Scan barcode
jesshiltbrand's reviews
153 reviews
The Glow by Jessie Gaynor
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Jane works for a PR firm, and although she's not the best employee, she sets out to find 'the client' who will put her back in her boss' good graces and continue to help pay off her mounds of medical debt. She finds FortPath, the wellness retreat centered around the ethereal albeit enigmatic Cass. Even with a warning that the treat has cult-like tendencies, Jane is sure that this is the ticket to success, so long as she can convince the partners of the retreat to let her take them on as a client.
This was an interesting read about the nature of the influencer world and follows the story of the influencee becoming the influencer. There were aspects of Jane that I felt were very relatable to the average mid-twenties woman floating around trying to find her place both in the real world and the online version. There were other parts of Jane that I felt were so incredibly shallow and superficial that I couldn't fathom how I was supposed to relate to this character. I got lost a little bit throughout the middle of the book as it just seemed to drag on for a good bit and really only picked up at the end. I really loved Tom's character and I did enjoy that we slowly unveiled layers of him as Jane spent more time at FortPath.
I didn't really pick up on any commentary about the topic other than the obvious and written out for us to see. That even though Jane has been on the side of the screen desperately getting influenced by any and everything around her, she just can't help the power that comes with being on the other side of it. I'm not sure if there was supposed to be more to the conversation than that. Overall, it was a fair read.
This was an interesting read about the nature of the influencer world and follows the story of the influencee becoming the influencer. There were aspects of Jane that I felt were very relatable to the average mid-twenties woman floating around trying to find her place both in the real world and the online version. There were other parts of Jane that I felt were so incredibly shallow and superficial that I couldn't fathom how I was supposed to relate to this character. I got lost a little bit throughout the middle of the book as it just seemed to drag on for a good bit and really only picked up at the end. I really loved Tom's character and I did enjoy that we slowly unveiled layers of him as Jane spent more time at FortPath.
I didn't really pick up on any commentary about the topic other than the obvious and written out for us to see. That even though Jane has been on the side of the screen desperately getting influenced by any and everything around her, she just can't help the power that comes with being on the other side of it. I'm not sure if there was supposed to be more to the conversation than that. Overall, it was a fair read.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
I Could Live Here Forever by Hanna Halperin
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!
I really, really enjoyed this book. I loved Halperin's writing style where it wasn't crazily over descriptive and at times very to the point, but it still captured every aspect of what Leah was feeling and going through - even during the times you just wanted to shake her shoulders and scream at her. The storyline was challenging, it was so hard watching Leah fall into her own addiction with her relationship with Charlie and as an outsider being able to see all of the red flags being presented but watching Leah time and time again ignore them or justify them was really hard to read. And right when you think she too is getting sober and reaching a point of understanding how unhealthy the relationship might be, she falls right back into the same traps as before. I think it captured such a realistic dynamic and how the consequences of addiction don't just affect and influence the addict themself, but everyone around them as well. And I loved the way that Halperin was able to depict so many different family dynamics and the intricacies within those relationships in such a short period of time. Overall, it was a very good read and I'll definitely be coming back to this author for more in the future.
I really, really enjoyed this book. I loved Halperin's writing style where it wasn't crazily over descriptive and at times very to the point, but it still captured every aspect of what Leah was feeling and going through - even during the times you just wanted to shake her shoulders and scream at her. The storyline was challenging, it was so hard watching Leah fall into her own addiction with her relationship with Charlie and as an outsider being able to see all of the red flags being presented but watching Leah time and time again ignore them or justify them was really hard to read. And right when you think she too is getting sober and reaching a point of understanding how unhealthy the relationship might be, she falls right back into the same traps as before. I think it captured such a realistic dynamic and how the consequences of addiction don't just affect and influence the addict themself, but everyone around them as well. And I loved the way that Halperin was able to depict so many different family dynamics and the intricacies within those relationships in such a short period of time. Overall, it was a very good read and I'll definitely be coming back to this author for more in the future.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
A Half-Baked Murder by Emily George
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
3.5
For my first ever cozy mystery, this was good! I really liked the concept and it was definitely a quick and easy read even in an audiobook format. For me it was a little on the nose where I felt like the author told you how to feel rather than describing the tension or emotions throughout the book. But, the mystery itself was really well written and definitely threw me off in some places which left me with a nice reveal at the end! Overall this was a really enjoyable read and I am so grateful to NetGalley and the publishers to have had early access to it.
All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
2.0