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pagesplotsandpints's Reviews (2.1k)
Read Completed 8/31/23 | 3.25 stars
I've been looking for more mid-level fantasy (sort of in between high and low fantasy) and was hoping this would be an Alex Verus vibe, but it really wasn't. That's not the book's fault, but just what I was hoping for.
Overall, this was an enjoyable concept but I felt like it was lacking in a lot of ways. The main character, Grimsby, was ... eh. He was the underdog, which can be really fun, but he was a little too blah for me. Usually when there's someone who's "a failure" and the "wimpy sidekick", there's usually something that ends up making him special and that kind of never came. That COULD be coming in the rest of the series, so we could still see, but I just didn't feel why he was important here besides just getting caught up in everything. It was also confusing having the story start with Mayflower. I thought he was going to be THE main character, and he was very important to the story, but it was just so different from what I expected.
I liked that this was kind of a lighter fantasy so it didn't get too bogged down with heavy world-building but I did want some more. There's another realm involved here and I feel like I just didn't know enough about it? Its rules were mentioned in passing but it was a little too much in passing and I just didn't feel like I understood it well enough. I also wanted more from the plot. There was a lot of action but I think I just wanted more reason WHY everything was happening. We didn't find out much about the reasoning or potential reasons and I just kind of felt a little lost while all of the action sequences were going on.
At the end of the book, I decided I wasn't going to continue on in the series, but I did actually like the way it ended and I think the ending changed my mind. There were some lead-ups to the next book and a fun partnership formed so it grabbed my attention. I won't be rushing to read it but the potential is out there!
I've been looking for more mid-level fantasy (sort of in between high and low fantasy) and was hoping this would be an Alex Verus vibe, but it really wasn't. That's not the book's fault, but just what I was hoping for.
Overall, this was an enjoyable concept but I felt like it was lacking in a lot of ways. The main character, Grimsby, was ... eh. He was the underdog, which can be really fun, but he was a little too blah for me. Usually when there's someone who's "a failure" and the "wimpy sidekick", there's usually something that ends up making him special and that kind of never came. That COULD be coming in the rest of the series, so we could still see, but I just didn't feel why he was important here besides just getting caught up in everything. It was also confusing having the story start with Mayflower. I thought he was going to be THE main character, and he was very important to the story, but it was just so different from what I expected.
I liked that this was kind of a lighter fantasy so it didn't get too bogged down with heavy world-building but I did want some more. There's another realm involved here and I feel like I just didn't know enough about it? Its rules were mentioned in passing but it was a little too much in passing and I just didn't feel like I understood it well enough. I also wanted more from the plot. There was a lot of action but I think I just wanted more reason WHY everything was happening. We didn't find out much about the reasoning or potential reasons and I just kind of felt a little lost while all of the action sequences were going on.
At the end of the book, I decided I wasn't going to continue on in the series, but I did actually like the way it ended and I think the ending changed my mind. There were some lead-ups to the next book and a fun partnership formed so it grabbed my attention. I won't be rushing to read it but the potential is out there!
Read Completed 8/30/23 | 3.5 stars
This was another BookTok pick after seeing some rave reviews and my library had it so I worked it into the mix! This was definitely an interesting read but it fell a little flat from all of the hype because this was really amped up.
The book is split up into five POVs (with the sixth portion of the book repeating the teacher's perspective again), and each one goes in order and do not alternate. We get the story of all of the characters and the instances/decisions that led to the child's death little by little, and there are some overlaps in story as well.
I didn't totally love the style, but it was different and still interested me. The long blocks of each character's POV felt a little clunky sometimes and some of the overlap in stories got a little tiresome. It was interesting and a little disturbing at times to be in each character's head. There's a lot going on here and we get to see how the story gets twisted (and untwisted) and I really did like how that all unraveled.
The story grows more disturbing as the book goes on, but even with all that happened, I still think it was slightly overhyped. I would still recommend this to others who are looking for a different thriller vibe!
This was another BookTok pick after seeing some rave reviews and my library had it so I worked it into the mix! This was definitely an interesting read but it fell a little flat from all of the hype because this was really amped up.
The book is split up into five POVs (with the sixth portion of the book repeating the teacher's perspective again), and each one goes in order and do not alternate. We get the story of all of the characters and the instances/decisions that led to the child's death little by little, and there are some overlaps in story as well.
I didn't totally love the style, but it was different and still interested me. The long blocks of each character's POV felt a little clunky sometimes and some of the overlap in stories got a little tiresome. It was interesting and a little disturbing at times to be in each character's head. There's a lot going on here and we get to see how the story gets twisted (and untwisted) and I really did like how that all unraveled.
The story grows more disturbing as the book goes on, but even with all that happened, I still think it was slightly overhyped. I would still recommend this to others who are looking for a different thriller vibe!
Read Completed 8/28/23 | 3.75 - 4 stars
I'm always up for a fun sci-fi read and I caught this one while browsing on Libby. It was billed as THE MARTIAN meets DARK MATTER, but I really wouldn't call it that at all. I would definitely fit the tone and part of the concept as reminiscent of PROJECT HAIL MARY (but it's hard to come close to touching that one!) and I wouldn't really use DARK MATTER as a comparison, but I can see why it was, loosely.
Anyway. I had fun reading this one! I always love a sci-fi (or fantasy) book with humor and a self-deprecating main character who's kind of a goof/screw-up. It gives it a certain kind of charm when the main character isn't really a hero or savior type but is essential to the plot. Here we have Mickey, who ended up as a part of this program to escape some serious gambling debts -- he's not really special but he's the only one who volunteered for the job.
This was an enjoyable, light space adventure where more of the plot and drama has to do with Mickey accidentally having two copies of himself running around at the same time. We didn't really have to deal with politics or romantic drama (just a very light touch) and it was just a great sort of palate cleansing read.
I could have used just a bit more from the plot to really seal this as a memorable book, or maybe set up the second book just a bit more? This is a series and it looks like book two pretty much picks up where this one leaves off, but I could have used a touch more depth in the plot towards the end. I did like how light it was, though! I also liked how the author had woven in the details of the downfall of the Earth and moving to other planets as the book went along so we didn't get a huge info dump. It wasn't really necessary to know for this particular story so I appreciate that it was included for sure, but I appreciated the world-building and some interesting details about what happened and why the characters were on this quest.
I'm always up for a fun sci-fi read and I caught this one while browsing on Libby. It was billed as THE MARTIAN meets DARK MATTER, but I really wouldn't call it that at all. I would definitely fit the tone and part of the concept as reminiscent of PROJECT HAIL MARY (but it's hard to come close to touching that one!) and I wouldn't really use DARK MATTER as a comparison, but I can see why it was, loosely.
Anyway. I had fun reading this one! I always love a sci-fi (or fantasy) book with humor and a self-deprecating main character who's kind of a goof/screw-up. It gives it a certain kind of charm when the main character isn't really a hero or savior type but is essential to the plot. Here we have Mickey, who ended up as a part of this program to escape some serious gambling debts -- he's not really special but he's the only one who volunteered for the job.
This was an enjoyable, light space adventure where more of the plot and drama has to do with Mickey accidentally having two copies of himself running around at the same time. We didn't really have to deal with politics or romantic drama (just a very light touch) and it was just a great sort of palate cleansing read.
I could have used just a bit more from the plot to really seal this as a memorable book, or maybe set up the second book just a bit more? This is a series and it looks like book two pretty much picks up where this one leaves off, but I could have used a touch more depth in the plot towards the end. I did like how light it was, though! I also liked how the author had woven in the details of the downfall of the Earth and moving to other planets as the book went along so we didn't get a huge info dump. It wasn't really necessary to know for this particular story so I appreciate that it was included for sure, but I appreciated the world-building and some interesting details about what happened and why the characters were on this quest.
Read Completed 8/26/23 | 2.5 - 2.75 stars
This was another drama that thinks it's a thriller. Or else, it was marketed poorly as a thriller when it's mostly not.
This was a slow-moving domestic drama/thriller. It kicks off quickly, showing the main character watch a man die at her mother's birthday party. We don't know who the man is that is dying so that's the mystery of the book. We then rewind and experience the day of the party and everything the characters go through that day. It's really not exciting, though. There's drama about cheating, her mother keeping secrets, secret smoking (who cares), blah blah. Obviously there are secrets to uncover but it just wasn't interesting enough.
Once the secrets are revealed, it's very blunt and anticlimactic. The whole book builds up to it and then it's just given to the readers. There are some flashbacks to the past which give us clues but everything was a little clumsy. It just didn't flow well, didn't hold my attention, and wasn't really thrilling.
I ended up finishing the book because I had too many in a row that I've quit, but I probably wouldn't have finished this one if the situation were different. It wasn't bad but it just didn't stand out and could have been a lot better for me.
This was another drama that thinks it's a thriller. Or else, it was marketed poorly as a thriller when it's mostly not.
This was a slow-moving domestic drama/thriller. It kicks off quickly, showing the main character watch a man die at her mother's birthday party. We don't know who the man is that is dying so that's the mystery of the book. We then rewind and experience the day of the party and everything the characters go through that day. It's really not exciting, though. There's drama about cheating, her mother keeping secrets, secret smoking (who cares), blah blah. Obviously there are secrets to uncover but it just wasn't interesting enough.
Once the secrets are revealed, it's very blunt and anticlimactic. The whole book builds up to it and then it's just given to the readers. There are some flashbacks to the past which give us clues but everything was a little clumsy. It just didn't flow well, didn't hold my attention, and wasn't really thrilling.
I ended up finishing the book because I had too many in a row that I've quit, but I probably wouldn't have finished this one if the situation were different. It wasn't bad but it just didn't stand out and could have been a lot better for me.
Read Completed 8/22/23 | 3 stars
MISTER MAGIC sounded too intriguing to pass up. I haven't always gotten along with Kiersten White's books in the past -- I've read a few and DNFed two others but nothing really stood out like crazy to me. I was super interested in the premise of this book and really wanted to fall in love with it.
The idea of this book was so unique and I absolutely loved the concept. I wasn't sure if it was thriller or horror for a long time and I loved the atmospheric vibe of the book and the intentional murkiness of everything while the story of the characters unfolded. I really loved the concept of a childhood show having this hold on everyone with so little information about it, creating sort of a real life Mandela effect where people remember it differently because every time someone posts about it, it gets wiped from the internet.
I wanted so much from this book and it didn't quite deliver like I was hoping. I don't read reviews before reading a book for fear of spoilers so I didn't realize exactly how symbolic this book was and what it represented (the author's personal experiences growing up Mormon and how the people around her handled religion and raising children). I picked up on it in the sense of it taking place literally in the book but not so much that it was so symbolic of a toxic religious upbringing. Finding that out didn't change my opinion of the book (it was still only ever going to be three stars for me) but it did change the way I saw it. Before understanding all the symbolism, I was a little frustrated with the lack of development in world-building aspects of the show, the magic, etc. After knowing that, it made more sense that it was all more symbolic but I got more upset that it ended up being so abstract and that it didn't really stand on its own without it.
I just really wanted more from everything here. More explanation, more character development... it just left me wanting when it could have really knocked me off my feet. There were a lot of good, creepy moments but they ended up falling flat and the tension died away. We didn't get enough answers and I don't know why some of this happened in the first place. Was it magic or was it the people of Bliss? I just don't get why some of these things didn't come full circle.
MISTER MAGIC sounded too intriguing to pass up. I haven't always gotten along with Kiersten White's books in the past -- I've read a few and DNFed two others but nothing really stood out like crazy to me. I was super interested in the premise of this book and really wanted to fall in love with it.
The idea of this book was so unique and I absolutely loved the concept. I wasn't sure if it was thriller or horror for a long time and I loved the atmospheric vibe of the book and the intentional murkiness of everything while the story of the characters unfolded. I really loved the concept of a childhood show having this hold on everyone with so little information about it, creating sort of a real life Mandela effect where people remember it differently because every time someone posts about it, it gets wiped from the internet.
I wanted so much from this book and it didn't quite deliver like I was hoping. I don't read reviews before reading a book for fear of spoilers so I didn't realize exactly how symbolic this book was and what it represented (the author's personal experiences growing up Mormon and how the people around her handled religion and raising children). I picked up on it in the sense of it taking place literally in the book but not so much that it was so symbolic of a toxic religious upbringing. Finding that out didn't change my opinion of the book (it was still only ever going to be three stars for me) but it did change the way I saw it. Before understanding all the symbolism, I was a little frustrated with the lack of development in world-building aspects of the show, the magic, etc. After knowing that, it made more sense that it was all more symbolic but I got more upset that it ended up being so abstract and that it didn't really stand on its own without it.
I just really wanted more from everything here. More explanation, more character development... it just left me wanting when it could have really knocked me off my feet. There were a lot of good, creepy moments but they ended up falling flat and the tension died away. We didn't get enough answers and I don't know why some of this happened in the first place. Was it magic or was it the people of Bliss? I just don't get why some of these things didn't come full circle.
Read Completed 8/20/23 |
After seeing some rave reviews for this book, I knew I had to pick it up. I had previously read FIRST BORN by Will Dean and didn't really like it, but all thriller authors can be hit or miss for me so I and wanted to try another.
I will say that this book is very unique. It's not your average thriller and takes a while to let the reader know what they're really in store for. My book comparisons are definitely spoilers so I'll include them in a spoiler tag... but you're looking at ...The Hunger Games meets Black Mirror. Some of it seemed really implausible, some of it was wild, some of it was kind of boring. It was a little all over the place for me.
It wasn't a bad read but because it was so different, I just didn't know what to do with it. I think I would have liked a little different structure, maybe if the reader had been brought in earlier about what the book's twist was. I also expected things to go a little deeper, thinking these characters had done horrible things in their pasts that they needed to pay for and that's why there were a part of this.
It's fairly hard to talk about the book without spoilers so I'll just leave it on my feelings. If it were a "regular" thriller, I probably wouldn't have even given it three stars but I'm letting it sit there because it was different and had me intrigued.
After seeing some rave reviews for this book, I knew I had to pick it up. I had previously read FIRST BORN by Will Dean and didn't really like it, but all thriller authors can be hit or miss for me so I and wanted to try another.
I will say that this book is very unique. It's not your average thriller and takes a while to let the reader know what they're really in store for. My book comparisons are definitely spoilers so I'll include them in a spoiler tag... but you're looking at ...
It wasn't a bad read but because it was so different, I just didn't know what to do with it. I think I would have liked a little different structure, maybe if the reader had been brought in earlier about what the book's twist was. I also expected things to go a little deeper, thinking these characters had done horrible things in their pasts that they needed to pay for and that's why there were a part of this.
It's fairly hard to talk about the book without spoilers so I'll just leave it on my feelings. If it were a "regular" thriller, I probably wouldn't have even given it three stars but I'm letting it sit there because it was different and had me intrigued.
Read Completed 8/15/23 | 3.5 stars
WHEN I WAS YOU (2020) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
WHERE I LEFT HER (2021) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A MOTHER WOULD KNOW (2022) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
I've been a big fan of Amber Garza and two of her books were some of my favorites in the years that I read them. I was wildly anticipating the release of IN A QUIET TOWN but didn't really know what to expect from it. I ended up enjoying it but didn't click with it the way I had with her other thrillers.
Amber Garza has shared a lot about her own personal experiences on social media and how her journey with religion/faith/the church played a part in this book. I was a little unsure because I don't always love religious themes, especially when there's a character who is oppressive and condescending when it comes to faith, so I didn't know how this one was going to go. It was definitely a relevant part of the story but it was more to set up character relationships than BEING the story. And it also made sense in the long run of the book and gave a good reason why Adrienne didn't want to share her romantic relationship with her parents and was partially estranged. Admittedly, I found it to be a little distracting in the beginning because I thought Shane (the father, husband, and pastor) was going to be the villain of the book, and I liked that he wasn't. There was more to the story and he was an antagonist, sure, but he wasn't the villain.
Unfortunately, because I was little distracted by the religious/faith aspects, I had a harder time connecting to the beginning of the book and I was unsure what goal we were working toward here. Things started getting a little twistier and I felt like the plot started hitting its stride once it was about a third of the way through. Tatum (the mother) started making headway in her search for her daughter and the clues got interesting.
I think Amber Garza is amazing at twists and there was definitely something I didn't see coming, which I loved! In the end, I think it fell a tiny bit flat and didn't really stand out as much as I wanted it to, but I enjoyed reading the story! I think this one was a bit less "in your head" and psychological but still had plenty of moments where I questioned what was going on.
Another very readable book and not my personal favorite, but I really like that the author got to put part of her story into the book too. She always has themes of family and specifically the mother/child relationship, and I always find her families to be real and full of depth.
WHEN I WAS YOU (2020) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
WHERE I LEFT HER (2021) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A MOTHER WOULD KNOW (2022) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
I've been a big fan of Amber Garza and two of her books were some of my favorites in the years that I read them. I was wildly anticipating the release of IN A QUIET TOWN but didn't really know what to expect from it. I ended up enjoying it but didn't click with it the way I had with her other thrillers.
Amber Garza has shared a lot about her own personal experiences on social media and how her journey with religion/faith/the church played a part in this book. I was a little unsure because I don't always love religious themes, especially when there's a character who is oppressive and condescending when it comes to faith, so I didn't know how this one was going to go. It was definitely a relevant part of the story but it was more to set up character relationships than BEING the story. And it also made sense in the long run of the book and gave a good reason why Adrienne didn't want to share her romantic relationship with her parents and was partially estranged. Admittedly, I found it to be a little distracting in the beginning because I thought Shane (the father, husband, and pastor) was going to be the villain of the book, and I liked that he wasn't. There was more to the story and he was an antagonist, sure, but he wasn't the villain.
Unfortunately, because I was little distracted by the religious/faith aspects, I had a harder time connecting to the beginning of the book and I was unsure what goal we were working toward here. Things started getting a little twistier and I felt like the plot started hitting its stride once it was about a third of the way through. Tatum (the mother) started making headway in her search for her daughter and the clues got interesting.
I think Amber Garza is amazing at twists and there was definitely something I didn't see coming, which I loved! In the end, I think it fell a tiny bit flat and didn't really stand out as much as I wanted it to, but I enjoyed reading the story! I think this one was a bit less "in your head" and psychological but still had plenty of moments where I questioned what was going on.
Another very readable book and not my personal favorite, but I really like that the author got to put part of her story into the book too. She always has themes of family and specifically the mother/child relationship, and I always find her families to be real and full of depth.
Read Completed 8/17/23 | 3 - 3.5 stars
I was actually enjoying this but it fell a little flat. It's difficult to read witchy romances because I feel like I never get enough of one or the other -- not enough fantasy world-building or not enough romance. The fantasy part took the stage in the beginning and I liked the cute little witchy vibes, giving the reader an insight to the magic while still staying light and fun. The romance took over maybe after about 25% - 30%, which was fine, but it was a little too much at times. I still wanted more plot and things ended with a whimper and felt like a little too much build-up for nothing.
This was a little spicier than most of my normal romcoms, which wasn't bad but worth noting. I'm horrible at rating on a spice scale considering I don't venture into a ton of super spicy stuff, but there was a good amount of content there, in description and in the number of scenes. I would have like to have sacrificed a couple of those for plot, though.
The plot was fun but ultimately left me feeling like there wasn't enough conflict that got resolved. It felt like a throw away issue that was kind of frustrating and unsatisfying. I liked the banter and chemistry between the two main characters but I always have trouble with the immortal being/mortal girl concept. At least this wasn't a teenager and it felt a little less icky, and she can come into her own magical powers and be an ancient, ageless witch if she wanted to. But again, not enough there and I wanted more from that. I liked the mentions of family history but also wanted more of that. I wanted a bit more magic, just a couple more scenes here and there to build up that concept.
A fun read, better than a lot of the witchy romances I've read. I have not watched the latest Star Wars movies and Reylo inspired things annoy me (because it's everywhere and I hate seeing things over and over again). I also hated The Love Hypothesis which was more Reylo fanfic publicized, apparently, so I'm glad I didn't read that until after I read it or I would have been annoyed. Irrational? I don't care. And that doesn't look like Adam Driver on the cover -- it looks like David Schwimmer. Also, he was supposed to have long, flowing hair but reviewers just think it looks like Adam Driver to get you into the Reylo vibe.
I was actually enjoying this but it fell a little flat. It's difficult to read witchy romances because I feel like I never get enough of one or the other -- not enough fantasy world-building or not enough romance. The fantasy part took the stage in the beginning and I liked the cute little witchy vibes, giving the reader an insight to the magic while still staying light and fun. The romance took over maybe after about 25% - 30%, which was fine, but it was a little too much at times. I still wanted more plot and things ended with a whimper and felt like a little too much build-up for nothing.
This was a little spicier than most of my normal romcoms, which wasn't bad but worth noting. I'm horrible at rating on a spice scale considering I don't venture into a ton of super spicy stuff, but there was a good amount of content there, in description and in the number of scenes. I would have like to have sacrificed a couple of those for plot, though.
The plot was fun but ultimately left me feeling like there wasn't enough conflict that got resolved. It felt like a throw away issue that was kind of frustrating and unsatisfying. I liked the banter and chemistry between the two main characters but I always have trouble with the immortal being/mortal girl concept. At least this wasn't a teenager and it felt a little less icky, and she can come into her own magical powers and be an ancient, ageless witch if she wanted to. But again, not enough there and I wanted more from that. I liked the mentions of family history but also wanted more of that. I wanted a bit more magic, just a couple more scenes here and there to build up that concept.
A fun read, better than a lot of the witchy romances I've read. I have not watched the latest Star Wars movies and Reylo inspired things annoy me (because it's everywhere and I hate seeing things over and over again). I also hated The Love Hypothesis which was more Reylo fanfic publicized, apparently, so I'm glad I didn't read that until after I read it or I would have been annoyed. Irrational? I don't care. And that doesn't look like Adam Driver on the cover -- it looks like David Schwimmer. Also, he was supposed to have long, flowing hair but reviewers just think it looks like Adam Driver to get you into the Reylo vibe.
Read Completed 8/14/23 | 3.5 stars
This was an enjoyable book with such a fun concept, but I didn't always like the execution. Firstly, I definitely laughed out loud at the beginning where Chandler hooks up with this guy who happens to just be terrible and awkward and inept. The reveal of who he was was also entertaining and we went down that path of Chandler giving him "lessons" on how to be a better lover. Of course, we knew this would end up in a relationship if it was any kind of good romance book, so I was interested to see how it would all play out!
I thought the two main characters had excellent physical chemistry. Rachel Lynn Solomon did a great job with the physical scenes which can often get awkward and cringey, but I think the fact that we already knew that Finn was awkward and cringey took that feeling out and I as the reader was able to let that worry go. It was also nice to have a progression of intimacy to gradually work the characters into more feelings and being more comfortable with each other on many different levels.
The problem with the focus on all of the physicality, though, was that I felt like I didn't feel much of an emotional connection between them. Obviously they grow feelings for each other but I wanted to feel that more outside of their physical connection too. They're also on tour for different conventions, meeting Finn's former castmates, working on Finn's book, and I just felt like they didn't really get to have cute moments alone together where we really get to see some of that romantic chemistry. It all felt wrapped up in the bedroom, which was the point at first, but I wanted more that separation towards the end. I also just got tired of the sex scenes after a while. They definitely served a purpose and it wasn't necessarily too many, but I was seeking that emotional connection and I got annoyed when it was still being wrapped up in another intimate scene.
I also just feel like Chandler and Finn didn't pan out enough as characters. They both felt so reserved and WERE reserved since they were holding back, had a business relationship, and also didn't think they could truly be together... They both shared very personal experiences from their past and definitely had unique personalities, but somehow it still didn't feel like they were *real*. I still feel like I just didn't connect.
Obviously each reader will have a different experience here. I didn't get that emotional connection like I had hoped but it was still a fun read with a different kind of concept!
This was an enjoyable book with such a fun concept, but I didn't always like the execution. Firstly, I definitely laughed out loud at the beginning where Chandler hooks up with this guy who happens to just be terrible and awkward and inept. The reveal of who he was was also entertaining and we went down that path of Chandler giving him "lessons" on how to be a better lover. Of course, we knew this would end up in a relationship if it was any kind of good romance book, so I was interested to see how it would all play out!
I thought the two main characters had excellent physical chemistry. Rachel Lynn Solomon did a great job with the physical scenes which can often get awkward and cringey, but I think the fact that we already knew that Finn was awkward and cringey took that feeling out and I as the reader was able to let that worry go. It was also nice to have a progression of intimacy to gradually work the characters into more feelings and being more comfortable with each other on many different levels.
The problem with the focus on all of the physicality, though, was that I felt like I didn't feel much of an emotional connection between them. Obviously they grow feelings for each other but I wanted to feel that more outside of their physical connection too. They're also on tour for different conventions, meeting Finn's former castmates, working on Finn's book, and I just felt like they didn't really get to have cute moments alone together where we really get to see some of that romantic chemistry. It all felt wrapped up in the bedroom, which was the point at first, but I wanted more that separation towards the end. I also just got tired of the sex scenes after a while. They definitely served a purpose and it wasn't necessarily too many, but I was seeking that emotional connection and I got annoyed when it was still being wrapped up in another intimate scene.
I also just feel like Chandler and Finn didn't pan out enough as characters. They both felt so reserved and WERE reserved since they were holding back, had a business relationship, and also didn't think they could truly be together... They both shared very personal experiences from their past and definitely had unique personalities, but somehow it still didn't feel like they were *real*. I still feel like I just didn't connect.
Obviously each reader will have a different experience here. I didn't get that emotional connection like I had hoped but it was still a fun read with a different kind of concept!
Read Completed 8/12/23 | 4.25 - 4.5 stars
NONE OF THIS IS TRUE was WILDY entertaining and highly addicting. I had been seeing it everywhere on social media and how so many readers thought it was the best thriller of the year, so I was going to be pretty disappointed if I didn't like it and went into it with some hesitation. Lisa Jewell books so far have been either 4 stars for me or a DNF so this could have gone any which way. I'm confident in saying this is my favorite Lisa Jewell book so far and definitely fit in with my thriller tastes!
I'm always a sucker for a podcast theme/format in thrillers (despite not reading true crime and not listening to actual podcasts) and this book was no exception. I listened to this as an audiobook and I highly recommend it if you can! Most of the book is told as a narration but there's a full cast to read other voices of interviewees and sound effects to go along with their interviews. The production value was great and it always adds so much to an audiobook.
The plot was just wild but not in a far-fetched way. It took a while for things to get going and for things to start getting weird and spine-tingly. There was a lot of discomfort where I just felt like something was wrong and shared that feeling with the characters. Lisa Jewell did a great job at slowly revealing things along the way, keeping me interested and desperate for more, and creating a believable series of events that were a bit unhinged but weren't too over the top to where it felt like its was actually happening.
So why didn't I give it five stars? It took just a little bit for me to connect with it in the beginning. I was still enjoying it but a five star book really hooks me RIGHT away, or the feelings I had for it were so overwhelming that I overlook any flaws or things I didn't love. The ending was also a little piecemeal and I was worried it was just going to end without any closure. I didn't quite love how it all wrapped up, but I didn't dislike it. I think I felt for all the build up and for everything that happened, it maybe ended a little quietly. I didn't need a big, wild ending but something just didn't quite fit for me. There were also JUST a couple more questions I wanted answered or some things that seemed like they were going to lead to something sinister and weren't. BUT there were also things that didn't seem sinister that were, so things kind of balanced out there.
I'm so glad this lived up to hype and it's still one of my best thrillers of the year! I love when I feel like I can't put a book down and this was definitely one of them.
NONE OF THIS IS TRUE was WILDY entertaining and highly addicting. I had been seeing it everywhere on social media and how so many readers thought it was the best thriller of the year, so I was going to be pretty disappointed if I didn't like it and went into it with some hesitation. Lisa Jewell books so far have been either 4 stars for me or a DNF so this could have gone any which way. I'm confident in saying this is my favorite Lisa Jewell book so far and definitely fit in with my thriller tastes!
I'm always a sucker for a podcast theme/format in thrillers (despite not reading true crime and not listening to actual podcasts) and this book was no exception. I listened to this as an audiobook and I highly recommend it if you can! Most of the book is told as a narration but there's a full cast to read other voices of interviewees and sound effects to go along with their interviews. The production value was great and it always adds so much to an audiobook.
The plot was just wild but not in a far-fetched way. It took a while for things to get going and for things to start getting weird and spine-tingly. There was a lot of discomfort where I just felt like something was wrong and shared that feeling with the characters. Lisa Jewell did a great job at slowly revealing things along the way, keeping me interested and desperate for more, and creating a believable series of events that were a bit unhinged but weren't too over the top to where it felt like its was actually happening.
So why didn't I give it five stars? It took just a little bit for me to connect with it in the beginning. I was still enjoying it but a five star book really hooks me RIGHT away, or the feelings I had for it were so overwhelming that I overlook any flaws or things I didn't love. The ending was also a little piecemeal and I was worried it was just going to end without any closure. I didn't quite love how it all wrapped up, but I didn't dislike it. I think I felt for all the build up and for everything that happened, it maybe ended a little quietly. I didn't need a big, wild ending but something just didn't quite fit for me. There were also JUST a couple more questions I wanted answered or some things that seemed like they were going to lead to something sinister and weren't. BUT there were also things that didn't seem sinister that were, so things kind of balanced out there.
I'm so glad this lived up to hype and it's still one of my best thrillers of the year! I love when I feel like I can't put a book down and this was definitely one of them.