coric's reviews
1243 reviews

Funny Story by Emily Henry

emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

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

4.0

 

Funny story… I have mixed feelings about this one. It has all the qualities I like about an Emily Henry book. She continues to hit that sweet spot between straight up romance and that nebulous category called women’s fiction. What can you expect? Charismatic characters with good banter. A great sense of place. Lovely story telling. Without getting too personal, I think perhaps Daphne’s experiences with abandonment and an absent father were perhaps a bit too close to home for me. The fake dating trope is not one of my favorites, and I found the whole set up a little hard to believe. Even with lots of resolution and the expected HEA, I just felt a bit tense throughout the whole reading experience, which kept me from fully escaping into the story like I hoped to. So in the end, let’s just say it’s not her, it’s me. If you like Henry’s brand of storytelling, it’s likely you will enjoy her newest one.

 

 

What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

 

Well, this one left me emotionally wrecked. With multiple first person points of view, there is really not a mystery of whodunit or an unfolding of a whydunit. This is more of a fictional exposition of what happens when a young woman goes missing and her boyfriend is the primary suspect. How do the parents respond? How does the community respond? Who gets involved on the internet and why. Why does so much craziness arise on the internet and news cycles in these situations? There is a lot of ugliness and if you are anything like me, you will be simultaneously frustrated and angry about what you learn because there is nothing you can do and you know this is probably a pretty accurate reflection of what has and can happen in these situations. If you need excellent resolution and clear justice, well… you may want to skip this one.

 

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller

dark funny mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

 

An entertaining little British cozy mystery where everything wraps up quite neatly. It has all the usual components… complicated back stories, mysterious people, people who aren’t who they say they are, stolen artifacts and a bit of heist, and of course, a redemption/second chance story. Will it be one of my most memorable reads of the year, probably not…but it was an enjoyable distraction, and I look forward to seeing what this debut author does next.

 

Piece of Cake by Asher Fogle Paul, Mary Hollis Huddleston

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.5

I was more than ready to jump back into the world of high society wedding planning, and loved the addition of magazines and podcasting reporting. Reading Without a Hitch first is not required but this one follows a secondary character and will ultimately provide spoilers for plotlines in that one. Just as that one was spot on with its Dallas and Texas atmosphere, this one does the same for Nashville and Tennessee… and a touch more Dallas! I read both as audio books and love the narrator. This one was like finishing the perfect piece of cake  - just the right amount of sweetness!

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

emotional funny lighthearted reflective fast-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

4.0

 

I’ll be honest… I’ve not had the best success with Rebecca Searle. Her last one was a DNF for me. Having Julia Whelan as the narrator definitely helped me finish this one. I loved the magical realism concept, and how it unfolded. It was an interesting exploration of the idea whether or lives or predetermined or driven by self will and choice. I loved the LA setting and thought Searle captured the food, culture, and scene of the city quite well. I continued to not be a fan of how she creates such intensely emotionally unavailable and stunted main characters who are a wee bit too codependent with their parents. The intensity of this family relationship was not as huge as the last one, and it also made more sense this time around.  I also liked her parents, so that helped. I certainly flew through it, so something worked for me!

 

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

funny hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

 

I am late to the party on this one. It was the perfect mix of humor and sadness. It explored grief and loss with a delicate but realistic touch. I heard someone say once that this was the book that Rowley was born to write and narrate, and I wholeheartedly agree!

 

The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

 

I had about four other books I really should be reading, yet I picked this up and it stole all my attention for the last couple of days. I’d first like to put it out into the universe that there really should be more thrillers set in the wilderness. This Idaho setting was so atmospheric and captivating, and was definitely as much the reason for me not wanting to put it down as the actual story. If you enjoy Peter Heller, I suggest giving this one a try. You can read the jacket summary for the actual plot. What I want to highlight is the themes that kept me engaged. This story leaned hard into the beauty and heartache of friendships and romantic relationships. It is exploring redemption, forgiveness, and finding a path forward when all seems lost, including what to hold onto and what to let go.

 

North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

 This was a fast paced thriller set in the mountains of southeast Montana that I did not want to put down. There was tons of tension with an impending blizzard and multiple “bad guy” pursuers. It also had a few twists and turns to keep you on your toes. 

The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner

adventurous emotional funny inspiring medium-paced

4.0

 

This lovely story had multiple layers of complexity. First of all, I loved that the main story line centered on a group bike tour across New York state because it provided a fun cast of side characters. I also love biking so I adored how it inspires readers to consider cycling as a potential tool of empowerment for girls and women to move about in their worlds. Our main character Abby is at a crossroads and a bit uncertain with where she wants to take her life. For better or worse, agreeing to lead this bike tour complicates matters and seems to create more questions than answers. I also appreciate how Weiner often takes a frank and direct approach in examining the celebrations and struggles for fuller sized women around body positivity. This is often one characteristic of her main character, and she tends to not shy away from the complexities faced in seeking self-acceptance amidst societal and familial (in this case) messaging and expectations. Several different mother-daughter relationships are also explored in interesting ways. This does tackle reproductive rights as part of a story line, so some readers may struggle with how it is approached and resolved.

 

The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel

funny lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

 

Okay, so this one cemented Amy Poeppel as an auto read for me. She does an amazing job of sharing a fascinating array of characters that are fully developed. It’s always a great mix of family and friends with an exploration of the complexity of those relationships and the unusual and unexpected connections. This story is about revenge, forgiveness, and moving forward. Based on other reviews, I knew that I was going to have to focus in the beginning as the stage was set and the different characters were introduced. Trust me, it's worth getting to know everyone and going on this wacky journey with them. There’s the perfect balance of poignant and comedic movements to keep the stories propelling forward.