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shereadytoread's Reviews (822)
mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
This was a solid whodunit. You move back and forth between two timelines of two different mysteries that converge in the present. The past timeline was used a bit sparingly but still pretty interesting.
Annie is an interesting main character because she is thrust into the mystery and we watch her develop emotional attachments to family that she never knew. The motivations shift and change throughout the story which helps keep you guessing without obvious red herrings.
One big aspect is that Frances (the deceased) kept files on everyone in town so everyone had motive. I loved that and it seemed underused. We get little bits that tie directly into the mystery, but it would have been great to paint a bigger picture of the town by showing us some of the files that were not relevant to the case.
Disclosure: I received a gifted copy from the publisher.
Annie is an interesting main character because she is thrust into the mystery and we watch her develop emotional attachments to family that she never knew. The motivations shift and change throughout the story which helps keep you guessing without obvious red herrings.
One big aspect is that Frances (the deceased) kept files on everyone in town so everyone had motive. I loved that and it seemed underused. We get little bits that tie directly into the mystery, but it would have been great to paint a bigger picture of the town by showing us some of the files that were not relevant to the case.
Disclosure: I received a gifted copy from the publisher.
The second book felt like a step back from the first. It honestly seemed like all filler and spice to get to book three. Introduced multiple new characters or "aspects" of identity, but didn't actually explain what anything was. In the first book the characters at least felt three-dimensional and lovable. Here everyone feels like a flat trope or just a copy from the last story with no growth or change.
Part of me wants to still read the third book just to complete the story, but I'm not optimistic.
Part of me wants to still read the third book just to complete the story, but I'm not optimistic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
dark
I really enjoyed the eerie vibes of this book but the ending felt incredibly rushed. I did think that there were some really interesting final twists there and I really enjoyed the character development.
My biggest gripe is that there is a really interesting character development piece about Harry's childhood and how she came to be where she is that I thought was going to pay off, but does not at all? I guess it was just to illustrate why she was so close with her son but it felt like the author threw out a plotline halfway through the book.
My biggest gripe is that there is a really interesting character development piece about Harry's childhood and how she came to be where she is that I thought was going to pay off, but does not at all? I guess it was just to illustrate why she was so close with her son but it felt like the author threw out a plotline halfway through the book.
I wasn't disliking it but it wasn't holding my attention. Book club pick that I didn't get a chance to finish before the meeting so there was no motivation to go back.
informative
Audio specific: The narrator of this book was pretty good. I would have preferred they used a second narrator to do the interview portions instead of the narrator just reading off who is talking. Other than that the audio was fine.
This was an interesting take on what’s beneath monsters, fears and other elements of horror film.
Each chapter identifies a significant film (historical, innovative, socially relevant, etc.) and then connects it to a real world science question. It looks at whether certain aspects of movies are possible, what is the closest naturally known occurrence or inspirations for the aspects of horror movies that scare or intrigue us. To discuss the question they interview an “expert” to discuss it.
It’s a quick read and it’s interesting and informative. My only complaint is that there are some questions that seemed tangentially connected at best. It seemed like they wanted to discuss the film and tried to find a grounded question to ask. Also the expert level widely varied. We had everything from elementary school teachers to secure lab facility researchers.
This was an interesting take on what’s beneath monsters, fears and other elements of horror film.
Each chapter identifies a significant film (historical, innovative, socially relevant, etc.) and then connects it to a real world science question. It looks at whether certain aspects of movies are possible, what is the closest naturally known occurrence or inspirations for the aspects of horror movies that scare or intrigue us. To discuss the question they interview an “expert” to discuss it.
It’s a quick read and it’s interesting and informative. My only complaint is that there are some questions that seemed tangentially connected at best. It seemed like they wanted to discuss the film and tried to find a grounded question to ask. Also the expert level widely varied. We had everything from elementary school teachers to secure lab facility researchers.
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
This time loop YA romance takes you on an emotional ride. It tackles themes of self-discovery, grief, and courage. Each of the main characters deals with their own tragedies in different, complex ways.
I loved that the book takes a good balance between positive, lofty days and hard realizations and difficult emotions. You get both "the best day ever" and the worst parts of their lives.
Sydney and Marcus are both wonderfully written characters, each with full lives and stories. This book balanced both MCs well, with equal complexity to their individual stories as well as pretty equal POV time between them.
Disclosure: I received a gifted finished copy from the publisher.
I loved that the book takes a good balance between positive, lofty days and hard realizations and difficult emotions. You get both "the best day ever" and the worst parts of their lives.
Sydney and Marcus are both wonderfully written characters, each with full lives and stories. This book balanced both MCs well, with equal complexity to their individual stories as well as pretty equal POV time between them.
Disclosure: I received a gifted finished copy from the publisher.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
dark
mysterious
slow-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:
Complicated
I thought this was an excellent book. The pacing was a little slow for my preference, but the writing was great. I found it so impactful and one part (the trumpet scene) literally made me cry. Such profound cultural connections. I have heard of this school before but haven't done much research on the history. I plan to after reading this one.
adventurous
The first book of Discworld feels like more exposition than plot. Every few pages for the whole book you are meeting a new character. It’s a garden variety underdog hero journey with a ragtag cast.
If I hadn’t heard so often that this series gets so much better in the later books, I don’t know that I would have ever picked up another one. But on to the next!
If I hadn’t heard so often that this series gets so much better in the later books, I don’t know that I would have ever picked up another one. But on to the next!
Unfortunately my least favorite of the series. It seemed like it was trying to focus on more serious topics and delve deeper into the emotional side but it missed the mark for me.
First it starts off with a flashback chapter full of homophobic slurs that are used to explain why the FMC suppresses her sexuality but it just felt so disjointed from the rest of the book and was an really off putting way to start. Then towards the end the abuse from the parents is essentially wiped away in a single conversation. There’s no actual accountability for it. And those 30+ years of repression are pretty much overlooked after one therapy conversation and one interaction.
The relationship with the therapist was interesting and the impact on the marriage as well, but once again missed the mark for me. Her husband continually puts aside all his needs to serve her journey and she continues to lie even after given space to explore. In a series all about respectful polyamory, this seemed so opposite of the previous books.
The author seemed to make the younger partner more “dominant” to make the age gap seem less apparent but it lingered in some questionable consent areas.
I think the series has run its course for me.
First it starts off with a flashback chapter full of homophobic slurs that are used to explain why the FMC suppresses her sexuality but it just felt so disjointed from the rest of the book and was an really off putting way to start. Then towards the end the abuse from the parents is essentially wiped away in a single conversation. There’s no actual accountability for it. And those 30+ years of repression are pretty much overlooked after one therapy conversation and one interaction.
The relationship with the therapist was interesting and the impact on the marriage as well, but once again missed the mark for me. Her husband continually puts aside all his needs to serve her journey and she continues to lie even after given space to explore. In a series all about respectful polyamory, this seemed so opposite of the previous books.
The author seemed to make the younger partner more “dominant” to make the age gap seem less apparent but it lingered in some questionable consent areas.
I think the series has run its course for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content
I enjoyed this one a lot more than the first. It maintains relatively the same level of spice but I found the emotional depth of all of the characters to match rather than it being skewed only towards the FMC like it was in the first book.
The banter between the two male leads was great and I liked that book took a more realistic lens of the characters not always being able to "have to it all". I'm looking forward to the 3rd installment more now.
The banter between the two male leads was great and I liked that book took a more realistic lens of the characters not always being able to "have to it all". I'm looking forward to the 3rd installment more now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia