hghtashbry's Reviews (80)

I wasn't sure about this book at the beginning. I didn't like either of the characters that were introduced, including the MC. 
I stuck with it because I liked the writing style and I'm so glad I did. By the end, I loved the MC and all the rest of the characters. 
This was the first book I've read by this author and I'll definitely read more. 

One of the aspects of King's writing that I've always enjoyed the most are the tangents he goes off on. It's a talent in and of itself to get that far away from the original story and then flawlessly weave back into it. This book, although more of a novella, is no exception. As much as I hate to admit it, I almost enjoyed the side stories more than the main one. But the end, the last three chapters, pulled everything together and brought the book from a 3 star to a 4. The original 3 star that I had in mind had nothing to do with the writing or the characters, it was a simple case of the story itself not being for me. The ending turned it around. 

There were multiple lines in this book that made me laugh and that automatically pulls me into the story. 
The characters were diverse, fun, and felt real. 
The mystery was interesting and everything tied together neatly at the end. 
The only con to the book was that the MC came off as being a bit immature at times, especially when it came to the nicknames she gave others. 
Overall, it was a quick, enjoyable read. 

This is a fantastic book! 

Normally, I'm a huge fan of unreliable narrators (because I can usually find a few anomalies that tell me that's what's happening) but that wasn't the case here. And it's a good thing.

The back and forth between two POVs and three timelines kept the questions coming and added to the mystery. By the end, there were no questions left unanswered.

If you're a fan of mysteries, multiple POVs, or suspense, you have to read this book. 

I'm a series monster and almost never read the books in order. Even though this is book #10, it's the third I've read. 

I love the way Kellerman weaves characters' individual stories throughout his books. While you're reading, some information/stories seem so insignificant, you wonder why he bothers. And then you get to the end and realize every bit of information is extremely important to the plot. There are few authors that can pull that off so meticulously. 

While I did find this particular story to be a bit far-fetched, his character development more than made up for it. All the people I wanted to like, I shouldn't have and those I didn't trust were the ones I should have. 

Even though the story itself fell a little flat, I still loved the characters and his writing style. 

Part of me feels like I shouldn't publicly admit just how much I loved this book. 

I know the book is controversial (don't judge me) but triggers and extremes aside, it is extremely well-written. 

I loved Adeline. She's fiesty, funny, and smart (even though her actions don't always show it). 

So many lines in the book made me laugh out loud and Adeline's inner monologue reminded me so much of myself. 

Zade is an interesting character, a villain and a hero wrapped up in one and you can't decide whether you should kill him or fall in love. 

If you have any triggers at all, you should stay far away from this book. But if you don't, I highly recommend it. 

This is one of my favorite books and favorite movies. I almost never reread books, but this is one I pick up every couple years because it is that good. If you haven't read the book or watched the movie, I highly encourage you to do both. 

It was published in 1967 and has stood the test of time for the story itself and the way it relates to society as a whole. Hinton had an understanding of what makes us human, how money can change and mold people, and how the hierarchy that we've established doesn't differentiate our basic needs as humans. 

I'm going to recommend, a second time, that everyone read the book and watch the movie. 

I don't know where to start with this book. Mixed feelings, at best. 

The story itself is phenomenal, the psychological aspects of the characters are spot on, the prose is flawless. 

The only character I liked is James. The rest were naive, selfish, immature, and stubborn. Usually, I love to hate characters but it was not the case with this book. This group is made up of the worst possible combination of friends who were there out of convenience rather than loyalty, not really friends at all.

I found myself skipping all the Shakespeare dialogue because it pulled me out of the story. And, while I understand the stylistic choice, the way the dialogue is written, more like you would see in a script, it was distracting rather than entertaining. 

Would I recommend the book? I can't say. For the writing itself and the story, I would say yes. For the characters and style, it would be an absolute no. 

Because of the mix of the two, my final rating is 3.5/5 but it'll be bumped up to a 4 where half stars are not accepted. 

This was a fun read. I loved the back and forth between past and present and the little secrets that emerged now and then. 

I have to say the only character I actually liked was the husband but the plot is what drove the book forward so it wasn't a huge deal for me. 

I did figure out the plot twist about half-way through the book but the way it was presented still made it exciting to read. 

Overall, I thought the book was well-written and I will absolutely be reading more by this author.

I did receive a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.