maggies's reviews
606 reviews

Ghosted by Rosie Walsh

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emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A quick read, hugely emotional by the end. It took a bit longer than I would have liked to get past the whining about Eddie being gone and start learning new things, but the payoff was ultimately worth it.
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The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig

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reflective slow-paced

5.0

Meditative. Listening to the audiobook was a bit like ASMR. My favorites:
  • ozurie – feeling torn between the life you want and the life you have
  • proluctance – the paradoxical urge to avoid doing something you’ve been looking forward to; perpetually waiting around for the right state of mind, stretching out the bliss of anticipation as long as you can
  • hanker sore - finding a person so attractive it actually kinda pisses you off
  • wytai (acronym of When You Think About It) - a feature of modern civilization that suddenly strikes you as absurd and grotesque

Bad Actors by Mick Herron

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

5.0

So Herron really upped his game on this one—I loved it! The bit of Bad Actors was so well done, and when I finally got it, boy did I get it. I'm super happy I decided to read on in the series, and now I'm looking forward to book #9, slated to be released in 2025.
Just Friends by Holly McCulloch

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emotional funny medium-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? It's complicated

2.0

Quirky but not, flawed but not, apparently amazing at everything but has really low self-esteem, scenes that felt like they wouldn't be out of place in Bridget Jones. Not my favorite.
Slough House by Mick Herron

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

3.0

The political machinations somehow both have higher stakes and are less interesting in this book than in earlier entries to the series. I definitely skim-listened to those episodes, which didn't help my comprehension. There's a chance I would have stopped reading the series after this one but for that cliffhanger. Not sure what that says about the quality of the book vs me as a reader.
Joe Country by Mick Herron

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

3.0

Important note: I still very much enjoyed this book. But...compared to earlier installments in the series, this one lacked something. The turnover of characters keeps the series fresh but also slightly harder to follow, harder to care. I've become attached to Jackson Lamb, I think, simply because he's the only one I can't imagine Herron killing off. Ah well, will keep reading.
The Upside of Falling by Alex Light

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emotional lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Easy to read but kind of forgettable. Didn't read like real life, more like fan fiction fantasy.
The Marylebone Drop by Mick Herron

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

3.0

The first novella in the Slough House series, The List, I read out of order—that is, after I'd already become acquainted with JK Coe through Spook Street. In this case, I've read it in order, so this is my first introduction to Lech Wicinski, and while the story was vaguely interesting, I wish I had more context for Lech. Ah well, I'm sure we'll get there.
London Rules by Mick Herron

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adventurous funny mysterious tense 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

3.0

Perhaps a bit weaker than other installments in the series, but still gripping. I am really coming to love the dynamic among all the slow horses, even how the ones who have left still play a part. Give me more of River and Louisa's budding friendship, Catherine and Shirley's shared struggle for sobriety, and Jackson and Roddy's comedic interludes. Still trying to get a handle on JK, but his expanded role this time around was much appreciated.
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The Friend by Sigrid Nunez

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challenging emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

*Read as part of my challenge to (attempt to) read all 100 of NYT's best books of the 21st century*

Narration adjacent to stream of consciousness, which is a hard no for me. A story about processing grief and loving a dog, which I can identify with, but ultimately it felt a bit too navel-gazey.
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