kmrose24's reviews
114 reviews

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

5.0

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

challenging dark tense medium-paced

5.0

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.

I didn’t dislike the book, but I just couldn’t get into it. I’m a mood reader, so I have to be in the mood or I’m going to move onto something else. I may even come back to it, at some point. 

In a Quiet Town by Amber Garza

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

2.5 stars rounded up. This was an overused premise, which happens a lot in this genre, but it didn’t feel like there was anything new or original about it. It was just ok for me.

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I listened to this on audio, and it was fantastic! There were narrators for both of the main characters (a black female and white male). This had me on the edge of my seat! I have a lot of big feelings about gentrification, and there were some important conversations that took place in this book in regards to that. The racist white people in this book were on point. They made me BIG mad, and that’s partly because they resemble people I’ve encountered IRL buying up houses for Airbnb’s and raising rent to push people and community businesses out of their lifelong homes. I just know this made some of my fellow white people uncomfortable, and it should! This was a really great premise for a thriller considering some of the content is very real. It took a look at what if things were even more sinister than just pushing people out of their homes. I look forward to reading more from this author!

One of Our Own by Lucinda Berry

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

I was lucky to win an early release from Lucinda Berry Readers group on Facebook. I immediately listened to it, of course. 

I loved the multiple narrators and effects to make it more realistic. It really takes the audiobook to the next level, and it makes it a much more memorable read. I’m a big AJ Cook fan, so her being the main narrator was *chef’s kiss*! Felicia is probably the character I love the most of all the Lucinda books I have read, at this point. 

As a mom, it made me think about things I don’t necessarily want to think about. It was predictable, but you spend the entire read hoping you’re wrong which is part of what made it so good! I don’t want to compare it to Saving Noah because these were very different situations, and the mothers are very different characters, but it IS going to stick with me like that one did. Sometimes you can do everything right as a parent, and your kid still does something horribly wrong.

The One by John Marrs

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

I watched the show back when it came out and finally got around to reading the book. The book blew the show out of the water for me! I really enjoy John Marrs speculative thrillers because they are so close to reality. I could see this being a thing, and maybe there’s already a start up somewhere matching people based on DNA. I loved that just because you are matched doesn’t mean you get your happily ever after. There’s a lot of characters, but I didn’t find it hard to follow at all given they all have very different situations going on.  

The Secrets of Us by Lucinda Berry

challenging dark emotional tense fast-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

5.0

Holy crap how is this book not rated higher? I think this is my 10th book by her, and it’s definitely one of my favorites. I was SHOCKED by the twists in this one. Two sisters try to leave trauma in their past, but it’s determined to follow them into adulthood forcing them to finally deal with it. 

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This book is a love letter to Alaska, but it’s so much more! It tore me apart and put me back together multiple times following Leni and Cora’s story. This is probably my favorite book I’ve ever read now. Highly recommend!

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This was my first Kennedy Ryan book, and it will definitely not be my last. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, and I hoped. This is so much deeper than just a romance book, and there is definitely some spice! I fell in love with the characters. I cried through their traumas and cheered their triumphs. I loved so much about this book, but I especially loved the therapy. Multiple characters see therapists, and there’s such a stigma around it, especially when it comes to Black men, that I was just so excited to see it. Can’t wait for the next book to come out next month!