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minimicropup's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Setting the Scene: 🇺🇸 A hostel near Venice Beach, California, and surrounding neighbourhoods
POV: We follow the perspectives of various characters – from hostel workers to guests – each with their own past and reasons for being there.
Mood Reading Match-Up:
-Multi-perspective character studies wrapped in a sun-soaked dark destination thriller
-Twisty plots and mysteries with an undercurrent of tragedy, heartbreak, and cringe
-Themes of betrayal, hypocrisy, love, longing, self-discovery, self-reinvention, obsession, judgement, purpose, and acceptance.
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🐺 Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags 🐕
🗣️ Tale-Telling: The third-person narration gave a comprehensive view of complicated interpersonal connections without us having to dwell too deeply in any one characters mind. I found the writing style captivating. Present-day snippets quickly flash to relevant past moments, revealing motivations, fears, and dreams. I was drawn in to each character’s story.
👥 Characters: This story has a large cast. Despite that, I found each character was well-developed and distinct. The interactions felt realistically complex and authentic. I didn’t like every character, but the well-crafted morally grey personas kept me engaged.
🗺️ Ambiance: The hostel was the central hub of the story and was brilliantly portrayed. It’s hard to describe layouts in words and I often wish authors would just include diagrams or maps instead of long-winded descriptions or lists of rooms relative to each other. However, the descriptions provided here were just enough to set the scene without being overwhelming or boring, and it allowed room for interpretation. And the layout stayed consistent, which I’m sure all of us imagination readers appreciate!
🔥 Fuel: The suspense hinged on the characters’ secrets and connections. We are wondering who can be trusted and who is in danger.
🎬 Scenes: The pacing felt quick, with short, sharp chapters. Not all characters’ fates were resolved, adding to the realism – some connections faded, just like in real life. The scenes felt realistic by highlighting the judgmental nature of people and how appearances can be deceiving.. The hostel life was captured with authenticity and insight.
🤓 Random Thoughts: The inclusion of sexual assault (female boss assaulting a male employee ) showed how power dynamics and industry problems that don't always fit the expected gender roles. The overall story had a lot of tragic life situations with a stark realism that hit hard. It gradually went from juicy gossip to 'no, no, nope, too sad, too horrible' for me.
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Content Heads-Up: Rape. Sexual assault. Attacks, fighting, and gun violence. Medical (injuries/bruising/cuts; cardiovascular; seizure). Sexual content (off-page/mentioned; casual hookups and sex work). Religious abuse. Confinement. Kidnapping. Teen abuse (parental). Obsession. Stalking. Death. Cannabis. Alcohol use. Drug use. Drugging. Car accident (graphic; recall on page). Loss of siblings. Parental rejection. Murder. Body-shaming.
Rep: Gay, bisexual, questioning, and heterosexual characters. White and Black American, and White European characters.
👀 Format: Library Digital
“Reviews are my musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶 refined by my AI bookworm bestie ✨”
POV: We follow the perspectives of various characters – from hostel workers to guests – each with their own past and reasons for being there.
Mood Reading Match-Up:
-Multi-perspective character studies wrapped in a sun-soaked dark destination thriller
-Twisty plots and mysteries with an undercurrent of tragedy, heartbreak, and cringe
-Themes of betrayal, hypocrisy, love, longing, self-discovery, self-reinvention, obsession, judgement, purpose, and acceptance.
----
🐺 Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags 🐕
🗣️ Tale-Telling: The third-person narration gave a comprehensive view of complicated interpersonal connections without us having to dwell too deeply in any one characters mind. I found the writing style captivating. Present-day snippets quickly flash to relevant past moments, revealing motivations, fears, and dreams. I was drawn in to each character’s story.
👥 Characters: This story has a large cast. Despite that, I found each character was well-developed and distinct. The interactions felt realistically complex and authentic. I didn’t like every character, but the well-crafted morally grey personas kept me engaged.
🗺️ Ambiance: The hostel was the central hub of the story and was brilliantly portrayed. It’s hard to describe layouts in words and I often wish authors would just include diagrams or maps instead of long-winded descriptions or lists of rooms relative to each other. However, the descriptions provided here were just enough to set the scene without being overwhelming or boring, and it allowed room for interpretation. And the layout stayed consistent, which I’m sure all of us imagination readers appreciate!
🔥 Fuel: The suspense hinged on the characters’ secrets and connections. We are wondering who can be trusted and who is in danger.
🎬 Scenes: The pacing felt quick, with short, sharp chapters. Not all characters’ fates were resolved, adding to the realism – some connections faded, just like in real life. The scenes felt realistic by highlighting the judgmental nature of people and how appearances can be deceiving.. The hostel life was captured with authenticity and insight.
🤓 Random Thoughts: The inclusion of sexual assault (
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Content Heads-Up: Rape. Sexual assault. Attacks, fighting, and gun violence. Medical (injuries/bruising/cuts; cardiovascular; seizure). Sexual content (off-page/mentioned; casual hookups and sex work). Religious abuse. Confinement. Kidnapping. Teen abuse (parental). Obsession. Stalking. Death. Cannabis. Alcohol use. Drug use. Drugging. Car accident (graphic; recall on page). Loss of siblings. Parental rejection. Murder. Body-shaming.
Rep: Gay, bisexual, questioning, and heterosexual characters. White and Black American, and White European characters.
👀 Format: Library Digital
“Reviews are my musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶 refined by my AI bookworm bestie ✨”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Sexual assault, Violence, and Stalking
Moderate: Drug use, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Body shaming, Confinement, Sexual content, and Kidnapping
hilarylouise's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Death, Rape, and Sexual assault