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1195 reviews
Swan Light by Phoebe Rowe
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
This one barely squeaks by with a “Borrow” instead of a “Bypass” and that’s solely because the author was able to weave in enough super interesting historical facts about shipwrecks (especially relating to the Titanic) that I went down a research rabbit hole for like 2 hours after finishing.
(& then lightly attacked my husband with all the knowledge that I had recently acquired)
Got this one as a First Reads from KU in April or May and it really had a lot of promise (and is also super highly rated, so maybe I’m just being too picky?), but by the end I really had to actively try not to skim.
Both of the timelines had the beginnings of something really great, and could even have worked with the novel just being about one timeline as opposed to both - but it felt like trying to do both just weakened both. (I said both a lot in there)
But back to the research aspect - did anybody else know about the SS Californian and it’s connection to the sinking of the Titanic or am I somehow the last 90s kid obsessed with shipwrecks to have come across this information??
AND/OR the SS Mount Temple?!?! Seriously we’ve got teachers trying to explain the Pythagorean Theorem to me when they COULD have been teaching me about an early 19th century Canadian cargo ship that sank over the Atlantic crossing during war service with DINOSAUR FOSSILS aboard?!?!?!
anywho… worth a shot if you’re into shipwrecks and lighthouses and treasure hunting.
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I have thoughts and feelings and emotions
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
This one barely squeaks by with a “Borrow” instead of a “Bypass” and that’s solely because the author was able to weave in enough super interesting historical facts about shipwrecks (especially relating to the Titanic) that I went down a research rabbit hole for like 2 hours after finishing.
(& then lightly attacked my husband with all the knowledge that I had recently acquired)
Got this one as a First Reads from KU in April or May and it really had a lot of promise (and is also super highly rated, so maybe I’m just being too picky?), but by the end I really had to actively try not to skim.
Both of the timelines had the beginnings of something really great, and could even have worked with the novel just being about one timeline as opposed to both - but it felt like trying to do both just weakened both. (I said both a lot in there)
But back to the research aspect - did anybody else know about the SS Californian and it’s connection to the sinking of the Titanic or am I somehow the last 90s kid obsessed with shipwrecks to have come across this information??
AND/OR the SS Mount Temple?!?! Seriously we’ve got teachers trying to explain the Pythagorean Theorem to me when they COULD have been teaching me about an early 19th century Canadian cargo ship that sank over the Atlantic crossing during war service with DINOSAUR FOSSILS aboard?!?!?!
anywho… worth a shot if you’re into shipwrecks and lighthouses and treasure hunting.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Grief
Minor: Chronic illness
Signal Moon by Kate Quinn
emotional
hopeful
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Nice little addition / companion to The Rose Code.
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
While I don’t know that it did a ton for me, it was a story with two characters that I enjoyed reading about, albeit only for 50 some pages. (Also worth noting that this has a fantastical element to it, so if you're looking for straight historical fiction, that's not what this is)
Quick note that I also downloaded the Audible version and I really liked the narration, so if you’re looking for a short audiobook while you knock out some chores, this would be a perfect pick!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, and War
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
challenging
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love Agatha Christie, and I really really liked this book - but even though it gets 5 stars from me (I really did like it!!), I also feel just the slightest bit let down.
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
I think this is a result of being told for years upon years upon years upon years that this is the best mystery novel ever written, that it is Christie at her penultimate, that this book is the absolute bedrock upon which so many others have followed.
It was rather a weird way to feel upon finishing, because I genuinely loved it (also, this was my first Poirot!) and I thought the last two pages were BRILLIANT - but I was also left with a bit of, “Yeah, I mean, that was wild but … also?”
It definitely makes me want to read up more on the history of these sorts of novels and just how much of an impact Roger Ackroyd made on other books that followed because I would really like to better understand the cultural impact.
OKAY BUT - all of that being said: Should you read it? YES.
If you want to read this so that you can cross it off your list, I think a library borrow would be totally reasonable.
However, if you’re planning on reading more than just this one in the Poirot series, buy it so that all of your editions match and are beautiful!
(I’m looking at the Vintage reprints myself: ISBN 9780593466360 for TMORA).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Suicide, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Antisemitism
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
Yet another perfect example of being intimidated by a chunky 500+ pg book and then finishing it in less than a week because you just can’t put it down!
I already knew a fair bit about Enigma and Bletchley Park before reading The Rose Code, but Kate Quinn brings Station X alive in such an amazing way. I loved the narrative format of the book, the dual timeline + multiple POV that kept your attention throughout the entire book.
I loved learning more about the intricacies involved in the actual codebreaking, and I loved the way Quinn explains all of it in a way that mostly feels like you get what’s happening (I say “mostly” because although I thought Quinn did a great job explaining, there were still some situations where I had trouble picturing exactly what the machines looked like).
Seriously in love with this entire book, and with all of the characters - so much. The three female characters felt SO REAL to me, and I was an anxious mess as the book came to it’s climax waiting to see what would happen to all of them.
This is my second Kate Quinn (the first being The Alice Network, which I also loved) and I own both The Huntress & The Diamond Eye - The Diamond Eye is another one I plan on reading this year for the 12Books12Friends challenge and I can’t wait!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
One more book finished for #12BooksRecommendedBy12Friends and it was FANTASTIC.
✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
Yet another perfect example of being intimidated by a chunky 500+ pg book and then finishing it in less than a week because you just can’t put it down!
I already knew a fair bit about Enigma and Bletchley Park before reading The Rose Code, but Kate Quinn brings Station X alive in such an amazing way. I loved the narrative format of the book, the dual timeline + multiple POV that kept your attention throughout the entire book.
I loved learning more about the intricacies involved in the actual codebreaking, and I loved the way Quinn explains all of it in a way that mostly feels like you get what’s happening (I say “mostly” because although I thought Quinn did a great job explaining, there were still some situations where I had trouble picturing exactly what the machines looked like).
Seriously in love with this entire book, and with all of the characters - so much. The three female characters felt SO REAL to me, and I was an anxious mess as the book came to it’s climax waiting to see what would happen to all of them.
This is my second Kate Quinn (the first being The Alice Network, which I also loved) and I own both The Huntress & The Diamond Eye - The Diamond Eye is another one I plan on reading this year for the 12Books12Friends challenge and I can’t wait!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, and War
Moderate: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Infidelity
Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence-Ash
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
well, I absolutely loved that.
✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
In an oversaturated genre that tends to get repetitive (don’t get me wrong, I still love it), I think Beyond That, The Sea stands out in a really moving, slow, beautiful way.
(Also important to note that I can also see how this could be a really divisive book; I think the narrative choices are either going to work for you or they aren’t. Also worth noting that this is a heavily character driven novel, which normally isn’t my jam, but I loved it here.)
It’s a unique novel that is built almost entirely around the narration (the dialogue is sparse, and when it does appear, is italicized in the paragraph as an afterthought rather than a driving force). While covering almost 30 years, the book seems to keep you in settled in one place - namely, the characters.
There’s a lot of moral ambiguity to be found here, and in some aspects a lot of it feels really bleak, and kind of hopeless … while also somehow maintaining a real sense of otherworldly solemnity that makes it feel really poignant. (Sounds pretentious as all get out, I know. But that’s how it felt, so there.)
Honestly, I think you’ll either love this one or you won’t - but it’s also safe to say that if you don’t love it by 25% in, it’s not your jam. As for me? I can easily see this making it into my Top Ten of 2023.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Death, Racism, War, and Classism
The Forgetting by Hannah Beckerman
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
If you are looking for a fast paced psychological thriller, look no further!
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
There’s not a ton of character development here, there’s not a ton of in depth analytical musings on life, etc … but it’s a super quick read that you’re not going to want to put down to see how it all comes together in the end!
I suspected one twist fairly early, but another totally surprised me in such a good way! I really enjoyed the pacing and how all the clues were left out, and I did think the author did a terrifying job of showing how insidious some relationships can be. (Check those Content Warnings, for sure)
As of April 2023 this one is available on Kindle Unlimited and I would recommend it, especially if you’re looking for a quick weekend read or something to get you back on track for a reading goal!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Child death, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Cultural appropriation
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Sometimes I wish that my husband and I had the opportunity to have a larger wedding (c*19 wedding couple over here), and then I read books like this and think "uh, yeah, we're probably fine"
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
As always, super hard to review thriller books without giving way too much away, but this one was wild! Super atmospheric, super twisty & dark & gritty, and in a very weird way super fun? Fun is really not the right word here. Trainwreck you can't look away from? Maybe that's it.
There were a couple of twists that I didn't see coming - one of which felt a *little* too neat - and I think it wrapped itself up in a really neat bow, although it's kind of hard to say that it was a "good" ending, because pretty much everyone's life had been completely upturned. But hey, them's the breaks? I guess?
This is my 2nd Lucy Foley and I can definitively say that I preferred this one over The Paris Apartment - also, it kind of gave me Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney vibes? I don't necessarily mean that if you liked DD you'd love this one, or if you hated DD you'd hate this one. Just that I got vibes. That's all I got.
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
As always, super hard to review thriller books without giving way too much away, but this one was wild! Super atmospheric, super twisty & dark & gritty, and in a very weird way super fun? Fun is really not the right word here. Trainwreck you can't look away from? Maybe that's it.
There were a couple of twists that I didn't see coming - one of which felt a *little* too neat - and I think it wrapped itself up in a really neat bow, although it's kind of hard to say that it was a "good" ending, because pretty much everyone's life had been completely upturned. But hey, them's the breaks? I guess?
This is my 2nd Lucy Foley and I can definitively say that I preferred this one over The Paris Apartment - also, it kind of gave me Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney vibes? I don't necessarily mean that if you liked DD you'd love this one, or if you hated DD you'd hate this one. Just that I got vibes. That's all I got.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Wow, that's, uh, that's a lot
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
I told my friend that I had never read any of Lucy Foley's books but had borrowed The Paris Apartment and The Guest List from the library - she told me she much preferred The Guest List (and most other people seem to feel the same way) - so I thought, "Ok, well then I'll read The Paris Apartment first, so it can only go up from here!"
And, well, let's hope it goes up from here. This one was very middle of the road for me, a lot a lot a lot a lot of content warnings (some unnecessary, imo) but there were a couple of twisty twists so I guess that's fun.
It's hard to say "Oh, I don't think you should read this," because it's a fast paced, quick read, and if you super enjoy that kind of suspenseful thriller book I think you might like it. But at the same time if someone asks me to recommend them a suspense / thriller book, this isn't the first (or second .... or third) one I would go for.
Now on to The Guest List...!
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
I told my friend that I had never read any of Lucy Foley's books but had borrowed The Paris Apartment and The Guest List from the library - she told me she much preferred The Guest List (and most other people seem to feel the same way) - so I thought, "Ok, well then I'll read The Paris Apartment first, so it can only go up from here!"
And, well, let's hope it goes up from here. This one was very middle of the road for me, a lot a lot a lot a lot of content warnings (some unnecessary, imo) but there were a couple of twisty twists so I guess that's fun.
It's hard to say "Oh, I don't think you should read this," because it's a fast paced, quick read, and if you super enjoy that kind of suspenseful thriller book I think you might like it. But at the same time if someone asks me to recommend them a suspense / thriller book, this isn't the first (or second .... or third) one I would go for.
Now on to The Guest List...!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
Homecoming by Kate Morton
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to Edelweiss, Mariner Books, & HarperCollins for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.
✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
I always have such trepidation before starting the newest Kate Morton book, because, I mean, how (?!?) could she possibly top her previous novel? HOW? But somehow she always does and Homecoming was no exception.
There is something about Kate Morton's writing that just feels like coming home - it's every perfect thing I've always loved about reading. I love so much about the way she writes but I think my favorite thing is the way she writes about places - in almost every book I've read from her the setting is almost as much of a character as the people and it creates this incredibly immersive feel about her books.
Homecoming was a haunting story about family, love, loyalty, and community. It sank into my bones and I know it's one that I'm going to think about for years to come. There's probably a lot more to say about it, as far as "reviews" go, but by now your interest is either piqued or it's not - I don't know what else I could say other than she is my absolute most favorite author of all time. That's it, folks, that's the tweet.
And now that I'm up to date with everything she's published, here's my rankings:
1. The Secret Keeper (2012)
2. The Clockmaker's Daughter (2018)
3. Homecoming (2023)
4. The Forgotten Garden (2008)
5. The Distant Hours (2010)
6. House at Riverton (2006)
7. The Lake House (2015)
All that being said, please know that coming up with that list is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my reading life, and also that while The Forgotten Garden is *technically* #4 on this list, it's also one of the ones I hold closest to my heart because it is the first Kate Morton I read and it was absolutely spellbinding. (Seriously, the differences between books 1-4 on that list are SO CLOSE)
✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
I always have such trepidation before starting the newest Kate Morton book, because, I mean, how (?!?) could she possibly top her previous novel? HOW? But somehow she always does and Homecoming was no exception.
There is something about Kate Morton's writing that just feels like coming home - it's every perfect thing I've always loved about reading. I love so much about the way she writes but I think my favorite thing is the way she writes about places - in almost every book I've read from her the setting is almost as much of a character as the people and it creates this incredibly immersive feel about her books.
Homecoming was a haunting story about family, love, loyalty, and community. It sank into my bones and I know it's one that I'm going to think about for years to come. There's probably a lot more to say about it, as far as "reviews" go, but by now your interest is either piqued or it's not - I don't know what else I could say other than she is my absolute most favorite author of all time. That's it, folks, that's the tweet.
And now that I'm up to date with everything she's published, here's my rankings:
1. The Secret Keeper (2012)
2. The Clockmaker's Daughter (2018)
3. Homecoming (2023)
4. The Forgotten Garden (2008)
5. The Distant Hours (2010)
6. House at Riverton (2006)
7. The Lake House (2015)
All that being said, please know that coming up with that list is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my reading life, and also that while The Forgotten Garden is *technically* #4 on this list, it's also one of the ones I hold closest to my heart because it is the first Kate Morton I read and it was absolutely spellbinding. (Seriously, the differences between books 1-4 on that list are SO CLOSE)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
And with that, our Megan Miranda season comes to a close ... (for now, anyways)
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
1. The Only Survivors (2023)
2. The Perfect Stranger (2017)
3. All the Missing Girls (2016)
4. The Last House Guest (2019)
5. The Last to Vanish (2022)
6. Such a Quiet Place (2021)
Well, there you have it. 6 Megan Miranda books in 6 days. OOF.
(Even as I have them organized as I do, I would recommend any one of these if someone asked - but if you had interest in the plots of the ones towards the bottom, I would just advise you read those first so that they can just get better and better as you go!)
The Last House Guest just so happened to be my Last Megan Miranda book (for the time being) and I think it was a really nice one to go out on. I liked the way it kept going back and forth with the competing timelines, and I was genuinely shocked a number of times.
I love how the author manages to sneak in so many inconsequential details about things that are actually SUPER consequential and when those things come back around you find yourself going, "How did I not see that coming???" when in fact even if you had been looking she went about it in a way that made it easy to miss.
I believed in these characters, and in the story that she told. I believed in the motivations, I believed in the practicality of it, I believed in the plausibility of it. There were a couple of character relationships I would have liked to see a bit more backstory / depth / conclusion on, but when you look at the way the novel is set up I truly believe she closed out all the paths that were relevant to the main character in relation to her story & arc at this time, and ultimately I'm just gonna let it slide!
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
1. The Only Survivors (2023)
2. The Perfect Stranger (2017)
3. All the Missing Girls (2016)
4. The Last House Guest (2019)
5. The Last to Vanish (2022)
6. Such a Quiet Place (2021)
Well, there you have it. 6 Megan Miranda books in 6 days. OOF.
(Even as I have them organized as I do, I would recommend any one of these if someone asked - but if you had interest in the plots of the ones towards the bottom, I would just advise you read those first so that they can just get better and better as you go!)
The Last House Guest just so happened to be my Last Megan Miranda book (for the time being) and I think it was a really nice one to go out on. I liked the way it kept going back and forth with the competing timelines, and I was genuinely shocked a number of times.
I love how the author manages to sneak in so many inconsequential details about things that are actually SUPER consequential and when those things come back around you find yourself going, "How did I not see that coming???" when in fact even if you had been looking she went about it in a way that made it easy to miss.
I believed in these characters, and in the story that she told. I believed in the motivations, I believed in the practicality of it, I believed in the plausibility of it. There were a couple of character relationships I would have liked to see a bit more backstory / depth / conclusion on, but when you look at the way the novel is set up I truly believe she closed out all the paths that were relevant to the main character in relation to her story & arc at this time, and ultimately I'm just gonna let it slide!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail