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sarahthegaymer's Reviews (305)
Outside of Harry Potter, this was one of my favorite series as a teenager! I've been wanting to revisit them and even recently purchased the entire collection for myself. I was really excited to see it be available on Audiobook as during work hours I'm looking for quick and easy listens. This is done with a full cast of characters and even has music/sound effects that really level up the book as a whole. While overall I enjoyed it, re-reading it has reminded me of what a dark place I was in growing up that I found enjoyment in some of the things discussed in this book. Or, maybe I was too naïve to realize what it was that I was reading?
TW: Abuse, Death, and Pedophilia-ish?
If you're unfamiliar with the series, it follows three children who are placed in the custody of an "evil" relative that is only interested in their fortune after the untimely death of both of their parents in a fire. Count Olaf is an all around creep, jerk, and just major ick vibes. The hard times that these children fall upon is truly devastating and it is a little harder to swallow as an adult.
On a positive note; the characters are written really well and you have a great understanding of each of them. And while it touches some dark subjects; the children make the story with their perseverance and desire to outcome all the odds. They are cute and comedic and nerdy and have a truly fierce love of one another! Rockstar siblings! (They're also bookworms, so bonus!)
I initially gave this book three stars because of the dark topics I touched on above.. I know it's fiction..but there is just some really ick stuff that makes me a little uncomfortable knowing it's a children's book. The fact that I listened to this versus physically reading it saved the rating as I've added a star because the audiobook cast is THAT good.
All-in-all, I'm a sucker for series so I'm going to finish them again and I do recommend them for young readers in your life, just..maybe check them out a little, first! :)
TW: Abuse, Death, and Pedophilia-ish?
If you're unfamiliar with the series, it follows three children who are placed in the custody of an "evil" relative that is only interested in their fortune after the untimely death of both of their parents in a fire. Count Olaf is an all around creep, jerk, and just major ick vibes. The hard times that these children fall upon is truly devastating and it is a little harder to swallow as an adult.
On a positive note; the characters are written really well and you have a great understanding of each of them. And while it touches some dark subjects; the children make the story with their perseverance and desire to outcome all the odds. They are cute and comedic and nerdy and have a truly fierce love of one another! Rockstar siblings! (They're also bookworms, so bonus!)
I initially gave this book three stars because of the dark topics I touched on above.. I know it's fiction..but there is just some really ick stuff that makes me a little uncomfortable knowing it's a children's book. The fact that I listened to this versus physically reading it saved the rating as I've added a star because the audiobook cast is THAT good.
All-in-all, I'm a sucker for series so I'm going to finish them again and I do recommend them for young readers in your life, just..maybe check them out a little, first! :)
While this is considered a middle grade read; it was one of my wife's favorite books growing up so I felt compelled to read it and see why she was so drawn to it. I positively LOVED this story, even as an adult and seasoned reader!
The timeframe is set in the 1940s during WW2. Every summer, Lily and her family go to their house in Rockaway to spend the season the shore. This year, everything is different when her best friend moves and her Father is sent to serve the country. And now, there is a new neighbor in town that is her age and Lily does NOT want to be friends with him.
This story is told in such a simple, yet powerful way. It's a story of war and friendship; but also a look into the mind of a young girl in a way that makes you truly feel & understand how she is feeling.
If you're looking for a heartfelt read and like historical fiction - I highly recommend picking this up.
The timeframe is set in the 1940s during WW2. Every summer, Lily and her family go to their house in Rockaway to spend the season the shore. This year, everything is different when her best friend moves and her Father is sent to serve the country. And now, there is a new neighbor in town that is her age and Lily does NOT want to be friends with him.
This story is told in such a simple, yet powerful way. It's a story of war and friendship; but also a look into the mind of a young girl in a way that makes you truly feel & understand how she is feeling.
If you're looking for a heartfelt read and like historical fiction - I highly recommend picking this up.
Previously having read two of Marie Benedict's books and loving them as well as having heard her speak two times; I was very excited when a new book club I've recently joined picked this as the February book choice. While this book didn't completely disappointment, I'm sad to say that I was definitely underwhelmed.
Firstly, let's just say that because this book has such deep Pittsburgh roots; I will defend it to the end even if I personally didn't care for it that much. ALSO: It's important to note that I read this ENTIRE novel thinking that Clara Kelly, the main character was a 'real person' as that is how most of Marie Benedict's books are written and once I read the Author's Note at the end, and learned she wasn't, the whole book did make a wee bit more sense and I raised my star rating from 2 to 3.
In short summary; you're following Clara Kelly, an Irish immigrant that was sent to Philadelphia by her family. Once she arrives, she assumes the role of someone else and lands in Pittsburgh as lady maid of Mrs. Carnegie, Andrew Carnegie's mother. You'll follow her life in not only this role, but also in her role as she befriends Mr. Carnegie and helps him in his business ventures.
While I found the history of Pittsburgh rather fascinating, the story as a whole fell a little short to me. It was mostly unbelievable and knowing that Andrew Carnegie was a not a..lovable..person made it all seem just a tad bit far fetched.
Overall, I'm happy that I read the book, but not sure that it will be one of my favorites and definitely not one that I'll read again.
Firstly, let's just say that because this book has such deep Pittsburgh roots; I will defend it to the end even if I personally didn't care for it that much. ALSO: It's important to note that I read this ENTIRE novel thinking that Clara Kelly, the main character was a 'real person' as that is how most of Marie Benedict's books are written and once I read the Author's Note at the end, and learned she wasn't, the whole book did make a wee bit more sense and I raised my star rating from 2 to 3.
In short summary; you're following Clara Kelly, an Irish immigrant that was sent to Philadelphia by her family. Once she arrives, she assumes the role of someone else and lands in Pittsburgh as lady maid of Mrs. Carnegie, Andrew Carnegie's mother. You'll follow her life in not only this role, but also in her role as she befriends Mr. Carnegie and helps him in his business ventures.
While I found the history of Pittsburgh rather fascinating, the story as a whole fell a little short to me. It was mostly unbelievable and knowing that Andrew Carnegie was a not a..lovable..person made it all seem just a tad bit far fetched.
Overall, I'm happy that I read the book, but not sure that it will be one of my favorites and definitely not one that I'll read again.
Blackout
Angie Thomas, Dhonielle Clayton, Ashley Woodfolk, Nic Stone, Nicola Yoon, Tiffany D. Jackson
Young Adult reads just haven't been hitting the 'mark' for me lately, so I did go into this with slight reservation even though it came highly recommended by a fellow book friend! I'm really, really glad I decided to go ahead with it and even happier that I decided to listen to it!
"A summer heatwave blankets New York City in darkness. But as the city is thrown into confusion, a different kind of electricity sparks…"
This little blurb could not explain this any better! This is a compilation of six short stories about love, written into one book.
First, you'll come across The Long Walk by Tiffany D. Jackson - Tammie and Kareem are ex-lovers who find themselves fighting for the same internship when the lights go out in NYC and they're forced to walk back home, together. This is the longest story in the bunch, spanning in multiple chapters throughout the book. What's really interesting, is as you're reading this, they'll come across different locations or objects in the book that become relevant in the book. For example, they walk past the library where one of our stories takes place or they see a double-decker tour bus where another story is taking place! I loved the characters in this story and I loved that it teaches that COMMUNICATION is the number one key in any healthy, functioning relationship.
Next up is Mask Off by Nic Stone where you follow a LGBTQ male/male story about Tremaine and JJ. This was perhaps one of my least favorite stories in the bunch as I personally felt like it jumped around a lot and just wasn't cohesive. It does touch on some important social issues though and I think that's important to note.
We then follow a romance about Joss and Nella in Made to Fit by Ashley Woodfolk. This was a cute LGBTQ female/female relationship that is about a match made by people they care for in a Senior Living Facility. It wasn't my favorite, but it was still cute.
All the Great Love Stoires....and Dust by Dhonielle Clayton is next up which follows Lana and Tristan in a library as their love story gets written. I'm going to be honest, this was my least favorite and I don't remember too much more about other than who the characters were and where it takes place.
Angie Thomas is next up in the Blackout with No Sleep Till Brooklyn which follows student visiting New York from the South and a love triangle. I was super disappointed because while I love Angie Thomas and her other works...this story was just. Meh. The love triangle was messy and ultimately..I don't even think it ends up happening so..yeah.
Finally, we have Seymour and Grace by Nicola Yoon. I have mixed feelings about this one. This is about a ride share driver who ends up accompanying his fair to a party after he runs out of gas. They end up hitting it off and I assume the rest is history. I have mixed feelings because while the story itself is super cute...I feel like its kinda creeperish and I don't know how I'd feel about that!
Overall; I really enjoyed this book and especially the full cast audio version of it. I loved the idea behind it, how it all flowed together, and that all types of black love were represented. If you're looking for a hit you in the heart, feel good, short-story - this is your sign to read this!
"A summer heatwave blankets New York City in darkness. But as the city is thrown into confusion, a different kind of electricity sparks…"
This little blurb could not explain this any better! This is a compilation of six short stories about love, written into one book.
First, you'll come across The Long Walk by Tiffany D. Jackson - Tammie and Kareem are ex-lovers who find themselves fighting for the same internship when the lights go out in NYC and they're forced to walk back home, together. This is the longest story in the bunch, spanning in multiple chapters throughout the book. What's really interesting, is as you're reading this, they'll come across different locations or objects in the book that become relevant in the book. For example, they walk past the library where one of our stories takes place or they see a double-decker tour bus where another story is taking place! I loved the characters in this story and I loved that it teaches that COMMUNICATION is the number one key in any healthy, functioning relationship.
Next up is Mask Off by Nic Stone where you follow a LGBTQ male/male story about Tremaine and JJ. This was perhaps one of my least favorite stories in the bunch as I personally felt like it jumped around a lot and just wasn't cohesive. It does touch on some important social issues though and I think that's important to note.
We then follow a romance about Joss and Nella in Made to Fit by Ashley Woodfolk. This was a cute LGBTQ female/female relationship that is about a match made by people they care for in a Senior Living Facility. It wasn't my favorite, but it was still cute.
All the Great Love Stoires....and Dust by Dhonielle Clayton is next up which follows Lana and Tristan in a library as their love story gets written. I'm going to be honest, this was my least favorite and I don't remember too much more about other than who the characters were and where it takes place.
Angie Thomas is next up in the Blackout with No Sleep Till Brooklyn which follows student visiting New York from the South and a love triangle. I was super disappointed because while I love Angie Thomas and her other works...this story was just. Meh. The love triangle was messy and ultimately..I don't even think it ends up happening so..yeah.
Finally, we have Seymour and Grace by Nicola Yoon. I have mixed feelings about this one. This is about a ride share driver who ends up accompanying his fair to a party after he runs out of gas. They end up hitting it off and I assume the rest is history. I have mixed feelings because while the story itself is super cute...I feel like its kinda creeperish and I don't know how I'd feel about that!
Overall; I really enjoyed this book and especially the full cast audio version of it. I loved the idea behind it, how it all flowed together, and that all types of black love were represented. If you're looking for a hit you in the heart, feel good, short-story - this is your sign to read this!
This was a memoir that came highly recommended; BookTubers everywhere talking about it and hyping up how amazing it was going to be. "It's so beautifully written." "It's so moving." "It's such an insightful look into the lives of LGBTQIA+ couples." where just a few of the things I heard that really made me want to check it out. Plus, I love Memoirs and made a promise to myself that I would read more nonfiction this year after almost not reading any of it in 2022. So, that brings us to where we are.
I usually enjoy audiobooks when it comes to memoir's because I feel that hearing the Author *telling* their story is much more powerful and emotional to listen to. So, I followed suite and did the same with this one, too.
***First and foremost; TRIGGER WARNING for abuse. This memoir is completely surrounding abuse that the author experienced at the hands of girlfriend.***
*Second; I don't typically give memoirs bad reviews because, it IS someone's story. A story that they're brave enough to write about and to me that shows a certain level of vulnerability that I don't think everyone is capable of. With that being said, my low rating/review does not reflect how I feel about the memoir itself and what the author endured; it's about *how* that story was told.*
I'm just going to come out be completely honest, reading this book made me feel dumb. I'm pretty well read, with a little bit of post-secondary education and tend to be pretty decent writer. However; the style in which this is told is just too literary for me. The entire memoir is written and based around the concept of a 'horror' state of 'In the Dream House', therefore; the author writes everything she experienced is this alternate reality sort of way - "In the dream house..." is the start to almost every line or chapter in the book. There are also references to other horror books/shows/movies that the author takes examples of in attempts to tell her story. Because of this, the overall story that is trying to be conveyed is just repetitive, flat, and to me, boring.
I also struggled because though through the use of context clues we are able to gather the Author has obviously since separated herself from this abusive relationship and possibly even is now married and happy; we don't really know 'how' she got there. In my opinion, if you're going to write your memoir like a story, then give us the whole story. Not just the bits and pieces you know you can sell and forget the rest.
So, if you're a lover of metaphors and literary devices, this might be for you. Otherwise, my suggestion is to go into it with a grain of salt & take it for what it's worth. A story that needs to be told but maybe isn't told in the best way.
And that's all I have to say!
I usually enjoy audiobooks when it comes to memoir's because I feel that hearing the Author *telling* their story is much more powerful and emotional to listen to. So, I followed suite and did the same with this one, too.
***First and foremost; TRIGGER WARNING for abuse. This memoir is completely surrounding abuse that the author experienced at the hands of girlfriend.***
*Second; I don't typically give memoirs bad reviews because, it IS someone's story. A story that they're brave enough to write about and to me that shows a certain level of vulnerability that I don't think everyone is capable of. With that being said, my low rating/review does not reflect how I feel about the memoir itself and what the author endured; it's about *how* that story was told.*
I'm just going to come out be completely honest, reading this book made me feel dumb. I'm pretty well read, with a little bit of post-secondary education and tend to be pretty decent writer. However; the style in which this is told is just too literary for me. The entire memoir is written and based around the concept of a 'horror' state of 'In the Dream House', therefore; the author writes everything she experienced is this alternate reality sort of way - "In the dream house..." is the start to almost every line or chapter in the book. There are also references to other horror books/shows/movies that the author takes examples of in attempts to tell her story. Because of this, the overall story that is trying to be conveyed is just repetitive, flat, and to me, boring.
I also struggled because though through the use of context clues we are able to gather the Author has obviously since separated herself from this abusive relationship and possibly even is now married and happy; we don't really know 'how' she got there. In my opinion, if you're going to write your memoir like a story, then give us the whole story. Not just the bits and pieces you know you can sell and forget the rest.
So, if you're a lover of metaphors and literary devices, this might be for you. Otherwise, my suggestion is to go into it with a grain of salt & take it for what it's worth. A story that needs to be told but maybe isn't told in the best way.
And that's all I have to say!
If I had to sum this book up in one sentence: It was a cute story that while I appreciated and enjoyed it, it just simply wasn’t for me.
Fun Fact About Me: I will fall victim to the hype. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Fun Fact For You: Don’t go based off my review, alone.
Its only been a little over a week since I finished this book & I can’t even remember the character’s names for the review. But, what I do remember is that in my opinion this is 3/4 a “slice of life” book with about 1/4 plot.
A seasoned warrior decides it’s time to settle down & so she finds her roots in an un-expecting town where she opens a coffee shop where they’ve never heard of coffee. She needs help. “ENTER HELP” who low key/subtly flirts with the coffee shop owner.
The coffee shop grows. They draw on a chalkboard a lot. They start adding pastries. A lot of new characters come and go. Some bad shit goes down. Life ends happily.
And folks, that’s about it. I mean, obviously, it’s a little more detailed than that. And there is some cute pining and sweet moments where true friendship is depicted. It shows that even the darkest days can be made bright again. It’s not all bad.
I found myself eagerly moving through the book but I’m not sure if that’s because:
A) Maybe I did like it more than I thought?
B) I wanted to see if something significant was actually going to happen.
C) I wanted it to be over
Please don’t come at me for this review. Again, it was a cute book; it just wasn’t for me. I think this confirms, sci-fi/fantasy/fae worlds are just not my thing. And that’s OK. If it’s you’re thing, you’ll love it.
Enjoy! 😊
Fun Fact About Me: I will fall victim to the hype. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Fun Fact For You: Don’t go based off my review, alone.
Its only been a little over a week since I finished this book & I can’t even remember the character’s names for the review. But, what I do remember is that in my opinion this is 3/4 a “slice of life” book with about 1/4 plot.
A seasoned warrior decides it’s time to settle down & so she finds her roots in an un-expecting town where she opens a coffee shop where they’ve never heard of coffee. She needs help. “ENTER HELP” who low key/subtly flirts with the coffee shop owner.
The coffee shop grows. They draw on a chalkboard a lot. They start adding pastries. A lot of new characters come and go. Some bad shit goes down. Life ends happily.
And folks, that’s about it. I mean, obviously, it’s a little more detailed than that. And there is some cute pining and sweet moments where true friendship is depicted. It shows that even the darkest days can be made bright again. It’s not all bad.
I found myself eagerly moving through the book but I’m not sure if that’s because:
A) Maybe I did like it more than I thought?
B) I wanted to see if something significant was actually going to happen.
C) I wanted it to be over
Please don’t come at me for this review. Again, it was a cute book; it just wasn’t for me. I think this confirms, sci-fi/fantasy/fae worlds are just not my thing. And that’s OK. If it’s you’re thing, you’ll love it.
Enjoy! 😊
Once again, Elle Cosimano did a knock-out job with this Finalay Donovan novel. See what I did there? ;)
So, we're once again following Finlay as yet another wild ride is taking over her life. We're revisited by the same characters from Book #1 as well as some new characters, as well!
I will say that this one falls a little short for me as the plot seems to run around in circles a little, but I find that is typical of second books in a series, at least for me.
I know this review is short, but I don't want to go too much into it and give too much about this series away!
So, we're once again following Finlay as yet another wild ride is taking over her life. We're revisited by the same characters from Book #1 as well as some new characters, as well!
I will say that this one falls a little short for me as the plot seems to run around in circles a little, but I find that is typical of second books in a series, at least for me.
I know this review is short, but I don't want to go too much into it and give too much about this series away!
This was a really light-hearted, easy, and enjoyable read for me! If you're someone that enjoys Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plums Series - Finlay Donovan is for you!
Finlay is a divorcee, Mother, and writer. Her life is falling apart in almost every aspect. A chaotic morning ensues before she meets her Editor where she is giving the synopsis of her newest novel & someone overhears and misunderstands completely. And now..she's a hired hitwoman?
I will advise you, go in with the expectation that everything that you're likely going to read is WAY fiction. I mean, almost nothing is realistic, but that's OK because the story is good anyways!
Overall, I recommend this book and also the second in the series!
Finlay is a divorcee, Mother, and writer. Her life is falling apart in almost every aspect. A chaotic morning ensues before she meets her Editor where she is giving the synopsis of her newest novel & someone overhears and misunderstands completely. And now..she's a hired hitwoman?
I will advise you, go in with the expectation that everything that you're likely going to read is WAY fiction. I mean, almost nothing is realistic, but that's OK because the story is good anyways!
Overall, I recommend this book and also the second in the series!
I surprised even myself with this rating if I'm being honest. I don't often give things two-stars. (I mean, even books that I DNF get at least 1-star because they were obviously interesting enough to get me to pick it up in the first place.) But this 'thriller' - woof.
A brief synopsis: A winter storm cancels a flight from somewhere (maybe Philly-ish) to Pittsburgh as everyone is trying to get home from Christmas. (So, if I must this gets one-star for hometown representation. JK!) The main character - Mia? Mya? Mira? that's how uninteresting she was - is desperate to see her Mother and decides to take a trip across the state with four total strangers that she met at the airport. Some bad stuff happens. The books ends. (That's really all I can say without going into details and giving things away.)
So, let me start this off by saying, if you know it was too bad to fly what in the F*CK made you think DRIVING across the state would be a good idea? Anyone who lives in PA knows that winter doesn't play here sometimes. And sometimes it does. I mean, I know..it's fiction and all. But that sounds like a train wreck waiting to happen from the start. Then, yes; please get into a car with 4 people you don't know and trust them to get you home for Christmas - I think the F not.
There's almost an accident, they basically become fugitives more than once, the main character is lying to her parents, everyone's shit (personal items) is going missing & something bad (or a few bad things) is about to happen. And it does. And then it does again. And then it does again. And they escape it the first few times but in the end a Stranger/Hitchhiker that had a larger part in the book than some of the other 'characters' saves the day. Then it ends with a nice little bow or something. *rolls eyes*
I listened to this on audiobook and there were sections that were so boring that I would completely zone out, come back to, and realize that I pretty much hadn't missed anything.
I feel super bad/critical giving this review as again, I don't typically rate this low. But this book just did not do anything for me. I was happy to finish it and send it back to the library and am excited to move onto something new.
Maybe this book and the vibes that take place are better for you - which I hope! But for me, just..NO. Not a fan and I'll be happy to sell my paperback copy and get it off my shelf.
A brief synopsis: A winter storm cancels a flight from somewhere (maybe Philly-ish) to Pittsburgh as everyone is trying to get home from Christmas. (So, if I must this gets one-star for hometown representation. JK!) The main character - Mia? Mya? Mira? that's how uninteresting she was - is desperate to see her Mother and decides to take a trip across the state with four total strangers that she met at the airport. Some bad stuff happens. The books ends. (That's really all I can say without going into details and giving things away.)
So, let me start this off by saying, if you know it was too bad to fly what in the F*CK made you think DRIVING across the state would be a good idea? Anyone who lives in PA knows that winter doesn't play here sometimes. And sometimes it does. I mean, I know..it's fiction and all. But that sounds like a train wreck waiting to happen from the start. Then, yes; please get into a car with 4 people you don't know and trust them to get you home for Christmas - I think the F not.
There's almost an accident, they basically become fugitives more than once, the main character is lying to her parents, everyone's shit (personal items) is going missing & something bad (or a few bad things) is about to happen. And it does. And then it does again. And then it does again. And they escape it the first few times but in the end a Stranger/Hitchhiker that had a larger part in the book than some of the other 'characters' saves the day. Then it ends with a nice little bow or something. *rolls eyes*
I listened to this on audiobook and there were sections that were so boring that I would completely zone out, come back to, and realize that I pretty much hadn't missed anything.
I feel super bad/critical giving this review as again, I don't typically rate this low. But this book just did not do anything for me. I was happy to finish it and send it back to the library and am excited to move onto something new.
Maybe this book and the vibes that take place are better for you - which I hope! But for me, just..NO. Not a fan and I'll be happy to sell my paperback copy and get it off my shelf.
After a lot of debating back and forth, I finally settled on 3-stars for this one and I'm kinda bummed about that. I first heard about this book through BookTube; I was really excited about it & excited to see where it might lead! I wouldn't say that I was disappointed, but I wasn't blown away, either.
To summarize this as short as possible (because to be fair it's a cluster-you-know-what): You're following Peyote who is in hell. He works on the Fifth Floor which is the "deals" department and his job is to get those living on Earth to make a deal which results in trading their soul for whatever it is they want. He's working on his 'holy grail' of deals so that he gets a hefty reward. He's also training a protege Calamity- and she's got quite a target herself.
Here enters the Harrison family: Peyote's target. Silas and Lily have the seemingly perfect family with their two children; Sean and Mickey. But, nothing on the outside is quite what it seems and the Harrison's have a lot of secrets..or do they?
So, the first third of this book is the set-up. I was really into it. I was enjoying the character development, learning about what makes all of the characters tick, and where I 'thought' the story was headed. You're flipping back and forth between the Harrison's on Earth and Peyote in hell & starting to see how their lives intertwine. Or so I thought.
The middle section - about 250 out of the almost 400 pages - was uncomfortable chaos. Silas has a creepy crush on his daughter's best friend Ruth and it's blatantly obvious and uncomfortable to read. Lily, the Mom, is a total downer about the summer trip. And this best friend Ruth, she's got my spider-senses tingling but IDK why. There is also some weird stuff going on in hell between Peyote and Cal and I'm going to be perfectly honest, I cannot make heads or tails of what was actually happening or how it was important to the story.
Then, we reach the final stretch - about 30 pages, maybe 40 tops - and shit hits the fan. There's a major plot twist, a bunch of information that was unknown is brought to light and you're jumping back and forth trying to figure out what is going to happen next and how this book is going to possibly wrap up.
So..with all of that being said. I gave this two stars because there was so much muddling in the middle. I don't shy away from long books but when there is nothing happening..it's hard to want to pick the book back up and keep going. The partner Cal in hell being thrown into the mix just really confused me and her storyline played a major part in which I just couldn't wrap my head around. There was also a lot of talk about...Trey?...another character in hell who played a pretty dominant role and then he just 'poofed' and you never heard from him again.
But, finally, I did up this to three stars because I'm adding an extra star for the ending and how truly surprised and unsuspecting I was of some things that took place there in the very end. If the entirety of the book could have had even a 1/4 of that flow; the overall rating for this would have been much, much higher.
Seeing as this was this author's debut Novel; I can say that I will continue to read additional stories that she publishes in order to see where she goes from here. I think the potential is there but the execution lacks and that's what killed the book overall for me. I'm curious to see what others think.
So, if you're interested in a unique spin on the afterlife and don't mind overly long boring sections; then this might be the book for you!
To summarize this as short as possible (because to be fair it's a cluster-you-know-what): You're following Peyote who is in hell. He works on the Fifth Floor which is the "deals" department and his job is to get those living on Earth to make a deal which results in trading their soul for whatever it is they want. He's working on his 'holy grail' of deals so that he gets a hefty reward. He's also training a protege Calamity- and she's got quite a target herself.
Here enters the Harrison family: Peyote's target. Silas and Lily have the seemingly perfect family with their two children; Sean and Mickey. But, nothing on the outside is quite what it seems and the Harrison's have a lot of secrets..or do they?
So, the first third of this book is the set-up. I was really into it. I was enjoying the character development, learning about what makes all of the characters tick, and where I 'thought' the story was headed. You're flipping back and forth between the Harrison's on Earth and Peyote in hell & starting to see how their lives intertwine. Or so I thought.
The middle section - about 250 out of the almost 400 pages - was uncomfortable chaos. Silas has a creepy crush on his daughter's best friend Ruth and it's blatantly obvious and uncomfortable to read. Lily, the Mom, is a total downer about the summer trip. And this best friend Ruth, she's got my spider-senses tingling but IDK why. There is also some weird stuff going on in hell between Peyote and Cal and I'm going to be perfectly honest, I cannot make heads or tails of what was actually happening or how it was important to the story.
Then, we reach the final stretch - about 30 pages, maybe 40 tops - and shit hits the fan. There's a major plot twist, a bunch of information that was unknown is brought to light and you're jumping back and forth trying to figure out what is going to happen next and how this book is going to possibly wrap up.
So..with all of that being said. I gave this two stars because there was so much muddling in the middle. I don't shy away from long books but when there is nothing happening..it's hard to want to pick the book back up and keep going. The partner Cal in hell being thrown into the mix just really confused me and her storyline played a major part in which I just couldn't wrap my head around. There was also a lot of talk about...Trey?...another character in hell who played a pretty dominant role and then he just 'poofed' and you never heard from him again.
But, finally, I did up this to three stars because I'm adding an extra star for the ending and how truly surprised and unsuspecting I was of some things that took place there in the very end. If the entirety of the book could have had even a 1/4 of that flow; the overall rating for this would have been much, much higher.
Seeing as this was this author's debut Novel; I can say that I will continue to read additional stories that she publishes in order to see where she goes from here. I think the potential is there but the execution lacks and that's what killed the book overall for me. I'm curious to see what others think.
So, if you're interested in a unique spin on the afterlife and don't mind overly long boring sections; then this might be the book for you!