Scan barcode
lizgom's reviews
164 reviews
Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas, Mark Olshaker
dark
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
2.75
I really liked a few books like this and was SO excited to go into this one because of the Netflix series, but it fell flat for me. For some reason I can’t remember a thing I read. The most interesting part of this was the description and how to profile serial killers based on evidence and so on. It’s very insightful, but I just couldn’t connect with the writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Bullying, and Cannibalism
The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I loved this entirely because of the vibes. The writing was a little off to me and Hazel was a bit annoying. Other than that this is the perfect cozy read along with The Pumpkin Spice Café.
The Fifth Suspect by Robert McNeil
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I really had to push myself to get through the first 40% of the book. The characters weren’t engaging and lacked personality. I think I really enjoyed the story towards the end where it picked up, but it took me so long to actually want to read it.
Don't Let Her Stay by Nicola Sanders
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
3.0
This was a solid 3/5. The story itself was good. I felt like I read faster than listening to the audiobook. The voice the narrator used for Chloe when talking to Richard was probably one of the biggest yucks I’ve felt. The narrator made me feel like Chloe was an 8y/o girl when she was 20, 21 after her birthday which we see in the book. I just felt really disconnected to all the characters. Chloe was annoyingly two-faced. Richard gave me the ick the moment he would dismiss his daughter’s rude behavior towards his partner. Joanna was annoyingly permissive and she let herself be gaslit so easily. This is one of those types of books where I feel like the ending was rushed or summarized. The four month old baby was probably the best character in this book. The ending left me with questions but I guess that was kind of the point. This is the type of book I’d recommend if someone was looking for something REALLY specific with thriller and step parents or something.
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.75
The writing was easy to read and I have absolutely no complaints about the plot or characters. I feel like it was a thoroughly well written book. I enjoyed being on edge the whole time. The only thing I didn’t like, was the fact that it’s the third book where dad takes the fall for his son being a murderer and it just feels like that could’ve been a little bit different so it would’ve been a little bit more original. Other than that this is a close to perfect book!
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
2.5
My first mistake was having high hopes for this. My second mistake was trusting Reese Witherspoon. Which is crazy because I’ve LOVED some of her recs. Anyway, the writing was alright. The plot was mediocre at best. The ending was just a sloppy way to wrap up the book.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
2.75
I probably had a better time reading the synopsis. I only liked Hannah out of all the POVs in this. Liking one character out of seven or eight characters is honestly kind of upsetting. The story had so much potential and there were so many confrontations that could’ve happened to cause a good conflict in the plot, and it just feels like the author wanted to wrap up this story as soon as she could. The ending is so abrupt I got whiplash.
Born of Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I feel like the writing has improved after so many books. However, considering this is the last book in the flesh and fire series, it was disappointing to see a boring “war”. Leaving off this book without getting any sort of knowledge as to why Sera was devastated and had to go into stasis in the “present” of the blood and ash series also fucks with my head. Overall, I’m just upset with how we close this series(f&f), considering it was far more enjoyable than the main series(b&a).
No Exit by Taylor Adams
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The only reason this book isn’t five stars is solely because it’s in third person and I always struggle with this type of writing. Although I struggled with it, it got me hooked and made me continue wantng to read. I’ll definitely be getting the audiobook just to see if I like it better that way Darby’s thought process was so relatable during the book. I think that’s probably why I liked it so much.
The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
This had me in a chokehold. Started this at 10pm and finished by 11am the next morning. I kept pointing fingers everywhere and the plot twist made me gasp. I loved this so much