quinn_caddel's reviews
30 reviews

adventurous mysterious tense fast-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

3.0

To sum it up, this book is a pretty okay one to pass the time with. I piddled through it for about two months before I went on a trip and blew through half the book while on a couple of flights. A lot of that boils down to me being more interested in character-driven stories, rather than ones like this that are very heavy on the plot being the focus of the story, with the characters filling in the space around it.

I had guessed the killer pretty early on in reading, but the book did do a good job of making me question that guess as the red herrings popped up later in the story. The twists are reality TV-worthy, much like the narrative itself comments on after every "episode." The writing and format were fun to try out, but not something I think I'll read again. I kept having to turn back to the front of the book to remember which character was who.

As for the ending, I think it was a bit cheap, but considering I wasn't invested in any of the living characters it didn't ruin the book for me. I closed the book without really feeling any big emotions or reflecting on it. I'm glad I read it, but I don't think it's something I'd keep on my shelf or recommend.

Love and Other Champagne Problems by Sarah Sutton

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emotional inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

Such a tender romance intertwined with the hardships of life and meeting people where they're at. Loved loved loved.

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

It took until about 50% of the way through the book to really get invested. Once I got to about 70% into the book I couldn't put it down. Loved the ending and will be picking up the second book when it comes out.

The history of the witches and their magic is pretty straightforward and explained well. I did however struggle a little visualizing the world a little bit. It was like taking context clues of the general vibes of the renaissance era and filling in the blanks there. That might just be a personal preference for me, as there is description but it feels like it's there to avoid the "white room" syndrome. Not a deal-breaker though.

The romance was my favorite part. It was messy and a subtle enemies to lovers. I could have done with a bit more enemies part, as the two connected and were drawn to each immediately. But it was a rewarding build up and connection at the end of the book.

Spoilers Regarding the romance:

However, I wasn't heartbroken at the end of the book when they "broke" up. In fact I was giddy? I like their dynamic as enemies who flirt more than the relationship. They have a long way to go before the two of them being together will feel like it's a love that conquers all. Which is perfect when there's a second book coming out.

I will say I was extremely disappointed in how the plot with Alex went. His ending and death felt like a HUGE cop-out. Love triangles are great when handled well, and this one was primed to be a banger, but it fizzled out with Alex being killed to avoid the confrontation.

Spoilers for the plot:

The plot twist of Cressida being alive was good. She was propped up as this mythical villain throughout the book, but a dead one. The reveal that not only was she alive, but that she has been right under everyone's nose the whole time was great. It explains why she was so adamant about Rune not getting involved with Gideon too! It's going to be interesting to see how she lashes out at Rune in the next book for messing around with a man she considered her plaything.

I'm excited to see more of the magic in action, and the relationships of the characters going forward, in the next book!

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced