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heidirgorecki's reviews
908 reviews
Stranded at the Sandbar by Jess Mastorakos
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Liked the premise of nice guys vs trust issues and working thru them in a difficult situation. Thought it was well done and well written.
Promises at Pyramid Rock by Jess Mastorakos
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I liked both characters of Mac and Anna and the character development, especially that they weren’t petty like some friends-to-lovers are when things don’t go their way in books. Also enjoyed the peripheral characters. I think that makes the book more.
Murder in the Ranks: A Novel by Kristi Jones
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I liked the setting of WW2 in Algiers since I haven’t read more than a blip in that ww2 location. The basis of the mystery and the WAACs was interesting and lended to the setting, and what the MPs were dealing with beyond just the fighting and war.
It oddly felt very repetitive, especially in the dialogue. And I felt that the characters, however, were a bit flat and lacked a lot of depth, or at the very least lacked information. It felt like walking in on a conversation halfway in progress already, and I never felt like it fleshed anyone out, include Dottie. It was more about the action/mystery with little investment in the people. I kept losing interest without the character development to really anchor me, despite the history that I enjoyed.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.
It oddly felt very repetitive, especially in the dialogue. And I felt that the characters, however, were a bit flat and lacked a lot of depth, or at the very least lacked information. It felt like walking in on a conversation halfway in progress already, and I never felt like it fleshed anyone out, include Dottie. It was more about the action/mystery with little investment in the people. I kept losing interest without the character development to really anchor me, despite the history that I enjoyed.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.
Treasured in Turtle Bay by Jess Mastorakos
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
Cute and lighthearted. It was a fun fake-dating scenario and an easy read.
The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I liked the concept of searching for dresses to discover a grandmother’s past but the majority of the book romanticizes - or at least justifies - infidelity so it ruined the whole thing for me.
The mystery also felt a little anticlimactic as well with the dressed not holding a ton of clue, at least not as much as I expected. It was more about the illicit relationship in one timeline and a better one in the other.
The mystery also felt a little anticlimactic as well with the dressed not holding a ton of clue, at least not as much as I expected. It was more about the illicit relationship in one timeline and a better one in the other.
Dereliction of the Heart by Hannah Hood Lucero
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Loved this one. Great mix of romance and action. Both Claire and Declan were great characters and I loved their honesty and humor. Felicia was also terrific. Lots of great banter. I thought the concepts of trauma and corruption and they all faced, as well as difficult decisions were well done also. Well written and hard to put down.
A Princess for the Marine by Jess Mastorakos
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Simple but sweet story. I wish it was a little more fleshed out cuz it could be really great as a longer more detailed book but I get that this series is sort of shorter. As is, I liked it.
A Blind Date for the Marine by Jess Mastorakos
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Fun and cute. Audio was a lot better on this one than the first.
A Match for the Marine by Jess Mastorakos
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Cute and well done, though generally pretty predictable. I liked the way the ending went tho. I wasn’t a huge fan of the male narrator on the audio. Felt forced and fake usually.
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Really fascinating concept, being confronted with a date you’re supposed to die and how. I thought the story did a great job following various recipients of that information and how they all dealt with it. It portrayed well the sense of control each reached for and the what-ifs - can you change the course of your life or is our course set for us. And can you figure out what’s truly important before you run out of time.
I also loved the thread of how important friendships and family are. How they are a lifeline we often don’t put enough effort, risk or thought into. Our relationships - how we connect with others - or lack thereof will make or break us.
I did think the parts with Cherry were a little slow and dragged. I didn’t feel super invested in her parts. Maybe it was because the other characters were just so much more interesting and the mystery surrounding them, I’m not sure. Hers wasn’t bad, just in contrast, I wanted to get back to the others.
Overall I enjoyed it and thought it was a really great concept.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.
I also loved the thread of how important friendships and family are. How they are a lifeline we often don’t put enough effort, risk or thought into. Our relationships - how we connect with others - or lack thereof will make or break us.
I did think the parts with Cherry were a little slow and dragged. I didn’t feel super invested in her parts. Maybe it was because the other characters were just so much more interesting and the mystery surrounding them, I’m not sure. Hers wasn’t bad, just in contrast, I wanted to get back to the others.
Overall I enjoyed it and thought it was a really great concept.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.