AW

this book certainly had my attention. First half was what I expected, and I totally loved it. Once they got to the vacation week though... wtaf?! huh. I still don't know that I understood the purpose of the book, but I'm going to think about it for awhile. 

I had to keep going a few chapters in before I got hooked, but then I was on board with Zeke and Lexi. I felt a little eh on some plot points (accidentally stabbing Zeke? Mae's dad is Zeke? Lexi's extreme attachment to Mae but Penny just kicking her out?) but all in all, I liked the element of danger and forced proximity. 

With every narrator change I lost a little bit of steam. 

Devastating, riveting, will stick with me for awhile. 

I wanted more storylines to wrap up, but that is a me problem, not a problem of the book.

I loved this by the end but for some reason really struggled to get through the first half or so. 

This series struggles because everything is in real time. I wish there was a bit of a time jump between books. It's hard to get invested in the relationships knowing that it's only been a few months. A little breathing room would feel better. 

Hm. I didn't think the first book needed a sequel and there wasn't really anything surprising in this. I enjoy Adele Park's books, so it was worth the read. 

It started out so strong! Probably started off as a 4, then the story kept drifting (why was the podcast plot a thing?!) and it was more like a 3, and then I just got lost and stopped caring.

This is the second book I've read but Adele Parks. I liked this one, but they're is definitely a common theme in her books. I enjoyed this, but not as much as the other. Emma just wasn't a very relatable or enjoyable character. I liked the boss persona for the first few chapters but I didn't buy the relationship with Matthew so had a tough time rationalizing her decisions 

I was intrigued to start but then people just became comically evil 

This book is going to stick with me for awhile. It's not the typical thriller, but rather a story of consequences. 

Started out a little slow but I liked the commentary on marriage so I kept going. Then it picked up towards the end and now I'm hoping for a sequel! 

The story opens up strong and then just gets more and more convoluted without anything new happening. 

I don't like that one perspective is from a GHOST. It feels like lazy storytelling to make one perspective from someone who isn't alive and doesn't have to follow the laws of physics. 

I enjoyed parts but holy crap Louise, use some common sense. Stop hanging out with the crazy couple that is ruining your life.

I loved the last minute twist but the whole book was so frustrating.

4.5.

I didn't realize this book had such a romance heavy plot because I came in blind. I kept waiting for more things to happen, for more characters to come into focus. But once I realized the relationships were the story, I really enjoyed it.

I really wanted to love this. I love a locked room mystery, particularly one when people are on vacation. I enjoyed the storytelling but there was wayyyy too much detail in some scenes and then entire other scenes were skipped over.

The piece that bugged me the most: why in the world was Ro allowed to be so involved in the investigation??

I liked the relationship-building between Josie and Will, but I struggled with the MC ages. No way is a 28 year old a successful CEO for a popular clothing brand.

Also, everyone owns their own house, her BFF's fiance is just going to open a new restaurant in NYC... I get she comes from money but it was hard to believe.

Additionally the drama from the Forbes article made no sense. No one would care. No one knows anything about clothing CEOs. And GASP a start-up is difficult to work at? Eh.

But still, I liked it.

I'm sorry, ghosts? Seriously?

Light and fluffy (for a murder mystery). It would be a great movie. I really enjoyed it!

This was more of a “cozy spy” than I expected it to be. There was more telling than showing and it seemed like things just worked out for Emma. I never really got the feeling that she was good at her job.

I just don't believe any of this. I don't need all my books to be believable, but some details are just so silly.

Alex is in her 20s and she gets a prestigious job replacing a beloved columnist with no journalism experience?

She makes $125k in NYC for said prestigious job with no relevant experience and has a personal assistant* and a private office at a newspaper?! And if my memory is correct, she has to write ONE column a week.

She has no friends or support group, oh wait, except for that eccentric group of friends she sees daily at a diner in NYC.

This was a cozy mystery when I expected a thriller and I'm a little annoyed.

I loved the story and the mystery behind the house! The wrap up was not what I was hoping but I was still enthralled.

Ahh Marian Keyes. Her books are like a warm hug somehow. I always forget the slower pace and get frustrated until I'm a few chapters in and then I'm swept away into the story and I never want it to end.

This wasn't for me. I love all of Alison Cochrun's other books so I expected to love this one too.

Logan and Rosemary both bugged me (they were caricatures) and frankly the book had too many references to butts, diapers, being smelly, and sweatiness for my liking.

We kept being told how the main characters feel (or felt) but it felt like we never saw it.

Hmm. I'm not sure why this wasn't for me, but it wasn't. Emma and Charlie both rubbed me the wrong way and I didn't ever get the feeling that they liked each other.

Emma trying to dive off the high dive while drunk made me SO angry.

And she was a huge asshole to her sister.

A few disparate thoughts.
- it took me awhile to get into Better Left Unsent
- once I tucked in and just enjoyed the cozy story, I loved it
-the writing reminds me of Mhari McFarlane (love her!)
- the side characters and surrounding story to the MC are fantastic, like all Lia Louis books
- I think I'll enjoy a re-read a lot, now that I know what to expect