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sand_between_pages's Reviews (734)
informative
tense
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
"'Eyes in the back of your head until you make yourself some friends who will watch your back.' We didn't have to say why. All women know why."
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Easily my new favorite Kate Quinn book - The Diamond Eye is a fascinating story, beautifully written and engaging at every turn. I was instantly hooked and that excitement didn't wane for even a page throughout. Thank you so much to William Morrow and Biblio Lifestyle for the gifted copy of this gem.
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This is the story of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a Russian sniper who fought for the Red Army during WWII during the German invasion of Russia (and it's very much based on a true story, the book includes photos of Pavlichenko and an author's note detailing the many present nonfiction elements of the story). It's impossible to read this book and not be charmed by Mila, a woman so strong in her convictions, so focused on her goals, so quirky and kindhearted - Mila is inspirational even now, 80 years later.
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In addition to the war, the book also delves into Mila's American tour, her friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt, and how she won over the American people in a time when the US and USSR had their fair share of tension and distrust.
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This book is easy to read and a pleasure to consume. If you read one historical fiction book this year, let it be this one!
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Easily my new favorite Kate Quinn book - The Diamond Eye is a fascinating story, beautifully written and engaging at every turn. I was instantly hooked and that excitement didn't wane for even a page throughout. Thank you so much to William Morrow and Biblio Lifestyle for the gifted copy of this gem.
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This is the story of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a Russian sniper who fought for the Red Army during WWII during the German invasion of Russia (and it's very much based on a true story, the book includes photos of Pavlichenko and an author's note detailing the many present nonfiction elements of the story). It's impossible to read this book and not be charmed by Mila, a woman so strong in her convictions, so focused on her goals, so quirky and kindhearted - Mila is inspirational even now, 80 years later.
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In addition to the war, the book also delves into Mila's American tour, her friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt, and how she won over the American people in a time when the US and USSR had their fair share of tension and distrust.
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This book is easy to read and a pleasure to consume. If you read one historical fiction book this year, let it be this one!
emotional
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
Ah! This is truly a story that is going to stay with me for a long while, and one I am so sad about finishing - I wanted to go on and on! Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance is a book that wasn't even on my radar, and I went in blind thinking I was going to read a thriller. Instead, I was pleased to be enveloped in a heartwarming, tragic coming-of-age story that is brilliantly narrated and thought-provoking at every turn.
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My best advice: go in blind and listen to the audio. The narrator does a wonderful job bringing the reader the voice of Sally, a young girl growing up in the late 90's and early 2000's, dealing with the normal things every kid deals with, but also delving through a tragic event that shapes her entire life.
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Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for this memorable read that felt like more of an experience!
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My best advice: go in blind and listen to the audio. The narrator does a wonderful job bringing the reader the voice of Sally, a young girl growing up in the late 90's and early 2000's, dealing with the normal things every kid deals with, but also delving through a tragic event that shapes her entire life.
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Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for this memorable read that felt like more of an experience!
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an ALC of The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth!
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This is my third book by this author and generally, I like her stories. I especially enjoyed her previous novel, [book:The Good Sister|53137974]. However, The Younger Wife didn't land in the same manner and I found myself a little baffled by the ending. In fact, I delayed writing this review because I am still unsure of what to make of that weird finish...
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While the beginning of the book had me intrigued and wondering what was up, the middle to end lost me. It felt anticlimactic and contrived. There were also a lot of issues and triggers in the story that never felt fully addressed or handled all that well.
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I am not giving up on Hepworth, but this isn't one I recommend :(.
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This is my third book by this author and generally, I like her stories. I especially enjoyed her previous novel, [book:The Good Sister|53137974]. However, The Younger Wife didn't land in the same manner and I found myself a little baffled by the ending. In fact, I delayed writing this review because I am still unsure of what to make of that weird finish...
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While the beginning of the book had me intrigued and wondering what was up, the middle to end lost me. It felt anticlimactic and contrived. There were also a lot of issues and triggers in the story that never felt fully addressed or handled all that well.
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I am not giving up on Hepworth, but this isn't one I recommend :(.
funny
lighthearted
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
<i> "Some books you don't read so much as live, and finishing one of those always makes me think of ascending from a scuba dive. Life if I surface too fast I might get the bends." </i>
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I don't think it's fair to compare an author's book with their previous novels, however, I loved [book:People We Meet on Vacation|54985743] SO much, I couldn't really help the subconscious comparison I continuously made between that novel and Book Lovers. Don't get me wrong - Book Lovers is GOOD, full of that classic Henry banter and wit that I have come to love after reading her books for the past 5 years - but PWMOV is one of my favorite romances ever, and I think that fact alone gave me really high expectations for Book Lovers.
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As previously mentioned, the banter in this book is what makes it worth reading. Henry as a knack for lol wit and charm that I've come to look forward to in reading her books. Book Lovers is also chalk full of emotional moments, life realizations, and learning lessons about the importance of doing what YOU love and not living for anyone else.
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There are some parts that, in my opinion, dragged. I didn't love the main character's sister, Libby, and really felt like I wanted to skip over the scenes with her in them. However, the chemistry between Nora and Charlie is on point and there are a lot of Gilmore Girl Stars Hollow vibes that I really loved. I also think a New Yorker would truly enjoy the ode to the city that feels repeated on many of the pages.
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Overall, I really enjoyed this one - don't skip it!
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I don't think it's fair to compare an author's book with their previous novels, however, I loved [book:People We Meet on Vacation|54985743] SO much, I couldn't really help the subconscious comparison I continuously made between that novel and Book Lovers. Don't get me wrong - Book Lovers is GOOD, full of that classic Henry banter and wit that I have come to love after reading her books for the past 5 years - but PWMOV is one of my favorite romances ever, and I think that fact alone gave me really high expectations for Book Lovers.
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As previously mentioned, the banter in this book is what makes it worth reading. Henry as a knack for lol wit and charm that I've come to look forward to in reading her books. Book Lovers is also chalk full of emotional moments, life realizations, and learning lessons about the importance of doing what YOU love and not living for anyone else.
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There are some parts that, in my opinion, dragged. I didn't love the main character's sister, Libby, and really felt like I wanted to skip over the scenes with her in them. However, the chemistry between Nora and Charlie is on point and there are a lot of Gilmore Girl Stars Hollow vibes that I really loved. I also think a New Yorker would truly enjoy the ode to the city that feels repeated on many of the pages.
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Overall, I really enjoyed this one - don't skip it!
emotional
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:
Yes
“I know life is hard, I think everyone knows that in their hearts, but why dos it have to be cruel, as well? Why does it have to bite?”
Second read confirmed 11.22.63 as my favorite book of all time. Brilliant on audio...!
I don't do horror. Not in movies, not in books. So, whenever I think about reading a Stephen King book, I shy away from the idea as it is simply not my genre. However, my friend mentioned this book and offered to let me borrow it, and as a fan of history and time travel and romance (which 11/22/63 is all three of) , I really couldn't say 'no' - and I'm so happy I didn't!
What would the world be like if you could go back in time and stop major horrible events from happening? Would the world be a better place? What if you could kill Hitler before he ever rose to power in Germany? What if you could warn mass populations of the natural disasters to come? Would you do it?
What if you could save JFK from Lee Harvey Oswald on that fateful November day in Dallas?
Jake Epping is a high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, and he is faced with exactly this predicament. Via a rabbit hole discovered by local diner owner, Al Templeton, Jake has the opportunity to go back to 1958 and stop the JFK assassination that is to come in 1963. Al convinces Jake that saving JFK would change the world for the better, and there are a few other things Jake would like to change about the past, too.
No spoilers, so I won't say any more. This book is long, and in some parts, maybe a bit too long, but overall, it was pretty amazing. And what a magnificent love story, too!
I very highly recommend this read! It was truly gripping and poignant, and I feel a deep sense of connection to the characters. I understand why Stephen King is so successful, he is absolutely brilliant.
Second read confirmed 11.22.63 as my favorite book of all time. Brilliant on audio...!
I don't do horror. Not in movies, not in books. So, whenever I think about reading a Stephen King book, I shy away from the idea as it is simply not my genre. However, my friend mentioned this book and offered to let me borrow it, and as a fan of history and time travel and romance (which 11/22/63 is all three of) , I really couldn't say 'no' - and I'm so happy I didn't!
What would the world be like if you could go back in time and stop major horrible events from happening? Would the world be a better place? What if you could kill Hitler before he ever rose to power in Germany? What if you could warn mass populations of the natural disasters to come? Would you do it?
What if you could save JFK from Lee Harvey Oswald on that fateful November day in Dallas?
Jake Epping is a high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, and he is faced with exactly this predicament. Via a rabbit hole discovered by local diner owner, Al Templeton, Jake has the opportunity to go back to 1958 and stop the JFK assassination that is to come in 1963. Al convinces Jake that saving JFK would change the world for the better, and there are a few other things Jake would like to change about the past, too.
No spoilers, so I won't say any more. This book is long, and in some parts, maybe a bit too long, but overall, it was pretty amazing. And what a magnificent love story, too!
I very highly recommend this read! It was truly gripping and poignant, and I feel a deep sense of connection to the characters. I understand why Stephen King is so successful, he is absolutely brilliant.
emotional
hopeful
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can always rely on CoHo for a good reading binge - she has a way of writing a story that keeps me on the edge of my seat from start to finish and I so appreciate this quality in her books! I also love how every book I read from CoHo is so drastically different from the one before, and Reminders of Him is no exception. This was a really unique story about how one bad night - one mistake - can change the course of your entire life.
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This isn't my favorite CoHo, but I really did enjoy this story. I loved the characters and truly felt invested in their actions. And of course, the content of the story tugged at my heartstrings. I found the end to be a little rushed. I also feel like the situation may be more complicated IRL and it was a big fluffed out in the book. However, ultimately, this is a book that I really enjoyed spending time with and one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.
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This isn't my favorite CoHo, but I really did enjoy this story. I loved the characters and truly felt invested in their actions. And of course, the content of the story tugged at my heartstrings. I found the end to be a little rushed. I also feel like the situation may be more complicated IRL and it was a big fluffed out in the book. However, ultimately, this is a book that I really enjoyed spending time with and one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.
emotional
informative
sad
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
"Love something long enough and true enough and fate will tear it right out of your hands if it chooses, and there's nothing you can do about it."
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I didn't think I could love Susan Meissner more after reading and loving [book:The Nature of Fragile Things|53398512] and [book:Secrets of a Charmed Life|22544024], but I loved As Bright as Heaven even more! THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD!
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Meissner is honestly just a really great story-teller. I felt completely absorbed into the story - for the two days I read the book, nothing else seemed to matter except the Bright Family and their happenings. Meissner writes historical fiction, but her stories are always unique, and she always gives so much detail and insight into the time period she writes about. As Bright as Heaven spans from 1918 to 1926, covering the end of World War I, the Spanish Flu, and the roaring 20's when speak easy joints were everywhere and prohibition was apparently a solution to the country's problems.
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But these parts of history are only part of the story. The journey we go on with the Bright Family is what is truly compelling about this book. You can not go wrong picking up a Meissner novel, and this is one I very highly recommend! TW: Death, pandemic, war, kidnapping
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I didn't think I could love Susan Meissner more after reading and loving [book:The Nature of Fragile Things|53398512] and [book:Secrets of a Charmed Life|22544024], but I loved As Bright as Heaven even more! THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD!
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Meissner is honestly just a really great story-teller. I felt completely absorbed into the story - for the two days I read the book, nothing else seemed to matter except the Bright Family and their happenings. Meissner writes historical fiction, but her stories are always unique, and she always gives so much detail and insight into the time period she writes about. As Bright as Heaven spans from 1918 to 1926, covering the end of World War I, the Spanish Flu, and the roaring 20's when speak easy joints were everywhere and prohibition was apparently a solution to the country's problems.
.
But these parts of history are only part of the story. The journey we go on with the Bright Family is what is truly compelling about this book. You can not go wrong picking up a Meissner novel, and this is one I very highly recommend! TW: Death, pandemic, war, kidnapping
emotional
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:
No
<i> “You cannot trust perception. Falling, at first, feels like flying.” </i>
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I mean - wow! What a book....! This is my first Jodi Picoult and I am honestly blown away. Maybe it's that Wish You Were Here was super emotional and resonated, maybe it was the insane twist that I am still reeling from, or maybe it was the many thought-provoking lines and directions the author took - but I really enjoyed this story and it may be one of my favorites of the year. And I highly encourage you to go in blind, as I did, because I truly feel like that enhanced the read for me.
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That being said, I don't want to give a lot away. This book delves deeply into 2020 and the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic. It gave me more respect for those early lives lost, what healthcare workers and doctors endured (and still endure today), and ultimately respect for a virus that we still do not know that much about - that isn't just another 'flu' or 'cold' - that living with caution is not the same as "living in fear".
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100 percent will be giving this to all of my friends and family to read.
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I mean - wow! What a book....! This is my first Jodi Picoult and I am honestly blown away. Maybe it's that Wish You Were Here was super emotional and resonated, maybe it was the insane twist that I am still reeling from, or maybe it was the many thought-provoking lines and directions the author took - but I really enjoyed this story and it may be one of my favorites of the year. And I highly encourage you to go in blind, as I did, because I truly feel like that enhanced the read for me.
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That being said, I don't want to give a lot away. This book delves deeply into 2020 and the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic. It gave me more respect for those early lives lost, what healthcare workers and doctors endured (and still endure today), and ultimately respect for a virus that we still do not know that much about - that isn't just another 'flu' or 'cold' - that living with caution is not the same as "living in fear".
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100 percent will be giving this to all of my friends and family to read.
emotional
sad
fast-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
<i> “Just because we didn’t end up on the same wave, doesn’t mean we aren’t still a part of the same ocean.” </i>
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Wow. What a gut punch. If you read this one, don't skip Hoover's author note at the background. This book is incredibly personal for her and I applaud her for writing it.
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Minor Spoilers Ahead
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I went into this book blind and had absolutely no clue it dealt with domestic violence. I think Hoover did a really nice job showing the greyness of these types of situations, how difficult it can be for people that find themselves in an abusive relationship, and how easy it is from someone on the outside to just say "leave".
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I found the ending of this book so hopeful, but also recognize that it is probably not the norm, which is very sad. That being said, I couldn't take any more tears of sadness so I am happy Hoover ended it in the way she did. And as previously mentioned, I enjoyed her author's note and knowing that the story came straight from her heart.
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I rec this book, just beware of the TW - domestic violence, death of a child, gun violence.
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Wow. What a gut punch. If you read this one, don't skip Hoover's author note at the background. This book is incredibly personal for her and I applaud her for writing it.
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Minor Spoilers Ahead
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I went into this book blind and had absolutely no clue it dealt with domestic violence. I think Hoover did a really nice job showing the greyness of these types of situations, how difficult it can be for people that find themselves in an abusive relationship, and how easy it is from someone on the outside to just say "leave".
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I found the ending of this book so hopeful, but also recognize that it is probably not the norm, which is very sad. That being said, I couldn't take any more tears of sadness so I am happy Hoover ended it in the way she did. And as previously mentioned, I enjoyed her author's note and knowing that the story came straight from her heart.
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I rec this book, just beware of the TW - domestic violence, death of a child, gun violence.
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio for the alc of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead!
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Surprisingly, I enjoyed this book quite a bit more than the first! I've listened to both on audio, but I found I had an easier time following this one. I also found Finlay and Vero's friendship a bit more fleshed out and endearing. The narration is excellent, too!
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I'm looking forward to installment three as FDKED somewhat ends in a cliffhanger!
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Surprisingly, I enjoyed this book quite a bit more than the first! I've listened to both on audio, but I found I had an easier time following this one. I also found Finlay and Vero's friendship a bit more fleshed out and endearing. The narration is excellent, too!
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I'm looking forward to installment three as FDKED somewhat ends in a cliffhanger!