yallshouldread's reviews
74 reviews

I was underwhelmed by this book, but overall enjoyed it nonetheless. I found it to have a super long build up to a payoff that wasn’t quite worth it. I was invested enough to want to see what happens to all the characters, but at the end I was left feeling half full - like I had room for more substance that just wasn’t there. I love Eleanor’s character & the development of her and Raymond’s relationship was really wonderful. I wish some parts just would have been cut out to show more of that. I found some of the side storylines unnecessary, making the book drag on a bit. Not my favorite but glad I read it & got it off my list!

This book is fabulously written, seamlessly incorporating trauma comedy into serious storytelling. Jennette is extremely vulnerable in this book, and her experiences translated into writing were visceral and honest. If I could erase my memory and read this book again I’d be happy as a clam. Single-handedly has me interested in looking at more memoirs..

This was my first venture into the fantasy genre and I cannot BELIEVE how much I absolutely adored this book. The story, characters, and energy throughout the entire work was captivating. I could imagine all the details of the world within the pages and the features of the characters. I am happy this is a series, I am itching to go further into this literary universe. Truly a fairytale in the best way.

I have mixed feelings about this book, which is why I’m rating it right in the middle.

Starting with the positives, it really does feel like a conversation with a friend. I was off put by the lack of quotation marks at first, but once I got used to it I found that it added a lot of complexity to the tone of Frances character and her personal thought processes. It allowed me to see myself more within the story, as if I was another fly on the wall in all these different settings.

I found the resolutions to the stories unsatisfying. The last 20 pages seemed to rush things along a bit, and the beginning took what seemed like forever to get through to get to the juicy parts. It took me longer to read this than my normal reads.

Overall I am glad I read it, and it has peaked my interest into Sally Rooney as a writer. However, I don’t think it lined up the hype.

This was one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read.

Though it took me a bit to get into, I am so glad I pushed through and finished it. I came out the other side with a new outlook on life, not in a movie-like way but just practically understanding things a little differently, if that makes sense. It was a great experience reading. The third party narrator took me a second to vibe with as I’m not used to reading this type of fiction. It was a fabulous, meaningful change of pace in my reading & my life.

“The Collected Regrets of Clover” was a comforting and cathartic journey through love (romantic and platonic), loss, grief & growth. I would describe this book as a woman navigating her own life through helping others navigate their deaths. I wanted to read this as someone who struggles with a lot of anxiety around the premise of death, and I found exactly what I was looking for. I found the characters unique in a way that wasn’t trying to make everyone stand out - but perfectly blend with each other and really develop a community throughout the book. It was heartwarming, charming & satisfying conclusion with an unexpected happy ending.

It was a little predictable at points, which is why it’s not fully 5 stars but it was worth it in the end.