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pagesplotsandpints's Reviews (2.1k)
Read Completed 12/23/23 | 3.75 stars
This was a highly entertaining read and just what I want for a horror read. It was wonderfully creepy from start to finish with some interesting twists and characters. I still had a little trouble at times feeling like the horror was a little cheesy, but I guess that's probably just a personal hang-up on the genre in general. It also was lightly humorous as well, but just lightly.
The twists in the book really weren't surprising to me at all. I pretty much picked up on everything right away (though I had some theories reversed, but they were still present). I think if I had been totally in the dark and hadn't guessed them, I would have been more surprised and enjoyed it a bit more. You can't sneak those by a thriller reader, I guess.
It was a fun read and I wish I had read it during spooky season, but it was just as fun in the winter. I'd definitely try this author again.
This was a highly entertaining read and just what I want for a horror read. It was wonderfully creepy from start to finish with some interesting twists and characters. I still had a little trouble at times feeling like the horror was a little cheesy, but I guess that's probably just a personal hang-up on the genre in general. It also was lightly humorous as well, but just lightly.
The twists in the book really weren't surprising to me at all. I pretty much picked up on everything right away (though I had some theories reversed, but they were still present). I think if I had been totally in the dark and hadn't guessed them, I would have been more surprised and enjoyed it a bit more. You can't sneak those by a thriller reader, I guess.
It was a fun read and I wish I had read it during spooky season, but it was just as fun in the winter. I'd definitely try this author again.
Read Completed 12/21/23 | 4 stars
Well, this was delightful. I love a good time loop / playing with time / time travel play on a romance and this was a really fun spin on the concept!
Firstly, this is WHIMSICAL friends-to-lovers, NOT WITCHY. A "spell" kicks off the magic that takes Gemma into an alternate timeline, but it's not a witchy book. I actually really liked that because I can be turned off if I don't like the witchy plot. It was a light sci-fi/magical concept that only came into play when Gemma needed to go and come back. Now that that's out of the way...
I really, really enjoyed this story. I liked Gemma a lot, loved her sister as the supporting character, and her slightly wacky aunt who brings the "magic spell" into her life to make the story possible. The love interest was also great, but I still feel like we didn't get to know him *quite* enough. There was just something missing where I didn't feel as connected to him as I wanted to be.
I love a good friends-to-lovers and there's already chemistry when the book kicks off. Maybe I just wanted to see a little bit more of the friends part first in order to get more of that fun, flirty banter and the characters not allowing themselves to act on the feelings. Ultimately, they had amazing chemistry and Kate Robb really did a great job at making them click in every way!
This is Kate Robb's debut and I will definitely be reading more from her!
Well, this was delightful. I love a good time loop / playing with time / time travel play on a romance and this was a really fun spin on the concept!
Firstly, this is WHIMSICAL friends-to-lovers, NOT WITCHY. A "spell" kicks off the magic that takes Gemma into an alternate timeline, but it's not a witchy book. I actually really liked that because I can be turned off if I don't like the witchy plot. It was a light sci-fi/magical concept that only came into play when Gemma needed to go and come back. Now that that's out of the way...
I really, really enjoyed this story. I liked Gemma a lot, loved her sister as the supporting character, and her slightly wacky aunt who brings the "magic spell" into her life to make the story possible. The love interest was also great, but I still feel like we didn't get to know him *quite* enough. There was just something missing where I didn't feel as connected to him as I wanted to be.
I love a good friends-to-lovers and there's already chemistry when the book kicks off. Maybe I just wanted to see a little bit more of the friends part first in order to get more of that fun, flirty banter and the characters not allowing themselves to act on the feelings. Ultimately, they had amazing chemistry and Kate Robb really did a great job at making them click in every way!
This is Kate Robb's debut and I will definitely be reading more from her!
Read Completed 12/20/23 | 4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for the audiobook review copy. This free copy did not affect my review in any way.
I really enjoyed THE GUEST a lot more than I thought I would! I've read all of B.A. Paris' thrillers so far and some have been big flops, including the last few, so I just wasn't sure what to expect. Maybe because my expectations were low, I went into it not expecting much and I was happy when I ended up connecting with it.
The beginning of the book was slower, but enjoyable for me. If nothing else, the concept of a guest that's overstayed their welcome was dread enough for me to feel tension and anxiety while reading. I was okay with this pacing because I liked getting to know the characters really well and wondering where everything was going, but I can see how others might not have enjoyed that. I mean, normally I probably wouldn't have enjoyed that, but I just really ended up clicking with the characters, which doesn't always happen.
Things started to spiral out of control about halfway through and that's where things really got interesting. I didn't want to stop reading and was racing through to try and guess at all of these family secrets! Who was the most sinister? Were these circumstances suspicious or out of character? I really liked all the little surprises and twists.
This could have really ended on a bang but instead, we get a weak epilogue where someone basically tells all, and I really hate that. It's lazy and felt like we reached the conclusion of the book already and this was all an afterthought. It really cheapened everything and I wish that could have been used IN the conclusion because everything else just kind of died off and wasn't exciting.
This was a better B.A. Paris read for me but I'm really disappointed in how everything wrapped up. The answers to the questions were satisfying but I hate how we learned about them and after finding out all the answers, there were too many red herrings and barely-hanging-on parties.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for the audiobook review copy. This free copy did not affect my review in any way.
I really enjoyed THE GUEST a lot more than I thought I would! I've read all of B.A. Paris' thrillers so far and some have been big flops, including the last few, so I just wasn't sure what to expect. Maybe because my expectations were low, I went into it not expecting much and I was happy when I ended up connecting with it.
The beginning of the book was slower, but enjoyable for me. If nothing else, the concept of a guest that's overstayed their welcome was dread enough for me to feel tension and anxiety while reading. I was okay with this pacing because I liked getting to know the characters really well and wondering where everything was going, but I can see how others might not have enjoyed that. I mean, normally I probably wouldn't have enjoyed that, but I just really ended up clicking with the characters, which doesn't always happen.
Things started to spiral out of control about halfway through and that's where things really got interesting. I didn't want to stop reading and was racing through to try and guess at all of these family secrets! Who was the most sinister? Were these circumstances suspicious or out of character? I really liked all the little surprises and twists.
This could have really ended on a bang but instead, we get a weak epilogue where someone basically tells all, and I really hate that. It's lazy and felt like we reached the conclusion of the book already and this was all an afterthought. It really cheapened everything and I wish that could have been used IN the conclusion because everything else just kind of died off and wasn't exciting.
This was a better B.A. Paris read for me but I'm really disappointed in how everything wrapped up. The answers to the questions were satisfying but I hate how we learned about them and after finding out all the answers, there were too many red herrings and barely-hanging-on parties.
Read Completed 12/19/23 | 2.75 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for the audiobook review copy. This free copy did not affect my review in any way.
I'm becoming less and less connected to Rachel Hawkins' thrillers and that bums me out! But each one is a little bit different and I don't think I've connected to one as much as THE WIFE UPSTAIRS. I don't love rich inheritance stories but I still had hope that I would connect with it based on my previous experience with the author. This one just didn't do it.
For a long time in this book, it felt much more like a family drama than a thriller. The majority of the interest in wrapped up in the letters from Ruby, telling her history and the story of her husbands. I felt like this really brought the book down. It was supposed to be, thrilling, I think? To hear about how she killed them all, but it wasn't the point of the book at all and was really a different concept entirely. I didn't even feel like it was a sinister thing -- at least the tone allowed for you to feel sympathy for Ruby.
The beginning of this was also excruciating for me. I didn't want to give up quickly -- again, based on my past experience with the author -- and then I had gone too far and didn't want to quit. I didn't know that Ruby's POV was going to be a POV throughout the whole book and her part was longer than Cam's and Jules' so it felt like their story kept getting cut short. I just wanted to be in the present, and this was also an issue that I had with THE VILLA so I was getting irritated by the same writing style again.
The twists were.... okay. Not enough for me to love the book or change my mind about the beginning. I can't stand the spoiled, entitled rich family and I liked the juxtaposition of Camden being the good person, not wanting the inheritance. I just wish we had gotten more from him. I guess I felt like things weren't very balanced, story-wise. The POVs didn't seem balanced until closer to the middle when we spent more time with Cam & Jules, but even then, Ruby's letters kept cutting long portions into the story. It made more sense later on when she moved past the husbands and got into more family drama & secrets. I guess I just felt mostly disconnected from everything that was going on.
I can see why people like this book but ultimately, it wasn't my style. I DO like trying to read different thriller vibes and I always like to try to read the books of authors I've enjoyed in the past, but this one just didn't click for me. (It actually happens a lot for me and thriller authors.) I'm glad I finished it to see what it was all about, but the beginning was so hard to overcome, and the finale just wasn't really that exciting for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for the audiobook review copy. This free copy did not affect my review in any way.
I'm becoming less and less connected to Rachel Hawkins' thrillers and that bums me out! But each one is a little bit different and I don't think I've connected to one as much as THE WIFE UPSTAIRS. I don't love rich inheritance stories but I still had hope that I would connect with it based on my previous experience with the author. This one just didn't do it.
For a long time in this book, it felt much more like a family drama than a thriller. The majority of the interest in wrapped up in the letters from Ruby, telling her history and the story of her husbands. I felt like this really brought the book down. It was supposed to be, thrilling, I think? To hear about how she killed them all, but it wasn't the point of the book at all and was really a different concept entirely. I didn't even feel like it was a sinister thing -- at least the tone allowed for you to feel sympathy for Ruby.
The beginning of this was also excruciating for me. I didn't want to give up quickly -- again, based on my past experience with the author -- and then I had gone too far and didn't want to quit. I didn't know that Ruby's POV was going to be a POV throughout the whole book and her part was longer than Cam's and Jules' so it felt like their story kept getting cut short. I just wanted to be in the present, and this was also an issue that I had with THE VILLA so I was getting irritated by the same writing style again.
The twists were.... okay. Not enough for me to love the book or change my mind about the beginning. I can't stand the spoiled, entitled rich family and I liked the juxtaposition of Camden being the good person, not wanting the inheritance. I just wish we had gotten more from him. I guess I felt like things weren't very balanced, story-wise. The POVs didn't seem balanced until closer to the middle when we spent more time with Cam & Jules, but even then, Ruby's letters kept cutting long portions into the story. It made more sense later on when she moved past the husbands and got into more family drama & secrets. I guess I just felt mostly disconnected from everything that was going on.
I can see why people like this book but ultimately, it wasn't my style. I DO like trying to read different thriller vibes and I always like to try to read the books of authors I've enjoyed in the past, but this one just didn't click for me. (It actually happens a lot for me and thriller authors.) I'm glad I finished it to see what it was all about, but the beginning was so hard to overcome, and the finale just wasn't really that exciting for me.
Read Completed 12/17/23 | 2.5 stars
I'm giving this a half a start for the entertainment factor, but sadly, I just really didn't like it.
This is an exclusive audiobook production but it was 100% dialogue like watching a TV show or hearing a radio broadcast. There was no narration from the characters at all, just talking back and forth. For my personal preferences, I tend to like some narration in there as well with a full cast and maybe about 50% dialogue max. That wasn't what I didn't like about the book, but just a personal preference that maybe could have helped me enjoy the book just a bit more. It didn't really feel like a BOOK.
#CRIMETIME definitely has its audience. Jeneva Rose and Drew Pyne make funny TikTok videos and Reels and their personality definitely comes through here. If you liked their videos and want this book to be exactly like those, that's what you're getting! For me, it was too silly and goofy. It's fun when you're making a short video to be silly or ham up a story, but this was just so annoying to me. Chase was so naive, immature, and obsessed with TikTok that it was irritating right from the start and never let up. Nadiya was not very developed as a character and was basically the straight man for all of Chase's quips and jokes. I know it's a short production and I didn't need wild character building but she just fell really flat.
The concept of the book was wild and wacky -- which the authors say were based on true events and then largely embellished into a book. I think I would have liked it more if it was less silly and more serious. There were feelings I enjoyed and some of it just seemed like a Stephanie Plum book but if Stephanie Plum was Gen Z...
Anyway, this one didn't do it for me but it seems like a love it or hate it book. If you like their humor and want that in a book, this is it! If not, you're likely on the dislike side.
I'm giving this a half a start for the entertainment factor, but sadly, I just really didn't like it.
This is an exclusive audiobook production but it was 100% dialogue like watching a TV show or hearing a radio broadcast. There was no narration from the characters at all, just talking back and forth. For my personal preferences, I tend to like some narration in there as well with a full cast and maybe about 50% dialogue max. That wasn't what I didn't like about the book, but just a personal preference that maybe could have helped me enjoy the book just a bit more. It didn't really feel like a BOOK.
#CRIMETIME definitely has its audience. Jeneva Rose and Drew Pyne make funny TikTok videos and Reels and their personality definitely comes through here. If you liked their videos and want this book to be exactly like those, that's what you're getting! For me, it was too silly and goofy. It's fun when you're making a short video to be silly or ham up a story, but this was just so annoying to me. Chase was so naive, immature, and obsessed with TikTok that it was irritating right from the start and never let up. Nadiya was not very developed as a character and was basically the straight man for all of Chase's quips and jokes. I know it's a short production and I didn't need wild character building but she just fell really flat.
The concept of the book was wild and wacky -- which the authors say were based on true events and then largely embellished into a book. I think I would have liked it more if it was less silly and more serious. There were feelings I enjoyed and some of it just seemed like a Stephanie Plum book but if Stephanie Plum was Gen Z...
Anyway, this one didn't do it for me but it seems like a love it or hate it book. If you like their humor and want that in a book, this is it! If not, you're likely on the dislike side.
Read Completed 12/15/23 | 3 stars
Sadly, after a certain point, I was just kind of waiting for this one to end. It felt a little sloppy and disconnected. It was a fine story but also one that I've read many times before in other books so this didn't feel like it was anything new and exciting.
Part of the problem was that I didn't like or feel connected to any of the characters. I didn't like Lucy, even though she wasn't wrong for pushing things all the time, and I didn't like anyone else. I just feel like there wasn't enough development for me to really FEEL like these characters were anything more than people in a book.
The pacing also had me struggling. The beginning is REALLY slow. I was super impatient to get on with it and Lucy just kept repeating the same things over and over while panicking. It was really tiresome and then maybe about halfway through things started to get interesting but it all felt a little choppy.
I loved Helen Cooper's debut but I haven't been clicking with her subsequent books. This was kind of a miss for me. Not bad, but not what I expected or was hoping for.
Sadly, after a certain point, I was just kind of waiting for this one to end. It felt a little sloppy and disconnected. It was a fine story but also one that I've read many times before in other books so this didn't feel like it was anything new and exciting.
Part of the problem was that I didn't like or feel connected to any of the characters. I didn't like Lucy, even though she wasn't wrong for pushing things all the time, and I didn't like anyone else. I just feel like there wasn't enough development for me to really FEEL like these characters were anything more than people in a book.
The pacing also had me struggling. The beginning is REALLY slow. I was super impatient to get on with it and Lucy just kept repeating the same things over and over while panicking. It was really tiresome and then maybe about halfway through things started to get interesting but it all felt a little choppy.
I loved Helen Cooper's debut but I haven't been clicking with her subsequent books. This was kind of a miss for me. Not bad, but not what I expected or was hoping for.
Read Completed 12/15/23 | 3.25 stars
I love the idea of a short, quick Christmas mystery/thriller. This was easy to get through and definitely held my interest! The diary entries were a bit info-dumpy, even being a short novella, and Ashley was kind of annoying, though I think she was supposed to be. I liked the middle much more and I wish we could have spent more time developing that section rather than a long, drawn-out series of diary entries. Still fun and had a nice twist I wasn't expecting.
I love the idea of a short, quick Christmas mystery/thriller. This was easy to get through and definitely held my interest! The diary entries were a bit info-dumpy, even being a short novella, and Ashley was kind of annoying, though I think she was supposed to be. I liked the middle much more and I wish we could have spent more time developing that section rather than a long, drawn-out series of diary entries. Still fun and had a nice twist I wasn't expecting.
Read Completed 12/15/23 | 3.75 - 4 stars
This was a very fun read! I really liked the characters, the concept, and the pacing. It all laid out really well for me with a little twist too. I think it could have gone maybe one step further and really surprised me, but I was still happy with the way it went.
This was long enough to be a full length novel but I think was designed to be a little shorter? I would have actually liked a little more length and depth! I was enjoying the story a lot and would have loved to spend just a bit more time on character and plot development, but I also liked that it wasn’t a super long thriller.
This was a very fun read! I really liked the characters, the concept, and the pacing. It all laid out really well for me with a little twist too. I think it could have gone maybe one step further and really surprised me, but I was still happy with the way it went.
This was long enough to be a full length novel but I think was designed to be a little shorter? I would have actually liked a little more length and depth! I was enjoying the story a lot and would have loved to spend just a bit more time on character and plot development, but I also liked that it wasn’t a super long thriller.
Read Completed 12/11/23 | 4 stars
This was a slow burn until the end, but hot damn, the ending was so worth it!
First things first, I did enjoy the whole story. Sometimes I have issues with slower thrillers because often times I want fast paced and I want to feel instant thrills right off the bat. This was a recommendation from my sister who read it first who did all the hard work to read until the end to tell me it was worth reading, and knowing that it had the potential to be a bit slower of a burn made it easier to be patient throughout.
I really liked getting to know the main characters! There's so much suspicion on Kat and I was constantly wondering what her agenda and motives were. There was enough to be interested by the characters and have little bits of information pop up, and then also enough going on that I forgot about those little bits until some bombs were dropped and it kept the twists to be extra surprising!
I know some people will hate this ending but I didn't see it coming (even though I probably should have) and I really liked it! I was so happy to be shocked and the author really does have you clinging onto theories until the very end. Even when there was only 10% -- or even 5%, really -- of the book left, I still had no idea how it would end and I was so happy to be shocked.
This was a great little thriller to pick up after I read a long fantasy series and I'm so glad I read it! I think the ending is going to be one that sticks with me.
This was a slow burn until the end, but hot damn, the ending was so worth it!
First things first, I did enjoy the whole story. Sometimes I have issues with slower thrillers because often times I want fast paced and I want to feel instant thrills right off the bat. This was a recommendation from my sister who read it first who did all the hard work to read until the end to tell me it was worth reading, and knowing that it had the potential to be a bit slower of a burn made it easier to be patient throughout.
I really liked getting to know the main characters! There's so much suspicion on Kat and I was constantly wondering what her agenda and motives were. There was enough to be interested by the characters and have little bits of information pop up, and then also enough going on that I forgot about those little bits until some bombs were dropped and it kept the twists to be extra surprising!
I know some people will hate this ending but I didn't see it coming (even though I probably should have) and I really liked it! I was so happy to be shocked and the author really does have you clinging onto theories until the very end. Even when there was only 10% -- or even 5%, really -- of the book left, I still had no idea how it would end and I was so happy to be shocked.
This was a great little thriller to pick up after I read a long fantasy series and I'm so glad I read it! I think the ending is going to be one that sticks with me.
Read Completed 12/10/23 | 3.5 stars
This series was so epic but a little TOO epic at times. JADE LEGACY was long. LONG. I enjoyed these characters a lot but the book literally spans... what, 20 years? More? I felt like I would have rather read 6 books that were shorter where we get to spend a little more time in each mini-era instead of what felt like cramming all of this time into the last book. There were so many things I wanted to spend more time with while also just waaaaiting for this book to be over because it was long and it felt long. I've read books that are much longer but I felt like JADE LEGACY took forever. I'm guessing that's because everything was constantly jumping forward instead of me being fully immersed in the book.
I really did love the characters, family, and emotions that Fonda Lee built here. The politics were so interesting to follow and the conflicts were always tense and deep. I also love that she wasn't afraid to kill her darlings. From the first book, someone important is taken away from the story and from then on, I knew that no one was safe, and I appreciate that more than keeping everyone protected, especially in a book about clans/mafia/gangs, etc.
When it comes down to it, I was just waiting for this book to be over and I'm sad about that. Like I said, I would have much rather this was split into more books and spending a little more time in each time period. But, obviously I'm the outsider in this opinion because so many people loved this and the whole series. I'm glad I read it, I really liked the writing, and I would read more from Fonda Lee, but it felt exhausting reading this series in a length way, and that's coming from someone who's read The Stormlight Archives where each book is over 1000 pages.
This series was so epic but a little TOO epic at times. JADE LEGACY was long. LONG. I enjoyed these characters a lot but the book literally spans... what, 20 years? More? I felt like I would have rather read 6 books that were shorter where we get to spend a little more time in each mini-era instead of what felt like cramming all of this time into the last book. There were so many things I wanted to spend more time with while also just waaaaiting for this book to be over because it was long and it felt long. I've read books that are much longer but I felt like JADE LEGACY took forever. I'm guessing that's because everything was constantly jumping forward instead of me being fully immersed in the book.
I really did love the characters, family, and emotions that Fonda Lee built here. The politics were so interesting to follow and the conflicts were always tense and deep. I also love that she wasn't afraid to kill her darlings. From the first book, someone important is taken away from the story and from then on, I knew that no one was safe, and I appreciate that more than keeping everyone protected, especially in a book about clans/mafia/gangs, etc.
When it comes down to it, I was just waiting for this book to be over and I'm sad about that. Like I said, I would have much rather this was split into more books and spending a little more time in each time period. But, obviously I'm the outsider in this opinion because so many people loved this and the whole series. I'm glad I read it, I really liked the writing, and I would read more from Fonda Lee, but it felt exhausting reading this series in a length way, and that's coming from someone who's read The Stormlight Archives where each book is over 1000 pages.