amandaglowgetter's reviews
324 reviews
Secret Sex: An Anthology by Russell Smith
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
The premise of this book is what drew me in: what if literary fiction authors could write sex scenes without their names attached? Freed from the potential judgment and taboo by the promise of anonymity, the authors experiment with content, tone, and form.
I think that someone who is a fan of short story collections and interested in this premise would really enjoy this book. I read a lot of smutty romance novels, and ultimately, I DNF'd this because I struggled to really get invested in these stories with so little character development/plot attached. I want to stress that I think this is a 'me' issue rather than a 'the book' issue.
As other reviewers have noted, it's a bit of a mixed bag, and I enjoyed some stories more than others. Generally speaking, I preferred the ones with more experimental formats – for example, the one comprised entirely of text messages – to the more traditional short stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of the book for review.
I think that someone who is a fan of short story collections and interested in this premise would really enjoy this book. I read a lot of smutty romance novels, and ultimately, I DNF'd this because I struggled to really get invested in these stories with so little character development/plot attached. I want to stress that I think this is a 'me' issue rather than a 'the book' issue.
As other reviewers have noted, it's a bit of a mixed bag, and I enjoyed some stories more than others. Generally speaking, I preferred the ones with more experimental formats – for example, the one comprised entirely of text messages – to the more traditional short stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of the book for review.
The Locked Door by Freida McFadden
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall, a fun, fast-paced thriller. The pacing and plot are gripping, as is typical of McFadden's books – I read the whole thing in
one day. It was un-put-downable. In true McFadden style, it kept me guessing who the murderer was til the final reveal, and the twisty ending is so out there that it's barely plausible, but it all works and I can't wait to read more books by her!
Our main character and narrator is Nora Davis, a surgeon and daughter of an infamous serial killer. Nora's changed her last name and hidden her relationship to her father, and lives a peaceful if isolated life. But when her former patients start turning up dead, and their deaths are suspiciously similar to her incarcerated father's MO, Nora becomes the police's number one suspect.
There's not a whole lot of character development of our main character Nora, and it seems like everything we learn about her is really about her father. The twists require some suspension of disbelief, but it's a really fun read.
If you liked The Perfect Son by the same author, you'll like this one too.
( I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review)
one day. It was un-put-downable. In true McFadden style, it kept me guessing who the murderer was til the final reveal, and the twisty ending is so out there that it's barely plausible, but it all works and I can't wait to read more books by her!
Our main character and narrator is Nora Davis, a surgeon and daughter of an infamous serial killer. Nora's changed her last name and hidden her relationship to her father, and lives a peaceful if isolated life. But when her former patients start turning up dead, and their deaths are suspiciously similar to her incarcerated father's MO, Nora becomes the police's number one suspect.
There's not a whole lot of character development of our main character Nora, and it seems like everything we learn about her is really about her father. The twists require some suspension of disbelief, but it's a really fun read.
If you liked The Perfect Son by the same author, you'll like this one too.
( I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review)