juanat77's reviews
149 reviews

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

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dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

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The Housekeeper's Secret by Iona Grey

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emotional hopeful informative mysterious sad tense slow-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

3.0

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres so I was excited when I was approved for The Housekeeper’s Secret. The novel is a mix of mystery and romance set in 1911 in Northern England. There were a lot of characters thrown at you in the beginning and I think a list of them in the beginning of the book would have been helpful. Also there were times I didn’t exactly know whose POV it was until I read a few paragraphs so it was a bit frustrating. I was interested off and on the first half but the second half grabbed my attention and I was eager to get to the next chapter. All in all solid read. 3 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC for an honest review. 
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The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

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adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Witch of Blackboard Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

I remember seeing this book everywhere in the 80s but I never picked it up because of the cover! So many regrets and shame on me!! This was really good. It takes place in 1687 in Connecticut (my home state! so that was pretty cool) when the Puritans are managing religion and law. The story teaches how “witches” were identified, tried and punished. It also shows how quickly prejudice can arise. Not only does the story give a history lesson but also a strong female character which is always a joy to read.

4 stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

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emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I‘m reading the Nantucket series in preparation for Swan Song. I liked this so much better than book one: A Summer Affair. I found myself wanting to read it every second I got. There was a mystery woven in there that was done really well. The ending was tied up without any loose ends.This book made me excited, sad, tense and angry which makes a really good book. Can’t wait to read the next one in the series.  
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The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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The Thirteenth Husband by Greer Macallister

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emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

The Thirteen Husbands by Greer MacAllister

The Thirteen Husbands is based on real life Aimee Crocker who was from a wealthy family and considered a Bohemian and American mystic. She was very scandalous and known for having many lovers/husbands and throwing extravagant parties. She inherited 10 million dollars (what would essentially be about $300 million dollars today) at a very young age when her father died. Her inheritance gave her the confidence to live life her way. After her first divorce a mystic told Aimee that her thirteenth husband would bury her.  

I really enjoyed the author’s previous novel The Arctic Fury so I was eager to read this one. I listened to the audio and honestly I would have preferred another narrator. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I physically read it. I did enjoy learning about Crocker and her eccentricities. All in all it was a solid read. 

3 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for providing an early audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

#NetGalley #greermacallister #thethirteenthhusband
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After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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

3.0

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The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is my first Natasha Lester novel and I can’t wait to read  more. This book takes place in three different timelines and three different POVs. It is set in the fashion world, across decades and even continents, surrounding a real life character amongst fictional characters. It showcases how vicious the fashion world was with women. Mostly women worked and contributed to fashion but men received all the credit. There’s also appearances from Coco Chanel, Christian Dior and other fashion icons. This novel is powerful and beautifully written. It touches on abandonment, mental health, discrimination and of course misogyny. I loved the author’s vivid descriptions which made me almost believe it was all true. Highly recommend! 
4 stars!!⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kimberly McCreight

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kimberly McCreight

Like Mother, Like Daughter is my first Kimberly McCreight novel and won’t be my last. It is fast-paced, told in dual POV, two timelines, multi-layered and emotional.  There are transcripts from therapy sessions, emails, articles and journal passages breaking up the story. The love/hate relationship between mother and daughter was portrayed very well. The way the suspense and tension were executed captivated me, however the end was a bit anticlimactic. It’s still a good story and I enjoyed it. 3.5 stars!!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
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The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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

4.0

I’ve loved every Katherine Center book I’ve read. She’s an auto-buy author for me. The Bodyguard is still my favorite followed by Hello Stranger. The Rom-Commers held up to my expectations! There was humor, fun, witty banter and heartwarming moments. Katherine Center’s books are more than just romance. She intertwines serious elements and ties it up with a beautiful message/lesson. 4 stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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