Search
Search results
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Magic Unleashed in Books
Mar 12, 2020
Fast Paced with some problems
TW: Sexual Assualt, Child Abuse, Abuse, mention of slavery, mention of forced prostitution, Victim blaming verbiage.
When I was approached about this book tour, I knew I needed to jump in. Magic Unleased is right up my alley, and I couldn't wait to get started. I ended up low on time, so I snagged the audiobook so that I could read it while reading a few other books in between. The narrator did a good job of portraying the characters, though, at times, his voice bordered on monotone.
Devri Walls sure knows how to write a vast world. The descriptions were great, and at times I felt like I was walking around with Rune & Grey. The setting itself was well done, and I liked to see the author's interpretations of the supernatural characters. My favorite was how the fae were portrayed. They weren't sweet, helpful things but tricksters. I just loved it.
The characters were also well done. I wanted to get to know more about Grey and Rune, and I liked seeing how they interacted with all of the characters. I enjoyed the side characters, as well. It seems like everyone, for the most part, was three dimensional. I will admit, I struggled with how young Grey & Rune acted though this is more of a me issue and not a book issue.
The one thing that didn't sit well with me was some of the victim-blaming verbiages in a specific scene. I felt that the character had every right to be upset, and I feel like she was gaslit because she didn't just accept that something "had" to happen. This scene soured me on the book, and I have to admit, I almost DNFd right then and there. After that scene, I started to notice just some of the ways that Rune was treated, and I hated how she was consistently berated instead of helped.
Though I did find some faults with this book, I ended up pushing through. In the end, I enjoyed the world that created. It was fun to see a more sinister side of faeries, and I enjoyed how fast-paced the plot was. I'm not sure that I will continue in the series, but I do understand why so many people have enjoyed it.
When I was approached about this book tour, I knew I needed to jump in. Magic Unleased is right up my alley, and I couldn't wait to get started. I ended up low on time, so I snagged the audiobook so that I could read it while reading a few other books in between. The narrator did a good job of portraying the characters, though, at times, his voice bordered on monotone.
Devri Walls sure knows how to write a vast world. The descriptions were great, and at times I felt like I was walking around with Rune & Grey. The setting itself was well done, and I liked to see the author's interpretations of the supernatural characters. My favorite was how the fae were portrayed. They weren't sweet, helpful things but tricksters. I just loved it.
The characters were also well done. I wanted to get to know more about Grey and Rune, and I liked seeing how they interacted with all of the characters. I enjoyed the side characters, as well. It seems like everyone, for the most part, was three dimensional. I will admit, I struggled with how young Grey & Rune acted though this is more of a me issue and not a book issue.
The one thing that didn't sit well with me was some of the victim-blaming verbiages in a specific scene. I felt that the character had every right to be upset, and I feel like she was gaslit because she didn't just accept that something "had" to happen. This scene soured me on the book, and I have to admit, I almost DNFd right then and there. After that scene, I started to notice just some of the ways that Rune was treated, and I hated how she was consistently berated instead of helped.
Though I did find some faults with this book, I ended up pushing through. In the end, I enjoyed the world that created. It was fun to see a more sinister side of faeries, and I enjoyed how fast-paced the plot was. I'm not sure that I will continue in the series, but I do understand why so many people have enjoyed it.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Heidi's Guide to Four Letter Words in Books
Jan 12, 2021
This starts with Heidi trying to find a job and her mum and aunt going through a list of schools they think she should work at and Heidi listening miserably, knowing education isn't something she enjoyed. Instead she's applied to be in a receptionist type role at a local small business, not knowing at the time that they record erotic romances in audiobook form. Heidi is equally embarrassed and curious about what goes on at her place of work and with the help of her colleagues begins a podcast where she talks about her hot neighbour who she'd love to date and becoming more confident in saying those tricky four letter words.
I wasn't sure with this to start with. I found Heidi's almost prudishness too much at the start. I can't quite believe that she doesn't even allow herself to think swear words let alone say them. I don't know if it was her religious upbringing or her parents - who I found really annoying at times. It was nice to see her grow more confident in herself with every podcast she broadcasts and book scene she reads.
This one does have some comedy elements in it but, for me, the speech to text thing was hilarious and the funniest part. I couldn't stop laughing for quite a while with that one.
The romance in this didn't seem to take up as much of the book as I'd have liked. I think it got to around the 35% mark before the romance even started to kick in. They had talked briefly and acknowledged each other in the street but it was only after she'd done a few of her podcasts that she even had the guts to approach him for a date and then it was a slow burn into a cute romance. It was a really nice relationship they'd built up and then "the thing" that split them apart for a little while was blown out of proportion - as they do in romance books - before they sorted it out and were cuter than ever.
One thing I didn't understand was the "uff da" thing. I even had to look it up to figure out what that bit was all about. It still seemed a rather odd exclamation to me so I read it as oomph/oof noise.
If you like romantic comedies then you should give this a go.
I wasn't sure with this to start with. I found Heidi's almost prudishness too much at the start. I can't quite believe that she doesn't even allow herself to think swear words let alone say them. I don't know if it was her religious upbringing or her parents - who I found really annoying at times. It was nice to see her grow more confident in herself with every podcast she broadcasts and book scene she reads.
This one does have some comedy elements in it but, for me, the speech to text thing was hilarious and the funniest part. I couldn't stop laughing for quite a while with that one.
The romance in this didn't seem to take up as much of the book as I'd have liked. I think it got to around the 35% mark before the romance even started to kick in. They had talked briefly and acknowledged each other in the street but it was only after she'd done a few of her podcasts that she even had the guts to approach him for a date and then it was a slow burn into a cute romance. It was a really nice relationship they'd built up and then "the thing" that split them apart for a little while was blown out of proportion - as they do in romance books - before they sorted it out and were cuter than ever.
One thing I didn't understand was the "uff da" thing. I even had to look it up to figure out what that bit was all about. It still seemed a rather odd exclamation to me so I read it as oomph/oof noise.
If you like romantic comedies then you should give this a go.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Vanishing of Margaret Small [Audiobook] in Books
Dec 18, 2022
![The Vanishing of Margaret Small [Audiobook]](/uploads/profile_image/292/07af28d6-184f-436e-a53d-a1ddb1c79292.jpg?m=1671380186)
Oh my word! This is a debut novel for Mr Alexander and what a debut it is.
I absolutely love Margaret ... what a likeable and strong character she is despite what she experienced in her young life. She has every reason to dislike her fellow human beings but she is much better person than most ... she is kind, thoughtful and understanding.
The book is told in two timelines, the past and the present.
The present: Margaret is 75 and living independently with the support of her excellent support worker Wayne. Margaret loves Cilla Black and she likes nothing more than listening to Cilla's autobiography but when she starts receiving notes and gifts from someone who signs them with "C", Margaret thinks Cilla is back from the dead but it can't be so who is it? The notes revive memories from Margaret's past.
The past: Margaret's story starts at 7 years old when she is "vanished" into a long-stay institution called St Mary's where she lives for the majority of her life. I won't say she is 'cared for' as what she endured is not care in any way, shape or form but Margaret endures it with innocent acceptance of knowing it's not right but being powerless to do anything about it. There are scenes which broke my heart but others that also warmed it.
Both timelines are equally captivating and enthralling but the past had me in bits at times at the cruelties of how children and adults who are "different" were treated but through it all, was the voice of Margaret who I can only describe as being a beautiful person.
I listened to the audiobook and I can highly recommend it; the narrators are just brilliant particularly the voice of Margaret ... oh my, she was brought to life for me; it was like she was sitting right next to me telling me her story myself ... just brilliant.
Margaret is a fictional character however, her story is based on the experiences of 'real' people the author has met during his working life which makes this book even more powerful and I must thank Bonnier UK Audio, Embla Books and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of The Vanishing of Margaret Small.
I absolutely love Margaret ... what a likeable and strong character she is despite what she experienced in her young life. She has every reason to dislike her fellow human beings but she is much better person than most ... she is kind, thoughtful and understanding.
The book is told in two timelines, the past and the present.
The present: Margaret is 75 and living independently with the support of her excellent support worker Wayne. Margaret loves Cilla Black and she likes nothing more than listening to Cilla's autobiography but when she starts receiving notes and gifts from someone who signs them with "C", Margaret thinks Cilla is back from the dead but it can't be so who is it? The notes revive memories from Margaret's past.
The past: Margaret's story starts at 7 years old when she is "vanished" into a long-stay institution called St Mary's where she lives for the majority of her life. I won't say she is 'cared for' as what she endured is not care in any way, shape or form but Margaret endures it with innocent acceptance of knowing it's not right but being powerless to do anything about it. There are scenes which broke my heart but others that also warmed it.
Both timelines are equally captivating and enthralling but the past had me in bits at times at the cruelties of how children and adults who are "different" were treated but through it all, was the voice of Margaret who I can only describe as being a beautiful person.
I listened to the audiobook and I can highly recommend it; the narrators are just brilliant particularly the voice of Margaret ... oh my, she was brought to life for me; it was like she was sitting right next to me telling me her story myself ... just brilliant.
Margaret is a fictional character however, her story is based on the experiences of 'real' people the author has met during his working life which makes this book even more powerful and I must thank Bonnier UK Audio, Embla Books and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of The Vanishing of Margaret Small.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Raven Boys in Books
Jan 31, 2018
It took a long time for this book to draw me in and even then I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. I am not the type of person to put down a book if I'm not enjoying it, I always try to finish it so that I have a complete picture. I don't know if my lack of engagement was solely due to the story or the fact that I decided to listen to this as an audiobook.
The two main characters are Blue and Gansey, although they are joined by a supporting cast of about eight others. Blue is the daughter of a psychic, but the only ability she has is to amplify her surroundings. She has always known that if she kisses her true love, he will die. Gansey is the rich boy who goes to private school and has a lot of problems. His school friends also had a lot of struggles. Honestly, that's about as deep as the characterization and development felt for me, most of the times. There were a few scenes that we got to see below the surface, but in general, it felt very superficial to me.
Although the book is set in Henrietta, Virginia it takes aspects from Welsh folklore and weaves them into the narrative. As I am not familiar with Welsh folklore, I cannot speak to how accurately it is done. Personally, I didn't feel like the world or magic system was well explained. The mundane was adequately described, but the supernatural was left with a permeating air of mystery.
While the book followed an overarching plot, it also had myriad side plots and points of view thrown in which was also off-putting. They seemed incredibly irrelevant at the same and didn't contribute much to the story. Some of them ended up tying into the story in the very last chapters, leading me to say oh so that's why I've been bothering to listen to this character complain and grouse for the first three-quarters of the book. But others it seems still had no true relevance to the plot, they just added pages to the novel.
I wasn't even going to consider continuing the series until I reached those final few chapters. I still don't love the book, but I'm curious. The ending intrigued me enough that I will take a chance. I have hopes that it will improve, as so many people are in love with this series.
The two main characters are Blue and Gansey, although they are joined by a supporting cast of about eight others. Blue is the daughter of a psychic, but the only ability she has is to amplify her surroundings. She has always known that if she kisses her true love, he will die. Gansey is the rich boy who goes to private school and has a lot of problems. His school friends also had a lot of struggles. Honestly, that's about as deep as the characterization and development felt for me, most of the times. There were a few scenes that we got to see below the surface, but in general, it felt very superficial to me.
Although the book is set in Henrietta, Virginia it takes aspects from Welsh folklore and weaves them into the narrative. As I am not familiar with Welsh folklore, I cannot speak to how accurately it is done. Personally, I didn't feel like the world or magic system was well explained. The mundane was adequately described, but the supernatural was left with a permeating air of mystery.
While the book followed an overarching plot, it also had myriad side plots and points of view thrown in which was also off-putting. They seemed incredibly irrelevant at the same and didn't contribute much to the story. Some of them ended up tying into the story in the very last chapters, leading me to say oh so that's why I've been bothering to listen to this character complain and grouse for the first three-quarters of the book. But others it seems still had no true relevance to the plot, they just added pages to the novel.
I wasn't even going to consider continuing the series until I reached those final few chapters. I still don't love the book, but I'm curious. The ending intrigued me enough that I will take a chance. I have hopes that it will improve, as so many people are in love with this series.
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated Indelible (Grant County, #4) in Books
Jul 23, 2019
Better then the last but still not in the same league as the first couple of books in this series....
This is the fourth in the Grant County series and for a series that started so strong (I loved the first two books) I was really disappointed with this. I would recommend approaching this series in order as they do carry a lot of emotional baggage through the series.
This was the first one I listened to as an audiobook and the Southern American accents used were a bit grating for me, so I'll try to stick to the books in the future for this series (obviously a personal preference.)
With a shootout occuring in the town in the present day, we get flashbacks to an “origin” type story 12 years earlier, which sets out to give the reasoning behind the attack. It’s a pretty shocking attack and the present day part was tense.
This book is very focused on two of the main characters from the series, Medical examiner Sara Linton and her now ex husband / current boyfriend (it’s a complicated relationship) Police Chief Jeffrey. In the flashback parts of this book we see Sara and Jeffrey taking a trip to Jefferies hometown where his best friend ends up shooting someone and a body is found from Jefferies distant past. I didn’t find the investigation part here as engaging as in the previous books, with too much focus on what Jeffrey was like as a lad.
I think my main issue with this particular book is I just don’t like Jeffery and having so much dedicated to back story for him didn’t endear him any more to me. I came out of that part of the story still not liking him or really understanding why Sara is so in love with him (I suppose love is blind.)
Although I enjoyed the action packed present day shootout it still had a character issue in the form of the ever complicated Lena Adams. She is back to being a cop and this is her first day back (talk about bad timing!) I really have no idea why they are letting her back on the force she just seems to be a terrible cop (and not a particularly nice person) who is suffering from PTSD.
I feel I may be being too harsh on this book and I can fully understand people who love the characters in this series (or love to hate main characters) enjoying this book. I just prefer this series when it’s slightly more focused on a case rather than their personal lives.
This was the first one I listened to as an audiobook and the Southern American accents used were a bit grating for me, so I'll try to stick to the books in the future for this series (obviously a personal preference.)
With a shootout occuring in the town in the present day, we get flashbacks to an “origin” type story 12 years earlier, which sets out to give the reasoning behind the attack. It’s a pretty shocking attack and the present day part was tense.
This book is very focused on two of the main characters from the series, Medical examiner Sara Linton and her now ex husband / current boyfriend (it’s a complicated relationship) Police Chief Jeffrey. In the flashback parts of this book we see Sara and Jeffrey taking a trip to Jefferies hometown where his best friend ends up shooting someone and a body is found from Jefferies distant past. I didn’t find the investigation part here as engaging as in the previous books, with too much focus on what Jeffrey was like as a lad.
I think my main issue with this particular book is I just don’t like Jeffery and having so much dedicated to back story for him didn’t endear him any more to me. I came out of that part of the story still not liking him or really understanding why Sara is so in love with him (I suppose love is blind.)
Although I enjoyed the action packed present day shootout it still had a character issue in the form of the ever complicated Lena Adams. She is back to being a cop and this is her first day back (talk about bad timing!) I really have no idea why they are letting her back on the force she just seems to be a terrible cop (and not a particularly nice person) who is suffering from PTSD.
I feel I may be being too harsh on this book and I can fully understand people who love the characters in this series (or love to hate main characters) enjoying this book. I just prefer this series when it’s slightly more focused on a case rather than their personal lives.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Because of you in Books
Nov 9, 2020
This novel has multiple protagonists, and I think they all are equally important in this story. The most influential characters would be Julius and Anna, Hope and Minnie. My heart truly fell for Anna, her husband Julius is a self-centred psychopath and she was left on her own to deal with all the events that were happening to her. I simply do not justify Hope’s actions in this book in any way or format. She had no right to behave the way she did, it does not matter how she felt, jut there is no justification to her actions! Minnie is a true personality, as well as a teenager with all her moods and behaviour. I think this novel is very character-driven, allowing the reader to see the events from different perspectives.
The narrative was an absolute emotional roller-coaster for me. I was angry most of the times, because of Hope and Julius, I was sad, pity but proud of Anna and I was kind of excited for Minnie. This novel discusses a lot of important topics such as stillbirth, toxic marriages, teenage pregnancy, motherly love, loss, mental health issues, sacrifice, self esteem, and many many more. The plot is so full of events, that it is quite difficult not to spoil it. 🙂 One thing I understand, that this is Hate it or Love it kind of book, and I can see why it might happen. 🙂
The writing style of this novel is absolutely magnificent! It was my first novel by Dawn French, and I am impressed to the core. Her ability to develop the character is excellent. I have to warn the readers, that this novel is a very emotionally challenging read, it might trigger PTSD to people who had bad luck with pregnancies or any kind of loss of a child (death, kidnappings, murders, anything…), please proceed with caution. The chapters have a decent length, and this book had me gripped from the first chapter. Even though I was angry most of the time throughout this book, the ending left me weeping like a baby. It is beautifully and heartbreakingly concluded.
So, to conclude, the book that brought so much emotion and left me scarred can be nothing but BRILLIANT. The whole story has absorbed me with its injustice, character’s feelings and all the nuances of the plot. If you have a chance to listen to the audiobook, please do, the author is a brilliant storyteller, and her personality shines through in her narration of this novel.
The narrative was an absolute emotional roller-coaster for me. I was angry most of the times, because of Hope and Julius, I was sad, pity but proud of Anna and I was kind of excited for Minnie. This novel discusses a lot of important topics such as stillbirth, toxic marriages, teenage pregnancy, motherly love, loss, mental health issues, sacrifice, self esteem, and many many more. The plot is so full of events, that it is quite difficult not to spoil it. 🙂 One thing I understand, that this is Hate it or Love it kind of book, and I can see why it might happen. 🙂
The writing style of this novel is absolutely magnificent! It was my first novel by Dawn French, and I am impressed to the core. Her ability to develop the character is excellent. I have to warn the readers, that this novel is a very emotionally challenging read, it might trigger PTSD to people who had bad luck with pregnancies or any kind of loss of a child (death, kidnappings, murders, anything…), please proceed with caution. The chapters have a decent length, and this book had me gripped from the first chapter. Even though I was angry most of the time throughout this book, the ending left me weeping like a baby. It is beautifully and heartbreakingly concluded.
So, to conclude, the book that brought so much emotion and left me scarred can be nothing but BRILLIANT. The whole story has absorbed me with its injustice, character’s feelings and all the nuances of the plot. If you have a chance to listen to the audiobook, please do, the author is a brilliant storyteller, and her personality shines through in her narration of this novel.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Lawyer's Lawyer (Jack Tobin, #3) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
You know what makes certain books fantastic? Character development. That was the strongest point of The Lawyer’s Lawyer; the characters were wonderful.
Jack, the protagonist, was clever and intelligent and innovative and full of emotion (and hilarious when drunk). He was the kind of person I’d want to hang around… and for that matter, so were his friends. They left you with the feeling of belonging, of security. And by the end of the book, you’re thanking your lucky stars Jack had those friends, because they saved his rear end!
Danny was awesome. For the sake of keeping this review spoiler-free, I’ll just say this: The best people are the ones who do everything in love—whether those things are good or bad is up for you to decide.
And the bad guys! Sometimes the bad guys are the best! This was definitely the case in this book. One of the characters, Sam (the police chief), started off as this guy who was a little annoying. But as the story went on, I began to like him less and less, and finally at the end, I despised him. And the lawyer who represented the State in the case? Man that guy was a twit. I hated his guts. I wanted to slap him across the face.
The other exceptional attribute of this book was the narrator for the audiobook. He is incredibly talented, giving unique and identifiable voices to each character that totally described their person in a few sounds. I’m adding Rick Zieff to my list of narrators to look for in the future!
There were a few parts I would have liked to see improved: namely the beginning of the story, a chapter in the middle, and the very last scene. In the beginning, we are met with character development and background information, which is all fine… but there’s this one random case that Jack works that has nothing to do with the main plot. I kept waiting for it to come back into the main story, but it never did, and it felt out of place.
Then there was the scene in the middle, and the other part, the ending. These scenes were just borderline sappy. Danny and Jack are in love and they date and have hot sex and get all wishy-washy and twitterpated. And I’ll be the first to admit that I thoroughly enjoy being twitterpated, especially with sexy fictional characters. But I’m going to be brutally honest here… James Sheehan, you are a thriller writer… NOT a romance writer. And there’s a good reason for that: Because you suck at romance.
All in all, I absolutely loved The Lawyer’s Lawyer, and look forward to more from Sheehan.
Content/Recommendation: Some language, mild violence, mention of sex. Ages 17+
Jack, the protagonist, was clever and intelligent and innovative and full of emotion (and hilarious when drunk). He was the kind of person I’d want to hang around… and for that matter, so were his friends. They left you with the feeling of belonging, of security. And by the end of the book, you’re thanking your lucky stars Jack had those friends, because they saved his rear end!
Danny was awesome. For the sake of keeping this review spoiler-free, I’ll just say this: The best people are the ones who do everything in love—whether those things are good or bad is up for you to decide.
And the bad guys! Sometimes the bad guys are the best! This was definitely the case in this book. One of the characters, Sam (the police chief), started off as this guy who was a little annoying. But as the story went on, I began to like him less and less, and finally at the end, I despised him. And the lawyer who represented the State in the case? Man that guy was a twit. I hated his guts. I wanted to slap him across the face.
The other exceptional attribute of this book was the narrator for the audiobook. He is incredibly talented, giving unique and identifiable voices to each character that totally described their person in a few sounds. I’m adding Rick Zieff to my list of narrators to look for in the future!
There were a few parts I would have liked to see improved: namely the beginning of the story, a chapter in the middle, and the very last scene. In the beginning, we are met with character development and background information, which is all fine… but there’s this one random case that Jack works that has nothing to do with the main plot. I kept waiting for it to come back into the main story, but it never did, and it felt out of place.
Then there was the scene in the middle, and the other part, the ending. These scenes were just borderline sappy. Danny and Jack are in love and they date and have hot sex and get all wishy-washy and twitterpated. And I’ll be the first to admit that I thoroughly enjoy being twitterpated, especially with sexy fictional characters. But I’m going to be brutally honest here… James Sheehan, you are a thriller writer… NOT a romance writer. And there’s a good reason for that: Because you suck at romance.
All in all, I absolutely loved The Lawyer’s Lawyer, and look forward to more from Sheehan.
Content/Recommendation: Some language, mild violence, mention of sex. Ages 17+
Becs (244 KP) rated The Silent Patient in Books
Jun 6, 2019
Twisty and captivating!
My rating: ☆☆☆☆
TRIGGER WARNINGS: talk of suicide, mental illness, depression, stalking, cheating, loss of a parent, and child abuse.
The Silent Patient is told through two different point of views: Theo's, who narrates majority of the novel and Alicia's diary entries. It starts with talking about Alicia and her husband, the life they had, and that one fateful night that changed multiple of lives.
Alicia was seeing things, a man who watched her but she could never see his face clearly. She tried talking to her husband and a therapist about the stalker, but they didn't help one bit. They put her on medications for hallucinations, Alicia didn't take them because she didn't believe that they were hallucinations she was seeing. Then one fateful night, the police barged into the apartment to see Alicia standing standing over her now dead husband. He had been shot five times in the face by Alicia.
Alicia went to court and was charged guilty with her husband's murder but did not speak at all. She became a mute and instead of being sent to prison, she was assigned to a psychiatric unit called The Grove. This is where Theo comes in.
Theo is absolutely obsessed with Alicia Berenson and is determined to get Alicia to talk as nobody else has been able too. But he soon realizes that it isn't what he wants to hear. This is the big twist and I can't tell you cause that would be a spoiler and I don't want to spoil you. *insert winky kissy face*
“That's how therapy works. A patient delegates his unacceptable feelings to his therapist; and she holds everything he is afraid to feel, and she feels it for him. Then, ever so slowly, she feeds his feelings back to him.”
Reasons why I rated it 4 stars:
1. The plot:
The Silent Patient was not only compelling, but captivating as well. It did start a tad slow but soon became unputdownable!
2. My enjoyment:
I really enjoyed the twists, turns, Greek stylized tragedy, and the mysteriousness of both the main characters' stories.
3. Character and story development:
Wow! The development in The Silent Patient was really amazing. Background was given for both characters and story. There was development, even with the switching of POV's. I was not expecting to be enthralled with both Theo and Alicia's stories.
4. Grammar and spelling:
This is a freebie star as I listened via audiobook. But everything sounded grammatically correct!
5. The overall story:
At first, The Silent Patient was slow and I was pushing myself to just get it finished. But it eventually picked up and I was blown away with the mysteriousness and enthrallment of the story.
“We're all crazy, I believe, just in different ways.”
TRIGGER WARNINGS: talk of suicide, mental illness, depression, stalking, cheating, loss of a parent, and child abuse.
The Silent Patient is told through two different point of views: Theo's, who narrates majority of the novel and Alicia's diary entries. It starts with talking about Alicia and her husband, the life they had, and that one fateful night that changed multiple of lives.
Alicia was seeing things, a man who watched her but she could never see his face clearly. She tried talking to her husband and a therapist about the stalker, but they didn't help one bit. They put her on medications for hallucinations, Alicia didn't take them because she didn't believe that they were hallucinations she was seeing. Then one fateful night, the police barged into the apartment to see Alicia standing standing over her now dead husband. He had been shot five times in the face by Alicia.
Alicia went to court and was charged guilty with her husband's murder but did not speak at all. She became a mute and instead of being sent to prison, she was assigned to a psychiatric unit called The Grove. This is where Theo comes in.
Theo is absolutely obsessed with Alicia Berenson and is determined to get Alicia to talk as nobody else has been able too. But he soon realizes that it isn't what he wants to hear. This is the big twist and I can't tell you cause that would be a spoiler and I don't want to spoil you. *insert winky kissy face*
“That's how therapy works. A patient delegates his unacceptable feelings to his therapist; and she holds everything he is afraid to feel, and she feels it for him. Then, ever so slowly, she feeds his feelings back to him.”
Reasons why I rated it 4 stars:
1. The plot:
The Silent Patient was not only compelling, but captivating as well. It did start a tad slow but soon became unputdownable!
2. My enjoyment:
I really enjoyed the twists, turns, Greek stylized tragedy, and the mysteriousness of both the main characters' stories.
3. Character and story development:
Wow! The development in The Silent Patient was really amazing. Background was given for both characters and story. There was development, even with the switching of POV's. I was not expecting to be enthralled with both Theo and Alicia's stories.
4. Grammar and spelling:
This is a freebie star as I listened via audiobook. But everything sounded grammatically correct!
5. The overall story:
At first, The Silent Patient was slow and I was pushing myself to just get it finished. But it eventually picked up and I was blown away with the mysteriousness and enthrallment of the story.
“We're all crazy, I believe, just in different ways.”
Kyera (8 KP) rated They Both Die At The End in Books
Jan 31, 2018
They Both Die at the End. That tells you exactly what is going to happen in the book, yet you hope the entire time that it won't be true. This book made me so happy and sad. The journey was hopeful despite the dark theme and you really connect with the characters. This was my first Adam Silvera novel and I am definitely interested in reading more of his books now.
I also listened to the audiobook for this, rather than physically reading it. I really enjoyed the two narrators who voiced the main characters, Mateo and Rufus. Both Silvera's words and the narrator's execution made the characters come to life. My one negative for the narration was the women who voiced the supporting characters when the chapters switched to their points of view.
I would have been happy with the story being told from just Mateo and Rufus' points of view. Some of the alternative viewpoints added an interesting note to the story or helped weave seemingly unrelated events and lives together, but I didn't feel that they were all relevant and occasionally took me out of the story.
I felt that the two main characters were very well fleshed out and seemed like teenage boys living out their last day. Mateo's anxiety was unique and nicely represented. I also loved that this was an own voices novel, so there was diversity and representation. The novel completely revolves around these two and it's perfect that way. I also feel that Silvera's side characters were decently developed, you could see that they were each unique people but they weren't so detailed that they took away from Mateo and Rufus' stories.
Honestly, even though you know what's coming the book manages to keep you completely emotionally engaged and on your toes. Right in the beginning of the book one of Rufus' friends starts to cry because he didn't get to hug his best friend. It was so sad, so soon and we hadn't even experienced hundreds of pages of development and heart-string tugging yet. I knew right then that I was in for a book that would have an affect.
I am not entirely sure how I feel about the world-building. The contemporary aspects of it were fantastic and I could completely see each place that the two visited. It was the Death-Cast aspect of it that felt a little flimsy to me. I think that part of the story is the mystery of it, but I do wish we learned more. It one of the few things that I felt could be improved in this book.
I really enjoyed this read and would highly recommend it if you like character-driven novels and don't mind a good cry at the end..
I also listened to the audiobook for this, rather than physically reading it. I really enjoyed the two narrators who voiced the main characters, Mateo and Rufus. Both Silvera's words and the narrator's execution made the characters come to life. My one negative for the narration was the women who voiced the supporting characters when the chapters switched to their points of view.
I would have been happy with the story being told from just Mateo and Rufus' points of view. Some of the alternative viewpoints added an interesting note to the story or helped weave seemingly unrelated events and lives together, but I didn't feel that they were all relevant and occasionally took me out of the story.
I felt that the two main characters were very well fleshed out and seemed like teenage boys living out their last day. Mateo's anxiety was unique and nicely represented. I also loved that this was an own voices novel, so there was diversity and representation. The novel completely revolves around these two and it's perfect that way. I also feel that Silvera's side characters were decently developed, you could see that they were each unique people but they weren't so detailed that they took away from Mateo and Rufus' stories.
Honestly, even though you know what's coming the book manages to keep you completely emotionally engaged and on your toes. Right in the beginning of the book one of Rufus' friends starts to cry because he didn't get to hug his best friend. It was so sad, so soon and we hadn't even experienced hundreds of pages of development and heart-string tugging yet. I knew right then that I was in for a book that would have an affect.
I am not entirely sure how I feel about the world-building. The contemporary aspects of it were fantastic and I could completely see each place that the two visited. It was the Death-Cast aspect of it that felt a little flimsy to me. I think that part of the story is the mystery of it, but I do wish we learned more. It one of the few things that I felt could be improved in this book.
I really enjoyed this read and would highly recommend it if you like character-driven novels and don't mind a good cry at the end..
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated A Matter of Grave Concern in Books
Feb 21, 2018
I listened to this as an audiobook during my commute back and forth to work. I have to admit that Historical romance is not one of my preferred genres, and someone who enjoys romance novels might have a different opinion of this book. I was in the library one Saturday afternoon with my two girls and wanted to grab something to listen to in a hurry. The title caught my eye, and I skimmed the beginning of the blurb on the back. I read just enough to make me think it was an historical mystery, and not even paying attention to the author I took it and checked out. Driving in to work that first Monday morning after picking it up, it didn't take long to realize what I had. I might have stopped listening if I'd had another book to listen to in the car, but since it was all that i had with me, I kept going.
The story is about a young woman named Abby who's father is a surgeon at Aldersgate School of Medicine. She decides to help the college keep their students by providing a corpse for the required anatomy classes. This requires Abby to deal with a group of resurectionists, or body snatchers. Little does she know that one of the gang is not what he is pretending to be. Max Wilder has actually joined the gang of grave robbers in search of his half sister, Madeline, who has gone missing and was last seen in the company of the gang's leader, Jack Hurtsill.
This story had it's ups and downs. At times the characters thoughts and concerns seemed repetitive and almost silly. Should she or shouldn't she give in to Max. Will he or won't he tell Abby the truth. I know some of that is necessary to help build tension, but it seemed a bit much. I'm not sure how I would have felt in Abby's position as Max revealed one secret after another, instead of coming clean up front. It also seemed that after spending the first 2/3 of the book searching for Madeline, her part of the story was wrapped up in a rush. It was interesting to hear about what colleges were willing to condone to get the corpses they needed for their students to study medicine, however, and there was enough danger, suspense, and intrigue to keep my attention.
All in all, this was not a bad story, but there was too much graphic sex for my taste. If you don't mind that, or are willing to do a little skimming, then it might be worth a read.
The story is about a young woman named Abby who's father is a surgeon at Aldersgate School of Medicine. She decides to help the college keep their students by providing a corpse for the required anatomy classes. This requires Abby to deal with a group of resurectionists, or body snatchers. Little does she know that one of the gang is not what he is pretending to be. Max Wilder has actually joined the gang of grave robbers in search of his half sister, Madeline, who has gone missing and was last seen in the company of the gang's leader, Jack Hurtsill.
This story had it's ups and downs. At times the characters thoughts and concerns seemed repetitive and almost silly. Should she or shouldn't she give in to Max. Will he or won't he tell Abby the truth. I know some of that is necessary to help build tension, but it seemed a bit much. I'm not sure how I would have felt in Abby's position as Max revealed one secret after another, instead of coming clean up front. It also seemed that after spending the first 2/3 of the book searching for Madeline, her part of the story was wrapped up in a rush. It was interesting to hear about what colleges were willing to condone to get the corpses they needed for their students to study medicine, however, and there was enough danger, suspense, and intrigue to keep my attention.
All in all, this was not a bad story, but there was too much graphic sex for my taste. If you don't mind that, or are willing to do a little skimming, then it might be worth a read.