an_honest_synopsis's reviews
227 reviews

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

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2.5

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

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dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 π‘Ίπ’šπ’π’π’‘π’”π’Šπ’”: After inviting a stange family that used to live in her home inside to reminisce, Eve starts to doubt her reality. 

π‘Ήπ’†π’—π’Šπ’†π’˜: This is one of those books that's hard to put down. This slow build of what's reality and what's not grows in intensity until you reach the end. Trigger warning if you experience anxious thoughts in the "worst case scenario"/"what if" variety. 

π‘Ήπ’†π’„π’π’Žπ’Žπ’†π’π’…π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’: It's creepy, mildly graphic (only for one part), and unsettling. 
I Found You by Lisa Jewell

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3.0

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland

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emotional funny lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 π‘Ίπ’šπ’π’π’‘π’”π’Šπ’”: Ten years ago Ellie disappeared and her family was broken. As her mother finally tries to put her life back together, she meets Floyd, a charming man with a precocious little girl Poppy. But Poppy looks strikingly similar to Ellie.

π‘Ήπ’†π’—π’Šπ’†π’˜: I had to sit on this one for a minute because I think this book was a little overhyped, and that disappointed me. I didn't like the POV switches without knowing who was speaking immediately. The plot is fine but a smidge far-fetched. The characters are meh. 

π‘Ήπ’†π’„π’π’Žπ’Žπ’†π’π’…π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’: It's fiiiiiiiine. 

The Chain by Adrian McKinty

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dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 π‘Ίπ’šπ’π’π’‘π’”π’Šπ’”: A 35-year-old mom and active chemo patient takes down an intricate kidnapping cartel with the help of her heroin-addicted ex-brother-in-law to save her crack shot of a daughter.  

π‘Ήπ’†π’—π’Šπ’†π’˜: I don't even know where to begin with this one. 

Part 1 starts strong diving into "The Chain" and Rachel's involvement. She needs to kidnap a kid to get her kid back, and so on forever because the chain must not be broken. I figured that would be the entirety of the book, but it's only half because then we enter the dumpster fire that is Part 2. 

Part 2 gives us the messy background of the ex-commune genius 20-something-year-old twins that thought up and run The Chain and the ridiculous connection it will eventually have with Rachel and her motives to break the chain for good. And here is where you are expected to suspend all belief. 

I honestly feel that McKinty intentionally derailed the plot at the end for their own entertainment. 
The Chekhov's gun line had me painfully rolling my eyes and at that point, I gave up on caring. 

π‘Ήπ’†π’„π’π’Žπ’Žπ’†π’π’…π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’: The hype is fake. I don't know why this book became so popular. 

Labor Day by Joyce Maynard

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 π‘Ίπ’šπ’π’π’‘π’”π’Šπ’”: When an escaped convict asks to go home with a mother and her son their lives are forever changed. 

π‘Ήπ’†π’—π’Šπ’†π’˜: This is not a typical read for me, I think I got this book in a pile a friend of mine was getting rid of. I have to say, it was charming. I don't have much to say outside of that. 

π‘Ήπ’†π’„π’π’Žπ’Žπ’†π’π’…π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’: Sure. This leans both romance (from an outside perspective) and coming of age. 
The Favor by Nora Murphy

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dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 π‘Ίπ’šπ’π’π’‘π’”π’Šπ’”: Two victims of domestic violence get the freedom they were hoping for. 

π‘Ήπ’†π’—π’Šπ’†π’˜: This had a very straightforward plot which made it fine to read but not very exciting. 

π‘Ήπ’†π’„π’π’Žπ’Žπ’†π’π’…π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’: I wouldn't search it out. 
Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 π‘Ίπ’šπ’π’π’‘π’”π’Šπ’”: "Emotionally detached" woman learns about her past after the death of her adopted father.  

π‘Ήπ’†π’—π’Šπ’†π’˜: I have a little bit of beef with this book and it's the genre. I wouldn't call this a physiological thriller. I would barely call it a thriller. It's diet thriller. Thriller lite. If anything, I would say it's dark fiction. Yes, troublesome themes build the core of the plot, but most of the story is about Sally today. Also, until they mentioned smartphones and laptops I was convinced this book took place anywhere between 1900 - 1950s and I had a tough time removing myself from that. 

Rant aside, I thought this was a very interesting read. The chapters are short and written in a way that you keep doing "one more chapter" so it's also quick. I saw some reviews that there was character assassination at the end and yes, but I'll also say no. It was sad to see how Sally's character played out at the very end, but not unrealistic. 

π‘Ήπ’†π’„π’π’Žπ’Žπ’†π’π’…π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’: If you want to get into the mind of someone who struggles with mental illness. 

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 π‘Ίπ’šπ’π’π’‘π’”π’Šπ’”: A family reunion is interrupted when dead bodies pile up. 

π‘Ήπ’†π’—π’Šπ’†π’˜: This was... fine. You spend the entire time in Ernest's POV and he is a talker. Easily 50-100 pages could have been trimmed with some editing. A family tree would have been wonderful because although all the characters are named, I had difficulty remembering who they were. 

There are two more books in the Ernest Cunningham series and I'm on the fence if I want to keep going. 

π‘Ήπ’†π’„π’π’Žπ’Žπ’†π’π’…π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’: If you want a light-hearted murder mystery, but I would library it.