✨ "No one owes all of themselves to anyone else. We are all individuals, and what we give of ourselves, we must choose to give freely."
3.5⭐
It's hard t✨ "No one owes all of themselves to anyone else. We are all individuals, and what we give of ourselves, we must choose to give freely."
3.5⭐
It's hard to rate this book because while it was a fast-paced and action-packed read, I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. If anything, I went from intrigued to disappointed once the secret of the house was revealed.
I loved the setting and its vivid descriptions, the characters, the writing and what an easy read this was. I also enjoyed the social commentary: It hit hard when Maria spoke of "misplaced male confidence" and how "the world was as he expected and not as she feared".
However, the premise of a Hostel-like escape room just feels very unoriginal and basic, especially with so many similar movies already out there. What this novel does have going for it are the strong and memorable characters who had me emotionally invested.
The last few chapters were great and really messed with me!
An odd thriller that I had a hard time getting on board with or taking seriously. No one in the book has any sense of boundaries or ethics, which I guAn odd thriller that I had a hard time getting on board with or taking seriously. No one in the book has any sense of boundaries or ethics, which I guess is the whole point.
I wouldn't really describe this as twisty since nothing really shocked me or blew my mind. It was all just too preposterous with no real depth. Between Meredith or Gabriel, I can't decide who comes across as more ridiculous.
I don't really get the hoo-ha or glowing reviews. Overall, it's a fast and easy popcorn thriller if you just want some light entertainment, but don't expect more than that.
Thank you to Atria Books for the Netgalley ARC....more
I enjoyed the story and blossoming romance, but the male lead is a bit too standoffish for my liking. He comes acA fun read with lots of cute moments!
I enjoyed the story and blossoming romance, but the male lead is a bit too standoffish for my liking. He comes across as an extreme jerk in the beginning and while I understand where he is coming from, he's not exactly swoonworthy.
However, I'm hopeful that the series gets better and I'll be more emotionally invested.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book.
Merged review:
A fun read with lots of cute moments!
I enjoyed the story and blossoming romance, but the male lead is a bit too standoffish for my liking. He comes across as an extreme jerk in the beginning and while I understand where he is coming from, he's not exactly swoonworthy.
However, I'm hopeful that the series gets better and I'll be more emotionally invested.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book....more
I had high hopes for this but it just didn't appeal to me overall. I was expecting more of a coming-of-age story but the book was largely centered on I had high hopes for this but it just didn't appeal to me overall. I was expecting more of a coming-of-age story but the book was largely centered on table tennis and its technical aspects, with not much room for character development or emotional investment.
Nevertheless, I appreciate how this middle-grade novel-in-verse highlights the importance of hard work, training and perseverance – important values that are rather lacking these days.
Thank you to West 44 Books for the Netgalley ARC....more
A pleasurable and comforting read, just like The Anime Chef Cookbook. I love the rich and lush illustr✨ "I can't ignore the call of an empty stomach."
A pleasurable and comforting read, just like The Anime Chef Cookbook. I love the rich and lush illustrations, which will have you salivating. Although some pages felt too wordy, I enjoyed reading the short introductions on each dish.
What a beautiful ode to Japanese anime, treats and delicacies, and culture ❤️
Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group for the Netgalley ARC....more
✨ "It might not feel like it now, but good things are coming. The best stuff takes time, so keep the faith."
More slice of life than romcom, but I love✨ "It might not feel like it now, but good things are coming. The best stuff takes time, so keep the faith."
More slice of life than romcom, but I loved this novel. No surprise there, since Laura Hankin's other works have all been 4⭐ and 5⭐for me.
The writing is full of heart and the characters shine like always. I really enjoyed following the cast as they navigated life – all its ups and downs and beauty and craziness. The author nailed what it's like to be in your late 20s/early 30s, including the feelings of stagnancy and self-doubt that come with it.
So much of the book resonated with me and perfectly captured how I feel. Reading it felt like a balm on my soul and was exactly what I needed.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the Netgalley ARC.
More favourite quotes:
✨ "Intellectually, she told herself to prepare for rejection. But her heart couldn't quite believe that rejection would come. Things HAD to work out. After all she'd poured into this book, all she'd given up?"
✨ "Sure, the physical temptation remained. But this was for the best. Because doing something you wanted to do just one time didn't always work. You didn't get it out of your system. You opened the floodgates."
✨ "Natalie knew enough now to realize that nothing lasted forever – no bliss, but no sadness either. Happiness followed pain and pain followed happiness, and all you could do was hang on and feel every bit of it for as long as this world would let you."
A riveting and sinister collection by some of the most talented thriller writers. I love how diverse all the stories were, from domestic suspense to tA riveting and sinister collection by some of the most talented thriller writers. I love how diverse all the stories were, from domestic suspense to the gritty and gothic. Even though some turned out to be underwhelming, all were well-written and had wonderful premises.
The Ghost Writer was hands down my favourite, but every tale is worth the read and has something different to offer.
✨ "The families that look the strongest are often the ones hiding the darkest secrets."
A slow burn done right!
This was an unsettling thriller filled w✨ "The families that look the strongest are often the ones hiding the darkest secrets."
A slow burn done right!
This was an unsettling thriller filled with dread, suspense and a sense of foreboding that never lets up. Despite not much happening for the first half, I was kept engrossed and guessing.
I also enjoyed how the author explores complex family relationships and dynamics. It reminded me of the mother-daughter ties in Gone Tonight, which I loved so much.
Wasn't super mindblown by the whodunit since I had some inkling, and the protagonist is one of those detached ones so I wasn't super fond of her until much later. However, the ending was so good and made it all worth it.
Sarah Pekkanen never disappoints!!
✨ "I believe evil is a natural force, like a hungry virus, perpetually swirling through the air and seeking places to infiltrate. Most of us bar the door against it. Others welcome it in."
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the Netgalley ARC....more
A bingeworthy popcorn thriller that I couldn't put down!
'Affair thrillers' are a tale as old as time (that I can't get enough of) and this was a prettA bingeworthy popcorn thriller that I couldn't put down!
'Affair thrillers' are a tale as old as time (that I can't get enough of) and this was a pretty good one. I was kept guessing and trying to figure out what's truth because while some things appear to add up, there's also the sense that there's more than meets the eye...
The author did a good job in building suspense and creating mystery, though some of the dialogue felt a bit stilted sometimes. I definitely didn't see Part 2 coming and thought it was very clever! However, the climax was disappointing and very contrived. Like I just expected more after all that.
Still, this was a riveting thriller that I enjoyed sinking my teeth into and I look forward to reading the author's other works.
Thank you Xpresso Book Tours for the Netgalley ARC....more
✨ "Whatever that movie was, whether a false memory or a dream, I had to let it go. Not every question gets an answer. Some stories don't have endings.✨ "Whatever that movie was, whether a false memory or a dream, I had to let it go. Not every question gets an answer. Some stories don't have endings."
What a creative and compelling horror collection! It's rare that an anthology has all hits for me but this was an exception.
I enjoyed all 11 tales except maybe for Little House In The Sea, which felt underwhelming against its counterparts. The varying art styles were a visual feast and really enhanced the reading experience. I particularly loved the retelling of The Green Ribbon and found it to be the most beautifully illustrated. Some stories also had subtle social commentary masterfully weaved in.
✨ "Was I obsessed with her or she with me? It was hard to tell."
3.5⭐
Faith Gardner always delivers. This was a gripping read from the start and I was k✨ "Was I obsessed with her or she with me? It was hard to tell."
3.5⭐
Faith Gardner always delivers. This was a gripping read from the start and I was kept guessing throughout.
Just like with the author's previous works, I enjoyed the writing - it's easy to read, engaging but also raw, reflective, relatable, realistic and brimming with heart. I also loved all the characters, especially Jolene's dad (so jealous) and Suzanne (what a riot!). Wish we got more of them.
Happy to say I guessed whodunit wrongly, but the revelation didn't blow my mind like I'd hoped. However, the book has lots more going for it and I enjoyed its other aspects (e.g. the relationships and the exploration of trauma) more than the main thriller storyline.
Still, *that* twist was brilliant and I definitely did not see it coming!!! Also love it when books don't take themselves too seriously but still hit well.
Can't wait to see what the author comes up with next because I know it'll be good!
More favourite quotes:
✨ "In the end, I've accepted I occupy a strange space where I'm not quite sane and not quite insane, not quite sober, not quite an addict. I'm just a professional dropout. I've got commitment issues. I'm nearly thirty years old and I'm ten miles wide and one inch deep. And know what? That's all right. The world keeps moving and so do I."
✨ "I want to pack my shit up and run away. I want to get so wasted I forget myself a little while. I want to be anywhere but here and anyone but me."
✨ "Being alone is the bare-naked truth... We're born alone and we die alone. Company is temporary."
Thank you Xpresso Book Tours for the Netgalley ARC....more
✨ "I just want to say, a thing can be crystal clear with hindsight, but just about as clear as mud when you're actually living it."
Not your usual crim✨ "I just want to say, a thing can be crystal clear with hindsight, but just about as clear as mud when you're actually living it."
Not your usual crime thriller! The missing girl trope has been done to death, yet this book not only executes it well but also puts an unconventional spin on it. I definitely wasn't expecting the revelations only halfway into the novel but...!
I loved the social commentary, the exploration of grief and loss, the fact that everything about this happens way too much in real life, and how this story is about the things we will do + the distance we will go for our loved ones. And of course, the ending and perfect last scene ...more
Lol seriously? The celeb author is the only reason this book would be sellable or get picked up by anyone. There areSo dull and disappointing, period.
Lol seriously? The celeb author is the only reason this book would be sellable or get picked up by anyone. There are chunks of text and zero pictures, which feels like information overload for a children's book. Super boring and no appeal at all, be it for adults or kids.
✨ "Sometimes hardship brings out the worst in people."
A fun popcorn thriller whose ending gave me goosebumps! This was a page-turner that was eas3.5⭐️
✨ "Sometimes hardship brings out the worst in people."
A fun popcorn thriller whose ending gave me goosebumps! This was a page-turner that was easy to dive into and which kept me guessing. The anonymous chapters were highly entertaining.
I enjoyed the classic whodunit format of isolated setting + people getting bumped off one by one + the killer being among the group. Simple yet riveting.
The reveal definitely took me by surprise, but I found the motive and climax (such a short scene!) underwhelming. Hats off to the last chapter!
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the Netgalley ARC....more
Ehhh kind of dull and didn't engage me. I liked the premise but the execution was kind of garbled and none of the characters stood out. Everything felEhhh kind of dull and didn't engage me. I liked the premise but the execution was kind of garbled and none of the characters stood out. Everything felt touch-and-go, from the sibling relationship to the vampires, and I wish everything was more fleshed out.
To be fair, this is geared towards young readers so I'm not the target audience for this book.
Thank you to West 44 Books for the Netgalley ARC....more
Such a riveting sci-fi survival thriller! Despite being a quick read, it was filled with action, excitement and even emotion. I also enjoyed the v3.5⭐
Such a riveting sci-fi survival thriller! Despite being a quick read, it was filled with action, excitement and even emotion. I also enjoyed the vivid worldbuilding and was trying to visualise it all. Most of all, I loved the book's central message of finding beauty and hope even in the darkest of times, and to live every moment.
Tomorrow isn't a promise. It isn't guaranteed. We should live for today.
Protagonist Halley is forced to relive prom night over and over again until she figures out why and whaGroundhog Day, but make it a YA novel-in-verse.
Protagonist Halley is forced to relive prom night over and over again until she figures out why and what she must do.
This was an easy read with an interesting concept, though I feel like the author could have gone much deeper. The storytelling felt a bit choppy at times but the plot was engaging and the characters were interesting enough. Overall, I enjoyed the book.
Thank you to West 44 Books for the Netgalley ARC....more
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