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rubybereading's Reviews (86)
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-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:
Complicated
This really did feel like a really warm hug you didn’t even know you needed. And I wasn’t even enjoying it at first. The language, at first, was annoying and I started to assume that it was going to come off sounding very pretentious and trying to sound too smarter-than-you. But I’m glad I’m refusing to dnf anything this year, because I was SO wrong. This book was lovely, and thoughtful, thought provoking, touching, and was just what I needed when I did not know I needed it! As soon as my hold of the sequel becomes available on Libby, I’m on it!
Ok, so I don’t know what to say about this one. I don’t know how I feel about it or whether or not I even like it. Somehow, though, this feels like a solid 4, and I don’t know why or how to explain it. It just does. So I’m going to leave it right there. Maybe I’ll revisit it later. Maybe not. I don’t know. I’m so confused.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank GAWD I was off today because I, legit, stayed up until 7AM to finish this book. It was so good! Gripping, suspenseful, had me at the edge of my seat biting the crap out of my nails during the last 25-50% of the story. It was slightly predictable, but also not, and twisty without being too twisty. It was also very realistic and relatable. The relationship dynamics were written very thoughtfully, and the author did a great job of portraying the effects that generational trauma and the protection of dark family secrets can have on a family across multiple generations. She also did a great job of adding social commentary, using real life facts and statistics, about the reactions to and the investigative pursuit of certain types of cases that effect different types of communities in very blatantly disproportionate numbers due to ‘demographic’ factors. She hit all those sensitive topics in a very in-your-face way without being preachy or forceful, or coming off as pretentious, and broached it in a respectful way without losing the intended impact and message it was adding. And even with all the social commentary, it still maintained a compelling story that was interesting, scary, sad, heartfelt, and expressed the importance of self-value and personal and familial healing. It touched me. I cried. I felt for the families, and I was very invested. I cannot believe this was a debut. This was so well written. I’m stunned (!!), and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for any other books she releases. 10 outta 10!
dark
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:
No
It was fine. No complaints. It filled the “written under a pseudonym” prompt for a reading challenge my local library is hosting, so it was a super quick little short that fulfilled its purpose. I don’t feel like googling every author of every book on my radar, so this was easy. And it was entertaining enough. Cool introduction (for me—it’s not the actual introduction) to the Reacher series, and I can see the appeal, but it didn’t make me want to read any other books from the series. It did, however, make me interested in watching the TV series, so I probably will.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really, really, reeeeeeaaaaaally wish I had not watched the movie back when it came out, because it made it so hard not to compare. All throughout the book, I just kept thinking about how good of a job Netflix did with the adaptation and it just made me want to watch the movie again. If not for that, this might’ve even been a 5 ⭐️ book for me. Idk, but I can admit I feel like crap admitting that. I just didn’t really like the pacing and the way the dual timeline was presented versus how it was done in the movie. Still, I did think it was a very good book. There were parts that weren’t in the movie that had me on edge (in a good way). If I didn’t already know what the what was, I probably would’ve been terrified. So, I’ll give it credit for that. I’m definitely going to rewatch the movie again, though, because GOTDAMN they did their thing and this just reminded me of how good it was. Also, because I know I would’ve LOVED this book if I hadn’t already seen the movie, I definitely plan to read the sequel eventually. That’s why, to be fair, I still have to give it 4 stars. Any less wouldn’t feel right. You know??
dark
emotional
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:
Complicated
The most devastating coming of age story l've ever read! I went into this SO blind. I only chose it for a storygraph reading challenge, and its high regard had it already on my radar. That's it. I was not ready for what this would do to me emotionally. Also, I've never read or even watched anything set in Nazi Germany (to my recollection). If I have, it must've been more of a backdrop as opposed to being literally integral to the whole story. So l've never consumed anything (fiction or nonfiction) that gave as much detail, intimate detail, to those events.
And my heart was so broken throughout. This story and these characters are going to sit with me for a long while. Not only because it made my heart hurt so much and made me break down at various points—including every time I’ve thought about it since finishing it a few days ago—but also because it was so well crafted.
First of all, having Death (the Grim damn Reaper!!) as the narrator was shockingly brilliant. He was able to give a very objective pov with regard to the war and the horrible situation everyone was in, but also with a sympathetic tone when needed. Death was humanized in a way! I ended up loving Death (!!) as a character in the story. He might’ve even been my favorite. That’s wild to me!
Also, the characters were all so multifaceted and complex, and also familiar. I was able to recognize a lot of myself and many ppl I’ve known throughout my own life in literally all of them. And the relationships built between them warmed my heart so much. Even the ones you, at first, believe you’re supposed to hate start to feel like family to you. YOU (me) as the reader. I loved and cared about ALL of them! Knowing how tragic of a story this clearly was didn’t stop me from having hope—albeit false hope for the most part—but hope, nonetheless, because I myself did not want to lose them. The characters felt like they were a part of my own life, and I have very extremely little in common with them!
Lastly, it was just so well written! The word choices, the pacing, the attention to detail, the building of the characters, their relationships, their existence, their thoughts, dreams, feelings, struggles, inner turmoil, the way the coped, grieved, survived (or didn’t), loved, supported another, etc etc and all the etceteras! And it was beautiful. Devastating and beautiful. Smh! I’m about to cry as I’m typing this. Smh! Damn
And my heart was so broken throughout. This story and these characters are going to sit with me for a long while. Not only because it made my heart hurt so much and made me break down at various points—including every time I’ve thought about it since finishing it a few days ago—but also because it was so well crafted.
First of all, having Death (the Grim damn Reaper!!) as the narrator was shockingly brilliant. He was able to give a very objective pov with regard to the war and the horrible situation everyone was in, but also with a sympathetic tone when needed. Death was humanized in a way! I ended up loving Death (!!) as a character in the story. He might’ve even been my favorite. That’s wild to me!
Also, the characters were all so multifaceted and complex, and also familiar. I was able to recognize a lot of myself and many ppl I’ve known throughout my own life in literally all of them. And the relationships built between them warmed my heart so much. Even the ones you, at first, believe you’re supposed to hate start to feel like family to you. YOU (me) as the reader. I loved and cared about ALL of them! Knowing how tragic of a story this clearly was didn’t stop me from having hope—albeit false hope for the most part—but hope, nonetheless, because I myself did not want to lose them. The characters felt like they were a part of my own life, and I have very extremely little in common with them!
Lastly, it was just so well written! The word choices, the pacing, the attention to detail, the building of the characters, their relationships, their existence, their thoughts, dreams, feelings, struggles, inner turmoil, the way the coped, grieved, survived (or didn’t), loved, supported another, etc etc and all the etceteras! And it was beautiful. Devastating and beautiful. Smh! I’m about to cry as I’m typing this. Smh! Damn
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
It was alright. A quick filler book if you need one. I read this to fulfill 2 prompts: 1 from Fable’s July challenge to read for 1 hour outside, and July’s Secret Prompt from HRCYED 2.0 to read an entire book outside. A quick short story made the most sense and it was available immediately. It was only about 34 pages, but I’m a “slow” reader, so it worked. Anyway, it was fine. Creepy af and disturbing. It probably would’ve been better if it was longer and more drawn out to build intensity, but it was also disturbing so maybe not. Idk. Whatever. Idc. Why am I even still typing??
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book perplexes tf outta me. I can’t even remember how it ended up on my radar, but the synopsis was so intriguing. I expected a high energy, action-packed dystopian thriller. And it could’ve given that. It had all the things to give it. Political scandals, corruption, futuristic tech, injustice, disenfranchisement. All the things!! But it took all those things and gave us just a too-long, overly verbose, whole lot of things with a whole lot of nothing, but still a lot of stuff. It was interesting enough to hold me because the day-to-day existence of the characters were so effed up and I really wanted to see how it all goes down, but that’s all it really was. It was like watching one of those lockup reality shows about real life inmates where things happen but there’s no major “plot”. It’s just like, “Damn, that’s messed up” or “That’s crazy. I’d hate to have to be there. I’m glad that’s not me”. It was riveting, in essence, but it didn’t do enough with the rivetness (I know that’s not a word. Shut up. You know what I mean). Overall, I was pretty much disappointed. Didn’t hate it, but could’ve done without it too. Even though I do appreciate the conversation it’s trying to have. It just wasn’t a satisfying conversation. And the end was anticlimactic af. Smh. What a bummer.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
This book is so short but hits SO hard. I’m a crybaby anyway, but it hurt to read the details about the boy’s situation. But it also opened up some dialogue with my son about what kinds of sacrifices are worth making in order to try to chase certain ideals, and what kind of person we might be choosing to be in order to achieve them. The story conveys a narrative about humanity and the darkest parts of all of us, and made me wonder how far even I’d be willing to go—especially for my own loved ones. Could I walk away? Or would I be complicit? I almost don’t even want to know the answer.
dark
sad
fast-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:
No
This was a reread from high school (required reading), so l already knew how it was gonna go and was not blown away. Still, it was impactful as crap and still a scary idea to think of. Yikes