patsy's reviews
202 reviews

Dear Vicky by Octavia Grant

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Ridiculous. Totally unbelievable. It also needed a better editor. 👎🏻

The Brothers by Kimberley Chambers

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Bloody brilliant! Loved every page. 
Kimberley Chambers is an auto by author for me, she’s never written a bad book.  My only gripe is that I now have to wait until next year for the next book 😫

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-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? No

3.0

Way, way too long. Gloria’s chapters could have been cut and just concentrated on Robbie. Also, why is it classed as a horror? I know what happened was horrific but a few ghosts don’t make a horror. 

Plot holes, pacing problems and over long chapters 😫

Whilst I didn’t hate this book I didn’t love it either. 

Dead Head by C.J. Skuse

adventurous challenging dark funny informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious tense 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

3.0

Whilst I love Rhiannon, she’s my favourite psychopath, this was my least favourite book of the three. I prefer her when she’s doing what she does best.  Hopefully book four will have her back to her best. 

The Fury by Alex Michaelides

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-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

2.0

I didn’t hate this but I can’t say I loved it either 🤷🏼‍♀️ I liked the beginning and the end but the middle dragged. The timeline wasn’t linear so it felt muddled. 

It was a relatively short book with small chapters. Had book had long chapters I don’t think I’d have finished it 😐

The Heart of a Mother by Julie Clark

emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A short easy read that passed an hour 🤷🏼‍♀️

When I Was You by Amber Garza

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.0

I struggled with the pacing of this book, also I thought the narration was a bit clunky. All the characters were unlikeable. It kept me entertained though so 🤷🏼‍♀️

Frank and Red by Matt Coyne

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

An easy 5⭐️

Red got on my nerves here and there which is what happens with real kids so that must be a good thing for the fictional character 😀

The Guest by B.A. Paris

dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.0

The ending of this book makes up for the very slow burn. I didn’t see that one coming 😮 
Unlikeable characters, short chapters, an okay read, kept me engaged. 

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book was a mix bag for me, I loved the characters of Ricki, Ezra and Ms Della the storyline just left me a bit 😣 
I enjoyed the 1920s Harlem chapters, a shame there wasn’t more. 
The magical realism ✨ I liked. I guessed the end which I didn’t like. 

As romance isn’t my thing, I find it all a bit meh, I did enjoy how this author writes dialogue between her characters. I didn’t enjoy the long chapters. No book needs chapters that long, I dropped a star because of them