alltheradreads's Reviews (1.9k)

100% got this one because of the title (I LOVE SHARKS) and because a friend made sure I knew it existed... So fun to snag a signed copy at Parnassus on my last Nashville trip, too! This was an easy, breezy, fun read-- it would be perfect for a day at the beach (or a rainy day!). I obviously loved all the shark talk, and the characters/storyline felt similar to a good old Nicholas Sparks story, without so much of the sap. As far as fun fiction goes, this one was a winner!

I don't have eloquent feelings or thoughts in review of this one. There were parts I loved, parts that felt a little forced, parts that lost my interest, and parts that really opened my eyes to a new kind of thinking about faith. I don't know if it was the writing style or the content, but it just didn't totally click with me and I never felt 100% engaged with this one, but I think I could really enjoy reading it again in the future. If you're somebody who wonders about or wrestles with the thought of God being an angry God, this would be a great book to read as it reframes so much of that mindset and reminds us God is a loving God above all else. That's a reminder we all need, and I'm glad this book hit that point home so well!

This one centers in on a Monica Lewinsky-like political scandal with a congressman and a young Jewish intern girl, as told in chunks by all the key characters... but it honestly didn't seem to get much beyond a plot line that we've heard already. There were a few surprises and it was fun to see things from each different woman's point of view (the mother, the intern, the "new" version of the intern once she moves away and creates a new identity and life, her daughter, the wife of the congressman, etc...) but I never related much to the characters or understood the motivation behind their actions (which is the main reason this fell a little flat for me). I did appreciate that it was all told from the female perspectives and that it captures so many of the double standards women face SO well, especially since most of the time scandals like these turn out in the favor of the men. I think this one had good bones, but I just wanted it to have a lot more meat to it. (Weird analogy coming from a vegan... 😂) Anyway.

This one was SUCH a delight! Read it all this weekend and didn't want it to be over but love how it ended -- Eleanor is a character unlike any other but I fell in love with her quirks and oddities and love how this story progressed. There were moments I felt like I knew how it would end, but I was never right, and Eleanor kept surprising me! I'm such a fan of strong character development, and this has that to a T -- definitely recommend this one. (Also, side note: love that there was counseling in this book and that it was depicted so accurately based on my experiences in counseling! I think that matters so much and I was so happy to see that here.)

Loved this #YA read -- my first from this author (but can't read to go back and read more!) and there was so much more to it than I expected. Sweet, touching, surprising, quirky, endearing... such a solid, fun, easy read!

I could NOT put this one down. There were so many twists I never EVER saw coming (which I loved and was so mindblown by) and I was flipping pages as fast as I could, just trying to make sense of it all and figure out how things were going to end! I don't even know how to describe this one without giving it away, but if you like thrillers with mystery and suspense and plot twists galore, this is the book for you. My heart was racing even when it was done (it doesn't wrap up with a bow, which I really appreciated with this one!) and I'm still thinking about it and wondering... Gah, SO GOOD.

This is VERY Gone Girl-ish, like super super similar. If you like that style of book, you'll definitely like this one-- it kept me guessing, kept me flipping pages, kept me questioning who I could trust and who was good or not, and I loved that. I didn't want to put this one down! I'm not totally satisfied with how it ended, but it was a great and engaging read.

I just have realized I really love a good mystery/thriller novel, and this one did not disappoint! You think you know who is to blame for the tragic event in this community, but it unravels well and ultimately surprised me. It wasn't a HUGE shock, but enough to keep me turning pages quickly to try to get to the bottom of it all and see how things would resolve (they don't tie up nicely in a bow really, but I was definitely satisfied by the ending). It's well-written, has a great pace, and is well deserving of my 4 stars!