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pagesplotsandpints's Reviews (2.1k)
Read Completed 7/28/23 | 4 - 4.25 stars
Spoilers for previous books in this review. Any major spoilers for LIGHT BRINGER will be in a spoiler tag. Please be mindful of minor conversation points about plot, character appearances, and more.
After being wholly obsessed with this series in general and the journey I had with DARK AGE, not to mention not having many 5 star books anymore, LIGHT BRINGER had big shoes to fill. I might have hyped it up a little more in my head than I should have, but I don't regret a minute of the 30 hours I listened to on audio.
LIGHT BRINGER didn't quite hit for me like DARK AGE did. It felt more like a bridge from DARK AGE to the finale of the series, which I guess it was since the first era in the series ended in three books while this era got extended to four. I felt like it suffered a little bit in terms of pacing and plot and while I loved being on this journey again, spending more time with these characters, I didn't think it was as smooth as previous books.
My first thoughts was that it suffered a bit from the lack of other character POVs. I sorely missed Ephraim's voice and even other characters like Virginia and Lyria were barely in LIGHT BRINGER. Virginia was barely a part of it at all and that was disappointing. I didn't even like Lyria's voice much but I found myself missing her side of the story as well. She did end up getting more POV time later on, but I wanted so much more, making things come together from different sides. I feel like part of her time in DARK AGE was wasted having immediately nullified some things that happened to her there.
The majority of this book is Darrow and Lysander, and that means it's basically all war, all the time. While that's pretty much the whole series and I don't think a lot of people will be surprised or disappointed, I very much missed some of the bromance, comic relief, and even balance of personalities. Darrow and Lysander were actually very like-minded in this book, just on opposite sides. Especially with Tim Gerard Reynolds, who I love, doing all of the voices for this book and NOT including different narrators like we got in IRON GOLD and DARK AGE, they really sort of blended together in terms of voicing style, intensity, and general perspective on everything.
I actually had kind of a hard time with Lysander's POV. He was a little all over the place for a while, with so many new people, new plans hatching... I didn't do a reread before this book though I have already read IRON GOLD three times and DARK AGE twice, and I had a little bit of a time remembering who everyone was and more importantly, what their motives were. I think things started clicking a bit more towards the second half, and Pierce Brown really put a nail in the coffin in the end to show you Lysander's character and what he wants from this long war.
I also feel like Darrow actually grew a lot in this book. I didn't feel that way in the beginning, but especially in the last 50% - 75% of the book, he starts to really balance his personal relationships with his importance as a leader of this rebellion. We got a bit more friendship, some introspection, and some darn good Darrow speeches.
While I enjoyed this book from start to finish, I just missed the balance of so many of the characters that we grew to love in the first two books. Some barely had any presence, some weren't brought on screen, and some died in previous books. I really missed characters who brought levity, characters who challenged Darrow, characters who still had some innocence... Mustang, Vitra, Pax, Kavax, Volga, Alexandar, Rhona, Ephraim. Even characters who were antagonists who ended up blending into the background for other baddies to show up. We got more people involved here in more important ways, which I liked, but I also missed the relationships that we built in DARK AGE. We got so invested in these other characters that I wanted to keep spending time with them, or introduce another similar person in their place.
I actually would have loved one more POV in this book. Not having Ephraim's anymore, there was room for one more. Virginia wasn't able to contribute much in this book, and I wanted more from Lyria, but another POV could have been great to break up the Lysander/Darrow tension. I thought Lyria could have gone off and done more things on her end before uniting with Darrow & Co and maybe another female POV somehow... I'm assuming we'll get Virginia back in the game in RED GOD but I was just missing that pull from the characters to really hook me this time.
The ending was wild and heartbreaking as it always is. I was definitely moved, furious, curious, and of course, left waiting for the next book. I can't wait to see how it all ends.
Spoilers for previous books in this review. Any major spoilers for LIGHT BRINGER will be in a spoiler tag. Please be mindful of minor conversation points about plot, character appearances, and more.
After being wholly obsessed with this series in general and the journey I had with DARK AGE, not to mention not having many 5 star books anymore, LIGHT BRINGER had big shoes to fill. I might have hyped it up a little more in my head than I should have, but I don't regret a minute of the 30 hours I listened to on audio.
LIGHT BRINGER didn't quite hit for me like DARK AGE did. It felt more like a bridge from DARK AGE to the finale of the series, which I guess it was since the first era in the series ended in three books while this era got extended to four. I felt like it suffered a little bit in terms of pacing and plot and while I loved being on this journey again, spending more time with these characters, I didn't think it was as smooth as previous books.
My first thoughts was that it suffered a bit from the lack of other character POVs. I sorely missed Ephraim's voice and even other characters like Virginia and Lyria were barely in LIGHT BRINGER. Virginia was barely a part of it at all and that was disappointing. I didn't even like Lyria's voice much but I found myself missing her side of the story as well. She did end up getting more POV time later on, but I wanted so much more, making things come together from different sides. I feel like part of her time in DARK AGE was wasted having immediately nullified some things that happened to her there.
The majority of this book is Darrow and Lysander, and that means it's basically all war, all the time. While that's pretty much the whole series and I don't think a lot of people will be surprised or disappointed, I very much missed some of the bromance, comic relief, and even balance of personalities. Darrow and Lysander were actually very like-minded in this book, just on opposite sides. Especially with Tim Gerard Reynolds, who I love, doing all of the voices for this book and NOT including different narrators like we got in IRON GOLD and DARK AGE, they really sort of blended together in terms of voicing style, intensity, and general perspective on everything.
I actually had kind of a hard time with Lysander's POV. He was a little all over the place for a while, with so many new people, new plans hatching... I didn't do a reread before this book though I have already read IRON GOLD three times and DARK AGE twice, and I had a little bit of a time remembering who everyone was and more importantly, what their motives were. I think things started clicking a bit more towards the second half, and Pierce Brown really put a nail in the coffin in the end to show you Lysander's character and what he wants from this long war.
I also feel like Darrow actually grew a lot in this book. I didn't feel that way in the beginning, but especially in the last 50% - 75% of the book, he starts to really balance his personal relationships with his importance as a leader of this rebellion. We got a bit more friendship, some introspection, and some darn good Darrow speeches.
While I enjoyed this book from start to finish, I just missed the balance of so many of the characters that we grew to love in the first two books. Some barely had any presence, some weren't brought on screen, and some died in previous books. I really missed characters who brought levity, characters who challenged Darrow, characters who still had some innocence... Mustang, Vitra, Pax, Kavax, Volga, Alexandar, Rhona, Ephraim. Even characters who were antagonists who ended up blending into the background for other baddies to show up. We got more people involved here in more important ways, which I liked, but I also missed the relationships that we built in DARK AGE. We got so invested in these other characters that I wanted to keep spending time with them, or introduce another similar person in their place.
I actually would have loved one more POV in this book. Not having Ephraim's anymore, there was room for one more. Virginia wasn't able to contribute much in this book, and I wanted more from Lyria, but another POV could have been great to break up the Lysander/Darrow tension. I thought Lyria could have gone off and done more things on her end before uniting with Darrow & Co and maybe another female POV somehow... I'm assuming we'll get Virginia back in the game in RED GOD but I was just missing that pull from the characters to really hook me this time.
The ending was wild and heartbreaking as it always is. I was definitely moved, furious, curious, and of course, left waiting for the next book. I can't wait to see how it all ends.
Read Completed 7/28/23 | 3.75 - 4 stars
A different kind of serial killer read, TRULY, DARKLY, DEEPLY is a bit more of a drama than a thriller. I enjoyed the read but wish it didn't take place almost entirely in the past. Sophie is our main character and narrator, telling her story of suspected -- and convicted -- serial killer Matty as her mother's boyfriend and her time growing up with him in her life. Now, in the present, Sophie receives news that Matty is dying in prison and wants to see her.
The book largely takes place in the past, detailing Sophie's home life with Matty and her mother's relationship with him. It was a slower pace, full of creeping doubt and some dread that Matty could be the serial killer terrorizing their small town and neighboring villages.
The ending was actually quite good and I enjoyed my time reading this book. It was different than I expected but I also appreciated that! I wish it had another plot line during Sophie's time as an adult leading up to this prison visit, but it was still a well-put together story that will keep you guessing until the end.
A different kind of serial killer read, TRULY, DARKLY, DEEPLY is a bit more of a drama than a thriller. I enjoyed the read but wish it didn't take place almost entirely in the past. Sophie is our main character and narrator, telling her story of suspected -- and convicted -- serial killer Matty as her mother's boyfriend and her time growing up with him in her life. Now, in the present, Sophie receives news that Matty is dying in prison and wants to see her.
The book largely takes place in the past, detailing Sophie's home life with Matty and her mother's relationship with him. It was a slower pace, full of creeping doubt and some dread that Matty could be the serial killer terrorizing their small town and neighboring villages.
The ending was actually quite good and I enjoyed my time reading this book. It was different than I expected but I also appreciated that! I wish it had another plot line during Sophie's time as an adult leading up to this prison visit, but it was still a well-put together story that will keep you guessing until the end.
Read Completed 7/24/23 | 3.5 stars
This book would have been so much better if it was Nina & Oliver's origin story and that part wasn't told in flashbacks. I wanted more marriage of convenience trope and less "I'm too broken to commit to you". Nina ended up infuriating me when she kept getting in her own way. I would have been a bit more open to the concept if this hadn't been going on for TEN. YEARS. If this had been their original story where they had first gotten to together or maybe over the span of a couple years, then sure, I can see the hesitancy, letting go of trust issues, etc. For 9 - 10 years?? That's just too much. I also hated how in the end, Oliver was waiting for her to change and when she did and she showed up to prove it to him, he just took her at her word. She's been the same person for so long and it was in a matter of a minute that he believed she let all of it go. Sorry, but I'm not buying that. He knows her well and I would liked to see them work through that a bit more instead of a split second of Oliver accepting that things would be different.
I also really didn't like the pacing here. There were flashbacks to show how they first got together and how they ended up married, but the flashbacks FELT the same as the present day. I wanted them to feel a little different. Then the present day kind of had some time jumps and it just didn't really flow well enough for me.
I enjoyed LOVE, LISTS, & FANCY SHIPS (the first in this companion series) enough to try this one, but if this had been the first book, I don't know if I would have continued this series. Actually, if this had been the first book and we condensed this into a couple years, then yes. It wouldn't have been so frustrating and Nina and Oliver could have had the first story. I wanted to sympathize with Nina but I had a hard time. I did still enjoy the book and being back in this little universe though, and I always like Karissa Vacker's audiobook narration.
This book would have been so much better if it was Nina & Oliver's origin story and that part wasn't told in flashbacks. I wanted more marriage of convenience trope and less "I'm too broken to commit to you". Nina ended up infuriating me when she kept getting in her own way. I would have been a bit more open to the concept if this hadn't been going on for TEN. YEARS. If this had been their original story where they had first gotten to together or maybe over the span of a couple years, then sure, I can see the hesitancy, letting go of trust issues, etc. For 9 - 10 years?? That's just too much. I also hated how in the end, Oliver was waiting for her to change and when she did and she showed up to prove it to him, he just took her at her word. She's been the same person for so long and it was in a matter of a minute that he believed she let all of it go. Sorry, but I'm not buying that. He knows her well and I would liked to see them work through that a bit more instead of a split second of Oliver accepting that things would be different.
I also really didn't like the pacing here. There were flashbacks to show how they first got together and how they ended up married, but the flashbacks FELT the same as the present day. I wanted them to feel a little different. Then the present day kind of had some time jumps and it just didn't really flow well enough for me.
I enjoyed LOVE, LISTS, & FANCY SHIPS (the first in this companion series) enough to try this one, but if this had been the first book, I don't know if I would have continued this series. Actually, if this had been the first book and we condensed this into a couple years, then yes. It wouldn't have been so frustrating and Nina and Oliver could have had the first story. I wanted to sympathize with Nina but I had a hard time. I did still enjoy the book and being back in this little universe though, and I always like Karissa Vacker's audiobook narration.
Read Completed 7/21/23 |
I received a digital copy of this book for review via Netgalley & Minotaur books. This does not affect my review in any way.
I'm always up for a new thriller and I'm always interested in a new domestic suspense. WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW was a little slower than I had hoped for with a lot more Desperate Housewives than I bargained for, but it's another "lives of rich people" book too, so there's more behaving badly and still trying to protect a reputation.
Unfortunately, this book was just a little too sloppy for me and I absolutely hated the twist. It's always difficult because if you get trigger warnings, you'll spoil the twist for yourself for this book (and for a lot of thrillers, I imagine) so I would recommend it and also not? If I had known that was how the book was going to go, I wouldn't have read it, but then again, that would have spoiled everything. The way it all played out was kind of infuriating on many levels.
Aside from that, the writing was just underwhelming. Alexis and Blair are the two main POVs here and Alexis's family was just the worst. Her husband Sam was just plain mean for no reason and extremely awful. While everyone else was off being terrible, it would have been nice for him to be a nice guy and her family to be the quiet ones on the street. Alexis was not perfect either... she didn't have the best relationship with her mother but I also don't know why that was such a huge focus when it didn't end up having anything to do with the plot. She was also wildly insecure about the baby weight she gained from her pregnancy that ended two months ago after the birth of her child and she just wouldn't stop talking about it. I get that she was insecure but it was so negative, constantly talked about, and she even recounted previous stints of an eating disorder in her past (bulimia)... But again, why was it such a big deal? She mentioned it all the time, and few times so we get it, sure. It was too much and it got to be really annoying.
I would have actually liked to get to know Blair more. She does have her own chapters but we don't really get to know her past until the ending. She could have been a bit more well-rounded and had some more depth. The rest of the characters were mostly unbearable, cheating on each other, getting into each others business, gossiping... and the author made them all caricatures instead of real people.
Aside from the characters, the plot didn't have much going for it. There was a twist with blunt hints throughout the book (which I tried to brush off as a misunderstanding or red herring... but sadly no). The rest of the plot was focused on the drama of the neighborhood. I would have rather had Alexis do much more sleuthing or have a better reason to try to figure things out.
Not much really worked for me here except easy readability. I never really wanted to put the book down, but things also kept going downhill as I was reading.
I received a digital copy of this book for review via Netgalley & Minotaur books. This does not affect my review in any way.
I'm always up for a new thriller and I'm always interested in a new domestic suspense. WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW was a little slower than I had hoped for with a lot more Desperate Housewives than I bargained for, but it's another "lives of rich people" book too, so there's more behaving badly and still trying to protect a reputation.
Unfortunately, this book was just a little too sloppy for me and I absolutely hated the twist. It's always difficult because if you get trigger warnings, you'll spoil the twist for yourself for this book (and for a lot of thrillers, I imagine) so I would recommend it and also not? If I had known that was how the book was going to go, I wouldn't have read it, but then again, that would have spoiled everything. The way it all played out was kind of infuriating on many levels.
Aside from that, the writing was just underwhelming. Alexis and Blair are the two main POVs here and Alexis's family was just the worst. Her husband Sam was just plain mean for no reason and extremely awful. While everyone else was off being terrible, it would have been nice for him to be a nice guy and her family to be the quiet ones on the street. Alexis was not perfect either... she didn't have the best relationship with her mother but I also don't know why that was such a huge focus when it didn't end up having anything to do with the plot. She was also wildly insecure about the baby weight she gained from her pregnancy that ended two months ago after the birth of her child and she just wouldn't stop talking about it. I get that she was insecure but it was so negative, constantly talked about, and she even recounted previous stints of an eating disorder in her past (bulimia)... But again, why was it such a big deal? She mentioned it all the time, and few times so we get it, sure. It was too much and it got to be really annoying.
I would have actually liked to get to know Blair more. She does have her own chapters but we don't really get to know her past until the ending. She could have been a bit more well-rounded and had some more depth. The rest of the characters were mostly unbearable, cheating on each other, getting into each others business, gossiping... and the author made them all caricatures instead of real people.
Aside from the characters, the plot didn't have much going for it. There was a twist with blunt hints throughout the book (which I tried to brush off as a misunderstanding or red herring... but sadly no). The rest of the plot was focused on the drama of the neighborhood. I would have rather had Alexis do much more sleuthing or have a better reason to try to figure things out.
Not much really worked for me here except easy readability. I never really wanted to put the book down, but things also kept going downhill as I was reading.
Read Completed 7/20/23 | 3.75 - 4 stars
This was an enjoyable read for me! Maybe a bit predictable and an overdone thriller trope, but if you're new to thrillers, or a seasoned thriller reader who doesn't mind reading similar things, this could work for you! I was surprised I still enjoyed, being able to guess "the twist". I put it in quotes because is is revealed earlier on but unconfirmed. I was thinking there was something else coming in a sort of Freida McFadden type avalanche, but nope, the twist is the twist. I actually didn't mind because there was potential for something else to happen in the end and the author didn't go overboard trying to force it all into place or trick the reader too many times.
That being said, I guess there's not much else for me to say/praise/critique about the book! It was an entertaining read. The characters could have had a little more backstory revealed to have some more solidity and reality. The plot/twist wasn't 100% believable but it's hard to tell whether that's because the author didn't convince me or because I've just seen it too many times.
Recommended for fans of: The Last Mrs. Parrish // The Housemaid // Verity // The Wife Upstairs
This was an enjoyable read for me! Maybe a bit predictable and an overdone thriller trope, but if you're new to thrillers, or a seasoned thriller reader who doesn't mind reading similar things, this could work for you! I was surprised I still enjoyed, being able to guess "the twist". I put it in quotes because is is revealed earlier on but unconfirmed. I was thinking there was something else coming in a sort of Freida McFadden type avalanche, but nope, the twist is the twist. I actually didn't mind because there was potential for something else to happen in the end and the author didn't go overboard trying to force it all into place or trick the reader too many times.
That being said, I guess there's not much else for me to say/praise/critique about the book! It was an entertaining read. The characters could have had a little more backstory revealed to have some more solidity and reality. The plot/twist wasn't 100% believable but it's hard to tell whether that's because the author didn't convince me or because I've just seen it too many times.
Recommended for fans of: The Last Mrs. Parrish // The Housemaid // Verity // The Wife Upstairs
Read Completed 7/19/23 | 3 - 3.5 stars
I was really excited to read this book, having really enjoyed some of Samantha Downing's previous books, but I didn't really click with this one. A TWISTED LOVE STORY just wasn't twisted enough for me, really. We don't really get to know much about Ivy and Wes -- just enough to keep the reader interested in what might happen next, but it all kind of felt like a distraction from the deeper issue at hand, which took too long to come to light. I think it was maybe 40% of the way into the book when things finally got interesting.
Ivy & Wes weren't great people but they were stuck in the middle of that point where I wanted to care about them more and almost didn't care enough to continue. I knew I wasn't going to quit the book, but the "twisted" part just didn't play out enough. They would have fights where they'd retaliate against each other -- it was over the top to and if it were real life, I'd definitely say it was a toxic relationship and encourage a friend to leave it. For a thriller book and it being the title of said thriller book? I feel like it could have been much worse and we could have leaned into it to cause more doubt and tension. When it came down to it, they still loved each other and protected each other. I wanted someone to get thrown under the bus đ
The police investigation helped things stay interesting, but I wish it had been there earlier on. It took a while for the history of these characters to come to light. I also just had some issues with the writing and pacing. It just felt a little clunky with some side characters being important and then being tossed aside while other things happened. It didn't really feel consistent in a lot of ways and there could have been a few more punches at the end to really land some emotional hits.
I also just didn't like this in the third person. I tend to prefer thrillers in first person POV and it took away a lot of connection for me.
Still glad I read it and didn't pass it by but not rushing to recommend it to others like I did with MY LOVELY WIFE.
I was really excited to read this book, having really enjoyed some of Samantha Downing's previous books, but I didn't really click with this one. A TWISTED LOVE STORY just wasn't twisted enough for me, really. We don't really get to know much about Ivy and Wes -- just enough to keep the reader interested in what might happen next, but it all kind of felt like a distraction from the deeper issue at hand, which took too long to come to light. I think it was maybe 40% of the way into the book when things finally got interesting.
Ivy & Wes weren't great people but they were stuck in the middle of that point where I wanted to care about them more and almost didn't care enough to continue. I knew I wasn't going to quit the book, but the "twisted" part just didn't play out enough. They would have fights where they'd retaliate against each other -- it was over the top to and if it were real life, I'd definitely say it was a toxic relationship and encourage a friend to leave it. For a thriller book and it being the title of said thriller book? I feel like it could have been much worse and we could have leaned into it to cause more doubt and tension. When it came down to it, they still loved each other and protected each other. I wanted someone to get thrown under the bus đ
The police investigation helped things stay interesting, but I wish it had been there earlier on. It took a while for the history of these characters to come to light. I also just had some issues with the writing and pacing. It just felt a little clunky with some side characters being important and then being tossed aside while other things happened. It didn't really feel consistent in a lot of ways and there could have been a few more punches at the end to really land some emotional hits.
I also just didn't like this in the third person. I tend to prefer thrillers in first person POV and it took away a lot of connection for me.
Still glad I read it and didn't pass it by but not rushing to recommend it to others like I did with MY LOVELY WIFE.
Read Completed 7/19/23 | 3.75 - 4 stars
Well, this was a wild ride. The title didn't really match the story, in my opinion (I thought the conflict was going to be between the two main characters because of it), but it was definitely more unique than some other thrillers and kept me engaged the whole time!
The beginning of the book kicks off with some pick-pocketing and showing off the main characters' skills. Summer grew up with no last name, no identity, and no money after her Bohemian mother abandoned her to forge for herself so she learned to lie, steal, and grift. Leo (female Leo, short for Leonelli) was taken in by Summer a few years back and she learned to play the long game, setting us up with her current mark, tech mogul Michael Forrester.
Things start to get weird when Leo disappears with Michael to a private island but doesn't contact Summer at all -- she wouldn't do that because they stay in close contact when running cons and jobs, and the two are also like sisters. I really enjoyed the back-and-forth between the two character POVs, seeing how each woman's story unfolds. We feel Summer's panic, waiting to hear from Leo and watch as she strategizes a way to find her. We get to see Leo's perspective as things slowly start to unravel and things get weird and more uncomfortable with her mark, in ways she never expected.
This was a very entertaining read and tended to go a little over the top, but it was surely a wild ride that was interesting to follow! Things really escalated towards the end and I didn't feel like some things *quite* clicked... I was just a little too skeptical at how over the top they really were, but I also don't know the rich lifestyle and how much wealth can afford you, so who knows, I suppose people are doing crazy shit on private islands all the time!
I did enjoy the writing style, even if the plot got a tad weird for me, and I really liked the pacing of it all. This was my first Wendy Heard book but I'd definitely be interested in more! I liked that Summer and Leo had their own pasts, both of which came into play during the book, and I liked that it wasn't just a bunch of running and panicking. They were able to make some good plans, their work together as grifters were able to have them thinking similarly and able to connect again, and I just really liked how their story played out.
Well, this was a wild ride. The title didn't really match the story, in my opinion (I thought the conflict was going to be between the two main characters because of it), but it was definitely more unique than some other thrillers and kept me engaged the whole time!
The beginning of the book kicks off with some pick-pocketing and showing off the main characters' skills. Summer grew up with no last name, no identity, and no money after her Bohemian mother abandoned her to forge for herself so she learned to lie, steal, and grift. Leo (female Leo, short for Leonelli) was taken in by Summer a few years back and she learned to play the long game, setting us up with her current mark, tech mogul Michael Forrester.
Things start to get weird when Leo disappears with Michael to a private island but doesn't contact Summer at all -- she wouldn't do that because they stay in close contact when running cons and jobs, and the two are also like sisters. I really enjoyed the back-and-forth between the two character POVs, seeing how each woman's story unfolds. We feel Summer's panic, waiting to hear from Leo and watch as she strategizes a way to find her. We get to see Leo's perspective as things slowly start to unravel and things get weird and more uncomfortable with her mark, in ways she never expected.
This was a very entertaining read and tended to go a little over the top, but it was surely a wild ride that was interesting to follow! Things really escalated towards the end and I didn't feel like some things *quite* clicked... I was just a little too skeptical at how over the top they really were, but I also don't know the rich lifestyle and how much wealth can afford you, so who knows, I suppose people are doing crazy shit on private islands all the time!
I did enjoy the writing style, even if the plot got a tad weird for me, and I really liked the pacing of it all. This was my first Wendy Heard book but I'd definitely be interested in more! I liked that Summer and Leo had their own pasts, both of which came into play during the book, and I liked that it wasn't just a bunch of running and panicking. They were able to make some good plans, their work together as grifters were able to have them thinking similarly and able to connect again, and I just really liked how their story played out.
Read Completed 7/18/23 | 2.5 stars
I'm so glad that I read other Sarah Adams books WHEN IN ROME and PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT before this one because this was not something I connected with. This would have been cute if it was set in high school, and hey, even the cover works for a high school vibe. I just couldn't stand either character, but especially Bree.
Usually I like the friends-to-lovers trope but wow, was this one annoying. It was way too much denial time and pulling away. I don't need spice, I don't need them to hurry up and break the tension but there was no tension and no chemistry. They were just, "Oops I just can't flirt! Now shut it all down!!" Stupid cheesy lines, running away and hiding, not even really being best friends like they were supposed to be. It would hav been so much better if they were the best friends who oops, accidentally touched each other all the time and had all these inside jokes and were always there for each other. They just didn't even feel friendly because they were so worried about showing accidentally feelings. And if you want these two characters to get together, PLEASE don't joke about them feeling like siblings in order to hide their feelings. That's a huge turn-off.
Bree was so childish and annoying, I couldn't stand it. Can she please stop talking about Nathan's muscles and abs? Way too much focus on his body. I don't care!! Focus on the feelings. Nathan's character was a little better but still didn't really feel that chemistry during his POV. Some of the football teammate moments were funny and cute as he was trying to figure out how to slowly start show affection to Bree, so there were small moments that I liked.
I also felt like the plot didn't have substance outside of each other. Nathan is a superstar NFL quarterback and I feel like we didn't get enough football, outside of how rich he is. Bree is a dancer who had a career-ending car accident in high school and we barely got any dance talk outside of mentions of her studio and some of her students. I would have really liked to get to know THEM and not just the back and forth of the lovey dovey stuff. They just didn't have any real substance and it was frustrating at a certain point.
The ending was also just so ridiculous. They go from cooping up their feelings their entire lives to going WAY too fast and overboard. Ugh, so annoying.
Anyway... glad I read two of her newer books first because I did not like this one. I probably wouldn't have finished but I've DNFed too many books recently and I also did want to see if it got better. This writing style just wasn't for me and not how I would have liked to see friends to lovers go.
I'm so glad that I read other Sarah Adams books WHEN IN ROME and PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT before this one because this was not something I connected with. This would have been cute if it was set in high school, and hey, even the cover works for a high school vibe. I just couldn't stand either character, but especially Bree.
Usually I like the friends-to-lovers trope but wow, was this one annoying. It was way too much denial time and pulling away. I don't need spice, I don't need them to hurry up and break the tension but there was no tension and no chemistry. They were just, "Oops I just can't flirt! Now shut it all down!!" Stupid cheesy lines, running away and hiding, not even really being best friends like they were supposed to be. It would hav been so much better if they were the best friends who oops, accidentally touched each other all the time and had all these inside jokes and were always there for each other. They just didn't even feel friendly because they were so worried about showing accidentally feelings. And if you want these two characters to get together, PLEASE don't joke about them feeling like siblings in order to hide their feelings. That's a huge turn-off.
Bree was so childish and annoying, I couldn't stand it. Can she please stop talking about Nathan's muscles and abs? Way too much focus on his body. I don't care!! Focus on the feelings. Nathan's character was a little better but still didn't really feel that chemistry during his POV. Some of the football teammate moments were funny and cute as he was trying to figure out how to slowly start show affection to Bree, so there were small moments that I liked.
I also felt like the plot didn't have substance outside of each other. Nathan is a superstar NFL quarterback and I feel like we didn't get enough football, outside of how rich he is. Bree is a dancer who had a career-ending car accident in high school and we barely got any dance talk outside of mentions of her studio and some of her students. I would have really liked to get to know THEM and not just the back and forth of the lovey dovey stuff. They just didn't have any real substance and it was frustrating at a certain point.
The ending was also just so ridiculous. They go from cooping up their feelings their entire lives to going WAY too fast and overboard. Ugh, so annoying.
Anyway... glad I read two of her newer books first because I did not like this one. I probably wouldn't have finished but I've DNFed too many books recently and I also did want to see if it got better. This writing style just wasn't for me and not how I would have liked to see friends to lovers go.
Read Completed 7/10/23 | 4.25 stars
This was such a lovely read! After adoring Ashley Postonâs other adult romance, THE DEAD ROMANTICS, I was 100% here for another dreamy romance with a missed connection due to something supernatural. This was exactly what I wanted it to be and I was so pleased with all the feelings this book gave me!
Ashley Poston has done a great job with these two books. I like the exploration of grief while still incorporating a wonderful love story. I like that the grief is there and has purpose, but isn't overwhelming so we can still enjoy the love story part as well. I just really have enjoyed her writing for these two books and I don't know how many more supernatural romances we can have like this, but please keep them coming.
The beginning was juuuust a touch slow for me. I liked the set-up but by the time I reached around a third of the way in, I didn't even realize I had made it that far because I kind of felt like it was still a bit of an intro. The pacing was off just a touch for me in the beginning in that respect, but it was smooth sailing from there. I think I just wanted a bit more flirting and tension before the first kiss, or some more on screen getting to know you, because I almost wasn't ready for that part of the book to begin.
What I really loved the most about this book was the talk about how people change. Clementine and Iwan were meant to meet each other at that point in time because that was how they would fall in love. Meeting when Clementine was younger would have meant she wasn't ready and meeting when Iwan was older would have been too late and not the personality Clementine would have fallen head over heels for. It was neat seeing the author play around with time like that and how the apartment pushed them together at the right times. I also just appreciated the message in general that people change. Neither character was the same person they were seven years ago and I know I'm not. It was a welcome concept and one I'd like to see more of in romances!
This was just a delightful read and I'm loving these books. I could definitely go for more of these slightly whimsical romances and getting swept away by these types of stories.
This was such a lovely read! After adoring Ashley Postonâs other adult romance, THE DEAD ROMANTICS, I was 100% here for another dreamy romance with a missed connection due to something supernatural. This was exactly what I wanted it to be and I was so pleased with all the feelings this book gave me!
Ashley Poston has done a great job with these two books. I like the exploration of grief while still incorporating a wonderful love story. I like that the grief is there and has purpose, but isn't overwhelming so we can still enjoy the love story part as well. I just really have enjoyed her writing for these two books and I don't know how many more supernatural romances we can have like this, but please keep them coming.
The beginning was juuuust a touch slow for me. I liked the set-up but by the time I reached around a third of the way in, I didn't even realize I had made it that far because I kind of felt like it was still a bit of an intro. The pacing was off just a touch for me in the beginning in that respect, but it was smooth sailing from there. I think I just wanted a bit more flirting and tension before the first kiss, or some more on screen getting to know you, because I almost wasn't ready for that part of the book to begin.
What I really loved the most about this book was the talk about how people change. Clementine and Iwan were meant to meet each other at that point in time because that was how they would fall in love. Meeting when Clementine was younger would have meant she wasn't ready and meeting when Iwan was older would have been too late and not the personality Clementine would have fallen head over heels for. It was neat seeing the author play around with time like that and how the apartment pushed them together at the right times. I also just appreciated the message in general that people change. Neither character was the same person they were seven years ago and I know I'm not. It was a welcome concept and one I'd like to see more of in romances!
This was just a delightful read and I'm loving these books. I could definitely go for more of these slightly whimsical romances and getting swept away by these types of stories.
Read Completed 7/9/23 | 3.5 stars
It takes a lot to really wow me with a thriller these days but this one was entertaining. It had a bit of a slow start, taking a while to introduce the characters and set up this island adventure getaway (after a very quick first chapter flash forward to the deadly part, of course).
SHE STARTED IT was definitely an entertaining read, so I rounded up to 3.5 for the readability factor. I didnât know how this was going to play out, but I did have a suspicion very early on at the twist, which when it was revealed, turned out to be correct. I was a little bummed that it was so easy for me to guess and that there wasnât something else to keep things twisty, but if you donât guess it, it should be a pretty decent surprise.
Sometimes I have a hard time with so many female main characters like this. Their personalities werenât enough to really separate them and I mixed them up quite a bit. With five different POVs (the four women and one diary), it got to be a little too much. I honestly donât think we needed all of the POVs. We could have easily just had the one âimportantâ one and the diary. That would have been plenty and maybe gotten me more connected to the characters.
It was also a book where everyone is unlikeable. The four girls bullied Poppy in high school and now Poppy seems to be out for revenge⌠but no oneâs really matured or changed. Theyâve gotten older but theyâre still selfish and refuse to apologize. I wanted to root for Poppy but I still didnât like the way she was handling things either. I kind of wanted to let the mean girls destroy themselves instead of Poppy taking straight revenge.
There were a few unbelievable things but they didnât bother me and I let them go. Then ending could have used one more little wrap up, for my tastes. A solid revenge thriller but not quite to my tastes, though I can see this being an epic thrill ride for others!
It takes a lot to really wow me with a thriller these days but this one was entertaining. It had a bit of a slow start, taking a while to introduce the characters and set up this island adventure getaway (after a very quick first chapter flash forward to the deadly part, of course).
SHE STARTED IT was definitely an entertaining read, so I rounded up to 3.5 for the readability factor. I didnât know how this was going to play out, but I did have a suspicion very early on at the twist, which when it was revealed, turned out to be correct. I was a little bummed that it was so easy for me to guess and that there wasnât something else to keep things twisty, but if you donât guess it, it should be a pretty decent surprise.
Sometimes I have a hard time with so many female main characters like this. Their personalities werenât enough to really separate them and I mixed them up quite a bit. With five different POVs (the four women and one diary), it got to be a little too much. I honestly donât think we needed all of the POVs. We could have easily just had the one âimportantâ one and the diary. That would have been plenty and maybe gotten me more connected to the characters.
It was also a book where everyone is unlikeable. The four girls bullied Poppy in high school and now Poppy seems to be out for revenge⌠but no oneâs really matured or changed. Theyâve gotten older but theyâre still selfish and refuse to apologize. I wanted to root for Poppy but I still didnât like the way she was handling things either. I kind of wanted to let the mean girls destroy themselves instead of Poppy taking straight revenge.
There were a few unbelievable things but they didnât bother me and I let them go. Then ending could have used one more little wrap up, for my tastes. A solid revenge thriller but not quite to my tastes, though I can see this being an epic thrill ride for others!