patsy's reviews
201 reviews

The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

3.5 ⭐️

I did like this book and the way the story was told but I struggled to connect with the characters 🤷🏼‍♀️ 
It was told in a dual POV and I preferred Ruby’s story over Eleanor’s. 
I’ve read a number of books set in Magdalene Laundries and this wasn’t one of the better ones, I understand that this was just a part of the overall story but I thought more could have been made of it 🤷🏼‍♀️

Restless Dolly Maunder by Kate Grenville

inspiring 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

2.0

This started off well, I enjoyed young Dolly’s early life and school day’s, then it just went downhill.  It was repetitive and dull. We were told a lot but shown nothing, I felt we never got to know any of the characters, just a bland telling. 
I usually love books set in Australia during this time frame but this one let me down 😐

Fathers Day by Richard Madeley

challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.0

This book was okay, nothing groundbreaking. I wasn’t keen on the back to front layout. I liked the short chapters. 

A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines

challenging hopeful informative sad 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

3.0

Reread

First read this whilst at school, a short, depressing read. A tad too descriptive for me but I’m glad I read it again. 

The Stranger in My Bed by Karen King

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

1.0

This book was repetitive and boring. The inner dialogue of each character was repeated over and over 😐 had all the repeats been edited out this book would have been a pamphlet. 
Freya, the MFC gaslighted herself 😐 and she annoyed me greatly. 

I do not recommend. 

Missing Pieces by Laura Pearson

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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

2.0

This wasn’t my favourite from this author. It was very slow going and I found it hard to connect with any of the characters. 
It was told from two timeframes. 1985 and 2011. My problem was that you couldn’t tell that she was writing about a time set in 1985. It could have been the year 2000 🤷🏼‍♀️ if you are setting 50% of your book in a certain year it would be good to feel like that year 🤷🏼‍♀️
I found it very off putting. 

Moving by Jenny Eclair

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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

4.0

What a pleasant surprise. I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t that. 
A good easy read with well fleshed out characters. 

Christ on a Bike by Orla Owen

dark mysterious reflective 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

2.5

I can’t make my mind up about this 🤷🏼‍♀️ I enjoyed the first half better than the second. 

It’s a strange one, I went in blind which I suggest you do if you intend to read it. 

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-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

4.0

A slow burn character driven story. I almost DNFd this at the beginning as it Phoebe the FMC was depressing but I powered through and I ended up sad to say goodbye by to all the wedding people. 

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

emotional lighthearted sad 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? Yes

5.0

Reread. 

This was a 5⭐️ read when I first read it in 2018 and it remains a 5⭐️ read in 2024.