emlawley's reviews
75 reviews

The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young

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emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was a really interesting book. It’s not the usual genre I would choose, fantasy, but I really enjoyed the story and was intrigued by what was happening to June. I found the story quite sad and heart-wrenching in places and didn’t love the ending as it left things feeling a bit unresolved. I also found some of the descriptions of the various timelines and time travel elements a bit confusing at times which detracted from my enjoyment of the story. 
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

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

4.0

This is the first novel by Christina Lauren that I’ve read and I really enjoyed it! The depth of the characters and the character progression really surprised me as it’s not a given in novels of this genre and it added to how much I enjoyed it. Just sexy enough for me without being too graphic, OTT or dismissive of women’s pleasure. 
Hatchet Hill by David J. Gatward

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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

4.5

This was Gatward back at his best! I loved the vulnerability Gordy showed again in this book and learning more about her again. I couldn’t wait to find out what had happened and enjoyed how the investigation unfolded. Unlike some of Gatward’s other books where I’ve been able to guess the culprit, I wasn’t able to this time which is a big bonus for me. 
The Black Loch by Peter May

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

2.0

After loving the Lewis Trilogy I was excited that a fourth book was added to the series. Sadly I was left disappointed - while I enjoyed some of the flash backs to Finn’s childhood as it explained some of the previous plot points, I found the story quite slow-moving and I didn’t like any of the characters. I had to really “push through” to finish the book. Overall, a bit disappointing. 
The Tasting Menu: A Short Story by Stuart MacBride

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 35%.
Despite liking Macbride’s other books, when The Twist was revealed in this story I found it completely ridiculous and couldn’t bring myself to read any more of it!