I'm a little disappointed in this one. It has an interesting concept, that is initially compelling, but Lauren cycles through SO many husbands, with vI'm a little disappointed in this one. It has an interesting concept, that is initially compelling, but Lauren cycles through SO many husbands, with very little self reflection - that it was hard to see what the point was.
We learn very little about Lauren outside of "the husbands" other than she has a sister, bff and her neighbors. We don't really see her out with them or at work or with hobbies, very much. Who is Lauren? I'm not sure I ever found out.
I was struggling but wanted to see how it all ended, but instead it turned increasingly wacky & made me distance even further from Lauren.
Interesting concept, maybe good for a book club but fell flat for me. ...more
Hoo-boy that was a strange reading experience. I had such a visceral reaction to this story at first and had to set it aside several times (i4.5 stars
Hoo-boy that was a strange reading experience. I had such a visceral reaction to this story at first and had to set it aside several times (in anger) before really settling in with it.
Annie and Doug's relationship was so toxic and abusive (bot or not) and it initially focused mainly on sex - for a reason - since Annie is a Cuddle Bot - but it was just so hard to read.
Additionally, I listened to it on audio and hearing Annie's pain, confusion, discomfort, fear, happiness added another level to the book. (excellent narration!). It made me empathize and relate to Annie in a whole other way.
Annie Bot initially is the typical story of an AI growing feelings but as the story goes on it really takes on abusive relationships, technology and agency on multiple levels.
This book had me FUMING lol but I really ended up loving it and highly recommend reading with a friend or book club for venting purposes....more
Mostly enjoyed but irritated with a few things (view spoiler)[The way Fizzy kept pushing for a no commitment, hook up relationship when a) Co3.5 stars
Mostly enjoyed but irritated with a few things (view spoiler)[The way Fizzy kept pushing for a no commitment, hook up relationship when a) Connor, specifically, said he was not open to that, b) could be fined or lose his job (a job he needed to continue doing his documentaries and to be close to his daughter) and ignoring that he would then have to watch her flirt with an array of men right in front of his face, really turned me off to an otherwise fun, confident character. It didn't help that they made their connection so early in the book that it rendered the dating show aspect of the story moot. (hide spoiler)]...more
This book is SO outside my wheelhouse. All the Sinners Bleed is a gritty, riveting, procedural about the newly elected (& first) Black sheriff of Charon County, Virginia. Titus Crowne - a former FBI agent, moved back home to help out his aging father, troubled brother and to try to make a difference in local law enforcement.
On the first anniversary of his election, Titus is called to an active school shooting. A beloved teacher is killed by a former (Black) student who is then killed, by one Titus's deputies, as he exits the school, waving a gun, yelling vague religious rantings about the angel of death and a plea to look into the dead teachers phone. Most residents take this as a win - bad guy dead after killing good guy- but others (including Titus) have questions about whether the shooting was justified and what the popular teacher had done to set the troubled young man off.
Although Titus won the election, his support is fragile, at best, and the deaths rock the community. The investigation proves to be even more fraught when Titus discovers a trail of bodies, details too shocking to be believed and the knowledge that his small town of Charon is not the safe haven most of the residents thought it was. While the teacher and shooter may be dead, there is still a killer amongst them, taunting Titus and endangering the residents.
As sheriff, Titus Crowne has to navigate the minefield of racist snake charming pastors and the Black church that helped him get elected and now feels they are owed things, as well as members of his own team that might be on the take. All while dealing with his own past trauma.
S. A. Cosby expertly weaves history, race, religion, duty, and the sins of the past into this taught thriller that digs far deeper than figuring out "who done it". In fact, I would say that the villain was the least important & (sorry to say) least interesting part of this story.
In Titus we have a man who wants to do right by everyone but has his own cross to bear. While dealing with the complexities of a small, (historically) racially charged, Southern town, he always leads with a quiet strength, compassion, and expertise. I absolutely loved Titus as a character and guiding moral force. The other characters are richly drawn as well and not mere caricatures of the South.
The crimes are gruesome and not for the faint of heart. They are explicit and described in detail but never ventured into just to shock or torture porn, IMO. Through Titus's eyes, I felt the victims, even if they weren't *innocent* victims at times, were given the sense of compassion, gravity and horror the crimes deserved.
I also loved the Titus and his team were competent. There was no pissing contest/in-fighting over what agency would handle the investigation. He didn't come up with answers out of nowhere. He had expertise, as a former FBI agent and profiler, but didn't come off as the ONLY person who could solve this case. It was really refreshing to read a thriller that hit all the trope notes while being nuanced and competent.
However, as I mentioned earlier, the villain and the ending weren't as powerful for me. Everything ties together, and there's even a wonderful epilogue but the big bad, while truly evil, lacks the carefully laid out scenes that rest of the book does so brilliantly. They are left behind for an explosive end that felt out of character and more like scene chewing for the story.
Even though the end didn't stick the landing for me, it in no way ruined my reading experience. I adored this book - which is a weird thing to say about such horrible subject matter - but it was Titus, the detailed setting, the sense of history, respect for the subject matter - that had me riveted. I don't know if the author is interested, but this would make an amazing series, with Titus Crowne as the lead.
I do recommend the audiobook if you like that format. Adam Lazarre-White's narration was perfect!
And I also recommend you read CW because this book gets DARK ->
(view spoiler)[ Death of a parent & child, murder, racism, children killed/tortured, video taped, school shooting, kidnapping, torture, racial slurs - racist marches/confederate statues protests, sexual assault, religious bigotry, panic attacks, animal abuse. (hide spoiler)]
I always struggle with thrillers because, in following the clues - usually an unreliable narrator, a know everything detective, or so many red-herrings I feel manipulated - that I never feel a connection to anyone or the outcome - but if I could find more thrillers like All the Sinners Bleed, I could be converted! ...more
I listened to this a lot while driving/running errands and it's a great listen for shorter trips. Just quick facts delivered in fun way.
I do think somI listened to this a lot while driving/running errands and it's a great listen for shorter trips. Just quick facts delivered in fun way.
I do think some of the humor was a matter of taste - and often felt forced to me - like, not everything has to be funny and have a joke - but it does make learning more fun and helps with shorter attention spans. ...more
I wasn't quite in the mood for this when I started and then my loan expired (at about 30% in) - it is very well written and a great story DNF for now
I wasn't quite in the mood for this when I started and then my loan expired (at about 30% in) - it is very well written and a great story for when my mood reader brain is ready for it again....more
I went into Radio Silence thinking it was one thing (apocalyptic/dystopian) and got a whole other genre (contemporary YA) lol SO that' threw me off quI went into Radio Silence thinking it was one thing (apocalyptic/dystopian) and got a whole other genre (contemporary YA) lol SO that' threw me off quite a bit. I also swapped back and forth with the e-book and audio. The beginning was so confusing (as there is a story within a story that IS post apocalyptic) and seeing it in print helped me get my bearings.
This is a wonderful story about friendships (platonic) and while it's a totally different tone than Oseman's Heartstopper series - you can see the similarities - LGBQT identities, found family, mental health, kindness and support are all themes explored in both.
I think the begging had a rocky start while the author found her footing. There were character inconsistencies, more fandom and veering off into things, rather than building the main story but once Radio Silence hones in on Frances and Aled, it finds it's footing. While Frances is arguably the main character (and narrator) I found Aled's story to be the more compelling one.
I would give 3 stars for the first half - 4.5 for the second and strong finish. ...more
I love assassin stories and I am of a *ahem* certain age so I thought it would be a slam dunk2.5 stars
Totally shocked by how bored I was by this one.
I love assassin stories and I am of a *ahem* certain age so I thought it would be a slam dunk.
I listened to the audio and the tone was so dry and void of emotion that I felt like someone was reading a file to me about the women rather than jumping into a fun caper. Most of the certain age content was for a punchline...a menopause app, ooh my back hurts etc...
I wonder if I would have liked it more if I read a physical copy as I think my imagination would have made this seem more action packed and I might have been able to tell the women apart better.
And the end...while final, leaves an opening for more adventures, but was also a letdown for me.
I know everyone really loved this one and I thought I would too so :-(( Sorry!...more
Fun twist on arranged dating, overbearing aunties...the end got a bit convoluted and dragged in spots but overall great adventure/romance. I 3.5 Stars
Fun twist on arranged dating, overbearing aunties...the end got a bit convoluted and dragged in spots but overall great adventure/romance. I especially loved the longer epilogue that showed that not everything was perfect but Mira and Naveen were a solid couple you could believe in....more
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