redhead_reader's reviews
811 reviews

The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger

dark mysterious tense 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

4.0

I really enjoyed this book! 
It’s the 2nd Lisa Unger book I’ve read and I’m eager to read more of her work. 
A little spooky/paranormal mixed with domestic suspense. I thought it was a bit predictable but still enjoyed the twists and turns along the way. 
If you liked Riley Sager’s Lock Every Door, you’ll LOVE this book! I recommend it to anyone that loves a good domestic thriller with some paranormal aspects sprinkled into the mix. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this eARC!

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

dark funny mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.5

This was a great read! 
I liked the mixed media format between Lucy’s POV and podcast episodes. I think it would make the audiobook version extra fun! 
I’m a fan of true crime podcasts so it worked for me. I thought the podcast helped keep the story moving along and was a great segue into Lucy’s POV since we’re “listening” to the podcast along with her. 
I didn’t see the ending coming so that was an interesting twist.
At first I didn’t like Lucy’s sarcasm because it felt a bit over the top and forced, but that quickly went away and I ended up really liking her. And Beverly. 

Overall it’s a really entertaining book. It’s fast paced, I loved the narrator’s sarcasm/banter, it’s got drama, lots of twists. I definitely recommend it! 

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon books for the copy of this eARC!

New Spring by Robert Jordan

adventurous mysterious 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? No

5.0

I loved this book! 
Idk if it was just reading more about Lan and Moiraine, but this book gave off the same kind of vibes that the first books in the series did and those were the books that made me fall in love with this series. 
This book felt like coming home to old friends. 
It gives great background on Lan, Moiraine, and Siuan. 
I also loved the background it gives on Aes Sedai and going from Accepted to Aes Sedai. Maybe it’s been too long since I read about it in another book, but I felt like we got more details about that in New Spring than we did in any other book, and I enjoyed learning more about that aspect and what the White Tower looks like for the various levels (particularly Accepted and Aes Sedai). 
I did not expect to give this book a 5 star review, and maybe I’m on the minority on that, but this book has got me hyped on WoT again and I’m obsessed!

The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai

emotional lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

4.0

The Fury by Alex Michaelides

dark 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

Sweet Girl by Jack Whitney

lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

Kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-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

5.0

What a wonderful debut novel from Alexandra Kiley! 

I adored this book! It pulled me in and made me feel like I was there with Addie and Logan. It gave me a serious case of wanderlust and a longing to go back to Scotland. 

Logan is definitely my new book boyfriend. I imagined him as Gerard Butler from like his PS I Love you days, except with his actual Scottish brogue instead of the Irish lilt he uses in that movie. Addie I pictured as Blake Lively. 

I loved their banter and chemistry. 

I really enjoyed the atmospheric prose. 

I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read more from Alexandra Kiley. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this eARC!

Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

It only took me a year to finally finish the book and as always I feel like I need to dive right into the next one. Jordan knew how to end a book, he just loses you in the minutiae along the way sometimes.
I really liked the last 1/3 of the book and I’m excited to see where things go. It finally feels like we’re actually getting somewhere with the story.

One By One by Ruth Ware

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

A bit of a slow burn. It took a bit for me to get into the book, but after I got over the halfway point I didn’t want to put the book down! There weren’t any big reveals that were shocking imo, there’s a twist at the end that I didn’t expect but it also isn’t really a big part of the story. 
This one makes brings up some ethical questions to explore as well. 
Very atmospheric. A great wintery locked room mystery to help pass the time while you’re curled up somewhere warm on a snowy day. 

The End of Her by Shari Lapena

dark 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? Yes

4.0

This was a WILD ride. All the toxic domestic vibes, so if you love domestic suspense/thrillers I think you’ll love this. It has all the applicable tropes for the genre.
I don’t think I liked any of the characters in the book and there’s one in particular I kept hoping would meet an untimely end. And usually when I don’t like any of the characters it’s hard for me to stay interested in the story but with this one, I kept second guessing what was actually going on and needed to find out the truth. The short chapters and multiple POVs kept the story moving along at a fast pace. 
There were a few plot points I guessed and thought predictable. Others that I thought were unnecessary to the overall storyline. And one I didn’t expect until it started playing out.
Arguably my favorite Shari Lapena so far. I’ve now read all of her published book so far and can’t wait to read her next book!