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sfbookgirl's reviews
412 reviews
The Daydreams by Laura Hankin
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Darling Girl by Liz Michalski
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I am sad to report that Darling Girl missed the mark for me. And while Peter Pan is my favorite children's fantasy story, evil Peter Pan just doesn't do it for me. In this tale, we learn more about Wendy's granddaughter Holly and her daughter Eden who suffers from a rare aging disorder. After Eden mysteriously disappears, Holly knows immediately who is responsible: the one and only Peter Pan. Sent on a wild goose chase, Holly frantically looks for her daughter with the help of a private detective named Christopher Cooke (hmm look at that coincidence).
I found the plot of Darling Girl to be all over the place and ultimately, boring. There are quite a few trigger warnings like kidnapping, rape, and abuse that just did not sit well with me, nor do they seem necessary. The elements of romance were downright strange and oddly disturbing...and also did not seem necessary. Other readers have enjoyed Darling Girl, but this retelling of Peter Pan just didn't sit right with me. I am curious to hear your thoughts if you have read it!
I found the plot of Darling Girl to be all over the place and ultimately, boring. There are quite a few trigger warnings like kidnapping, rape, and abuse that just did not sit well with me, nor do they seem necessary. The elements of romance were downright strange and oddly disturbing...and also did not seem necessary. Other readers have enjoyed Darling Girl, but this retelling of Peter Pan just didn't sit right with me. I am curious to hear your thoughts if you have read it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Kidnapping, Car accident, Sexual assault, and Child death
Moderate: Drug abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Drug use, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Grief and Suicidal thoughts
Meant to Be by Emily Giffin
5.0
I loved this so much. Like so much. I'd easily say it's my favorite book of 2022 so far. After not loving Emily Giffin's All We Ever Wanted, I was hesitant to pick Meant to Be up...but I am so glad that I did. Meant to Be is the perfect, drama-filled read about the infamous Joseph S. Kingsley III and the beautiful model, Cate, written to be loosely tied to the love story of John F. Kenney Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Coming from two very different backgrounds, Joseph S. Kingsley and Cate meet while Cate is on a photoshoot for a designer. Once their paths cross, the connection is instantaneous.
I devoured Giffin's story, her writing, and her well-paced plot. While Meant to Be is definitely a love story, it's a difficult one with numerous obstacles to conquer. The characters are incredibly-well developed and I couldn't help but keep turning pages. It's one of the better "what if" books I have read and I hope you put this one on your summer reading list. It's irresistible.
I devoured Giffin's story, her writing, and her well-paced plot. While Meant to Be is definitely a love story, it's a difficult one with numerous obstacles to conquer. The characters are incredibly-well developed and I couldn't help but keep turning pages. It's one of the better "what if" books I have read and I hope you put this one on your summer reading list. It's irresistible.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
Moderate: Body shaming, Death, and Eating disorder
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
4.0
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is flying off of shelves this summer. It is one of the hottest books of the season and I understand why. Revolving around three friends, Sadie, Sam, and Marx put their creative minds together to create a video game, and later a video game company. Tx3 is a story of friendship, love, and success and failure. Zevin's prose is exquisite and highlights disability, biracial characters, and what it feels like to not fully belong. I did find some elements of the book a tad long or unnecessary, but overall I really enjoyed it.
While video games are a large aspect of the story, you don't need to have a gaming vocabulary to appreciate Tx3 for its excellence. To this day, Zevin's middle grade novel Elsewhere remains a story I will never forget and the same can be said for Tx3. And while Tx3 did not give me those ~5 star vibes~ it's one that I will be recommending to my friends and book lovers appreciative of a saga spanning several decades.
While video games are a large aspect of the story, you don't need to have a gaming vocabulary to appreciate Tx3 for its excellence. To this day, Zevin's middle grade novel Elsewhere remains a story I will never forget and the same can be said for Tx3. And while Tx3 did not give me those ~5 star vibes~ it's one that I will be recommending to my friends and book lovers appreciative of a saga spanning several decades.