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madisbookshelf's reviews
26 reviews
Tampa by Alissa Nutting
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Growing up I loved watching and learning about true crime. So much so that I am now perusing a psychology degree in the hopes of one day becoming a criminal psychologist. So when I first heard about this book on TikTok, I knew I needed to read it immediately.
"Tampa" by Alissa Nutting centers around Celeste, a 26-year-old middle school teacher, and one of her 14-year-old students, Jack. The story is told through the point of view of Celeste as she tries and successfully grooms the young boy into a sexual relationship with her.
After completing this read, I can see why some people don't like it and find it to be extremely uncomfortable. However, I feel that this book is one that every adult should read, and for good reason. In our society, teenage boys are often looked at as overly sexual beings and because of this, their assaults and sexual abuse stories are heavily downplayed and are often disregarded as "Oh, he's a teenage boy. He definitely wanted it", especially when their abuser is a woman. In "Tampa", these societal themes are on full display for readers to witness firsthand. Through the inner monologue of Celeste and the trial at the end of the novel, readers are able to see how these stereotypes surrounding teen boys help predators gain leverage against them and enviably help them get away with the crime if it was ever brought to light. I also feel that this novel helps to bring attention to the lack of empathy often given to male victims in situations where they were taken advantage of by an older woman. Many characters in this story, male and female, took place in victim-blaming tactics that ultimately did nothing but encourage the victims to stay silent or in a way, take pride in the fact that they were assaulted by an attractive older woman.
I love Alissa for taking on the challenge of writing the story of such a horrid and disturbing woman and applaud her for bringing attention to a problem that occurs way too often in society.
"Tampa" by Alissa Nutting centers around Celeste, a 26-year-old middle school teacher, and one of her 14-year-old students, Jack. The story is told through the point of view of Celeste as she tries and successfully grooms the young boy into a sexual relationship with her.
After completing this read, I can see why some people don't like it and find it to be extremely uncomfortable. However, I feel that this book is one that every adult should read, and for good reason. In our society, teenage boys are often looked at as overly sexual beings and because of this, their assaults and sexual abuse stories are heavily downplayed and are often disregarded as "Oh, he's a teenage boy. He definitely wanted it", especially when their abuser is a woman. In "Tampa", these societal themes are on full display for readers to witness firsthand. Through the inner monologue of Celeste and the trial at the end of the novel, readers are able to see how these stereotypes surrounding teen boys help predators gain leverage against them and enviably help them get away with the crime if it was ever brought to light. I also feel that this novel helps to bring attention to the lack of empathy often given to male victims in situations where they were taken advantage of by an older woman. Many characters in this story, male and female, took place in victim-blaming tactics that ultimately did nothing but encourage the victims to stay silent or in a way, take pride in the fact that they were assaulted by an attractive older woman.
I love Alissa for taking on the challenge of writing the story of such a horrid and disturbing woman and applaud her for bringing attention to a problem that occurs way too often in society.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Infidelity, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent
Gossip Girl #2: You Know You Love Me: A Gossip Girl Novel by Cecily von Ziegesar
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A quick and chaotic review for a quick and chaotic book :)
Like the first book in the "Gossip Girl" series, "You Know You Love Me" follows our same group of posh upper east side teens through their life as rich bratty teenagers.
However, in my opinion, the first book was just a tad better than the sequel. In this sequel, we jump straight into the events that were taking place in the first book. Yet Cecily (for some reason) decides to info dump every little detail imaginable that any reader would have already known if they had read the first book beforehand. I can't see any reason as to why she choose to do this and feel that the info dumping takes up valuable plot time that could have been used to better flesh out other events or characters.
Other than the info dumping, I really enjoyed this book and have thoroughly enjoyed following along with these characters so far. I'm extremely happy that Chuck was in this book for less than 10 pages and hope to see more of that moving forward ;) I will be picking up the third book in this series just because I love the drama and have grown attached to Serena and Jenny (although I find it kinda creepy and disturbing that Cecily constantly elaborates on Jenny's boob size as if she isn't 14...lol).
Spoiler (sort of):
The ending scene with Blair and Serena definitely brought this rating from 3.5 to 3.75. I found it incredibly sweet and relatable. I'm sure all teen girls have had major blowouts with friends and have later come back and laid in bed, watching movies and eating pizza like nothing happened. I feel like that scene encapsulates teenage friendships perfectly.
Like the first book in the "Gossip Girl" series, "You Know You Love Me" follows our same group of posh upper east side teens through their life as rich bratty teenagers.
However, in my opinion, the first book was just a tad better than the sequel. In this sequel, we jump straight into the events that were taking place in the first book. Yet Cecily (for some reason) decides to info dump every little detail imaginable that any reader would have already known if they had read the first book beforehand. I can't see any reason as to why she choose to do this and feel that the info dumping takes up valuable plot time that could have been used to better flesh out other events or characters.
Other than the info dumping, I really enjoyed this book and have thoroughly enjoyed following along with these characters so far. I'm extremely happy that Chuck was in this book for less than 10 pages and hope to see more of that moving forward ;) I will be picking up the third book in this series just because I love the drama and have grown attached to Serena and Jenny (although I find it kinda creepy and disturbing that Cecily constantly elaborates on Jenny's boob size as if she isn't 14...lol).
Spoiler (sort of):
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
As someone who grew up with a teen sister in the early 2000s, I heard about gossip girl often. Now that I'm nearing the end of my teenage years, I figured it would be a better time than ever to see what the hype was about. After completing the first book in a few hours, I can definitely say that the hype is well deserved.
In "Gossip Girl" by Cecily von Ziegesar, we follow wealthy New York teens Blair, Serena, Chuck, Nate, and their friends through their senior year of high school. Through the story, we are given a peak into the lives and rebellious escapades of these high-society teens while their actions are being critiqued and publicized on a gossip blog by an anonymous peer.
First off, I absolutely LOVE Serena. Reading the mass about of Serena slander in this book was quite hard for me and I really hated it lol. Her character development throughout the story was great and in my opinion, she was the only main character in the story (besides Jenny and Dan) that actually had any character development at all. At the beginning of the book when we are introduced to Serena, a certain picture of her is very obviously being put into our mind by Blair, her minions, and the narrator. However as the story goes on, Serena proves those misconceptions false time and time again while still remaining true to herself and her morals. In the next books, I truly hope she continues to get closer with Jenny, Vanessa, and Dan because frankly, they are all SO much better than Blair, Nate, and the rest of the preppy douches.
I'm only giving this book 4/4.5 stars because of gross ass Chuck Bass and the prevalent pick-me energy in basically every female character. There isn't one female character in this story that doesn't hate Serena for simply existing except for Jenny and that's really dishearting because I would have appreciated seeing Serena be supported by at least one strong female character in this story.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and will be picking up the second book in the series right after posting this review!
In "Gossip Girl" by Cecily von Ziegesar, we follow wealthy New York teens Blair, Serena, Chuck, Nate, and their friends through their senior year of high school. Through the story, we are given a peak into the lives and rebellious escapades of these high-society teens while their actions are being critiqued and publicized on a gossip blog by an anonymous peer.
First off, I absolutely LOVE Serena. Reading the mass about of Serena slander in this book was quite hard for me and I really hated it lol. Her character development throughout the story was great and in my opinion, she was the only main character in the story (besides Jenny and Dan) that actually had any character development at all. At the beginning of the book when we are introduced to Serena, a certain picture of her is very obviously being put into our mind by Blair, her minions, and the narrator. However as the story goes on, Serena proves those misconceptions false time and time again while still remaining true to herself and her morals. In the next books, I truly hope she continues to get closer with Jenny, Vanessa, and Dan because frankly, they are all SO much better than Blair, Nate, and the rest of the preppy douches.
I'm only giving this book 4/4.5 stars because of gross ass Chuck Bass and the prevalent pick-me energy in basically every female character. There isn't one female character in this story that doesn't hate Serena for simply existing except for Jenny and that's really dishearting because I would have appreciated seeing Serena be supported by at least one strong female character in this story.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and will be picking up the second book in the series right after posting this review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Misogyny, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug use, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Although I feel like TikTok overhyped the gore in this book, I can say without a doubt that I absolutely loved this book.
In "Tender is the Flesh" by Agustina Bazterrica, we follow our main character, Marcos, through his descent into madness while living and participating in a society that consumes humans instead of animals. The beautifully written text intensifies the overall suspense and truly helps the reader visualize every little detail, especially the often disturbing scenes that will leave you shaken hours after reading. I thoroughly enjoyed following the story of Marcos and found his internal conflicts fascinating and at some points relatable. The plot twist at the end of the story was completely unexpected and was honestly my favorite part of the story, aside from the overarching theme of societal pressures and how that can affect someone over time.
Overall, "Tender is the Flesh" was an amazing first read for me this year and I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves psychological thrillers. I cannot wait to read what Agustina has in store for us next :)
In "Tender is the Flesh" by Agustina Bazterrica, we follow our main character, Marcos, through his descent into madness while living and participating in a society that consumes humans instead of animals. The beautifully written text intensifies the overall suspense and truly helps the reader visualize every little detail, especially the often disturbing scenes that will leave you shaken hours after reading. I thoroughly enjoyed following the story of Marcos and found his internal conflicts fascinating and at some points relatable. The plot twist at the end of the story was completely unexpected and was honestly my favorite part of the story, aside from the overarching theme of societal pressures and how that can affect someone over time.
Overall, "Tender is the Flesh" was an amazing first read for me this year and I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves psychological thrillers. I cannot wait to read what Agustina has in store for us next :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, and Murder
Every Last Secret by A.R. Torre
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
Where do I even begin...I'm head over heels in love with this story! I finished this book a little less than a month ago and I still think about it every single day. For a lack of better words, Cat lives in my mind rent free!
In "Every Last Secret" by A.R Torre, we switch between the pov of two successful women, Cat and Neena. After Neena secures a job at the company Cat's husband owns and moves into the house directly next door to the couple, Neena's less than innocent motives become a threat to Cat's perfect life. In a story filled with lust, lies, and jealousy, we are left pondering what we would do if we found ourselves in similar circumstances.
I loved the use of dual pov and think that Torre did an amazing job creating two distinct main characters that readers can both relate to and despise at certain moments throughout the story. I often found myself relating to Cat's inner conflicts and struggles with jealousy and as such, she has 100% become one of my favorite main characters to date. The plot was fast-paced, entertaining, and kept me interested the entire time. The ending twist was also shocking and wasn't completely far-fetched or predictable like the endings in a lot of thrillers.
Overall I give full props to A.R Torre for writing an amazing story and will be recommending "Every Last Secret" to anyone who will listen! I have a few other A.R Torre books on my wish list and I am very excited to see what else Torre has written...I already know they will be great!
In "Every Last Secret" by A.R Torre, we switch between the pov of two successful women, Cat and Neena. After Neena secures a job at the company Cat's husband owns and moves into the house directly next door to the couple, Neena's less than innocent motives become a threat to Cat's perfect life. In a story filled with lust, lies, and jealousy, we are left pondering what we would do if we found ourselves in similar circumstances.
I loved the use of dual pov and think that Torre did an amazing job creating two distinct main characters that readers can both relate to and despise at certain moments throughout the story. I often found myself relating to Cat's inner conflicts and struggles with jealousy and as such, she has 100% become one of my favorite main characters to date. The plot was fast-paced, entertaining, and kept me interested the entire time. The ending twist was also shocking and wasn't completely far-fetched or predictable like the endings in a lot of thrillers.
Overall I give full props to A.R Torre for writing an amazing story and will be recommending "Every Last Secret" to anyone who will listen! I have a few other A.R Torre books on my wish list and I am very excited to see what else Torre has written...I already know they will be great!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Infertility and Miscarriage
Minor: Sexual assault and Murder
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
4.5
A super heartwarming and adorable story that kept me on my toes the entire read! Finlay and Vero: The duo we never knew we needed...until now.
"Finlay Donovan is Killing It' by Elle Cosimano centers around Finlay, a burnt-out author and newly single mother of two, who is thrust into the middle of an active murder investigation following an unsuspecting visit to her local Panera.
The beginning of the story started out a little slow for my liking and I was honestly considering DNF'ing the book after the first few chapters. Ultimately, I decided to stick it out to the end and I'm more than happy that I did. The progression of Finlay and Vero's relationship was incredibly heartwarming and hilarious and was a major reason I decided to continue reading. Elle did an amazing job at formulating the perfect best-friend duo on paper. Watching Finlay and Vero grow from disgruntled boss/employee to sisters was a refreshing break throughout the chaos of the mystery plot. The overall murder mystery had a pretty solid wrap-up and didn't at all seem too far-fetched or predictable. I wish Vero's life and backstory was dug into a little more but understandably, this is a book about Finlay and not Vero lol.
I adore the story of Finlay and Vero and cannot wait to continue with the series!
"Finlay Donovan is Killing It' by Elle Cosimano centers around Finlay, a burnt-out author and newly single mother of two, who is thrust into the middle of an active murder investigation following an unsuspecting visit to her local Panera.
The beginning of the story started out a little slow for my liking and I was honestly considering DNF'ing the book after the first few chapters. Ultimately, I decided to stick it out to the end and I'm more than happy that I did. The progression of Finlay and Vero's relationship was incredibly heartwarming and hilarious and was a major reason I decided to continue reading. Elle did an amazing job at formulating the perfect best-friend duo on paper. Watching Finlay and Vero grow from disgruntled boss/employee to sisters was a refreshing break throughout the chaos of the mystery plot. The overall murder mystery had a pretty solid wrap-up and didn't at all seem too far-fetched or predictable. I wish Vero's life and backstory was dug into a little more but understandably, this is a book about Finlay and not Vero lol.
I adore the story of Finlay and Vero and cannot wait to continue with the series!
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Stalking