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chloek608's reviews
245 reviews
Lying About Last Summer by Sue Wallman
Skye confronts her past by visiting her old house and swimming in the pool. While she’s there she uncovers her old neighbour and friend, Toby, was the one sending her the messages pretending to be Luisa. She eventually forgives him as he misses her sister as much as she does.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
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
3.0
I recommend this book if you like:
-YA teen
-mystery
-dealing with bereavement
-YA teen
-mystery
-dealing with bereavement
Skye has witnessed a tragic event where a drug dealer killed her sister. Now Skye’s parents have sent her to a bereavement camp where she bonds with other children who can relate to her. Fay is her naive, young roommate and Danielle is the wild roommate. Skye bonds with Brandon and confides in him that she has been receiving messages from her dead sister. But does that mean she is still alive or is someone messing with her? Skye suspects Joe, the creepy, overpowering ‘friend’ who wants to know too much about her past and ends up taking Fay under his wing.
The story takes an unforeseen turn and Fay has written a suicide note and disappeared with some tablets onto an island in the middle of the lake. Thankfully Skye goes to save her and her swimming past comes in incredibly helpful when Joe appears to sabotage her rescue. Joe pushes the kayaks away, leaving Skye the only option of swimming across with Fay to get her to safety.
All in all, this story was an easy read despite the heavy topics. It wasn’t overly memorable unfortunately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Grief, and Suicide attempt
As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson
adventurous
dark
informative
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? Yes
5.0
I recommend this book if you like:
-the first 2 books (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and Good Girl, Bad Blood)
-an amazing, intricate, well thought out thriller
-YA mystery
This book plot was insanely good! I cannot recommend enough! I actually think this third installment of the trilogy is the best out of the three and they were all fantastic. This has easily made my favourites list.
Pip has a stalker, a potential serial killer. But he's locked up in prison, right? So is she imagining things? Looking for clues that aren't there? Pip isn't the same girl she once was, before the previous two books. She's seen things, heard things, been through events that are tough to forget, impossible to leave in the past.
Pip received messages, who will look for you when you disappear? Pip wasn't sure at first but comes to an answer during the book; her boyfriend Ravi, her family and friends.
She gets abducted by the Duct Tape (DT) Killer. She goes through a horrific experience of being tied up and left in a work garage. Pip manages to escape, climb shelving, break a window and get to the forest before Jason Bell returns to kill her.
Pip makes a choice, she returns to the garage to finish him off, takes a hammer to his head nine times; overkill. But now she's the murderer.
Here comes the mind blowing, detailed plan on how to get away with murder. Slow down rigour mortis, delay the time of death and then get an airtight alibi. All which she achieves with the help of her boyfriend and friends. She uses a cars air con then heater to artificially control the effects of death on the body.
It goes one step further. Implicate and set up Max Hastings, the local drug dealer and rapist. Plant evidence at the scene to make him go down.
It all nearly unravelled due to a stray pair of headphones found in Jason Bell's bedroom. A trophy he had stored to remember his 6th victim to be. But thankfully Ravi stepped in with an explanation which was believed.
Pip moved away from home and went to uni and had to cut contact from all her friends and Ravi. In case the trial didn't go the way they planned, she needed to ensure the ones she loved didn't get into trouble.
After a long wait, the trial ended and Max was found guilty. Ravi immediately messaged Pip. That's where the story ended.
Pip thought right and wrong was so explicit. Black or white. She discovered first hand that there are many shades of grey and that sometimes the truth should stay hidden.
-the first 2 books (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and Good Girl, Bad Blood)
-an amazing, intricate, well thought out thriller
-YA mystery
This book plot was insanely good! I cannot recommend enough! I actually think this third installment of the trilogy is the best out of the three and they were all fantastic. This has easily made my favourites list.
Pip has a stalker, a potential serial killer. But he's locked up in prison, right? So is she imagining things? Looking for clues that aren't there? Pip isn't the same girl she once was, before the previous two books. She's seen things, heard things, been through events that are tough to forget, impossible to leave in the past.
She gets abducted by the Duct Tape (DT) Killer. She goes through a horrific experience of being tied up and left in a work garage. Pip manages to escape, climb shelving, break a window and get to the forest before Jason Bell returns to kill her.
Pip makes a choice, she returns to the garage to finish him off, takes a hammer to his head nine times; overkill. But now she's the murderer.
Here comes the mind blowing, detailed plan on how to get away with murder. Slow down rigour mortis, delay the time of death and then get an airtight alibi. All which she achieves with the help of her boyfriend and friends. She uses a cars air con then heater to artificially control the effects of death on the body.
It goes one step further. Implicate and set up Max Hastings, the local drug dealer and rapist. Plant evidence at the scene to make him go down.
It all nearly unravelled due to a stray pair of headphones found in Jason Bell's bedroom. A trophy he had stored to remember his 6th victim to be. But thankfully Ravi stepped in with an explanation which was believed.
Pip moved away from home and went to uni and had to cut contact from all her friends and Ravi. In case the trial didn't go the way they planned, she needed to ensure the ones she loved didn't get into trouble.
After a long wait, the trial ended and Max was found guilty. Ravi immediately messaged Pip. That's where the story ended.
Pip thought right and wrong was so explicit. Black or white. She discovered first hand that there are many shades of grey and that sometimes the truth should stay hidden.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
3.0
I recommend this book if you like:
-the first Shadow and Bone book
-fantasy and action
-romance drama
This book unfortunately felt like 'filler' material. Not much happened yet you couldn't skip the book and read the last one as new important characters are introduced.
Strumhond aka Nikolia saves Alina and Mal from the Darkling during a fight at sea. What we realise later is he is the Prince of Ravka.
Overall the pace was slow for me but good character development. It will be good to see this on screen, especially the last epic battle.
-the first Shadow and Bone book
-fantasy and action
-romance drama
This book unfortunately felt like 'filler' material. Not much happened yet you couldn't skip the book and read the last one as new important characters are introduced.
Overall the pace was slow for me but good character development. It will be good to see this on screen, especially the last epic battle.
Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
adventurous
lighthearted
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
4.0
I recommend this book if you like:
-YA contemporary
-friendship focus
-summer slow burn romance
Emily embarks the summer without her best friend by her side. Sloane has disappeared and all she's left Emily is a summer to do list.
Emily reflects on her friendship in this book and we see glimpses of the past. Emily makes new friends and has many adventures crossing things off the list as she goes.
Her new found friendships are nice to read and especially with Frank. Emily learns a lot this summer. She realises sometimes going out of her comfort zone can lead to good things and feeling brave. She needs to widen her friendship circle. How friendships can go as quickly as they come. Not to judge people before getting to know them.
-YA contemporary
-friendship focus
-summer slow burn romance
Emily embarks the summer without her best friend by her side. Sloane has disappeared and all she's left Emily is a summer to do list.
Emily reflects on her friendship in this book and we see glimpses of the past. Emily makes new friends and has many adventures crossing things off the list as she goes.
Her new found friendships are nice to read and especially with Frank. Emily learns a lot this summer. She realises sometimes going out of her comfort zone can lead to good things and feeling brave. She needs to widen her friendship circle. How friendships can go as quickly as they come. Not to judge people before getting to know them.
Side Trip by Kerry Lonsdale
adventurous
emotional
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
3.0
I recommend this book if you like:
-Multiple POV
-Forbidden romance
-Working through loss, guilt and grief
-Multiple POV
-Forbidden romance
-Working through loss, guilt and grief
This story was unexpectedly good. I liked the main characters, they both had their demons to face and in the end they were able to help each other out.
Joy is engaged but embarks on a solo road trip along Route 66 to fulfil her dead sister’s bucket list. We later learn why Joy is so set on completing her sister’s life goals, due to guilt about the car accident.
Joy is intrigued by Dylan, the hitchhiking musician. She doesn’t expect to develop such strong feelings for him and neither did he. He was so sure that musicians aren’t able to love and settle down (bad advice from his uncle).
This book flips between timelines: before, after and now. The ending has me confused as there seemed to be two different endings. The one in ‘after’ was sad and emotional where after Joy and Dylan parted ways they never saw each other again. The ending in ‘now’ was spontaneous, risky and joyous.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Car accident
Moderate: Miscarriage
Normal People by Sally Rooney
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I recommend this book if you like:
-New Adult
-Contemporary
-Character driven plot
The writing style was annoying at first with the lack of speech marks but I got used to it. I liked how the chapters jumped a good bit forward in time so we could follow Connell and Marianne for about 5 years. Nothing much happens really, I wouldn't say it is the greatest story. Although it briefly covers hard topics like wealth divide, navigating friendships and relationships, university, bullying, domestic abuse, depression and fitting into society.
I'm now interested to watch the tv show.
-New Adult
-Contemporary
-Character driven plot
The writing style was annoying at first with the lack of speech marks but I got used to it. I liked how the chapters jumped a good bit forward in time so we could follow Connell and Marianne for about 5 years. Nothing much happens really, I wouldn't say it is the greatest story. Although it briefly covers hard topics like wealth divide, navigating friendships and relationships, university, bullying, domestic abuse, depression and fitting into society.
I'm now interested to watch the tv show.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
A Lie for a Lie by Helena Hunting
I was upset the couple had no way to get in touch when Rook had to leave the island in a hurry. When they had the lucky run in at the aquarium it is really unbelievable but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I had twigged on to what ‘lie’ Lainey had and was overjoyed that she gave RJ a second chance.
RJ stepped up to look after Lainey and their son. He really was a great boyfriend, then fiancé and then husband! Very nice feel good happy every after!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
3.0
I recommend this book if you like:
-heavy romance
-insta-love and rich man trope
-ice hockey player storyline
-heavy romance
-insta-love and rich man trope
-ice hockey player storyline
I enjoyed reading RJ and Lainey’s story but it would be a forgettable read. It was easy to get right into this story and there was great character development which gets you invested in the characters. I enjoyed the settings and obstacles.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mass/school shootings
Logging Off by Nick Spalding
funny
inspiring
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
2.0
I recommend this book if you like:
-contemporary
-comedy
-a little romance
-contemporary
-comedy
-a little romance
Andy has to remove the internet from his life due to his latest health problems. No more social media, Ubers and Googling in general. How will he survive?
This was an ok read for me. It isn’t my usual genre and to be honest I just wanted to make it to the end. Although, some points made about a technology free life (or less social media) were very valid. My favourite message from the book is not to take people you ‘follow’ on Instagram too seriously. Don’t get too invested as you think you know them but you really don’t. Don’t let technology get in the way of living your life. I particularly liked the part with Lucas La Fort. It was like an episode of Catfish!
Some of the comedy is a bit try hard for my liking.
You'll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I recommend this book if you like:
-YA mystery
-Multiple POV
-slight romance sub-plot
Another well planned YA mystery from Karen M. McManus. Her ability to write a plot with twists, clues and cliff-hangers is amazing. This story kept me guessing right to the end.
Boney was Ivy, Cal and Mateo’s classmate and they found him dead in an art studio. The trio try to uncover what happened to him and find clues along the way. This story involved drug dealers, high school teachers, family members and it all unfolded over the course of one day. At the very end we get to see a little bit into the future. Not everything is tied up into a nice little bow at the end, there is still a court case to happen and Mateo’s dad has a complicated plot twist.
The only reason for not giving this book 5 stars is I wasn’t as invested in the characters as I would have liked. Their voices throughout each chapters weren’t unique enough and I had to keep checking if it was Mateo or Cal speaking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, and Murder
Rushed by Aurora Rose Reynolds
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I recommend this book if you like:
-NA adult romance
-light-hearted reading
-a bit of adventure
This is an easy read and a nice book to read after something heavy.
This book was ok, not fantastic but the story was alright. I didn’t feel much connection or depth with the characters, but I still enjoyed following Cybil on her adventure.
Cybil went on a couples retreat on her own (her fiancé dumped her with no reason). Cybil gets partnered with host Tanner and there’s an obvious attraction.
There is a side story in this book about Cybil getting lost and spotting a crime involving an elk and honestly that part is probably my favourite!
-NA adult romance
-light-hearted reading
-a bit of adventure
This is an easy read and a nice book to read after something heavy.
This book was ok, not fantastic but the story was alright. I didn’t feel much connection or depth with the characters, but I still enjoyed following Cybil on her adventure.
Cybil went on a couples retreat on her own (her fiancé dumped her with no reason). Cybil gets partnered with host Tanner and there’s an obvious attraction.
There is a side story in this book about Cybil getting lost and spotting a crime involving an elk and honestly that part is probably my favourite!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy