patsy's reviews
201 reviews

Lights Out by Louise Swanson

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This is an odd book. Marketed as a thriller but had no thrills, there were ridiculous sub plots that went nowhere, The Feather Man 🤷🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ then Feng Shui was thrown into the mix 🫨

But, saying all that, it kept me wanting to know what was going on so it can’t have been all bad 😀

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Well, I wasn’t expecting that! 😲

I don’t know what it is about Freida but when her book drops, I immediately download it. 
This is my favourite so far, the dual timeline added that extra bit of tension. 
The Sydney was a melt but I got over it 🙂

The Hidden Girl by Lucinda Riley

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.5

4.5⭐️

Thoroughly enjoyed this saga, some dark, upsetting seems that kept me turning the page. 
My only niggle was that the dialogue felt clunky but other than that 😍

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Wow! Once I started reading I couldn’t stop.  I love history put the people in were mostly horrible 🙁

The Vanishing of Margaret Small by Neil Alexander

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

I loved this! 
Margaret is a wonderful character, a story told over dual timelines. It’s both sad and uplifting. 
I’ll definitely be reading this author’s next book. 

Drowning by T.J. Newman

adventurous tense fast-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

3.5

3.5⭐️

I did like this and I can understand why it’s going to be made into a film as it read like one. It had me gripped at the beginning but I found my mind wandering during the technical bits 🥱 

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

adventurous funny informative lighthearted mysterious fast-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

4.0

A good start to a new series. Lots of likeable characters and humour along the way. 
Lots going on and a LOT of names to remember 🫨

Divorced Not Dead by Harper Ford

lighthearted 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 started off well but quickly went downhill. The chapters were far too long, it was too wordy. Did every tiny little thing have to be described, repeatedly?  Frankie was annoying, so was her sexist man friend Stef 😐

The Measure by Nikki Erlick

adventurous hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

I liked the premise of this book, I do enjoy a good “what would you do” but this was let down by the political sub plot.  Also, I felt it was too long 🤷🏼‍♀️

Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman

lighthearted fast-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

3.0

This was okay, I may be too old for these by a decade or four 😀 is nobody just straight anymore? 🤷🏼‍♀️