Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
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| Pub Date: 5-13-25 Adult - Fantasy |
The Devils- Joe Abercrombie: When Brother Diaz gets summoned to the Sacred City, he believes he's about to be bestowed a grand commendation. While he is assigned a holy mission, it's not one he was expecting. Alex has spent years in the gutter, honing her talents as a thief. After landing in a scrap, Alex gets saved by a strange man claiming to be her uncle, who has come to find her because she's the long-lost princess of their land. To ensure Alex's safety on the journey back to her homeland, the Pope enlists Brother Diaz and a group of murderers, magicians, and monsters to accompany her. This ragtag group of devils has one mission: get Alex to Troy by any means necessary.
I've never read anything by Abercrombie before, so I couldn't wait to pick this up. I thought the premise was fun. I love any time a group of misfits have to join forces for a common goal. I liked watching all the different personalities butting heads and having to work together. But because we're following such a large cast of characters and so much happens, I found it difficult to connect to any of them, though there were a few I liked more than others. The story is also quite long, so I worried it'd feel drawn out, but that wasn't the case. Abercrombie's writing was action-packed and a nice blend of humor and violence. I thought some plot points were obvious, but I enjoyed it overall.
I've never read anything by Abercrombie before, so I couldn't wait to pick this up. I thought the premise was fun. I love any time a group of misfits have to join forces for a common goal. I liked watching all the different personalities butting heads and having to work together. But because we're following such a large cast of characters and so much happens, I found it difficult to connect to any of them, though there were a few I liked more than others. The story is also quite long, so I worried it'd feel drawn out, but that wasn't the case. Abercrombie's writing was action-packed and a nice blend of humor and violence. I thought some plot points were obvious, but I enjoyed it overall.
Rating: 3/5
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
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| Pub Date: 11-12-24 Adult - Fiction |
Pictures of You- Emma Grey: Evie Hudson wakes up in an unfamiliar hospital room to find out that the car accident she was in has taken the life of her husband. Only Evie can't remember who her husband is, or anything about her life for the past few years. In her mind, Evie is still in high school, not her late twenties. The doctors advise Evie that temporary amnesia is common in those who have suffered a trauma such as hers, but it is left to Evie to connect the dots in her life. When Evie runs into Drew, a photojournalist, her mind starts firing. The pair have a history together, one that Evie is determined to unravel. But as Drew helps Evie stitch her life back together, secrets come to light that will have ripple effects on both their worlds.
I haven't heard anyone talk about this book so I went in pretty blind and think that's the best way. Grey's writing style was easy to follow, and the shorter chapters made it easy to fly through the story. It dealt with heavier topics, but I thought Grey handled them carefully. I liked following along with Evie as she tried to sort through her life and put the missing pieces together. Most of the twists were easy to figure out, so the big reveal wasn't as impactful for me, but I liked seeing everything come together for Evie. I also liked her dynamic with Drew. There was a lot to unpack within their relationship, and I liked seeing them both get the closure they deserved. Overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid.
I haven't heard anyone talk about this book so I went in pretty blind and think that's the best way. Grey's writing style was easy to follow, and the shorter chapters made it easy to fly through the story. It dealt with heavier topics, but I thought Grey handled them carefully. I liked following along with Evie as she tried to sort through her life and put the missing pieces together. Most of the twists were easy to figure out, so the big reveal wasn't as impactful for me, but I liked seeing everything come together for Evie. I also liked her dynamic with Drew. There was a lot to unpack within their relationship, and I liked seeing them both get the closure they deserved. Overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid.
Rating: 3/5
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| Pub Date: 8-13-24 Adult - Mystery |
I Need You to Read This- Jessa Maxwell: Alex Marks moved to New York hoping for a fresh start after an abusive relationship. All she wants to do is keep her head down and work at her mundane copywriting job. But Alex's quiet life is thrown for a loop when she reads about the murder of her idol, advice columnist Francis Keen. Alex has spent years reading Francis's advice as the beloved Dear Constance columnist, so the news comes as a shock. When Alex sees an advertisement seeking Francis's replacement, she impulsively applies and, to her surprise, lands the job. It doesn't take long for Alex to start receiving threatening letters, and Alex can't help but suspect her new boss may have had something to do with Francis's death. As Alex begins to investigate, secrets from her past start bubbling to the surface, and she finds herself trapped in a deadly game she wasn't prepared for.
This is described as being "atmospheric and creepy," and I'm wondering if I read the same book as whoever stated that. Creepy, how? Atmosphere, where? I'm not saying it was a bad book by any means, but it was the definition of "just fine." I read Maxwell's previous book and thought it was a cozy time, but it didn't blow me away, and that was pretty much the case for this one as well. Her writing was good and I liked the premise, but it lacked tension. I wanted to be on the edge of my seat, but that wasn't the case. Many of the twists were also predictable. Despite all that, I enjoyed Alex as the main character and the newspaper setting. I'd recommend it if you're in the mood for something fast-paced that doesn't require a lot of thought.
This is described as being "atmospheric and creepy," and I'm wondering if I read the same book as whoever stated that. Creepy, how? Atmosphere, where? I'm not saying it was a bad book by any means, but it was the definition of "just fine." I read Maxwell's previous book and thought it was a cozy time, but it didn't blow me away, and that was pretty much the case for this one as well. Her writing was good and I liked the premise, but it lacked tension. I wanted to be on the edge of my seat, but that wasn't the case. Many of the twists were also predictable. Despite all that, I enjoyed Alex as the main character and the newspaper setting. I'd recommend it if you're in the mood for something fast-paced that doesn't require a lot of thought.
Rating: 3/5
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