This is the third book of Riley Sager's that I have read and all it's done is encourage me to keep reading more. This one had me hooked from the first page.
I was constantly trying to question whether characters we came across with could be trusted and that's something I have noticed is a theme that happens in Sager's books and I love that.
This wasn't like anything that I hadn't read in the past and it's definitely something that I would read again in the future. There's something so captivating about this book.
Riley Sager will always remind me exactly why Thriller is my favourite genre.
This was a super interesting read. It was dark and ominous and kept me guessing. I love the way Sager makes the narrator unreliable, it always leaves me wondering if I'm able to trust what the main character is thinking or seeing.
Emma is the perfect example of an unreliable narrator. It's very evident throughout the whole book and made clear from the title that Emma hasn't been completely honest when it comes to the disappearance of her friends fifteen years ago. It's also revealed later on in the story that Emma experiences hallucinations and suffered from a mental episode that left her hospitalised.
There were so many times where I thought I had figured out what had happened or what was going to happen and I was wrong every time. I was not expecting the ending of this book.
The only reason I didn't give this higher than four stars was purely because I felt like I couldn't connect with some of the characters as much as I would've liked.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and would love to revisit it in the future.
”It's weird how easily you can get to know someone from the traces they leave behind when they go.”
This book has been on my tbr for the longest time and I am so glad that I have finally picked this up and given it a go.
I felt so connected with Tiffy, especially in the moments where she spoke about her ex and her fears that he had ruined her for any future relationships. As someone who was in an abusive relationship, I related to her on a strong level. I feel like these are characters that I will be missing.
I loved that their first main form of communication was in sticky notes. It was so sweet that they were building a connection without the added pressure of meeting. I haven't read a book where the main female protagonist doesn't meet the love interest until almost halfway through the book. It was super interesting and fun to read.
Richie, I love you.
I really enjoyed this and I am interested to read more by this author in the future.
”Remind myself that there is no saving of people—people can only save themselves. The best you can do is help when they're ready.”
“You can't change what's happened. The only thing you can control is how you deal with it.”
This is actually a quote that my therapist has said to me numerous times. It's so easy to allow yourself to be a victim and feel sorry for yourself, it's taken me years to stop that pattern and do what I can to use what I have gone through to benefit me and potentially others.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I went into it thinking I had the plot figured out in first couple chapters but I was so happy to see that I was wrong and that the author delivered such a perfectly written plot twist.
I enjoyed the characters and the different dynamics they brought to the story. There were many parts that I had started to question everyone's motives. I loved that this book emphasised that neither Quincy or Lisa needed a man in their lives to feel fulfilled in their lives.
It was a book that got better the more I read and I would definitely revisit this.
This was so much fun.
You know when you read a book and just know it would be a fantastic movie? The Spy Coast is that for me. I could practically see the scenes play out in my head and I loved it.
This was so brilliantly paced and I didn't want to put it down. I devoured this book.
I loved that the story jumped between the two storylines of the past and the present.
I loved all of these characters. I loved that underneath all the action-packed moments, this book was truly about friendship and I loved the found family aspect of the book.
I am so excited to read more about the Martini Club.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I wish there were words to express how excited I was when I saw that I was approved for this arc. Thrillers will always be one of my favourite genres and the fact that this was a murder mysteries screamed that it was right up my alley.
After her dreams are cut short and a failed relationship, Esmé decides to move back to her hometown to help her brother take care of their unwell father. Things quickly take a sinister turn when one of Esmé's old friends is found dead in her backyard.
The story follows the point of view of Esmé and Rita, the detective who is investigating the murder. Usually, I find it can become quite confusing when there are dual points of view because it can become jumbled but thankfully this was written well and i found myself excited to see each different view of Esmé and Rita.
I loved trying to solve the mystery along with the other characters. As we learnt more about the characters and their pasts, I tried to figure out on my own who the killer was and I can confirm that I was not even close.
I feel like the ending was slightly rushed. It felt like it came out of left field as I hadn't seen any reason for the story to go that way which could have been my fault because I could have missed some foreshadowing and clues.
Overall, I had great fun with this tense and fantastically paced Thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book was so intriguing and I was so excited to read it the minute I read the synopsis.
The story is told from multiple points of view from the main characters and follows two timelines to help you get a grasp on what is happening and what happened in the past to lead up to that point.
Grief is a very dark and hard thing to go through, we each have our own reactions and emotions when going through it and I personally loved that this book showed that.
I am usually great at guessing what the big reveals are in books but I was nowhere near right for this one.
This was a fun read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
This book is the worst and best thing that has ever happened to me. It is so heartbreakingly beautiful that it never fails to take my breath away. I truly believe I think of this book at least twice a week.
Augustus and Hazel are so special in so many ways. Cancer is devastating and it gave me so much joy and heartbreak to watch them fall in love.
This book will forever be one of my ultimate favourites.
”Okay.”“Okay.”
This is probably my favourite work of Stephen King's so far. He was this unique way of writing that makes me feel like I am being transported into the story.
Carrie is a teenager who has been treated so horribly, by not just her mother but by her peers. You can't help but feel sorry for her, all she wanted was to fit in and feel normal. The story follows Carrie's discovery of her telekinetic powers and what happens when she is pushed to her limit.
This is a book I definitely recommend to people who are starting out as readers or someone who is struggling with a book slump.
Oh. My. God.
I think that's the only relatively coherent thoughts that I will be able to give for when it comes to this book.
Holly Jackson never disappoints. She never fails to leave me holding onto the edge of my seat, wondering what is going to happen next. She always seems to know exactly what plot twists and turns to write that I never see coming.
This is the perfect example of unreliable narrator/character. There is never one point in this book that you feel completely certain that someone is innocent. I spent majority of this book questioning everyone and I mean everyone.
I absolutely loved this and it's definitely going to be put down as one of my favourites of the year (yes, I know it's only just started).
Holly Jackson, I love you
“Sometimes people do exactly what you think they're going to do, and they still manage to disappoint you.”
I have been wanting to read a book by Freida McFadden for the longest time because I have always heard so many good things about her books.
The Inmate was a fast-paced, suspenseful mystery that had me hooked from the very first page. There were never-ending twists and turns from beginning to end. It was fantastic.
What I think I loved the most was that the main character annoyed me. Let me explain this so it makes sense... have you ever watched a slasher or a horror movie and screamed at your television that the character is stupid because they keep making dumb decisions? That's what I mean by this. It made me feel like I was watching a slasher film and I loved that.
This has me excited to check out her other books!
“I had absolutely no interest in being somebody else's muse. I am not a muse. I am the somebody. End of fucking story.”
This has been in my to read pile for a very long time and I am so happy I decided to finally pick it up.
I haven't read a book quite like this. I absolutely loved the interview format that it was written in. I was so hooked from the first chapter. There's something about Taylor Jenkins Reid's works that never fail to captivate me.
Every single character were so unique in their own ways and each brought something to the story. The story didn't just cover music, it also brought light to other topics such as addiction, alcoholism and problems that arise when it comes to fame and fortune.
”Men often think they deserve a sticker for treating women like people.”
This was set in a time when the music industry was very heavily dominated by men and I thought it was fantastic to have strong female characters such as Daisy, Karen and Camila to be involved in changing that dynamic.
“If this is what love is like, maybe I don't want it.”
I can't express how much I loved this book. This is the definition of a comfort read.
Consider this my official entry into the genre that is Dark Romance. While this isn't my first time reading it, this is the one that's going to convince me to give it a proper try.
This was such a fun, twisted and messed up book that had me hungry for more (Get it? You only will if you've read it
“People who are considered normal enjoy putting those who aren't on trial.”
I think this is the perfect book for anyone who has felt like they needed to change just to fit the mould that society has made for them.
I think I chose to read this at the perfect time as a twenty-three-year-old who is trying to learn how to navigate through life. As an autistic person, this book spoke to me in the way of always feeling like a person on the outside looking in. The constant feeling that something is wrong with you because you know you act and see things differently than others is overwhelming and I believe it was the same for Keiko.
This was a quick, easy read and I enjoyed it.
I can't even begin to estimate the amount of times I have reread this book. It scratches a certain itch in my brain that I can't explain or comprehend myself.
If you enjoy being left on edge, wondering what is going to happen next then this is the book for you!
“I already fell—a little too hard if you ask me. Now it's your turn.”“My turn for what?”“To say you love me so I can close my eyes and fall all the way.”
I have heard so many good things about this book so I don't know why I was so surprised that I ended up loving it.
Fake relationship? Brother's best friend? Celebrity protagonist?
This had some of my favourite tropes of all time in one book.
And yeah, you guessed right.
I am going to marry this book.
First of all, the banter and humour in this book, I loved so much. Oliver's friendship with Lucy reminded me of my best friend and I so I felt such a connection with their completely chaotic energy.
Olive is such a strong female protagonist for me. Often, I find it hard to connect or not feel annoyed by characters in books but Olive was so much fun and I could see myself in her. Plus, she's a writer so that was a bonus.
Jason... I want him. I could write a paragraph on him but I think what I have said is efficient enough.
The chemistry, the banter... Turn this into a movie now so I can consume it in that form too, thanks!
My only wish is that the end conflict didn't happen at all because I feel like it was something that could've been avoided so easily if Olive and Jason had just communicated with one another.
I will be revisiting this in the future and reading more from this author.
“Who's making sure you're happy, Charlie? What about your heart?”
This quote means a lot to me because it's something that has actually been said to me before. I think the most important thing to do and most important lesson that I have personally learned is that it's okay to be selfish sometimes. We do not always need to have everyone's problems placed upon our shoulders. We don't need to handle burden or suffering on our own. It's okay to ask for help.
“Don't be sorry,” he says roughly. “Please don't apologize for letting me know you.”
This quote destroyed me. Nora has spent her entire life being the caretaker for her sister and her mother. She had built walls so high that she had began to struggle seeing over them. Nora allowed herself to be vulnerable with Charlie and it meant so much to me to read him reassuring her that it was okay and safe to be just her and allow herself to be taken of for a change.
This book meant a lot to me and it was so refreshing to read and enjoyable.
I have grown such a deep appreciation and love for poetry.
This was such a beautiful collection.
“If you spend your life focusing on the never, then you'll never actually do anything.”
This book has been on my TBR for the longest time and I am so glad I finally took the leap to finishing it, especially with it being Pride Month.
It was so easy to form a connection with Alex and Molly despite them both being so individually different. Alex had to grow up too fast, spent most of her life looking after her mother instead of the other way around and she had walls so high because she was afraid to be vulnerable so Alex made herself appear like she didn't care about anything. Molly is the exact opposite where she struggles to stand her ground and speak up for herself and she struggles with anxiety. While their experiences seemed dissimilar, their shared insecurity underneath it all is that they both didn't feel enough. I loved that underneath the surface, this book was about self-acceptance and acknowledging your self-worth.
I do wish that there was more time spent on the development of the romance between Molly and Alex. I'm a sucker for a slow burn and I just would've loved to have seen their love for one another blossom more so I could enjoy it further.
Overall, this was a cute read and I enjoyed it!
I'm not going to lie it felt like a struggle to get through the first half of the book as it was quite slow paced but I really enjoyed the second half and didn't want to put it down after.
I loved the The Song of Achilles and it made me so happy to read references of it made in this book. I have always appreciated and loved Greek mythology so that's an immediate plus for me.
You can't help but feel sorry for Circe. All she wanted was to love and be loved. She was such a strong character for me. The entire time reading this I was just hoping for her happy ending.
I think the most important thing to do before going into reading this book is to not compare it to The Song of Achilles because they are in no way similar.
I really enjoyed this.
“You have always been the worst of my children. Be sure you do not dishonor me.”“I have a better idea. I will do as I please, and when you count your children, leave me out.”
This is one of those books that you realise after reading it that you needed it. This felt like a healing process.
Being betrayed is something that messes with someone but when it's by people that you should be able to trust, it's even more heartbreaking.
This story covered so many serious issues. Grief, addiction, alcoholism... I found myself laughing and crying throughout the whole book. The best way to sum this up in one word is real.
Raf, with his tendency to infuse humour with trauma and problems immediately drew me to him and he quickly became my favourite character and a highlight of this book for me.
“Getting sober doesn't take away the things that made you use in the first place.”
As an ex addict, this quote hit me pretty hard. It took me years of reflecting and therapy until I had realised this for myself. Most of the time addiction, alcoholism or any other self destructive soothing is used as coping mechanisms. Stopping the actions doesn't change what lies beneath. You need to address it first so you can properly move forward.
This felt so incredibly real to me. Recovery is a process that has ups and downs and this story shown a light on it perfectly. This is definitely a comfort read.
This was a super interesting read. It was suspenseful, fast paced and left you wanting more.
I really enjoyed the mystery of this book and finding out clues along with the characters. I could never guess what was about to happen next. This book would make a great movie.
Sadly, there were a few things that I had issues with. I felt like I wasn't able to connect with the characters in a way that I would've liked. I believe it was because none of the characters felt real to me, I could barely feel any emotions from them.
I hated the ending to this. It was so chaotic and unrealistic and left me wishing that Coates and Garrett could have suffered for all that they had done, rather than what actually happened.
This was definitely a 3.5 read but I rounded it up to 4 stars
“And the thing is, when you lose someone, you realize you'll eventually lose everyone.”
I highlighted this quote because as someone with bpd it really stuck out to me and it's something that I have had breakdowns about.
“I'm sorry.”“You say that a lot.”“I feel it a lot.”
I've heard a lot of mixed reviews when it came to this book and I was so pleasantly surprised when I first began reading and realised how much of a cute and beautiful story it really is.
John Green has always had the ability to write characters that I can't help but root for and fall in love with.
“But you give your thoughts too much power, Aza. Thoughts are only thoughts. They are not you. You do belong to yourself, even when your thoughts don't.”
This is such great advice and it's something my own therapist has said to me. I needed to highlight it because it's a good reminder. I appreciate seeing a character who has the same thoughts and anxieties that a lot of people do in society. It makes me feel seen.
The characters were everything I wanted them to be and I can't express how happy that makes me. All of them quickly became special to me. I'm starting to see that John Green is the common denominator when it comes to that.
I could say so much more about this book but I would be here forever so what I'm going to say is that I am so happy I finally took the time to read this book and I will definitely be revisiting it in the future.
“No one cares about the important things anymore. We're so used to disaster that we accept it. We think we deserve it.”
I don't know what it is about Alice Oseman's writing and characters that holds me so captivated.
I knew from reading the Heartstopper series that I loved Tori but reading this definitely made my appreciation and love for her grow stronger.
Tori is a character that you can't help but relate to and see yourself in. What I love the most about Alice Oseman's works is that the characters are always so vastly real and imperfect. Solitaire covers some serious topics and it's always so nice to see them represented correctly in Oseman's works.
The Osemanverse will forever be comfort reads filled with comfort characters for me.
“All I know is that I'm here. And I'm alive. And I'm not alone.”
I'm trying to think of the right words to write a review for this book but I seem to be coming up with a blank because... how do I explain this?
I went into this with no knowledge of the book whatsoever so I was definitely taken aback by what occurs in the story and I can full-heartedly confirm that I did not predict what was going to happen... At all.
However, I do feel that had the interactions between the two main characters been paced slower, this would've had more impact and the meaning that the author was trying to portray behind the story would've come across more profoundly.
This was a head spin of a read!