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bunnikazz's reviews
11 reviews
The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
This book was boring, it spent too much time giving fake answers as to who the “killer” was, it had no real plot line, the characters didn’t matter, and the ending mattered even less. Wouldn’t recommend, wouldn’t read again, the 2 is generous.
I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
3.75 rounded to a 4.
Okay, I went into this having already watched the movie, it was also the audiobook and if you read, you know that knowing those 2 things makes a difference.
I’d like to first off say that this book was boring, but the movie definitely did the book justice. And the audio book reader(s?) also did an AMAZING job. I feel like all 3 forms of this media are definitely different experiences from each other.
I think the book takes a long time to get anywhere and genuinely only makes sense within the last 3 chapters. The interludes are interesting but don’t really do much. If I hadn’t have seen the movie, I would probably rate this much lower on confusion alone. But it was really interesting, very descriptive, and made me cry, so it deserves a 3.75
Okay, I went into this having already watched the movie, it was also the audiobook and if you read, you know that knowing those 2 things makes a difference.
I’d like to first off say that this book was boring, but the movie definitely did the book justice. And the audio book reader(s?) also did an AMAZING job. I feel like all 3 forms of this media are definitely different experiences from each other.
I think the book takes a long time to get anywhere and genuinely only makes sense within the last 3 chapters. The interludes are interesting but don’t really do much. If I hadn’t have seen the movie, I would probably rate this much lower on confusion alone. But it was really interesting, very descriptive, and made me cry, so it deserves a 3.75
Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I had high hopes for this book, I really did. But it just don’t live up to my expectations.
Without spoilers: The characters were insufferable, it was hard to get through at least 60% of it, but it did keep my attention and I was glued to it by 80% and throughout the end. I feel as though the climax came very quickly, and the end was abrupt. I wouldn’t read it again. I say this next part with distain but also I’m impressed just a little, it went through all 3 different perspectives. 3rd, 1st, and even 2nd! And I’m positive it was intentional too!
I did enjoy it enough to give it a relatively decent rating as it was the first book to make me shake with anticipation for at least two chapters. This is, however, my first thriller. Overall, the book was boring, hard to keep up with, and not something I’d recommend. But I give credit where credit is due, it was an interesting story. Just way too predictable.
I did end up changing my review a few days after finishing it, a 2.5 didn’t feel fare for a book I at least half enjoyed. I’m excited to see it come to film and that why I changed my rating to a 3.
I did end up changing my review a few days after finishing it, a 2.5 didn’t feel fare for a book I at least half enjoyed. I’m excited to see it come to film and that why I changed my rating to a 3.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Rape and Suicide
Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I'd read this book 1000 times if I could. It was a beautiful place to live in for a while, a sad tale of “forbidden” love. It really tugged at my heartstrings knowing the author of the book was LGBT herself. The way this book is written really takes you to a whole different time period. You’ll want to scream, cry, laugh, and most importantly you’ll want to love. Even the sex scene was written as if it were magical and not just a scene forced in the book for show. R.I.P. Nancy Garden. For a book written in the 80’s I promise it’s not at all a book that looks down on homosexuality. It’s a book you’ll never want to put down, a book you’ll want to hold dearly to your chest while you cry at the last page. Very worth the read, I’ll come back to this book again.
It’s not often I find a book that leaves me feeling a deep sense of loss once I’m finished, especially romance novels, but this was one of those books for me. I don’t know when I’ll be able to pick up my next book.
I want to mention the few things I didn’t enjoy; to be completely fair. It begins really slow, I picked it up and put it down many times before I actually got into it. As well as being a little dated, but for a book from the 80’s I can’t criticize that, especially for being as progressive as it was for the time.
Quote: “Don’t let ignorance Win.” Said Ms. Stevenson. “Let love.”
It’s not often I find a book that leaves me feeling a deep sense of loss once I’m finished, especially romance novels, but this was one of those books for me. I don’t know when I’ll be able to pick up my next book.
I want to mention the few things I didn’t enjoy; to be completely fair. It begins really slow, I picked it up and put it down many times before I actually got into it. As well as being a little dated, but for a book from the 80’s I can’t criticize that, especially for being as progressive as it was for the time.
Quote: “Don’t let ignorance Win.” Said Ms. Stevenson. “Let love.”
Survive the Night by Danielle Vega
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.5
I hated this book. I was extremely excited about it, the idea of a 24 hour rave with a former drug addict made me believe we were going to get a fun drug induced story but that just wasn’t the case.
Our main character is way too obsessed with love and her ex boyfriend, which would have been find if this was a story about love, but it wasn’t.
The next thing I’m going to write is spoilers, just to be clear.
We start off by going to a party, which is fun and fine, our main character gets assaulted but it’s was totally okay because it was all part of a publicity stunt to invite people to a 24 hour rave. Our main character also has a terrible “best friend” who’s drugs our main character.
Once they get to the rave; our main character sees her friends head someone (spoilers; it was a stupid fricken tentacle monster killing all her friends.)
Anyway, after all her friends died she ends up in the hospital being attacked by a friend who was possessed by this stupid tentacle.
Words can’t express how much I hated this book, but I wanted to love it so bad. Amazing premise, terrible execution. I wish I could write it over, I’d do it better and I’m terrible at writing.
0.5 stars because most of the insufferable characters die, the only good parts.
Our main character is way too obsessed with love and her ex boyfriend, which would have been find if this was a story about love, but it wasn’t.
The next thing I’m going to write is spoilers, just to be clear.
We start off by going to a party, which is fun and fine, our main character gets assaulted but it’s was totally okay because it was all part of a publicity stunt to invite people to a 24 hour rave. Our main character also has a terrible “best friend” who’s drugs our main character.
Once they get to the rave; our main character sees her friends head someone (spoilers; it was a stupid fricken tentacle monster killing all her friends.)
Anyway, after all her friends died she ends up in the hospital being attacked by a friend who was possessed by this stupid tentacle.
Words can’t express how much I hated this book, but I wanted to love it so bad. Amazing premise, terrible execution. I wish I could write it over, I’d do it better and I’m terrible at writing.
0.5 stars because most of the insufferable characters die, the only good parts.
That Time I Joined the Circus by J.J. Howard
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
I ALMOST gave this book a high 3, Almost. But I just can’t; and I’ll tell you why.
Pros: The circus parts were absolutely amazing; I loved the idea of a circus setting and they didn’t disappoint. I also enjoyed the friendship that blossomed with our main character and the other performers.
Con’s: the main character spends waaaayyyy too much time focusing on her love interest and not the fact that she had a MAKOR life event change and is now basically an orphan. It’s insane to me she can think or anything else but what happened to her. Not only that, the age gap in the main character and her main love interest just gave me the ick, she was definitely underage and he had to be like over 21 at least.
There definitely could have been more circus background, I loved the circus owner and his kids; I definitely expected him to be a villain of sorts. The only reason this book gets the rating I’m giving it is because of these 2 things.
Pros: The circus parts were absolutely amazing; I loved the idea of a circus setting and they didn’t disappoint. I also enjoyed the friendship that blossomed with our main character and the other performers.
Con’s: the main character spends waaaayyyy too much time focusing on her love interest and not the fact that she had a MAKOR life event change and is now basically an orphan. It’s insane to me she can think or anything else but what happened to her. Not only that, the age gap in the main character and her main love interest just gave me the ick, she was definitely underage and he had to be like over 21 at least.
There definitely could have been more circus background, I loved the circus owner and his kids; I definitely expected him to be a villain of sorts. The only reason this book gets the rating I’m giving it is because of these 2 things.
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Winter girls is a sad, but very real depiction of a teen with an eating disorder. The book itself is sort of slow to begin with, but it’s full of just plain sadness. As a teen who was apart of eating disorder communities, the groups of online people encouraging others to starve themselves is extremely real and it’s terrifying.
This book is too real, and it’s heartbreaking. I only recommend this book if you’re going through an eating disorder or have in the past and are mentally capable of handling it. Because it doesn’t feel like it’s screaming recovery, it’s more so screaming “keep going.” Even though the ending of hope.
This book is too real, and it’s heartbreaking. I only recommend this book if you’re going through an eating disorder or have in the past and are mentally capable of handling it. Because it doesn’t feel like it’s screaming recovery, it’s more so screaming “keep going.” Even though the ending of hope.
Panic by Sharon M. Draper
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I did not like this book. I absolutely love Sharon and her books; especially her Forged by Fire series. But this book is extremely boring. Maybe it’s the fact I had read An amazing story that also focused on kidnap right before this, but this book was just plain, boring, with little to no substance. I wasn’t on the edge of my seat, I felt like I could see everything coming from a mile away.
My 2.5 rating is specifically for the way Shannon writes her characters, they’re always diverse, and her side characters always tend to have their own story and their own feelings/flaws. I wouldn’t recommend the book based on that, but I’d say if you like Sharon go ahead and give it a go.
My 2.5 rating is specifically for the way Shannon writes her characters, they’re always diverse, and her side characters always tend to have their own story and their own feelings/flaws. I wouldn’t recommend the book based on that, but I’d say if you like Sharon go ahead and give it a go.
Hate List by Jennifer Brown
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really thought this book was amazing. Heartbreaking, sad, emotional, all the words that can be put together to show had depression this book was, in a good way!! It follows a young girl that was in love with a school shooter, and watching her navigate life after her time with him. Confronting the fact that she had something to do with the killings, even if it wasn’t her fault. Watching her fight moral compass with being in love, all to a man who is no longer alive to be grieved.
Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
If I could rate it higher, I would. I love this book, it’s dark, sad, suspenseful, and beautiful! It’s 100% a recommendation I give out to those I know can handle abuse, rape, and mental health issues. It’s a moving book that really gives hope in a way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Violence
The book is riddled with abuse and sexual abuse and kidnapping.