Scan barcode
rachelmerrie's reviews
373 reviews
The Winners by Fredrik Backman
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
No one can make me cry quite like Backman.
I think my favorite thing about this author is that he doesn’t just write about one person or family; he writes about entire communities and all of the happenings in each of their homes and hearts. He can empathize with any person regardless of class, gender, or age and writes as if he is seeing inside my mind and understands all of my own hardships clearly enough to write my exact thoughts and emotions.
I think my favorite thing about this author is that he doesn’t just write about one person or family; he writes about entire communities and all of the happenings in each of their homes and hearts. He can empathize with any person regardless of class, gender, or age and writes as if he is seeing inside my mind and understands all of my own hardships clearly enough to write my exact thoughts and emotions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and War
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Finished the last 85% of it in one sitting today. Also, I’m pretty impressed with myself for guessing every part of the ending. 😏
It was easy to read without too much thinking, but fairly guessable and not all that unique of a concept.
It was easy to read without too much thinking, but fairly guessable and not all that unique of a concept.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
Overseas by Beatriz Williams
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
No. Just no. It’s over the top cutesy and obnoxious. If I never hear the name Kate again, it’ll be too soon.
I cannot stand when characters fall madly deeply in love the first day knowing each other. I cannot stand it even more when they each tell each other how in love with each other they are for 6 straight pages at a time. Only to have the next 6 pages be filled with them not having positive communication skills, arguing, then apologizing and saying how in love with each other they are for the next 6 pages.
It was a cycle of abuse.
2 stars because it actually had a good plot, but I HATED every single character. EVERY ONE OF THEM.
Semi-soilers:
I hated that “Kate” kept saying “that’s my job” when he tried to do the simplest of tasks like taking off his cuff links or taking the groceries out of the car. 🤢 Or saying “I should be the one kneeling” when he was trying to purpose. 🤮🤮🤮 She kept saying she doesn’t care about his money, yet she felt the need to compensate for her practically being kidnapped by him and him giving her all of his money, cars, and houses, and her losing her job because of him (all of this happened one week into them starting to see each other).
JUST NO.
I cannot stand when characters fall madly deeply in love the first day knowing each other. I cannot stand it even more when they each tell each other how in love with each other they are for 6 straight pages at a time. Only to have the next 6 pages be filled with them not having positive communication skills, arguing, then apologizing and saying how in love with each other they are for the next 6 pages.
It was a cycle of abuse.
2 stars because it actually had a good plot, but I HATED every single character. EVERY ONE OF THEM.
Semi-soilers:
I hated that “Kate” kept saying “that’s my job” when he tried to do the simplest of tasks like taking off his cuff links or taking the groceries out of the car. 🤢 Or saying “I should be the one kneeling” when he was trying to purpose. 🤮🤮🤮 She kept saying she doesn’t care about his money, yet she felt the need to compensate for her practically being kidnapped by him and him giving her all of his money, cars, and houses, and her losing her job because of him (all of this happened one week into them starting to see each other).
JUST NO.
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Gaiman is just not for me. I’m finding it impossible to enjoy any of his books, though his characters and concepts are everything I WANT to love.
Just get to the story, Neil, GET TO IT.
Just get to the story, Neil, GET TO IT.
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
challenging
dark
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Didn’t start getting good until almost the halfway mark, then the ending had a few good twists.
I didn’t care for a single character.
Also, I’m not sure if the audio version is different than the physical copy, but the structure was a choice..
I didn’t care for a single character.
Also, I’m not sure if the audio version is different than the physical copy, but the structure was a choice..
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
1.5
-It could’ve been half the length, it was repetitive and not very enticing.
-The family history didn’t add much to the substance outside of showing that they were an uneducated family stuck in cyclical poverty and abuse, which on its own doesn’t really add much to the story.
-It was weird to me that a white person chose to write this book and stated she had a “close relationship” with Deborah, but also stated Deborah never read it and neither did the family and that most of them can’t read, so she’d read things to Deborah before her passing.. but she could’ve said anything she wanted to Deborah and to the reader.
-Deborah’s behaviors and ending of her life took up more pages than it needed to.
-I read a lot of reviews about people being upset that the book is about her immortal life, though it was her cells that killed her. However, I do think this was explained well in the book because the family believes parts of Henrietta continue to live and grow and save lives, and that’s what matters.
-The family believes they should be given financial payment for Henrietta’s cells, but it was her husband who gave her the cancer in the first place.
-Zakariyya’s character was ridiculous and it felt as though the author was trying to make the reader have sympathy for him because he found god in prison and has become a new man with a new name.
-This book felt exploitative of the family’s secrets and traumas rather than on the multiplying cells that lead to saving lives through education.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Ravenclaw Edition by J.K. Rowling
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I never realized how many drunks there were at this school.
The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It was so fast paced that I didn’t get time to love any of the characters or the storyline itself.
The piggy-back ride was weird.
It was trying too hard to be inspirational.
The characters felt more like heroes with weather powers than witches.
The piggy-back ride was weird.
It was trying too hard to be inspirational.
The characters felt more like heroes with weather powers than witches.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Harry is an arrogant idiot, respectfully.
Obviously this book is good, no need to write a review on it.
Obviously this book is good, no need to write a review on it.
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Serena, Blair, Nate, Chuck, and Dan in their 30s. Again, hated every character and everything that happened in this book. But it somehow held my attention enough to finish in one day.