I read Homebody by this author a while ago and I really enjoyed it. I know this book is a much more popular book by him so I figured I should read it and see what all the talk is about 😄 I actually wasn‘t aware this was a whole series, so hopefully the first one delivers well so I can read the rest!

Not quite what I was expecting, but not necessarily in a bad way. If anything, this book gave me an appreciation for a subtle technique and a third-person limited narrative.

This was a pretty impulsive add to my reading schedule for this month. As a horror buff, I thoroughly enjoy it when a book can surprise me and genuinely make my skin crawl. That‘s honestly what I look for in any horror novel I read, though very few actually deliver in that regard. Here‘s hoping I found a good one!

Ya know those moments when you have to rate something as mediocre, even though you can see why it‘s popular to the vast majority of everyone else? I think it‘s important to be honest about how you feel about a book, while still being able to recognize its positive attributes and the things that make it an amazing book to so many others. Even if it wasn‘t necessarily your cup of tea ☺️

I got to go splurge at Barnes and Noble!! I was able to check off quite a bit from my list 😁 I can‘t wait to dive in!

By popular demand from some of my friends, this hot trend is going to be my next read! I‘ve heard some pretty great reviews about this one and I‘ve been meaning to dip my toe into Greek mythology more. This will be my first read for May, so I hope it‘ll end up being a strong start!

I was so disappointed I didn‘t like this book more. Maybe the writing style just isn‘t for me. I don‘t think I have the theatrical mindset to appreciate this in the way other people might be able to ☹️

Recently, I made a decision to wrap all my TBR in kraft paper and number them so that I could avoid bias in picking my next reads. I wanted to make the process more randomized so I could get through my TBR more efficiently. I ended up picking this book at random and I‘m so stoked because it‘s a book that‘s been on my shelf for WAY too long. I got it from the My Thrill Club sub box and am so excited to finally cross it off my list!

I know it might be odd that I‘m technically recommending a book that I rated a 3.5, but I honestly do believe this book would be well liked by most people. It only felt average to me and otherwise I had no complaints; it‘s an easy-breezy and enjoyable read overall 😄

Yet another book to soon check off my Book of the Month list! I read The Sun Down Motel by this same author and really liked it, so I‘m pretty stoked to dive into this one next!😁 I‘m finally getting back into my steady routine reading pace and I couldn‘t be happier 😌

Kind of disappointing, but I always try to read at least two different books from an author in case I end up really liking something else by them. Fingers crossed the next one goes a bit better !

I am beyond excited to finally start this book! I have seen so many amazing reviews about this one, and about the author in general. This will actually be my first Freida McFadden book, so I am totally looking forward to hopefully being able to put another author on my “must read” list!

Oh my goodness it took me so long to finish this book. Both my parents individually came to visit me and I have been such a busy bee. But this book was definitely worth the time it took to finish. Such an unbelievable and moving story. From the in-depth description of all the brutal training, to the suspense of describing active battle, it was like being thrown into the hellfire right with these amazing warriors.

A good friend of mine really doesn‘t read at all, despite my best efforts in recommending books to him. However, there is one particular book that he praises any time it comes up. I figure if it‘s good enough to get him to pick up a book, it has to be worth the read, right? My friend was infantry in the marines so I know this book means something personal to him. I can‘t wait to give it my full attention ❤️

Taking the opportunity to rave about this reading tracker app that got shown to me called Bookmory! I absolutely love the different formats and ways it provides me to track my reading. It also allows me to format my thoughts like this so that I can start giving more detailed reviews without having to worry about the word count! I‘m so stoked!😁

I am so excited to see how the author will choose to wrap this series up! The first book had me on the fence, but the second one definitely captured my attention. I dislike when books in a series are this dependent on each other to feel solid, but hopefully the ending will justify that.

One thing I‘ve realized about these characters that make them seem flawed to me is they seem to lack depth. The author attempts to put them through the flows of conflict and emotions, but the attempt still seems very shallow and lack luster. That was a very prominent flag in this book, though the plot is improving greatly. I just wish the writing style did it better justice, ya know? 3.5/5 ⭐️s

It‘s gonna be hard to top the book I just finished, but this series won‘t finish itself 😂 it‘ll be nice to settle myself down with the familiar pace of this series and see where the author takes it. This series has become the equivalent of a leisurely stroll for me. Nothing too fantastic or special, but something easy I can still look forward to.

Holy cow, y‘all. I have not loved a book this much in a while. The characters were so personable and dynamic, I loved them all. The plot was kept so fresh and twisty despite it being another crime/murder mystery novel. The execution of all the shocking reveals and plot twists was expertly done. This book has officially made me a true Karin Slaughter fan 🤘🏼I can‘t say enough how much I loved the experience this book gave me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was selected at random for me during an impulse trip to B&N. After reading one of her newer novels, Pieces of Her, I‘m finding myself very excited to dive into this one. It seems her writing style fits her in a way that is unique and I was entranced by her storytelling, so I hope this book will have the same effect. This is also the second to last book before I finish my March 2023 reading goal!

I saw the TV show before reading the book and that might have soiled some of the effect of shock for me. I can obviously see the technique that was present to ease the reader into the mind of a psychotic stalker, and I believe it would have been very effective had it not already been spoiled for me via the show. I did spoil myself however, and it felt too familiar and predictable to me. My own fault of course, but still a good read. 3.5/5 ⭐️s

It took me a little bit longer to get through my last book than I had thought. My job has been pretty hectic and I haven‘t gotten as much free reading time. However, I‘m so excited to start my next one! This book has been long overdue on my TBR, and my best friend has been hounding me for a couple years to get this one checked off. I‘ve heard so much hype also in part due to the Netflix show, so let‘s see how it goes!

Such a beautiful story. At first I was frustrated with how some of the behaviors described in this book seemed so drastically over-dramatized. I thought to myself “there is no freaking way people acted like this.” I quickly realized I was shocked and disgusted because people really DID act this way and it‘s so hard to fathom. This book did a wonderful job in reminding us why women are badasses and deserve every piece of recognition. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Went on an impulse trip to Barnes and Noble and got myself some goodies! I got there an hour before they closed, so I was on a time crunch, but I‘m super proud of the variety I was able to snag. Fantasy, historical fiction, mystery/crime, horror, romance…spicy romance 🔥 I can‘t wait to dig in!

1. Sweat pants from PINK. Combine those with my favorite knit sweater and a cozy blanket and that‘s my go-to cozy reading outfit!

2. I typically only read one book at a time.

Thanks for the tag! @TheNeverendingTBR

I tag @bookaddictsguide @book.jedi

@TheSpineView #Two4Tuesday

Didn‘t really think this book was gonna pique my interest at first, so I‘m a little late on this trend. After hearing so many raving reviews about it and finding out it won an award on Goodreads, how could I not give it a shot? I‘ve been known to love a good feminist agenda comedy every once in a while, so I‘m feeling very optimistic!

Better than the first book. My only complaint is the process of plot development is lacking. It gives the reader teaser information, then picks us up and drops us off at the plot twist. It doesn‘t allow the audience to piece everything together and figure it out in a way that is so perfectly satisfying. It leaves a lot to be missed. The concept/plot is fantastic though and character exploration has been phenomenal. And. Ya know. Smut 🥵🔥⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First book of March and I‘m one book ahead of my month to month reading goals! I‘m excited to start the second book to this series because the first one had some pretty decent set up. It has a lot of potential if the follow through is good, and I am so ready to dive head first and fall in love with a new universe. High hopes for this one !

I admit that I am biased when it comes to this series. In some plane of consciousness, I know the writing style isn‘t necessarily the best and could probably use some improvement. But that does not stop me from being absolutely ENCHANTED with this series. There‘s a perfect balance of action/battle, romance, camaraderie, and character reflection/development. I‘ve fallen in love with this world and this book did not disappoint. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I binged the first two books to this series WAY too quickly, and it felt like eternity until this one finally came out. Then, of course by the time it actually came out, I had a million other books in line on my TBR and it took me ANOTHER forever to actually get around to reading it 😂 Fingers crossed this one doesn‘t end on a cliffhanger like the second one did!🤞

This book became predictable. Once the reader figures out the kind of story it is, the formula the book is following becomes more obvious. However, I absolutely LOVED the story. Mainly because I‘m a sucker for a Bonnie and Clyde re-vamp, especially with a Jonestown twist. As routine as it may have been I loved the journey of independence the main character went on. Nothing is more riveting and toxic than the chaos of a tragic love affair. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So, my next read was basically chosen at random. I am a loyal subscriber to Book of the Month and eventually the amount of BOTM books I have became quite overwhelming. This book is one of many that have been sitting on my dedicated BOTM shelf. That particular shelf is going to be one of the bigger challenges in getting my physical TBR list shrunken down, so I figured I better get started 😬

This series finally got bumped up a little notch in terms of my rating! I still have my same old gripes about the writing style because that hasn‘t changed at all, but this book definitely added a little more to the plot that I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters still mostly seem on the flat side, but the character I love so much is getting fleshed out slowly but surely. So, I‘ll take a win when I can find one at this point 😂 3.5/5 ⭐️s from me!

Ugh, what can I say? When it comes to certain characters, I‘m loyal to a fault. Third book in this series, and though the writing style continues to be insanely repetitive and monotone, a few aspects of the story intrigue me. I‘ve contemplated how much I wish I could give up this series, but I‘m hooked by one character 🤦🏼‍♀️ There are seven books total to this series, so it has to get better. Right? Fingers crossed for this next read! 🤞

I spent time debating what to rate this book. It bounced between 3.5 and 4 out of 5, but I decided to round up to the four star review because though this book was very simplistic in its writing style, the world building and plot were absolutely mesmerizing. The writing style came off as very amateur at first, but I came to not mind because the story is another one that falls into the “comfy read” category for me. Easy and enjoyable. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Onto my next read! It has been forever since I‘ve delved into a good sci-fi novel, and I‘ve been getting promising reviews for this one! I actually got this book from a “blind date” subscription from a small business here in Denver! Though the business is based out of Colorado, it‘s an online store so anyone can enjoy! Check out Brown Bag Bargain Books!

I felt like this book was purely set-up material for the series; didn‘t delve too much into the action. I think the first book in a series should also be able to serve as a stand-alone without needing a whole series to support it. The setup made me intrigued to finish the series,though. I love the world/plot. I wish certain information was made more clear/was better mapped out so I wasn‘t left wondering if I was understanding everything. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Here‘s to hoping this book is better! I‘m one of the many people who brags about not being too active on social media, yet I‘ve totally succumbed to drowning myself in Booktok and Bookstagram 😅 I‘ve seen this book all over in the online bookish community, and I think it‘s about time I see what the hype is about!🧐🤨😁🤞

This was very disappointing. The characters were very detached and not individualized. The dialogue was choppy and weird mostly. The tension/suspense effect was lost due to the execution being so poor and the author trying to throw too many curve balls that didn‘t make sense. The final twist applied to the rest of the story in a way that was too far fetched and flimsily put together; it made me roll my eyes in frustration. ⭐️⭐️

I‘m taking a break from the monotony of the series I‘ve been reading and giving this book a shot! I‘ve heard so much hype about this author ever since The Silent Patient became so popular, so I‘m super excited to see if this book is just as good! This is also the start of my hopefully dedicated attempt at reading more books off my physical TBR instead of constantly buying new ones. I got this one from BOTM a while ago so I hope it‘s a good start!

I am so frustrated! The storyline did improve with slightly better plot twists, even if the execution of the twists was very basic/simplified. However, the narrator is still so monotone, repetitive, and flat. The storyline is good, but it still reads as if the book is dragging on most the time. The characters still lack so much dynamic. So far, I like only one of the characters and I‘m continuing for him. I hope the third book gets better. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I know I just rated the first book of this series as not being the greatest, but often I find most writing styles improve throughout the length of a series. I believe in the world and storyline so much that I am more than willing to give the second book a shot! This will be my last book of January, so fingers crossed it‘s a good one!

I loved the world and storyline this book followed. However, the writing style is very plain and almost monotone; it lacks a lot of feeling. The plot was mostly so predictable it almost came off as naive. I wish the characters had more depth and were less repetitive. Overall, this book has a good foundation, but lacks proper technique to make the reader feel the tension and general emotions of the story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

It took me longer to read Bad Man than I had originally thought it would. Most of my reading time happens on my daily commute on the light rail, however, my dad has left me his car temporarily so it feels my reading time has gotten cut in half! My January TBR is still on track though and I‘m so excited to finally start this series! I was iffy on whether I wanted to give this book a shot, but I‘ve decided to just dive in and see it how it goes!

I love this author, but some are hits and some are misses. I loved the concept this story had and he still has his expert technique of suspense writing. However, there was so much added “fluff” that counteracted the full effect of the suspense. It focuses on an unreliable narrator, and those aren‘t my thing. Sometimes there was too much emphasis when there shouldn‘t have been, so some things felt anticlimactic and inconsistent. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I‘ll need a day to recover emotionally from my last read, but I‘m super excited that this one is coming up next! I‘ve read PenPal by Auerbach and it immediately became my favorite book of 2022. This is unfortunately the only other book he has published at the moment, but Auerbach has already proven himself to be a master of thriller and suspense. I can‘t wait!

I got the ugly cry I asked for 😭 While the writing style is catered to a more teenage audience, it has been a long time since a book has moved me this way. It very accurately/realistically portrays the struggles with teenagers and mental health, specifically suicide and bipolar disorder. It broaches these subjects in such a perfect way as to make it feel real and heavy in an attempt to gain understanding from a mostly uneducated audience ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I‘ve been reading a lot of thriller and fantasy novels as of late. I love a wide variety of genres, but for some reason I‘ve found myself defaulting to these two specifically. So, to try and mix things up a bit, this will be my next read! It‘s been so long since I‘ve read something in the romance genre, and I am totally ready to ugly cry 🥹😅💔

It‘s been a while since I‘ve read a classic mystery/thriller type book. I had almost forgotten how good it felt to get those “Omg, no way!” type of moments. That small adrenaline spike and moment of pure awestruck. Coben perfected that affect in this book and it made me so sincerely happy. A perfectly crafted puzzle, this one. I can‘t wait to read more of his books. I sincerely loved every minute of reading this, cover to cover. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Walmart has done it again with another good book haul! All of these were on my TBR, so I was super excited to knock these out! Can‘t wait to dig in!😁