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charliemaryann's reviews
223 reviews
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
4.0
So my rating is quite confusing. I got bored during this book but I feel like the writing was a 4.5 objectively. However my experience was more of a 3 star. So I’ve rounded it up to a 4 star
As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson
SPOILERS GALORE: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
As Good As Dead is a gory love letter addressed to all of us who Pip and Ravi shaped handprints on our hearts. This review won’t be your typical academically worded review because I’ve just finished and all I CAN SAY IS WHAT THE HECK. I have no words. 5 blood stained stars to you Holly Jackson, you go Holly Jackson.
- Max suing Pip for deformation is just so on brand with rape culture in our society. He confessed, we all know he’s guilty despite the jury finding him innocent. I felt cold rage when Max’s lawyer asked Pip to agree to a settlement and to tweet out about Max’s innocent. Of course in true Pip fashion she declined. I was proud of her. She wasn’t going to let the law against her this time.
- I absolutely loved the stalker storyline, the dead pigeons and the stick men how eerie.
- This book was captivating from start to finish, I was on the edge of my seat knowing that Pip would get out alive but I would never have predicted that dog king twist. The moment Jason Bell was mentioned as the owner of the company connected to the murders, I knew it was him. I knew it. But that damn twist in the middle of the book, I didn’t think Holly would go there but she did and she pulled it off wonderfully. I felt like I was trapped in that car boot with Pip, it was suffocating. The way she just accepted her fate. She thought she was going to die and I was right there with her right until the very end. My heart dropped when Jason murdered Barney in cold blood. I felt absolutely sick as I did when it happened in the first book. But for our Pip to be filled with all that rage and commit murder?! I didn’t see it. I was shocked. And if anyone could get away with murder it’s Pip Fitz Amobi. Seeing her being so intelligent and manipulating the time of the murder, the way all her friends stood by her, not knowing what they were covering up was morbidly heartwarming. The way Ravi loved her through it all. My heart belongs to Team Pip and Ravi.
Max being framed was absolutely perfect. The way it played out, Pip almost being caught but Ravi coming to her rescue out of love. So In the end, our fake killer has been released from prison and Max has gone down for the murder of Jason Bell who was both a serial killer and serial rapist. We abandon everything we thought we knew about Andie Bell, she was trying to save herself and her sister. She knew. I Adored and am high on the fact that all the cases from the first two books tied neatly together in a crime scene taped bow. Holly is a Revolution, I’d go as far as saying that she’s the best of the best YA thriller writers. Nothing else I’ve read has matched up to this trilogy. Nobody else in YA could pull this off. Everything was carefully and thoroughly researched right down to the very smallest detail.
- As Good As Dead doesn’t have as much mixed media as its first two books which had it every few pages. This one had it minimally throughout the book. At first, I was disappointed because it’s what I love most about this series. But if I’m being brutally honest, this one didn’t need the mixed media elements. It held its own. In fact it would still be 5 stars if there was no mixed media at all, it’s that perfect.
- The final verdict: I am guilty of loving this book over the first two.
5.0
SPOILERS GALORE: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
As Good As Dead is a gory love letter addressed to all of us who Pip and Ravi shaped handprints on our hearts. This review won’t be your typical academically worded review because I’ve just finished and all I CAN SAY IS WHAT THE HECK. I have no words. 5 blood stained stars to you Holly Jackson, you go Holly Jackson.
- Max suing Pip for deformation is just so on brand with rape culture in our society. He confessed, we all know he’s guilty despite the jury finding him innocent. I felt cold rage when Max’s lawyer asked Pip to agree to a settlement and to tweet out about Max’s innocent. Of course in true Pip fashion she declined. I was proud of her. She wasn’t going to let the law against her this time.
- I absolutely loved the stalker storyline, the dead pigeons and the stick men how eerie.
- This book was captivating from start to finish, I was on the edge of my seat knowing that Pip would get out alive but I would never have predicted that dog king twist. The moment Jason Bell was mentioned as the owner of the company connected to the murders, I knew it was him. I knew it. But that damn twist in the middle of the book, I didn’t think Holly would go there but she did and she pulled it off wonderfully. I felt like I was trapped in that car boot with Pip, it was suffocating. The way she just accepted her fate. She thought she was going to die and I was right there with her right until the very end. My heart dropped when Jason murdered Barney in cold blood. I felt absolutely sick as I did when it happened in the first book. But for our Pip to be filled with all that rage and commit murder?! I didn’t see it. I was shocked. And if anyone could get away with murder it’s Pip Fitz Amobi. Seeing her being so intelligent and manipulating the time of the murder, the way all her friends stood by her, not knowing what they were covering up was morbidly heartwarming. The way Ravi loved her through it all. My heart belongs to Team Pip and Ravi.
Max being framed was absolutely perfect. The way it played out, Pip almost being caught but Ravi coming to her rescue out of love. So In the end, our fake killer has been released from prison and Max has gone down for the murder of Jason Bell who was both a serial killer and serial rapist. We abandon everything we thought we knew about Andie Bell, she was trying to save herself and her sister. She knew. I Adored and am high on the fact that all the cases from the first two books tied neatly together in a crime scene taped bow. Holly is a Revolution, I’d go as far as saying that she’s the best of the best YA thriller writers. Nothing else I’ve read has matched up to this trilogy. Nobody else in YA could pull this off. Everything was carefully and thoroughly researched right down to the very smallest detail.
- As Good As Dead doesn’t have as much mixed media as its first two books which had it every few pages. This one had it minimally throughout the book. At first, I was disappointed because it’s what I love most about this series. But if I’m being brutally honest, this one didn’t need the mixed media elements. It held its own. In fact it would still be 5 stars if there was no mixed media at all, it’s that perfect.
- The final verdict: I am guilty of loving this book over the first two.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
3.0
Genre: Romance, fiction
Audience: Adult
Themes: abusive intercourse, traumatic human experience, suicide, loss, depression
★★★
I feel fortunate to have quenched my curiosity of this book. As you can imagine, this book is about normal people, living normal lives. You have the ability to see yourself in these characters which for a character driven reader like myself is desirable. This is a story of longing for love and looking for it in all the wrong places, deep unfulfilled loneliness, depression and the hardships of the human experience.
I will say that I hated relating to Marianne. My own trauma and emotions were stirred up in this book through her experience. We have all felt the effects of feeling unliveable and “maybe it’ll happen for you but not for me”. This book made me question just how deeply I feel this. I’ve been on my self love journey for a while now and this book made it clear to me that there is still things to be learned and loved. I felt Marianne so deeply and it was painful.
The dynamic between our lovers at the start of the book reminded me of a hybrid between Jenna and Matty (awkward) and the couple in A Walk to Remember. My blood pressure rises every time Sally Rooney suggests that Connell could be ashamed of Marianne.
Audience: Adult
Themes: abusive intercourse, traumatic human experience, suicide, loss, depression
★★★
I feel fortunate to have quenched my curiosity of this book. As you can imagine, this book is about normal people, living normal lives. You have the ability to see yourself in these characters which for a character driven reader like myself is desirable. This is a story of longing for love and looking for it in all the wrong places, deep unfulfilled loneliness, depression and the hardships of the human experience.
I will say that I hated relating to Marianne. My own trauma and emotions were stirred up in this book through her experience. We have all felt the effects of feeling unliveable and “maybe it’ll happen for you but not for me”. This book made me question just how deeply I feel this. I’ve been on my self love journey for a while now and this book made it clear to me that there is still things to be learned and loved. I felt Marianne so deeply and it was painful.
The dynamic between our lovers at the start of the book reminded me of a hybrid between Jenna and Matty (awkward) and the couple in A Walk to Remember. My blood pressure rises every time Sally Rooney suggests that Connell could be ashamed of Marianne.
Self Love Poetry: For Thinkers & Feelers by Melody Godfred
5.0
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of Self love poetry. This reminded me of the times I would reblog poetry on tumblr that was heart achingly relatable and powerful. That is what this poetry collection is. These poems are extremely empowering and motivational. They put into words the pain of putting yourself back together and finding love in yourself. Everything I strive to be has been cultivated into beautiful, lyrical prose and I’m grateful that I was able to read this.
Big Boned by Jo Watson
2.0
I received an EARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I haven’t had much success with Jo Watson in the past and I requested this book with an open mind. Unfortunately, I don’t think her writing is for me. Despite my low star rating due to the statement prior and myself not being the target audience, I do believe this book will be successful with the target audience as it does speak of body positivity and insecurities. In that sense, it is extremely relatable and I could myself in Lori as a plus size woman.
I haven’t had much success with Jo Watson in the past and I requested this book with an open mind. Unfortunately, I don’t think her writing is for me. Despite my low star rating due to the statement prior and myself not being the target audience, I do believe this book will be successful with the target audience as it does speak of body positivity and insecurities. In that sense, it is extremely relatable and I could myself in Lori as a plus size woman.