whatskatiereading's Reviews (521)

Thank you Celadon and Bookish First for the ARC of WE ARE THE BRENNANS!

I’m always a little nervous that books won’t live up to their hype, but I thought WE ARE THE BRENNANS was a truly entertaining read. The Brennan family is messy with a ton of secrets that go back through the years, and all of those secrets eventually come to the surface throughout the book. The characters are messy and make wrong decisions, but I found myself rooting for (most of) them. The whole time reading I pictured the set of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia mixed with the vibe of Mare of Easttown. The ending wasn’t my favorite, but I thought the story was an interesting one, and I was always curious to see what would happen next. The author wrote in a way that tied together different points of view in a fluid way that didn’t feel clunky. I could easily see this one being swept up for a limited series by Reese Witherspoon and/or HBO. If messy family dramas are your jam, give this one a read!

Thank you HMH and Bookish First for the ARC of THE VERY NICE BOX! This book was certainly an instance of me falling in love with a gorgeous cover and hoping I loved the book just as much. In this case, I definitely did. 

The book follows Ava, a product engineer at a company resembling IKEA. Ava is very regimented and tends to keep her personal and professional life separate, but all of that changes when she meets her new boss, Mat Putnam. The book was quirky and satirical, but also very emotional. Ava’s still processing the loss of her girlfriend, so there are some bits of the book that were quite heavy. The authors did a great job of touching on so many different topics. There was the critique of office culture which I absolutely loved. There were some bits about exploring ones sexuality, the process of grieving a loved one, and being pulled out of your comfort zone. There’s a bit of a twist at the end that I saw coming, but still enjoyed. This book had a little bit of everything, and I’m so glad I got to read it! 

I had high hopes for THE MAIDENS since it has been getting so much hype, but sadly this one was not for me. Having Cambridge University as the backdrop for this story was something I was really excited about since I love a grand, historical boarding school or college as the backdrop for a thriller. It felt like the setting wasn’t really capitalized on, and it seemed this story could have taken place almost anywhere. The one thing I really loved was the subtle (not-so-subtle?) nod to THE SILENT PATIENT towards the end of the book. That part was a fun little Easter egg for someone who loved that book. I know a lot of people are really loving this book, so if you’re even somewhat interested in the book I would suggest you try it out for yourself! It was ultimately a quick read, and while I didn’t love it I’m sure other readers (especially thriller fans) might enjoy this book.