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paperbacks_and_planners's reviews
1166 reviews
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie, Anna Lea
4.0
Maybe closer to 3.5 but I'm rounding up.
The thing I was most surprised/impressed with was how well this story has held up despite being written almost 100 years ago.
I've decided to read all the Poirot novels in order, so it was a lot fun seeing his origin story.
I really enjoyed this quick mystery read.
The thing I was most surprised/impressed with was how well this story has held up despite being written almost 100 years ago.
I've decided to read all the Poirot novels in order, so it was a lot fun seeing his origin story.
I really enjoyed this quick mystery read.
Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
4.0
This was such a unique and amazing read! The story is told through interviews with an unknown man and personal journal recordings. And it worked so well! It perfectly added to the suspense and mystery.
I was worried I wouldn't connect with the characters as well though this format but I totally did! And that cliff hanger!
But I think my favorite part of this story was the realistic quality it had. This entire story felt so possible. Neuvel did such an amazing job of weaving science and politics with the fictional plot.
Can't wait to pick up the next books. I would totally recommend this for anyone into Sci-fy.
I was worried I wouldn't connect with the characters as well though this format but I totally did! And that cliff hanger!
But I think my favorite part of this story was the realistic quality it had. This entire story felt so possible. Neuvel did such an amazing job of weaving science and politics with the fictional plot.
Can't wait to pick up the next books. I would totally recommend this for anyone into Sci-fy.
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff
3.0
EDIT: After sitting on this for a bit, I've decided to lower this to a 3 star. This story was still entertaining for start to finish, but I just found that as time went, this left no real impact on me. After reading some amazing books this month, full of worlds and characters I still think about, I realized I forgot I even read this... It's unfortunately just not that memorable for me. I do still plan to continue the series though.
For the first 3/4 of this book, I thought this was just OK. It was a unique, good story, but I wasn't in love. The format is really cool and works for the story, but I found it difficult to keep track of side characters or really connect/care about them. Which definitely detracted from some the "hard hitting" moments. Because I didn't care/remember the characters, their deaths weren't shocking or heartbreaking.
But I did like the final twist.
For the first 3/4 of this book, I thought this was just OK. It was a unique, good story, but I wasn't in love. The format is really cool and works for the story, but I found it difficult to keep track of side characters or really connect/care about them. Which definitely detracted from some the "hard hitting" moments. Because I didn't care/remember the characters, their deaths weren't shocking or heartbreaking.
But I did like the final twist
Spoiler
of Ezra's mother working for BioTech
Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West
4.0
This book was so stinkin' adorable. It was such a fun, light, quick read.
I will definitely be picking up more of Kasie West's books when I'm in the mood for a good YA contemporary/romance.
I will definitely be picking up more of Kasie West's books when I'm in the mood for a good YA contemporary/romance.
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney
2.0
2.5
This book was just OK for me - mostly because it was really over the top.
To start off, this had me hooked from start to finish. I needed to know what happened and how everything wrapped up. But the story overall was not my favorite. As read I found myself rolling my eyes a lot. There are just so my over the top crazy characters in this story... Overall just not my favorite..
This book was just OK for me - mostly because it was really over the top.
To start off, this had me hooked from start to finish. I needed to know what happened and how everything wrapped up. But the story overall was not my favorite. As read I found myself rolling my eyes a lot. There are just so my over the top crazy characters in this story...
Spoiler
Between Claire who is a sociopath, Edward who is a stalker/rapist, and Amber who has imaginary friends and suddenly becomes a sociopathic murderer in the end, it was just too much... And I HATED the final "twist" about the bracelet showing up in the room service. It felt like a cop out of an ending. I'm sure it was meant to be foreboding but it felt cliche.
The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
4.0
3.5 stars. Maybe even 3.75.
I love Ruth Ware's writing style. She knows how to build suspense and create a realistic and enthralling atmosphere. And overall I really enjoyed this book. I loved the mystery and I definitely didn't see some of the twists coming.
But I'm docking a bit because there were a few things I didn't understand or were left unresolved. And the whole deception began to get away from the loan shark... but that entire arc was left hanging.
Overall this was a well written and enjoyable mystery/thriller.
I love Ruth Ware's writing style. She knows how to build suspense and create a realistic and enthralling atmosphere. And overall I really enjoyed this book. I loved the mystery and I definitely didn't see some of the twists coming.
But I'm docking a bit because there were a few things I didn't understand or were left unresolved.
Spoiler
I can't figure out how she didn't figure out the situation with her mother while looking at the photo Abel gave her... why did she not notice until the photo album? It's driving me crazy...Overall this was a well written and enjoyable mystery/thriller.
The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
3.0
3.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect atmospheric, spooky read to kick off October. The mystery of the sisters had me entranced from the very beginning. I loved trying to guess who the sisters were and how all the stories intertwined.
I know a lot of people were turned off by the instalove that happened in here, but it honestly didn't bother me much. I really liked Bo as a character and I thought his and Penny's interactions were so well written that I was able to look past it.
I will say that some of the side characters were pretty flat - I didn't care about Penny's best friend at all. And I kept forgetting the names of all the random classmates.
But overall this was a beautifully written witchy mystery. I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a quick Halloween-y read!
I really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect atmospheric, spooky read to kick off October. The mystery of the sisters had me entranced from the very beginning. I loved trying to guess who the sisters were and how all the stories intertwined.
I know a lot of people were turned off by the instalove that happened in here, but it honestly didn't bother me much. I really liked Bo as a character and I thought his and Penny's interactions were so well written that I was able to look past it.
I will say that some of the side characters were pretty flat - I didn't care about Penny's best friend at all. And I kept forgetting the names of all the random classmates.
But overall this was a beautifully written witchy mystery. I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a quick Halloween-y read!
An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena
4.0
Such a good, classic mystery! And that final twist at the end, amazing.