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karenmsecrest's reviews
268 reviews
Flight by Laura Griffin
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Romantic thriller balancing mystery and murder without delving into gruesome violence. Like a CSI tv show, but with lust glances and making out. Plus, bonus birding content!
Will definitely read more from this author/in this series.
Will definitely read more from this author/in this series.
The Search by Nora Roberts
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Romantic thriller set in the PNW (shout out to Orcas Island and the WA state ferry system). Dog trainer, wood worker, and a serial killer cross paths. Everyone is competent and good at what they do.
The serial killer is off page for the first half, but gets a more intense as the story ratchets up. Just past my personal comfort level. But the search and rescue and dog training is fascinating! And it’s Nora Roberts, so there’s a happy ever after (the killer gets what he deserves and no dogs are harmed).
The serial killer is off page for the first half, but gets a more intense as the story ratchets up. Just past my personal comfort level. But the search and rescue and dog training is fascinating! And it’s Nora Roberts, so there’s a happy ever after (the killer gets what he deserves and no dogs are harmed).
Tall, Duke, and Dangerous by Megan Frampton
Did not finish book. Stopped at 52%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 52%.
So. Repetitive.
Nash doesn’t want to care about anyone because if he cares about them, he’ll hurt them, but he wants to protect them…. UGH.
Oxymoron is used 19 times.
Too many characters, not enough development.
Nash doesn’t want to care about anyone because if he cares about them, he’ll hurt them, but he wants to protect them…. UGH.
Oxymoron is used 19 times.
Too many characters, not enough development.
A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Women by Kristin Hannah
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I loved the concept of this book, but I did not like the author’s writing style.
I think the author wrote in a “tell, don’t show” way… Straight forward. Dialog heavy. Repetitive descriptions. The medical scenes in country were tense and dramatic, but the storytelling in the rest of the novel was missing something. I wish the other characters had more depth, beyond just serving Frankie. More Barb and Ethel, please.
I would love to read more about the nurses and women who served in Viet Nam. Overall, I felt like this was an outline for a novel, and I wish someone else had written the story.
If someone wants to read an epic book centered on the perspective of a woman, I recommend The Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead.
I think the author wrote in a “tell, don’t show” way… Straight forward. Dialog heavy. Repetitive descriptions. The medical scenes in country were tense and dramatic, but the storytelling in the rest of the novel was missing something. I wish the other characters had more depth, beyond just serving Frankie. More Barb and Ethel, please.
I would love to read more about the nurses and women who served in Viet Nam. Overall, I felt like this was an outline for a novel, and I wish someone else had written the story.
If someone wants to read an epic book centered on the perspective of a woman, I recommend The Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead.
The Doctor by Nikki Sloane
Did not finish book. Stopped at 44%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 44%.
Library book. Had to return.
Super hot, but I’m not a fan of the “hook up with your boyfriend’s dad” story.
Super hot, but I’m not a fan of the “hook up with your boyfriend’s dad” story.
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
emotional
fast-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? Yes
5.0
Beautiful Lawman by Sophie Jordan
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Steamy but cheesy.
She’s the guardian of her teen sister and works as a waitress in a strip club to make ends meet. Of course she would never take her clothes off for money, because strippers are bad, I guess?!? He’s a sheriff. The story is ok. The writing is predictable (“shaking like a leaf”).
If you’re in the mood for a quickie, this might work.
She’s the guardian of her teen sister and works as a waitress in a strip club to make ends meet. Of course she would never take her clothes off for money, because strippers are bad, I guess?!? He’s a sheriff. The story is ok. The writing is predictable (“shaking like a leaf”).
If you’re in the mood for a quickie, this might work.
The Edge by David Baldacci
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Travis Devine fills a Jack Reacher sized hole in the thriller/murder mystery genre:
- Super investigator skills
- Former military
- Killer at fighting (literally)
… But Devine is a little younger and smaller (more normal sized?) than Reacher.
2nd book in a series, easily read as a stand alone. I liked this one better than the first. Highly recommend the audio book; the narrators captured the tension and drama.
Content warning: A central character survived a sexual assault years before the events in the book. The survivor has no memory of the event and eventuallyfaces her attacker and fights him, stabs him.
2nd book in a series, easily read as a stand alone. I liked this one better than the first. Highly recommend the audio book; the narrators captured the tension and drama.
Content warning: A central character survived a sexual assault years before the events in the book. The survivor has no memory of the event and eventually
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Murder
Minor: Sexual assault