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megan_bbender's reviews
91 reviews
What You Never Knew by Jessica Hamilton
adventurous
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I saw this book after Jessica Hamilton had posted a TikTok about it in 2021. I spent ages looking for this book. I could never find it online, bookstores had copies but I wouldn't be able to find them in the store. I looked everywhere, even making sure to stop at a store hours away because they had a copy, of course it wasn't there when I got there. I finally found a copy of this book months later, got home, and began reading it instantly.
This book is everything I thought it would be. I like to rate books based on how well they make me feel things. This book gave me goosebumps, gave me chills, made me feel relief, sadness, happiness, and so much more. Jessica Hamilton did an amazing job at making the emotions shine through the pages.
Each time there was a twist I became even more invested. I simply couldn't put this book down and read it all within 2 days. I normally don't like books with extreme amounts of details but I wanted to know everything, and more, so I found that Jessica Hamilton did it really well and the writing was really beautiful.
This book is everything I thought it would be. I like to rate books based on how well they make me feel things. This book gave me goosebumps, gave me chills, made me feel relief, sadness, happiness, and so much more. Jessica Hamilton did an amazing job at making the emotions shine through the pages.
Each time there was a twist I became even more invested. I simply couldn't put this book down and read it all within 2 days. I normally don't like books with extreme amounts of details but I wanted to know everything, and more, so I found that Jessica Hamilton did it really well and the writing was really beautiful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Eating disorder, Stalking, and Abandonment
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
3.0
Beginning: 2 stars
Middle: 4.5 stars
End: 2 stars
I can't really decide how to rate this book. I feel like I really enjoyed it for the most part however I feel like 2 stars is to low but 4 stars is to high. There were parts of the book that were definitely more enjoyable than others. I really started enjoying it around 50% but started enjoying it less again around 80%. It was a super slow start but a super easy read overall.
I really liked how the author described the marsh and I loved Kya's character. The writing felt very abrupt, almost anyone could have written it. I also found it was very predictable but with that being said I loved how everything unfolded.
There was a main plot, but I felt like it never went anywhere. There was a certain point in the book where everything just came to a stop and slowly moved forward. The ending was very, very rushed.
Middle: 4.5 stars
End: 2 stars
I can't really decide how to rate this book. I feel like I really enjoyed it for the most part however I feel like 2 stars is to low but 4 stars is to high. There were parts of the book that were definitely more enjoyable than others. I really started enjoying it around 50% but started enjoying it less again around 80%. It was a super slow start but a super easy read overall.
I really liked how the author described the marsh and I loved Kya's character. The writing felt very abrupt, almost anyone could have written it. I also found it was very predictable but with that being said I loved how everything unfolded.
There was a main plot, but I felt like it never went anywhere. There was a certain point in the book where everything just came to a stop and slowly moved forward. The ending was very, very rushed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death of parent
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I almost always rate my books on how well they make me feel things. While I can't say I enjoyed what this book was about, Agustina Bazterrica definitely made me feel a lot of emotions. There was so much uncomfortableness, sadness, empathy, pity, and so many more emotions that just kept me wanting to read more.
Even though this book was very disturbing, it was intriguing and I wanted to see what Agustina Bazterrica was going to do next. Overall, the book was not underwhelming. I had heard many reviews saying how disturbing and gory it was so I decided to give it a try. As someone who leans towards horror and disturbing things, this book did a great job at leaving me feeling nauseous, there was no room for forgiveness.
This book was so much more than what I was expecting.
Even though this book was very disturbing, it was intriguing and I wanted to see what Agustina Bazterrica was going to do next. Overall, the book was not underwhelming. I had heard many reviews saying how disturbing and gory it was so I decided to give it a try. As someone who leans towards horror and disturbing things, this book did a great job at leaving me feeling nauseous, there was no room for forgiveness.
This book was so much more than what I was expecting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Dementia, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Car accident, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Classism
Jo's Boys, Volume 4 by Louisa May Alcott
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.
DNF.
To be honest, I don't know what happened with this book. I just find it so boring. I really, really enjoyed Little Women and somewhat enjoyed Little Men but I don't like Jo's Boys at all. Maybe it's because it's just too much of the same thing over and over again with all the books, there's nothing really different.
I'm the type of person who cannot start another book until the current one I'm reading is finished. However it's taken me months and I haven't picked up this book other than when I first started reading it. I have never not finished a book before, but reading isn't supposed to be dreadful.
I really wish I could have enjoyed this book. One day I'll come back to it, just not anytime soon.
To be honest, I don't know what happened with this book. I just find it so boring. I really, really enjoyed Little Women and somewhat enjoyed Little Men but I don't like Jo's Boys at all. Maybe it's because it's just too much of the same thing over and over again with all the books, there's nothing really different.
I'm the type of person who cannot start another book until the current one I'm reading is finished. However it's taken me months and I haven't picked up this book other than when I first started reading it. I have never not finished a book before, but reading isn't supposed to be dreadful.
I really wish I could have enjoyed this book. One day I'll come back to it, just not anytime soon.
King Lear (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes
adventurous
dark
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
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: War
The Science of Social Intelligence: 33 Studies to Win Friends, Be Magnetic, Make An Impression, and Use People's Subconscious Triggers by Patrick King
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
This book is a super easy and quick read that helps readers gain more understanding about how people act in social situations. The book provides insight into our own lives and teaches readers how to be more sociable as well as points readers in the direction of being more aware of their environment and those around them.
#POSITIVITY: You Are Always In The Right Place At The Right Time by Phil Hellmuth
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
This book is a great, quick read that gives super easy and realistic goals of positivity that everyone has the ability to achieve.
What Happened To You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry, Oprah Winfrey
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
I was assigned to read this book for school, but I am so happy that I read it. Not only was this book a great learning tool for my classes but it's an amazing tool for my career and even every day life. The information presented in this book is extremely valuable.
I found it to be a very easy read; the way that the information was presented was super organized and it was broken down in a way that was extremely easy to grasp and understand.
I highly recommend this book to everyone, but especially to parents or individuals who are working with other people.
I found it to be a very easy read; the way that the information was presented was super organized and it was broken down in a way that was extremely easy to grasp and understand.
I highly recommend this book to everyone, but especially to parents or individuals who are working with other people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death
Minor: Death of parent
The Next by Stephanie Gangi
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'm not really sure how to rate this book. I didn't find the story that amazing but I really liked the concept.
The writing wasn't the best but I found it enjoyable, I read it really quickly and found I couldn't put it down but the ending was unsatisfactory. I was expecting more but nothing really happened, especially at the end of the book.
The writing wasn't the best but I found it enjoyable, I read it really quickly and found I couldn't put it down but the ending was unsatisfactory. I was expecting more but nothing really happened, especially at the end of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Stalking, Car accident, and Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
Little Men, Volume 3 by Louisa May Alcott
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-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
2.75
I'm not really sure how to rate this book; it's a very quick and easy read but I struggled to pick it up. I was expecting it to be more like Little Women, but it was not similar at all. Little Women was able to have a plot while also focusing on the characters and this book didn't have much depth too it, instead of a book it seemed like a different short story each chapter. With that being said, the stories were cute and the book wasn't terrible.
Also, the misspelling of certain words to suggest how the kids were talking really bothered me. For example: "Oh, I fordot!" or "I am the Pinsiss." It was extremely annoying, but that could just be me being picky.
Also, the misspelling of certain words to suggest how the kids were talking really bothered me. For example: "Oh, I fordot!" or "I am the Pinsiss." It was extremely annoying, but that could just be me being picky.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death