i wasn’t sure why i put a romantic novel in my “want to read” list, but i decided to read it anyway. while it wasn’t the best book ever and while i wasn’t blown away, it was quite enjoyable! i had several issues with it, but for the most part i just read and appreciated what i was given. tracey graves had a fantastic way of sucking me into these two characters she had created; they were so fleshed out and real, and i found myself cheering them on. i’ll be giving this one a well-deserved 3.5/5.
i don’t know what i expected going into this book, but it definitely wasn’t a thriller/murder-mystery sort of thing. maybe that’s my fault for not having read the synopsis properly, but i was looking forward to a calm mystery, something that could tug at my heartstrings while still managing to retain a quiet disposition. again, probably my fault because i didn’t expect whatever this was. i didn’t like this, either, which is unfortunate — i thought the small synopsis i read on the back seemed promising and i thought the book fell short of that. so it is with a heavy heart that i must give this book a flimsy two stars.
i don’t often read books centered around the second world war. there’s no shortage of books that focus on this time period, and sometimes it can become monotonous. however, the paris architect was a book that looked rather interesting and focused on an aspect i haven’t read too much about (and, again, i don’t often read WWII books so take that as you will). i decided to give it a read and while i wasn’t completely blown away, it was a book i would recommend and am happy to have read. i’m rating this book a solid 3.5 stars.
kristin hannah has a brilliant way of setting up a story. I admit that i judge books harshly within the first couple of chapters. if it doesn’t manage to keep my interest in that short period of time, then i might not finish it (or, if i do, i will not enjoy a single portion of it). kristin hannah knows best how to capture my interest, and then how to keep it. this book kept my interest the entire way through. not a second went by where i wasn’t trying desperately to turn the page, my mind delivering a mantra of, what’s next, what’s next, what’s next? in the end, i am plastering on a 4/5 stars to this wonderful novel.
i didn’t know what to expect with this book. i thought the cover art looked cool and the general premise sounded interesting enough. i thought that perhaps it would be an intriguing, quick read. i was absolutely correct. i finished foe in two hours and i finished by patting the book and saying, “good book.” of course, i did have several questions at the very end, and it seems like there were several plot points that never went anywhere. however, these were small enough points and questions that i didn’t mind very much, and so i rate this book a solid 4.5/5 stars.
not exactly a picture that encompasses the book – i just enjoy christmas
i am a person that requires a lot in order to be properly satisfied. i crave instant gratification when it comes to entertainment and media. i dislike trudging through a difficult premise, boring characters, or a slow beginning.
that being said, where the crawdads sing was an instant hit from page one and onwards.
story recap
the book focuses on catherine danielle clark, aka “kya”, aka “the marsh girl.” she watches as her family leaves one by one – older siblings whose names and faces she never remembers, her mother with her fake alligator shoes, and her aggressive and abusive father. no one stays save for the gulls and other wildlife creatures that inhabit the marsh. kya is alone, left to fend for herself, and thus her life is intertwined with the environment around her, which earns her the name of marsh girl.
she has a friend in jumpin’, who fills up her boat with gas and buys her mussels and smoked fish, and his wife, mabel, who gives her clothes collected from a local church. later, she reconnects with a brother’s old friend, tate, who teaches her to read and marvels with her in the marsh, and she also meets chase andrews, a charming and persuasive young man who makes her feel loved.
throughout this story lies another story, taking place both years later and, yet, in the moment. chase andrews is found dead and the police must uncover the secrets surrounding his death.
full of mystery and intrigue, romance and longing, prejudice and fear, where the crawdads sing is a story about nature, humans, and the connections between us.
jefferswag 