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sand_between_pages's Reviews (734)
adventurous
tense
fast-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
What a WILD, WILD ride! Thank you so much to Libro FM for the ALC, I really enjoyed this one!
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Falling by T.J. Newman felt eerily similar to Hostage by Clare Mackintosh. We are talking nearly identical premises here - I was a bit stunned! While I'd like to avoid comparing the two in my review, I find it inevitable as I only read Hostage a month ago and that story is fresh in my head. I really enjoyed Hostage, but I think I enjoyed Falling more as it stirred up way more emotion (yes, I cried a few times), the writing is on point, and I felt way more connected to the characters in Falling.
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I need to see this book made into a movie because it absolutely felt like it was written for the screen. My heart was pounding throughout the read and I was on the edge of my seat with what would happen next. I love love love the characters that Newman wrote, each with their own distinctive voice and backstory.
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One thing that I didn't like is the stereotyping of the "bad" guys. While motives were explained, it didn't sit well with me that the plane hijackers were from the Middle East.
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Aside from that, this is a heart-pounding thriller that I found enjoyable!
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Falling by T.J. Newman felt eerily similar to Hostage by Clare Mackintosh. We are talking nearly identical premises here - I was a bit stunned! While I'd like to avoid comparing the two in my review, I find it inevitable as I only read Hostage a month ago and that story is fresh in my head. I really enjoyed Hostage, but I think I enjoyed Falling more as it stirred up way more emotion (yes, I cried a few times), the writing is on point, and I felt way more connected to the characters in Falling.
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I need to see this book made into a movie because it absolutely felt like it was written for the screen. My heart was pounding throughout the read and I was on the edge of my seat with what would happen next. I love love love the characters that Newman wrote, each with their own distinctive voice and backstory.
.
One thing that I didn't like is the stereotyping of the "bad" guys. While motives were explained, it didn't sit well with me that the plane hijackers were from the Middle East.
.
Aside from that, this is a heart-pounding thriller that I found enjoyable!
dark
mysterious
fast-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
Thank you SO much to William Morrow for this copy of Before She Knew Him! This is my first Peter Swanson novel, but it DEFINITELY will not be my last!
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“They had a secret, the two of them, and there was no better way to start a friendship than with a secret.”
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This story drew me in right away in that as far as thrillers go, I found it very unique. I want to be very careful with my wording so as not to spoil, but even though you are seemingly given all the facts up front, this story will still shock you!
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I got major Dexter vibes from this book which is another factor that kept the pages turning as I am a huge Dexter fan. I also really enjoyed Swanson's writing. He has an eery way of telling the story that adds to the chilling atmosphere he wants to convey. Additionally, each character had a very distinct voice, and I felt he did a great job with character development in such a short book, and in a thriller nonetheless.
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I guessed one of the twists, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story! For a fast, fun, psychological thriller, don't skip this one!
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“They had a secret, the two of them, and there was no better way to start a friendship than with a secret.”
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This story drew me in right away in that as far as thrillers go, I found it very unique. I want to be very careful with my wording so as not to spoil, but even though you are seemingly given all the facts up front, this story will still shock you!
.
I got major Dexter vibes from this book which is another factor that kept the pages turning as I am a huge Dexter fan. I also really enjoyed Swanson's writing. He has an eery way of telling the story that adds to the chilling atmosphere he wants to convey. Additionally, each character had a very distinct voice, and I felt he did a great job with character development in such a short book, and in a thriller nonetheless.
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I guessed one of the twists, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story! For a fast, fun, psychological thriller, don't skip this one!
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5/5 - Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of The Therapist by B.A. Paris!
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This is my second B.A. Paris read, and to say this author writes page-turners is an understatement. Both [book:The Dilemma|41150465] and The Therapist had me racing to get to the end!
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Whereas The Dilemma was much more about the family drama, The Therapist is a murder mystery whodunnit mixed with a dash of psychological thriller. These are the types of books I really love. Our MC is also a reliable narrator, which I appreciated as so many thrillers these days seem to give unreliable first-hand accounts of the events, and it messes with my mind!
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This book is spectacular on audio - the narrator does a great job conveying the emotion of Alice, the protagonist.
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While I generally enjoyed the story and the twists and turns toward the end of it, I found a lot of parts of the book to be repetitive and long-winded. However, for a quick whodunnit, this is definitely a fun read!
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This is my second B.A. Paris read, and to say this author writes page-turners is an understatement. Both [book:The Dilemma|41150465] and The Therapist had me racing to get to the end!
.
Whereas The Dilemma was much more about the family drama, The Therapist is a murder mystery whodunnit mixed with a dash of psychological thriller. These are the types of books I really love. Our MC is also a reliable narrator, which I appreciated as so many thrillers these days seem to give unreliable first-hand accounts of the events, and it messes with my mind!
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This book is spectacular on audio - the narrator does a great job conveying the emotion of Alice, the protagonist.
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While I generally enjoyed the story and the twists and turns toward the end of it, I found a lot of parts of the book to be repetitive and long-winded. However, for a quick whodunnit, this is definitely a fun read!
emotional
lighthearted
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
Hello all of my tears ... this book dehydrated me and now I need a large glass of water ;).
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“That wanting someone to be something they’re not won’t make it happen.”
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The Simple Wild has long been on my TBR, so I jumped at the chance to do a buddy read with my friend Jess. I am so happy I didn't wait on this story any longer because this is exactly the type of romance that I just love to read! (And who are we kidding, also cry over [I am who I am!].)
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This is a story about Calla and her journey to reconnect with her father. The character bonds are what drew me into this story. First between Calla and her stepdad, Simon, then between Calla and her father Wren, and ultimately, between Calla and hot Alaskan Yeti pilot, Jonah. I also loved how little trivial drama is in this story. I find that a lot of times the story line in romance includes contrived conflict, and I appreciated how Tucker didn't add that to The Simple Wild.
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I find that romance works best for me when there is some sort of emotional element involved, and there definitely is in The Simple Wild. Additionally, the atmosphere of the book gave me all the feels. I felt like I could feel the cool, crisp Alaskan air on my face, smell Anges' home-cooking, and see the snow-capped mountains of the wild Alaskan frontier. As someone who doesn't even like to be cold, this book absolutely made me want to visit Alaska!!
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Of course I am recommending this read to anyone who enjoys romance and stories of reconnection.
.
“That wanting someone to be something they’re not won’t make it happen.”
.
The Simple Wild has long been on my TBR, so I jumped at the chance to do a buddy read with my friend Jess. I am so happy I didn't wait on this story any longer because this is exactly the type of romance that I just love to read! (And who are we kidding, also cry over [I am who I am!].)
.
This is a story about Calla and her journey to reconnect with her father. The character bonds are what drew me into this story. First between Calla and her stepdad, Simon, then between Calla and her father Wren, and ultimately, between Calla and hot Alaskan Yeti pilot, Jonah. I also loved how little trivial drama is in this story. I find that a lot of times the story line in romance includes contrived conflict, and I appreciated how Tucker didn't add that to The Simple Wild.
.
I find that romance works best for me when there is some sort of emotional element involved, and there definitely is in The Simple Wild. Additionally, the atmosphere of the book gave me all the feels. I felt like I could feel the cool, crisp Alaskan air on my face, smell Anges' home-cooking, and see the snow-capped mountains of the wild Alaskan frontier. As someone who doesn't even like to be cold, this book absolutely made me want to visit Alaska!!
.
Of course I am recommending this read to anyone who enjoys romance and stories of reconnection.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Need a healthy dose of family drama? Spend your summer in the Catskills at the Golden Hotel! (Thank you Berkley for the gifted copy!)
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I enjoyed Elyssa Friedland's last novel, The Floating Feldmans, so when I saw her new book, Last Summer at the Golden Hotel, I knew I needed to read it! Golden Hotel is very much a character-driven novel with multiple PoVs. While there is an underlying plot, the majority of the book revolves around the past, present, and futures of the characters.
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What I didn't love? There were parts of the story that dragged and needed a lot more action. It took a hot minute to get into the story... Additionally, a lot could have been shaved off the book due to repetitive information and seemingly irrelevant parts. Those are my main criticisms.
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What I did love? Friedland has many LOL moments. Our characters are mainly from two families and we get to see perspectives from each generation, Boomers, Gen X'ers, Millenials, and Z'ers. This was very fun and led to so many funny parts. There were also so many feel-good moments and lessons about the importance of family which greatly resonated with me. Golden Hotel is also perfect for summer as the story is all about the many summers the main families spend in the Catskills at their hotel. I loved reading about the traditions and it definitely made me with that I had some of the same things to look forward to each summer!
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This is a light summer read that will make you laugh and crave some family fun time :)!
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I enjoyed Elyssa Friedland's last novel, The Floating Feldmans, so when I saw her new book, Last Summer at the Golden Hotel, I knew I needed to read it! Golden Hotel is very much a character-driven novel with multiple PoVs. While there is an underlying plot, the majority of the book revolves around the past, present, and futures of the characters.
.
What I didn't love? There were parts of the story that dragged and needed a lot more action. It took a hot minute to get into the story... Additionally, a lot could have been shaved off the book due to repetitive information and seemingly irrelevant parts. Those are my main criticisms.
.
What I did love? Friedland has many LOL moments. Our characters are mainly from two families and we get to see perspectives from each generation, Boomers, Gen X'ers, Millenials, and Z'ers. This was very fun and led to so many funny parts. There were also so many feel-good moments and lessons about the importance of family which greatly resonated with me. Golden Hotel is also perfect for summer as the story is all about the many summers the main families spend in the Catskills at their hotel. I loved reading about the traditions and it definitely made me with that I had some of the same things to look forward to each summer!
.
This is a light summer read that will make you laugh and crave some family fun time :)!
adventurous
reflective
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
These books are like a sweet treat, short but full of pretty prose and fantastical worlds, rich with imagery and metaphor and analogy. I just love them SO VERY MUCH!
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Book 6 introduces us to Regan who finds her door to the Hooflands, a land made up of Centaurs and Unicorns and Hippogriffs oh my! But why is Regan there? To save the world from the Evil Queen of course!
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McGuire never hides her own ideals in her books, and plants them within her stories so very simply that one has to wonder how these ideals aren't simple in our world. I found book 6 to be very similar to book 4, [book:In an Absent Dream|38244358] , and I throughly enjoyed the story and the lesson. I found the ending to be a tad rushed and anti-climatic, but that's my only complaint.
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I'm going to shout at you now : READ THIS SERIES!
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Book 6 introduces us to Regan who finds her door to the Hooflands, a land made up of Centaurs and Unicorns and Hippogriffs oh my! But why is Regan there? To save the world from the Evil Queen of course!
.
McGuire never hides her own ideals in her books, and plants them within her stories so very simply that one has to wonder how these ideals aren't simple in our world. I found book 6 to be very similar to book 4, [book:In an Absent Dream|38244358] , and I throughly enjoyed the story and the lesson. I found the ending to be a tad rushed and anti-climatic, but that's my only complaint.
.
I'm going to shout at you now : READ THIS SERIES!
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
PERFECT SUMMER READ!
(Thank you so much to Putnam and Lacie Waldon for the copy of The Layover!)
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Give me all the tropical landscapes, fresh seafood, enemies-to-lovers romance, and wanderlust - The Layover has it all!
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Being somewhat curmudgeony when it comes to romance, I always go into a rom com with trepidation. I was pleasantly surprised when I could not put The Layover down! This book legit made me want to become a flight attendant and travel the world! (And I don't even like to fly, lol!) I LOVED the the actual layover in Belize and so enjoyed reading about the adventures that Ava (our MC) got herself into. It made me feel like I was on a tropical vacation, drinking pina coladas by the pool. Also, I think Ava could be besties with Poppy from People We Meet On Vacation.
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I also found the romance storyline to be SO endearing. I really loved Ava and Jack and I enjoyed their love/hate bickering rapport. There are so many laugh out loud moments and the author definitely had me rolling at her descriptions, mostly communicated through Ava's inner dialogue. The wit is strong in this book!
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Put The Layover in your beach bag and get lost in the pages!
(Thank you so much to Putnam and Lacie Waldon for the copy of The Layover!)
.
Give me all the tropical landscapes, fresh seafood, enemies-to-lovers romance, and wanderlust - The Layover has it all!
.
Being somewhat curmudgeony when it comes to romance, I always go into a rom com with trepidation. I was pleasantly surprised when I could not put The Layover down! This book legit made me want to become a flight attendant and travel the world! (And I don't even like to fly, lol!) I LOVED the the actual layover in Belize and so enjoyed reading about the adventures that Ava (our MC) got herself into. It made me feel like I was on a tropical vacation, drinking pina coladas by the pool. Also, I think Ava could be besties with Poppy from People We Meet On Vacation.
.
I also found the romance storyline to be SO endearing. I really loved Ava and Jack and I enjoyed their love/hate bickering rapport. There are so many laugh out loud moments and the author definitely had me rolling at her descriptions, mostly communicated through Ava's inner dialogue. The wit is strong in this book!
.
Put The Layover in your beach bag and get lost in the pages!
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-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
OMG! Buckle up folks because this one is a wild, wild ride! Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Landmark for the free copy!
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This is my first Clare Mackintosh book and it won't be my last! This read got my heart pumping, had me clawing the arm chairs of the couch, and gave me the claustrophobic squirming feels. Basically, everything I want in a thriller was right here!
- Multiple oh-my-gawd moments
- How the heck we gonna get out of this? pondering
- Twisty endings
- Psychological background of characters
- Whodunnit suspense
- Strong females
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This book could very easily be made into a movie and I definitely had Air Force One and Speed vibes. I love plots when time is running out and it's difficult to see how on earth the characters are going to escape the perilous situations they are in. And that ending?? DAYUM.
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Get this one on your TBR, folks!
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This is my first Clare Mackintosh book and it won't be my last! This read got my heart pumping, had me clawing the arm chairs of the couch, and gave me the claustrophobic squirming feels. Basically, everything I want in a thriller was right here!
- Multiple oh-my-gawd moments
- How the heck we gonna get out of this? pondering
- Twisty endings
- Psychological background of characters
- Whodunnit suspense
- Strong females
.
This book could very easily be made into a movie and I definitely had Air Force One and Speed vibes. I love plots when time is running out and it's difficult to see how on earth the characters are going to escape the perilous situations they are in. And that ending?? DAYUM.
.
Get this one on your TBR, folks!
dark
mysterious
sad
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
If you’ve watched The Killing on Netflix, I swear this story is simply The Killing in book form. The two are so similar, from the story being told to the main characters the story is about.
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I found the writing in this book to be absolutely beautiful and generally, I enjoyed the read. However, I felt like I kept waiting for something to happen, and when things did finally happen, I was underwhelmed. I also felt there were a lot of unnecessary details added to the book that just introduced more characters that weren’t needed in a story with already too many people to remember.
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I would definitely read more from this author, but generally found this book to be middle of the road.
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I found the writing in this book to be absolutely beautiful and generally, I enjoyed the read. However, I felt like I kept waiting for something to happen, and when things did finally happen, I was underwhelmed. I also felt there were a lot of unnecessary details added to the book that just introduced more characters that weren’t needed in a story with already too many people to remember.
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I would definitely read more from this author, but generally found this book to be middle of the road.
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There are some really, really cute parts to Anna K Away, and the audiobook narration is really excellent, but I did not find this book nearly as exciting as Anna K. While I enjoyed seeing where all the characters were after the untimely death of Vronsky, there was virtually no plot.