velsbooknook's reviews
197 reviews

 The story follows Rachel who is taking the train, watching the same houses pass by everyday. She loves to see one particular house, because it reminds her of her past life, before she got divorced. She calls the people living in it Jess and Jason. One day she sees Jess kissing another man. The next day she hears about the missing Megan Hipwell and Rachel knows from the address in the newspaper that Megan is Jess. 
The story gets told from three POVs. Rachel, Megan and Anna. I liked to get those different looks onto the story. Rachel has an alcohol addiction which made her a very unreliable narrator. I enjoyed how the story unraveled and Rachel slowly regained her memory from the night Megan went missing. It is definitely a thriller with a slower pacing which I don't mind but I was missing some turns that made me rethink my theories. My reading experience was definitely better than what I heard about the book before. The Girl on the Train was a quick and easy read for me and I enjoyed my time reading it but it was nothing groundbreaking. 

 This books tells the story of 3 women from different generations of the Weyward family. Altha's story is set in 1619, Viloet's in 1942 and Kate's in 2019. I enjoyed all three story lines but it took me some time in the beginning to pinpoint who is who and what is going on. I read the book as an audiobook and the different narrators definitely helped me immensely. It got me immersed in the story very well after having some trouble in the beginning. 
Each one of the Weyward women tells her own story of empowerment, while escaping abusive men and learning about their affinity with nature. I absolutely loved the familiars but I would have loved to see a little more witchcraft and a little less of those heavy topics like abuse for example. I wanted it to be more of a cozy, witchy read but it got really really dark at some points. Be sure to check trigger warnings since this one is heavy on domestic abuse, rape and sexual assault. 

I enjoyed Weyward and it reminded me a lot of The Witch of Tin Mountain which I read and loved last year! I think TWoTM is the more cozy, witchy choice. So if that sounds like something you would enjoy go give it a go! 

 This was a good thriller but not as thrilling as I would have liked it to be. This is for everyone who likes family secrets, an unreliable narrator and true crime podcasts.
 

 A collection of 10 short stories all set in New York. They were all very well written and diverse story-wise. I think it is obviously easier to connect with the places and stories when you're from New York. I liked them but I did not love them, which was because I think short stories are just not my jam really. My favourite stories from the collection were Arrows and Witness.


 

This book was so stinkin cute, I had the best time reading it! I had some trouble concentrating on sitting down and reading recently so I listened to the audiobook and I devoured this book. 
The story is about Liz who has been in love with Michael for a very long time. He did not really notice her before but now that he moved back to Liz's town she is determined to win his heart. She even asks her annoying neighbour Wes for help.
Following Liz on her journey to win her crush's heart was so fun! I also really enjoyed all the romantic comedy references and the importance and comfort they had on Liz. 
Liz and Wes had such a beautiful dynamic and I loved their deep talks about their lives and feelings. 
Helena probably was my favourite character and I was so sad at one moment in the book I just wanted to hug her. She was such a sweet person! 
Better Than The Movies definitely is better than all the romcoms I've seen so far and I had a blast reading it. A very comforting and beautiful book. 
Perfect for everyone who enjoys a highschool setting, enemies to lovers, movie references and a clean and sweet teenage love. 

"Be kind to yourself. If the negatives of the work outweigh the positives of the money, don't do it. If someone is using their power to bully or harass you, don't stand for it. If you hate your, job, and can get away with walking out on your lunch break, walk out on your lunch break. And never go back."

After I experienced some severe panic attacks and waiting for my psychology appointment I was looking for a book that would make time pass a little quicker for me. Usually reading is my way to relax but I had some trouble staying focused so this book was just the right pick for me. 
The chapters are short and the book gave a good look on life when times get rough. 
I read The Midnight Library last year (and very much enjoyed it) and got this one shortly after. It was just waiting for me on my shelf for the right time. 
The book shows many different moments in which anxiety can affect life but also how to cope with it. I just needed that little reminder that everything will be ok and that I'm already doing a very good job of taking care of my mental health. 
I really love Haig's writing style and I found his look on life and his person very likeable. It was like sitting down with a friend sharing and evaluating some important moments in life. 
I loved this book so much and found myself in the pages but also saw that I'm not alone and that is what I really needed rn. 
It definitely won't be my last book by the author and I'm excited to pick up another one soon!
Highly recommend! 

I usually like to write a very short description of the story but I think it is best to go in completely blind.
It was the first book I read by the author and definitely won't me my last. I had seen a few positive reviews on Instagram and since I wanted to read A River Enchanted like forever it felt like a good choice! 
This is a book about hope, grief, pen pals, war, love and is told in such a beautiful and magical way. I read it as an audiobook and the narration was so good! I got immersed in the world so beautifully I was looking forward to picking this book up again. I got drawn into the story and it was a good time seeing this story unfold. The magical connection between Iris and Roman was so cool and I loved the letters so so much! 
The only thing I didn't like that much was that after a certain secret about Iris and Roman is revealed things just went too quickly for me and I wish this part of the story took more time. Nevertheless I'm very excited for the sequel and its release can't come quick enough! 

 I loved this one! The perfect summer read, following Fern in past and present. 10 years ago she spent a day with Will, taking a whole day adventuring through Toronto. Now 10 years later their paths finally cross again and both have some feelings to sort through. 

I enjoyed both characters of Fern and Will and the way they met and how they meet again. I loved to follow their story in past and present and meeting all the side characters along the way. I also always love to see a mental health representation and I could definitely feel with the characters. 
The setting of the family-run resort at a lake in Canada + Dirty Dancing vibes was so beautiful it makes me want to plan a lake trip asap!
I know that every romance book needs a little drama but I'm glad this one was not too full of it. Besides being a romance, family also played a big role. I loved Fern's mother's letters and getting to know about their relationship but also about her mother's romantical life. 
The aspects of motherhood were very beautiful and the author's note at the end made me a little emotional. It made me appreciate the book even more. 
After finishing the book I read some mixed reviews but the story worked very well for me and it is one of my favourite summer reads of 2023. 

 I love Lisa Jewell's writing and even though this story was different to what I was expecting, I loved it! 
The story follows Josie and Alix. Their paths cross on their 45th birthday and the idea for a birthday twin podcast sparks. Over the course of the story Josie is telling Alix on the podcast the story and secrets about her life. It is up to the listener to decide what to believe.
 
I had the right gut feeling from the beginning and I just devoured this book. I had to continue reading, because I wanted to hear more secrets and needed to know if my feeling was right. 
The pacing is rather slow, but I really enjoyed it. Learning more about Josie's life and her family was sometimes very dark and unsettling. 
I loved that some chapters were built like a Netflix show, showing episodes of a podcast. 
I think this book is a phenomenal choice as an audiobook, since I already loved the little podcast snippets on Spotify and the marketing for this book is simply amazing. 

 Reading this book between those chonkers felt very refreshing!
Also reading this book in the middle of a hot summer was definitely not the smartest choice for mood and atmosphere but I overall enjoyed ACOFAS. It was nice to see the characters in a more quiet and cozy atmosphere. I usually prefer the action packed fantasy but this one just did it right. So much happened in ACOWAR that this wholesome sequel was very much needed. The book had some very beautiful moments and made me enjoy the time with the characters a lot. I'm excited to read A Court of Silver Flames soon but I'm still a little intimidated by its size.