Creepy? Yes. Plot bugaboos? Also yes. 

I've been taking my time with the review because I'm conflicted. On the one hand, there were some very scary moments. I've become a bit wary of my own closet after one particular horrifying scene that will probably stay with me until the day I die. 

But on the other hand, parts of the plot bugged the crap out of me...including the ending. 😫 Without giving anything away, I'll just say that some interactions were completely unbelievable. The characters made some choices that didn't quite line up with what I thought would have happened in those situations. Maybe that's why I didn't feel connected to any of the characters either. 🤔 Either way, something was off. 

Listening to this audiobook was like taking the scenic route home. It's slow, but in a charming and lovely way where you can melt into the story. 

Ann Patchett is a brilliant storyteller and I have loved everything I have ever read by her, but I'm not sure I would have enjoyed this one so much if it hadn't been read to me by the brilliant Tom Hanks. Of course, the story featured incredibly complex characters and themes of family, love, loss, forgiveness, and how we see and deal with our past, but the moments that are staying with me the most are the hilarious snippets of dialogue and how they came to life through Mr. Hanks. 

I loved how the story bounced back and forth in time across five decades, revealing more complexity within the plot and characters as the story went along, but it was a bit drawn out for me. Sometimes the same amount of impact can be made in a shorter story. I would recommend it to anyone who likes detailed, emotional, reflective epics!

 Punch me in the face and hang me upside down. That was a TRIP! One that I'll take again and again. 

These nine stories yank you out of normal and into an inside out world of weird. But these stories aren't just strange for the sake of being strange. The depth and complexity of the characters and themes were haunting. Link packs SO much into each little story that I felt like I needed to lie down after each one.

Something that you'll either love or hate: Link doesn't make it easy. 😉 In each story, she gives away pieces of the puzzle (sometimes out of order), making the brain assemble and make sense of things as you go. Sometimes it was confusing, but for me, I adored that feeling of being adrift and going wherever the story takes me. 

This book is about so so so much more than just the story of a man ordered by the government to assess a group of "dangerous" magical children. Important themes stood out such as overcoming prejudice, accepting people for all that they are, being brave for others, and taking strides toward change, even if those steps are small. Best of all, the story shows love in all of its forms, sometimes where you least expect to find it.

From beginning to end, this book is completely and totally heartwarming, wholesome, charming, and lovely. It's perfection. I'm going to reread it often.

Pine has everything I hope for in a horror novel. The creep factor, twists and turns with characters, and a moody setting in the Scottish Highlands were all enhanced by Toon's sharp writing style. The scariest moments seemed to pop out of nowhere, just like a horror movie. The result was chilling. Multiple times, I found myself gripping the book too hard. 

I definitely wanted MORE though. Some people may disagree, but I don't mind feeling this way at the end of a book. If anything, the unanswered questions make me want to reread the book again to see what I missed the first time. 

One thing I want to understand is why I didn't connect with Lauren, the main character. She was intended to be the main character, but I found myself more interested and invested in the haunted, drunken father, Niall. Right up until the end, I was unsure of what he had done or not done in relation to the mysterious things happening in the small town. He was the most complex character and made the book a win for me. 

SO, if you like a little spooky in your life, read this one in the dead of night, with your favorite candle flickering nearby. Bonus points if it's cold and snowy outside. Atmosphere is everything with this one. 

Go ahead. Roll your eyes if you must. I'm adding my voice to the chorus praising The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. In my opinion the crushing wave of popularity this book has received is completely deserved. I adored every single page of this book, even through the heartbreak, because there is such complexity and wisdom between the lines of fiction. Don't we all simply want to live before we die? 

I've heard that Addie's character is judged harshly for being bland or one-dimensional. I can't begin to understand why. She is brave, witty, vulnerable, stubborn, resilient. Is it so hard to believe that a woman like Addie could inspire major works of art? Why? Because she's ordinary? Well damn, people. AREN'T WE ALL ORDINARY? Why can't the ordinary inspire something beautiful? Doesn't it happen every single day? Go ahead and think about it for a minute. I'll wait. 

For such a long book, it was over far too soon and I'm not sure anyone could have written a finer ending. I'll be returning to this book often, for the love story, for the gorgeous prose, for the reminder that life seems very long sometimes, but that it will go fast. We can't miss a moment.