sarah2438's reviews
1053 reviews

I wish I'd read this when I was younger, like you're supposed to. It's a teen girl classic for a reason. It was fun but I think I've just outgrown it.

This was fine. Just fine. I really don't buy that the main characters had that stunning of a connection to have them pining for 10 years. I didn't feel any chemistry. Also, I think I just don't like the "she's a marvelous writer" trope when it includes excerpts of her writing that aren't very good.

Hmm this was not for me. I was gifted this before I went to study abroad in Prague and I'm glad I didn't read it before I go because it was off-putting for me. The narrator is just weird and for a 100 page book, there is SO much talk of rats and feces. I'm glad I finally got to it, for whatever that's worth.

I feel bad giving this an unfavorable review given the subject, but I don't think the book was well thought out. Sanders tried to use biographraphical elements but that fell short; it was such a shallow summary of Teresa and Jennifer that I didn't feel like I got a great feel for who they truly were as people. This didn't feel like much of a true crime story either, because jury selection, trial, and sentencing also felt similarly abbreviated. And the portion about victim impact statements was disappointingly short as well; couldn't we have at least gotten Jennifer's full statement, rather than bits and pieces interrupted by Sander's narration and summarizing?
I initially added this book to my TBR after I heard Jennifer present at a domestic violence training when I was employed answering the DV/SA hotline at a local shelter. I guess I just expected this book to be closer to a biography about her experiences, including throughout the criminal proceedings, like Chanel Miller's "Know My Name." Instead, it just felt very shallow and distanced. None of this is aimed at Jennifer, of course; it's up to her how much she wants to share about this. But the book just needed a bit more direction and detail in what it's trying to do.

What can I say, I just love this world. The story packs a punch for how short it is, particularly the last page!

Beautiful poetry.

Went into this prepared to DNF, so this wasn't necessarily a letdown. I don't think Ruth Ware is for me.

This is another one of those "all vibes, no plot" spooky vibes, like Gallant by Schwab. I liked it and at times I was genuinely creeped out. The illustrations were neat and I thought the audiobook narrator (I read this through a combination of audio, physical, and digital) did a wonderful job of singing the creepy parts. With all that said, I wish that the ending had been a little more satisfying with a more thorough explanation. This is an instance where the open ending is more annoying than intriguing. Still. I would recommend this if you're a fan of unsettling vibes.

I liked this but it didn't give me that same special feeling that Emily Henry's books normally do. Something was just missing, and I think I didn't connect with the characters as much as I usually do. It's not a dud by any means but it can't hold a candle to Beach Read.