haleyp898's reviews
135 reviews

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

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dark sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

None of the characters are dynamic or likable, which makes this hard read. The author uses a lot of random knowledge throughout that seems pretentious. The premise would be great if it was not so full of itself and the characters had some semblance of reality.
The Stillwater Girls by Minka Kent

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dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.0

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

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challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Incredible story telling. I am not one to pick up historical fiction, and not put it down, but this was amazing. Even the silly details had my interested. There are so many great characters to love and characters to hate. The setting was so immersive. The audiobook narrator was PERFECT. The perfect novel. 
Only One Survives by Hannah Mary McKinnon

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I found myself rolling my eyes way too much. Quite predictable. The main character was so annoying, so there was no reason to root for her like 30% in. The premise was very unique, but the writing fell flat. It would have done much better as a series where the events and lives of the characters were more fleshed out. It felt surface level and forced. The audiobook narrator wasn’t great either, so this could have skewed my view. The narration made Vienna sound very one note. 
The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

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dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

For being a short book, I think it took too long to get to the “thriller” aspect. It was mysterious, but nothing was really happening until the halfway point to make it a thriller. I really liked the first half and thought the buildup would be better. The writing is a bit amateur, but it makes for a quick read. I really enjoyed the excerpt from the book inside the book. I would probably read that book and like it better than this one! The ending was a bit unsatisfying. Overall, if you’re looking for something quick, this is a great choice, but it’s not super unique.
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Not bad. I’m not a fan of very complicated thriller plots, as the details can get convoluted. The main character did not make me feel anything. I was very neutral about the whole story line, so I wish there was something to make me a bit more invested. It was a decent read, but just not my cup of tea. 
Some Choose Darkness by Charlie Donlea

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Brilliant. Creative plot with a fantastic main character. The writing was phenomenal, as I felt I truly knew every character. The twists just kept coming!! The perfect thriller. 
Ask for Andrea by Noelle W. Ihli

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Solid book! I listened to the audiobook, and it was hard to keep the characters straight. I think this was due to a mix of performance and writing, as the characters read the same way. The plot was intriguing and quite unique. It could be a bit wordy and over explained at times. I enjoyed it!
The Butcher Game by Alaina Urquhart

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dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Pretty ok! The serial killer in this series is a great character, but the rest fall flat for me. I found myself very bored during Wren’s chapters with nothing much happening at all. Just there because I think the author thought it needed to be. Definitely dragged on a bit. Easy read though! 
The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Pretty predictable. It was an easy listen, as I did the audiobook. I could see myself being frustrated with the wordiness if I was physically reading it. Well constructed but nothing super special if you are well-read in thrillers.