panI love a good gothic story. LOVE. But this is an endless and repetitive internal monologue. It's just the heroine saying the same damn thing over and over and over. To herself. Which means that not only is it boring, but the plot does not advance much. Pan.
pickThis book was meant to find me - it literally landed in my hands while I was filling in at branch I don‘t usually work at. It demanded that I read it immediately & it absolutely held me in a chokehold until I finished it.
It‘s not perfect, it doesn‘t end with a neatly tied bow. It manages to be deeply weird & uncomfortable but the fever dream, gothic fairytale elements were absolutely for me (but not for everyone as the reviews are super mixed)
bailedI really wanted to like this, as the premise sounded awesome. But for me, it didn‘t live up to the premise. I struggled to become engaged in the story and to connect with any of the characters. Maybe my expectations were too high because of all the hype, but this one wasn‘t for me.
so-soParts of this were good and others were sort of like a fever dream. Got some of the gothic elements and liked having a biracial heroine. Overall, the concept worked better than the execution for me, though I will say that sometimes when things are supposed to questionablew it‘s can be difficult to describe. Ending was so-so. Didn‘t hate it but from the description had hoped to like it more.
1st book of the year #readinglife #audiophile #weekendreads @rachelsbrittain
Thinking of all my #HashtagBrigade friends today. Took a train ride through the rainforest on St. Kitts. SO much #VerdantVerdure. Just in case you were wondering, I didn't cry. Nor did I faint. 😂
Actually, I enjoyed every minute! As it turns out, #VerdantVerdure is truly quite beautiful! 🙂 @BarkingMadRead
so-soWow, this book. Long and winding, with so many mysteries that could have been wrapped up so much sooner. Thank god for @BarkingMadRead and the #hashtagbrigade for getting us through it together. I'm glad I read it, just for the extra understanding it gives me of Catherine in Northanger Abbey
I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was 50% shorter, and had 50% less fainting 😅
#WinterGames2024 #HolidayBookDragons @LiseWorks
pickMaybe an unpopular opinion, but I low-key enjoyed this one 😂 It was objectively terrible, with a plot that went nowhere, absolutely no sense of suspense or pacing, and wildly unlikely twists. Yet despite her tendency to burst into tears and/or faint in basically every chapter, I found myself liking Emily. I appreciated her commitment to what she believed was right and her determination to follow her morals even when they weren't the easy path. ⬇
so-soReading this lengthy classic gothic romance was a slog but the process was made more enjoyable with #hashtagbrigade! @BarkingMadRead
#HolidayBookDragons #WinterGames2024 @LiseWorks
#gottacatchemallwinteredition (mountain) @PuddleJumper
#ChristmasAtoZ #letterR @TexReader
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
#1001
