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my_corner_of_the_library's Reviews (320)
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ok...I...didn't like this book.
First, I will say, if you are reading this book trying to decide if it will be a good fall read, please know that this book takes place over the summer. Not fall. That's not a knock on the book, just a heads-up.
Second, think of this book as Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic, especially if you LOVED the Luke and Rachel storyline and wished it would have panned out differently.
This thing is...I really didn't like the writing style of this book. It became really repetitive, to the point I ended up skimming so many conversations because they were the same thing, different setting. So many conversations about whether or not Alex was leaving, and the result was incredibly predictable. It's a romance. So I just didn't need it over and over and over again. Also, the wedding at the end... was so weird, and so much was left unresolved because of it.
So much of the book was spent building up to this wedding, only for our MC to get kicked out before it even started because her ex loved the bride and lied? Why didn't Lucy clarify that she didn't intend on objecting at the wedding? Why would Marcus tell Ursula that she was? Why didn't we get to find out what happened with Marcus and Ursula? Why didn't things get worked out between Lucy and Ursula?
Why was everyone acting like Lucy was a COMPLETELY different person by the end of the book when all she did was sing karaoke, run a 10k, and bake a cake over the course of the summer? ESPECIALLY, when the book concluded with her deciding she was essentially the same person?
What in the world were Callie and Serena's wishes and how on earth did they end? How come we never really got to know what they were but we would periodically bring them up like any of us had a clue?
This book left me with way more questions than answers and I just...didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted it to. Also, for a book that advertised a magical small town, I wish it would have had more...magic. Instead of a few passing mentions of magical creatures and a lot of tea drinking.
First, I will say, if you are reading this book trying to decide if it will be a good fall read, please know that this book takes place over the summer. Not fall. That's not a knock on the book, just a heads-up.
Second, think of this book as Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic, especially if you LOVED the Luke and Rachel storyline and wished it would have panned out differently.
This thing is...I really didn't like the writing style of this book. It became really repetitive, to the point I ended up skimming so many conversations because they were the same thing, different setting. So many conversations about whether or not Alex was leaving, and the result was incredibly predictable. It's a romance. So I just didn't need it over and over and over again. Also, the wedding at the end... was so weird, and so much was left unresolved because of it.
Why was everyone acting like Lucy was a COMPLETELY different person by the end of the book when all she did was sing karaoke, run a 10k, and bake a cake over the course of the summer? ESPECIALLY, when the book concluded with her deciding she was essentially the same person?
What in the world were Callie and Serena's wishes and how on earth did they end? How come we never really got to know what they were but we would periodically bring them up like any of us had a clue?
This book left me with way more questions than answers and I just...didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted it to. Also, for a book that advertised a magical small town, I wish it would have had more...magic. Instead of a few passing mentions of magical creatures and a lot of tea drinking.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this book.
The atmosphere it created was creepy and off-putting in the best way, and the supernatural elements kept things interesting. I do think that the major twist/reveal of why the girls were odd was pretty obvious from the beginning, but other twists were really unexpected. I loved the characters and how developed they were. I thought that, for once, most of their thought processes made complete sense, and listening to it on audiobook really made the experience for this book.
If you're looking for something creepy for fall this book is spot on.
The atmosphere it created was creepy and off-putting in the best way, and the supernatural elements kept things interesting. I do think that the major twist/reveal of why the girls were odd was pretty obvious from the beginning, but other twists were really unexpected. I loved the characters and how developed they were. I thought that, for once, most of their thought processes made complete sense, and listening to it on audiobook really made the experience for this book.
If you're looking for something creepy for fall this book is spot on.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Here's the thing....was this the best-written book ever, with beautiful prose and an intricate plot and so on? No...not really. BUT Did I read this book over the course of about 24 hours, in two sittings, which is basically unheard of for me? 100%
This book gripped my attention from the very beginning and kept me hooked in a way a book hasn't in a very long time. I devoured this book from the first to the last page, unwilling to put it down.
For me, this book got 5 stars based on my enjoyment of it, rather than the actual quality of the book, which I can't even touch on because I was too busy consuming this book as quickly as possible. The ending was messy, and not well explored. The characters were archetypes that achetyped. But the speed of the book and the suspense it created? *chef's kiss*
This book gripped my attention from the very beginning and kept me hooked in a way a book hasn't in a very long time. I devoured this book from the first to the last page, unwilling to put it down.
For me, this book got 5 stars based on my enjoyment of it, rather than the actual quality of the book, which I can't even touch on because I was too busy consuming this book as quickly as possible. The ending was messy, and not well explored. The characters were archetypes that achetyped. But the speed of the book and the suspense it created? *chef's kiss*
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm a little disappointed that I didn't love this book as much as so many others.
For me, the thing that really made me feel...meh...about this book was the way our main character was portrayed. There were so many things about her that just felt...off. Like her obsessive need to recognize her existence and what it means to belong. Repeatedly she would say things like, "I am part of the group, and because I am part of the group that means I belong to the group. I am here and I am wearing red shoes and therefore because I am here and wearing red shoes I am the person in the group wearing red shoes and I belong." Moments like these were very odd and out of place, and never given much explanation.
Also, I read that we are supposed to believe that our MC was an unreliable narrator because she lied once and took a car that belonged to her???? I don't get it. I felt the ending was a bit anti-climactic and I just felt...meh.
For me, the thing that really made me feel...meh...about this book was the way our main character was portrayed. There were so many things about her that just felt...off. Like her obsessive need to recognize her existence and what it means to belong. Repeatedly she would say things like, "I am part of the group, and because I am part of the group that means I belong to the group. I am here and I am wearing red shoes and therefore because I am here and wearing red shoes I am the person in the group wearing red shoes and I belong." Moments like these were very odd and out of place, and never given much explanation.
Also, I read that we are supposed to believe that our MC was an unreliable narrator because she lied once and took a car that belonged to her???? I don't get it. I felt the ending was a bit anti-climactic and I just felt...meh.
dark
reflective
sad
fast-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
Wow...that's all I have to sum up this book.
Frankenstein was not at all what I expected it to be in all the best ways. Going in I thought I had a pretty good idea of the story of Frankenstein. I figured there had to be a reason every movie, play, and reference regarding this book were all along the same lines. Each and everyone showed a Dr. obsessed with bringing the dead to life, with the rain storms and the lighting, until Frankenstein was brought to life, and then this non-communicable monster proceeded to terrify town folks until they descended on him with pitchforks and flame and Dr. Frankenstein was pretty much forced to kill his most precious creation.
Oh...OH how I was lied to. This book could not be further from that. It brought around questions of what makes someone human, what makes them worth loving, and what makes a life worth living. It talked about religion, and what makes a religion, language, love, self-worth, community, and so much more. AND THAT ENDING??? No one prepared me for that. Not in a million years would I have guessed that THAT'S how this book ended had I not read it.
Loved it.
Frankenstein was not at all what I expected it to be in all the best ways. Going in I thought I had a pretty good idea of the story of Frankenstein. I figured there had to be a reason every movie, play, and reference regarding this book were all along the same lines. Each and everyone showed a Dr. obsessed with bringing the dead to life, with the rain storms and the lighting, until Frankenstein was brought to life, and then this non-communicable monster proceeded to terrify town folks until they descended on him with pitchforks and flame and Dr. Frankenstein was pretty much forced to kill his most precious creation.
Oh...OH how I was lied to. This book could not be further from that. It brought around questions of what makes someone human, what makes them worth loving, and what makes a life worth living. It talked about religion, and what makes a religion, language, love, self-worth, community, and so much more. AND THAT ENDING??? No one prepared me for that. Not in a million years would I have guessed that THAT'S how this book ended had I not read it.
Loved it.
Having made it to the 70% mark and looking up the ending, I feel I can give this book a solid 3 stars despite DNF'ing.
Ultimately...this book was boring. I'm sorry but I was just sooooo bored. If I had to read one more lengthy description of Richard doing nothing but staring at a wall or sleeping I was going to be so irritated.
Also, I didn't find the characters interesting, intriguing, or believable for many many reasons.
I understand so many people love this book, but it just wasn't for me.
Ultimately...this book was boring. I'm sorry but I was just sooooo bored. If I had to read one more lengthy description of Richard doing nothing but staring at a wall or sleeping I was going to be so irritated.
Also, I didn't find the characters interesting, intriguing, or believable for many many reasons.
I understand so many people love this book, but it just wasn't for me.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was originally going to give this book a slightly higher rating, but the more I thought about it the more I felt that this was a 3-star book.
Mainly, it felt way too long. The solution to the main problem of this book felt very obvious to the reader and the fact that it took so long for the characters to figure it out made the last third or so of this book drag.
I felt as though this should have been resolved so much quicker and the overall explanation was messy at best.
Overall, it was a fun read and kept me entertained on my drive, but wasn't anything spectacular.
Mainly, it felt way too long. The solution to the main problem of this book felt very obvious to the reader and the fact that it took so long for the characters to figure it out made the last third or so of this book drag.
I felt as though this should have been resolved so much quicker and the overall explanation was messy at best.
Overall, it was a fun read and kept me entertained on my drive, but wasn't anything spectacular.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book slowly got worse for me as it went on...for me this book was in three parts, which I'll break down here.
Part 1: The build-up
During this part of the book, I was completely on board. The writing felt odd and creepy and made my skin crawl despite driving in broad daylight. Up until the school I felt like the author did so many things right that I was preparing for this to be a 5-star read for me. I felt like I was getting the great backstory on the characters, their relationship, and the farm was just eerie and odd enough to feel wrong.
Part 2: This wouldn't be a horror story if our MC wasn't stupid
At this point, the MC started to make some really dumb decisions that had me rolling my eyes. Seriously...you see a creepy guy in a mask slithering along the floor of an empty school in the middle of the night and your first instinct is to walk in the door little ways down the hall and call out for your bf??? Then when you enter a classroom looking for said bf you decide the logical thing to do would be to play a video on a tv, turning up the volume??? I'm sorry but from the moment our MC entered the school absolutely nothing she did made sense and it really started to lose me.
Part 3: This wouldn't be a horror story if our author didn't lie to us
It was at this point that we learned that pretty much everything up to this point didn't really happen, which gave me serious "it was all a dream" vibes. I actually got pretty irritated because we learned that everything that made this a horror/thriller didn't actually exist...so it was pointless? Not a fan, sorry. The ending didn't feel inventive, interesting, or twisty. It felt like a cop-out.
Part 1: The build-up
During this part of the book, I was completely on board. The writing felt odd and creepy and made my skin crawl despite driving in broad daylight. Up until the school I felt like the author did so many things right that I was preparing for this to be a 5-star read for me. I felt like I was getting the great backstory on the characters, their relationship, and the farm was just eerie and odd enough to feel wrong.
Part 2: This wouldn't be a horror story if our MC wasn't stupid
At this point, the MC started to make some really dumb decisions that had me rolling my eyes. Seriously...you see a creepy guy in a mask slithering along the floor of an empty school in the middle of the night and your first instinct is to walk in the door little ways down the hall and call out for your bf??? Then when you enter a classroom looking for said bf you decide the logical thing to do would be to play a video on a tv, turning up the volume??? I'm sorry but from the moment our MC entered the school absolutely nothing she did made sense and it really started to lose me.
Part 3: This wouldn't be a horror story if our author didn't lie to us
It was at this point that we learned that pretty much everything up to this point didn't really happen, which gave me serious "it was all a dream" vibes. I actually got pretty irritated because we learned that everything that made this a horror/thriller didn't actually exist...so it was pointless? Not a fan, sorry. The ending didn't feel inventive, interesting, or twisty. It felt like a cop-out.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I know it's practically a sin to give this book less than 5 stars...but...I have a few complaints.
Let me start by saying, I really enjoyed this book. The writing and mythology were beautiful and I felt swept away by this story. Also, that ending....gorgeous. I would have been disappointed if it ended any other way.I wasn't expecting her to jump back into the sea at the end, leaving her love behind, but it felt so beautiful and poetic that I nearly gave it 5 stars just for that.
However, there were two things that kept this from being a 5 star book for me.
1) Not enough mermaids
This may seem like an odd complaint when talking about a book whose MC is a mermaid, but I was pretty disappointed by the lack of mermaids in this book. Our MC spent most of her time in human form, and when I picked up this book I was really looking for a book about mermaids and the mythology around them. So when the MC spent the vast majority of the book in human form and exploring other mythologies it just scratch that mermaid itch I had.
2) Too much mythology
I really loved learning about the different mythologies in this book. So many of them I hadn't heard about before. However, it felt like the author put too much into the book. I think this would have been so much better split over 2 or 3 books where we were able to get much deeper world building to learn more about each of the creatures, gods, and mythologies introduced.
Let me start by saying, I really enjoyed this book. The writing and mythology were beautiful and I felt swept away by this story. Also, that ending....gorgeous. I would have been disappointed if it ended any other way.
However, there were two things that kept this from being a 5 star book for me.
1) Not enough mermaids
This may seem like an odd complaint when talking about a book whose MC is a mermaid, but I was pretty disappointed by the lack of mermaids in this book. Our MC spent most of her time in human form, and when I picked up this book I was really looking for a book about mermaids and the mythology around them. So when the MC spent the vast majority of the book in human form and exploring other mythologies it just scratch that mermaid itch I had.
2) Too much mythology
I really loved learning about the different mythologies in this book. So many of them I hadn't heard about before. However, it felt like the author put too much into the book. I think this would have been so much better split over 2 or 3 books where we were able to get much deeper world building to learn more about each of the creatures, gods, and mythologies introduced.