Daijah
the final chapter december 2024 bookclub pick: https://www.patreon.com/daijahsbookworld
this is a highly enjoyable, quick-paced mystery with a charismatic, snarky narrator that makes it a breeze to read. the short chapters and accessible writing style keep things moving, and lucy’s humor adds a lightness to the darker elements of the story. it’s definitely easy to get into, and i understand why it’s so popular.
however, while i enjoyed it, the mystery itself didn’t feel particularly fresh or groundbreaking. the stakes felt a bit low throughout—there wasn’t much urgency, and i never really felt the tension or danger that usually makes a thriller exciting. the "big reveal" comes quite late, at 91%, which means the book meanders a bit with romantic drama and lucy’s memory struggles before things pick up. though i was entertained, it never truly surprised me.
on a positive note, the book does an excellent job portraying the emotional complexity of domestic violence. it delves into the trauma victims experience, the conflicting emotions they face, and how abuse can be passed down through families. this aspect felt real and added a meaningful layer to the story.
kennedy ryan’s writing never fails to move me, and this book is no exception. she has such a gift for weaving together life’s most difficult, emotional topics with moments of lightness and hope. her stories are always a testament to resilience, love, and growth, and this book encapsulates all of that beautifully.
what stood out to me most in this story was soledad’s journey. watching her grapple with tragedy and betrayal while rebuilding her life was both heart-wrenching and inspiring. her path toward self-acceptance and healing felt so authentic and raw. i especially loved seeing her relationship with her daughters evolve. the bond between them was heartfelt and complex, and it was incredibly rewarding to see how much they grew individually and as a family.
judah was such a standout character for me. his patience, understanding, and unwavering support made him the perfect counterpart to soledad. his relationship with his two autistic sons was one of the most touching elements of the book. kennedy ryan handled the exploration of parenting autistic children with so much care and nuance, and it added an extra layer of depth to the story. it’s rare to see this kind of representation in romance novels, and i truly appreciated the thoughtful way it was written.
soledad and judah’s romance was breathtaking in its complexity and tenderness. their relationship was built on a foundation of trust, respect, and deep understanding, which made it feel so real. judah never overstepped soledad’s boundaries, and their love unfolded in a way that honored the challenges both characters had faced. my only wish was for more of their romance earlier in the book. while i understood the importance of focusing on soledad’s personal journey and her process of “dating herself,” i found myself craving more moments of connection between her and judah earlier on. their love story is so compelling that i couldn’t help but want more of it.
overall, this book was an emotional and uplifting read that stayed with me long after i turned the final page. kennedy ryan continues to deliver stories that are as thought-provoking as they are heartfelt, and i can’t wait to dive into the next book in the series. this is a romance that will leave you feeling inspired, hopeful, and deeply moved.
thank you to grand central publishing, kennedy ryan, and netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
this book was entertaining enough but unfortunately it didn’t leave much of an impression. after enjoying the first book, this one was disappointing. it felt like it tried to cram in too much within too short a timeframe, which threw off the pacing. while the ideas were interesting, they weren’t explored deeply enough to hold my attention or make me care. the characters also felt underdeveloped and flat after a few chapters.
this is what y'all hyped up so much?? 😭😭😭
this book is not a thriller. at best, it might be a mystery, but even then, there’s barely any suspense. it felt more like a slow-paced family drama with literary fiction elements. i had to restart this book twice because the first half was so boring that i kept tuning out.
there’s no denying the dark territory this book explores, but the way it was handled felt dispassionate and predictable. for a story dealing with such heavy themes, i expected something harrowing and emotionally gripping, but it didn’t move me at all. the narrative voice lacked impact, and the plot twists were too obvious to be engaging.
sally and the rest of the cast felt flat. sally, who is written as an adult survivor of childhood trauma, came across more like a caricature of someone with asd. her thoughts and actions felt cliched, and i couldn’t connect with her on any level. while this book clearly resonates with many readers, it ultimately fell short for me.
read for the literally dead book club: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXaXf...
unfortunately i really didn't like this one. i felt like this was so unintentionally vague which left so much to be desired. lennon was a bit annoying. the romance was horrible and took over the end of the story. the side characters were underdeveloped to put it nicely. overall this book was just extremely lackluster.
this book genuienly was so weird and fun. i really just had such a good time reading this book. not only is this just like a weird fun book, but it also has something to say. it deals with power and greed and even just a woman who is willing to do anything for her husband who has gotten a tragic diagnosis.
rachel harrison truly just is gonna do it everytime. this book perfectly conveys both raw emotions and humor. the characters in this book are truly messy which i loved and we are seeing our main character and others figure out their inner selves and navigating the relationships around them. i specifically adored rory's relationship with her twin sister.
AND THE METAPHOR OF TRANSFORMATIONNNNNNN. *chef's kiss*
read for the midnight society bookclub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV_Ff...
this is a pretty well liked book at least by my friends and i wanted to love it and instead i disliked it so much that it boarders on hate 😭 i do think this book sparks interesting discussions which i did enjoy. i was a guest co-host for the midnight society bookclub and i loved doing that liveshow but almost everything about this book i didn't like. i feel like this book tried to discuss so much and literally did not say anything about any of it. i hated the writing (except the transcript portions) because it was literally so try-hard. the author was trying to be quirky and different and i could tell. i also didn't like the characters and even though the author tried to make them three dimensional they still were flat to me. there is some also questionable rep in this like the bisexual rep i don't think was necessarily harmful but it wasn't good either. i have also heard there is some japanese racism at the beginning of this which i didn't pick up on personally but i would look at own voices reviews to understand that better and the effects of it. lastly the only harmful bit in this book for me was that there is a neglectful, suicidal character in this book who is also bipolar. i have bipolar II and honestly almost all the rep we get is negative and this character could have had all the same characteristics but not be bipolar just because it does reflect negatively on the community.
i don't think that i could ever rate a rachel harrison book less than 3 stars because i just adore her writing and how she fleshes out her characters. i always love her female friendships/relationships which is the same here. i do think this story was a bit underbaked. the pacing was off and the story wrapped up super abruptly including the vampire elements, the horror of the story. i also think this is the least i connected to one of her characters in a novel of hers, not because she it a bit older than the rest, but because i was dealing with the issues she is when i was 15 and seeing her deal with them later on just wasn't relatable for me. i'm sure it will truly resonate with someone who is and i do think it was handled well, but i just didn't have that connection i normally do from a rachel harrison book. but as i said i adore her writing, her humor, her ability to convey emotions and inner turmoil, and her female relationships and that is no different here.
this is by no means a perfect book. i do think some of the representation and language in here is questionable from a psychological standpoint but this book dives into the female experience including the frustration, the longing, and the masks we wear. it explores the performance of femininity, the constant craving for more, and the urge to break free from the limits of what's expected. the way these topics were handled and explored was done extremely well and i just adored it. just like how the main character in the book savors her food, i had to savor this book to truly get the full experience. this isn't a book you fly through, it's one you really sit with and digest.