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ellieb_reads's Reviews (186)
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Dolly Alderton delivers again! Everything I Know About Love was my favorite read last year, so I was so excited to pick up Good Material from the library, but also a little nervous it wouldn’t measure up. While it wasn’t the perfect 5 stars I gave to her memoir, this book was a really great read. Andy’s post-breakup meltdown is completely relatable and manages to be both hilarious and heart-wrenching. I was impressed with the book’s ability to make me feel empathy for Andy, who is kind of insufferable, and that it did so without making Jen the villain. My favorite part of the book was the end, hearing Jen’s perspective on the relationship and her struggle to fit herself into the traditional “get married, have kids” box because everyone else in her life is on that path. I adored this section, and it made me wish that the book had alternated between Andy and Jen’s voices throughout instead of just the end. I found Jen’s much more compelling and would have loved for that to be a bigger part of the narrative. I also think Andy’s short-lived rebound didn’t really add to the story. You could have lifted that entire section from the book and I don’t think it wouldn’t have been missing anything. Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and I’ll continue to evangelize for Dolly Alderton’s work!
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
This book was a phenomenal read. The stories are told from the perspectives of a witness to one attack and a victim of another, and the book never gives the killer a name, just calling him The Defendant. I loved that the book centered the stories of the women instead of sensationalizing the serial killer. The reader is repeatedly reminded that The Defendant is nothing special - he’s not that smart, he’s not that charming, he’s not that good-looking. This book very effectively demonstrates how the fanfare surrounding murderers like Ted Bundy as brilliant and lethal serves primarily to excuse the men in law enforcement who ignore the women asking for their help. The story was full of infuriating examples of this, and I found it equal parts thriller and heartbreaker. I thought the writing was excellent, the pacing was great, and the characters were well-developed and easy to get invested in. Highly recommend this one, and I’m looking forward to reading more from Jessica Knoll.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
This book was rather slow and full of unlikeable characters, and it took me a while longer to read because I just wasn’t excited to pick it up. In a few sections, I found it much more engaging, and I’m giving 3 stars instead of 2 because I did actually enjoy the mystery and was surprised (albeit a little confused) by the big twist. But I found it overall very imbalanced. There were parts that dragged on and gave so much unnecessary detail, and there were parts that were so unclear that I had to re-read a paragraph to figure out what had happened. Also the epilogue apparently contains a spoiler for The Silent Patient, which I haven’t yet read, and now might just skip it - which is a shame since I’ve heard it’s excellent. I didn’t hate The Fury, but I don’t think I’d recommend it either.
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
This book was so beautiful and heartbreaking and exactly what I expect from a Kristin Hannah. The novel is split into two parts, our main character Frankie’s time in Vietnam and her return home, and it’s hard to say which part of the story was more harrowing. Hannah’s description of Frankie’s experiences with PTSD were so deeply felt that I wished I could reach through the book to hug her. My one complaint was the writing of the romances (and if I’m honest, this does make it a 4.9 instead of a full 5 stars for me). One in particular just felt very soap opera-esque, and I found the conclusion bordering on corny. But that’s a minor gripe, and perhaps they didn’t sit right for me because the most important relationship in the book is Frankie’s connection with the other nurses she meets in Vietnam. Female friendship is the star of this novel, and I did most of my crying over the parts including Barb and Ethel. Overall, I highly recommend The Women, and get your tissues ready!
I was so far finding this entertaining until we reached the fourth host, and the author decides to launch into some absolutely revolting fatphobia. After three pages solely focused on saying really vile things about the host’s body which did nothing to move the story forward, I’m done. I won’t rate because I only read 75 pages, but this was an easy DNF. Gross.
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
I really loved this one. The mystery had me hooked from the very beginning, but I also appreciated the digressions from it. Sometimes with books like these, the characters solve the puzzle unrealistically quickly. This one stretches over months, and it makes additional stories out of the characters’ lives in the interim. I loved Martha (kind of hilarious to me that most of the negative reviews mention not liking her and also say “I’m a feminist but…” LOL). Her challenges as a midwife were fascinating to read about, and I loved her relationship with her husband. The story was emotional and heartbreaking without being graphic about women’s trauma. It was a little longer than was probably necessary, but I couldn’t put it down. An excellent historical fiction inspired by a real woman who cared for other women? Sign me up.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
This is my second Kiley Reid, and just like in Such a Fun Age, Come & Get It has well-developed, complicated, fascinating characters. I found the college setting very compelling, and I enjoyed what some might call mundane details that painted the picture of life in Belgrade Dorm. The book tackled themes like class, race, and sexuality in ways that I really appreciated, primarily focused on micro-aggressions and stereotypes. But as much as I enjoyed the characters, the plot left a lot to be desired. There just wasn’t much happening in this novel, and I continued reading waiting for *something* to happen. When the only major event finally occurred, there was very little left in the book, and the conclusion was really disappointing. I also didn’t love some of the quirks in the dialogue. Do people really ask “What was that?” when responding to someone so often?! Reid is a super talented author, and I don’t recall having any problem with dialogue in her previous book, but I struggled a bit with this one. All that said, Come & Get It was still a pleasant read, and I’ll be excited to try out the author’s next book!
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
This just wasn’t for me. This is more horror than thriller, which is not my cup of tea, and I honestly only finished it because I can’t leave scary things without a conclusion. I generally enjoy an unreliable narrator, but this one was unreliable to the point of serious confusion about what’s going on in the book. The writing didn’t feel very creative, and I HATED the ending. I think my favorite things about the book were the cover art and the fact that it was quite short. Seems like I might be an outlier with this take, but it’s a no from me.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I had such high hopes for this one, with a synopsis that promised a book that “traces the fault lines of race, gender, sexuality, and power under empire.” But I didn’t feel those topics were explored in any real depth. There are many instances of overt (and I’m guessing common in the early 1900s) racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. These are always unpleasant to read, but especially so when they go unchallenged by other characters or unexamined by the narrative like I felt they did in The House of Doors. The book’s descriptive language about the setting in Penang was beautiful, and Tan Twan Eng is clearly a talented writer. The historical content about revolution in China was also interesting, if a little academic. But I found both main characters really boring, particularly Lesley who does the bulk of the narrating. Ultimately, I found myself just trying to power through this one so I could start something new.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
The ending made me SO mad, but I still have to give this 5 stars. It's full of loose ends not tied up, but that does kind of suit the tone of the book, which is very mysterious and twisty. I’m not terribly well-versed on Shakespeare, so this read required a little side googling to understand some of the content, but I actually found that entertaining. The characters were captivating, the writing was fantastic, and the story kept me guessing. Very dark academia vibes, and another book that felt hard to put down.