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jussygillis's Reviews (761)
Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere
DID NOT FINISH: 10%
I just don’t have any interest in picking it back up.
“Chase was the only one who looked at the skull and saw death instead of art.”
Lonely Places by Kate Anderson
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
After a traumatic night steals her sisters voice. Chase and her family settle down in a fire look off in Pando, a series of Aspen clones connected by one big root system.
Chase quickly begins to worry when her sister starts talking again but not to her family, but to one tree in particular calling it a name of a long lost little girl.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
Like with all YA / Teen books, the decisions of the MC made me mad but I could also see her reasoning.
So with that aside this was actually a really good book. The journey of finding where you belong of strong, but also facing past traumas. This one is geared more towards teens for sure but as an adult I really enjoyed from start to finish.
Lonely Places by Kate Anderson
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
After a traumatic night steals her sisters voice. Chase and her family settle down in a fire look off in Pando, a series of Aspen clones connected by one big root system.
Chase quickly begins to worry when her sister starts talking again but not to her family, but to one tree in particular calling it a name of a long lost little girl.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
Like with all YA / Teen books, the decisions of the MC made me mad but I could also see her reasoning.
So with that aside this was actually a really good book. The journey of finding where you belong of strong, but also facing past traumas. This one is geared more towards teens for sure but as an adult I really enjoyed from start to finish.
“‘Nature. I mean, we can cut it back, build on it, civilise it if you like, but nature always wins. She always reclaims what was once hers.’”
The Forgotten Island by David Sodergren
🏝️ 🏝️ 🏝️ 🏝️
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
When Ana agrees on a vacation to Thailand with her estranged sister, she did not sign up for being stranded on a what seems to be deserted island until people set out to explore and don’t return.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
This book had me in its chokehold from the moment I started. I constantly needed to know what happens next and was so invested in the characters (or most of them). I can’t even process my thoughts fully because I was that invested.
The Forgotten Island by David Sodergren
🏝️ 🏝️ 🏝️ 🏝️
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
When Ana agrees on a vacation to Thailand with her estranged sister, she did not sign up for being stranded on a what seems to be deserted island until people set out to explore and don’t return.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
This book had me in its chokehold from the moment I started. I constantly needed to know what happens next and was so invested in the characters (or most of them). I can’t even process my thoughts fully because I was that invested.
“Who would even buy something like this? Nerds? Yep, probably had something to do with nerds.”
Hot Singles in Your Area by Jordan Shiveley
⭐️ ⭐️
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
Two time lines follow two separate people. One who needs a new job and another who seems to have been left behind in a silent city.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
Oof. This book. Was painful.
It reads more along the lines of fantasy / horror but without the world building needed to make the story feel complete. It was so disjointed and the 50+ pages of filler (I’m not kidding, DM me if you want examples) kept taking me out of the story. This had so much potential to be a good story but with the fillers and just the NOT ENOUGH left me beyond disappointed. The only reason for 2 stars is because I see the potential in the story.
Hot Singles in Your Area by Jordan Shiveley
⭐️ ⭐️
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
Two time lines follow two separate people. One who needs a new job and another who seems to have been left behind in a silent city.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
Oof. This book. Was painful.
It reads more along the lines of fantasy / horror but without the world building needed to make the story feel complete. It was so disjointed and the 50+ pages of filler (I’m not kidding, DM me if you want examples) kept taking me out of the story. This had so much potential to be a good story but with the fillers and just the NOT ENOUGH left me beyond disappointed. The only reason for 2 stars is because I see the potential in the story.
“But it will be your belief that is your protection, and God who is your protector.”
Vampire on the Orient Express by Shane Carrow
🩸 🩸
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
Paris 1914, the Orient Express is making its way through Europe. But what people don’t know is something dark is hiding in the train.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
This was …. Fine. But it wasn’t fleshed out enough for me personally I felt like it was missing the mark and needed a little more.
I didn’t love the writing either so there’s that.
Vampire on the Orient Express by Shane Carrow
🩸 🩸
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
Paris 1914, the Orient Express is making its way through Europe. But what people don’t know is something dark is hiding in the train.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
This was …. Fine. But it wasn’t fleshed out enough for me personally I felt like it was missing the mark and needed a little more.
I didn’t love the writing either so there’s that.
“Happiness is a choice,” Alice says. “You decide what makes you happy and pursue it, rather than waiting for it to announce itself.”
Tell me What You Did by Carter Wilson
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
Poe is a host of a popular true crime podcast that invites people to anonymously confess crimes they’ve committed. But then a straight and oddly familiar man appears on her show, and he’s claiming to be her mother’s killer, except Poe knows … he’s already dead.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
What a way to begin the year with this book. I could not put it down. I did nothing with my Sunday but read this book. Although at points the characters made me want to scream I needed to know how it ended and what’s even better is the fact that I enjoyed the ending!
This book comes out at the end of January and it’s one I’d highly recommend for thriller fans ! #ipreview via @preview.app
Tell me What You Did by Carter Wilson
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
Poe is a host of a popular true crime podcast that invites people to anonymously confess crimes they’ve committed. But then a straight and oddly familiar man appears on her show, and he’s claiming to be her mother’s killer, except Poe knows … he’s already dead.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
What a way to begin the year with this book. I could not put it down. I did nothing with my Sunday but read this book. Although at points the characters made me want to scream I needed to know how it ended and what’s even better is the fact that I enjoyed the ending!
This book comes out at the end of January and it’s one I’d highly recommend for thriller fans ! #ipreview via @preview.app
“I wouldn’t call a Honda Gold Wing badass, Edgar. A Harley Softail, that’s badass.”
You Like It Darker by Stephen King
🐊 🐊 🐊 🐊
For those that know me, know I haven’t been a fan of SK in a hot minute. I don’t care for his new works, the last book of his that’s newer that I read, finished and enjoyed was his other short story collection “If it Bleeds”. I didn’t have any particular hopes going into this one, but was pleasant surprised I enjoyed almost every story and his connections to an older story was perfectly tied in. This was definitely a win.
You Like It Darker by Stephen King
🐊 🐊 🐊 🐊
For those that know me, know I haven’t been a fan of SK in a hot minute. I don’t care for his new works, the last book of his that’s newer that I read, finished and enjoyed was his other short story collection “If it Bleeds”. I didn’t have any particular hopes going into this one, but was pleasant surprised I enjoyed almost every story and his connections to an older story was perfectly tied in. This was definitely a win.
“And no matter how badly I wished otherwise, I had a code. I only killed monsters.”
This Girl’s a Killer by Emma C Wells
🔪 🔪 🔪
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
Cordelia Black lives a simple life with a big secret. She kills monstrous men.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
Personally for me the synopsis had me more invested than the story itself. The inner monologue of the FMC had me wanting to bang my head against the wall because she was soooooo annoying. I gave it the whole chance because I wanted to see where it went because the idea was there but the execution was not it for me.
This Girl’s a Killer by Emma C Wells
🔪 🔪 🔪
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
Cordelia Black lives a simple life with a big secret. She kills monstrous men.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
Personally for me the synopsis had me more invested than the story itself. The inner monologue of the FMC had me wanting to bang my head against the wall because she was soooooo annoying. I gave it the whole chance because I wanted to see where it went because the idea was there but the execution was not it for me.
“Hide-and-seek isn’t easy when you’re a human teenager and your opponent is the ghost of a dead child.”
Cursed Cruise by Faith McClaren & Victoria Fulton
🛳️ 🛳️ 🛳️
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
The Ghost Gang is back to their old ways. After their night at the Hearst Hotel, they’re setting sail on a cruise ship. Only thing is its history is bloody.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
Teenage Justine would have devoured these books. Adult Justine does not have time for the teenage angst that comes along with this book. If it was written for an adult audience with a little darker and more drawn out I think I would have enjoyed it more. Unfortunately everything felt too rushed for me.
Cursed Cruise by Faith McClaren & Victoria Fulton
🛳️ 🛳️ 🛳️
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
The Ghost Gang is back to their old ways. After their night at the Hearst Hotel, they’re setting sail on a cruise ship. Only thing is its history is bloody.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
Teenage Justine would have devoured these books. Adult Justine does not have time for the teenage angst that comes along with this book. If it was written for an adult audience with a little darker and more drawn out I think I would have enjoyed it more. Unfortunately everything felt too rushed for me.
“Where you have gods, you will find demons…”
Rosie by Jonathan Dunne
🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
A realtor dream team made a huge sale on a house they have been sitting on for two long names “Wishing Well House” but the same night a wildly bizarre accident happens leaving one of the dream team changed forever.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
This was one of those books where I didn’t LOVE it but it was so captivating that I couldn’t stop reading it. The wild ride left me needing more and needing to know how everything ends. Defiantly a book that gives your claustrophobic feelings.
Rosie by Jonathan Dunne
🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹
QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
A realtor dream team made a huge sale on a house they have been sitting on for two long names “Wishing Well House” but the same night a wildly bizarre accident happens leaving one of the dream team changed forever.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
This was one of those books where I didn’t LOVE it but it was so captivating that I couldn’t stop reading it. The wild ride left me needing more and needing to know how everything ends. Defiantly a book that gives your claustrophobic feelings.