infergnome's reviews
22 reviews

Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Did not finish book. Stopped at 44%.

DNF’d at 44% because of sexual assault content.

I couldn’t stomach sitting through the rest of the book as the whole town turned against Maya.

The Teacher by Freida McFadden

dark mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

2.0

I only finished this because it was my book club's pick and I wanted to get the whole story. I hated it! I had to pause the audiobook repeatedly because the scenes with

Addie and Nate were so disgusting to me.

2 stars only because I did manage to finish it. It seemed like all the loose ends were tied into a giant knot that made no sense.

You're telling me Hudson has now been the accomplice of 2 actual murders and one almost murder? And that two best friends were fucking teachers that happened to be married?

. If you want a book that makes you gag and cringe, this is for you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Stalking and Death

Garden of Earthly Bodies by Sally Oliver
Did not finish book. Stopped at 59%.

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

adventurous emotional reflective 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

Your favorite orc barista takes us on another adventure in this prequel to Legends & Lattes. Viv is injured in a fight and is forced by her company to stay and rest in the nearby town until they come back around. The tiny town offers little entertainment, and Viv ends up stumbling across a bookshop where the sassy owner makes it her mission to make Viv read all her favorite books. The story follows Viv and a new band of friends as they tackle obstacles big and small. 

The audiobook was fantastic. Having an author read their book always lends a certain intimacy, and you could hear the care and pride in Baldree's voice throughout. Bookshops & Bonedust is captivating, emotional, and spirited. This is truly a book for readers and is a wonderful addition to the Viv universe. I enjoyed L&L, but B&B is definitely my favorite of the two. The pace was just right, with enough detail in the interpersonal relationships to make them realistic, but also fast-paced action scenes that kept you hooked. 

4.5/5

A Duet with the Siren Duke by Elise Kova

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

3.75

This is the 4th book in the Married to Magic universe. I read the first three and loved the world and Kova's writing style. It was so immersive and easy to read, and I loved the characters! That's why this is such an unfortunate disappointment. The first 60% of the book is S L O W. I couldn't believe how long it took me to read; it felt like my Kindle progress bar was mocking me. There was SO much setting description that my eyes started to glaze over after the 15th mention of how the shells were arranged in some particular room. I thought the main premise was fascinating, and I found myself rooting for the characters even though they weren't my favorite. The last 30% of the book is where all the action occurs, so I wouldn't blame those who couldn't slog through a boring book to get some excitement. The tone and writing felt so different from the previous books, and I found myself constantly doubling back because I wasn't focused on the book. Overall, it wasn't a bad read but definitely my least favorite in the series so far. I hope that #5 is more reminiscent of the earlier novels. 

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.

I’m usually a big fan of flowery prose and very descriptive writing, but I found myself rereading each page several times because it read so convoluted to me. I see the potential but I’m not going to torture myself trying to get through it. 

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.

The first part of the book kept me really engaged, but then the story took a different direction and it felt like a whole new plot that I was just not invested in. 

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

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

1.0

What a stupid fucking ending. Save your time and energy and read something else. After 350 pages that was incredibly unsatisfying and I feel cheated. I’ve read Flynn’s other novel, “Sharp Objects” which was significantly better. I know she writes unlikable characters- but these were so unlikable that I didn’t care at all what did or didn’t happen to them. 

All that build up just for

some random dude to show up and murder Patty and Debby. And how fucked in the head is Patty to order a hit on herself and leave her 4 CHILDREN effectively orphaned, and force her sister to take care of them. I didn’t even like Michelle but Ben is straight up psychotic to watch his insane girlfriend MURDER HIS SISTER IN FRONT OF HIM.

Seriously if you liked “Gone Girl” do not assume this is for you. 1 star simply because I enjoyed Lyle’s character and the writing was pretty good. 

Beach Read by Emily Henry

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.75

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.75

A fun little summer read but not with a ton of substance. Do not read if you can’t stand the miscommunication trope- it made me want to throw the book across the room.