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pagesplotsandpints's Reviews (2.1k)
Read Completed 1/17/23 | This was very cute! Light, fun, banter, and chemistry. I wanted to connect with it just a touch more, particularly getting to know Jack a bit more, but I really had fun reading this one.
I really enjoyed the flying aspect of it! The main characters are flight attendants and it just made me feel like I was traveling with them. An extra fun gem to this delightful book.
I really enjoyed the flying aspect of it! The main characters are flight attendants and it just made me feel like I was traveling with them. An extra fun gem to this delightful book.
Read Completed 1/17/23 | 3.75 stars
Another interesting and exciting read from D.J. Palmer! I had found this one just by scanning Goodreads and looking for new-ish thrillers that I hadn't read and that would be available from the library. I read THE NEW HUSBAND and enjoyed it and didn't even realize this was the same author at first, until I actually picked it up and recognized the name. I'm happy to find another thriller author's books that I enjoy.
This was definitely action-packed with wife Natalie on the run from husband Michael right from the start. We switch back and forth between their POVs and are never quite sure who's innocent, what happened in the past, and if Natalie isn't hallucinating from her insomnia. There are a few tired thriller tropes here, but I still enjoyed reading the book despite that. Maybe the insomnia part wasn't really necessary, but it just added more doubt to Natalie's story which kept things interesting. I never really knew which way things would go or how the book would end.
I did like the ending, but not as much as I thought I would. There were a couple things that were mentioned throughout the book but I think I would have liked them to be bigger parts of the story in order to be so important in the end. Regardless, I did enjoy the read and will happily pick up more from D.J. Palmer!
Another interesting and exciting read from D.J. Palmer! I had found this one just by scanning Goodreads and looking for new-ish thrillers that I hadn't read and that would be available from the library. I read THE NEW HUSBAND and enjoyed it and didn't even realize this was the same author at first, until I actually picked it up and recognized the name. I'm happy to find another thriller author's books that I enjoy.
This was definitely action-packed with wife Natalie on the run from husband Michael right from the start. We switch back and forth between their POVs and are never quite sure who's innocent, what happened in the past, and if Natalie isn't hallucinating from her insomnia. There are a few tired thriller tropes here, but I still enjoyed reading the book despite that. Maybe the insomnia part wasn't really necessary, but it just added more doubt to Natalie's story which kept things interesting. I never really knew which way things would go or how the book would end.
I did like the ending, but not as much as I thought I would. There were a couple things that were mentioned throughout the book but I think I would have liked them to be bigger parts of the story in order to be so important in the end. Regardless, I did enjoy the read and will happily pick up more from D.J. Palmer!
Read Completed 1/13/22 | 3.5 stars, but rounded down for personal connection
This a good book, a fine book, but I didn't click with it. I could have not finished it and felt the same. I just didn't click with the characters or the chemistry, and that's all of what a romance is, so this just ended up not being for me.
Like other reviewers have said, this isn't a romcom. Those are my normal reads so that explains some lack of connection BUT a good book is a good book and if there's a connection there, it doesn't have to be my norm. I think I ended up not enjoying the way the chapters were laid out. The book goes back and forth two different ways -- between the two main characters and between four years ago (when they wrote their first book together) and now. I just didn't end up liking the split timeline because I felt like it took away from the chemistry and tension instead of adding to it. The book started with the characters "hating" each other but not in the cutesy romcom way, so it was deeper and more tense. Again, that's fine but you're going for a much more serious tone and deeper feelings. I just felt like the scenes in the past erased some of the progress of the present and I struggled to feel like these two had a connection.
Totally my personal preference and I see that many of my other Goodreads friends loved it! I did like how there was a forbidden romance with the two both having a spouse/sig other and they didn't want to cheat and didn't cross that line. I liked and respected that because even with good chemistry, cheating can ruin a book for me.
Does this author also like the Civil Wars because this is how those two formed a band (were song partners in a workshop group like the writing group in this book, had spouses/sig others, broke up with no word of why or what happened)... Anyway. Fun thought rolling around in my head while I read.
Not sure if I'd read another book from this author! I really liked the concept and would be up for another book like this, but I also would have loved more of that fun flirting and banter in the beginning, which is why I like romcoms so much. The flirting was there, but again, in a flashback so it took a long time to get there.
This a good book, a fine book, but I didn't click with it. I could have not finished it and felt the same. I just didn't click with the characters or the chemistry, and that's all of what a romance is, so this just ended up not being for me.
Like other reviewers have said, this isn't a romcom. Those are my normal reads so that explains some lack of connection BUT a good book is a good book and if there's a connection there, it doesn't have to be my norm. I think I ended up not enjoying the way the chapters were laid out. The book goes back and forth two different ways -- between the two main characters and between four years ago (when they wrote their first book together) and now. I just didn't end up liking the split timeline because I felt like it took away from the chemistry and tension instead of adding to it. The book started with the characters "hating" each other but not in the cutesy romcom way, so it was deeper and more tense. Again, that's fine but you're going for a much more serious tone and deeper feelings. I just felt like the scenes in the past erased some of the progress of the present and I struggled to feel like these two had a connection.
Totally my personal preference and I see that many of my other Goodreads friends loved it! I did like how there was a forbidden romance with the two both having a spouse/sig other and they didn't want to cheat and didn't cross that line. I liked and respected that because even with good chemistry, cheating can ruin a book for me.
Does this author also like the Civil Wars because this is how those two formed a band (were song partners in a workshop group like the writing group in this book, had spouses/sig others, broke up with no word of why or what happened)... Anyway. Fun thought rolling around in my head while I read.
Not sure if I'd read another book from this author! I really liked the concept and would be up for another book like this, but I also would have loved more of that fun flirting and banter in the beginning, which is why I like romcoms so much. The flirting was there, but again, in a flashback so it took a long time to get there.
Read Completed 1/12/23 | 3.75 stars
I grabbed this after starting and stopping four different books with no idea what I was in the mood for. Little by little, I'm staring to get into legal & courtroom thrillers a little bit more so why not start with a popular one!
This started a little slowly for me, taking a while to get into Mickey's personality and history, so it took a bit for me to feel the connection to it. It actually took me about halfway to feel really invested in it, once I got a grip on the world, background, and what the current case was supposed to be. We meet some of Mickey's current and former clients in the beginning and I felt like that took away from the main case a bit, but then it started to push further into the trial and things really started to click for me.
The primary focus is the plot, so I feel like the characters could have used a little more personality, but I still enjoyed this! The only other legal thrillers I've really read so far are the Eddie Flynn books by Steve Cavanagh, and so far there seems to be formula for divorced lawyer who dabbles in some possibly darker worlds plus other elements that seemed to appear in both series. It makes sense but I'm hoping to see more if I continue on in this series! Obviously this one came before the Eddie Flynn, so maybe it's just a popular pattern.
I'm missing reading series so maybe I'll keep on reading these!
I grabbed this after starting and stopping four different books with no idea what I was in the mood for. Little by little, I'm staring to get into legal & courtroom thrillers a little bit more so why not start with a popular one!
This started a little slowly for me, taking a while to get into Mickey's personality and history, so it took a bit for me to feel the connection to it. It actually took me about halfway to feel really invested in it, once I got a grip on the world, background, and what the current case was supposed to be. We meet some of Mickey's current and former clients in the beginning and I felt like that took away from the main case a bit, but then it started to push further into the trial and things really started to click for me.
The primary focus is the plot, so I feel like the characters could have used a little more personality, but I still enjoyed this! The only other legal thrillers I've really read so far are the Eddie Flynn books by Steve Cavanagh, and so far there seems to be formula for divorced lawyer who dabbles in some possibly darker worlds plus other elements that seemed to appear in both series. It makes sense but I'm hoping to see more if I continue on in this series! Obviously this one came before the Eddie Flynn, so maybe it's just a popular pattern.
I'm missing reading series so maybe I'll keep on reading these!
Read Completed 1/12/23 | 3.75 stars
Welcome to the party, the only Lucy Foley book I've ever finished! Like most of her books, I felt like things really took their time -- a little too much so for my tastes -- to get moving, but I was interested enough to keep going and to see how everything connected.
It had a Agatha Christie vibe the way everything came together and I really ended up liking the end, so I rounded up on my rating. There was definitely a surprise, some justice, and interesting connections made all around.
Welcome to the party, the only Lucy Foley book I've ever finished! Like most of her books, I felt like things really took their time -- a little too much so for my tastes -- to get moving, but I was interested enough to keep going and to see how everything connected.
It had a Agatha Christie vibe the way everything came together and I really ended up liking the end, so I rounded up on my rating. There was definitely a surprise, some justice, and interesting connections made all around.
Read Completed 1/11/23 | 4.25 stars
This was a very entertaining read from Steve Cavanagh! I really enjoyed THE DEFENSE (#1 in the Eddie Flynn series) and wasn't as thrilled with THE PLEA (#2). Apparently there's no audiobook version of book number 3 in the US? So I skipped it and moved on to this one, but aside from extremely minor personal things about Eddie's life, you really don't need to read these books in order. I'd say it's a little helpful to get to know Eddie, but not necessary.
I don't know how realistic this plot is, but it was highly cinematic and entertaining. There was a lot of tension going back and forth between Eddie's POV and the killer's, and it was interesting to see how everything ended up playing out. I was hoping for maybe more of a personal reason for the killer to be doing what he did, but I guess a grand overarching plan isn't out of the realm of reasons either.
I haven't read many legal/courtroom thrillers and I think that's what keeps these interesting! It's a nice deviation from my normal psychological/domestic thrillers and mixes it up.
This was a very entertaining read from Steve Cavanagh! I really enjoyed THE DEFENSE (#1 in the Eddie Flynn series) and wasn't as thrilled with THE PLEA (#2). Apparently there's no audiobook version of book number 3 in the US? So I skipped it and moved on to this one, but aside from extremely minor personal things about Eddie's life, you really don't need to read these books in order. I'd say it's a little helpful to get to know Eddie, but not necessary.
I don't know how realistic this plot is, but it was highly cinematic and entertaining. There was a lot of tension going back and forth between Eddie's POV and the killer's, and it was interesting to see how everything ended up playing out. I was hoping for maybe more of a personal reason for the killer to be doing what he did, but I guess a grand overarching plan isn't out of the realm of reasons either.
I haven't read many legal/courtroom thrillers and I think that's what keeps these interesting! It's a nice deviation from my normal psychological/domestic thrillers and mixes it up.
Read Completed 1/10/23 | 4 stars
The first thing you need to know about JUST LIKE HOME is that it's not a book for everyone. I guess no book is, but this book is all atmosphere with a very slow, deliberate plot that pushes a sense of dread forward more so than grabbing you with a twist or a shock. I truly think this is either a book that you'll know you'll enjoy right away or you'll get bored and end up hating it.
The second thing you need to know about JUST LIKE HOME is that it's not a thriller. You may see it shelved as a thriller and the synopsis tells you that Vera's father was a killer, so you may think this is a serial killer thriller/mystery, but this book is a slow, quiet horror novel. If you're going into this looking for 100% thriller, you'll probably end up disappointed.
I really wasn't sure how I'd end up liking this one. I've seen reviews all over the place, people saying how weird it was, and I don't always connect with weird, despite how much I feel like I want to. I didn't quite get FULLY into it since I was so unsure how much thriller and how much horror it would be, but I really enjoyed the read all the way through! It was a bit slower than I may have particularly liked, but you could also tell that it was very deliberate and it wasn't because of inexperience or repetition of mundane details. Every piece of the book added to the atmosphere until the final culmination of events in the end.
I also felt that JUST LIKE HOME was also very symbolic. The writing was much more literary than something I usually read, but I was enjoying the setting, the characters, and everything else, so I didn't feel like it was overly flowery or that it was something I couldn't connect to. I suppose a lot of horror can be symbolic or allegorical, but I don't read a lot of horror so I don't know the different levels and depths of what's "common" in a horror novel.
Like I said before, this book is all atmosphere and mood. I think you really have to connect with it to enjoy it and expect that this is what's going to win you over for the book. I did end up enjoying it, though I don't know who I could recommend this to since tastes are so personal!
The first thing you need to know about JUST LIKE HOME is that it's not a book for everyone. I guess no book is, but this book is all atmosphere with a very slow, deliberate plot that pushes a sense of dread forward more so than grabbing you with a twist or a shock. I truly think this is either a book that you'll know you'll enjoy right away or you'll get bored and end up hating it.
The second thing you need to know about JUST LIKE HOME is that it's not a thriller. You may see it shelved as a thriller and the synopsis tells you that Vera's father was a killer, so you may think this is a serial killer thriller/mystery, but this book is a slow, quiet horror novel. If you're going into this looking for 100% thriller, you'll probably end up disappointed.
I really wasn't sure how I'd end up liking this one. I've seen reviews all over the place, people saying how weird it was, and I don't always connect with weird, despite how much I feel like I want to. I didn't quite get FULLY into it since I was so unsure how much thriller and how much horror it would be, but I really enjoyed the read all the way through! It was a bit slower than I may have particularly liked, but you could also tell that it was very deliberate and it wasn't because of inexperience or repetition of mundane details. Every piece of the book added to the atmosphere until the final culmination of events in the end.
I also felt that JUST LIKE HOME was also very symbolic. The writing was much more literary than something I usually read, but I was enjoying the setting, the characters, and everything else, so I didn't feel like it was overly flowery or that it was something I couldn't connect to. I suppose a lot of horror can be symbolic or allegorical, but I don't read a lot of horror so I don't know the different levels and depths of what's "common" in a horror novel.
Like I said before, this book is all atmosphere and mood. I think you really have to connect with it to enjoy it and expect that this is what's going to win you over for the book. I did end up enjoying it, though I don't know who I could recommend this to since tastes are so personal!
Read Completed 1/10/23 | 4.25 stars
I was happy with my experience reading Leah Konen's previous thriller, THE PERFECT ESCAPE, and while I didn't love the ending of it, I was itching to read more from her because I really enjoyed the narration and writing style. When I saw YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME was coming out, I was definitely anxious to read it, and happily, my library hold came in immediately.
YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME was another solid thriller read for me. It wasn't the most surprising turn of events, but it was one of those books where I could put the pieces together with the characters along the way and I was one step ahead of them so it was rewarding that I was able to keep clicking things into place along the way instead of disappointing that I saw things coming. It was just really entertaining to follow along to see how all of these events unfolded. There were a lot of little mysteries and clues to investigate and I felt like the book had a really good pace the whole way. It also helped to have Karissa Vacker narrating this audiobook since I usually enjoy her narration, and that's always a nice little boost.
There was also a good little twist I didn't see coming in the end, and that added a nice bonus to a story I was already enjoying. I'm sure other readers could see it coming, but I was focusing on all of the other clues and it was nice to have one good surprise in the finale.
Definitely a solid thriller read for me and can't wait for more from this author!
I was happy with my experience reading Leah Konen's previous thriller, THE PERFECT ESCAPE, and while I didn't love the ending of it, I was itching to read more from her because I really enjoyed the narration and writing style. When I saw YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME was coming out, I was definitely anxious to read it, and happily, my library hold came in immediately.
YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME was another solid thriller read for me. It wasn't the most surprising turn of events, but it was one of those books where I could put the pieces together with the characters along the way and I was one step ahead of them so it was rewarding that I was able to keep clicking things into place along the way instead of disappointing that I saw things coming. It was just really entertaining to follow along to see how all of these events unfolded. There were a lot of little mysteries and clues to investigate and I felt like the book had a really good pace the whole way. It also helped to have Karissa Vacker narrating this audiobook since I usually enjoy her narration, and that's always a nice little boost.
There was also a good little twist I didn't see coming in the end, and that added a nice bonus to a story I was already enjoying. I'm sure other readers could see it coming, but I was focusing on all of the other clues and it was nice to have one good surprise in the finale.
Definitely a solid thriller read for me and can't wait for more from this author!
Read Completed 1/9/23 | 3.75 stars
This book was kind of a roller coaster for me for no reason whatsoever than my own personal enjoyment. I liked the beginning and immediately clicked with Grey and Ethan. The set-up was cute, sassy, and I was ready for another fake dating trope since I seem to enjoy them so much.
The middle of the book really fell flat for me. Maybe there wasn't enough time building up the tension? I definitely felt like the characters had chemistry but for some reason, the falling in love part felt really forced for me. I don't think it was poorly written or anything, but I just personally didn't click with that section of the book. It almost felt like the tone was a little different in the writing style, trying to sneak in all the spicy parts and there were definitely some moments when I rolled my eyes. It ended up feeling forced instead of rolling with the feelings -- as one does in a fake relationship -- and really trying hard for the writing to push these two characters together. I was even thinking about abandoning the book at that point, but I was already 50% in and didn't want to quit after that much reading progress.
Thankfully, things started to pick up! There was a scandal that set off the course of conflicts and we got to see the characters' personalities and how they handled everything. There was a perfectly reasonable explanation for lack of communication in this instance and I wasn't annoying like I usually am when the characters decide to stop speaking to each other for no reason. Grey needed to regroup, Ethan needed to sort out a lot of his own hang-ups, and I liked spending more time with them individually again.
The ending was cute and not too forced or cheesy. I liked the epilogue and it was different than what I was expecting! We still get a happily ever after, but it didn't end like every other romance book out there and I appreciated that.
After almost not finishing the book, I've moved back to happier feelings and I'd try another book by this author! I did click with most of the writing and I'd like to see if I could connect with the actual feelings part in a different book.
This book was kind of a roller coaster for me for no reason whatsoever than my own personal enjoyment. I liked the beginning and immediately clicked with Grey and Ethan. The set-up was cute, sassy, and I was ready for another fake dating trope since I seem to enjoy them so much.
The middle of the book really fell flat for me. Maybe there wasn't enough time building up the tension? I definitely felt like the characters had chemistry but for some reason, the falling in love part felt really forced for me. I don't think it was poorly written or anything, but I just personally didn't click with that section of the book. It almost felt like the tone was a little different in the writing style, trying to sneak in all the spicy parts and there were definitely some moments when I rolled my eyes. It ended up feeling forced instead of rolling with the feelings -- as one does in a fake relationship -- and really trying hard for the writing to push these two characters together. I was even thinking about abandoning the book at that point, but I was already 50% in and didn't want to quit after that much reading progress.
Thankfully, things started to pick up! There was a scandal that set off the course of conflicts and we got to see the characters' personalities and how they handled everything. There was a perfectly reasonable explanation for lack of communication in this instance and I wasn't annoying like I usually am when the characters decide to stop speaking to each other for no reason. Grey needed to regroup, Ethan needed to sort out a lot of his own hang-ups, and I liked spending more time with them individually again.
The ending was cute and not too forced or cheesy. I liked the epilogue and it was different than what I was expecting! We still get a happily ever after, but it didn't end like every other romance book out there and I appreciated that.
After almost not finishing the book, I've moved back to happier feelings and I'd try another book by this author! I did click with most of the writing and I'd like to see if I could connect with the actual feelings part in a different book.