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celeste_velocci's reviews
443 reviews
The Husband by Daniel Hurst
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The plot and characters really intrigued me and kept me wanting to read on but in the end I felt very “meh”. I do read a lot of thrillers so I feel like this plot line has already been done before and that this one didn’t have anything that made it stand out to me. I feel like at times some things were so random and in the end wrapped up in a rushed way instead of neatly wrapped book.
Go into this one knowing it’s a popcorn thriller with lifetime movie vibes. Not necessarily a bad thing but to avid thriller readers you probably won’t love it as much as a beginner to the genre.
Go into this one knowing it’s a popcorn thriller with lifetime movie vibes. Not necessarily a bad thing but to avid thriller readers you probably won’t love it as much as a beginner to the genre.
From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley, Riley Keough
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
This was an incredible memoir and definitely one of my favorites I’ve read so far. I usually don’t rate non fiction but I had to give this the five star rating that it deserves. I learned so much throughout listening to this beautiful memoir of Lisa Marie Presley. Her daughter Riley Keough helped her mother finish her memoir and narrates it while Julia Robert’s narrates Lisa Marie Presley’s parts. Her daughter even took some of her mother’s voice recordings and added them in to each chapter so you can hear Lisa Marie Presley speaking throughout her life. This was raw and emotional and I will be thinking about it for a long time. Beautifully done by all especially Riley Keough who was incredible enough to share her mother’s life story. I will be recommending this one endlessly l.
Murder Road by Simone St. James
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I wish I would have saved this book for spooky season because it was super eerie! I really enjoyed how this story unfolded and all of the mysterious twists along the way. It had me guessing and kept me on my toes throughout the entire time while reading.
Set in the 90’s follow along newlyweds April and Eddie as they drive to their destination honeymoon. While in route mysterious things start happening along one particular road “Murder Road”.
I really like that this book was set in the nineties the setting felt so real throughout the entire book I felt like I was right there with the characters.
Set in the 90’s follow along newlyweds April and Eddie as they drive to their destination honeymoon. While in route mysterious things start happening along one particular road “Murder Road”.
I really like that this book was set in the nineties the setting felt so real throughout the entire book I felt like I was right there with the characters.
The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing by Lara Love Hardin
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Wow what a story told by the warrior herself Lara Love Hardin. This memoir was beautifully written and taught so many important life lessons along the way. I encourage everyone to read Lara’s story.
If you yourself are or if someone in your life is an addict you will understand the depths and what it is like to live with an addiction. I learned so much from this memoir especially about what it is like in prison for so many women. This was truly eye opening about what goes on behind the scenes and at times truly heartbreaking. This world needs more compassion and understanding when it comes to addiction and recovery. This is a topic I have felt very passionate about for many years. Though I am not an addict myself I love people who are and what the world seems to forget is that every addict is somebody’s somebody. Be kind. Be compassionate. Listen before you judge or cast cruelty. We are all just humans trying to live our lives.
I’m so grateful to have read Lara’s story. She is truly remarkable and her fight against addiction and her journey in recovery is amazing beyond words. There is always light at the end of the tunnel but first you must have faith in yourself.
I will be recommending this memoir a lot this year!
If you yourself are or if someone in your life is an addict you will understand the depths and what it is like to live with an addiction. I learned so much from this memoir especially about what it is like in prison for so many women. This was truly eye opening about what goes on behind the scenes and at times truly heartbreaking. This world needs more compassion and understanding when it comes to addiction and recovery. This is a topic I have felt very passionate about for many years. Though I am not an addict myself I love people who are and what the world seems to forget is that every addict is somebody’s somebody. Be kind. Be compassionate. Listen before you judge or cast cruelty. We are all just humans trying to live our lives.
I’m so grateful to have read Lara’s story. She is truly remarkable and her fight against addiction and her journey in recovery is amazing beyond words. There is always light at the end of the tunnel but first you must have faith in yourself.
I will be recommending this memoir a lot this year!
Don't Believe Her by Nicola Sanders, Nicola Sanders
This was a lot - not in a bad way just a lot! Quite the popcorn thriller with many twists and turns along the way. It kept me guessing until the end. Where a lot of it was pretty predictable there were still some things I did not see coming.
This was definitely a thriller that was a mystery with a good combination of psychological thriller in it. At one point I was just as confused as the main character was. This is available on kindle unlimited and I recommend it if you are looking for a fast paced popcorn thriller!
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This was a lot - not in a bad way just a lot! Quite the popcorn thriller with many twists and turns along the way. It kept me guessing until the end. Where a lot of it was pretty predictable there were still some things I did not see coming.
This was definitely a thriller that was a mystery with a good combination of psychological thriller in it. At one point I was just as confused as the main character was. This is available on kindle unlimited and I recommend it if you are looking for a fast paced popcorn thriller!
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I finally read this book! I haven’t seen the movie so I went in completely blind. I wasn’t sure if it would be over hyped because of how popular it’s been as a classic psychological thriller. Even though I went in blind and I knew how hyped up it was I don’t want to say that I’m disappointed because I’m not but it wasn’t as exceptional as I thought it would be. I did enjoy the characters and I loved the procedural and psychological aspect of it. Was I blown away by this book? No not really but it was a solid well rounded psychological thriller that I’m glad I did read. Now I will watch the movie.
Drunk-ish: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving Alcohol by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
This was such a great memoir! I love listening to memoirs because it's always so great to hear the author tell their own story.
Whether you drink , don't drink, wonder if you have a drinking problem, have an addictive personality, or want to stop drinking, this book is for you. It was very real and raw. I learned a lot about those around me and myself and what it means to have an addictive personality that maybe you never even realized that you had.
Stefanie-Wilder-Taylor goes deep into her love, hate, and relationship with alcohol and how she decided to get sober.
This was a witty, education, funny, and emotional read.
Whether you drink , don't drink, wonder if you have a drinking problem, have an addictive personality, or want to stop drinking, this book is for you. It was very real and raw. I learned a lot about those around me and myself and what it means to have an addictive personality that maybe you never even realized that you had.
Stefanie-Wilder-Taylor goes deep into her love, hate, and relationship with alcohol and how she decided to get sober.
This was a witty, education, funny, and emotional read.
The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a good thriller mystery! There were a few different storylines going on throughout the book but all intertwined in the end.
Told from three different perspectives - a young woman who survived a kidnapping 8 years ago, a mother searching for her missing daughter , and a man searching for his elderly father. Find out what these three people have in common in this heart pounding mystery that will have you feeling emotional and on the edge of your seat.
Told from three different perspectives - a young woman who survived a kidnapping 8 years ago, a mother searching for her missing daughter , and a man searching for his elderly father. Find out what these three people have in common in this heart pounding mystery that will have you feeling emotional and on the edge of your seat.
Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the early release of Witness 8. All opinions are my own.
I enjoy this author so much last year’s book was one of my top reads of the year. This was my first Eddie Flynn book in the series I’ve read. I feel like even though it was a standalone I should have read the others beforehand just to get a feel for the characters and their stories. Because I wasn’t invested or connected to the characters from the start I felt it was difficult to make a solid connection.
Overall I was a bit underwhelmed. The twists weren’t that twisty and there were so many different characters and points of view that it was difficult to keep everything straight.
I will continue to read Steve Cavanagh’s work and I will most likely go back and start this series from the beginning to get the full picture story.
I enjoy this author so much last year’s book was one of my top reads of the year. This was my first Eddie Flynn book in the series I’ve read. I feel like even though it was a standalone I should have read the others beforehand just to get a feel for the characters and their stories. Because I wasn’t invested or connected to the characters from the start I felt it was difficult to make a solid connection.
Overall I was a bit underwhelmed. The twists weren’t that twisty and there were so many different characters and points of view that it was difficult to keep everything straight.
I will continue to read Steve Cavanagh’s work and I will most likely go back and start this series from the beginning to get the full picture story.
Notorious by Allison Brennan
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
this was okay….it took me so long to finish because I just wasn’t connecting with the characters. I think it was more of a me problem than a book problem though. This was a twisty crime fiction following an investigative reporter who returns to her hometown for a friend’s funeral just to be warped back in time to solve the case of another friend from high school who was murdered years ago.
This had everything I usually would love in a thriller/ crime book but I just found myself not enjoying the characters and connecting with them as much as I would have liked to. This was the first book in the series and I do plan on reading the second book to give it another chance.
This had everything I usually would love in a thriller/ crime book but I just found myself not enjoying the characters and connecting with them as much as I would have liked to. This was the first book in the series and I do plan on reading the second book to give it another chance.