mouthwatering, sadly it completely watered down the plot and the pacing of the story itself as it was just so detailed.
The plot for the first 50% of the book didn’t have enough for me to ‘sink my teeth into’ as it progressed slowly. Where I had hoped for a rich dark crime dive story … instead it was a more of a reflective piece of the misogyny and fat-phobia within Japanese culture. I absolutely tried to get on board with this reflective view but found the points to be drawn out and repetitive without adding any new depth to it.
I feel had this book been condensed down significantly perhaps it would have been more impactful … sadly just not for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Toxic friendship
Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan
challenging
dark
fast-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
4.0
As my first legal-drama story, I found myself quickly engrossed in the story. Particularly with a gritty plot centred around the abuse of privilege and women at the mercy of powerful men.
I am surprised this doesn’t have a higher rating on StoryGraph, my only assumption would be that people are comparing it to the TV series which I haven’t yet watched.
Sarah’s writing created a great air of suspense and intrigue with a clever plot and interesting characters. I was particularly incredibly engrossed in the court case cross examination as it created an intense atmosphere and had me on tender hooks… I was actually holding my breath waiting for the final verdict!
The writing style does move between POVs and timelines frequently, but after quickly working out the interconnection between characters it was relatively easy to follow.
My only critique is that in places the storyline felt a bit too 'neat' for my preference and wish it had been a bit more dramatic.
Definitely worth a read but please note the story is centred around the theme of rape in explicit detail and therefore may not be suitable for all readers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Death, Drug use
Happy Place by Emily Henry
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
3.5
It’s been a little while since I’ve picked up a ‘cookie-cutter’ Rom-com book, and whilst it took a bit of time to embrace the cheesy dialogue … I found myself actually quite enjoying the book and smiling along with it.
The plot itself wasn’t anything special or groundbreaking and i’m not that keen on the miscommunication trope. That being said, in this case it was an ‘easy-to-accept’ approach as the miscommunication it’s could be quite understandable in the circumstance … even if a bit annoying and did feel a bit drawn out and diluted the plot in places.
I think the real highlight of this book was the characters themselves! I really enjoyed the way each relationship of friendship, family and lovers were written as they grow and changed over time… and in doing so how this was reflected in each characters own personal development - and visa versa.
For me this was a one day easy-read book which had moments which made me giggle and think fondly of my own friends and family … though nothing overly special about the book to warrant a higher rating in my opinion, still one I enjoyed.
The plot itself wasn’t anything special or groundbreaking and i’m not that keen on the miscommunication trope. That being said, in this case it was an ‘easy-to-accept’ approach as the miscommunication it’s could be quite understandable in the circumstance … even if a bit annoying and did feel a bit drawn out and diluted the plot in places.
I think the real highlight of this book was the characters themselves! I really enjoyed the way each relationship of friendship, family and lovers were written as they grow and changed over time… and in doing so how this was reflected in each characters own personal development - and visa versa.
For me this was a one day easy-read book which had moments which made me giggle and think fondly of my own friends and family … though nothing overly special about the book to warrant a higher rating in my opinion, still one I enjoyed.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
challenging
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Sadly this book was a total flop for me, had it not been chosen as a buddy read I would have DNF’d.
My biggest gripe with this book is how the writing felt almost like reading a shopping list! Just a recount of events without any emotional depth or key development points attachment to them. Especially when getting to the end I genuinely feel like Frieda isn’t any different to before.
Additionally the writing felt so disjointed, this sedated slow paced writing with random snippets of graphic sexual references was jarring and didn’t add anything to the book at all.
The premise of a school could have been pushed so much further. This book felt like it missed so many possible opportunities to create interesting hooks … - Could Freida of fallen in love with a woman? Could the bad mothers rioted? Could she have stolen her robot baby? … all could of been so much more interesting. Instead I feel like this book relied so heavily on a half baked concept with a lack of any intriguing plot points for me.
Overall a really disappointing read for me across the board.
My biggest gripe with this book is how the writing felt almost like reading a shopping list! Just a recount of events without any emotional depth or key development points attachment to them. Especially when getting to the end I genuinely feel like Frieda isn’t any different to before.
Additionally the writing felt so disjointed, this sedated slow paced writing with random snippets of graphic sexual references was jarring and didn’t add anything to the book at all.
The premise of a school could have been pushed so much further. This book felt like it missed so many possible opportunities to create interesting hooks … -
Overall a really disappointing read for me across the board.
To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Really disappointed on all counts for this book. Feels like such a let down for the Bridgerton book series and if I wasn’t adamant on finishing the series I likely would have DNF’d.
Firstly the character of Sir Philip was downright unlikeable, which really set up any romance plot to fail for me. I refuse to believe he really changed as a character in any significant way throughout the book and made every situation out like HE was the victim. Quite insufferable to read.
With Eloise, I feel like her character had so much promise to be witty and charming and instead felt like most of the time depicted as just condescending and refuse to believe a character like her would ever enjoy the company of Sir Philip.
Whilst I did enjoy the dynamics between the kids and Eloise and the Bridgerton brothers making an appearance - most interactions (and their writing) felt repetitive and flat!
Outside of the characters - a huge issue for me was the lack of depth in the more impactful plot points - The Suicide, Benedict and Sophie’s son being ill, the abusive Crain family history and onto the abusive nurse - all could of been such pivotal or emotional moments and just felt like a one chapter mention without any true depth. I mean the fact we don’t get any real depiction of this year long correspondence stirring up any form of romance between the two is baffling!
Overall very meh, and sincerely hope the Netflix series takes LOTS of creative liberties away from the book to make it at least somewhat interesting!
Firstly the character of Sir Philip was downright unlikeable, which really set up any romance plot to fail for me. I refuse to believe he really changed as a character in any significant way throughout the book and made every situation out like HE was the victim. Quite insufferable to read.
With Eloise, I feel like her character had so much promise to be witty and charming and instead felt like most of the time depicted as just condescending and refuse to believe a character like her would ever enjoy the company of Sir Philip.
Whilst I did enjoy the dynamics between the kids and Eloise and the Bridgerton brothers making an appearance - most interactions (and their writing) felt repetitive and flat!
Outside of the characters - a huge issue for me was the lack of depth in the more impactful plot points -
Overall very meh, and sincerely hope the Netflix series takes LOTS of creative liberties away from the book to make it at least somewhat interesting!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Child abuse
All Bleeding Stops: Life and Death in the Trauma Unit by Stephen M. Cohn
informative
fast-paced
2.0
Whilst I enjoy a medical memoir, perhaps trauma surgery isn’t the right fit for me.
This book has lots of case stories but they all felt half finished and didn’t have any emotional depth to them. Having finished the entire audio book can’t say there were any that stuck out or made an impression.
I understand this is likely a reflection of the nature of being a trauma surgeon dealing with emergent cases and putting emotions completely aside to do a job like this. Though commendable and understandable - from a readers perspective it made it all feel quite robotic and impersonal.
Not a bad medical memoir per-say - I just think it really wasn’t executed in a way for me as a reader outside of the medical profession to enjoy sadly.
This book has lots of case stories but they all felt half finished and didn’t have any emotional depth to them. Having finished the entire audio book can’t say there were any that stuck out or made an impression.
I understand this is likely a reflection of the nature of being a trauma surgeon dealing with emergent cases and putting emotions completely aside to do a job like this. Though commendable and understandable - from a readers perspective it made it all feel quite robotic and impersonal.
Not a bad medical memoir per-say - I just think it really wasn’t executed in a way for me as a reader outside of the medical profession to enjoy sadly.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Fearful this book would be an overhyped and unsure how a 550+ historical fiction on nazi Germany could keep me engaged… my god am I kicking myself now for not picking it up sooner!!
The story alone was incredibly moving and filled to the brim with such loveable and complex characters. I fell in love with all the characters and how they each develop and shape throughout the book. The relationships which develop between so many of the characters felt so natural and well written with brilliant plot points.
The writing style was executed perfectly. The narration choice from this character of death was flawless and created such a unique perspective which was both charming and harrowing in all the best ways! The prose created such poetic quotes and kept me hooked on every single page!
The fact that even though the story explicit tells us the death of key characters way before they happen - it doesn’t detract from the impact of their death. If anything it created this bittersweet reading experience where as you continue to fall in love with the characters you know they’re set to die!
Not only can I not fault this book, but it is without doubt one of THE best books I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Will be a go-to for future recommendations and will absolutely be rereading in future.
The story alone was incredibly moving and filled to the brim with such loveable and complex characters. I fell in love with all the characters and how they each develop and shape throughout the book. The relationships which develop between so many of the characters felt so natural and well written with brilliant plot points.
The writing style was executed perfectly. The narration choice from this character of death was flawless and created such a unique perspective which was both charming and harrowing in all the best ways! The prose created such poetic quotes and kept me hooked on every single page!
Not only can I not fault this book, but it is without doubt one of THE best books I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Will be a go-to for future recommendations and will absolutely be rereading in future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Xenophobia, Death of parent, War
Minor: Suicide, Abandonment