michelles_book_nook's reviews
260 reviews

Loveless by Alice Oseman

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

I felt like I needed a lighter read and this was certainly that! This book follows a trio of friends, Georgia, Pip and Jason, as they leave school and head off to university but during their after prom party when a game of truth or dare leaves Georgia reeling and contemplating her whole life and how she's never been in love, never kissed anyone or even had a crush she starts questioning everything. And as a fanfic-obsessed hopeless romantic she's always thought she'd find her person eventually and that is exactly what she plans to do as she embarks on her new life at university. But when her actions cause a rift in the friendship group she questions why romance seems so easy for other people but not for her, and with terms like asexual and aromantic being thrown around she is even more uncertain about her feelings and starts to wonder if she'll be alone forever or if she's been looking for the wrong thing all along. Well Alice Oseman has done it yet again and made me fall in love with another of her books. I absolutely loved this coming of age story which is fun, witty and incredibly wise. As always when I read any of Alice Oseman's work I'm just so happy that the current generation has books like this at their advantage to help them on any journeys of self acceptance and discovery. I loved everything about this book, from the characters, to the representation, to the messages behind the story. Overall, I highly recommend reading this book 🙌🏼
Do No Harm by Jack Jordan

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challenging dark 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

⚠️ TW: death, self harm, abduction, murder, drug use ⚠️ Wow this book is such a page turner! This book follows Anna, a cardiothoracic surgeon, whose son has been abducted by a criminal gang and she must kill one of her patients if she ever wants to get him back. But just when she thinks everything is going her way everything spirals. She knows she must get away with murder or she'll never see her son again. This was such an amazing psychological thriller! It's so chilling and had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through and I just could not put it down. This was a highly anticipated read for me and it certainly didn't disappoint. I loved how it made you question your own morals and whether you would choose to kill someone to save a loved one. And I loved the different pov's and the time stamps in each chapter which made it feel perfectly paced. Overall, I cannot recommend this read highly enough!
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Finn by Stephen King

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mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

⚠️ TW: Kidnapping, torture ⚠️ This book follows Finn Murrie, an ordinary 19 year old Irish man who is wildly unlucky in life. From being dropped at birth to only just dodging a lightning strike and so much more including running into another man that is dressed identical to himself and unbeknownst to him is being chased by Irish gangsters who before he knows it take him hostage in a case of mistaken identity. However, will this be a simple case of proving who he really is or is it a case of something more sinister.. I'm always very dubious of going into short stories because I think it takes a certain type of author to perfect them as they can be so difficult due to their obvious page/word constraints and unfortunately this one just didn't work for me. The plot kept my attention but I wouldn't have been mad if I decided to sack it off which is really unfortunate because we all know I'm a huge Stephen King fan. Overall, I didn't enjoy this one that much but it is only 35 pages if you do want to give it a go and I know some people have really enjoyed it so don't let my review put you off.
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The Hunted by Gabriel Bergmoser

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

⚠️ TW: murder, cannibalism, assault ⚠️ If you want a book to get your heart racing then this should be high on your list! This book follows Frank, the owner of a service station in the middle of the Australian outback, who takes in his estranged granddaughter for the summer. Allie has been having troubles at school and despite what her parents say she knows there is trouble at home too which is why she was dropped with her Grandfather who she has barely spoken to. However, this doesn't have a chance to turn into some cutesy relationship building holiday as just as she gets settled a young woman arrives at the service station covered in mud and blood. And little do they know she will bring them together in unimaginable ways and spark a sequence of terrifying events. This book is so incredibly thrilling from the first few pages and speeds you through the story at such a speed you finish it thinking 'what did I just read'. It gave me a mix of Hostel and The Hills Have Eyes vibes and I was absolutely loving it. It did leave a few unanswered questions but I liked that it left you to make your own conclusions. If you're a fan of horror and gore then I definitely recommend giving this one a go!
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The Homes by J.B. Mylet

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

⚠️ TW: murder, rape, child abuse ⚠️ Wow this read was an absolute rollercoaster and left me speechless. This book follows 12 year old Lesley and her best friend Jonesy who live in The Homes, a village like facility of a thousand unwanted and orphaned children, on the outskirts of Glasgow. Life there is often cruel but suddenly it becomes a whole lot crueller when a child is found murdered. And then another.. As the police struggle to find the killer they decide to take the matter into their own hands but unwanted children are easy victims and soon they are both in terrible danger as they discover despite there being some very good people in The Homes, there are also some very, very bad ones. This book left me absolutely reeling. It is told from the pov of Lesley and through the writing style you really get the sense of childlike naivety and innocence. I would have easily binged this in one sitting if I could because it was so compelling and thrilling but also really emotional as this is based on a true story. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because the speech is written/spelt as it would be spoken in Scottish dialect and slang so sometimes it took me a while to decipher which did impact the flow a little for me. Overall, I highly recommend reading this book! It's out now so go grab yourself a copy.
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Blind Spot by Paula Hawkins

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dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

⚠️ TW: murder, sexual assault, rape, attempted suicide ⚠️ Unfortunately this one really missed the mark for me. This book follows Edie, Jack and Ryan who have been friends since they were kids. It has always been the three of them against the world and Edie thought their bonds were unbreakable until Jake, her now husband, is brutally murdered and Ryan is accused of the crime. And while a grieving Edie finds herself alone for the first time in years living in their remote Scottish home she realises someone has been watching and waiting for this very moment as the past she tried so hard to leave behind catches up with her. This book had so much potential and I was so excited to get into it but unfortunately it massively missed the mark for me. In general I felt like the plot could have been written so much better than it was and could have been filled with suspense and thrilling twists but it all felt very predictable to the point that if it was a full length book I think it would have been my first dnf of the year. And unfortunately I really didn't like any of the characters. Despite this though it was a quick read and did set the location nicely. Overall, I have liked Paula Hawkins previous books such as Into The Water so this one is just a miss for me personally and please don't let my review put you off if it sounds like a book you'll enjoy.
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How to Spot a Psychopath by M.Q. Webb

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

⚠️ TW: mental health, domestic violence, child abuse, suicidal thoughts, mentions of eating disorders ⚠️ This is a thrilling slow burner that will keep you guessing all the way to the end. This book follows Dr Oscar De La Nuit, a psychiatrist and mental health hospital director, and his patient, Jessica Green, as he helps get to the bottom of the disappearance of 4 year old Mia Edwards who was on a play date at Jess' house with her daughter and nephew when she vanished. Oscar is determined to save Jess from the same mistakes he is living with but will she be his redemption or his downfall? This book gives Silent Patient and Gone Girl vibes and I loved it! It was such a good psychological thriller that kept you guessing and even when you thought you'd worked it out there was another twist that sent your brain into a whirlwind. It is told through alternating timelines which worked so perfectly for this plot by leaving you a trail of breadcrumbs between the present and the time leading up to and during the disappearance of Mia. Also, this the first book in a series for Dr Oscar De La Nuit so I'm really excited to see what he gets up to in the next one as it had a great back story as well as leaving plenty of questions to leave you wanting more. Overall, I definitely recommend giving this one a read.
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The Castaways by Lucy Clarke

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad 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

4.0

⚠️ TW: suicidal thoughts, infertility, alcoholism, mentions of drug use and drug abuse ⚠️ This is such a compelling read that is filled with so much emotion and really makes you think about what you'd do if you were in the same situation. This book follows two sisters, Lori and Erin, as they set off on what they hope will a beautiful tropical getaway on a remote island surrounded by sparkling blue seas, golden sunsets and cocktails but unfortunately it turns into a holiday from their worst nightmares. When I was reading this book I couldn't put it down, it was such a page turner and just when you think you know what is going to happen the author proves you wrong. It is written from the two pov's of Lori and Erin as well as two timelines which made it really interesting how you slowly gathered the breadcrumbs of the story as it progressed. And throughout the book you are left questioning what you would do in that situation and how you'd react which I loved. Not all of the characters were loveable especially Daniel which made it nicely balanced but the author also made you question the other characters too that you initially may have loved. However one character I expected to like but I really didn't was Lori, I found her really selfish and arrogant, despite the attempts to justify her actions and behaviours. Overall, it is a really good read and I definitely recommend giving it a go but maybe not while jetting off anywhere nice though ✈️
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The Dark Tide by Simon McCleave

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challenging emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

⚠️ TW: violence, drug trafficking, drug use, homophobic slurs, brief mentions of child sexual abuse ⚠️ This book follows Laura Hart who was once a top hostage and crisis negotiator for the Greater Manchester Police until the day her husband, a fellow police officer, was taken hostage and killed in the line of duty. After this harrowing ordeal she moved to her home town on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales with their children, Rosie and Jake. 3 years on and they are all still grieving and healing when Laura gets a call to say a group of armed drug dealers have seized a tourist boat and taken the crew and passengers hostage and her son is on board. However there is no hostage negotiator in this small town police force so the police desperately need her help. But can she step up and lay to rest the ghosts of her past in time to save her son? Wow this book will truly have you on the edge of your seat and not be able to put it down! I loved so much about this book from its suspenseful and page turning action to the background stories and the characters that interweave to make it such an incredible start to a new series. I did find it a little slow to begin with but after I hit chapter 9/10 I ended up reading it in one sitting because I just could not put it down and I needed to know what happened next and what the outcome was for certain plot points and characters. Also, I loved the great representation with chronic illness rep for DI Gareth Williams who has Klinefelter Syndrome and wiyh Laura's sister, Anna, who has MS. And secondly, it had the cutest LGBTQ+ with two characters. Overall, this was a brilliant read and I highly recommend it.
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The Stand by Stephen King

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

⚠️ TW: racism, ableism, sexism, suicide, drug use, death, violence, murder, rape, cannibalism, graphic content ⚠️ Wow this is one hell of read and I was obsessed with it, when I was reading I couldn't put it down and when I did I couldn't stop thinking about it. It is one of those that is so hard to review without spoilers. This book is about a pandemic caused by a virus called the superflu that wipes out the majority of the population and how the survivors live in a post-apocalyptic America. However, not everything is as it seems and as always there is good and evil in the world fighting side by side to rein supreme but with new societies of both popping up they will not only need to rebuild their societies and lives but will need to take on biblical feats fuelled by ominous dreams whilst fighting for what they believe in. This book is incredible. It is a rollercoaster that plumbs the hopes and fears of the world with unnerving accuracy into every chapter (possibly even more so post-c*vid) and makes you really think about moral and ethical matters. This is one huge chonky boy of a book but I definitely recommend giving it a read. The book follows multiple povs and a lot of characters from all across America and it can be slightly overwhelming at times to keep track of them but it really is worth your full undivided attention because King works his magic and weaves an incredibly compelling and page turning story. And just like when I read 11.22.63 I would be quite happy if this book had another few hundred pages (yes, even though this is the long version), especially at the end iykyk 👀 Overall, I highly recommend reading this book and it is definitely one of my favourites so far this year!
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