sandro_reads's reviews
45 reviews

What Happened That Night by Deanna Cameron

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dark emotional mysterious 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

2.0

A young adult mystery where teen sleuths try to find out why Clara’s sister killed their neighbor. Surprisingly dark subject matter stands out amid the underdeveloped characters and predictable ending. 
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Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

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challenging funny lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

An odd, small but mighty tale of Keiko who is happiest with the monotony of her convenience store job but feels the societal pressure to conform. 
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

What sets The Housemaid apart from the dozens of other nanny comes to a strange house thrillers is a solid twist that makes you rethink what you thought you knew. A thoroughly fun read. 
The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

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mysterious 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? No

3.0

The setup is intriguing: a nanny telling her story through letters to her lawyer as she stands accused of murdering one of the children in her care. It was also promising to see technology play a modern part in this familiar tale. But, the intrigue wears off quickly and the reader is left with nothing but a few bumps in the night. 
My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson

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emotional informative reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Newson fully roots this coming-of-age tale in 1980s New York during AIDS activism through the use of historical figures, places and organizations - all wonderfully detailed in footnotes. However, just when Trey’s story kicks in, the book abruptly ends leaving the reader to wonder what happened?
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

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

2.5

The premise of multiple points of view from the residents within one apartment building was promising but the plot goes nowhere for much of the book before springing a ridiculous twist upon us. 
Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This book will grab you from the onset with twists and turns that shock but gets increasingly far-fetched. It’s also brutally disturbing with detailed descriptions of torture (which I am told is the author’s trademark) before stalling in the last quarter.
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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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lighthearted reflective 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

4.0

Evelyn’s journey through making it in old Hollywood and the men who aided that ambition make for a fun read. The book falters a bit with a twist regarding Monique, her chosen reporter to tell her story, who adds little to the narrative. 
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

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emotional informative mysterious 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? No

3.75

A dash of murder mystery, a sprinkle of romance but mostly reads as a nature novel. Where the Crawdads Sing works best when the focus is on Kya’s life in the marsh and the beautiful descriptions of the life found within but, the reader will have to suspend their disbelief with just how a child survived this life alone. 
The Poison Thread by Laura Purcell

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dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A gothic thriller set in Victorian England, The Poison Thread has a truly unique premise - is Ruth capable of killing people simply through her sewing? It explores poverty with some quite gory passages and is a fascinating read.