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kaitlynisliterate's Reviews (466)
This book was a wild, wild ride and I enjoyed every minute of it.
I found the characters of Erin and Max to be really compelling. They acted like authentic ‘teenagers’ which is to say selfish, short-sighted, and emotional but trying their absolute best. They had distinct voices with each of their POVs and you can see how their experiences shaped who they were.
On the other hand, I really wish the antagonists were more realized and three-dimensional. This isn’t to say that I wanted to see their ‘good’ side or have them be redeemed. But there were a lot of unanswered questions about how and why people did the things they did. This is all hand-waved away with a line about how in real life, we don’t get answers. But that’s the point, this is a book! I want some answers at least.
Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I found the characters of Erin and Max to be really compelling. They acted like authentic ‘teenagers’ which is to say selfish, short-sighted, and emotional but trying their absolute best. They had distinct voices with each of their POVs and you can see how their experiences shaped who they were.
On the other hand, I really wish the antagonists were more realized and three-dimensional. This isn’t to say that I wanted to see their ‘good’ side or have them be redeemed. But there were a lot of unanswered questions about how and why people did the things they did. This is all hand-waved away with a line about how in real life, we don’t get answers. But that’s the point, this is a book! I want some answers at least.
Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This was an absolutely spellbinding story of two sisters and their lives on the island of San Juan, Washington. It felt like I was reading a modern-day fairytale where you have a sickening sense of dread at what you sense is coming but you can’t stop reading.
At some points, while reading, I wished that we got POVs from both sisters instead of just Sam. I really feel like their perspectives and the way that they interpret events would have made an excellent contrast. Even without Elena’s POV, the interactions between her and Sam show the full range of sibling relationships. It felt so raw and real. The struggles that they go through are depicted in such a human way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
At some points, while reading, I wished that we got POVs from both sisters instead of just Sam. I really feel like their perspectives and the way that they interpret events would have made an excellent contrast. Even without Elena’s POV, the interactions between her and Sam show the full range of sibling relationships. It felt so raw and real. The struggles that they go through are depicted in such a human way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This was a slow-moving literary mystery that just didn’t work for me. The prose was so beautiful and gorgeous but in service of such a lackluster story.
Some of my favorite mystery novels are slow-burns so I was not unprepared but Knife River really took it to the next level and unfortunately, I do not mean that in a good way. I honestly struggled to stay focused throughout the entire story because it felt like absolutely nothing was happening. I understand that probably was supposed to be the “point,” to show a “realistic” cold case investigation in a small town. But I felt totally unmotivated to continue reading after about the halfway mark when there had been absolutely 0 progress made in the central mystery.
I really loved the dynamic between the sisters and the close look at how their mother’s disappearance changed them in such different ways. I liked the depiction of their initial discomfort and even distrust of each other after being out of touch for so many years.
However, I really struggled with Liz and Jess’ insistence on a certain suspect being their mother’s killer. It made absolutely no sense but they were so dead-set and certain. I could understand Liz being fixated on this suspect but it did not make sense for Jess’ character and really took me out of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Some of my favorite mystery novels are slow-burns so I was not unprepared but Knife River really took it to the next level and unfortunately, I do not mean that in a good way. I honestly struggled to stay focused throughout the entire story because it felt like absolutely nothing was happening. I understand that probably was supposed to be the “point,” to show a “realistic” cold case investigation in a small town. But I felt totally unmotivated to continue reading after about the halfway mark when there had been absolutely 0 progress made in the central mystery.
I really loved the dynamic between the sisters and the close look at how their mother’s disappearance changed them in such different ways. I liked the depiction of their initial discomfort and even distrust of each other after being out of touch for so many years.
However, I really struggled with Liz and Jess’ insistence on a certain suspect being their mother’s killer. It made absolutely no sense but they were so dead-set and certain. I could understand Liz being fixated on this suspect but it did not make sense for Jess’ character and really took me out of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The second installment of the Keera Duggan series didn’t quite reach the same levels of mystery and suspense as the first book, Her Deadly Game, but was a great read regardless.
Going into this book, I was worried that it was going to be too similar to the first novel. And certainly, some aspects carry over but it still felt fresh and exciting.
The first chapter of this book is intense and really gets to the crux of being a defense lawyer. It sets the stage for Keera’s moral dilemma about whether to defend clients that she suspects are guilty. The conversations that she has with her father are so important, especially in a genre that is filled with cops, detectives, prosecutors, etc. It’s great to see the other side of it.
I loved the courtroom scenes which felt like the perfect balance of realism (with a bit of suspension of disbelief) and drama.
The actual murder mystery itself was a bit of a letdown, especially because the identity of the killer was pretty obvious. The big plot twists towards the end were mostly around answering why someone committed murder instead of who.
Just like the first book, I really enjoyed the family dynamics, especially between Keera and her sisters. The frustration and pettiness between Keera and her older sister Maggie was so realistic and human.
The only part that absolutely grinds my gears is the section on giving “grace” to one's parents (or loved ones more generally). The idea that we need to cover for chronic drunk drivers who have already been given an unbelievable amount of leniency is just wild to me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Going into this book, I was worried that it was going to be too similar to the first novel. And certainly, some aspects carry over but it still felt fresh and exciting.
The first chapter of this book is intense and really gets to the crux of being a defense lawyer. It sets the stage for Keera’s moral dilemma about whether to defend clients that she suspects are guilty. The conversations that she has with her father are so important, especially in a genre that is filled with cops, detectives, prosecutors, etc. It’s great to see the other side of it.
I loved the courtroom scenes which felt like the perfect balance of realism (with a bit of suspension of disbelief) and drama.
The actual murder mystery itself was a bit of a letdown, especially because the identity of the killer was pretty obvious. The big plot twists towards the end were mostly around answering why someone committed murder instead of who.
Just like the first book, I really enjoyed the family dynamics, especially between Keera and her sisters. The frustration and pettiness between Keera and her older sister Maggie was so realistic and human.
The only part that absolutely grinds my gears is the section on giving “grace” to one's parents (or loved ones more generally). The idea that we need to cover for chronic drunk drivers who have already been given an unbelievable amount of leniency is just wild to me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
