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dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was such a creative thriller. Liv loses her recent memory every time she falls asleep, so she has written "stay awake" across her knuckles along with several other memos in ink on her body to try and prevent herself from resetting. That is all the information that is given in the beginning few chapters other than that Liv finds herself waking with a bloody knife in her pocket and no idea of where it came from.
The way this plot is written is a dual timeline with one of them working forward from the point of her waking and the other working its way from her past to this point of waking. It was really well done and though the approach could be a little disorienting it wasn't done in a way that left me lost in the story in any way. Instead, it just added to the tension in a way that had me super gripped.
As things slowly unfold, it can get a little repetitious to have Liv fall asleep, wake, and basically start over again and again. It was a little bit grating, but didn't drone on too badly and put the reader in that state of frustration that Liv would undoubtedly find herself as well. It was totally understandable and fit with the way the story needed to go. However, I will say that it was a little bit off-putting regardless of the admittedly well-handled literary structure and character consistency.
The tension was really well-handled throughout the read and I had a good time. I will admit that the plot was just a tiny bit predictable, but the red herrings she threw in were quite clever. The psychological abuse that occurs in the earlier timeline is crazy and seriously had me evaluating how I would have handled a similar situation. However, this is also where things felt a little bit unrealistic because it felt like there were some obvious things that Liv failed to do that an otherwise rational person would've likely considered.
Regardless of the minor flaws I felt existed, this was still a really fun and well-moving read.
The way this plot is written is a dual timeline with one of them working forward from the point of her waking and the other working its way from her past to this point of waking. It was really well done and though the approach could be a little disorienting it wasn't done in a way that left me lost in the story in any way. Instead, it just added to the tension in a way that had me super gripped.
As things slowly unfold, it can get a little repetitious to have Liv fall asleep, wake, and basically start over again and again. It was a little bit grating, but didn't drone on too badly and put the reader in that state of frustration that Liv would undoubtedly find herself as well. It was totally understandable and fit with the way the story needed to go. However, I will say that it was a little bit off-putting regardless of the admittedly well-handled literary structure and character consistency.
The tension was really well-handled throughout the read and I had a good time. I will admit that the plot was just a tiny bit predictable, but the red herrings she threw in were quite clever. The psychological abuse that occurs in the earlier timeline is crazy and seriously had me evaluating how I would have handled a similar situation. However, this is also where things felt a little bit unrealistic because it felt like there were some obvious things that Liv failed to do that an otherwise rational person would've likely considered.
Regardless of the minor flaws I felt existed, this was still a really fun and well-moving read.
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Let's start this by me saying that I am not a fan of sports based fiction. It's not my thing. And so I was a LITTLE apprehensive going in to this even though I really love Taylor Jenkins Reid's work as a whole. It started off with me feeling validated in my worry as it focused on the ins and outs of Carrie Soto's tennis history.
But...then something happened. I didn't like Carrie to start with. I wasn't a fan of her in Malibu Rising and her personality is quite abrasive. But dang it if TJR didn't make me like her. The way she writes her characters is just freaking magic. Seriously. It comes out of nowhere and just grabs me. And the journey Carrie takes is really masterfully handled. She still remains her old "Battleaxe" self, but there is growth and it is so well done that it absolutely feels organic. I loved her and hated her at the same time. She is so perfectly flawed.
There is a lot about tennis in this novel, so lovers of the sport will undoubtedly feel even more attached to the plot, but a for a novice like me it was still written in a way that got me excited about the action and the sport itself. Who even am I? I can't tell you if it is 100% accurate, but it sure as heck felt like it. I have to believe that the research that went into understanding the sport was immersive because the detail and consistency was on point. I was absolutely riveted.
(Also...side note...I love the way TJR weaves a little bit of her previous works into her novels, so it was fun to read little Easter eggs from her other books in this one.)
I devoured this book in less than 24 hours and freaking felt it in my gut. A great story, a fantastic protagonist, and a level of charisma to the writing that has me on the edge of a full swoon.
But...then something happened. I didn't like Carrie to start with. I wasn't a fan of her in Malibu Rising and her personality is quite abrasive. But dang it if TJR didn't make me like her. The way she writes her characters is just freaking magic. Seriously. It comes out of nowhere and just grabs me. And the journey Carrie takes is really masterfully handled. She still remains her old "Battleaxe" self, but there is growth and it is so well done that it absolutely feels organic. I loved her and hated her at the same time. She is so perfectly flawed.
There is a lot about tennis in this novel, so lovers of the sport will undoubtedly feel even more attached to the plot, but a for a novice like me it was still written in a way that got me excited about the action and the sport itself. Who even am I? I can't tell you if it is 100% accurate, but it sure as heck felt like it. I have to believe that the research that went into understanding the sport was immersive because the detail and consistency was on point. I was absolutely riveted.
(Also...side note...I love the way TJR weaves a little bit of her previous works into her novels, so it was fun to read little Easter eggs from her other books in this one.)
I devoured this book in less than 24 hours and freaking felt it in my gut. A great story, a fantastic protagonist, and a level of charisma to the writing that has me on the edge of a full swoon.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 stars.
I love writers who can make a bad character feel good. Ruby is definitely not the best person, but somehow she still remains likable. And placing the murderess as a therapist? Love that. While some of her actions are undeniably beyond sane, the way she is presented nearly makes the reader feel that her choices are justified. It's an odd juxtaposition. Unsettling and yet at the same time oh so gripping.
The book is dark and yet super intriguing. The writing is nearly effortless feeling and the plot moves pretty comfortably. Ruby is really well developed as a protagonist and the claustrophobic construction of the narration (focusing super narrowly on Ruby and her actions) feels natural.
A really good mystery thriller debut. It created so many conflicting feelings in me and I loved it for that.
I love writers who can make a bad character feel good. Ruby is definitely not the best person, but somehow she still remains likable. And placing the murderess as a therapist? Love that. While some of her actions are undeniably beyond sane, the way she is presented nearly makes the reader feel that her choices are justified. It's an odd juxtaposition. Unsettling and yet at the same time oh so gripping.
The book is dark and yet super intriguing. The writing is nearly effortless feeling and the plot moves pretty comfortably. Ruby is really well developed as a protagonist and the claustrophobic construction of the narration (focusing super narrowly on Ruby and her actions) feels natural.
A really good mystery thriller debut. It created so many conflicting feelings in me and I loved it for that.
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There was a lot of cringe factor in this contemporary novel. Nearly every character was a train wreck and made poor decisions. While I can see some pieces of cultural relevance in the plot, this was overwhelmed for me by a heavy-handed unsympathetic protagonist.
Some of my apathy toward Queenie was the result of the structure of the narrative itself. Because her relevant past was glossed over and not discussed with understanding until the last 1/4 of the book, her past trauma wasn't as impactful on the remainder of the novel as it could have been. Also, regardless of her history, she really wasn't a character that garnered sympathy from me because a lot of the damaging situations were ones she placed herself in by making overwhelmingly poor choices. It was just too much.
Likewise, the majority of the supporting characters were a mess. Queenie's friends, family, and the men she chose to associate with were primarily damaged and unhealthy for her in any state of being. The depressing situations were a bit overwhelming and the lack of any semblance of a fully healthy support system was a just a spiral of claustrophic negativity.
I did appreciate the discussions on mental health and the importance of therapy and solid self esteem. These topics were fairly well handled. I do wish that the therapy could have occurred earlier in the narrative and that the healing journey for Queenie could have been a larger portion of the plot than being overwhelmed by the repetition of her seeking out harmful situations.
The writing was solid and the development of the characters was very dynamic, but ultimately this was a novel that simply didn't feel balanced for me. Though the ending did have some redeemable qualities, it felt like there was too much piled on. Individually, the characters and the situations were absolutely believable and well-written, there was nothing but trauma and Queenie in particular did not seem to learn anything from her mistakes.
Some of my apathy toward Queenie was the result of the structure of the narrative itself. Because her relevant past was glossed over and not discussed with understanding until the last 1/4 of the book, her past trauma wasn't as impactful on the remainder of the novel as it could have been. Also, regardless of her history, she really wasn't a character that garnered sympathy from me because a lot of the damaging situations were ones she placed herself in by making overwhelmingly poor choices. It was just too much.
Likewise, the majority of the supporting characters were a mess. Queenie's friends, family, and the men she chose to associate with were primarily damaged and unhealthy for her in any state of being. The depressing situations were a bit overwhelming and the lack of any semblance of a fully healthy support system was a just a spiral of claustrophic negativity.
I did appreciate the discussions on mental health and the importance of therapy and solid self esteem. These topics were fairly well handled. I do wish that the therapy could have occurred earlier in the narrative and that the healing journey for Queenie could have been a larger portion of the plot than being overwhelmed by the repetition of her seeking out harmful situations.
The writing was solid and the development of the characters was very dynamic, but ultimately this was a novel that simply didn't feel balanced for me. Though the ending did have some redeemable qualities, it felt like there was too much piled on. Individually, the characters and the situations were absolutely believable and well-written, there was nothing but trauma and Queenie in particular did not seem to learn anything from her mistakes.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Creative, modern twist on the vampire trope that comes across as a blend of gothic and contemporary. A lot of the elements to the story give it a very historical, medieval kind of feel, but this is then meshed with a lot of present day technology in an odd, but well-crafted juxtaposition. It is quite dark and twisted and had me gripped.
There is a lot of misogyny in the plot that definitely caused a rise in my bile and created some stomach-turning domestic violence/grooming content. There is some great social commentary built into this as well and it is deftly handled, giving a lot of strength to Devon (the female protagonist) as the story progresses.
Devon herself is a well-written character who experiences a lot of emotional conflict throughout the narrative and shows a lot of growth. She was believably crafted and I appreciated that there were realistic obstacles that challenged her as a woman, a mother, and an overall character.
The book element wasn't necessarily explored as thoroughly as I had initially hoped, but it was a creative setup for the book and the magical world itself did not disappoint. A strong and intriguing debut.
There is a lot of misogyny in the plot that definitely caused a rise in my bile and created some stomach-turning domestic violence/grooming content. There is some great social commentary built into this as well and it is deftly handled, giving a lot of strength to Devon (the female protagonist) as the story progresses.
Devon herself is a well-written character who experiences a lot of emotional conflict throughout the narrative and shows a lot of growth. She was believably crafted and I appreciated that there were realistic obstacles that challenged her as a woman, a mother, and an overall character.
The book element wasn't necessarily explored as thoroughly as I had initially hoped, but it was a creative setup for the book and the magical world itself did not disappoint. A strong and intriguing debut.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars and I am probably being a bit generous with that.
While it was absolutely better than his Survive the Night, this newest release from Riley Sager was still just a meh read for me. I didn't hate it, but I was disappointed. There are good things, but really what came across most was just how average and cliche this novel was and I expect more from a seasoned author.
There is a slow burn to the plot and some good twists. There was some good intrigue and a few creative pieces that could have taken the book to really great places. The insertion of some paranormal elements were a bit off kilter for me, but may work well for other readers...it will likely prove to be a large divisive point. I'm not against a paranormal element, but in this case I just would have liked the plot to have worked out on a different pathway. For me, the paranormal route felt like a bit of a cop out and didn't fit with the trajectory of the plot. There was a lot of potential in the components to this story and it just went unfulfilled.
Overall, I think this book just suffers from being pushed out too quickly. There were good bones. Sager has talent and can write a good story. I have read his other novels and clearly liked them enough to come back for more (despite my feelings for Survive the Night). But this...this wasn't the best. The writing is not his finest. Though readable and somewhat entertaining, the prose comes off a bit lazy and doesn't really have the finesse that I saw in some of his earlier works. I suppose this is what comes of pushing out thrillers at a fast pace instead of taking the time to thoroughly edit.
There is a lot of tell vs. show in the novel and this does hurt the narrative quite a bit. Casey's backstory is just kind of tossed out to set the scene in small dollops and this results in her being more of a cardboard cutout than a dynamic and believable character. The tension is likewise stunted due to these actions. Again, I think there was a lot of promise with the plot and the characters, there simply does not appear to have been the time investment into making them their best.
There is an audience for this novel and I think those who have not read Sager's other works may rate this higher. For those who do elect to read, I do recommend physically reading the novel over listening to the audio. Typically, the audio gives a book a bit more depth and can help me connect with it on an even deeper level, but unfortunately there was a terrible mismatch between the book and choice of narrator. Bernadette Dunne does a great job as a reader, but her mature voice created a bit of a distraction from the fact that the main character was meant to be in her 30s. This resulted in quite a disconnect for me on several occasions and just didn't lend any authenticity to the protagonist.
I know that this review sounds overbearingly critical, but this is simply because (as stated earlier) I know what Sager is capable of as an author. This was a lazy attempt at best. It wasn't a bad book, I just expected more.
While it was absolutely better than his Survive the Night, this newest release from Riley Sager was still just a meh read for me. I didn't hate it, but I was disappointed. There are good things, but really what came across most was just how average and cliche this novel was and I expect more from a seasoned author.
There is a slow burn to the plot and some good twists. There was some good intrigue and a few creative pieces that could have taken the book to really great places. The insertion of some paranormal elements were a bit off kilter for me, but may work well for other readers...it will likely prove to be a large divisive point. I'm not against a paranormal element, but in this case I just would have liked the plot to have worked out on a different pathway. For me, the paranormal route felt like a bit of a cop out and didn't fit with the trajectory of the plot. There was a lot of potential in the components to this story and it just went unfulfilled.
Overall, I think this book just suffers from being pushed out too quickly. There were good bones. Sager has talent and can write a good story. I have read his other novels and clearly liked them enough to come back for more (despite my feelings for Survive the Night). But this...this wasn't the best. The writing is not his finest. Though readable and somewhat entertaining, the prose comes off a bit lazy and doesn't really have the finesse that I saw in some of his earlier works. I suppose this is what comes of pushing out thrillers at a fast pace instead of taking the time to thoroughly edit.
There is a lot of tell vs. show in the novel and this does hurt the narrative quite a bit. Casey's backstory is just kind of tossed out to set the scene in small dollops and this results in her being more of a cardboard cutout than a dynamic and believable character. The tension is likewise stunted due to these actions. Again, I think there was a lot of promise with the plot and the characters, there simply does not appear to have been the time investment into making them their best.
There is an audience for this novel and I think those who have not read Sager's other works may rate this higher. For those who do elect to read, I do recommend physically reading the novel over listening to the audio. Typically, the audio gives a book a bit more depth and can help me connect with it on an even deeper level, but unfortunately there was a terrible mismatch between the book and choice of narrator. Bernadette Dunne does a great job as a reader, but her mature voice created a bit of a distraction from the fact that the main character was meant to be in her 30s. This resulted in quite a disconnect for me on several occasions and just didn't lend any authenticity to the protagonist.
I know that this review sounds overbearingly critical, but this is simply because (as stated earlier) I know what Sager is capable of as an author. This was a lazy attempt at best. It wasn't a bad book, I just expected more.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Julia Whelan is amazing. She has long been one of my favorite audiobook narrators, but she has now proven herself as an excellent author as well! Within the first twenty minutes of listening (I highly recommend listening since the author is among the best in her profession as a narrator), I had a gut feeling that this was going to be a stellar 5-star read. I wound up listening to the whole thing in less than 24 hours because it was just so entertaining.
Whelan's writing is witty and quippy. Her characters are fun and the banter was magnificent. Sewanee is great, as are the other main characters, but Whelan's creation of Blah (Sewanee's grandmother, Barbara) is an absolute kick and I loved her so much. Each character interaction is well thought out and filled with realistic moments that make everything incredibly full of depth. Regardless of how minor a character was to the story, it felt like Whelan went out of her way to make sure they were all very tangible and unique.
The plot is somewhat predictable, but still totally lovable. It is cute, emotional, swoony, smart, and very funny. I literally laughed out loud at several points and recommended it to a friend as an immediate read before I was even finished.
Book lovers will definitely get an extra kick out of this because of all of the little Easter eggs peppered throughout the plot. There are a lot of references to book tropes and cliches, discussions on genres, and a lot of information about how audiobooks are created. I appreciated all of this and Whelan's experience definitely lent heavy authenticity to the plot.
This is such a fun romp. It's a light rom-com, but still has heavier elements layered in for a few more serious subplots that still go well explored. A fantastic read and a great amount of fun. This will be in my top reads for the year, without a doubt.
Whelan's writing is witty and quippy. Her characters are fun and the banter was magnificent. Sewanee is great, as are the other main characters, but Whelan's creation of Blah (Sewanee's grandmother, Barbara) is an absolute kick and I loved her so much. Each character interaction is well thought out and filled with realistic moments that make everything incredibly full of depth. Regardless of how minor a character was to the story, it felt like Whelan went out of her way to make sure they were all very tangible and unique.
The plot is somewhat predictable, but still totally lovable. It is cute, emotional, swoony, smart, and very funny. I literally laughed out loud at several points and recommended it to a friend as an immediate read before I was even finished.
Book lovers will definitely get an extra kick out of this because of all of the little Easter eggs peppered throughout the plot. There are a lot of references to book tropes and cliches, discussions on genres, and a lot of information about how audiobooks are created. I appreciated all of this and Whelan's experience definitely lent heavy authenticity to the plot.
This is such a fun romp. It's a light rom-com, but still has heavier elements layered in for a few more serious subplots that still go well explored. A fantastic read and a great amount of fun. This will be in my top reads for the year, without a doubt.
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.75 stars rounded up.
Let me start by saying: Rob Hart...please write more of this world. I found it immensely intriguing.
In the future, you can travel into the past. While you are awaiting your travel plans with Einstein (the government operated travel program), you can stay at the nearby Paradox Hotel, which is rumored to be heavily haunted. When things start going awry with pieces of the hotel and pieces of time, it is the job of January Cole to solve a murder that only she can see...because it exists somewhere stuck in time and January herself is Unstuck, seeing fleeting moments of the past, the present, and the future as her brain slowly unravels from too much time travel in her job as a time detective.
This was such a fun read. It's a lot, but it's worth it. I could not stop reading. The time travel concept was well developed and interesting in application. This is a complex novel with a masterfully-written mystery built in. There is a lot going on and things just get more convoluted as the story moves on, but it was awesome. I was absolutely rapt.
The narrative was pieced together really well, moving back and forth with different snapshots of time as the protagonist, January, experiences a mental unwinding referred to as being "unstuck", a consequence of excessive time travel. This construction gives everything a bit more of an existential quality and adds to the many layers that exist to the plot.
These layers can make the narrative pretty complex and this isn't a book you can laze your way through. There is a lot of cerebral action at play and I don't doubt that there will be many extra things I pick up on with a reread...because this is a book that will be deserving of a reread.
The characters were great. I loved January and her attitude. She is built as a mostly unlikable character and I was absolutely here for it. I also really enjoyed Ruby. It's personality reminded me a bit of LemonFresh in Jay Kristoff's Lifel1k3 series mixed with Martha Wells's Murderbot and I am all about snarky A.I. The amount of sass, flippancy, and sarcasm built into the plot was magnificent and had me laughing several times.
One of the most unique books I have ever read and just a really great time.
Let me start by saying: Rob Hart...please write more of this world. I found it immensely intriguing.
In the future, you can travel into the past. While you are awaiting your travel plans with Einstein (the government operated travel program), you can stay at the nearby Paradox Hotel, which is rumored to be heavily haunted. When things start going awry with pieces of the hotel and pieces of time, it is the job of January Cole to solve a murder that only she can see...because it exists somewhere stuck in time and January herself is Unstuck, seeing fleeting moments of the past, the present, and the future as her brain slowly unravels from too much time travel in her job as a time detective.
This was such a fun read. It's a lot, but it's worth it. I could not stop reading. The time travel concept was well developed and interesting in application. This is a complex novel with a masterfully-written mystery built in. There is a lot going on and things just get more convoluted as the story moves on, but it was awesome. I was absolutely rapt.
The narrative was pieced together really well, moving back and forth with different snapshots of time as the protagonist, January, experiences a mental unwinding referred to as being "unstuck", a consequence of excessive time travel. This construction gives everything a bit more of an existential quality and adds to the many layers that exist to the plot.
These layers can make the narrative pretty complex and this isn't a book you can laze your way through. There is a lot of cerebral action at play and I don't doubt that there will be many extra things I pick up on with a reread...because this is a book that will be deserving of a reread.
The characters were great. I loved January and her attitude. She is built as a mostly unlikable character and I was absolutely here for it. I also really enjoyed Ruby. It's personality reminded me a bit of LemonFresh in Jay Kristoff's Lifel1k3 series mixed with Martha Wells's Murderbot and I am all about snarky A.I. The amount of sass, flippancy, and sarcasm built into the plot was magnificent and had me laughing several times.
One of the most unique books I have ever read and just a really great time.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 stars.
I love Jamie Ford's writing style. It has an interesting combination of comforting and unsettling qualities and is brilliantly atmospheric. His character work is wonderful and I just love the way his stories come to life. Though I have only read historical fiction from him in the past, this novel mixes history with the future and science with a bit of magical realism. It's an interesting framework for a story and incredibly creative.
The women created in the story are all very distinct and strong, despite their traumas. Dorothy appeared to be the weakest of the "daughters", which makes sense as you read the story and understand the theory behind the work. However, this did make her a little more unlikable in my eyes, so may be a reader turn off for her character. Regardless, all of the characters (and multiple POVs) are magnificently crafted and very well researched for their individual time periods. This approach does mean that there are jumps between both time and character that could be confusing for some readers, but I really enjoyed reading about the different women.
I found the research behind the primary basis for the story very interesting and am glad that the author decided to introduce the book with an author's note, as I think this sets up readers for a greater understanding of the narrative (even though it is actually explained over the course of the plot). Those who like to go into a book knowing nothing would be wise to skip this introduction as it could be considered by some to be a bit of a spoiler.
This novel is full of generational sadness and historical misogyny, pulling the reader through multiple emotional journeys. The way these are all interwoven and somewhat influence one another is masterfully done and I loved the way everything came together.
This is a beautiful epic story with an interesting magical realism/sci-fi twist that I found both entertaining and contemplative. There is a lot to unpack in this story and a lot to consider once the tale is finished. A great thought piece and a lovely novel.
I love Jamie Ford's writing style. It has an interesting combination of comforting and unsettling qualities and is brilliantly atmospheric. His character work is wonderful and I just love the way his stories come to life. Though I have only read historical fiction from him in the past, this novel mixes history with the future and science with a bit of magical realism. It's an interesting framework for a story and incredibly creative.
The women created in the story are all very distinct and strong, despite their traumas. Dorothy appeared to be the weakest of the "daughters", which makes sense as you read the story and understand the theory behind the work. However, this did make her a little more unlikable in my eyes, so may be a reader turn off for her character. Regardless, all of the characters (and multiple POVs) are magnificently crafted and very well researched for their individual time periods. This approach does mean that there are jumps between both time and character that could be confusing for some readers, but I really enjoyed reading about the different women.
I found the research behind the primary basis for the story very interesting and am glad that the author decided to introduce the book with an author's note, as I think this sets up readers for a greater understanding of the narrative (even though it is actually explained over the course of the plot). Those who like to go into a book knowing nothing would be wise to skip this introduction as it could be considered by some to be a bit of a spoiler.
This novel is full of generational sadness and historical misogyny, pulling the reader through multiple emotional journeys. The way these are all interwoven and somewhat influence one another is masterfully done and I loved the way everything came together.
This is a beautiful epic story with an interesting magical realism/sci-fi twist that I found both entertaining and contemplative. There is a lot to unpack in this story and a lot to consider once the tale is finished. A great thought piece and a lovely novel.
adventurous
emotional
relaxing
slow-paced
Sweeping historical fiction with a grumpy-sunshine romance component. Beautifully written and set in WWII Australia, this novel just felt wildly epic. Something about the atmospheric writing gave it immense emotional impact and somewhat took my breath away. This was my first read from Jenny Ashcroft, but she can definitely pen a good read.
The plot was emotionally hard-hitting and swung the full pendulum from heart-warming to completely heartbreaking. I don't typically cry at my reads, but this one was very close on more than one occasion. The pacing was a bit slow in the beginning and intermittently through the plot. Slow burn is definitely the name of the game in this case.
The characters are well-written and mostly realistic and the capture of racial tensions in WWII Australia was balanced nicely with the rest of the plot. The result was an impactful undertone that didn't overwhelm the narrative, but sent a strong message. I was definitely invested in the characters and got hit hard in the gut on several occasions as a result. However, there were some moments where I did have to suspend belief, as the characters occasionally behaved incredibly stupidly or acted overly oblivious. The plot utilizes the miscommunication trope and sometimes it seemed like this was too heavy-handed and not necessarily believable.
A solid historical romance with an incredible emotional appeal. A semi-unique approach to a WWII era historical fiction, which I appreciated. The setting was well done and I enjoyed the overall arc of the plot. And dang it if I don't want to live on a ranch in the Australian outback now...
The plot was emotionally hard-hitting and swung the full pendulum from heart-warming to completely heartbreaking. I don't typically cry at my reads, but this one was very close on more than one occasion. The pacing was a bit slow in the beginning and intermittently through the plot. Slow burn is definitely the name of the game in this case.
The characters are well-written and mostly realistic and the capture of racial tensions in WWII Australia was balanced nicely with the rest of the plot. The result was an impactful undertone that didn't overwhelm the narrative, but sent a strong message. I was definitely invested in the characters and got hit hard in the gut on several occasions as a result. However, there were some moments where I did have to suspend belief, as the characters occasionally behaved incredibly stupidly or acted overly oblivious. The plot utilizes the miscommunication trope and sometimes it seemed like this was too heavy-handed and not necessarily believable.
A solid historical romance with an incredible emotional appeal. A semi-unique approach to a WWII era historical fiction, which I appreciated. The setting was well done and I enjoyed the overall arc of the plot. And dang it if I don't want to live on a ranch in the Australian outback now...