Take a photo of a barcode or cover
lucybbookstuff's Reviews (378)
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I gained absolutely nothing from this book and only finished it because it was so fast. I didn't HATE it but it really wasn't for me. I'm not into philosophy (in fact one could say I am against it lol) so that was a big strike against it. I found the writing style strange - one paragraph unbearably cerebral and the next completely grounded. And in a book about a marriage, I wasn't given a single reason to like either of them (much like the movie Marriage Story, which I also strongly disliked). Just not the book for me. Kind of mad it was my 50th and final book of 2021 lol. But at least it got me to 50!
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not quite as good or interesting as BLL, but still very good!!! Liane Moriarty is just brilliant at unfolding a plot. I also love the injection of humor and the absolute silliness of being human. And they're all about women. 🙌🏻
Not sure that Tess was a necessary character tbh but I thoroughly enjoyed her plot line and I'm glad it was there.
The ending was very very interesting but seemed a little shoehorned. Idk. Still a really great book.
Not sure that Tess was a necessary character tbh but I thoroughly enjoyed her plot line and I'm glad it was there.
The ending was very very interesting but seemed a little shoehorned. Idk. Still a really great book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Fatphobia
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
The teen cliches ABOUND, which made it hard to get into. But I did get sucked in and wanted to know the answer to the mystery. I did guess it, but was never sure if I was right, and definitely didn't figure out every detail.
Also the 4 main characters become so loveable. And the romance was so freakin cute, I can't stand it. 🥲
I'd call this a solid YA mystery!!
Also the 4 main characters become so loveable. And the romance was so freakin cute, I can't stand it. 🥲
I'd call this a solid YA mystery!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Outing
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I thought it was a very unique horror thriller (my first of the genre) and a great debut novel, but I wanted just a little more from it! I honestly expected it to be creepier. I also guessed the twist pretty early on. Still a good quick read, though!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It seems most people who rated this low didn't like the way the 4 perspectives were written. I didn't mind that, I think it was the main thing that kept me intrigued.
Otherwise I didn't like much about this. Which is disappointing. I love an emotional, dark story usually.
I found it entirely unrealistic. And upon noticing that the author isn't even American, I got pretty annoyed. It is a pet peeve of mine when non-American authors try to write about very American issues. It's fucking unfortunate that this is such an *American* issue, but it is. It was clear the author has no fucking clue what she's talking about. She's never felt the national grief of having this happen AGAIN and AGAIN. It's such a sensitive topic and it was handled so poorly.
The following is only vaguely spoilery, but under the break for good measure.
The shooter's motives and entire personality made no goddamn sense. A total mockery of actual mental health issues. The sheer amount of cold-blooded killing for like... NO reason. Wtf.
The scenario was also totally ridiculous - there's no way one dude could pull off all that prep without anyone catching him. I also feel like the way it went, SOMEONE would have tried to be a hero and rush him or wrestle the gun from him. Idk.
Just overall completely unrealistic and poorly researched. Also confusing in places and not super well-written even grammatically. Please stick to Dutch stories, Marieke.
Otherwise I didn't like much about this. Which is disappointing. I love an emotional, dark story usually.
I found it entirely unrealistic. And upon noticing that the author isn't even American, I got pretty annoyed. It is a pet peeve of mine when non-American authors try to write about very American issues. It's fucking unfortunate that this is such an *American* issue, but it is. It was clear the author has no fucking clue what she's talking about. She's never felt the national grief of having this happen AGAIN and AGAIN. It's such a sensitive topic and it was handled so poorly.
The following is only vaguely spoilery, but under the break for good measure.
The scenario was also totally ridiculous - there's no way one dude could pull off all that prep without anyone catching him. I also feel like the way it went, SOMEONE would have tried to be a hero and rush him or wrestle the gun from him. Idk.
Just overall completely unrealistic and poorly researched. Also confusing in places and not super well-written even grammatically. Please stick to Dutch stories, Marieke.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Child abuse, Rape
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
tense
fast-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
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The last few chapters redeemed the rest of the book, but that doesn't make me less annoyed that I still had to read the whole thing lol. (Not sure I'm capable of DNF-ing, plus it was a fast enough read that I could get through it.)
I think this book would be a lot better as a novella. The middle 100 pages or so were boring af and unnecessary. The whole story and moral could have been told a lot more quickly and effectively.
That said, I did appreciate the moral of self-actualization and learning to love yourself outside of relationships, because I've been through that whole process myself and know how liberating it can be.
However, I didn't really like the characters very much. Annie's sad sack-ness, however realistic, got very old very fast. And I found Sophie fucking creepy and controlling and manipulative the entire time. Again, all of this was only resolved at the very end.
Gotta say, I also don't love the violent female revenge trope. No thanks.
I do also appreciate the ace representation, however, I definitely think it could have been accomplished without being so queer-baity. 🤷🏻♀️
So. Not my least favorite book but definitely not my cup of tea. A good quick Halloween read though! 🕷
I think this book would be a lot better as a novella. The middle 100 pages or so were boring af and unnecessary. The whole story and moral could have been told a lot more quickly and effectively.
That said, I did appreciate the moral of self-actualization and learning to love yourself outside of relationships, because I've been through that whole process myself and know how liberating it can be.
Gotta say, I also don't love the violent female revenge trope. No thanks.
I do also appreciate the ace representation, however, I definitely think it could have been accomplished without being so queer-baity. 🤷🏻♀️
So. Not my least favorite book but definitely not my cup of tea. A good quick Halloween read though! 🕷
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
Hmmmmm. I'm no good at writing introductions so I'm just gonna launch into it.
I liked this book. It was a very enjoyable read. I was smiling uncontrollably for much of it.
Yet it really had me thinking deeply about what makes a book "good" to me. And apart from emotional torture lol (the more tears, the better!!!), what I really need is just to believe it. I can find any genre good and engrossing, even a full-on fantasy world, but it still all has to make sense to me.
I really liked the relationship in this book, and I really liked the political intrigue. But when those two things were put together (which is the entire plot of the book), I just didn't believe it. Which took me out of the book world too much.
Also, not to mention, the grotesque amount of tacky rom-com cheese lol. That alone also takes the book down a few pegs for me personally. It read exactly like a shitty rom-com that I would refuse to ever watch (because I'm a movie snob).
However, now that I've read it, I will definitely watch the movie/series when it comes out. 😌
ETA: just read another review that said it's too much like alternate universe fan fiction of the 2016 election and I AGREE SO HARD , that's my other big critique of this book. I just did not love the political wish fulfillment, tbh.
I liked this book. It was a very enjoyable read. I was smiling uncontrollably for much of it.
Yet it really had me thinking deeply about what makes a book "good" to me. And apart from emotional torture lol (the more tears, the better!!!), what I really need is just to believe it. I can find any genre good and engrossing, even a full-on fantasy world, but it still all has to make sense to me.
I really liked the relationship in this book, and I really liked the political intrigue. But when those two things were put together (which is the entire plot of the book), I just didn't believe it. Which took me out of the book world too much.
Also, not to mention, the grotesque amount of tacky rom-com cheese lol. That alone also takes the book down a few pegs for me personally. It read exactly like a shitty rom-com that I would refuse to ever watch (because I'm a movie snob).
However, now that I've read it, I will definitely watch the movie/series when it comes out. 😌
ETA: just read another review that said it's too much like alternate universe fan fiction of the 2016 election and I AGREE SO HARD , that's my other big critique of this book. I just did not love the political wish fulfillment, tbh.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Outing