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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2177 KP) rated Seams Like Murder in Books
Oct 4, 2022 (Updated Oct 4, 2022)
Can Abbey Sew Up a Murder?
When her life in Los Angeles falls apart, Abbey Chandler heads up the California coast to the town of Hideaway Grove where she spent many happy summers as a child visiting her aunt. Abbey’s hardly arrived before she catches a glimpse of a hit and run behind her aunt’s bakery. Now, instead of trying to figure out what to do with her life, Abbey is trying to figure out who killed the town’s new librarian. Everyone seemed to love the victim. Who wanted her dead?
This book gets out to a quick start, but then the pacing becomes uneven. There is lots of set up for future books in the series here. I enjoyed seeing Abbey reconnect with old friends and making new ones as well as discovering a love of sewing, but it did slow things down. Don’t misunderstand, there is a good mystery here, and I like how things came together at the end. I also really liked most of the characters, although the sheriff was shockingly clueless. There are many scenes in the aunt’s bakery that will have you drooling, but this is a crafting cozy series, so our extra is a guide to creating pillowcase dresses. If you are looking for a promising new series, this is one to check out.
This book gets out to a quick start, but then the pacing becomes uneven. There is lots of set up for future books in the series here. I enjoyed seeing Abbey reconnect with old friends and making new ones as well as discovering a love of sewing, but it did slow things down. Don’t misunderstand, there is a good mystery here, and I like how things came together at the end. I also really liked most of the characters, although the sheriff was shockingly clueless. There are many scenes in the aunt’s bakery that will have you drooling, but this is a crafting cozy series, so our extra is a guide to creating pillowcase dresses. If you are looking for a promising new series, this is one to check out.
Merissa (11972 KP) rated Dominic and the Dolphin (Land and Sea: A Shifter Series, #3) in Books
Oct 3, 2023
DOMINIC AND THE DOLPHIN is the third book in the Land and Sea: A Shifter Series but the first one I have read. In no way did this affect my enjoyment of the story, apart from now wanting to go back and read the first two as well.
I love Shifter books and if they have Mpreg in there, all the better. But what I got with this was unexpected! And I loved that. You see, usually in Shifter books, if there is a fated mate, it's BOOM, all hands on deck. But not with this one. Oh no! Instead, the author had me laughing out loud as these two have no idea they're fated PLUS they enjoy snarking at each other.
Add to that a hint of danger for both of them (in different ways), friends you can count on, new found family, plus the most amazing pregnancy/nesting/birth scenes I have read.
I loved every word of this story and am so glad I took the chance on it, even knowing it was the third in a series. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 3, 2023
I love Shifter books and if they have Mpreg in there, all the better. But what I got with this was unexpected! And I loved that. You see, usually in Shifter books, if there is a fated mate, it's BOOM, all hands on deck. But not with this one. Oh no! Instead, the author had me laughing out loud as these two have no idea they're fated PLUS they enjoy snarking at each other.
Add to that a hint of danger for both of them (in different ways), friends you can count on, new found family, plus the most amazing pregnancy/nesting/birth scenes I have read.
I loved every word of this story and am so glad I took the chance on it, even knowing it was the third in a series. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 3, 2023
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2177 KP) rated A Fatal Groove in Books
Jul 27, 2023
Murder is Anything but Groovy
It’s the weekend of the Bluebonnet Festival in Cedar River, Texas, and Juni Jessup and her sisters are looking forward to fun while also selling coffee and introducing the bands on the main stage. Their first customer of the first day is Mayor Bob. When Juni goes to drop something off at his office a little later, she finds him dead. With their reputations once again on the line, the sisters try to figure out what is happening. Mayor Bob was popular because he didn’t make any waves, so who would want to kill him?
After an initial strong start, the book stalled a bit introducing some sub-plots before it really got started again. I did guess the killer a little early, but I needed Juni to fill in most of the rest. Once again, there are some odd uses of they/them pronouns, and Juni’s first-person narration comes across as judgmental a few times. Overall, I do like her and I love her relationship with her sisters. The love triangle is still in play, although it takes a back seat to the rest of the happenings. There are lots of smiles and some laughs along the way as well. If you enjoy music and are looking for a fun mystery, this is the series for you.
After an initial strong start, the book stalled a bit introducing some sub-plots before it really got started again. I did guess the killer a little early, but I needed Juni to fill in most of the rest. Once again, there are some odd uses of they/them pronouns, and Juni’s first-person narration comes across as judgmental a few times. Overall, I do like her and I love her relationship with her sisters. The love triangle is still in play, although it takes a back seat to the rest of the happenings. There are lots of smiles and some laughs along the way as well. If you enjoy music and are looking for a fun mystery, this is the series for you.
Merissa (11972 KP) rated Resolve And Retribution in Books
May 17, 2023
This is an incredibly in-depth tale, which doesn't make much sense to start with. As the story progresses though, and you get more information on who Tabitha is and what she can do, it starts to make more sense.
Ben is a boy at the start of this book, and in his fifties by the end. I think this is one of the rare occasions when I have read about the main character ageing in such a way. It certainly made for a nice change, although it did get a bit confusing when the age changed with no notice or warning given.
There is action and suspense here, as well as courage, friendship and loyalty. The English that is spoken is from a few centuries ago. With a detailed backstory, you get the whole thing - beginning, middle, and end (of this book). It does end on a minor cliffhanger, so fair warning.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone who wants to read something to get their teeth into and likes vampires with a difference.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 17, 2016
Ben is a boy at the start of this book, and in his fifties by the end. I think this is one of the rare occasions when I have read about the main character ageing in such a way. It certainly made for a nice change, although it did get a bit confusing when the age changed with no notice or warning given.
There is action and suspense here, as well as courage, friendship and loyalty. The English that is spoken is from a few centuries ago. With a detailed backstory, you get the whole thing - beginning, middle, and end (of this book). It does end on a minor cliffhanger, so fair warning.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone who wants to read something to get their teeth into and likes vampires with a difference.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 17, 2016
Merissa (11972 KP) rated Embrace the Choice in Books
May 13, 2022 (Updated Jun 20, 2023)
EMBRACE THE CHOICE is the second book in The Choice series and we meet Lena, a roommate of Ali's, as she tries to navigate her way around dates and social interactions.
Lena has never had a date, or been kissed, and likes reading books and studying. Not exactly the party girl of the group. Tyler is Noah's roommate and has liked Lena for a while before he starts thinking of excuses to spend time with her.
This was a quick, fun read. You don't get a lot of details and it is all told from Lena's point of view. I would have liked to know what Tyler's thoughts and feelings were. I also felt that, although it appears their story is wrapped up nicely, it did end abruptly. It was also good to see Ali and Noah's relationship progressing although they obviously weren't the stars of the show this time.
A good addition to the series and one I enjoyed. If you fancy a quick coffee-break book, I have no hesitation in recommending this one.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 11, 2022
Lena has never had a date, or been kissed, and likes reading books and studying. Not exactly the party girl of the group. Tyler is Noah's roommate and has liked Lena for a while before he starts thinking of excuses to spend time with her.
This was a quick, fun read. You don't get a lot of details and it is all told from Lena's point of view. I would have liked to know what Tyler's thoughts and feelings were. I also felt that, although it appears their story is wrapped up nicely, it did end abruptly. It was also good to see Ali and Noah's relationship progressing although they obviously weren't the stars of the show this time.
A good addition to the series and one I enjoyed. If you fancy a quick coffee-break book, I have no hesitation in recommending this one.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 11, 2022
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2177 KP) rated A Scaly Tail of Murder in Books
Feb 15, 2024 (Updated Feb 15, 2024)
Iguana Solve a Murder?
Just as Frankie Chandler is trying to adjust to being engaged to Detective Martin Bowers, her ex, Jeff, comes to town. Rather surprising since she hasn’t seen him since she moved to Arizona from Wisconsin. He came to town following Charity, a woman he’s just met. The problem? Charity turns Jeff down, but she has his keys. So Frankie agrees to go to the spa where Charity works to retrieve them. When she arrives, she finds Charity dead with Charity’s pet iguana the only witness. Can Frankie figure out what is going on?
Yes, this is one of the rare paranormal series I read since Frankie has discovered she really can communicate with animals. Since the last couple of books have found Frankie out of town, I enjoyed seeing all the regular haunts this time around. The characters are also fun, although I did have some issues with how Frankie treated Jeff in this book. Likewise, a couple of times, Frankie seemed to know something we hadn’t seen her learn. But both are minor overall. The plot had plenty of viable suspects and some nice surprises before we reached the logical end. Meanwhile, the characters provided plenty of smiles and laughs. If you are looking for a light paranormal cozy, you’ll be glad you picked this book up.
Yes, this is one of the rare paranormal series I read since Frankie has discovered she really can communicate with animals. Since the last couple of books have found Frankie out of town, I enjoyed seeing all the regular haunts this time around. The characters are also fun, although I did have some issues with how Frankie treated Jeff in this book. Likewise, a couple of times, Frankie seemed to know something we hadn’t seen her learn. But both are minor overall. The plot had plenty of viable suspects and some nice surprises before we reached the logical end. Meanwhile, the characters provided plenty of smiles and laughs. If you are looking for a light paranormal cozy, you’ll be glad you picked this book up.
A Bibliophagist (113 KP) rated You in Books
Jan 27, 2020 (Updated Jan 27, 2020)
Unique (3 more)
Well thought out
Fast paced
Creepy
Sometimes loses focus (1 more)
Character feels inconsistant
Unique, interesting and stands on it's own
As a book nerd, and fan of crime podcasts and shows, I had to read this book after loving the show version of it.
Honestly, this is one of the better adaptations (as far as book to screen goes). The show stays true enough to the book, but the book retains enough to be worth the read, even if you've watched the show.
The book is presented completely as the internal monologue of Joe Goldburg, a bookstore employee who is unstable, obsessive and violent. It follows his narration(and therefore unreliable account) of meeting Beck, a girl he becomes obsessed with, stalks and eventually forms a relationship with. The book handles this extremely well, presenting Joe ample opportunity to believably narrate every aspect of the story. He manipulates Beck's life, interfering with a current, bad, boyfriend, toxic friendships and Beck herself, to pave way for what he considers the inevitable, Beck and him living happily ever after. However, obviously, when you are a murderous, psycho, stalker, things never go as you imagine.
Unlike the show, the book never lets you forget that Joe is a monster, having it delivered 100% from his perspective lets us see all the questionable interworkings of his mind. Kepnes obviously referenced incel forums while researching, because a lot of what he says is copy pasta incel rhetoric. He is a bad guy. I think where I struggled with this book is that Beck, in her own way, is a terrible, narcissistic, whiney piece of work. She treats everyone terribly and is very "woe is me". Leaving me to not care about her fate. I watched her fall into his grasp and almost rooted for her demise because she was just the worst. I feel the author needed to deliver something redeeming about her to make me care about what he was doing to her. But up until the end, I hated Beck. But, unlike the show, unlike the masses of Joe fans onlines, I hated Joe too in this book. It was scary how so much he did was so easy, and with the incel like thoughts it reminds you that this would be so easy to happen in real life. At times however, his character felt inconsistent, making dumb descisions or having severe thoughts that didn't feel like his mental instability, just inconsistent story telling. So I would argue that the show was smart in removing all the incel thoughts, all the oversexualized, suddenly very agressive thoughts. Because of course someone who thinks like that could do these things. It's almost scarier that the show version doesn't think this way, just fully 100% believes he is doing the right thing. That's scary. I wish the author had employed that more in her book, something to prove to the reader that Joe fully was convinced he was good. But for every time she attempted to write this she undermined it with some obviously bad thought, that never made the reader doubt for a moment. This isn't bad persay, but I think it took a little creepiness from the book and traded it for shock value. The equivalent of showing the monster in a creepy monster flick. Overall it kept my attention, and I immediately ordered the next book (this one ended very different from the show, and ancillary names were used for different character in season 2) so I'm excited to see what she did in book two, as I won't have something to compare it to.
Worth the read, whether you've seen the show or not. Dark, real, and very creepy. It'll make you look at strangers a little differently.
Honestly, this is one of the better adaptations (as far as book to screen goes). The show stays true enough to the book, but the book retains enough to be worth the read, even if you've watched the show.
The book is presented completely as the internal monologue of Joe Goldburg, a bookstore employee who is unstable, obsessive and violent. It follows his narration(and therefore unreliable account) of meeting Beck, a girl he becomes obsessed with, stalks and eventually forms a relationship with. The book handles this extremely well, presenting Joe ample opportunity to believably narrate every aspect of the story. He manipulates Beck's life, interfering with a current, bad, boyfriend, toxic friendships and Beck herself, to pave way for what he considers the inevitable, Beck and him living happily ever after. However, obviously, when you are a murderous, psycho, stalker, things never go as you imagine.
Unlike the show, the book never lets you forget that Joe is a monster, having it delivered 100% from his perspective lets us see all the questionable interworkings of his mind. Kepnes obviously referenced incel forums while researching, because a lot of what he says is copy pasta incel rhetoric. He is a bad guy. I think where I struggled with this book is that Beck, in her own way, is a terrible, narcissistic, whiney piece of work. She treats everyone terribly and is very "woe is me". Leaving me to not care about her fate. I watched her fall into his grasp and almost rooted for her demise because she was just the worst. I feel the author needed to deliver something redeeming about her to make me care about what he was doing to her. But up until the end, I hated Beck. But, unlike the show, unlike the masses of Joe fans onlines, I hated Joe too in this book. It was scary how so much he did was so easy, and with the incel like thoughts it reminds you that this would be so easy to happen in real life. At times however, his character felt inconsistent, making dumb descisions or having severe thoughts that didn't feel like his mental instability, just inconsistent story telling. So I would argue that the show was smart in removing all the incel thoughts, all the oversexualized, suddenly very agressive thoughts. Because of course someone who thinks like that could do these things. It's almost scarier that the show version doesn't think this way, just fully 100% believes he is doing the right thing. That's scary. I wish the author had employed that more in her book, something to prove to the reader that Joe fully was convinced he was good. But for every time she attempted to write this she undermined it with some obviously bad thought, that never made the reader doubt for a moment. This isn't bad persay, but I think it took a little creepiness from the book and traded it for shock value. The equivalent of showing the monster in a creepy monster flick. Overall it kept my attention, and I immediately ordered the next book (this one ended very different from the show, and ancillary names were used for different character in season 2) so I'm excited to see what she did in book two, as I won't have something to compare it to.
Worth the read, whether you've seen the show or not. Dark, real, and very creepy. It'll make you look at strangers a little differently.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Evil that came to Denham in Books
Jan 20, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
The Evil that came to Denham by John Ulrich is based on a real story that I doubt many people have heard of. This story is The Denham Massacre in 1870 where all seven members of the Marshall family were brutally murdered. If this is something that interests you I invite you to read on.
The narrator tells the story of his parents in their first house in Denham. Christine (the narrator's mother) comes from an extremely proper family. Her father is extremely controlling and abusive while her mother is religious and believes that her husband’s behavior is the will of God. Neither one of Christine’s parents approves of John, her boyfriend (and the narrator's father) because he is a garbage collector and doesn't come from money. It is their dislike for John and the mistreatment of Christine that pushes John to quickly find a home of their own.
John comes across a home for rent called Harridons at Cheapside Lane in Denham in the paper. After making the proper arrangements John, Christine, and their friend Dave happily rent the house. The happiness is short-lived as Christine is soon the first to hear the disembodied screams of women and children. It quickly becomes clear that there is more to this house than the three originally though. It takes a long talk with a priest and the landlords before they learn the truth behind the house. A horrible massacre many years before has stained the very land the house sits on and has left behind some very unhappy sprits.
I enjoyed the style of the storytelling used. When someone in the main story is telling another character a story about something else that happened in the past it is written like a flashback. The entire thing flows wonderfully without any jarring transitions. What I did not like was how just about everyone is accepting of what was going on in the house. Naturally, I expected more people to be skeptical of the paranormal happenings. This isn’t so much a problem as it is an odd observation.
This is an adult horror book that could be acceptable for slightly younger readers, such as those still in high school. One of the big issues is the fact that there is a fair amount of vivid gore scenes that some younger readers may find disturbing. Readers should also be prepared for a relatively long novel. I rate this book 3 out of 4. While not my favorite book its was still wonderful. A great read for any time of the year but especially around Halloween as this one truly was creepy. The fact that it is based on a true story adds to the creepy level even more.
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The narrator tells the story of his parents in their first house in Denham. Christine (the narrator's mother) comes from an extremely proper family. Her father is extremely controlling and abusive while her mother is religious and believes that her husband’s behavior is the will of God. Neither one of Christine’s parents approves of John, her boyfriend (and the narrator's father) because he is a garbage collector and doesn't come from money. It is their dislike for John and the mistreatment of Christine that pushes John to quickly find a home of their own.
John comes across a home for rent called Harridons at Cheapside Lane in Denham in the paper. After making the proper arrangements John, Christine, and their friend Dave happily rent the house. The happiness is short-lived as Christine is soon the first to hear the disembodied screams of women and children. It quickly becomes clear that there is more to this house than the three originally though. It takes a long talk with a priest and the landlords before they learn the truth behind the house. A horrible massacre many years before has stained the very land the house sits on and has left behind some very unhappy sprits.
I enjoyed the style of the storytelling used. When someone in the main story is telling another character a story about something else that happened in the past it is written like a flashback. The entire thing flows wonderfully without any jarring transitions. What I did not like was how just about everyone is accepting of what was going on in the house. Naturally, I expected more people to be skeptical of the paranormal happenings. This isn’t so much a problem as it is an odd observation.
This is an adult horror book that could be acceptable for slightly younger readers, such as those still in high school. One of the big issues is the fact that there is a fair amount of vivid gore scenes that some younger readers may find disturbing. Readers should also be prepared for a relatively long novel. I rate this book 3 out of 4. While not my favorite book its was still wonderful. A great read for any time of the year but especially around Halloween as this one truly was creepy. The fact that it is based on a true story adds to the creepy level even more.
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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated What Happens Now? in Books
Feb 3, 2020
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<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/WhatHappensNow_BTB.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1"/>;
<b><i>I am so excited to be part of the Blog Tour for What Happens Now by Sophia Money-Coutts! Thank you to the team at HQ, for being so kind to send me a copy of this book!
Without further delays, let’s see what I thought…</i></b>
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Book-Review-Banner-12.png?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1"/>;
What Happens Now by Sophia Money-Coutts is a wonderful story that features Lil, who is a normal lady, living a normal life. She thought she has found ”the one”, but after so many years, this fellow dumps her for a twenty-year old blonde girl.
Doing what everyone should do, she moves on, and tries to find a new match, choosing a dating app and swiping right. She finds a handsome man that seems to like her and arranges a date. She gets ready, meets this guy, has a few drinks and spends the night at his apartment.
<b><i>What is the worse thing that can happen?</i></b>
Well – firstly, he doesn’t seem to respond to her messages at all. And then, she discovers that he is, in fact, the famous mountaineer Max, who is currently out there somewhere, climbing a mountain and can’t actually see her messages, the Max who is possibly Prince William’s best friend. But on top of it all, after weeing on a stick, she discovers she is pregnant with his baby.
So now Lil is single, thirty-one and living in a small flat in London, and this is not how she expected to become a mum. But our lady Lil here is probably the bravest woman I have ever encountered in my books, and she decides to do this whole motherhood thing on her own. Yes – she really likes Max, and it would be amazing if he gets involved too, but she doesn’t need him really. She can do this!
Throughout this book I felt so empowered to read about Lil’s daily challenges and I was cheering for her all the way through. She, and all women in the world that had the courage to give birth to and raise a child on their own should be praised, and I can’t think of any words to describe how brave these people are and how much I admire them!
Lucky for Lil, she has her mother and her stepdad along her way throughout the whole journey, and these two people are the friendliest and kindest people in the world.
And then there’s Jess – Lil’s best friend, who is, by the way, THE BEST FRIEND anyone wants. She was EVERYTHING and I loved her so much! She was always there for Lil, giving the best advises in the world. We all need a Jess in our lives!
And to be honest, given my low opinion on Sophia’s first book, The Plus One, I didn’t have high expectations on this one, but I think she outdid herself and created a masterpiece! The writing style has improved so much, that you wouldn’t notice these two books have been written by the same author.
I loved reading about Lil’s journey – I truly did. The writing was gorgeous and I couldn’t put the book down. Very empowering, but at the same time a very light summer read. I recommend it to all of you – read What Happens Now? this summer, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/WhatHappensNow_BTB.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1"/>;
<b><i>I am so excited to be part of the Blog Tour for What Happens Now by Sophia Money-Coutts! Thank you to the team at HQ, for being so kind to send me a copy of this book!
Without further delays, let’s see what I thought…</i></b>
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Book-Review-Banner-12.png?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1"/>;
What Happens Now by Sophia Money-Coutts is a wonderful story that features Lil, who is a normal lady, living a normal life. She thought she has found ”the one”, but after so many years, this fellow dumps her for a twenty-year old blonde girl.
Doing what everyone should do, she moves on, and tries to find a new match, choosing a dating app and swiping right. She finds a handsome man that seems to like her and arranges a date. She gets ready, meets this guy, has a few drinks and spends the night at his apartment.
<b><i>What is the worse thing that can happen?</i></b>
Well – firstly, he doesn’t seem to respond to her messages at all. And then, she discovers that he is, in fact, the famous mountaineer Max, who is currently out there somewhere, climbing a mountain and can’t actually see her messages, the Max who is possibly Prince William’s best friend. But on top of it all, after weeing on a stick, she discovers she is pregnant with his baby.
So now Lil is single, thirty-one and living in a small flat in London, and this is not how she expected to become a mum. But our lady Lil here is probably the bravest woman I have ever encountered in my books, and she decides to do this whole motherhood thing on her own. Yes – she really likes Max, and it would be amazing if he gets involved too, but she doesn’t need him really. She can do this!
Throughout this book I felt so empowered to read about Lil’s daily challenges and I was cheering for her all the way through. She, and all women in the world that had the courage to give birth to and raise a child on their own should be praised, and I can’t think of any words to describe how brave these people are and how much I admire them!
Lucky for Lil, she has her mother and her stepdad along her way throughout the whole journey, and these two people are the friendliest and kindest people in the world.
And then there’s Jess – Lil’s best friend, who is, by the way, THE BEST FRIEND anyone wants. She was EVERYTHING and I loved her so much! She was always there for Lil, giving the best advises in the world. We all need a Jess in our lives!
And to be honest, given my low opinion on Sophia’s first book, The Plus One, I didn’t have high expectations on this one, but I think she outdid herself and created a masterpiece! The writing style has improved so much, that you wouldn’t notice these two books have been written by the same author.
I loved reading about Lil’s journey – I truly did. The writing was gorgeous and I couldn’t put the book down. Very empowering, but at the same time a very light summer read. I recommend it to all of you – read What Happens Now? this summer, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Favorite Sister in Books
Mar 10, 2019
Fell flat for me
The reality TV show Goal Diggers is supposed to buck the trend of most reality TV, with a focus on the radical notion that it is about women putting other women first. It even features unmarried, childless (for the most part), successful women. But, is that really the case? It sure seems like everyone on Diggers is fake and lying. There's Brett, 27, the youngest of the group, who is running her business, SPOKE, which focuses on helping women in Morocco. Her sister, Kelly is the newest addition, and she runs the business with Brett and is a mom to her teenage daughter, Layla. There's also Jen, who oversees her vegan empire; Lauren, creator of a dating website; and Stephanie, a successful author. None of these women really like each other after several seasons of the show. Even so, the producers never expected it all to end in murder.
I have some conflicted and confused emotions about this book. It took me over a week to read, which is forever in my world (I finished three other books in the meantime, to put it in perspective). You know how your Kindle tells you the percentage left to read? I swear that number never changed, it felt like such slow going, and I considered giving up several times. I really only kept reading because of a big reveal that happened on page one (literally) and then the rest of the book spends its time going back in time explaining what happened. I was mildly curious enough to find out what went down. The novel keeps you wondering just enough even if you don't like the characters.
Because, wow, these characters are really despicable. I can get past it in most books, and I thought maybe I'd like Brett for a while, but this self-centered group really took the cake. I am not a reality TV person, especially Real Housewives, so maybe that's part of why this one wasn't for me? I found the in-fighting, petty catfights, and personal drama to just be over-the-top. It's sad, because at times, I found a real wit and depth to the book, but for the most part it just dragged on. And on.
And again, some of this just may be because I'm not a reality TV gal. I really like Knoll's writing, I just couldn't get a handle on the tone. Funny? Serious? Both? What was it aiming for? Did it all just go over my head? I caught that it was trying for some really meaningful social commentary about feminism, weight, race, and so much more, but then it would get lost in two women fighting over platform heels.
There were some good twists at the end, but overall, this one fell flat for me, including the final ending. I felt like I slogged through it, and I just didn't enjoy the characters. Perhaps I missed the overall point or meaning. Many others have enjoyed it, so you may find it's more suited for you than it was for me.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
I have some conflicted and confused emotions about this book. It took me over a week to read, which is forever in my world (I finished three other books in the meantime, to put it in perspective). You know how your Kindle tells you the percentage left to read? I swear that number never changed, it felt like such slow going, and I considered giving up several times. I really only kept reading because of a big reveal that happened on page one (literally) and then the rest of the book spends its time going back in time explaining what happened. I was mildly curious enough to find out what went down. The novel keeps you wondering just enough even if you don't like the characters.
Because, wow, these characters are really despicable. I can get past it in most books, and I thought maybe I'd like Brett for a while, but this self-centered group really took the cake. I am not a reality TV person, especially Real Housewives, so maybe that's part of why this one wasn't for me? I found the in-fighting, petty catfights, and personal drama to just be over-the-top. It's sad, because at times, I found a real wit and depth to the book, but for the most part it just dragged on. And on.
And again, some of this just may be because I'm not a reality TV gal. I really like Knoll's writing, I just couldn't get a handle on the tone. Funny? Serious? Both? What was it aiming for? Did it all just go over my head? I caught that it was trying for some really meaningful social commentary about feminism, weight, race, and so much more, but then it would get lost in two women fighting over platform heels.
There were some good twists at the end, but overall, this one fell flat for me, including the final ending. I felt like I slogged through it, and I just didn't enjoy the characters. Perhaps I missed the overall point or meaning. Many others have enjoyed it, so you may find it's more suited for you than it was for me.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).