Natilie
2.5/5 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
I'm so confused for what to feel for this book. On one hand I really like the content of the story and I appreciate that this was inspired by the author's own experiences. I just think there was a lot of loose ends that didn't fit together in the end, and maybe I don't understand the content as well as I thought I did? I'm just so confused I don't know if I can review this properly
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₊˚⊹♡ reading log
16/05 8:35pm ୨ৎ
i am so close to finishing this but dnfing it would also feel so good but i've come this far ive got to know how it ends
15/05 4:20pm ୨ৎ
okay so i feel like the premise of this is really good but the execution has fallen slightly short? it just feels weird and choppy but i am really invested in the outcome, im just not spooked or anything like i feel i should be?
14/05 9:44pm ୨ৎ
how does one balance reading and work/school
13/05 7:44am ୨ৎ
i'm always nervous to read on the train because i dont like people looking over my shoulder
₊˚⊹♡ pre-reading
i'm not doing so good on my planned may tbr (the gripes of being a huge mood reader) - but i'm not tooo mad about breaking it for this one because i loved the premise of this thriller, but i've been put off by the reviews, so let's see how it goes.
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may tbr:
ಇ. salt to the sea
ಇ. powerless
ಇ. house of earth and blood
ಇ. everyone in my family has killed someone
ಇ. bride
ಇ. listen for the lie
ಇ. she's not sorry
ಇ. love on the brain
ಇ. the familiar
ಇ. a court of wings and ruin
+ a good girl's guide to murder
+ the clinic
3.5/5 ✧･ﾟ
i have finally finished this and i'm not sure entirely how i feel - i think i'm going to give it 3.5 stars for now? i definitely enjoyed it, but the ending was a little... i don't know maybe i wasn't following as closely as i should of?
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╰┈➤ Plot:
This was overall enjoyable, it was YA so I didn't feel a gripe in my stomach (but I did in Five Survive). The stakes didn't feel that high - this is for sure more murder mystery than thriller. It was very addicting though and did not see the first big plot twist coming at all. A lot of the points Pip (the main character) though ‘oh that's suspicious!' - I think a normal person wouldn't have thought that and all. I get that's the point of her character, she ‘overthinks', finds leads and chases them down like a bloodhound. To me, whilst this book discusses some really important topics, I didn't find it thrilling. I also didn't guess who did it, but I was hoping Sal would have a bigger part to play, considering how him and Andie's relationship is pictured?.
I know I've just trashed on the plot so you might be wondering why it's still such a high rating -
╰┈➤ Characters:
All the characters were loveable. Pip is your typical quirky and super intelligent female YA MC. She grows on you, especially her relationship with her family. She started to annoy me in some parts - and she seemed to have a bit of plot armour . Ravi is so incredibly sweet and funny I could picture the flirting in my head.
We didn't see too much of any other characters, but it all felt like typical high school to me.
╰┈➤ World/Setting:
This... was OK. I could kind of picture the different places she was talking about, the places of interest - it wasn't particularly like amazing or adding a sense of dread. Compared to Five Survive, the world didn't feel as vivid. It does the job though.
╰┈➤ Pacing:
This is where the book really shines. Holly Jackson is so good at creating addicting page turners. I couldn't put it down, even if some points frustrated me at times and I cringed at others.
╰┈➤ Enjoyment:
I'm not the target audience for this book, so I didn't expect to give it 5 stars here. However, I did enjoy this book a lot. To me it felt like a fun detective story, I wasn't trying to solve anything because too much information was being thrown my way. The banter between Ravi and Pip is really cute, and I did enjoy reading about her family.
Overall, I would recommend this!
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reading log ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ
12/05/2024 10:32am ୨ৎ
okay listen i'm at 91% and i did not expect this i thought it was all wrapped up
12/05/2024 8:07am ୨ৎ
good morning everyone - time to finish this book! it's very addicting and i'm invested in the ending, i truly have no idea who's going to be the culprit
11/05/2024 7:34pm ୨ৎ
alright i keep flipping the pages, but with so many ‘suspects' im starting to get lost
11/05/2024 11:58am ୨ৎ
okay so i'm trying to figure out who fits into the everything is not what it seems category and so far my guesses are ravi & cara honestly - just because i've heard so many people rave about the plot twist
10/05/2024 9:12am ୨ৎ
oh this is has racist idiots in it
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pre-reading ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ
hello! this has been sitting on my shelf for the longest time and I thought I'd finally buy into the hype after absolutely loving five survive - i need to know what all the fuss is about.
may tbr:
ಇ. salt to the sea
ಇ. powerless
ಇ. house of earth and blood
ಇ. everyone in my family has killed someone
ಇ. bride
ಇ. listen for the lie
ಇ. she's not sorry
ಇ. love on the brain
ಇ. the familiar
ಇ. a court of wings and ruin
+ a good girl's guide to murder
5/5 ✧･ﾟ:
“I would have waited five hundred more years for you. A thousand years.”
Plot
a lot
Characters
Feyre
High Lady of the Night Court
Rhysand
words of affirmation
Cassian
Nesta
Elain
ice cold
World/Setting
Pacing
Enjoyment
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score card:
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₊˚⊹♡ reading log
09/05 9:30am ୨ৎ
09/05 6:53am ୨ৎ
08/05 6:50am ୨ৎ
07/05 8:10pm ୨ৎ
07/05 4:31pm ୨ৎ
3/5 ★
╰┈➤ Plot
I'm .... indifferent on so many different things in the book. I'm really confused on how the book ended, I think there were a lot of loose ends and the reveals weren't as shocking. There were some plot points that led you down one path felt like they had no merit at the end. I'm still sitting here going “what about this... or what about this”?
I was really excited for this because of one of her other books, The Overnight Guest, in which I guessed the plot twist but it still kept my heart pumping. This somehow felt less high stakes even though the premise felt like it should have been even MORE high stakes.
I think this had so much potential, it just fell short for me.
╰┈➤ Characters
I think you had all your tell tale characters to make up this kind of thriller - mum, lawyer, doctor, senator, journalist - all very typical. That being said, I didn't like any of the characters. I felt no emotional attachment to any of them - so I didn't really care what happened to them.
We don't really know why anyone wants to win the money (except Marie) other than the fact money = good. Which felt really shallow and gave me only one character to root for - Marie.
╰┈➤ World/Setting
The world was described very nicely and I love some Italian architecture. I think the world was the only thing that gave the book its ‘eerieness'. The setting was also very good, very Squid Game. But in Squid Game, I felt the characters pain and suffering.
╰┈➤ Pacing
Very fast paced. I chewed through this in a day because I was really interested, the book keeps you hooked, even if the plot points fell short. I was so excited to see how they all came together so I just kept on turning pages.
╰┈➤ Enjoyment
If the ending didn't turn out the way it did, I would rate this higher. I enjoyed all the little clues in Italian (yes I went to google translate), I enjoyed flipping the pages to see how it would all come together, the premise is brilliant - it just fell short at tying everything together in a bow and so the end kind of crushed it for me.
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score card:
plot: 2.5/5
characters: 2.5/5
world/setting: 3/5
pacing: 4/5
enjoyment: 3/5
total: 3/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
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reading log ⁺˚*･༓☾
02/04 5:31pm ୨ৎ
here's my prediction: 'figgy' is fern
02/04 4:50pm ୨ৎ
ok hang on things are starting to come together i feel like a bit of a detective putting clues together here – so they were all given wine bottles that had words on them written on Italian - and maybe i'm ruining this for myself but i decided to go to google translate and they give such a big hint into what's to come
02/04 8:00am ୨ৎ
this is super easy to get through and i am intrigued to see who wins i don't have any bets yet but there is for sure high stakes with fern locking cat away in the cellar .
02/04 4:22am ୨ৎ
it may or may not be 4am - i've read about 11%? not as heart racing as the overnight guest so far - i think it might be the setting
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pre-reading ⁺˚*･༓☾
OH MY GOSH i'm so excited i've been waiting for this one to come out for some reason it released in australia today?? anyway i absolutely loved the overnight guest it was a 5 star read for me so yes i'm mood reading like hell right now (please don't hate me i'm going through a nasty break up)
2.9/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
UGH I wanted to love this but I just didn't... RTC
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score card:
plot: 2.5/5
characters: 3.5/5
world/setting: 2.5/5
pacing: 2.5/5
enjoyment: 3/5
total: 2.9/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
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₊˚⊹♡ reading log
29/04 5:22pm
i really do hope it's olivia dead but i feel like that'll be too on the nose so i don't know
29/04 2:29pm
if only i was rich enough to have these problems
29/04 10:23am
woah jaclyn hill and jeffree star mention?
29/04 7:55am
thank the stars for short chapters - this is exactly what i needed i get the sense im watching selling sunset on netflix except these women aren't selling anything
₊˚⊹♡ pre-reading
alright here we go my(with all your suggestions) fool proof method to avoid a reading slump! a quick, easy to follow, mystery/thriller. I saw fellow Australian Paige read this and gave it 4 stars so I have high hopes for this one
3.5/5 ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:
I don't even know what to say yet - I did like this, but I don't think I loved it as much as everyone else does (please don't hate me) - it's definitely not the book, it's a me thing
RTC
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score card:
plot: 3/5
characters: 3/5
world/setting: 4.5/5
pacing: 4/5
enjoyment: 3/5
total: 3.5/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
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₊˚⊹♡ reading log
28/04 5:27pm ୨ৎ
ok so are we team jacks or are we team rhysand i need to know - what are these men doing to me what is GOING ON
28/04 3:17pm ୨ৎ
aw jacks that's not cool man i did not see that coming am i blind?
28/04 11:33am ୨ৎ
marisol don't betray me please i was really starting to like you - we've switched over to the audiobook
27/04 6:30pm ୨ৎ
ok damn jacks why you gotta do me like that DAMN
26/04 2:17pm ୨ৎ
omg i love everyones enthusiasm for this and i'm only 13% in but i get it? there's some sort of drug in this i swear it's very magical, it reminds me of like, tinker bell/the og barbie movies (swan lake in particular)
₊˚⊹♡ pre-reading
oh my god guys i'm buying into more romantasy books i can't believe it - i have a feeling im not going to like this as much as ACOTAR but we'll see everyone says this is like fairy tales in a bottle which i'm not toooooo sure about but i'm trying to have an open mind, i know so many people adore this
4.8/5 ☆
Okay, I've stopped sobbing and calmed down. I was a wreck when I finished this last night.
I always thought that this could never live up to the hype. I was one of the skeptics and I didn't understand why everyone absolutely lost the plot over this book in particular, but this series because the first one - in my opinion was very average.
╰┈➤ Plot
I'm not a fantasy girly, so when I was reading this, the story unfolded what seemed to be exactly like Rebecca Yarros' “Fourth Wing.” I was sitting there going, ‘Well this sounds a bit familiar.” Obviously this came first and regardless this is SO MUCH BETTER.
I was more interested in the politics and how all the dynamics between the courts would play out, how the world in jeopardy would survive (typical me I'm a plot driven reader.) This did not disappoint. I wasn't bored at any point and this book was 626 pages. Everything we encounter in the plot is relevant, builds the stories, builds the characters, adds MORE intrigue. I love it.
Yes - then obviously there is the romance. Which if you know me, I have a heart of stone at the moment. However, this broke me. I was sobbing for the last 100 pages. If you love enemies to lovers - this is done really well. There is also, a few spice scenes, which aren't my cup of tea. Not because they're bad (they're actually really good), they're just not my thing.
I also am a HUGE fan of the found family trope, so that also made my heart melt as well. The reason it's a 4.5 and not a 5 is because to me it felt very textbook fantasy story, but I'm okay with that and I enjoyed it so much nonetheless.
╰┈➤ Characters
Feyre, I really did not like in the first book and in the first half of this book. However, she grew on me exponentially after she accepted the fact she and Rhysand are mates. I didn't enjoy her whining, but she makes up with it for her undying love of her sisters (which I can relate to) and her intelligence. I love how she fits into her new found family, and loves them so much too.
Rhysand - What a guy. Obviously, I'm in love with him. Obviously. Cheeky and bold - my type of man. Yet, also has a vulnerable, twisted dark heart? Sign me up. In the first book I thought he was too cliche, but in this one and seeing him interact with other people, he's not just a big bad villain. He's the better version of Xaden Riorson type character, in my opinion.
Cassian, Azriel, Mor, Amren - I loved them all. Something about them as a group makes me cry. How much they love each other, how protective they are of each other, how they've come so far. Also, their banter is elite. I loved it. I was always entertained by them.
Tamlin and Lucien - you know what you did. I can't even begin to believe, I didn't believe it - when I read what these guys did.
With Nesta and Elain my heart breaks for them. But, I'm excited to see how they'll fit into the journey now. I also just love sister dynamics as being a person who also has 2 sisters. I love Nesta more, obviously. But Elain really surprised me in this book, she wasn't just a little lamb, she had some grit and I really appreciated that.
╰┈➤ World/Setting
This - I was enthralled. The world created was so beautiful and magical, I wanted to be in it. This makes Earth look so boring. This made the song “Luminary” by Joel Sunny play in my head on repeat. I don't know if this is a spoiler but I'll mark it as one anyway, Night Court and Velaris are the most beautiful things imaginable. Am I excited to see how the rest of the world and other courts look, yes. Yes I am. This gets a 5/5 from me.
╰┈➤ Pacing
This book is 626 pages. That's chunky. I was so intimidated to read this and was worried it would drag but I genuinely was captivated at all points in the story. I kept wanting to turn the pages, big things kept happening or cute wholesome things kept happening - but the plot was evenly spaced so I never felt bored.
╰┈➤ Enjoyment
I was crying and sobbing during the last 100 pages. I was audibly gasping at moments between Feyre and Rhysand. I loved the world, it hasn't left my mind. I will think about this forever. This is what a 5 star read feels like to me.
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score card:
plot: 4.5/5
characters: 4.5/5
world/setting: 5/5
pacing: 5/5
enjoyment: 5/5
total: 4.8/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
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₊˚⊹♡ reading log
23/04 4:51pm ୨ৎ
I CANT BREATHE
you were all right
23/04 8:17am ୨ৎ
today is the day we finish this book surely - i yes am still more interested in the politics, mor is still my favourite. i am enjoying the story way more than i thought i would and like i think i've DNF'd every other fantasy book i've read this year (including throne of glass oops)
22/04 1:09pm ୨ৎ
so i'm officially 50% of the way through - this girl is HEFTY, but i'm enjoying the politics a lot, the romance is a subplot to me. i loveeee the characters, but i am a very plot driven girly so i think thats why i'm reading this a little slower. it is really easy to read for a fantasy book though - which is a good thing for me because i can't read!
21/04 12:28pm ୨ৎ
the imagery in this is beautiful it makes me want to live in this universe it's like those tiktoks of the girls reading with the epic fantasy sound in the background (you know what im talking about)
20/04 5:04pm ୨ৎ
hold up, this whole mental bond shields thing sounds quite familiar ms rebecca yarros
19/04 10:12pm ୨ৎ
whyyy is it so easy to just jump back in? i read the first book in this series 4 years ago, and i am finding this world so easy to get back into yesss this is exactly what i want
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₊˚⊹♡ pre-reading
the spinny wheel has decided .... i will continue this series.... i am not ready (both good & bad)
2.3/5 ✩‧₊˚
i've re rated this after i can't remember how it ends at all
Oh it doesn't feel right to give this book such a harsh rating when I don't think I was the intended audience.
I've discovered I'm a very plot driven reader, and this was extremely character based. The pacing - felt so slow for me at the start and I was pushing myself through it (something I said I wouldn't do this year).
The writing is beautiful, the world created is gorgeous. I could picture it all perfectly and that deserves so much praise. I love the ocean, I love the ships & islands. There were incredibly wholesome moments too.
With the plot, I'm not even sure I understood what happened - and this may be because I'm dumb and I'm off my ADHD medication, but I found this very difficult to follow.
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score card:
plot: 1/5
characters: 3.5/5
world/setting: 4/5
pacing: 1/5
enjoyment: 2/5
total: 2.3/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
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⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ reading log
19/04 9:26am ୨ৎ
so i'm halfway through i think, and i just feel like i have to keep dragging myself through. it's such a shame because it's a beautiful book, the characters and the imagery are top notch, im just a plot driven gal.
18/04 6:42pm ୨ৎ
the pace has finally picked up a bit and i'm sensing some drammaaaaaaa some jeopardy im still only at pg 128
18/04 2:01pm ୨ৎ
okay this is not grabbing my attention like i thought it would and maybe i'm just dumb but i'm finding this difficult to read - i did not take my adhd medication today
18/04 9:46am ୨ৎ
can everyone be real with me for a second, does anyone prefer long chapters?
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₊˚⊹♡ pre-reading
the spinny wheel has chosen... the night ship! i'm not sure what genre i'd put this under, but it's based of the coast of western australia so it's home territory. and it's based on a ship! i love stories about pirates, loved the greyjoys in GOT - so im hoping i'll love this one.
i've done well picking some highly rated reads recently so im hoping the streak will continue ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
4.8/5 :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧
Do you like high stakes, drama in every chapter and unexpected twists & turns? This is for you.
I honestly think I could give this 5/5. In my opinion, the flaws were so minor I didn't notice them at all. I could not put this book down at all. Every page I wanted to know what happened next. I was glued to it for 4 hours I think? It did not leave my hand.
I thought oh man I guessed the plot twist - and I mean I sort of did - but it was so much bigger than I expected, so much more jaw dropping. For my first Holly Jackson book - I have such high praises for her and will most certainly be reading everything else she has to offer.
I don't know if it's naive of me that I can't find a fault in this book. The pacing, the characters, the plot - all amazing. My own personal enjoyment, 5/5. My heart was thudding in my chest.
If you read my reading log, you'll see I looked a tad silly (I've marked the spoilers.)
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˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Plot
Okay so hear me out. My heart was thudding, this wasn't like every other thriller I've read. It was fast paced, easy to read so if you need out of a slump, this would be great. It gave of very Lord of the Flies vibes and I did shed a tear at the end. Something new happened every chapter, full of drama. Every character had drama. Everything felt like it was relevant, had a point, and tied together in the end in a neat little bow.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Characters
Red, wasn't as unlikeable as I thought she was going to be. Usually I dislike a YA FMC, but she wasn't ‘perfect'. She makes mistakes. She felt like a genuine person, and I could feel her emotions. I liked her gut instincts. A problem solving brain, muddled with a sliver of trauma. Sounds relatable to me. Her weird thing with the curtains - I don't know man. If that bothers you, it bothers you.
Oliver - I didn't like him from the beginning - because he was a written to be unlikeable. He's the ‘alpha' in this group, and he gave off very - the eyebrows guy from The Maze Runner.
Maddy - We love a girl's girl. That's all I can say on her. I doubted her because she comes across very shy and sheepish.
Arthur - Youuuuu little minx. Lots of girls will love him. His whole personality is his moral compass, and you will either love that or hate it.
Simon - Our comedic relief. He genuinely made me chuckle, I highlighted quotes that I would hear come out of my friends mouth.
Reyna - I liked her the most. Weirdly, she's the cool, calm and collected one. Pre-med, I think she'll make a great doctor some day. Let's just ditch the infidelity and I have a bad feeling she voted yes.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ World/Setting:
I mean the RV was described in great detail. I feel like I could imagine the bullet shots and them making a make shift sort of fort. I just didn't love the world so much, it was a little ordinary for me, it wasn't as creepy as other thrillers but I think that's made up for in the plot/pacing.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Pacing
I was glued to this book. I could not put it down. The pacing was action from the start, continuously - I was genuinely amazed at how well this was nailed because usually I am never satisfied with pacing.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Enjoyment
I loved how everything came together so well. I think I've praised this book enough to understand how much I enjoyed this. 3 hours? That's the fastest I've ever finished a book in my life.
Would I recommend this? YES.
More in depth RTC - I just need a minute to process.
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score card:
plot: 5/5
characters: 4.5/5
world/setting: 4.5/5
pacing: 5/5
enjoyment: 5/5
total: 4.8/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
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₊˚⊹♡ reading log
hours of reading: 3.3
avg. minutes per session: 33
avg. pages per minute: 6
17/04 11:37am
oh biscuits
whoever has read my last update and also read the book you must be secretly laughing to yourself
17/04 10:31am
I CALLED it I was right (I literally physically celebrated) - I have not been able to put this book down, I'm on pg 268 I am literally addicted what is in these pages
17/04 8:51am
i can tell i'm going to eat this up in one setting i'm genuinely scared like my heart is thumping. it's called 5 survive right so i'm assuming one of them has to die, or one of them is the ‘villain' and i'd also like to predict that the secret witness that everyone is referring to is red. i'm going to leave this here, and if i'm right i want infinite bragging rights.
16/04 3:00pm
the YA vibes are strong with this one - I mean the main characters name is Red, what's more YA then a FMC with an edgy name
₊˚⊹♡ pre-reading
as dictated by my spinner wheel to help me get through my owned tbr - up next is another thriller! my first holly jackson book so it'll be interesting to read this before eventually reading the hyped up ‘The Reappearance of Rachel Price'. I also haven't read GGGTM or anything like that so I'm going in completely blind
3.5/5 *ੈ✩‧₊˚
Wow, the end of this was hectic. I did not see the twist coming at all actually - Alice Feeney does that so well and I adore her for that. I had to pause the TV I had on in the background to pay attention in those last few chapters. I've rounded this up to 4 stars.
Compared to her other books, specifically Rock Paper Scissors and Daisy Darker, I think the characters lack something in this one. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel like I couldn't differentiate the two main characters from a book I read previously, for example.
Nevertheless, this is slaps, and I would recommend. I don't think there's a single book of hers that I wouldn't - and I'm definitely adding Good Bad Girl as well as I Know Who You Are to my list.
I'm a bit burnt out on full written reviews but I'm sure I'll get to this in the next few hours.
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score card:
plot: 4/5
characters: 2/5
world/setting: 3.5/5
pacing: 4/5
enjoyment: 4/5
total: 3/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
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₊˚⊹♡ reading log
15/04 4:26pm
okay nevermind i called nothing, but i'm calling it now the person behind all this is catherine....? i think her name was the coke can girl you know what i mean and i am going to look real silly if im wrong
14/04 8:34pm
I CALLED it i called it no one can sneak one by detective natilie let me tell you (i still don't understand what the heck is going on)
14/04 6:50pm
i feel like one of those scooby doo investigators - which one of you meddling kids is either faking some thing or has a mask on hm?
14/04 3:14pm
i'm not like blown away or anything yet, but i am just sitting here wondering who the blooming heck is responsible for all these shenanigans and also WHY DOES EVERYONE CHEAT is it that hard to be faithful
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
₊˚⊹♡ pre-reading
hello, welcome to my ted talk (hopefully) on why I adore alice feeney as an author. i haven't looked at the reviews for this one (because i'm scared.)
So I actually didn't DNF it and decided to finish it this morning.
You gotta hear me out on this one. I don't think this is a BAD book by any means. I'm just the tin man and can't stand when ‘normal' love happens. I'm not going to give a proper in depth review like I usually do because I just don't feel like I have the credentials.
I conquered my fear, a romance novel.
Things I will say - Maddy was my favourite character. Justin and Emma are both too equally perfect, and I think this is the ‘will they won't they' trope? (can you tell how much I read romance). It didn't feel like there was any jeopardy, which is my type of love - cough Magnolia Parks cough.
If you like romances, please don't be discouraged by this review and take it with a grain of salt.
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reading log ୨ৎ
i'm soft DNFing this at 48%, i think i just cant be around a meet cute love right now and the characters are frustrating me and i'm just in a state - i think this is a it's not you, it's me type of situation with this book
13/04 7:14pm
why do i feel like there's no plot? like they're already a perfect match and basically in love what are the rest of the pages for i'm confused and please don't hate me i just don't typically read romances i'm sorry
13/04 6:30pm
what on gods green earth you expect me to believe a seemingly perfect man everyone just declares isn't the one what do you mean? like what do you mean this is all too meet cute for me i'm what do you mean?
13/04 1:40pm
i will never understand the american diet or how they describe coffee orders what the heck is a grande triple caramel macchiato iced tea infusion thingy; the dragon fruit one? when i order a coffee (which i don't) i get a flat white
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⋆˙⟡♡ pre-reading
everyone please pray for me - i'm tackling my biggest fear, a romance novel. i will do my very best to not DNF this.
5/5 ✧₊⁺☆
“Weyward, they called us, when we would not submit, would not bend to their will. But we learned to wear the name with pride”
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જ⁀➴ Plot:
man
જ⁀➴ Characters:
Altha
Violet
Kate
જ⁀➴ World/Setting:
જ⁀➴ Pacing:
જ⁀➴ Enjoyment:
“The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force on the planet.” - Adrienne Rich
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score card:
2.2/5ੈ ✩‧₊˚
DNF @ 55%
I must just be choosing all the wrong reads for me.
This really disappointed me. I wanted to love this so much - I loved the premise. I used to read the Chinese Cinderella series when I was younger and I loved how rich the culture was, and discovering everything that came along with that.
The main issue for me was the pacing. Without spoiling - the blurb tells you that Rebecca and Jasmine's stories intertwine, but they don't show you how, at least not yet. I felt no urgency on how Jasmine was going to get Fifi back, or if Wren was going to find Jasmine.
I felt like they spent way too long on the world building and I'm really sorry but I just got bored and didn't want to finish it, and was not looking forward to what was happening next. It's 2024 - if I don't want to read a book, I'm going to DNF it ):
Things I loved surrounded the underlying themes, with Rebecca's struggle of being a mother of a mixed baby. That reminds me of my own mother, and that was the most interesting part of the book to me.
I just think for over halfway through, I should feel a bit more urgency and a bit more direction in the plot. It feels like there has been no development since the start.
Would I recommend this? I'm not sure. The plot has so much promise. The writing style was so vivid and built a world I could picture perfectly in my mind. Maybe if I had finished this book I'd have a different opinion, but for now this is where I'm at.
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score card:
plot: 4/5
characters: 2/5
world/setting: 2/5
pacing: 1/5
enjoyment: 2/5
total: 2.2/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
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reading log
07/04 2:32am
goodness me its picked up the pace now, and i'm intrigued. i think initially the pacing was hard to get behind and I do love the underlying feminist themes
06/04 8:08pm
i love jasmine's chapters, rebecca's not so much - they feel like fever dreams
06/04 12:48pm
i'm finding it a tad difficult to get into this, maybe because of my sort of drowsy state from being in hospital?
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pre-reading ⋆˙⟡♡
i can't continue on with magnolia parks at the minute whilst my own heartbreak is going on, so i thought i'd switch it up a little bit.
i haven't heard too much on this book so i'm excited to go into this blind :)
3.5/5 ͙͘͡★
୨ৎ post-reading
so i finally finished it! am i a little disappointed? yes. something i can't quite put my finger on didn't hook me in like other thrillers, even though the twist was quite good and clever, i didn't enjoy reading it as much. i may have to come back to my rating, but for now its a 3.25.
pre-reading
i need a good redemption thriller, this seems easily digestible i have confidence in this
2.2 / 5 *ੈ✩‧₊˚
I'll be honest, it's been a while since I read this book so my mind isn't totally clear on why I disliked it so much. It just felt like everything was mashed together in the weirdest ways. The plot twist made sense and I did see it coming, but it wasn't very satisfying.
I've heard that this author often does this in her books, particularly ‘The Paris Apartment' (thanks to those who commented telling me to avoid it.)
It's a shame because I loved the world. Dark and stormy? 100% my thing. Cultish frat boys? Not really my thing.
I do understand how it all tied together, but getting there was so confusing, I felt like I was reading a million short stories compiled together and it wasn't intentional.
I might give the Paris Apartment a shot to kind of see, because I do think this had a lot of potential.
Would I recommend this? No unfortunately ):
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score card:
plot: 3/5
characters: 2/5
world/setting: 3/5
pacing: 1/5
enjoyment: 2/5
total: 2.2/5 *ੈ✩‧₊˚
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reading log
hours of reading: 5.3
post-reading
i'm so disappointed by this book i feel like it had so much potential and it just felt like a fever dream RTC...
pre-reading
i'm attempting the reading for 24 hours thing again, starting with a fast paced thriller - hopefully this is like comfort food
3.5/5 ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ post reading
this was lighthearted and fun, it felt like a hollywood movie. it did break my slump so i'm happy about that! I couldn't give it 4 stars, but I've rounded up :)
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ pre-reading
let's get me out of this reading slump! this book looks fast paced and light hearted - described as funny and hilarious. please pray for me that this gets me out of the slump
4.5/5 *ੈ✩‧₊˚
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ post-reading
february has been so kind to me with good reads. this book, was great. i was so invested in the characters, it was well paced, all the pieces came together at the right times, it was high stakes. sooo good. RTC.
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ pre-reading
i was supposed to do my 24 hour challenge today but I didn't get any sleep and this was supposed to be part of it... so it's morphed into a 12 hour challenge!
UPDATE: i did not get to read all day because relationship drama and im very sad about it so i haven't finished this book yet - i will attempt the 24 hour challenge another time :)
4.5/5 *ੈ✩‧₊˚
“You know what they say, Blackbird. ‘It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye,”
(i'm redoing a bunch of ratings because i don't know what parasite was in my head when making these decisions)
I would die for you way
cutest thing ever
Warning
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જ⁀➴ The banter, the dynamic of all the relationships is just fun.
Sloane
Rowan
જ⁀➴ The premise of the plot is fun and enticing, but is not the main focus.
જ⁀➴ There's a bit of spice. Chapters duration of spice.
જ⁀➴ Would I recommend this? If you like dark and twisty - YES.
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⋆˙⟡♡ post-reading
⋆˙⟡♡ pre-reading
4/5 ✮⋆˙
“You don't shy away from hard things, you're not scared of things that hurt you-you look them in the eye and stare them down until they're on their knees and doing exactly what you want them to do.”
chef's kiss
thrilling
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જ⁀➴ daisy haites.
જ⁀➴ christian hemmes is my new book boyfriend.
જ⁀➴ there was an actual plot!
જ⁀➴ the ENDING
જ⁀➴ am I going to keep reading this series even though the next one is MP and BJ?
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⋆˙⟡♡ post-reading
⋆˙⟡♡ pre-reading
જ⁀➴ 2.5/5 ⭐️
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ post-reading
this took me longer than i expected, probably recovering from being in hospital has something to do with it?
this struck me as a domestic ‘cozy-murder' - i wasn't really on edge, but i liked the story, it was entertaining and i did get through it pretty quick all things considering. RTC.
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ pre-reading
as we're on the thriller train, up next is a domestic thriller - the trope I've been avoiding for a while so let's see how this goes :)
4.25/5 ✮
This was an incredibly fast paced gripping read that ultimately had me yelling at the characters going “WHY” every 10 minutes. This book is the definition of gaslighting, gaslighting yourself even and how that might lead to your ultimate demise - yay!
I'm under no impression this was a perfect book. I've lowered my rating since finishing it after discussing it with people and then I found the glaringly obvious plot holes staring back at me. I also couldn't give it a higher rating because I guessed every twist and turn - and if you're an experienced thriller enthusiast you probably will as well. I still found it enjoyable and couldn't put it down and finished it in one sitting.
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જ⁀➴ The plot was fast paced, but predictable.
Josh wasn't the killer, I instantly went *inhale gasp* it's Robbie.
Charlie
lacks common sense
I'm no mental health professional
Josh's
little
જ⁀➴ The writing style? Enthralling.
જ⁀➴ Would I recommend this?
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post reading ♡༄
pre-readingੈ♡༄