celeste_velocci's reviews
443 reviews

When Never Comes by Barbara Davis

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emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I listened to this on audio and I did enjoy it. The story especially towards the end made me emotional. I did feel connected to the main character but the only reason I’m not rating it higher is because it was extremely predicable. Going into it I thought it would be more of a mystery but it was a contemporary fiction with a dash of romantic suspense. There was a lot of growth in the main character and that’s always something I like to see while reading. This is on kindle unlimited with the audio as a bonus.
Dear MS, Why Me? by Tara Fetcko

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hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

What a compelling and an informative read! I do not have MS and I only knew a few things about this health issue but after reading this it has shed so much light on this topic. The author Tara Fetcko is a strong warrior who may have MS but will not be a victim to this terrible disease. We need more people’s voices like Tara to shed light on health issues to show someone that they are not alone in their struggle. 

As a 27 year old who had an accident this past year and has a neck and back injury this read was incredibly relatable. One thing that resonated with me the most while reading this was Tara speaking about how when you are stunted with a disease or injury or any kind of health problem it’s difficult to be able to do things on a whim. I was a workaholic and social butterfly my whole life. This past year has been a struggle and adjustment for me getting used to a “new normal”. It’s important to have people around you who do understand you and can understand that life looks a bit different for you nowadays because of something completely out of your control. One thing this book shared as a hard lesson I learned this past year was that everything goes day by day and we must be kind to ourselves , bodies , and minds. Just because you were unable to do something yesterday doesn’t mean you won’t be able to do it today. 

Thank you so much to Tara for allowing me to read her story. You are a light in this world and I hope everyone can learn something from your story.
The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

my girl Freida does it again! I usually can’t guess her twists but I did guess most of them in her last book The Teacher so I was hoping to be stumped this time around. I had two working theories throughout the entire book and in the end I was wrong! As much as I love being an amateur sleuth it’s always nice to not guess the plot twist in the end! 

In true Freida fashion this was another binge worthy popcorn thriller that had me glued to my kindle. From the moment I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. Definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a palette cleanser thriller with some slasher vibes for spooky season! 
Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I really wanted to love this one but it did fall a bit short for me. I was looking forward to reading this one for some time now and thought it would be a good spooky season read. It was creepy and twisty but I think I expected something else out of it !? I thought it would be more action packed instead of being mainly told from a psychological viewpoint. Don’t get me wrong psychological thrillers are my jam but I went into it thinking it would be more crime based than psychological. This goes on my maybe list for recommendations. 
The Lies You Wrote by Brianna Labuskes

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adventurous dark informative mysterious 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? Yes

3.5

This was my first book by this author and now I want to read her other work. I’ll also be continuing this series. I did enjoy it even though some things fell flat. I feel like it started out really strong in the beginning but towards the middle to end I lost interest. I feel like this is more of a me problem than a book problem. I think I was just distracted at the time of reading but if I wasn’t I would’ve enjoyed it much more. 

I enjoyed the Criminal Minds aspect and all of the information on FBI linguistics. I learned a lot and am definitely interested in learning more about FBI profiling and being out in the field. I liked the characters and want to see where else they’re headed. 
Zetas Till We Die by Amber Brown, Danielle Brown

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early release of Zetas Til We Die by Amber and Danielle Brown. All opinions are my own. This was a mediocre thriller that had me intrigued by the synopsis but fell short during the reading experience. I did not really connect with the characters which made it hard for me to connect with the book. This was not bad by any means it just was not very shocking to me. The twists and plots seemed pretty obvious to me. If you are newer to thrillers you will probably enjoy this one more than an avid thriller reader. 
When We Were Friends by Jane Green

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Solid short story with a great lesson about life, self worth, and friendship. If you’re looking for a quick and easy palette cleanser that has some depth is the read for you! 
The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.5

 wow excellent debut. I thoroughly enjoyed this read. My only complaint is I wish I would’ve gotten more insight on what happened to cause all of these traumas and crimes. That is the only reason it isn’t a 5 star rating. But maybe we will get a prequel read about why Aidan Thomas is the way he is and why he’s done the things he’s done !? 

I actually felt the fear, anxiety , and claustrophobia this poor woman felt throughout the entire book. This book was definitely dark, twisted, and emotional. To actually feel scared and trapped while reading is not an easy thing for an author to portray but I felt all the anxiety like I was right there with the main character. 

I also enjoyed the bar/ restaurant industry aspect. As someone who’s been in the industry for many years it was incredibly relatable as a bartender and the reminder that we really do not know the people who accompany our bar stools. 

Great thriller to add to your fall TBR!!
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

4.5⭐️ I forgot how much I enjoyed history growing up until I read this book. This was my first Kristin Hannah book and I know it’s going to be the first of many. What an amazing book to be chosen for my book club. I was sucked in immediately from the very first chapter and found it difficult to put down. 

This book has made me grateful for all I have I would’ve never been able to life in these times that these  innocent people did. The things that those have endured during The Dust Bowl and 1920’s-1940’s is beyond inhumane. I cannot even fathom the struggles they went through but one thing is for sure that the main character in this book Elsa is indeed a warrior.

This book taught so many lessons. From being brave , resilient , appreciation for the small things in life we take for granted everyday, and that the love from a mother is unlike anything else you will experience in your life. 

I went into this book pretty blindly and would recommend you do the same. It made me emotional, moved me, and was written so well I actually felt as if I was in that time period. Amazing plot, characters, message, and lessons. 
My Neighbour's Affair by Daniel Hurst

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

4.5⭐️ I really enjoyed this one! It was the perfect palette cleanser thriller that I needed. This author has been hit or miss for me but this was definitely a hit! Scandalous drama, affairs, neighbor drama, deceit, murder all the things that makes a thriller a thriller! It gave me Desperate Housewives vibes and I mean that in the best way! I’m usually the twist detector but I only figured out one of the twists in this one so it was nice to be surprised by the end. I recommend this one for a popcorn thriller!