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lucybbookstuff's Reviews (378)
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was a page-turner, at the very least. I enjoyed the unique way it was written and that the narrators are unreliable (because, as the book points out, different people remember things differently). And it was a very interesting look into a time & place in recent history that we have all heard about but very few of us know intimately.
I liked the relationships between the characters, but I just didn't fall in love with any of the characters. Camila and Warren were probably my favorites, one there for comedic relief and the other to keep the main characters on the straight and narrow. I disliked Daisy pretty much from the beginning. And I liked Billy at first, but he became kind of iffy. Their whole relationship felt entirely stupid to me and it worries me that young girls on BookTok ship and romaniticize them. Ugh.
But nonetheless it was interesting and enjoyable. Definitely not a favorite. But I'm really looking forward to the miniseries!! I think it will translate really well.
I liked the relationships between the characters, but I just didn't fall in love with any of the characters. Camila and Warren were probably my favorites, one there for comedic relief and the other to keep the main characters on the straight and narrow.
But nonetheless it was interesting and enjoyable. Definitely not a favorite. But I'm really looking forward to the miniseries!! I think it will translate really well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse
Minor: Abortion
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Honestly I thought this book was perfect. I loved the writing style, I adored the characters, and there isn't a single thing I would change.
Oddly, it's not a new favorite or anything, but I have to admit that it's a 5 star read nonetheless. (Interesting, because my fellow book club members mostly didn't feel the same. Yay for subjectivity!)
Oddly, it's not a new favorite or anything, but I have to admit that it's a 5 star read nonetheless. (Interesting, because my fellow book club members mostly didn't feel the same. Yay for subjectivity!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Murder
adventurous
dark
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Once again, epic and awesome. Just knocked down a half point for semi-laborious writing. Though Andy Serkis really does make it fun.
Also, I had completely forgotten that this was split into sections with one set of characters being the focus for half the book, and another set being the focus for the other half. Not sure how I feel about that. Maybe next time I read the physical books, I'll shake it up a bit and switch back and forth. We shall see.
The movies definitely followed Two Towers a lot more closely than Fellowship (except for the part where they moved half of Frodo & Sam's journey to the third movie lol). Though definitely some weird things were changed. I understand most of it for the sake of movie intrigue and gripping the audience, but still some of it seemed unnecessary. Oh well.
Overall enjoyable!!!
Also, I had completely forgotten that this was split into sections with one set of characters being the focus for half the book, and another set being the focus for the other half. Not sure how I feel about that. Maybe next time I read the physical books, I'll shake it up a bit and switch back and forth. We shall see.
The movies definitely followed Two Towers a lot more closely than Fellowship (except for the part where they moved half of Frodo & Sam's journey to the third movie lol). Though definitely some weird things were changed. I understand most of it for the sake of movie intrigue and gripping the audience, but still some of it seemed unnecessary. Oh well.
Overall enjoyable!!!
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
First time listening to LotR (Andy Serkis version) and it's definitely the right call for me!! I struggled way too much my first time reading these as physical books. Andy Serkis did such a great job and you can tell he had a lot of fun, which was in turn a lot of fun for me.
The story, as we all know, is huge and epic and interesting. The characters are so endearing. The world is built so insanely thoroughly. Not to mention these books are basically the father of all modern fantasy.
I just knocked it down half a point because... I love you, Tolkien, but your writing style isn't really for me. (Which is why listening made it so much easier to get through.)
The story, as we all know, is huge and epic and interesting. The characters are so endearing. The world is built so insanely thoroughly. Not to mention these books are basically the father of all modern fantasy.
I just knocked it down half a point because... I love you, Tolkien, but your writing style isn't really for me. (Which is why listening made it so much easier to get through.)
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Delightful, had me smiling throughout!
The representation of chronic illness was very well done and refreshing.
However, while I found the relationship very cute, I didn't find it to be entirely believable. It kind of just sprang out of the ground. As a reader, I want more context and build-up! Also found the writing a tad repetitive at times.
Also a bit too cheesy and spicy (lol) for my personal taste, but that's definitely just my opinion!
It was definitely a lovely story and I'll try the other Brown Sisters books at some point!
The representation of chronic illness was very well done and refreshing.
However, while I found the relationship very cute, I didn't find it to be entirely believable. It kind of just sprang out of the ground. As a reader, I want more context and build-up! Also found the writing a tad repetitive at times.
Also a bit too cheesy and spicy (lol) for my personal taste, but that's definitely just my opinion!
It was definitely a lovely story and I'll try the other Brown Sisters books at some point!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
challenging
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I am very confused about my feelings around this book lol. It was so weird and uncomfortable but so interesting. I'm not sure I loved Klara's perspective, but I also am sure it couldn't have been written another way. I would have liked some more real information about the future world they were living in, and where they lived (I suppose somewhere in the US, maybe New York?). But it made sense that we didn't get that. I'm also so curious what the sun's "special nourishment" actually was, and whether Klara actually was communicating with it or not.
I was satisfied with the ending, but getting there was a wild ride and I'm really not sure how I feel about it. Also, despite the actual reading being quite fast, I marked this book as "medium" because it wasn't one I could have powered through. It was so weird, I had to take breaks lol.
Idk man. Not my least favorite book, and certainly nothing like anything I've read before, but I probably won't read it again.
I was satisfied with the ending, but getting there was a wild ride and I'm really not sure how I feel about it. Also, despite the actual reading being quite fast, I marked this book as "medium" because it wasn't one I could have powered through. It was so weird, I had to take breaks lol.
Idk man. Not my least favorite book, and certainly nothing like anything I've read before, but I probably won't read it again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Child death
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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
I read this all in one day, meaning I got to 51 books in 2022! And I got to end the year on one I liked after all!
I figured this one out a lot more confidently than I did its predecessor, but that didn't make it less interesting. McManus really knows how to write the sweetest teen romances!! Love it. Looking forward to the 3rd installment.
I figured this one out a lot more confidently than I did its predecessor, but that didn't make it less interesting. McManus really knows how to write the sweetest teen romances!! Love it. Looking forward to the 3rd installment.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Sexual harassment
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Uh. Idk. 😅🤣
I really wanted to like this book. It sounded very interesting. A kind of sci-fi fantasy mystery with a guy trapped in other people's bodies? Sounds cool. But it never quite went where I wanted it to go.
Spoiler line for the rest, just in case.
The whole thing felt pretty ham-fisted, to be honest. Aiden was bungling around, not really figuring out much of anything, until (much too close to the end), he was conveniently trapped in the body of a super smart detective, who figured out probably 80% of the mystery in like 3 or 4 chapters.
Other than that, there was way too much going on. Eight hosts was too much. So much more murder than I intially bargained for. I'll admit to being easily confused with a lot of details, but I'm fairly certain that a much smarter person than me would have been confused, too. And a lot of it was kept from the reader in favor of a later Big Reveal, and that was just annoying.
Also... the ENTIRE time, I was so distracted wondering who the hell Aiden is and what the hell this whole system is that he's trapped in. I feel that should have all been revealed in a more drawn out fashion, rather than dumped on us at the end. And even once it was dumped, I was disappointed. I was not convinced. I needed more exposition to believe the scenario that the entire 450 page book was based on.
ALSO... really? This character we've been conditioned to kind of like is actually what basically sounds like a new Hitler? And then we're supposed to root for her? LOL.
Though I did at least appreciate the commentary on rehabilitation and a messed up prison system. But it was just waaayyy too little, too late.
ETA: I forgot about this because I read that part like a week+ ago, but other reviews reminded me and it definitely bothered me while reading - the fatphobia is gratuitous and graphic and completely unnecessary. 👎🏻
I really wanted to like this book. It sounded very interesting. A kind of sci-fi fantasy mystery with a guy trapped in other people's bodies? Sounds cool. But it never quite went where I wanted it to go.
Spoiler line for the rest, just in case.
The whole thing felt pretty ham-fisted, to be honest. Aiden was bungling around, not really figuring out much of anything, until (much too close to the end), he was conveniently trapped in the body of a super smart detective, who figured out probably 80% of the mystery in like 3 or 4 chapters.
Other than that, there was way too much going on. Eight hosts was too much. So much more murder than I intially bargained for. I'll admit to being easily confused with a lot of details, but I'm fairly certain that a much smarter person than me would have been confused, too. And a lot of it was kept from the reader in favor of a later Big Reveal, and that was just annoying.
Also... the ENTIRE time, I was so distracted wondering who the hell Aiden is and what the hell this whole system is that he's trapped in. I feel that should have all been revealed in a more drawn out fashion, rather than dumped on us at the end. And even once it was dumped, I was disappointed. I was not convinced. I needed more exposition to believe the scenario that the entire 450 page book was based on.
ALSO... really? This character we've been conditioned to kind of like is actually what basically sounds like a new Hitler? And then we're supposed to root for her? LOL.
Though I did at least appreciate the commentary on rehabilitation and a messed up prison system. But it was just waaayyy too little, too late.
ETA: I forgot about this because I read that part like a week+ ago, but other reviews reminded me and it definitely bothered me while reading - the fatphobia is gratuitous and graphic and completely unnecessary. 👎🏻
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Murder
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Rape
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-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
I laughed. I sobbed. I didn't want it to be over. I want to live in this world with these characters forever.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-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
Read in April, reviewing in December. All I can say is I was DEEPLY obsessed for several months lol. So good. The characters are so fantastic and the plot is insane - I can't believe it came from a human brain. Definitely a new favorite.