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bringmybooks's reviews
1153 reviews
The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmore
Bring | Borrow | ✨Bypass✨
Thank you to Edelweiss, Sourcebooks Casablanca, & Sourcebooks 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.
Review: The premise for this was SO GOOD, but the characters made it so hard to enjoy it. The past storyline was so close to having something before it completely went off the rails, and there were some sweet moments in the present day storyline with Chloe and Zach but honestly not enough. The strongest part of the entire story was Chloe's relationship with her siblings, and her siblings' relationship with the grumpy neighbor. So, basically, I guess for me the strongest part of the story was Chloe's siblings (and I don't think that was the intention).
And do not get me started on Catherine .... she was one of the most unlikeable characters I've read in a long while, and she's meant to drive the entire past storyline. So obviously, that didn't work out well.
Overall Rating: ★★★ / 2.63
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★
Atmosphere ★★★
Writing ★★★
Plot ★★
Intrigue ★★★
Logic ★★
Enjoyment ★
Pacing ★★★
Dialogue ★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
emotional
sad
medium-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
2.5
Thank you to Edelweiss, Sourcebooks Casablanca, & Sourcebooks 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.
Review: The premise for this was SO GOOD, but the characters made it so hard to enjoy it. The past storyline was so close to having something before it completely went off the rails, and there were some sweet moments in the present day storyline with Chloe and Zach but honestly not enough. The strongest part of the entire story was Chloe's relationship with her siblings, and her siblings' relationship with the grumpy neighbor. So, basically, I guess for me the strongest part of the story was Chloe's siblings (and I don't think that was the intention).
Overall Rating: ★★★ / 2.63
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★
Atmosphere ★★★
Writing ★★★
Plot ★★
Intrigue ★★★
Logic ★★
Enjoyment ★
Pacing ★★★
Dialogue ★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
✨Bring✨ | Borrow | Bypass
Thank you to Edelweiss, Doubleday, & Penguin Random House 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.
Review: I was utterly charmed by this novel, and oh so so so so deeply desire for this to be a film - with the right actors and settings this could be one of the top films ever made and I'll die on that hill. The puzzles?? Creighton Hall?? The relationships?? The PUZZLES? Ugh, it'd be amazing.
This had a now & then narration; now showcasing Clayton trying to figure out who he is in the world without his adopted mother, Pippa; and the then showing how Pippa came to found The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers and how she became Clayton's family (as did the rest of the Fellowship, but don't even get me started on that because I'll cry).
There were a lot of side characters here, some more enjoyable and fleshed out than others - but I really didn't mind. The ones that needed to be full were, and the ones that weren't were still delightful.
I really liked how the end all came together, even if (by that point), it wasn't wholly surprising. Definitely recommend this cozy, lovely, wonderful novel.
(Also, I didn't get many of the puzzles throughout but it didn't dampen my enjoyment.)
Some quotes that I loved:
A good friend should build you up, she always used to say. They should help you become the best version of yourself. In that sense, forging a friendship was akin to finding a soulmate.
"But the trick, young man, is to find the person who loves you the way you love them. The way you deserve to be loved. Because, in the end, ..." Her hands were clasped around his again. "Love is all that matters."
Thank you to Edelweiss, Doubleday, & Penguin Random House 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.
Review: I was utterly charmed by this novel, and oh so so so so deeply desire for this to be a film - with the right actors and settings this could be one of the top films ever made and I'll die on that hill. The puzzles?? Creighton Hall?? The relationships?? The PUZZLES? Ugh, it'd be amazing.
This had a now & then narration; now showcasing Clayton trying to figure out who he is in the world without his adopted mother, Pippa; and the then showing how Pippa came to found The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers and how she became Clayton's family (as did the rest of the Fellowship, but don't even get me started on that because I'll cry).
There were a lot of side characters here, some more enjoyable and fleshed out than others - but I really didn't mind. The ones that needed to be full were, and the ones that weren't were still delightful.
I really liked how the end all came together, even if (by that point), it wasn't wholly surprising. Definitely recommend this cozy, lovely, wonderful novel.
(Also, I didn't get many of the puzzles throughout but it didn't dampen my enjoyment.)
Some quotes that I loved:
A good friend should build you up, she always used to say. They should help you become the best version of yourself. In that sense, forging a friendship was akin to finding a soulmate.
"But the trick, young man, is to find the person who loves you the way you love them. The way you deserve to be loved. Because, in the end, ..." Her hands were clasped around his again. "Love is all that matters."
Overall Rating: ★★★★★ / 4.63
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★★
Writing ★★★★
Plot ★★★★
Intrigue ★★★★
Logic ★★★★
Enjoyment ★★★★★
Pacing ★★★★
Dialogue ★★★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death of parent, and Abandonment
To Tell You the Truth by Gilly Macmillan
Bring | Borrow | ✨Bypass✨
Review: Worth borrowing if you're looking for a quick thriller, but honestly there's probably better ones out there. This was my first from Gilly Macmillan, and I have a couple others by her that I will be reading so it's not like this book turned me off the author for good - but I don't think this is one I would wildly recommend.
(No, really, this is a big spoiler)
The whole thing sets you up for something so massive, aka WHAT HAPPENED TO TEDDY, and ... we never find out? And the end is some weird thief/smuggling fiasco that her d!ckhe@d husband stumbled upon and got him killed? So her being a wild child with a potentially sociopathic imaginary friend had nothing to do with anything? ...k.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
3.0
Review: Worth borrowing if you're looking for a quick thriller, but honestly there's probably better ones out there. This was my first from Gilly Macmillan, and I have a couple others by her that I will be reading so it's not like this book turned me off the author for good - but I don't think this is one I would wildly recommend.
(No, really, this is a big spoiler)
Overall Rating: ★★★ / 3.00
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★
Atmosphere ★★★
Writing ★★★
Plot ★★
Intrigue ★★★
Logic ★★
Enjoyment ★★
Pacing ★★★
Dialogue ★★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Gaslighting
The Night in Question by Susan Fletcher
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
✨Bring✨ | Borrow | Bypass
Thank you to Edelweiss & Union Square Co 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.
Review: I was really a bit blown away by this book - how it's a cozy mystery + a literary novel + a deep exploration of character all wrapped up in one.
The main character, Florrie, is a whirlwind even as she potters about the assisted living facility in her wheelchair. The life she's lived and the way she recounts it (her story shown through each of the great loves of her life) was shared so well, it feels as though you've known her your entire life. This was such a slow moving exploration of the paths we take and the lives we are given because of those choices, all while exploring the amount of life we have left to live, even as we near our nineties. (And while solving a murder to boot!)
Some quotes that I absolutely loved:
Florrie thinks, We're in this together. We all have our frustrations and sorrow at being older; we've got regrets and losses and missed opportunities, things said or not said. And she supposes that every single person in these pews has known moments in their life in which they've felt such tenderness, suddenly - at geese in flight, say, or looking at the hands of a loved one - that they've lacked the language for how they feel. We've all felt longing. We've all felt alone. ← Seriously, are you kidding me with this?? *sobs*
that love is the kind one finds in poetry or romance novels or in Hollywood films. But what of friendship? What of the deep, unshakeable love of friends? Isn't that just as wonderful? And worth the same celebration? ← I'M NOT CRYING, YOU ARE
And there have been, no doubt, ten thousand other moments in her life, that if she'd lived them slightly differently, would have meant she wouldn't be sitting here - here, with him, at this very moment, in a room that's the colour of firelight and in her toweling dressing gown. ← Stop it right now, my poor heart *sobs* *sobs again*
I kind of saw the end coming, but reading about her giving birth and having her baby taken away from her was a lot harder to read than I was anticipating, even with the hundreds of pages we had built up to that moment.
Thank you to Edelweiss & Union Square Co 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.
Review: I was really a bit blown away by this book - how it's a cozy mystery + a literary novel + a deep exploration of character all wrapped up in one.
The main character, Florrie, is a whirlwind even as she potters about the assisted living facility in her wheelchair. The life she's lived and the way she recounts it (her story shown through each of the great loves of her life) was shared so well, it feels as though you've known her your entire life. This was such a slow moving exploration of the paths we take and the lives we are given because of those choices, all while exploring the amount of life we have left to live, even as we near our nineties. (And while solving a murder to boot!)
Some quotes that I absolutely loved:
Florrie thinks, We're in this together. We all have our frustrations and sorrow at being older; we've got regrets and losses and missed opportunities, things said or not said. And she supposes that every single person in these pews has known moments in their life in which they've felt such tenderness, suddenly - at geese in flight, say, or looking at the hands of a loved one - that they've lacked the language for how they feel. We've all felt longing. We've all felt alone. ← Seriously, are you kidding me with this?? *sobs*
that love is the kind one finds in poetry or romance novels or in Hollywood films. But what of friendship? What of the deep, unshakeable love of friends? Isn't that just as wonderful? And worth the same celebration? ← I'M NOT CRYING, YOU ARE
And there have been, no doubt, ten thousand other moments in her life, that if she'd lived them slightly differently, would have meant she wouldn't be sitting here - here, with him, at this very moment, in a room that's the colour of firelight and in her toweling dressing gown. ← Stop it right now, my poor heart *sobs* *sobs again*
Overall Rating: ★★★★★ / 4.63
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★
Writing ★★★★
Plot ★★★★
Intrigue ★★★★
Logic ★★★★
Enjoyment ★★★★★
Pacing ★★★★
Dialogue ★★★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Pregnancy
Never Lie by Freida McFadden
Bring | ✨Borrow✨ | Bypass
Review: Um. WHAT. That was ... wild? and ... weird? and ... addictive? but ... wow? Filled with tons of tension + lots of twists, only about half of which I'd guessed. This was my first Freida McFadden, and I know she's a bit of a divisive author but I'm not entirely sure why (maybe because they're really formulaic?). I don't necessarily know if I'd pick up another one, but there's a fair amount on Kindle Unlimited, and I imagine if I found myself in a bit of a book slump I wouldn't be adverse to picking one of these up hoping I couldn't put it down!
challenging
dark
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
4.25
Review: Um. WHAT. That was ... wild? and ... weird? and ... addictive? but ... wow? Filled with tons of tension + lots of twists, only about half of which I'd guessed. This was my first Freida McFadden, and I know she's a bit of a divisive author but I'm not entirely sure why (maybe because they're really formulaic?). I don't necessarily know if I'd pick up another one, but there's a fair amount on Kindle Unlimited, and I imagine if I found myself in a bit of a book slump I wouldn't be adverse to picking one of these up hoping I couldn't put it down!
Overall Rating: ★★★★ / 4.38
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★★
Writing ★★★
Plot ★★★★
Intrigue ★★★★★
Logic ★★★★
Enjoyment ★★★
Pacing ★★★★★
Dialogue ★★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
✨Bring✨ | Borrow | Bypass
Thank you to Edelweiss, Forever, & Hachette Book Group 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.
Review: Abby Jimenez's books are just so. dang. FUN. I love how there are super serious topics presented in each of her novels, but that they are done in a way that lets you go through the tough things without feeling like you've been clobbered. This probably wasn't my favorite of the books, just because the logic/plot portion of it missed a bit for me (for the most part, I'm able to suspend disbelief for her plots, but this one felt a bit too far-fetched). That being said, I can definitely say that if you've liked her previous books, I would feel fairly confident recommending this one to you as well!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Forever, & Hachette Book Group 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.
Review: Abby Jimenez's books are just so. dang. FUN. I love how there are super serious topics presented in each of her novels, but that they are done in a way that lets you go through the tough things without feeling like you've been clobbered. This probably wasn't my favorite of the books, just because the logic/plot portion of it missed a bit for me (for the most part, I'm able to suspend disbelief for her plots, but this one felt a bit too far-fetched). That being said, I can definitely say that if you've liked her previous books, I would feel fairly confident recommending this one to you as well!
Overall Rating: ★★★★ / 4.13
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★
Writing ★★★★
Plot ★★★
Intrigue ★★★★
Logic ★★★
Enjoyment ★★★★
Pacing ★★★★
Dialogue ★★★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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
4.75
✨Bring✨ | Borrow | Bypass
Thank you to NetGalley, Dial Books, & Penguin Random House 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.
Review: Kimberley Brubaker Bradley's duology, The War That Saved My Life (#1) and The War I Finally Won (#2), are some of the absolute best books I've ever read in my entire life, and it's always a weird position to be in when an author that has written such beloved-to-you books comes out with their next ... what if it doesn't hit the same?
While I can say that I'm pretty confident nothing will ever affect me to the core the way that TWTSML / TWIFW have, I did think The Night War was well written with a hugely important story to tell, and in a way that would be accessible to younger readers. There are hard things presented, and I think discussions throughout the reading would be helpful to readers, but even without I think the point is well made.
The afterword of this book is also incredibly important and heartbreaking, but showcases the research that went into the novel and should definitely be read as well.
Thank you to NetGalley, Dial Books, & Penguin Random House 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.
Review: Kimberley Brubaker Bradley's duology, The War That Saved My Life (#1) and The War I Finally Won (#2), are some of the absolute best books I've ever read in my entire life, and it's always a weird position to be in when an author that has written such beloved-to-you books comes out with their next ... what if it doesn't hit the same?
While I can say that I'm pretty confident nothing will ever affect me to the core the way that TWTSML / TWIFW have, I did think The Night War was well written with a hugely important story to tell, and in a way that would be accessible to younger readers. There are hard things presented, and I think discussions throughout the reading would be helpful to readers, but even without I think the point is well made.
The afterword of this book is also incredibly important and heartbreaking, but showcases the research that went into the novel and should definitely be read as well.
Overall Rating: ★★★★★ / 4.63
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★★
Writing ★★★★
Plot ★★★★
Intrigue ★★★★★
Logic ★★★
Enjoyment ★★★★★
Pacing ★★★★
Dialogue ★★★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
dark
funny
mysterious
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
✨Bring✨ | Borrow | Bypass
Review: This was SO. MUCH. FUN. I've heard the audio is absolutely fantastic, although I read it via ebook - and honestly? It might even be worth a re-read via audio, that's how much I enjoyed it! I was genuinely surprised multiple times throughout the book, and I loved the way it played with how we view those around us, and how that interpretation can change depending on other information we're given. And Lucy's grandmother? LOVED HER. I will definitely be on the lookout for more thriller/mystery books from Amy Tintera!
Review: This was SO. MUCH. FUN. I've heard the audio is absolutely fantastic, although I read it via ebook - and honestly? It might even be worth a re-read via audio, that's how much I enjoyed it! I was genuinely surprised multiple times throughout the book, and I loved the way it played with how we view those around us, and how that interpretation can change depending on other information we're given. And Lucy's grandmother? LOVED HER. I will definitely be on the lookout for more thriller/mystery books from Amy Tintera!
Overall Rating: ★★★★★ / 4.88
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★★
Writing ★★★★
Plot ★★★★
Intrigue ★★★★★
Logic ★★★★
Enjoyment ★★★★★
Pacing ★★★★
Dialogue ★★★★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
The Favor by Nicci French
Bring | ✨Borrow✨ | Bypass
Review: Honestly, this was way more of a character driven mystery than a thriller, and the main character is often ridiculous - but the writing & atmosphere of the book kept me intrigued throughout and I found it hard to put it down! Probably not her best work, but worth a library borrow!
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Review: Honestly, this was way more of a character driven mystery than a thriller, and the main character is often ridiculous - but the writing & atmosphere of the book kept me intrigued throughout and I found it hard to put it down! Probably not her best work, but worth a library borrow!
Overall Rating: ★★★ / 3.38
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★
Atmosphere ★★★★
Writing ★★★
Plot ★★★
Intrigue ★★★★
Logic ★★
Enjoyment ★★
Pacing ★★★
Dialogue ★★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? by Nicci French
Bring | ✨Borrow✨ | Bypass
Review: Picked this up on a whim in the library during a pretty massive book slump, and super stoked to say that it had me hooked from the absolute beginning and can definitely be credited with moving me back to the land of the bookish!
There's enough here to have your gears turning from the very beginning, and plenty of twists throughout. Some are pretty obvious (hello red herrings) and others were way more surprising - but I liked that we got a little bit of both!
I've looked into Nicci French's series (Frieda Klein #1) and I don't necessarily think that one is going to be for me - although if you liked Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? at all, I would definitely recommend giving it a look - people seem to be somewhat lukewarm on this one but LOVE her Frieda series.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
4.5
Review: Picked this up on a whim in the library during a pretty massive book slump, and super stoked to say that it had me hooked from the absolute beginning and can definitely be credited with moving me back to the land of the bookish!
There's enough here to have your gears turning from the very beginning, and plenty of twists throughout. Some are pretty obvious (hello red herrings) and others were way more surprising - but I liked that we got a little bit of both!
I've looked into Nicci French's series (Frieda Klein #1) and I don't necessarily think that one is going to be for me - although if you liked Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? at all, I would definitely recommend giving it a look - people seem to be somewhat lukewarm on this one but LOVE her Frieda series.
Overall Rating: ★★★★ / 4.38
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★
Atmosphere ★★★★
Writing ★★★★
Plot ★★★★
Intrigue ★★★★★
Logic ★★★★
Enjoyment ★★★★
Pacing ★★★★
Dialogue ★★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Murder