hrhale's reviews
171 reviews

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

3.0

Here's the official rating: 2.75 stars. I've said it once, and I'll say it again. If Reese Witherspoon recommends it, I'm going to read it. With all the hype surrounding this book, I was expecting this to be 5 stars. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. There was definitely some potential here, but I just found it to be a little to much- a little too unrealistic. Maybe I also couldn't get into the story because it seemed to lean more horror, which isn't really my thing.

Good Company by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

4.0

Compared to "The Nest," this story didn't really live up to all my expectations of a 5 start read. However, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney still wrote a witty, humor-filled book with her touch of tenderheartedness. This story explores the ideas of friendship and marriage and the power of keeping secrets.

Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena

4.0

Did I think I was able to predict the ending? Yes. Did it still really enjoy the book. Also yes, but I'm not mad about it. All three of the Merton children has a motive for murdering their parents, and I really enjoyed exploring the family dynamic.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

4.0

I'm not always the biggest fan of a series, but this one is laugh-out-loud funny. Finaly Donovan is Killing It... and I don't mean in life. She's literally killing (it). Finlay is an author that accidentally gets herself looped into a murder for hire gig. An author turned hitman. I was thoroughly entertained from beginning to end.

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland

4.0

I loved the setting. I loved the characters. I loved the plot. The official rating is 4.5 stars, but I can't quote put my finger on why it didn't hit a full 5 for me. Maybe it was how the book ended. It was one of those endings where you knew what was going to happen after it ended, but it wasn't written into the story itself. If you read the book, that last sentence might make a bit more sense. Overall, this book was beautifully written, and I really enjoyed it.

The Maid by Nita Prose

4.0

Molly the Maid is different. She knows that she's different. She doesn't understand the world how other people do, which leads people to try and take advantage of her. Nita Prose has a great debut novel on her hands here.

The story is conversational and easy to read. While it wasn't a full 5 star review for me, it was still a great read. I don't have anything negative to say about story, but it didn't live up to all of the expectations the reviews gave me.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

5.0

This is, hands down, my favorite Emily Henry book that I've read. "People We Meet on Vacation" is good. "Beach Reader" was better. This one was the best! You've got small town romance, grumpy meets sunshine and banter. So much banter. Such GOOD banter. I was so into it. This was one of my most anticipated releases of the summer, and it did not disappoint.

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

4.0

The Delaney family is like any other family. They love each other, they just don't always like one another. Joy Delaney, mother of four and loving wife, happily takes in a stranger who shows up at her front door one night after a fight with her boyfriend. However, when the stranger disappears, so does Joy. What should the family do? Especially when it looks like your father is the prime suspect.

The official rating for this book was 4.5 stars. I'm a big Liane Moriarty fan, so I was really excited to get my hands on this. Liane explores the messiness of life, the inner workings of marriage and sibling relationship. The only reason I didn't give this one 5 stars was that I felt it could've been cut down a bit. I'm not one to shy away from a long, but this one seemed to ramble the slightest bits at time. Overall though, I really enjoy this one. It's definitely one I'd recommend.

The Club by Ellery Lloyd

3.0

The Home Group has clubs all over the world, and only the richest and most famous are members. This story centers around the grand opening of Island Home- the greatest and most expensive club in Home Group's history- and the bodies that are starting to pile up as the weekend moves along.

Reese, Reese, Reese... This one just did not do it for me. Normally, I like all the books that are a part of Reese's Book Club, but I don't understand the hype around this one.

This was a 3.5 start book for me. I could never get into it, but I finished it just for the sake of finishing it. There were so many different characters to keep up with. I kept having to flip back and forth between pages to know who's POV I was reading. It was just too much work for me. I kept hoping that it would get better the further along I got into it, but it just never did.

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

4.0

Rose and Fern might be twin sisters, but they couldn't be any more different. From a young age, Rose has always been there to help Fern navigate the world. With flashbacks to the past, the reader can glimpse into Rose and Fern's relationship and their relationship with their mother.

I forgot this book was a thriller for a a good chunk of the beginning of the story. However, it most definitely is. It has some great twists, and while I did predict what was going on the closer I got to finishing it, it was still captivating and kept me entertained from cover to cover.