bookish_and_planty's Reviews (421)

This book was so intense, it took a LONG time for me to get through. The message was so powerful and at times incredibly hard to read. The last ~70 pages picked up and were fast-paced, but the beginning is very slow, and I think it could have been much shorter overall. Definitely a modern classic and one that everyone should read, but it's not a quick or "entertaining" read.

This was an engaging thriller that kept me hooked and brought back some nostalgic feelings! The characters kept making very questionable decisions, which is always fun because it keeps you reading! I liked trying to see what the main character was going to do next and how all the other characters related. I did guess the ending pretty quickly, but there were still moments that shocked me! Overall a good thriller I would recommend, especially to read in winter!

This book was just as fantastic the second time around, but even better as an audiobook!! The narrators did an incredible job bringing the characters to life and making them real! The music and sound effects added so much to this, especially during the podcast recordings and interviews. I would HIGHLY recommend this book as an audiobook, even if you've read it before!!

This seemed like a fun thriller poking fun at the world of influencers...until the end!! It turned SO dark SO fast and I absolutely wasn't expecting it. It threw me off a bit and the gory nature of the ending made this book hard to stomach. Definitely don't read this one after lunch! I liked the beginning of the book because it hooked me right away, there were some funny moments, and I was really curious what was going to happen next. The pacing wasn't great, some parts described days in great detail and other parts skipped over days or weeks really quickly without much description. This could almost be described as a horror book, so read carefully for those looking for something more lighthearted!

This was not the summer thriller I was hoping for!! The plot was SO expected, nothing exciting or unique happened at all. Every single "twist" was so predictable and seemed so disjointed. The characters felt so flat and didn't come together at all. There were SO many moments in the book where it seemed like the author brought up random things (affairs, furry conventions, war role playing) just so they could make fun of them. I'm annoyed I read this whole thing, definitely don't recommend. 

Such a dark and twisty read!! It's a perfect thriller for the summer, especially during a summer storm! The characters are well written, the plot is super interesting and easy to follow, and the twists keep you hooked throughout!

This was such a sweet book!! The characters are so well written and stay true to themselves the entire book. I really loved following along with both of their journeys and finding out more about their lives. This book gave me all the emotions and I loved reading it! I did wish there was a bit more depth to the story or some drama, but that's coming from a thriller addict! 😅

Another absolutely incredible book from Carter Wilson!! Same as his others, this book draws you in from the beginning and doesn't let go until the very end!! The pacing is perfect throughout the entire book, never a dull moment and you're always wondering what's going to happen next! I loved the plot and the twists, it was so fun to think about winning the lottery and then scary to think about how much (wrong) attention it draws! 

To avoid descriptive animal abuse, skip pages 193-195!

I enjoyed the pacing and the characters in this book! It was fun to see the different sides of all the characters and see how they change throughout the book. This book focuses a TON on the firefighter side of things, so there's a lot of language specific to that role that gets confusing. You can tell it was written by someone with experience as a firefighter because while they try to explain it as best they can, I don't think it's something that can be easily understood without experiencing it firsthand. Also, while the plots tied together at the end, they seemed a bit disjointed and the "villain" felt like they were added in in a rush at the last minute. 

This was such a sweet book! Definitely much different than all her other books, but I really loved this one! The magical realism in the plot is so fun and really captures your attention from the beginning. This was a quick read and I was so invested in the characters! Make sure to have Kleenex for the ending, what a heartwarming ending!!