#spoiler free book review

[lilmackiereads]

YOU LOVE ME (2021) BY CAROLINE KEPNES SPOILER FREE BOOK REVIEW:

I have been meaning to do this for a month now so bear with me! I wanted to finish it in time for the fourth installment to come out and I’m SO REEAAADYY FOR MORE JOE GOLDBERG CONTENT <3 

SPOILER REVIEW HERE

My Score Chart:

0 Stars = Hate it/ Regret reading it

1 Star = Meh, not for me

2 Stars = Ok/ neutral

3 Stars = I liked it

4 Stars = I loved it

5 Stars = One of my favorite books ever!

Overall Rating and Basic Summary: 3.5 Stars

Out of the three You books I have read [as the fourth installment, For You and Only You (2023) just came out in April and I haven’t had a chance to start it yet] this is my second favorite. My favorite is the first book in the series, You (2014) [4 stars], and my least favorite so far is Hidden Bodies (2016) [3 stars]. If you are a fan of the first two books or the tv show I would recommend reading it, however, book 3 and season 3 are completely different in almost every way possible, so make sure you can separate them. I read You Love Me after completing season 3 so I was able to keep them apart. However, if I had read the book first, I may have been nitpicking the series for diverging so much from the text. YET, in the show’s defense, season 3 was filmed before book 3 came out, hence the major differences of the storylines and character arcs.

Similarities and Differences to the season 3 of the tv series (sans major spoilers other than basic plot and character definition):

While the tv show follows the first two books pretty closely, season 3 takes place in California in a small suburban town where Joe and Love are married and raising their newborn son, Henry. Love just opened a bakery and Joe is working at the local library. Murder ensues and lots of cheating and scandal yada yada. His main love interest outside of Love is a librarian named Marienne who has a past of substance/ drug abuse and is doing her best to remain clean to gain custody of her elementary-school aged daughter. Instead, in the book, Joe is living without Love and Henry in Washington state and he is working at a library. Of course, he soon becomes interested in his librarian boss named Mary Kay DiMarco.  

Other than Marienne and Mary Kay both working in libraries, being mothers, and having names that start with “M,” they are completely different characters. Also, all the annoying neighbors and cheating storylines from season 3 don’t exist in the book which I am grateful for since I couldn’t stand those aspects. Regardless, the last episode of the season 3 of the tv show was wild and I enjoyed it.

In the novel, we have a bunch of new characters for Joe to interact with. Mary Kay has two toxic friends, Melanda and Seamus aka “Shortus” plus a has-been rock n’roll husband with infidelity issues, Phil. Of course, Joe doesn’t approve of any of these people in her life and makes moves to remove them. He sees himself as a soon-to-be step-dad who is making life better for Mary Kay and her teenage daughter, Nomi whom he calls “Meerkat.” In this version, Love and baby Henry are in and out of Joe’s life as well as the Quinn’s kinda-sorta-hit-man, Oliver.

Without giving spoilers as to who lives and who dies, I thought that the build-up of the plot was a bit slow until about 100-150 pages which felt very heavy on the exposition of what happened between books two and three. Once the first character is in Joe’s grasp, I began to get interested. The strength of this book was absolutely the climax. The last 100 pages were an absolute WILD ride and I felt like I was truly on a rollercoaster with the back-to-back twists. It’s really hard to surprise me with a twist, so this was excellent!

I feel like I can’t really give the book characters reviews out of 5 because Joe’s perspective of everyone is so skewed. I disliked most of the new characters, but I am not sure how much of that is due to their actual personalities or Joe’s extreme loathing of them. Either way, making a reader feel those emotions is an indicator of good writing since it shows realistic, flawed characters. 

Would I recommend reading this book?

YES, but only if you read the other two first. I don’t think you have to watch the show to enjoy the books, but Joe references past characters often and I think it’s important to read the prior two books to understand his psyche. 

Would I read this book again?

Honestly, I sort of want to re-read it already because I just finished season 4 of the series and I just can’t get enough of Joe. Perhaps after I finish book 4 I’ll read them all again. 

[fazilareads]

MOON DEEDS (STAR CHILDREN SAGA #1) BY PALMER PICKERING | BOOK REVIEW

MOON DEEDS (STAR CHILDREN SAGA #1) BY PALMER PICKERING | BOOK REVIEW

TITLE : Moon Deeds ( Star Children Saga) AUTHOR : Palmer Pickering GENRE : Science Fantasy, Futuristic Sci-fi Fantasy, Dystopian Fantasy FR RATING : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(4 Stars) DATE OF PUBLISHING : 25 May 2019 PUBLISHER : Mythology Press NO OF PAGES : 598 I had the opportunity to interview Palmer Pickering for my Book Tour Stop with Escapist last year. Make sure to check it out – CLICK HERE FR…

[unabridged-adventures]

This novel means so much to me as a disabled/chronically ill woman with POTS. I have never seen my experience represented like this in any other book except for maybe Get a Life, Chloe Brown. I will forever be thankful for Lillie Lainoff and her bravery in sharing her own experiences so openly.

[girlfromthecrypt]

First book I finished in 2024

The Glutton by A K Blakemore is a historical fiction novel; a reimagining of the life of the real French soldier Tarare who was said to have an unfathomably large, at times inhuman appetite. This was the first book I finished in 2024, and I finished it in two days over two long sessions. I'm normally anything but a fast reader and I actually haven't finished any of the last three books I purchased before this. My attention is fleeting, hard to be captured and easily lost.

The Glutton captured and held my attention for the entirety of its length.

I had never read anything by A K Blakemore before, so I didn't know what I was in for, but I was immediately charmed by her style. I don't often enjoy flowery language and poetic prose, but somehow, it really worked for me here. The story of Tarare is a gritty, gloomy and at times disgusting one, but even the darkest parts of this book are told in a narrative voice so beautiful that it makes them seem idyllic. This deeply unsettling contrast had me absolutely engrossed until the end, and when I had turned the last page, I was genuinely sad that it was over. Which made for a weird mix of emotions, given how disturbing the subject material was at times.

And I have to underline that it was, indeed, disturbing.

I have consumed a lot of dark literature and am very desensitized. Most of the time, I don't enjoy horrific fiction because the elements contained within strike me as senseless, gratuitive and void of substance. I didn't have that feeling with The Glutton. There was a lot of grittiness, yes, but it was never just for “the effect”. Every time the writing made me feel uneasy, it directly related to the inner world of the protagonist and the circumstances of his life, the current time period and its hardships. And even if it didn't have any kind of meaning, it was still told in such stunning prose that it almost felt romantic. Again, none of the things that happen in this book are comforting or beautiful, but with the way they're being told, it almost deceives you into believing they are.

Another thing that I loved about this was that the prose never seemed overdone or pretentious. It was more like a steady ebb and flow perfectly tailored to any given point in the story. It never seemed out of place or ill-fitting while at the same time being VERY MUCH out of place and ill-fitting, but it was always intentional and highly effective.

After I finished this book, I felt genuinely empty, and I just knew I was going to miss it. Now, a week or so later, I do. I really feel like this book is something special, and I'm definitely going to pick up The Manningtree Witches (also by A K Blakemore) as soon as I get around to it. The Glutton was not only a huge joy (though joy might not be the best word for it) to read, it actually made me want to read more. That's also why I wrote this review in the first place. I hope more people check this out and like it as much as I did.

[thebookhoard]

Title: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes & other Lessons from the Crematory

Author: Caitlin Doughty

Pages: 272

"Armed with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre, Caitlin Doughty took a job at a crematory and turned morbid curiosity into her life's work. She cared for bodies of every colour, shape, and affliction and became an intrepid explorer in the world of the dead. In this best-selling memoir, brimming with gallows humour and vivid characters, she marvels at the gruesome history of undertaking and relates her unique coming-of-age story with bold curiosity and mordant wit. By turns hilarious, dark, and uplifting, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes reveals how the fear of dying warps our society and "will make you reconsider how our culture treats the dead" (San Francisco Chronicle)."

I partly read this book as research for my own story ideas, but also because those things (that other people might think of as macabre) always have interested me.

It's quite fascinating. Doughty talks about how we see and cope with death as well as our misconceptions and stereotypes.

I can only recommend that you read it - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes will answer questions and make you question your perception of death simultaneously.

Two quotes from the book:

"But ignorance is not bliss, only a deeper kind of terror."

"The meaning of life is that it ends." (quoted after Franz Kafka, as mentioned in the book as well)

[rrainydaydreams]

NO SPOILER DARK HEIR REVIEW

I don’t even know where to start with this. I swear to god, Pacat has outdone her/himself. THE TWISTS. THE TURNS. THE TRAGEDIES. It’s everything I hoped for and more. The way this book is written is so good, with every chapter leaving you wanting more. I couldn’t put it down and finished it the day I got it.

We learn A LOT more about different characters past, such as Violet, Will and definitely the characters from the old world. The relationships between the characters are so well written, and you can FEEL every emotion the way it’s written.

I don’t even know wha else to say but praise for the book. Can’t wait for the third one to come out, I need to know more!!

“I will always find you, try to run.”

[locklyle1kanij]

I wrote this whole review for good reads but i also wanted to post it here. I’m hoping that someone who either hasn’t heard of the books of hasn’t been convinced to read the books yet will find this!

I wanted to come here and write a review on all the books because i hope at least one of my reviews will convince someone to read these books.

Okay so i’m a pretty big reader and my favourite series before i read Lockwood And Co was Six Of Crows, which is still one of my favs but like i would just say if you read and enjoyed SOC i can almost promise you that you’ll like Lockwood and Co it’s got a lot of similarities like the found family which by the way this book series does amazingly, found family is my favourite trope, tell me a book has found family in it and i’m most likely gonna read it. But the found family in Lockwood And Co is definitely hands down my favourite found family! Like the characters dynamic with each other is just so perfect, and i’m obsessed with, as the series goes on the found family only grows larger!!

Also another thing i’m obsessed with in this book series is the plot. I don’t like ghost stuff, it’s not my preferred genre, but with Lockwood and Co i absolutely love the spookiness of it all. The cases that the characters take with the ghosts are always so interesting and the way Jonathan Stroud (the author) made different types of ghosts that all have different weaknesses and strengths!! I will never not be obsessed with just the world of Lockwood and Co in general especially since it’s British, I love books taking place in Britain! Also i just wanted to say the books only get better the farther you read into the series, like for me my favourite book of the series in the fourth one. So if you liked the first one but your not sure if you really want to continue this series i would say at least read till the third one then choose if you wanna keep reading.

Okay if your one of those people who feel like they can’t read a book without at least a bit of romance, me too honestly. If someone ever try’s to tell you Lockwood And Co doesn’t have romance in it, send them to me because i’m more then willing to educate them okay. I love books with a good romance sub plot and this book is in no way a disappointment in that. If you like slow burn like i do (Like Kaz and Inej or another fan fav, Percy and Annabeth) i can tell you, your definitely gonna fall in love with Lucy Carlyle and Anthony Lockwood! They’re slow burn is DEFINITELY a slow burn but it’s pretty obvious that even from the beginning that they’re not just friends or even colleges. Even the author confirmed in multiple times and even if he hadn’t i was already confident that they were a relationship that’s gonna last a lifetime. You know when you read books with a cute little romance in them but once your done the book your like, Ya no that’s not gonna be a long term relationship right there. Well this book series is not like that. Lockwood and Lucy are there for each other, always there to protect each other with their life if necessary but not only that, but something i will never get over from these’s books is how even though they’ve been through all they have in life it’s not about dying for each other, but it’s about how they fight to LIVE for each other and you see more of that character growth together through your the series as they grow up into the people that they are at the end of the series, and i just think that’s super beautiful.

Even though this book series was, at least at first marketed to the youth, i think any age can enjoy it. I was worried at first before i read the books (I watched the show first) that i wouldn’t be able to enjoy the books as much as if i was reading them when they first came out but honestly now after reading and rereading all the books i think i can honestly say that i might have enjoyed the books more. Some of the points of the books very lightly skim over some more serious topics that i don’t think i would have noticed if i was younger while reading these books. I’m not going to give any specific examples because i want this to be a spoiler free review but just know that i have actually examples i’m thinking of right now while i’m writing this. So i’m not just making it up on how it, even thought it’s not marketed to an younger audience, does touch on some deeper topics.

If you read this all, first of all wow that’s a lot of writing to read lol. I’m sorry, i’m a pretty big fan girl over this series. But everything i wrote here i believe whole heartily. I would go on for longer honestly, but i’m afraid if i write much more i’ll start spoiling the books so I’m just gone leave it here. Please Please just try out these books. You’ll be doing yourself a huge favour. Also right now a comic book is in the works for this series so you should read the books before that comes out! Byeee thank you for reading my rant!

[quaranmine]

i feel like i have a great track record of picking out mostly-decently-rated audiobooks and then just hating them. and i'm NOT even that critical of a person😭

[cordeliav7]

HOW TO KILL YOUR FAMILY book review

*bf's name* I'm sorry baby. I really wanted to like this book but it made it very difficult for me.

To start off I give it 2/5 stars and I'm being generous. Like, this book had everything that needed to be an actually good and enjoyable book but decided not to take advantage of them(?!) This book was a page turner in all the wrong ways.

I do not recommend this book. It's worth reading only if you don't mind bad endings and poorly written characters.

⚠️ Spoilers ahead ⚠️

The entire plot is wonderful "a girl trying to take revenge for her mother's death so she's killing everyone for her dad's side of the family". Amazing! *chef's kiss*!

The way she described each murder is amazing. How she made them look like an accident. I especially loved the chapter where she killed her uncle. So classy.

But alas, to no avail. She wanted to take revenge ever since she was, what?, 7 or 10, and she started actually killing at 18. She was goal orientated and very cold blooded. BUT STILL she only had antisocial tendencies. And not psychopathic/sociopathic like she should. Everyone's saying that she is extremely unlikable but I'm arguing that she should be even more unlikable. Because she's too funny and kinda relatable to a point, and it should NOT be like that. She should be a full on sociopath, scary to the core, but FUCKING STILL.

I strongly believe that the author wrote the book, read it through, realized she had no character whatsoever and just decided to slap the subplot of her liking her childhood friend just because. Tf is that

Also WHAT THE ACTUALLY FUCKING FUCK was the last few chapters with the secret half brother. I was reading it through and I was praying it was him that killed their father. And it was but he hired fucking KELLY to blackmail her so she won't kill him/ steal his new money?!?! WHAT THE ABSOLUTE FUCKING FUCK whY did the author choose tHAT as the ending of the book?! How many braincells did you kill to write something like that?

I'm sure I have more shit to say but, again, I don't remember anything else but I would love to hear your opinion on the book so feel free to comment or DM me^^

[human-still-developing]

The Secret History by Donna Tartt is just so stunning! I've almost finished the book (just a chapter to go that I'm holding on to for so long because I don't want it to end) and I'm blown away. It's truly a work of literary fiction; the gorgeous John Donne-esque study of humanity vs rationality is such a powerful lens to explore the complex relationships (and demise) of the six university students the novel circulates around. I'm in love with their nuanced relationship with each other (lingering somewhere between romance, hatred and brotherhood - this actually really reminds me of the relationship between men in ancient greek texts that modern translations are always conflicted if they are in love or just close friends). I'm in love with the study of how language enriches, tears and shapes the characters. I've been ranting to a friend about how its giving me Great Gatsby crossed with Macbeth crossed with Lord of the Flies vibes because it pays homage to the origins and development of the novel form throughout time with its delicate character arcs and novel progression. The hamartia of all the main characters leading to their downfall, the unreliable narrator (Richard is one of the most interesting protagonists I've ever read and such a creative perspective to tell the story), the beautiful and symbolic prose that glows even when it's pulled apart.

This is something that I'd definitely recommend everyone to read!

[sosotiredsos]

The Mercies, Kiran Millwood Hargrave

“Something in her is tied to this land, as tied as she is trapped.”

★★★★★; a masterpiece of grief and hope, a tragedy of hate and love.

“The whale has come to her less and less, but now she sees it sprawled on the toothed jags, its sides heaving.”

ᯓ★ Wlw/ Sapphic, historical fiction, contemporary, historical romance. 341 pages, available as an audiobook!

[lilmackiereads]

IF I HAD YOUR FACE (2020) BY FRANCES CHA SPOILER FREE REVIEW

A couple months back I finished If I Had Your Face (2020) by Frances Cha. I was drawn in by the gorgeous magenta and yellow cover of a lovely Korean woman looking lost in thought. This review will discuss my thoughts on plot and characters without giving away spoilers. For spoilers or comparisons of your opinions to mine, check out my Spoiler-Filled Review.

Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The story relates the lives of five young Korean women in Seoul who each have their own personal and family hardships. The main ladies we receive first-person narration from are Ara, a mute hairstylist with a tragic past and a K-pop obsession, Kyuri, a room salon worker who knows all the coolest plastic surgery and fashion trends, Miho, a Korean-American artist who made her way out of an orphanage, and Wonna, a newlywed facing the uncertainty of motherhood. While there are five main storylines we hear about, one of the women, Sujin, does not get any chapter narration and thus we can only discover her story via the observation of the other women in the group. She is saving up to be like her role-model, Kyuri, in hopes to be considered rich and beautiful by South Korean standards. I like that this story brings together friendship, through hardship and fun, as well as talking about economic strife and the harsh standards of beauty, marriage, and motherhood expected in their society as women.

I do not know a whole lot about Asian culture, let alone South Korean culture so some of the cultural standards seemed very odd to me. For instance, plastic surgery is not considered taboo/ high maintenance/ unnatural in South Korea as it is in many parts of the United States but is rather encouraged as a way to compete for better opportunities in romance and the workplace. Due to this, I feel like I was able to relate to Miho the most because she is Korean born but spent a few years in the United States as a young adult and is considered the "odd" one of the group due to her American customs and opinions on individuality (American belief) vs community (Asian belief).

My favorite character was Ara because I feel like she had a lot of spunk and I feel like she and I have similar interests and reactions to life's challenges. While I like Miho a lot, some of her decisions made me CRINGE. The most heart-breaking story for me was Wonna and why she is so worried about becoming a mother. Kyuri and Sujin were ok, but I feel like their characters revolved so heavily around working in the salon room and getting plastic surgery that there was not a lot of other interesting things happening in their lives in my opinion. Reading their sections just made me kind of sad to be honest because they were so pretty on the outside but so sad and ashamed on the inside.

This book reminds me a lot of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, which I have not read but I have seen both films. However, I think this story relates on a lot darker topics, such as body modification, physical-emotional-and mental abuse, working in the sex and service industry, suicide, adultery, and alcholism.

Would I read this book again?

Probably not because I think the story ended without a lot of the questions I had unanswered. Also, the backstories on most of the women is just pretty depressing. However, I think it is a very interesting book and is worth the read, especially if you are interested in Korean culture.

[jonberry555]

Spoiler-Free Review - Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars by Sam Maggs

I've Read Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars by Sam Maggs. "Cal Kestis leads the Mantis crew on an adventure set between Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and the highly anticipated Star Wars Jedi: Survivor." The videogame tie-in novel follows Cal an the Mantis Crew between the games Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

[probablycatastrophic]

I just finished Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. No spoilers below.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

This is for sure one of my favorite ever cosmere books. It has everything. It's about so many different things that I'm not qualified to even begin talking about. It's about how art is beautiful because we make it beautiful and we decide what is beautiful. It got me closer to crying than any book I've read in years- and I don't really cry while reading or watching something, ever. I felt every emotional moment the characters had. It talks about the soullessness of ai art and how art is irreplaceable because part of what makes it art is the thought and care behind it. It has one of the best character arcs ever (it's Yumi). And yeah. If you're looking for a big romance novel that might not be what you get. But this is so much better. AND the interior art is mind-blowing. Just phenomenal. It's got all of that great Sanderson worldbuilding, magic systems that don't intrude on the story, and some genuinely funny narration at times. I just cared about all the characters so much. I'm probably repeating myself by now. I'm not going to reread this. But this book is SO GOOD. Read it.

[mayybearii]

TSATS SPOILER FREE REVIEW AND THOUGHTS ☀️⭐️

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I really enjoyed this book☺️ a solid 8.5 for me. I ran to Barns and Noble the day it came out, but didn’t finish reading it till a week later because of finals. This book made middle school me so happy. I was obsessed with the Percy Jackson series when I was younger (still am). Nico was my first introduction to a queer character in Media since I wasn’t allowed online when I was younger. I can’t believe almost 10 years later, I get to see how far his character has come. His relationship with Will is great. I like that it is not perfect and they each have their moments but always make up at the end of it. I’m glad Will gets to be fleshed out as a character and we finally learn more about his backstory and personality. The thing I enjoy most about this story though is seeing Nico accept and heal from his Trauma. He is so open with his emotions and it’s just really nice to see Will and him fight to be happy in a terrible situation. My biggest gripe with the book is some of its pacing issues and the ending. There are scenes that I won’t talk about since I’m trying to keep this spoiler free, but it seems like the story takes a 180 and I’m like “How did we get here?” These scenes only happen throughout the first half of the book but I honestly think it would have made more sense to have them all together when we reached that part of the story. It did make for a killer opening tho so I will give it that. The ending, while very sweet, felt rushed. There was so much build up and then it just ends? I wish we got to spend more time with a certain character who the whole quest was about who just up and disappeared at the end. The main “Villan” of the story was also built up a lot and was very interesting in a flashback portion but didn’t have a lot to do towards the end besides repeating the same bs. Overall I really enjoyed the book and thought it was a great story for Nico. I know it’s been getting a lot of hate on here but IMA DEFEND IT💪

[thebookhoard]

Title: The Count of Monte Cristo

Author: Alexandre Dumas

Pages: 1243

"Thrown on prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantès is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape, but also to use the treasure to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration. Dumas' epic tale of suffering and retribution, inspired by a real-life case of wrongful imprisonment, was a huge popular success when it was first serialised in the 1840s."

The book club strikes again. I have to say that I needed some time to get into the story. The plot summary (above) didn't quite convince me that it's enjoyable, BUT I stand corrected. Although I was able to guess many plot points and relations between the characters I had fun in doing so and even more when I was right. As someone who doesn't speak French I sometimes had difficulties with pronouncing the names of people and places, but it was only a small hindrance.

Which amused me the most was that a book written 180 years ago uses the saying "cool as a cucumber" (at least the English translation, I don't know how it was written in French).

Memorable quotes:

'So remain a fisherman, don't dream of things that will make reality seem even more terrible to you - and be content with my friendship, because I cannot give you anything else.'

'In business, Monsieur, as you very well know, one has no friends, only associates.'

'But there are twenty-four hours in a day, sixty minutes in an hour and sixty seconds in a minute. A lot can be done in eighty-six thousand four hundred seconds.'

'Human justice is inadequate as a consolation: it can spill blood for blood, that's all. But one must only ask it for what is possible, not for anything more.'

'(...) all human wisdom is contained in these two words: 'wait' and 'hope'.'