designsbymeghen's reviews
230 reviews

Rich people's problems are sometimes fun to read about. This was excellent storytelling. Jackson was able to portray Sasha’s, Darley’s, and Georgiana’s POV so expertly that I bounced around being angry at and sympathizing with each of them in turn. There were a lot of relatable relationship dynamics that felt parallel to my life at the moment. I’m envious of the way Sasha and Cord’s child discussion went 🥲 S/O to the narrator as well. I love her. 

It was an okay read, but I wasn’t nearly as intrigued as I was with the first book. It also had a different narrator, which added to my disappointment. After a while, I got used to it, and he did well. Reading this while leading up to the 2024 presidential election, Chapter 28 came in strong with the truest statement of politics, “It is a well-known fact that those people who most want to rule people are ipso facto, those least suited to do it.” 

Honestly, it’s pretty tame for a horror story. I did love Montserrat and Tristán as characters, but that’s about as far as my praise goes. I think the concept of magic in this story was interesting and thoughtful, but something about it felt too convenient. I enjoyed doing a buddy read, though!

It seems like the “big fight” at the end was barely a fight at all. It was almost like you knew the protagonists would come out on top. And no way in hell Montserrat and Tristán should have gotten together romantically in the end. NOT after all of these years.

 

I had never given the Vietnam War that much thought outside of history class in high school. I’m not going to lie; reading from a woman’s point of view was much more intriguing and inspiring than any other war book I’ve read with a man as the main character. So many events in Frankie’s life were gut-wrenching and heartbreaking, and I found myself so angry on her behalf halfway through the book that I wanted to punch someone. I can’t even begin to imagine experiencing the sexism, betrayal, and coldness she felt in her life. While this is a work of fiction, reading this story opened my eyes to not only the horrors seen during the war but also the camaraderie that can form between people experiencing hell with you. This story is a lesson in discovering who you want to be and constantly finding ways to adapt, improve, and carry on. It’s a testament to surrounding yourself with people who genuinely care about you and leaning on them in good and bad times. 

I was doing loud, remodel stuff, so I wasn't paying attention too hard, and it didn't grab me right away. I'd be open to trying it in the future. 

I needed something quick for a long drive, and this was an excellent, easy read. I really enjoyed the character development and the nonlinear storyline. Some of it got a little repetitive, but it made sense why in the end. A few spots felt a little too convenient, but overall, it had some nice twists and turns—people aren't always who or what they seem. Overall, this is another example of toxic masculinity breeding trauma and evil. 

This book is one of the most hilarious stories I’ve read. There is so much dry, witty humor over and over and over again that you can’t help but fall in love with the ridiculousness of it. I’m also not usually a sci-fi person, but Adams wrote it in a way that was lighthearted enough to make sense without getting overly technical. I could reread it right now and pick up on other jokes. I missed the first time around. The narrator was also brilliant for this story. 

I had to read the sequel and was incredibly disappointed with everything about this book. They switched up the narrator, and it just wasn’t the same, and the story itself felt almost unnecessarily violent and bleak. It was hard to get through this one. The small silver lining was it at least had a decent ending, but overall, it was almost like too much trauma was happening all at once. 

I loved Hopkins’s “Crank” series and figured I would try this one. I wasn’t sure what to expect reading from a religious point of view. But this ended up being a remarkable story of discovering who you are. I loved Pattyn and what she could do with her life when she was removed from a controlling environment. Her aunt was another wonderful character with a big heart. The narrator was a perfect fit for this story. 

Karissa Vacker is one of my favorite narrators. I needed a quick read to fill my ears during a remodel project and The StoryGraph absolutely delivered with this “similar readers” recommendation. This story was a dark and twisted read without getting too dismal. There are lots of character twists to keep you on your toes.