roselaina
2.5 stars.
Rachael Allen should maybe try talking to a teenager before attempting to write about them. The slang was dated and forced, and the POVs were so juvenile, everyone read more like a MG protagonist.
Plus, Allen had several writing quirks that got on my nerves.
Cute and diverse, and I was invested enough to keep reading, but everything about this book was just a little disappointing.
Too many annoying men (read: all of them), and the writing style really didn't work for me.
But the women were interesting, and the twists were good. One even caught me completely by surprise.
Enjoyable enough to finish, but completely lacked anything to really get me engrossed in the story until the last third.
Also, for me personally, I found it completely lacking the atmosphere it promised. It was almost like it tried SO HARD that it cancelled itself out. Like, the remote island would have been enough! It didn't need the ~ghosts~ and ~old bodies buried in the bog.~
At least [redacted] died. That's honestly the best thing about the book.
2 star story, upgraded to 3 because of the gorgeous writing style and how much I loved Zoey. Also, Grayson.
Disappointed that the rest of the book didn't live up to the intrigue of the beginning.
Also, I wasn't a huge fan of the audiobook narrator. But I couldn't bring myself to care enough to spend more time reading the ebook, so multitasking + audiobook is where we wound up.
3.5 stars. A bit over-the-top at times, but overall a delight.
My main complaint is that the romcom reference game was a little weak. There were a lot of shout outs to the genre, but there were also “romcom” references to multiple movies that are ~chick flicks~ but don't have a HEA - hence, in my opinion, not romcoms. And Two Weeks Notice is not, in fact, about people who have only known each other for two weeks.
Still, I basically devoured this in one sitting, and I laughed out loud multiple times. A fabulous way to spent a sunny Saturday.
2.5 stars.
I liked Lina. I liked Max. I loved reading about Lina and her family. I loved reading about Max's friendship with Dean.
Unfortunately, I did not love reading about Lina and Max together...which was a slight problem, given that the book is their love story.
Going into it, I was all set for a trope-rific romp, but instead, the romance was just a mish-mash of strange, inconsistent interactions. I kept waiting for things to click, but they never did. I was honestly glad it was over.
Also, a lot of the humor felt forced, but that's pretty subjective and could have just been my mood at the time.
I did appreciate the multiple LGBT+ side characters, the cultural diversity, and the fact that Sosa didn't shy away from topics that romances frequently avoid. For all that, I almost rounded up to three stars, but for me, that rating entails a book I enjoyed and would recommend, and I just can't quite make myself do it.
I enjoy stories about cults and communes, and this one was no exception. I was glued to it from the first page. However, while it was good, it definitely could have been a lot better. It was quite confusing at times, and many of my questions were left unanswered. A lot of this could be explained by the fact that Green was narrating, and as she didn't know, neither did I. But some things just seemed intentionally left out or were vaguely alluded to and never brought up again. There were also a few elements that felt contrived, especially in part two. However, the characters were interesting, and the plot was eerily compelling from beginning to end. The end itself was unexpected and very well done. I would still recommend Foxlowe if you enjoy this type of book, though I wouldn't set your expectations particularly high.
PS - Dear Half Price Books: You really shouldn't have shelved this one in the children's section, LOL.
I feel like I definitely would have liked this one better if I had read the physical book rather than listening to it on audio. It's a book that you're meant to immerse yourself in; I don't recommend trying to listen while multitasking.
It is definitely unique, and I enjoyed Luiselli's writing style.
