eatingwords's reviews
885 reviews

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

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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

1.75

I assumed Casey was in her fifties/sixties and was always surprised when it was mentioned that she was in her mid-thirties. 
whoever decided on this narrator for the story didn't do their job. 

I felt the tension throughout the story and wanted to know what is going on and how the mystery will be resolved until about the 80 % mark. that's when the story took a turn and it got ridiculous and I just wanted it to be over. 

this was my first Riley Sager thriller and I was very disappointed. 
The Dare by Elle Kennedy

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

the topic of Taylor's struggle with her body image was very relatable and I saw myself quite often reflected in her insecurities and focusing on flaws. 

I enjoyed both Taylor's and Conor's growth and loved seeing more of Conor's character after being a side character in the previous books. 

the break-ups were plentiful, the constant miscommunication and the drama always on point and overall a great last story in the Briar U series. 
One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus

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adventurous 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

3.0

I really liked the characters that we focused on in this story and the cast for the audiobook was great!

I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book and though I didn't guess the twist at the end, it overall felt kind of underwhelming to me. 

overall an okay read. 
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

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adventurous emotional hopeful tense fast-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

I loved the emotions, the drastic changes, the fury about going back into the Games, the Games themself were my favorite (in terms of world building and hurdles that the characters were thrown into). 

Peeta has matured so much in this novel, I fell in love with him all over again. 
and Finnick was just a delight!
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I listened to the story mostly via audiobook and had the feeling I missed a few details here and there.
then I tried immersive reading and this was a much better experience. 

I was sad and angry and feeling hopeful and protective of Demon. 
it is definitely worth a re-read in the future!
The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

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emotional funny lighthearted 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

3.25

a cutesy story with a lot of tropes (enemies to lovers, age gap, workplace romance, fake dating..have I forgotten one?), a misogynistic boss, a FMC who cannot stand up for herself and is still stuck in the grieving process of losing her father, and let's not forget the MMC who has a masters degree and nice forearms. 
The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

so charming, so cheesy and so full of puns. I highly enjoyed myself and loved the artwork!
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

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adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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

5.0

the first time I read this, I was still in school. now I'm almost in my mid-thirties.
and this book just holds up.

the nostalgia factor was on point. the story is as great and as cruel and as interesting as 15 years ago.
and definitely more relevant than ever.
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

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dark mysterious reflective medium-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? Yes

5.0

this is one of those books that have a hold on you and that you think about for a long time.

what does it mean to be human?
how does a person develop if there are no societal norms and no men around?

definitely a must-read!
I will have to buy a physical copy and annotate the sh*t out of it and re-read it and be as dumbfounded as I was the first time reading this masterpiece.
The Play by Elle Kennedy

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

after reading about Hunter in the first two books I was intrigued to get his POV and I was not disappointed.
I loved the whole Pablo Eggscobar side story, Hunter as a team captain, Hunter as a great friend.

but after thinking about it, Demi was kind of meh.
she seemed like a strong character on one hand, but on the other hand she lets her boyfriend of forever walk all over her.
she was smart and whitty and she and Hunter had great banter, but I did get the feeling of a pick-me/'not like other girls'-girl.

I could not stop reading once I picked it up. There were so many funny scenes, quite a few scenes that made me giggle and some that made me want to strangle Demi for being so naive.

a lot of fun and just what I needed as a pick-me-up.