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t0ast_and_t3a's Reviews (494)
adventurous
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Funny dialogue, unique cast of character (especially the main character), and in-depth world building. My biggest issue was with the pacing and the way the story kind of stalled when the MC was telling some of his stories. I liked the story well enough to finish this book, but I don’t feel attached to the characters enough to continue the series.
challenging
emotional
inspiring
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
Sometimes you just read a book that speaks to you in such a personal way you wonder how you ever felt alone in your thoughts/emotions. This is one of them.
It’s difficult to put forth such a believable first-person narrator, but King does it so well. Grief and anxiety are represented so well in this novel, how they are both universal and personal, and none of us really know how to deal with it until we decide it’s time to—and even then, it’s a day bay day (minute by minute?) thing. I admire when a book can make me consider my own issues while keeping me thoroughly engaged with the characters.
It’s difficult to put forth such a believable first-person narrator, but King does it so well. Grief and anxiety are represented so well in this novel, how they are both universal and personal, and none of us really know how to deal with it until we decide it’s time to—and even then, it’s a day bay day (minute by minute?) thing. I admire when a book can make me consider my own issues while keeping me thoroughly engaged with the characters.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love a good character-driven story, especially one with so many moving parts that all twist and tangle with one another and stretch over generations. There’s conflict, emotion, representation, and complex characters. The POV and pacing were my only issues, and even then it was more personal than anything, given how many threads there were to braid together.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Even with the gruesomely detailed murders this was more of a cozy mystery. I think the structure could have been smoother, but this is a series, so I can almost understand the magical/supernatural elements being diluted until the end, but I have so many questions that weren’t answered—world building wise and character wise. Right now, I’d say I would read the rest if my buddy reader wants to since it was an intriguing mystery to get lost in while doing chores/errands.
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5🌟
This story is well-balanced between character and plot. The stakes are clear, the relationships are genuine, and the writing/worldbuilding is well done. While I wasn’t really attached to any of the characters, it was nice to read something where things just *worked out*. This is a good story to just get lost in because it’s got everything you need to keep yourself engaged.
This story is well-balanced between character and plot. The stakes are clear, the relationships are genuine, and the writing/worldbuilding is well done. While I wasn’t really attached to any of the characters, it was nice to read something where things just *worked out*. This is a good story to just get lost in because it’s got everything you need to keep yourself engaged.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Cheesy and cliche, but that’s the point, and as a hopeless romantic, I adored the arc, down to every single frustrating act/trope. I wasn’t as attached to the characters as I usually am in books like this, but their chemistry was well written with the dual perspectives. Part of me wonders if I didn’t cling to this story as much because I felt the narrator for Mason wasn’t quite right—there’s nothing wrong with the narrator himself, don’t mistake that!! It just didn’t feel right for Mason’s character—especially after seeing him through Sawyer’s POV. Overall, though, I’m a sucker for overly-cheesy, mind-numbingly satisfying cliche romances, and this ticked many of those boxes.
adventurous
mysterious
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 was pleasantly surprised by this one. I’m always afraid when one of the comp titles are Cruel Prince, because it either turns out to be a poor replica of plot and characters (which is just lazy) or not at all like CP. This, in my opinion, had the vibes. The bargains, the lore, similar, yet less high, stakes. Now, don’t mistake this for me saying this is CP 2.0–it’s not. There a bit of a Red Queen-ish twist too, but Smith makes these familiar storylines and twists unique to her world/story. I really enjoyed the reimagined history of England and the scattered chapters throughout—the latter helped round out some of the side characters for me, and Smith does a good job of giving the reader exactly what’s needed in those chapters to make up for the questions raised throughout the rest of the story. I’m hoping it’s a little less predictable for book two and for, maybe, a dual POV?
challenging
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I went to school for writing, so it’s safe to say I’ve read stacks of books professors have assigned in which they claimed “would resonate with the writer in me.” I always felt like there were just the same book written by a different hand. This is still true, and it in no way discredits those books, since in some way, they’ve brought me here. This is yet another book where yet another writer talks about their relationship with writing, but I have never—I repeat NEVER—felt so seen than I have with this book. I feel as if Lamott drilled into my skull and took a stroll through my brain and then wrote this for me to find later.
I laughed—cackled—so much during reading this that my cheeks are sore, because how in the world can someone understand my struggle with writing?? What do you mean I’m not alone in my obsessive-compulsive thoughts and anxiety and irrationality spirals? It’s almost as sobering to know I’m not alone as it is to read one of these “same books written by a different hand” and realize that maybe those books I was assigned in school was someone else’s Bird By Bird.
Not only have I highlighted a gargantuan amount of the sentences in this book, but I’ve reread certain chapters that really resonate with my current relationship with my writing today and it’s helped me take a much needed deep breath.
So, if you see this Lamott, thanks for the therapy.
I laughed—cackled—so much during reading this that my cheeks are sore, because how in the world can someone understand my struggle with writing?? What do you mean I’m not alone in my obsessive-compulsive thoughts and anxiety and irrationality spirals? It’s almost as sobering to know I’m not alone as it is to read one of these “same books written by a different hand” and realize that maybe those books I was assigned in school was someone else’s Bird By Bird.
Not only have I highlighted a gargantuan amount of the sentences in this book, but I’ve reread certain chapters that really resonate with my current relationship with my writing today and it’s helped me take a much needed deep breath.
So, if you see this Lamott, thanks for the therapy.
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I don’t usually read books like this—it’s been one of my goals this year to read more genres. This was surprising, especially the chapter two and seven. I was expecting to really connect with the material, but I found myself relating to it more because of Montell’s own honesty throughout.
Most impactful lines: “Modern productivity dogma encourages us to act fast and milk our exceptionalism for all it’s worth. Under that kind of pressure, perhaps the truest rebellion is to embrace our ordinariness. In everyday life if we could not only tolerate the discomfort, but wholeheartedly embrace our own lack of expertise then we might have a far better chance of showing others the same grace.”
Most impactful lines: “Modern productivity dogma encourages us to act fast and milk our exceptionalism for all it’s worth. Under that kind of pressure, perhaps the truest rebellion is to embrace our ordinariness. In everyday life if we could not only tolerate the discomfort, but wholeheartedly embrace our own lack of expertise then we might have a far better chance of showing others the same grace.”