My rating: 3 and a half stars!
I am actually quite a fan of Emily Giffin's books. Although not great literary fiction, they are nice, escapist books that seem to always entertain me! This particular novel is not one of my all time favorites of her novels but I did enjoy it. I found it to be fairly predictable and it just wasn't as solid as her previous novels. However, I did enjoy it. It kept me interested throughout. I thought the story was nice, nothing earth shattering but a good solid story. There were a number of flaws in the plot but nothing that made the book terrible. I didn't find the characters in this novel nearly as compelling as some of her previous work which may account for the fact that I didn't love this one as much as I'd hoped. I really struggled with rating this one and decided on 4 although its really more like 3 and a half.
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 3 stars!
I didn't write a big review on this one ... mostly because I found it so disappointing especially since the first 2 in the trilogy were so fantastic. This one was just EHHH for me. Very sad, in my opinion.
Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
My rating: 4 stars!
Nice, solid beach read type of book. Interesting story that kept me reading. Definitely liked this one better than Weiner's last novel which I was a bit disappointed in. All in all, a good, worthwhile novel. Light, entertaining but not particularly complex.
Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross
My rating: 2 stars!
I liked the idea of this novel much more than the reality of it. It had such promise but it just failed to engage me. Adam Ross is a good writer ... the story had a great deal of potential. The twist was really interesting but didn't have enough impact to save the novel as a whole for me.
Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
My rating: 5 stars!
Very haunting novel with a big twist SO I'm not telling you much about it but its a fantastic read - compelling characters, a storyline that is realistic and frightening. Brilliant novel!
My rating: 3 stars!
I was SO hoping for this one to be a 4 or 5 star read for me. Especially since the first in the series was a 3 star. Most of my issues with the first novel were NOT resolved in the second one. And the story itself (the Scorch Trials) was not quite as compelling as the one in the Maze Runner. That was disappointing. I will say that James Dashner does do a good job of making the reader want to keep reading, even with the material itself isn't particularly compelling. I still want to know what happens so I'll read the next one. But, I was a bit frustrated at the lack of growth between the first book and this one. It just didn't meet my expectations. I felt a bit let down. This book had potential and it just didn't make it ...
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
My rating: 4 stars!
This is a really solid book. I've been hearing good things for a long time and it was definitely worth the wait!
My rating: 4 stars!
Really fantastic book that I definitely recommend! This is a very accessible but very smart mystery with a strong sense of place. The characters are complex and captivating! Really great read ... very satisfying and compelling! I'm a big fan of southern fiction and this one is a standout of its genre! Although the mystery aspect of the novel is expertly done, it is the characterizations of the two primary characters that really make this book stand out for me. I was expecting something a bit more 'dumbed down' for some reason and WOW was I surprised - this is smart mystery writing in all the best ways! Don't miss out on this one!
The Tiger by John Vailiant
My rating: 4 stars!
Had someone told me that I'd read a book about tigers and LOVE it, I would have thought that they were batty! However, this was a wonderful book - very engaging, well written, and interesting! I definitely recommend this even if you have no interest in tigers or animals. I was constantly surprised, based on the material, how John Vaillant kept me turning the pages so rapidly. I feel like I learned a lot while reading this book but I never felt as if I was learning! Great non-fiction book that even those who typically don't enjoy non-fiction (ME!!) will devour!
Thanks so much for sticking it out with me during my hiatus ... I feel like I'm getting back on a reading roll so look for more reviews and other bookish things to come! I love to hear what you think about the books that I'm reviewing so definitely post your thoughts in the comments!!
Sorry to hear that Mr. Peanut was a disappointment (that felt weird to type, lol).
ReplyDeleteI had read blurbs for it a while ago and thought it sounded really interesting.
Glad to see that you are blogging more regularly Amy!