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mayhemboundbookshelf's Reviews (600)
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you Booksirens and Lena Abram for the opportunity to read this ARC. I really loved where this story was going, I found myself wanting to keep flipping pages.. but then it just ended... This felt like less of a cliffhanger and more like it was unfinished. I wish instead of making this a short novella that it was fleshed out more so that we got more explanation of the characters and worldbuilding IN STORY instead of in the definitions up front. I think this has a lot of potential if only it was further developed.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Thank you so much Sara Jafari, MacAudio2025 and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC. I thought the narration was absolutely perfect and the production was well done on this audiobook. As for the story and characters, I may not have the same lived experiences as these characters, but my heart ached for Shirin hearing the discrimination and abuse she faced not only in high school but then to relive it as an adult. The workplace gaslighting and lack of compassion, the friends who often just didn't get it... it was still quite relatable even living a different experience. Kian was a delight through and through and it was awful to hear his guilt and inner battles as well. Overall, I thought this was a great read. Pacing could have moved faster, but not enough to take away a star.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Gaslighting
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC. I really enjoyed the concept of this book and thought the plot and the characters were super lovable. That said, the author used some phrases that were repetitive and off-putting to me… like we’re not 16… who says “do me” as a fully grown adult REPEATEDLY and seriously. I couldn’t get past some of the language… it just made it feel rather immature to me and spoiled the story a bit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Bullying
lighthearted
fast-paced
I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC copy. I really enjoyed the concept of this book and the overall story but I was bummed to see how many jumps were made leaving out parts that would have really built the engagement and intrigue rather than just try to move the story ahead as fast as possible. I know this was meant to be short but it could have benefitted from being a bit longer to give more storytelling.
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I had the pleasure of reading this as an ARC and I am pleased to report that it was a fantastic book. The content was heavy and the characters were people I really cared about! I loved the growth that the MMC showed from adolescence to adulthood and the growth the FMC showed once she was safe. This was a tough book to read from an emotionally heavy perspective but it flew by.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Abortion, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, Rape, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I love Margaret Atwood. I love her writing, I love her moral compass, I love her unwavering authenticity. This collection of short writings was something that I could continue to come back to as needed and when I had a break or just needed a palette cleanser. Each of these stories hit me in a different way but most of them resonated well.
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you Alta Hensley and Netgalley for this ALC. This isn’t my usual genre / trope but I found it to be engaging and intriguing. I guess I was surprised because usually age gap kind of grosses me out but it didn’t seem to be too out of my comfort zone the way Hensley wrote it which was great! I loved the concept of the hunt and while it’s definitely dark - it wasn’t off-putting like some dark romances I’ve read. It’s definitely not a Haunted/hunted level of darkness which I was glad about. Overall I liked the characters and the plot but I wish we got a little more depth in the backstory of the characters and the origin of the Hunt.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you Netgalley and Eiren Caffall. Oh what a journey this was. I wish I could say I came out of this read with a smile on my face, but the sad reality is that our planet is in so much danger at the hands of humans that this apocalyptic tale of a world where water rules and much of the world is burning… just doesn’t seem so far fetched. My heart was ripped open for Bix and Nonnie many times and while I’m “happy” with the ending, my heart and head are just so sad that this was probably a book that the author imagined as more imaginative than reality and I fear that won’t be the case for long.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you Macmillan Audio, Netgalley and Marie Bostwick for the opportunity to review this ALC/ARC. The Book Club for Troublesome Women was the perfect mashup of the female experience. Touching deeply on the inner conflict that so many women faced in the 60s, and often still face today. I am one of those women who absolutely loves my life, I CHOSE to be a wife, a mother, a homemaker AND to work full time. I thrive in knowing that I am setting an example for my children that family is about balance. My husband and I share household responsibilities, childcare responsibilities and financial responsibilities... we are partners. This is something that you see with the FMC and her husband in this book, but you see it evolve and go through growing pains. Some of the other female leads go through equally common struggles... fertility issues, spousal infidelity, being turned away or turned down for career aspirations simply for being a woman, lifestyles based on appearances rather than substance... But at the heart of it all, they have each other, to empower, advocate and support each other. This is such a beautiful story of resilience, challenge, and friendship.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin audio and Adriana Herrera for the opportunity to listen to this ALC/ARC copy. I loved that I picked this audio up and did not have to have read the first 2 books in the series for it to make sense and be a solid read. I loved the focus on overcoming the circumstances of your birth, of helping those who are usually shunned, the female empowerment and the evolution of the MMC and FMC's relationship. I was so moved by the author's note at the end telling it exactly like it is with the culture of criminalizing abortion that we're in right now and the emphasis on the harm that this movement causes to women and girls... and society as a whole. The narration was enjoyable and I found the characters to be likable and meaningful. Overall, a good read.
This is a review of the audiobook.
This is a review of the audiobook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Abortion