esther0naut's reviews
357 reviews

I Hope This Doesn't Find You by Ann Liang

lighthearted fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

reading time: 1.5 hours

This is one of the best non-spicy romance novels I’ve ever read! I absolutely loved this book, it was very engaging and I was completely riveted. The trope had me hooked from start to end, you could see the characters’ hatred slowly morph into love. Ann Liang’s use of language is out of this world and it really allowed me to feel like I was right there with all the characters, experiencing firsthand the drama when Sadie’s ‘hate’ emails were sent out. Each scene added to the overall story and their behaviours and nervous tell-tales were all so adorable. 🥰 I also loved the mini plot-twist during the lake retreat that hooked me in so much.

I just couldn’t get enough of Sadie and Julius, I felt like there needed to be more intimate scenes. 🙈🙈Furthermore, there wasn’t much of Julius’ background which, if included, could really have brought more to the (family) context of why he feels the need to one-up Sadie.

This Lie Will Kill You by Chelsea Pitcher

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-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

2.5

reading time: 2.6 hours

I was hooked. From the moment the book started I was completely captivated and intrigued
each scene practically gave me a heart attack because of how
throughout the whole book my heart was racing, especially because the writing conveyed the characters’ fear so well that I could imagine myself being right there at the house itself
the suspense was crazy and had me reading as fast as I could to see what would happen next, each turn of the page brought new twists and turns
the writing was extremely vivid and the ending was perfect

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

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adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted mysterious relaxing sad 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

5.0

reading time: 2.1 hours

the first chapter was so intriguing that it immediately hooked me in and allowed me to be wholeheartedly invested in the story
the wishes that Lucy and Christopher made were super touching, my heart melted because it was just so wholesome, I could see the love they had for each other 🥹
all the scenes were super touching ❤️
this book was absolutely magical and the riddles were so innovative
and I love the way Jack treats them like their his own children
Hugo and Lucy’s banter was a great touch added to the story because it contrasted the tension between the contestants and made the book more lighthearted
the writing was amazing, when Lucy broke during the climax I broke too, I had tears in my eyes 😭
the ending was ASTONISHING. I loveeedddd the ending. It was the perfect end to all the twists and turns that Lucy had faced, she knew at that moment she had won nothing but everything at the same time
this book was such an emotional read for me, the deep meanings behind the plot mean so much.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

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mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

reading time: 1.8

starting was so intriguing that it hooked me in straight away
super fast-paced and easy to read quickly
i couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, i was completely drawn in and captivated
the whole book was beautifully written, allowing the MC’s emotions to pour out of the pages
the plot twists were unpredictable causing me to not be able to put this book down, super twisty and I could not take a single guess at who played a role in Cora’s abduction and how they tied in to the case
would have read it in one sitting if i weren’t so busy 😔
the suspense was unrelenting!
although i feel that the part where they realised who it was could have been drawn out a little more, it felt a little rushed
the ending was so unexpected that is was absolutely SUPERB.

Out on the Ice by Lane Hayes

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lighthearted fast-paced

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

1.5

reading time: 1.5 hours

didn’t really like the excessive use of foul language and also the lack of significant character development
enjoyed the banter between the two MCs and Colby’s discovery about himself
the kind-heartedness of Sky was cute
felt like the plot wasn’t very major, which caused me to not really like this book
almost dnfed but pulled through 😔

Four Found Dead by Natalie D. Richards

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mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

reading time: 1.8 hours

extremely tense, i could not put it down
amazing plot twist that had me at the edge of my seat
super fast-paced
predator-prey relationship between the characters and their boss was absolutely terrifying
i found the ending pretty touching
overall, liked the plot but the writing was a bit too bare for my liking (not many descriptive scenes, more of direct telling)