meeshreads's reviews
749 reviews

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

dark mysterious fast-paced

4.0

This is a fun one. The audiobook worked well for the podcast format, and I liked Lucy's sarcasm. The story is fast paced and the mystery of who killed Savvy kept me guessing to the very end. 

You Only Call When You're in Trouble by Stephen McCauley

3.0

I liked this, but I don't think it will really stick with me. The characters felt authentic, messy real life situations, but just not my favorite.

Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez

fast-paced

4.0

This story is told through multiple viewpoints and timelines, and eventually they all come together. The audiobook is very well read, with a different actor for each of the three main characters, who all have a unique voice and perspective in the story. I particularly loved Anita, whose portions are filled with rage and vibrancy. Raquel's story is more of a coming of age story, a college student figuring out where she fits in, and learning some things that Anita learned long ago. Jack is extremely unlikeable, but his portions did give extra context, and endeared Anita to me even more. Themes of power dynamics, sexism, feminism, race, and love, with a satisfying ending! 

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

fast-paced

4.25

This was great, fast paced, hard to put down. I enjoyed the characters, and felt the pacing and timeline jumps worked well to tell the story. The collateral damage inflicted on those close to victims and survivors of horrific acts are not often centered in stories, so I really appreciated that viewpoint. 

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

This is a difficult book, no getting around it. There is a very strong thread of addiction throughout the generations of this family, along with trauma, grief, and family dynamics. Beautiful writing, realistic, lovable, complicated characters. I didn't realize the connection to 'There There' until I got to that section of the book, and it was a nice surprise. 

The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers by Sarah Tomlinson

3.5

The audiobook is well read, but prob could have benefitted from a full cast. I liked the characters for the most part, each had a distinct voice in the story, but I never really felt fully invested. I liked the mystery aspect, it made the whole thing a little more interesting than just a ghostwriter writing a memoir.

Holiday Country by İnci Atrek

3.75

This book made me want to go to a seaside town! A well read audiobook, it is a coming of age story set on the Aegean sea, in which the self-assured 19 year old main character makes some questionable decisions while on an annual summer trip, and it explodes in her face in the last 1/3 of the book. I didn't love this book, but it did hold my interest, and I liked the ending. It would be a great beach read!

Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward

challenging dark emotional

4.5

A very beautifully written and heart-wrenching story, full of grief and survival. A story full of ghosts, memories, and cruelty. Jesmyn’s writing is hypnotic and vivid. 

Soundtrack of Silence by Matt Hay

4.0

Even though going deaf sounds horrible, this felt like a pretty lighthearted memoir. I thought the narration was good, and tying memories to music was a unique viewpoint I haven't read before. 

Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody

4.0

This was a sad story about grief, and also a pretty good mystery. I enjoyed the ride and wasn't constantly trying to figure out what happened. The characters felt real, I especially liked Teddy's mom. The narrator of the audiobook was great, and the final reveal surprised me!