sarai0410's Reviews (404)

I thought the premise was interesting and I didn't necessarily dislike the writing; however, I just could not get behind our female main character - her constant wishy-washy feelings and actions were so grating. 

 I've thoroughly enjoyed Penner's previous works, The Lost Apothecary and The London Séance Society, but this is my favorite! The setting is gorgeous and Penner's writing truly brings the Amalfi Coast to life. As with her previous books, our female characters are strong, complex, and fascinating individuals with voices that feel unique.

Magical realism is one of my favorite sub-genres and it works so well within The Amalfi Curse, weaved into both our timelines and in the lives of Mari and Haven. The side-plot of romance we saw in both perspectives was a great addition to the story and I appreciate that while Penner includes romance in her stories, the FMCs really are the stars of the show, with romance as a cherry on top.

Ending thoughts/spoilers:

While some readers may be disappointed with an open-ended conclusion to a story - especially in regards to Haven's side - I thought Penner did a great job of setting up her ending, highlighting that the treasure she was seeking within the water, in the end, was no longer the primary goal and instead the adventure and companionship she found in Positano and Enzo was more important.

Fantastic read - makes me want to visit Italy even more - and I can't wait to see where Penner takes us with her next book. 

This was a fascinating listen (the audiobook was really well done) and I'll definitely be picking up a physical copy for my shelves. 

It's been awhile since I've read a volume of Lore Olympus and there are so many side-plots going on that I had a hard time catching back up to what was going on outside of the Hades x Persephone plot. The ending and start of the court proceedings has me super interested in the next volume though.

Plus Hades pulled the 'My Wife' card. 

Was this good? Not really. Did the smut scenes make logical sense? Also no. Did I enjoy it? Eh, sure 🤷

This one didn't hurt as much as my sad businessman (probably because I had a feeling it was coming) but I'm still sad. 

Genuinely one of the funniest books I've ever read. Fourth wall breaking narrator + sarcastic FMC + a time loop + footnotes of inner inner dialogue + actually funny pop culture references = a seriously good time.

This book doesn't take itself seriously and you shouldn't either - it's a good time with a touch of serious that makes the story addicting. I wish we had gotten a little more detail/plot about the time loop issue but (now) knowing that this is a duology, the setup and ending make sense. Super excited to jump into the sequel asap!

 

I don't think I quite understood this book but I also enjoyed the journey Ogawa took me on. The story and tone gave me heavy 1984 vibes while others reminded me of Ella Minnow Pea (which is more lighthearted than The Memory Police though). 

My main complaint, or rather request, is regarding the Memory Police and the history of the island itself - What or who is causing the disappearances? Is the unnamed island the other area to experience this? How do the disappearances towards the end of the story actually appear to those that retain their memories? I would have liked a little more information but also understand that the mystery is the point of the story. 

I had a feeling I was going to enjoy this book but I wasn't prepared for how quickly I would be caught up in the characters, the environment, and the journey itself. The atmosphere that Brooks created within the Wastelands and our train was phenomenal and I found each of the characters POVs just as interesting as the next - I truly couldn't pick a favorite; the voices were so unique and provided such different perspectives on the Wastelands, The Company, and the train. 

I rarely dive into non-fiction that could fall under 'self-help' but I found this incredibly well done. DiCristina does an excellent job in navigating the different ways in which a person can 'name their pain' while also highlighting that this book cannot, and does not strive to, solve anything and that any work be done with the help of a professional.