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cathy_acasefullofbooks's reviews
2134 reviews
Drinker of Ink by Shannon Castleton
slow-paced
3.0
This book has been giving some really amazing reviews and I was so excited to jump in!
Unfortunately, for me, I never really connected to the writing style or the characters. The writing was soooooo flowery and the pacing was really slow. The overwhelming pining after the instalove first meet cute of the characters got old for me super fast and Vivienne was not very likable for me. She was super whiny and self-deprecating and it got very annoying. I don't know how her roommate kept her patience. (I get that we're reading her journal and she was writing her most intense feelings, but I wanted some other happenings included in there to break up the monotony.)
What I did like was the inclusion of the history of Yugoslavia, however brief those mentions were, and the baking and the brotherly relationship between Peter and Tilen. I wanted more of all of those things.
Unfortunately, for me, I never really connected to the writing style or the characters. The writing was soooooo flowery and the pacing was really slow. The overwhelming pining after the instalove first meet cute of the characters got old for me super fast and Vivienne was not very likable for me. She was super whiny and self-deprecating and it got very annoying. I don't know how her roommate kept her patience. (I get that we're reading her journal and she was writing her most intense feelings, but I wanted some other happenings included in there to break up the monotony.)
What I did like was the inclusion of the history of Yugoslavia, however brief those mentions were, and the baking and the brotherly relationship between Peter and Tilen. I wanted more of all of those things.
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
dark
mysterious
tense
4.0
Pretty solid thriller! It definitely kept me on my toes and I was never completely sure about what was going on until the very end.
The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon
dark
mysterious
tense
3.0
This book had an unexpected genre twist that I suspected as coming but never quite sure if it really would manifest that way or be explained another way.
Horror isn't my usual genre, but if I'm going to read it, I think this is how I'd prefer it. Not too gross and gruesome, but more atmospheric and tension filled.
Horror isn't my usual genre, but if I'm going to read it, I think this is how I'd prefer it. Not too gross and gruesome, but more atmospheric and tension filled.
The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell
fast-paced
5.0
A Great British Bake Off-like show plus a murder mystery? It truly seems like the author wrote this book just for me. 😂
The Orchids of Ashthorne Hall by Rebecca Anderson
2.0
I had a lot of issues with the pacing and I never really connected to any of the characters. It also had a strong instalove trope, which is one of my least favorite tropes. I found the whole thing to be very predictable even though it was trying to be mysterious.
*Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing for sending me a review copy of this book.*
*Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing for sending me a review copy of this book.*
Sleeping Spells and Dragon Scales by Wendy S. Swore
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
4.5
A really sweet middle grade book about a girl managing her Type 1 Diabetes and her old friend turned reluctant school project partner who can't seem to stay awake or play soccer like he used to but can't figure out why.
I loved seeing Liam and Alaina rediscover their friendship and help each other through their struggles. Their friendship was so special. I also liked the chronic illness representation and discussions surrounding them.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the fairy tale theme woven throughout, both real fairy tales and ones the students created. It added a lovely flair of magic to the story.
I was buddy reading this with my nine-year-old, but in true me-fashion as soon as I hit the halfway point I couldn't stop reading. I'm excited to hear her thoughts once she's done.
*Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and Wendy Swore for sending me an ARC and a finished copy of this book.*
I loved seeing Liam and Alaina rediscover their friendship and help each other through their struggles. Their friendship was so special. I also liked the chronic illness representation and discussions surrounding them.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the fairy tale theme woven throughout, both real fairy tales and ones the students created. It added a lovely flair of magic to the story.
I was buddy reading this with my nine-year-old, but in true me-fashion as soon as I hit the halfway point I couldn't stop reading. I'm excited to hear her thoughts once she's done.
*Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and Wendy Swore for sending me an ARC and a finished copy of this book.*
Beach Read by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A quick, fun romance. I liked that Gus and January were both authors. I liked the lake house, Michigan setting, and I liked the Taylor Swift You Belong With Me communication style. I even liked the bare bones of family drama.
I wished the family stuff had been more involved in the story. I feel like it was so lightly touched on and avoided until the very end when it was dumped in. I wish Sonya had been the story more and the family stuff had been woven throughout a little more evenly.
Content: some language, two open door scenes
I wished the family stuff had been more involved in the story. I feel like it was so lightly touched on and avoided until the very end when it was dumped in. I wish Sonya had been the story more and the family stuff had been woven throughout a little more evenly.
Content: some language, two open door scenes