rebeccasreadingrambles's Reviews (3.06k)

What a bizarre book. This book is very unlike most of Agatha Christie's other books. This book definitely had a creepy tone to it and was not a class "who done it" type of story. But leave it up to AC for a ridiculous twist you won't see coming near the end. It makes you think about the whole book differently.

Spoiler

MIke really was a chilling character. So cold, calculating, and definitely something wrong in the head.

Not what I expected, but a good quick read.

I really enjoyed this one. Kind of a slow start, but never fear Jojo Moyes knows how to keep the drama flowing. So many of the characters changed in my mind over time. At first, I didn't like Liza or Mike and I really liked Greg, even though he was a little ridiculous.

Spoiler

By the end I adored Mike, understood why Liza was the way she was, and disliked Greg (even though his stunt with the shark helped save the Bay. He was still way too immature and selfish.

I think Jojo is a great story teller and knows how to include some serious character development. I also really loved reading about the whales and dolphins and I can completely understand this town's drive to save them and their affinity for living near the water. I would love to visit Australia and see a place like Silver Bay.

Spoiler

I was surprised by the happy ending. With Jojo I also suspect there will be a sad ending so I was so glad that Mike and Liza were happy together and Liza's daughters were reunited. I had a feeling that Lettie maybe wasn't dead or there was some major detail missing. Maybe Steve would show up or something like that. I like the way this turned out as I am a sucker for a happy ending and I couldn't imagine this family going through more horrible things.

Another fun small village mystery in this series. There isn't much more that I haven't said about this series, but I continue to enjoy it. I love how Hamish is casually smarter than everyone else. And how the author can write very silly characters who aren't too over the top, but are sometimes hard to believe. Nosiness and jealous always seemed to prevail over common sense, typically getting people into trouble. Hamish being attracted to everyone women he's with (it seems) may get old, but luckily it's usually presented in such a fun way.

Let's be clear. This is a strange book. But I also kind of enjoyed it. It had its moments when I felt myself zoning out and had to make a conscious effort to pay attention and keep reading. But then there were some things that made me really sit up and think. What if this situation was true? It shows how easily a change in the past could severely affect the future. Every decision that's made could have unbelievable consequences (a timely reminder perhaps). I love the parallel with "The Grasshopper" book that also tells the story of an alternate history. This story doesn't accurately reflect what has actually occurred in history, but it's pretty good for someone just guessing what would happen.

This book took place mostly inside each character's private thoughts and emotions. That's why the plot was thin, but the thoughts gave more insight into this different world than pure actions would, so it worked for this book. Luckily it was just short enough that it didn't get too tedious. Interesting, but strange.

Of course I love absolutely everything that JK Rowling writes, especially when it comes to Hogwarts. Hogwarts was that place that every kid (and lets face it every adult) wanted so badly to visit. I love how much JK Rowling let us into her brain and creative process putting together Hogwarts. It's so intricate and detailed that after the series, we all felt like Hogwarts was our home. This book was so fun because it presented facts and history about Hogwarts and Rowling's own thoughts. It's amazing how she created this whole history for this fictional place that didn't even make it into the books. It shows how truly real Hogwarts was to her.

For me this was between a 3.5 - 4 stars, but I went with 4 because it was a nice quick read. I enjoy this series more and more as I continue with it. I'm glad I went back to the beginning instead of jumping around too much. This story centered around an antique car run and as readers we got A LOT of information about antique cars, which I think really added a fun and different element to the story. Yes, I wish there was more about needlework / the Cruel World shop, but it was also a really nice change up for the series. When the characters talk about their needlework projects, I start to really wish I had a hobby of some kind of needlework where I could use it to relax and make beautiful things. I would love to have a chance to buy that Columbus Circle quilt that was mentioned in the story. The characters are growing on me as well, they are becoming less flat (though Jill could really loosen up if I'm going to like her any more). We get some more "personal life" drama in this one which is good for character building and to break up the murder investigation. The mystery this time around was very interesting and I was completely surprised by the ending!! Also, I'm hoping for a budding love interest for Betsy, but I don't know if that was strong enough in this book to hint at future encounters. I hope my library has the next book so I can continue the series soon.

I completely jumped forward in the Lucy Stone series, but I love that I can jump around and still be able to read out of order. I enjoy this series because I love holidays and sometimes I'm in the mood to visit this small MA town and experience a timely holiday with them (hence reading this book the week after Easter). This one was different than the books I've read at the start of the series. There's more about the elder abuse trial than the murders. We get an in depth look into a wealthy family and many dark secrets come spilling out. Lucy is a good amateur sleuth because she works for the newspaper and has a legitimate (and sometimes easier) excuse to interview / interrogate people. She also has a "in" with many officials. As for the mystery,

Spoiler

I wasn't surprised at all about the identity of the murderer and suspected her long before Lucy did, though I wasn't exactly sure the motive.

I enjoyed following this story as well as learning about Lucy and her family who have aged considerably from the start of the series. I look forward to jumping into this series again soon.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. At first I was a little skeptical and unsure because they characters seemed so stiff. But as the book went on I became so extremely invested in them that I could feel all their emotions. I felt the confusion, desperation, anguish, all of it was so strongly written that they really hit home. An interesting book because not only did I just want to KNOW what was going on, but I wanted to reach in and help. I had a similar progression as Lib

Spoiler

where at first I just wanted to know the secret behind the hoax. But by the end I just wanted to know if Anna would be okay and what would happen to her and if Lib could save her from her family and town.

It's not only an interesting story, but an important look at how religion can so forcefully shape peoples lives. And how easy it is to clash with someone from another culture, just by not understanding where they are coming from. I enjoy this book even though it gripped my heart. Emma Donoghue really has a way with words.

This book was so good that I actually missed it when I was finished. I missed reading about the characters and wanted to know more about their lives going beyond just this story. The novel was so moving I just didn't ever want to put it down. It was funny and heartbreaking and uplifting and made me want to cry many times. The writing was well done and the characters were so honest and vivid. The author put so much care into each and every character and situation. I honestly can't remember a book similar to this and I recommend it to everyone! I listened to the audiobook and it made the experience even better and more powerful.