cordelia_gretson's reviews
283 reviews

22 Seconds by Maxine Paetro, James Patterson

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

The 24th Hour by Maxine Paetro, James Patterson

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The 23rd Midnight by Maxine Paetro, James Patterson

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

20th Victim by James Patterson

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

21st Birthday by Maxine Paetro, James Patterson

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Unlike the last 6-10 in this series, I could actually get into the story. Could have been higher if the end didn’t rush to be done and over. Seemed unresolved 

The 19th Christmas by Maxine Paetro, James Patterson

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Remember days of the women collaborating? When a character wasn’t mentioned out of obligation and conveniently ditched for 97% of the book? When they used four bad asses collaborated to solve a case?
When it was actually the premise- WMC

The Snowball Effect by Haley Cass

emotional funny hopeful 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

5.0

Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner

emotional 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

4.5

Hot and spicy with actual developed characters with depth. On the edge of my seat waiting for them to be caught, while simultaneously wondering where they’d risk next. 

This book is a win for the WLW world. 

Fly with Me by Andie Burke

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Would have been a four star for typical fake dating formulaic writing, but the relatability of the characters (who seem more fully formed than a lot of stories), their realistic conversations in their own mind, each other, and friends bumped it the extra half star. 

Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

Actually rating it higher because I didn’t have to gag through heterosmut. The exploration of emotional baggage, PTSD, abandonment, abuse, familial deaths, untreated mental illness, fear of commitment, broken families, foster and found family is done so well - and a lot better than most fiction I’ve read. I might know what hobbies they like or what they do in their free time per se, but I felt more connected to the MCs in a way more authors fail to achieve. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, Abandonment