Take a photo of a barcode or cover
hayleygatenby's reviews
397 reviews
The Vegetarian by Han Kang
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was a bit of fun. I flew through it and really loved the way it had short chapters and flip flopped between podcast episodes and what was currently happening. I helped give a lot of perspective so we didn’t get stuck in Lucy’s mind the whole time.
Lucy as a character was hilarious, she was snarky and sassy and I found myself laughing or being amused multiple times throughout.
I really loved Lucy’s grandma, what a bloody woman.
Ben was actually very well written and I liked the amount of nuance he had when it came to who to believe when he found out new information.
I didn’t think it was particularly suspenseful or mysterious, I would call this a beach read rather than a thriller even though it deals with murder and domestic violence (which sounds very strange!) it just didn’t take itself seriously at all I found? Lots of the time we were spent with Lucy trying to remember what happened which isn’t necessarily very riveting (and she also makes many silly decisions along the way and seems kinda like she just says yolo to everything haha) which took away from what might have been mysterious.
I do appreciate that it really delved into people and men not believing woman and what that means for a society as a whole, and what makes something self defence especially in terms of domestic abuse (fighting back) and violent men who are angry they got rejected (also fighting back) there was a depth as well as a lightness but it wasn’t mysterious. I wasn’t flipping pages to find out what happened I was flipping pages cos I was thoroughly enjoying being inside this small town with lots of unreliable people.
Lucy as a character was hilarious, she was snarky and sassy and I found myself laughing or being amused multiple times throughout.
I really loved Lucy’s grandma, what a bloody woman.
Ben was actually very well written and I liked the amount of nuance he had when it came to who to believe when he found out new information.
I didn’t think it was particularly suspenseful or mysterious, I would call this a beach read rather than a thriller even though it deals with murder and domestic violence (which sounds very strange!) it just didn’t take itself seriously at all I found? Lots of the time we were spent with Lucy trying to remember what happened which isn’t necessarily very riveting (and she also makes many silly decisions along the way and seems kinda like she just says yolo to everything haha) which took away from what might have been mysterious.
I do appreciate that it really delved into people and men not believing woman and what that means for a society as a whole, and what makes something self defence especially in terms of domestic abuse (fighting back) and violent men who are angry they got rejected (also fighting back) there was a depth as well as a lightness but it wasn’t mysterious. I wasn’t flipping pages to find out what happened I was flipping pages cos I was thoroughly enjoying being inside this small town with lots of unreliable people.
This Winter by Alice Oseman
Very cute! Was pretty much exactly what it was like in the show and I love Heartstopper for that
If You Tell Anyone, You're Next by Jack Heath
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This was solid - a lot of people said it reminded them of AGGGTM but I honestly think our MC Zoe was a bit more badass hahaha.
It was pretty unrealistic but it’s also a fun YA thriller so what are you gonna do? The cast of characters were pretty well fleshed out but I didn’t really care a hell of a lot for them or necessarily get excited about the twists.
It was super fast past and kind of addicting though with short chapters that make you wanna keep turning pages.
It was pretty unrealistic but it’s also a fun YA thriller so what are you gonna do? The cast of characters were pretty well fleshed out but I didn’t really care a hell of a lot for them or necessarily get excited about the twists.
It was super fast past and kind of addicting though with short chapters that make you wanna keep turning pages.
None of This is True by Lisa Jewell
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I had a lot of fun with this and read it over a weekend.
It was dark and weird and I liked how much depth came from Josie’s character. The rest of the characters could possibly have been fleshed out a little more but overall everyone played their role well.
The writing style is simple, but twisty and convincing and speedy, makes you want to keep turning pages.
I’m surprised that we didn’t truly get an “ending” as such but there was a quote in the book along the lines of true crime never really having an ending so I can see where that’s coming from. Even at the end we have no idea who to believe
I listen to a bit of true crime via my husband and this read exactly like one of those wild twisty ones that scare you when you’re listening to them driving at night hahah.
Loved the formatting, with the flash backs, looking into the future, podcast episodes, news casts ect, kept the pace of the book nice and light.
It didn’t make me gasp or really feel surprise but it was a lot of fun and I would read another one of this authors books when I feel like I.need a fun phycological thriller
It was dark and weird and I liked how much depth came from Josie’s character. The rest of the characters could possibly have been fleshed out a little more but overall everyone played their role well.
The writing style is simple, but twisty and convincing and speedy, makes you want to keep turning pages.
I’m surprised that we didn’t truly get an “ending” as such but there was a quote in the book along the lines of true crime never really having an ending so I can see where that’s coming from. Even at the end we have no idea who to believe
I listen to a bit of true crime via my husband and this read exactly like one of those wild twisty ones that scare you when you’re listening to them driving at night hahah.
Loved the formatting, with the flash backs, looking into the future, podcast episodes, news casts ect, kept the pace of the book nice and light.
It didn’t make me gasp or really feel surprise but it was a lot of fun and I would read another one of this authors books when I feel like I.need a fun phycological thriller
DallerGut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
Was just a bit babyish and went nowhere. I think the translation wasn’t very good and it may have been better in Korean?? I just got really bored tbh. Great premise and could’ve been really great.
It was just a bit simple and didn’t have the depth I would’ve liked
It was just a bit simple and didn’t have the depth I would’ve liked
The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was fun!
I thoroughly enjoy Holly Jackson’s writing style and will probably always pick her books up now. She knows how to write a great YA thriller and at least 2 of her books I’ve read in less than 24 hrs.
This one didn’t have me as shook as five survive but it definitely had me hooked (I’m not one for guessing plot twists or trying to make sense of a thriller so I personally found the reveals exciting!)
Our MC Bel was gritty and a bit annoying and perplexing which made it hard to root for her a little bit but I LOVED Ash! Wish there was a little bit more of that and alsothat she would’ve just asked him to delete the footage so they could still hang out/be together :(
Holly Jackson’s writing here is mostly fast paced but I wouldn’t have minded this book being a tad shorter - there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing that could’ve been cut to make the story sharper.
The last 25% or so was kinda unrealistic but like I find it easy enough to suspend disbelief with a YA thriller/mystery.
Overall really enjoyed it, I think my order of Holly Jackson’s books would be :
1: Five Survive
2: Rachel Price
3: AGGGTM
I thoroughly enjoy Holly Jackson’s writing style and will probably always pick her books up now. She knows how to write a great YA thriller and at least 2 of her books I’ve read in less than 24 hrs.
This one didn’t have me as shook as five survive but it definitely had me hooked (I’m not one for guessing plot twists or trying to make sense of a thriller so I personally found the reveals exciting!)
Our MC Bel was gritty and a bit annoying and perplexing which made it hard to root for her a little bit but I LOVED Ash! Wish there was a little bit more of that and also
Holly Jackson’s writing here is mostly fast paced but I wouldn’t have minded this book being a tad shorter - there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing that could’ve been cut to make the story sharper.
The last 25% or so was kinda unrealistic but like I find it easy enough to suspend disbelief with a YA thriller/mystery.
Overall really enjoyed it, I think my order of Holly Jackson’s books would be :
1: Five Survive
2: Rachel Price
3: AGGGTM
Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova
Did not finish book. Stopped at 83%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 83%.
Just a bit bored honestly, I wanted it to be way more creepy and weird than it was and 80% in I don’t really care what happens which is sad cos I was REALLY looking forward to this one.
I loved the way it talked about grief and child loss and growing older but I wanted it to be weird!!!!!
I loved the way it talked about grief and child loss and growing older but I wanted it to be weird!!!!!
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi
challenging
dark
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really really enjoyed this, it had so much to say and it said it well. Even from that first paragraph and opening lines you knew this book had things to say and it wasn't gonna let you look away which I loved. It almost gave the intensity of The Hunger Games?? (In terms of the revolution and the MC not really wanting to get involved but being thrust into that world) I think I would've liked for it to be longer and slightly more fleshed out, it felt like it really galloped along and I would have liked to linger somewhat.
I read PET first (quite a while ago) and would love to reread them both again in order with the ideas from both fresh in my mind. This definitely felt like the older and wiser sister of PET and was definitely a bit more mature.
I spent quite a lot of time writing down quotes as I was reading!
It's definitely on the older side of YA and I appreciated that it didn't "dumb itself down" for it's audience. Pretty much all the characters are teenagers so sometimes they act really silly but then also sometimes they were almost too adult like? But overall I really enjoyed engaging with their thoughts on the revolution, peoples roles in it, capitalism and oppression. Teenagers in today's world NEED work like this to helo them feel less alone and overwhelmed and also show the impact of always feeling like their the ones that have to "save the world" I'm glad it also talked abut the trauma of being involved in protests etc, and I'm so happy to have an MC in Bitter that was actually scared, anxious and hesitant. I feel like a lot of the dystopia/war/revolution books have an MC that is all gung ho and ready to rumble so it was so nice to see Bitter's peers saying she can absolutely make a difference without being in the front lines and it's okay to be scared. Another theme I really connected with was art having a role in revolutions, activism and protest. It's so important to remember that these things are important too, and the poets and artists and writers help us process much of our emotions about how the world is. It also had a LOT to say about the self care side of activism too which I think a lot of YA revolution-y type books miss.
I really like Awaeke Emezi's writing style, it's vivid and real and they writes teenagers so well. I love the communities they formed and the fact that they weren't perfect communities with an absolute understanding of one another but they loved each other enough to work through it. It was truly diverse as well which is excellent to see in a YA novel and I really hope YA readers pick this up.
I read PET first (quite a while ago) and would love to reread them both again in order with the ideas from both fresh in my mind. This definitely felt like the older and wiser sister of PET and was definitely a bit more mature.
I spent quite a lot of time writing down quotes as I was reading!
It's definitely on the older side of YA and I appreciated that it didn't "dumb itself down" for it's audience. Pretty much all the characters are teenagers so sometimes they act really silly but then also sometimes they were almost too adult like? But overall I really enjoyed engaging with their thoughts on the revolution, peoples roles in it, capitalism and oppression. Teenagers in today's world NEED work like this to helo them feel less alone and overwhelmed and also show the impact of always feeling like their the ones that have to "save the world" I'm glad it also talked abut the trauma of being involved in protests etc, and I'm so happy to have an MC in Bitter that was actually scared, anxious and hesitant. I feel like a lot of the dystopia/war/revolution books have an MC that is all gung ho and ready to rumble so it was so nice to see Bitter's peers saying she can absolutely make a difference without being in the front lines and it's okay to be scared. Another theme I really connected with was art having a role in revolutions, activism and protest. It's so important to remember that these things are important too, and the poets and artists and writers help us process much of our emotions about how the world is. It also had a LOT to say about the self care side of activism too which I think a lot of YA revolution-y type books miss.
I really like Awaeke Emezi's writing style, it's vivid and real and they writes teenagers so well. I love the communities they formed and the fact that they weren't perfect communities with an absolute understanding of one another but they loved each other enough to work through it. It was truly diverse as well which is excellent to see in a YA novel and I really hope YA readers pick this up.
Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood
funny
hopeful
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
4.5
I thoroughly enjoyed this! My fave Ali Hazelwood by FAR!!
I honestly loved that Rue wasn’t like Ali’s typical FMC in the sense that she wasn’t teeny and “not like the other girls” and the way that Eli is OBSESSED with her is EVERYTHING!!!!
I loved that there was an underlying seriousness about it and it wasn’t just insta love, but it was also just such a fun romp. I read it in like 24hrs.
This has been the only Ali Hazelwood book that I felt didn’t need to cut 100 pages out it, her romances feel far too drawn out and long for me when they’re just sweet and cute but because of the underlying tension and seriousness of the plot I felt happy with the length.
The spice was great, and every scene felt warranted which was nice.
I honestly loved that Rue wasn’t like Ali’s typical FMC in the sense that she wasn’t teeny and “not like the other girls” and the way that Eli is OBSESSED with her is EVERYTHING!!!!
I loved that there was an underlying seriousness about it and it wasn’t just insta love, but it was also just such a fun romp. I read it in like 24hrs.
This has been the only Ali Hazelwood book that I felt didn’t need to cut 100 pages out it, her romances feel far too drawn out and long for me when they’re just sweet and cute but because of the underlying tension and seriousness of the plot I felt happy with the length.
The spice was great, and every scene felt warranted which was nice.