Lisa
3.75 rounded up
I thought this was going to be scarier but I found it more of a gory, silly, haunted house story. That's not a bad thing, just not what I was expecting.
I really didn't like the daughter in this book. Not sure if that was because of the way the audio was done or if it is the way she was written. Also, I'm not a fan of miscommunication - the story could have been tighter if the Mom and daughter just talked about what was really going on. Those two items are what brought my rating below a 4.
I did enjoy the level of gore and that this is a true haunted house story .
first half was slow and didn't pick up for me until about the 200 page mark but from there I was fully into this story. I think it was slow because we follow 3 MC's and they are all in different places and they don't converge until around that 200 page mark. That's when I felt the connection between the characters and got to know them more.
I really like the magic in this world - books and blood are involved - it's not overly complicated but also there are rules that make it interesting.
I came to care and root for all our main characters. Great book for Fall.
I enjoyed this one - it's a cozy historical mystery set in Regency era England. It was fun and fit my mood and I will definitely continue the series. That being said, I'm writing this review on December 4th and I can't remember who was murdered. So, the details aren't sticking with me but the feelings are - it was light, easy and fun.
This book is everything the synopsis says and if it sounds like a lot of fun to you definitely pick it up. It is so fun (and funny) and full of heart. This book filled me up - a book about villains shouldn't make you feel better about the world but this book did. And I will never look at my cats the same way again!
Rounded up from 3.75. This is very similar in style to Exit West and I think if it was a bit longer I would have enjoyed it more - I sometimes struggle with shorter books because I want more from them. The concept is intriguing and really makes you think about our relationship with race.
Rounded down from 4.25. I love a really smart protagonist and love it even more when that protagonist is female. Can't wait to jump into the rest of the series.
Thought this was a great tool to help me help my kids develop executive skills and to remind me that some of these approaches I take for granted in myself are learned. Looking forward to implementing with the upcoming school year.
I liked this but didn't love this - I think high expectations affected that. All I had heard was how amazing this book was and I thought it was good but it didn't blow me away.
This was a cute, diverse romance set at Christmas. I could have done without the third act breakup - although a standby in the romance genre I don't feel like it was really needed in this story. There was plenty of tension because of the setup of the book (fake dating when in love with fiance's sister). Also, everyone was mad at Elle when the truth came out but not so mad at Andrew who was responsible for the deceit in the first place. I was happy with how they resolved the third act breakup though. All in all, a solid 4 stars.
Rounded down from 3.5
I really liked the setting and narration and the premise of the book. Also, if you read in print she has an anagram in each chapter so readers can play along. I think that if you are really into puzzles and like figuring out clues as you go through a book then you will probably really enjoy this. My biggest issue was that I knew who the murderer was going to be as soon as everyone arrived at the house. Further events in the book just solidified that for me. The other mystery in the book, what happened to Lily's Mom, wasn't clear until about 25% of the way in but I guessed that as well (without trying). My main reason for reading this was that it takes place at Christmas and I was more in the mood for a murder mystery than a romance. From that standpoint it was an enjoyable listen but if you are looking for a complex mystery that keeps you guessing this might not work.
Rounded up from 4.75. It's not often I give a thriller such a high rating but this was really well done. I really cared about the characters and all the twists were done super well. There is a small portion of the book where I felt it dragged a bit which is why it didn't get 5 stars. Really well done!
audio was fantastic, podcast element with full cast narration; extremely well done retelling of Carrie;
I was listening to this while I read Mary by Nat Cassidy and they make a great book pairing.
I picked this up during my spooking reading and stopped listening for the following reasons:
1. The supernatural piece wasn't what I was expecting and didn't fit into my spooking vibe reading. Basically, the mood of the book didn't match the mood I was in.
2. There is a dual time narrative and I felt like there was too much time spent in the past narrative and the pacing was slow because of that. I typically don't mind a dual time narrative but I think it would have worked better for me if there was a few chapters in present day for every chapter in the past.
3. My notes for why I added to my list were - blood-chilling, supernatural horror, on the reservation. In the first 2 hours of the audio book all I got was the reservation. This was reading much more like crime fiction than horror.
Repetitive plot, miscommunication, moaning while looking into eyes, he Doesn't love me when it's clear he does. Just not the romance for me. Also don't think I care for rich guy, not rich girl trope
Rounding up from 4.5. I really liked this book - clifi with a lot of talk about how the people actually work to survive - from a middle class and uber rich perspective.
WOW. Dark. I was almost finished and had to take a break because I couldn't bear to go forward. Picked it back up and made it through.
I very much enjoyed Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro. The characters were well developed, and the author created a remarkable atmosphere. I also appreciated the author's richly detailed writing style, which transported me to London in the 1800s. I loved the backstory provided for Marber and Alice, and I am hopeful that the next book will provide further background on the other characters. Book one did not end on a cliffhanger, which I appreciate, but provided information on the adventure to come in book two.
The story moves at a moderate pace, switching back and forth between the past and present to give context to the characters and events. I found the writing engaging enough that the shifting pace didn't bother me.
I really liked this book.
The first chapter sets up the atmosphere that this book brings.
It's a slower paced book for the majority of the book. Because of that the end felt a bit rushed but I enjoyed the time I spent with the book so this wasn't a big deal for me. Also, about 75% of the story is told in back and forth timelines that I think worked well but also slowed down the progression of the plot.
I thought the world was very interesting - from the extreme patriarchal society to the “magic” system. The whole idea of book eating is fascinating (and the limitations that brings).
Also, writing was solid. There were several lines that I underlined.
As far as character - for me this felt more plot than character but I did enjoy the characters (except for the ones you are supposed to dislike). It may be that the length of the novel reduced the amount of time that could be spent on character development.
Note, not all of the storylines are tied up in the end but this is a stand alone novel. Keep that in mind if this is something that bothers you.
one of my favorite books of all time. The writing is beautiful. I felt so connected to the characters in the book. It was one of those books where you mourn the loss of reading it when your done.
I will buy anything that V.E. Schwab writes. Her writing evokes feeling and atmosphere and I was fully absorbed in the story from the first page. The physical book is also beautiful and enhanced the reading experience for me - from the black edges (Owlcrate edition) to the illustrations, the journal within a book and the typography - I loved every moment of this reading experience.
This low rating was a me thing.
I listened on audio and had a really hard time paying attention which meant I should have put it down and picked something else. But I persisted. It is very atmospheric but the plot was really slow. I didn't get a good feel of the characters and when I can't connect to the characters it effects my enjoyment. I wish that I had stopped listening and picked up in a different format at a different time.