whatmidoreads's reviews
25 reviews

Damsel by Evelyn Skye

challenging dark lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

1.0

I don’t even know where to start with this review, but The Wife Upstairs is by far the worst book I’ll ever read in my entire life (and that’s saying a lot, considering The Kiss Thief by L. J. Shen).  
After reading just two of Freida McFadden’s books, I feel like I already know how the rest of them will end. Two books. That’s all it took. Don’t get me wrong — I know she’s super popular and adored by many, but… does she really deserve all the hype?  
Let’s get straight to the point. For starters, the relationship between Victoria and Sylvie is completely devoid of empathy. Victoria, after an accident, lives with a condition that has completely changed her life, yet Sylvie doesn’t show the slightest bit of compassion. On the contrary, she seems to envy her for “having it all,” including a husband she describes as super sexy (her words, not mine).
And speaking of Sylvie… insufferable doesn’t even begin to cover it. She sleeps with Victoria’s husband, feels little to no remorse, and shows a total lack of consideration for her. If the author was trying to create a complex character, what she ended up with is someone impossible to root for. On top of that, Sylvie’s actions constantly contradict her thoughts, creating a sense of disconnect throughout the story.  
Now, if you were hoping Victoria would redeem the book, I’m sorry to say she doesn’t. The diary, which was supposedly meant as a legacy for her children, feels forced and turns into anything but an effective narrative tool. On top of that, her relationship with Adam is just a parade of red flags that she willingly ignores one after the other. She talks about self-love and respect, but her actions contradict every word.  
The biggest problem with this book is that everything feels predictable and convenient. Freida McFadden repeats the same formula she used in The Housemaid, and the similarities to Verity are impossible to ignore. It feels like she’s obsessed with certain tropes — or worse, she thinks she’s mastered them. Once again, we get family violence, plot twists you can see coming from a mile away, forced situations, and those male leads who are meant to be cunning manipulators but end up feeling cartoonish.

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

challenging emotional inspiring reflective 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

4.0

How should one react when life hits hard? There’s no manual for that. And even if there were, I doubt it would help much. After finishing this book, it reaffirmed a thought I’ve had for a long time: it’s hard to truly understand someone else’s situation… no matter how much you want to or how often you say, “Put yourself in their shoes.” It’s impossible. You might know how someone lives, how they navigate the world, but you’ll never fully grasp the internal battles they fight every day. Inner demons are the worst — the ones that cause anxiety, stress, the “fear of…” and all those invisible struggles.

Anxious People is a book I really enjoyed. Though, I also understand why some people wouldn’t. It’s easy to get bored, to feel like nothing makes sense, to think it didn’t need to be that long, that it doesn’t take itself seriously, or that the plot is just plain silly.

And yet, amidst all that, I found what I believe is the best part of the book:
“It’s always very easy to declare that other people are idiots, but only if you forget how idiotically difficult being human is.”

I’m still processing the emotional impact Anxious People left on me. I admit I didn’t give it five stars, but how justifiable is it to rate a book that delves into these kinds of themes? I guess it all comes down to personal taste.

Anyway, just read it.

The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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

5.0

What would you say if someone asked you to define happiness? Who or what does it mean to you?

In all my years as a reader, I had never come across anything like this — nor had I ever thought about reading something like it. Honestly, I woke up today feeling pretty low. I thought it would be just another day, the same routine with nothing special to set it apart. I got up, went to work, picked up my Kindle, and bought the first book I stumbled upon. Nothing out of the ordinary (not even buying a new book).

Of course, once I started The Answer Is No, I assumed it would take me some time to get into the story and connect with the characters, mostly because of the language. I don’t usually read in English, so it made sense to think it would slow me down. Clearly, that wasn’t the case.

This little 70-page book touched my heart in a way I can’t quite explain. It was funny and, as they say in English, heartwarming. Who would’ve thought I’d connect so much with Lucas? A character who loves his solitude, cherishes the little moments, and genuinely enjoys them. He doesn’t overthink what could happen next — he’s simply happy with what makes him happy. The other nameless characters add so much to the story through their experiences, and they made me reflect on many of my actions, not just towards myself but towards others as well.

I definitely want to read more of Fredrik Backman’s books — and in English! I truly believe I’ll never, ever forget what The Answer Is No is about. It’s a book I’ll recommend to anyone, no matter what.

Stories of Hope: Finding Inspiration in Everyday Lives by Heather Morris

emotional informative medium-paced

2.0

I just finished this 300-page book, and I’m not quite sure how I feel about it.

The main issue I had was with the genres — self-help and autobiography — because based on the title, I assumed it would be a collection of short stories about people whose experiences took place during World War II. The cover reinforced that idea even more. But clearly, that wasn’t the case.

The book focuses more on the author’s personal anecdotes, though it doesn’t feel entirely autobiographical. In each story, she offers advice or life lessons, leaning more into the self-help side of things: listening to others, but above all, listening to yourself.

I feel that if the book had been developed, executed, and structured differently, it could have been one of the best I’ve read in 24 hours.

Stories of Hope has a lot to offer for those more open to this kind of narrative style. And even though it wasn’t for me, I’m willing to give another of her books a try — like The Tattooist of Auschwitz — because stories like “Ian’s Story,” “Cilka’s Journey,” and “Listening to Lale” in Stories of Hope made me realize the author has potential. This particular book just wasn’t for me.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

What would you think if I told you this book has sold over 4 million copies and even has its own adaptation — even if it’s just on Netflix? You’d probably assume the book is top-tier and the adaptation… well, at least it exists.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo is the first book in a trilogy, and that’s important to mention because, in a way, it justifies some of its shortcomings. For me, the plot, the story, the characters, the “plot twists,” and everything else felt pretty basic. Maybe it’s because I’m a hardcore fantasy lover, and this first installment didn’t even come close to meeting my expectations.

I’ll admit that book marketing has gotten better and better, but along with that comes the growing skill of selling us things that aren’t what they seem. And even though I heard more bad things than good about this book, that doesn’t make up for it. If you sell something and advertise it as "A," then it needs to be "A."

My issue with this book? Its execution — no doubt about that. The concept behind the story is original, but it falls into the usual clichés: the "chosen one," the predictability, the "love triangle." It focuses so much on those aspects that the overall world-building gets lost along the way.

Speaking of world-building, it’s not well done. There are quite a few issues, and one of the biggest is that you never feel fully immersed in the story. You could be handed a map and know where the protagonist is, but you never reach that level of reading where you can vividly imagine the place because you don’t connect with the world.

Now, about the characters — the best one by far was the Darkling. I don’t know if it’s my weakness for bad boys, but the Darkling, with his secrets, attitude, and personality, was the only thing that kept me going. Of course, the author also leans into the typical childhood friends to lovers trope, and that’s where I get lost. From the very beginning, I knew Alina would end up with Mal. The Darkling felt unnecessary. Alina and Mal already had history, they had something, and they ended up with something. Everything that comes next is just filler about how she embraces her powers, realizes how important she is to her kingdom, and blah, blah, blah.

This book had so much potential that went to waste. And while I did enjoy it back when I read it, today I’d lower my rating to 3.5 stars.

El ladrón de besos by L.J. Shen

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Hazte un favor y ahórrate la pérdida de tiempo que supone leerlo. 

El instituto by Stephen King

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book had all the potential to be a five-star read, yet somehow, Stephen King didn’t quite deliver.

Honestly, I’m not sure if it was the repetitiveness, the overly descriptive writing, or the rushed ending that made me settle on four stars.

The Institute offers a story that’s a bit out of the ordinary. Here, it’s not adults who suffer abuse — experiments on their bodies, psychological torment, kidnapping, etc. — at the hands of other adults. No. It’s children (ages 8 to 16) who endure these horrors. These kids have powers (TK and TP) that are enhanced “for the greater good.” If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “The ends justify the means,” it perfectly sums up what The Institute is about. Disclaimer: I’m not saying I agree with that message, but that’s what the book conveys.

I feel like I could say so much about this book, yet so little at the same time. Did it leave a mark on me? Absolutely. It made me cry, hate, rage — a whirlwind of emotions. It’s one of those stories that leaves a trace, making you feel weird when you finish, as if you didn’t get quite enough or the ending left you unsatisfied.

I won’t say more. If you’re curious, just read it. All in all, it’s a “good” book, especially for someone wanting to dive into Stephen King’s work.

Amarilla by R.F. Kuang

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Ciudades de humo by Joana Marcús

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5