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thepaperbackplanner's reviews
335 reviews
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
4.0
If you've got a long summer drive coming up and you need an engaging mystery audiobook to keep you company, this one will do just fine. My husband and I listened to it on a drive home from Chicago, and it kept us entertained through the several hour trip. It's not the best mystery I've ever read, and I guessed some of the twists. But I think the best thing I can say for it is that as I finished listening on my own, I paused to tell my husband about every OMG moment while I did chores. Like, "Guess what?! ____ is actually ____!!" From the next room 🙂 The narration was fairly solid, but a few things (like "littrally") stood out when I wasn't doing anything but listening. Interested in trying more Sager!
Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor
4.0
Clocking in at nearly 20 hours, this was (I think) one of the longest audiobooks I've listened to this year. It's also likely the darkest thing I've read, subject matter-wise, in a hot second. I suppose I should've expected that from a novel called "Age of Vice." I thought the characters were were written well, and a novel of this link is allows for a deep dive into multiple histories that helps us really understand why each character does what they do. If you liked "Succession" but wished it was, like, grittier, you might enjoy this. But definitely read through the CWs because a lotta shit goes down in this book.
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
4.0
It seems wild that I have not actually read "The Lottery" until now. I knew the gist of it, of course, but I simply hadn't sought out the full story. So when someone tweeted a link to it in a digital publication, I thought, why not! And I'm glad I did, because it's still quite chilling, even though I knew how it ended. The total coolness of the townsfolk — and even excitement from the children — toward the ceremony is so sharp and unsettling. And the way the characters talk about other towns that have fully left the tradition behind, insinuating that those people are putting themselves in danger by shunning the lottery, rings true in so many obvious ways today. Detailed, incisive, and riveting, this is what short fiction should be.
Big Little Spells by Hazel Beck
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Graydonh House Books for access to this galley in exchange for an honest review!
Last year, when I read the first novel in this series ("Small Town, Big Magic"), I liked it just OK. So imagine my surprise and delight when I started reading this one and realized I was happy to be back with these Missouri witches! I enjoyed Rebekah as a main character more than Emerson — she seemed to have more depth and felt more real. And then, of course, there is the romance. If you love some immortal-falls-in-love-with-a-human business, put this at the top of your TBR. Overall, I had a nice time with this story and will happily keep up with the series!
Last year, when I read the first novel in this series ("Small Town, Big Magic"), I liked it just OK. So imagine my surprise and delight when I started reading this one and realized I was happy to be back with these Missouri witches! I enjoyed Rebekah as a main character more than Emerson — she seemed to have more depth and felt more real. And then, of course, there is the romance. If you love some immortal-falls-in-love-with-a-human business, put this at the top of your TBR. Overall, I had a nice time with this story and will happily keep up with the series!
The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan
3.0
Thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I have mixed feelings about this novel. On one hand, it was a super quick read that I finished in one day no problem. I was drawn in by the promise of finding out what happened to the night our final girls survived and who was or wasn't involved. However, I found the writing to be rather repetitive, like the author really wanted to hammer home every. single. clue. I also wasn't thrilled with the pacing at the end of the novel — I felt like the resolution was quite rushed, which didn't leave me feeling very satisfied. But if you love YA psychological thrillers and aren't turned off by the CWs, this might be for you.
I have mixed feelings about this novel. On one hand, it was a super quick read that I finished in one day no problem. I was drawn in by the promise of finding out what happened to the night our final girls survived and who was or wasn't involved. However, I found the writing to be rather repetitive, like the author really wanted to hammer home every. single. clue. I also wasn't thrilled with the pacing at the end of the novel — I felt like the resolution was quite rushed, which didn't leave me feeling very satisfied. But if you love YA psychological thrillers and aren't turned off by the CWs, this might be for you.
The Wife App by Carolyn Mackler
3.0
Thanks to Simon Books for this #FreeGift arc in exchange for a fair review!
This book was just fine — I gotta admit, I thought it was going to be a little more queer, so my first impression was slight disappointment that I was reading yet another straight romance-adjacent novel. I also wasn't a huge fan of the main characters until they started to grow on me about halfway through. On the whole, I thought the writing could use another editing pass to sharpen and elevate the prose — it currently reads closer to a YA style, which makes sense given Mackler's work in the genre. I will say, though, that I really related to a lot of the conversations our main characters had related to mental load, so if that's a topic you're into, you might like this quick read!
This book was just fine — I gotta admit, I thought it was going to be a little more queer, so my first impression was slight disappointment that I was reading yet another straight romance-adjacent novel. I also wasn't a huge fan of the main characters until they started to grow on me about halfway through. On the whole, I thought the writing could use another editing pass to sharpen and elevate the prose — it currently reads closer to a YA style, which makes sense given Mackler's work in the genre. I will say, though, that I really related to a lot of the conversations our main characters had related to mental load, so if that's a topic you're into, you might like this quick read!
I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai
4.0
This one was a wild ride, folks. It was tough for me at times because of some things that happened in my own community in the past that I will not get into here. When I wasn't thinking about that, I was enjoying the writing style, the second-person POV (I'm a sucker for that feeling the first time the author addresses "you" in one of these), and the imagined actions of each suspect. The audiobook narration was really clear and engaging, shoutouts to Julia Whelan! I also enjoyed disliking most of the main characters, including our main character, Bodie. Overall, a good mystery with a LOT of content warnings to heed.
Everything's Fine by Cecilia Rabess
Thanks to Simon Books for this ARC! I received it as a #FreeGift in exchange for an honest review as part of the #SimonBooksBuddy program.
I thought the book was very readable, a real page-turner. I flew through it and found myself thinking about it whenever I wasn't reading. Living in a deeply red state, I've heard stories of folks who are in relationships with people who have starkly different (and oftentimes harmful) political beliefs — though, critically, both people in these relationships are white, so there are obvious differences between them and Jess and Josh. For reviews that are able to better critique this book through the lens of a Black woman's experience, please seek out Black reviewers on Instagram or TikTok. I specifically recommend @ satrayreads on TT — her "everything's fine saga" playlist has some great insights!
I thought the book was very readable, a real page-turner. I flew through it and found myself thinking about it whenever I wasn't reading. Living in a deeply red state, I've heard stories of folks who are in relationships with people who have starkly different (and oftentimes harmful) political beliefs — though, critically, both people in these relationships are white, so there are obvious differences between them and Jess and Josh. For reviews that are able to better critique this book through the lens of a Black woman's experience, please seek out Black reviewers on Instagram or TikTok. I specifically recommend @ satrayreads on TT — her "everything's fine saga" playlist has some great insights!
West Heart Kill by Dann McDorman
5.0
Thanks to A.A. Knopf and NetGalley for access to this galley in exchange for an honest review!
I am so glad I took a chance and requested this book based on a NetGalley newsletter blurb! From the first page, I felt like McDorman held out his hand and said, "do you see what I'm doing? Do you want to come along for the ride?" And I said, "absolutely," and away we went. I truly enjoyed every moment of the journey. The constantly shifting styles and points of view kept me on my toes — I found it delightful every time. Now, do I think this little literary adventure will be for everyone? Note necessarily. I loved it because I love mysteries and the history of the genre and twists on the formula. If that sounds like you, I heartily recommend adding this to your spooky season tbr!
I am so glad I took a chance and requested this book based on a NetGalley newsletter blurb! From the first page, I felt like McDorman held out his hand and said, "do you see what I'm doing? Do you want to come along for the ride?" And I said, "absolutely," and away we went. I truly enjoyed every moment of the journey. The constantly shifting styles and points of view kept me on my toes — I found it delightful every time. Now, do I think this little literary adventure will be for everyone? Note necessarily. I loved it because I love mysteries and the history of the genre and twists on the formula. If that sounds like you, I heartily recommend adding this to your spooky season tbr!
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
3.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for access to this galley!
This book started off quite slowly for me, to be honest. I think the noir-style approach to the characters (aka not super likable off the bat) just didn't do it for me. It took quite a long time for the plot action and magic elements to pick up and hook me 'til the end. From there, though, I did enjoy this newest take on Moreno-Garcia's classic themes of Mexican history, women finding their power, and fighting back against oppressors or power structures. I also quite enjoyed learning about some of the technical aspects of the film industry. Overall, I think this novel was well-written, even if it didn't click with me ASAP.
This book started off quite slowly for me, to be honest. I think the noir-style approach to the characters (aka not super likable off the bat) just didn't do it for me. It took quite a long time for the plot action and magic elements to pick up and hook me 'til the end. From there, though, I did enjoy this newest take on Moreno-Garcia's classic themes of Mexican history, women finding their power, and fighting back against oppressors or power structures. I also quite enjoyed learning about some of the technical aspects of the film industry. Overall, I think this novel was well-written, even if it didn't click with me ASAP.