roselaina
*4.5 stars
Puzzles, nerdery ahoy, online friendship that blossoms into more, autistic mc, fabulous heroine who takes no shit, great chemistry, a couple who actually communicates...was this book written for me???
My only complaint is that it was a novella and thus by default moved too quickly for my tastes. I really wanted to delve deeper Gus and Reggie's relationship, as well as the characters themselves. But it was still terrific, and I'm very glad I didn't skip it (like I do most novellas).
Note: I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was fantastic!
Also, 10/10 would watch that anime.
Three stars - I'm giving this book the benefit of the doubt and saying that I found the second half so boring because I listened to it during a long, hot, boring car trip.
There were some good things, but I can safely say I am extremely glad this was not my first Star Wars book. I don't think I would have finished it, and I certainly never would have picked up another.
Disappointing. I've enjoyed the middle grade High Republic books, so I gave this one a shot, but it was rushed and made almost no sense. The entire storyline on the villain side was honestly ridiculous.
(I did love Master Buck, though. He was hilarious. While I won't be reading any more if the HRA, I will most definitely be reading the one about his baking adventures.)
(Audiobook note: Listening to this book directly after The Rising Storm was jarring, as Disney/TPTB/the narrator mysteriously decided to change the pronunciation of both Marchion AND Nihil. Does pronouncing it like part of “annihilation” make sense? Yes, of course. Do I think they should have just chosen one pronunciation and stuck to it? YES. This might just be my brain being difficult, but every single time I heard either one, it was like hearing someone play the wrong chord in a song. I actually switched to the ebook for the majority of the time.)
And LMFAO at Gray's heavy-handed attempts to get me shipping Elzar/Avar. Maybe it's because it's been so long since I read Light of the Fallen, but I felt absolutely Nothing for them??
As for the book as a whole, though: while I think it needed another editing pass (there were at least two chapters that contained nearly identical lines at different points, which is the kind of thing that should happen in first and second drafts, not published works), it was very good. It really sucked me in, and I wasn't bored for a second. I felt a myriad of emotions throughout the story, and I thought Gray juggled the various POVs very well.
Maybe it was the fact that it took a long time to read (I started it with Dracula Daily but eventually meandered off on my own), so the pacing of an already slow book suffered. Maybe it was the narrator of my audiobook, who had a very pleasant and calming voice.
But whatever it was, I found this book to have only the barest hint of creepiness and barely any tension at all.
Three stars is me being nice. Also, Jonathan's journal at the beginning was very good. I don't know. I'm just glad it's over.
Went back and forth between rating this a 2 or 3. I settled on 3 because I really loved Lilah's journey, and the setting was original and a lot of fun. It almost made me want to watch a horror movie, which is saying something. The stalker plotline was engaging, although sadly the romance was not.
Overall, it was a decent effort by a debut author, and I would like to see what she comes out with in the future.
ETA: I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was fantastic.
Important Note: If you're reading this on ebook, make sure your ereader doesn't skip straight to the news story. It it does (like mine did), go back! The book actually starts by introducing the cast of characters in a fun way, and trust me, you will want all the help you can get to keep the characters straight at the beginning.
Now, onto the review.
*3.5 stars.
I read this book in a single day.
I didn't mean to. I sat down to read a chapter or two, but I just couldn't stop. The thing about Ruth Ware is that her books are just so dang readable. There are definitely a few quibbles I could see people having about this book. It doesn't feel at all like a thriller until quite a ways in. Until then, it's just some drama about business, which, let's be honest, is not the most thrilling topic. But somehow, she held my attention until things actually started to happen.
The other possible complaint is that the killer is obvious. Like, really obvious. But the thing is, Ware can still build some really amazing tension. In fact, I would go so far as to say that she made the killer obvious on purpose, in order to build a different type of tension. Rather than “whodunnit” it's “but-WHY-and-who-will-figure-it-out-and-when-and-will-it-be-enough” kind of tension. Ware really utilized the setting and the characters in a way that unfolded in a way that was slow and creepy and strangely addictive. I couldn't stop reading.
Was it a perfect book? No. In my opinion, it didn't feel polished in places; I know Ware is capable of better. And for the love of god, who puts “ffs” in their character's internal monologue?? That was extremely jarring and pulled me right out of the story. I wouldn't expect that from a beginner writer's first draft, much less a published book. But I digress.
Nevertheless, it was a solid, entertaining thriller. I think the key to enjoying it is the expectations. Don't go in for a whodunnit. Don't go in expecting “And Then There Were None” (like I did) or a million twists and turns. Just go in ready to enjoy the story and the chilling (heh, get it?) atmosphere.
Also, I totally want Snoop to be real.
