Mattia Goddard
I don't read much YA. I read this because my daughter had it on her shelf and I decided to read it because I like shifting narrators. It was super fast. Typical short sentences common in YA. My only handicap early on was keeping the characters straight. I enjoyed the unfolding of the characters' different plot lines and of course their lies that slowly catch up to them. Some endings were improbable- no spoiler but the Yale bit- and some were on trend- the athlete- but overall it was a fun read. Well worth my time.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book and how invested I became in the relationships that developed. I had to put the book down to live my life but I kept thinking about how the author was going to make such a huge leap to bridge a really large gap that she had created. Needless to say, she did, and did it beautifully. I felt teary at a few spots. Great story from a book I'd normally never pick up.
The author made the character of Evelyn Hugo surprisingly likable in my opinion. I found myself rooting for her and caring about her and her people. Well, most of her people. The writing is nothing to rave about but the characters are pretty great. I enjoyed the world building of Old Hollywood, the Studio system and how she addressed the hidden homosexuality that today is no big deal but back then was considered deviant and criminal. I had a few knocks regarding the modern day piece of the story and I figured out the way “her life intersects with Monique's own in tragic and irreversible ways” just as soon as that plot point appeared. I felt like there were some definite plot conveniences and some pieces felt contrived- but that is to be expected in this type of read. Just do yourself a favor and gloss over those bits. Enjoy the story of a Hollywood icon and her loves and losses. It was a low stakes read for me which made for an easy Mother's Day afternoon.
“The world doesn't give you things, you take things.” AMEN to that right there. Best line in the whole book.
this book was not a rave. It was just ok. I knew where it was going which is never a good sign.
Talk about the dark side of social media -and then some. Not only did I enjoy this read but it seriously pulled me in- I wanted to know how her social media stalker was going to reveal herself and how bad that was going to be. Turns out- pretty bad. The main character is super unlikeable in a WOW sort of way. But the husband's narrations are compelling and honest and I really enjoyed his parts. What is particularly great about this book is how of-the-moment the subject matter is- which makes for sharp writing in my opinion.
I've been meaning to read this book for a long time and then when I picked it up, I read it in less than 24 hours. It was a real page turner. I enjoyed these characters and all of the different POVs. It has flavors of a modern Jane Eyre, which, I definitely appreciate. If you pick up this one, you won't be disappointed.
beautiful story, nothing like I expected. I'm so glad our book club picked this book because otherwise i would not have chosen it on my own. I loved the protagonist. The writing was lyrical and a pleasure to consume.
Parallel storylines following two women both running from messy, messy lives. This was a quick, compulsive read. I enjoyed the back and forth between the two women's stories and found myself thinking about this story when I wasn't reading it- always a good sign. This is not a new book, it came out in 2020 and hit my radar from other bookstagrammers' posts. If you see it on the Target book aisle, grab it and be confident that it's a solid escapist piece, one that will pull you in from page one and keep you sucked in until the last thread is tied up on the very last page.
This one is dark. Continuing my AAPI new to me authors, I came across this international best seller. It's written in unadorned prose. Stark descriptions, no flowery language here. I loved the multiple POVs but I did tire of the same retelling of the crime by each narrator. I think it was 5 times. While I appreciated understanding their motivations, I found it a tad repetitive. I've decided I love Japanese mysteries- this is my second. This is another brutal no-holds-barred don't bring your sensitivity to this middle school type of read. If you don't like bad kids doing awful things dispassionately- this one is not for you.
This one is whip-smart and fast paced. I read it in two days, and I thoroughly enjoyed the characters -of which there are many – teachers, students, over bearing ruthless parents. I had no difficulty keeping them straight in my head. Having raised teenagers and managed the stressors of college applications/admissions, plus having worked in a private school- the dialogue, internal narratives, and characterizations all feel authentic. Definitely recommend
I enjoyed it. Especially the ending. I'm a sucker for Agatha type scenarios. I like the way this author lets you know someone is murdered but you find out at the end who's dead and then who did it.
It's been a long time since I've read a book this savage, this pained and frankly this compelling. It was perfection. Gritty southern noir. I loved every word of it. Those of us who know Virginia will revel in the familiar locales. Those of us who love a good crime novel will be thrilled with the story and the perfect plotting. 10 out of 10. Highly recommend.
Go ahead and add this one to your reading stack post haste. This book was every bit as good as everybody says- plus the added layers of what I found to be a fascinating Irish setting. It's a book within a book in that a serial killer-who is our narrator-sees a newly released book about his killings-as told by the only survivor of one of his last crimes. We then get chapters and pieces of the book she wrote interspersed with his present day life. Not only is it an ingenious plot structure, it's also surprisingly gripping. I absolutely couldn't put this book down once I got about midway. I spent the rest of the afternoon reading nonstop until I knew how it would end. Highly recommend.
Upon rereading I quickly realized what Holden's issue was. In high school I did not see his mental health issues. I related to Holden much more after my second read. This is a timeless read. Relevant to many. more appropriate for college aged kids, than high school IMO.
This book was a blast. I loved the murderous protagonist- a real femme fatale. It's fast and furious with a slew of interesting, flawed characters- that are all somehow well drawn and were thankfully easy for me to tell apart while I plowed through this book. Phewfff that was a run on! But I meant all of it- fun, fun read- but don't take the lesson in this one. Don't kill the men in your life who just never learn.
This 5 start read is one of my all-time favorites. I recommend this title to everyone looking for a fail-safe thriller. All of the characters are well developed. The pacing is just right. Everything about this one clicks perfectly.
This book was NOT what I expected!
Great story idea, unique concept. I actually dreamt about the details. I loved the ending. Still thinking about it this morning. Another great domestic thriller.
Just finished this during my FULL DAY at LaGuardia. This book started out strong. For the most part I enjoyed it and I'll watch the Netflix movie just to see what Denzel and Julia manage to do with it- But man this book leaves you hanging- and after making the reader do some serious phrasing and adjective somersaults.
magical story telling. I loved the characters and the unfolding of the old mystery mixed with the new mystery.
I liked this book in the sense that I really wanted to know what was going to happen next- so I kept picking it up. That's always a good sign. There was a solid push and pull of not knowing what was going on. Our MC did not know where the truth was and all of that felt realistic and urgent. However, her internal monologue got old. She cried quite a bit which I know is normal but it got boring, as did all the descriptions of her grief reactions. Enough already we get it! At some point though I realized we had not met very many characters and the pages were dwindling. I figured out who the bad guy was and I wished it was someone else because the choice was quite the stereotype- thus the 3 stars-good plotting, mostly good character development, until the end. That's all I'll say so as not to spoil. I enjoyed this story for its originality and fast pace.
Talk about surprises! This book absolutely tripped me up not once, but twice, in VERY clever ways. Hats off to the writer- I love it when that happens. This book winds the reader down a fun, twisty path of secrets and subterfuge and confusion. I thoroughly enjoyed the different points of view and then the wild way the writer resolves all of the mess that she so beautifully created.
I loved this book. One of my favorite thrillers ever. Actually a plausible threat to our country.