Scan barcode
sarah_j90's reviews
20 reviews
A Welcome Reunion: A Short Story by Lucinda Berry
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.5
A nice little round up and ending to a perfect child but not much drama and definitely don't need to read it after a perfect child, in fact I'd go as far as to say don't bother reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder, and Gaslighting
The Way Life Should Be by William Dameron
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.
It was really slow paced, didn't seem to be going anywhere and really bored me
Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The story follows Ridge and Sydney. They live in apartments opposite the court yard to each other, they unknowingly bond with each other, when, each evening they both sit on their balconies with Ridge playing his guitar and Sydney writing songs to go with it. Then Sydney finds herself homeless, boyfriendless and best friendless all on her birthday. Ridge invites her to move in with him and his flatmates Warren and Bridgette and his often visiting girlfriend, Maggie. What follows is a typical Colleen Hoover book of romance, forbidden love, stolen glances, heartbreak and big romantic gestures.
Some things I liked about this book
- Ridge is deaf and communicates with the world through writing and texting, so the whole of his and Sydney's relationship is in theory built up behind a computer, but in person.
- Colleen Hoover worked alongside Griffin Peterson to write and record the songs from the book into an actual album which you can get on Spotify, listening to them as you go through the book rather than just reading really puts you there in the place of the characters. That got it the extra star.
Bits I didn't like,
- Ridge got himself into the situation but then when it all crashed around him he blamed everyone but himself.
- I've read quite a few Colleen Hoover's books and they are all starting to feel very samey.
- Ridge treats Sydney like shit to be honest, but it's masked behind sweet words and a big romantic gesture at the end and she's in!!
I would really like to see Colleen Hoover write some books with a strong feminine lead, one who doesn't swoon for the hot, mean, troubled emotionally unavailable guy!! Think I'll be taking a break from Colleen Hoover books for a while!!
Some things I liked about this book
- Ridge is deaf and communicates with the world through writing and texting, so the whole of his and Sydney's relationship is in theory built up behind a computer, but in person.
- Colleen Hoover worked alongside Griffin Peterson to write and record the songs from the book into an actual album which you can get on Spotify, listening to them as you go through the book rather than just reading really puts you there in the place of the characters. That got it the extra star.
Bits I didn't like,
- Ridge got himself into the situation but then when it all crashed around him he blamed everyone but himself.
- I've read quite a few Colleen Hoover's books and they are all starting to feel very samey.
- Ridge treats Sydney like shit to be honest, but it's masked behind sweet words and a big romantic gesture at the end and she's in!!
I would really like to see Colleen Hoover write some books with a strong feminine lead, one who doesn't swoon for the hot, mean, troubled emotionally unavailable guy!! Think I'll be taking a break from Colleen Hoover books for a while!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness and Medical content
Minor: Body shaming and Terminal illness
Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-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
3.5
This book was heartbreakingly beautiful. I loved the short chapters and was really rooting for Charlie all the way through. The character stories are good but I felt like some of them seemed important and then just dwindled out. I've got the other three in the series so I'm looking forward to reading them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
This book was heartbreakingly beautiful. I loved the short chapters and was really rooting for Charlie all the way through. The character stories are good but I felt like some of them seemed important and then just dwindled out. I've got the other three in the series so I'm looking forward to reading them.
Ward D by Freida McFadden
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed this book. At times it really had my heart racing and although I guessed part of the twist I didn't see it all coming. Plus the ending was like 90% how I wanted it to end. Can't wait to read more of hers.
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
5.0
I absolutely loved this book!! It's about a recovering addict Mallory who goes to work as a live in nanny for a little boy called teddy. Teddy loves to drawer but then his pictures start to take abit of a weird turn and Mallory starts suspecting it's not actually teddy drawing them after all. Add to this an 'imaginary friend' called Anya that tells teddy what to drawer and sleeps under his bed singing strange songs, a cottage that is still the centre of ghost stories from an incident that happened years and years ago and a very eccentric next door neighbour who claims to speak to spirits but only whilst high and this book is just incredible. It's got a nice little romance that runs through it and the character development is so good, and then the twist at the end ... No way I saw that coming!!! Plus the really great thing about it is the pictures are shown throughout the book so you don't need to imagine what they would look like you can witness them as the characters do. This is a real contender for my book of the year!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death
Kill Joy by Holly Jackson
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
A nice short story that paves the way for the good girls guide to murder triology but the series can definitely be read with or without this one.
The Third Wife by Lisa Jewell
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
This has probably been my least favourite of all the books, no real twists to the story line and the end was really meh. I felt like the story line for the main woman it follows was really disappointing, it all came out and then she was just forgotten about. Wouldn't rush to read or recommend this and honestly if this had been my first book of hers I doubt I would of picked up another one!
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
5.0
I went back and forth about reading this book for ages. It's not my usual genre but I'd seen so many people raving about it and finally decided to just go for it and I'm so glad I did!!!! It's such a great read!! It had me on the edge of my seat in places and I was really rooting for so many different characters. The character development throughout the book is really good as well. Apparently this first book of the series isn't as good as the others so I have high hopes for the rest!!!!!
The story follows a girl called Feyre who is forced to hunt to keep her family alive but one day whilst out hunting she kills what she believes to be a wolf. But that killing ends up costing her!!! A high fae arrives and tells her she can either be killed or sacrifice her life and live with him forever, choosing the latter she soon starts to fall in love with him, but with so much danger constantly around her and a secret curse no one will tell her about its not the life she thought she would live!!!
I absolutely loved the book from start to end!!!!
The story follows a girl called Feyre who is forced to hunt to keep her family alive but one day whilst out hunting she kills what she believes to be a wolf. But that killing ends up costing her!!! A high fae arrives and tells her she can either be killed or sacrifice her life and live with him forever, choosing the latter she soon starts to fall in love with him, but with so much danger constantly around her and a secret curse no one will tell her about its not the life she thought she would live!!!
I absolutely loved the book from start to end!!!!
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-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 really enjoyed this book but it was all abit typical romance book. Boy and girl fall in love, fall out of love, meet again, fall back in love, happy ever after!!! It's split between the past and the present and whilst the past went in to much detail, the present seemed very rushed!! In the space of a long weekend Sam and percy see each other again after more than a decade apart, catch up, have sex, fall out, make up, get back together and live happily ever after. Obviously it's the ending everyone wanted but maybe a bit more of a 50/50 split could of helped?!? Either way, easy read and I did enjoy it and it is a good story line. Plus the way Carley Fortune writes about the houses at the lake is so great I actually imagined being somewhere like that!!! I'd recommend for a nice easy, cheesy read.