I’m coming to the end of The Wedding People and I do not understand the hype at all. It’s not offensively bad but it’s just much of a nothing for me and pretty predictableI had a terrible reading year in 2025, probably my worst ever. So many DNF’s and no concentration I’m currently on my second book this year so I’m hoping the bad reading curse is broken
Question on The Wedding People - Did you like it from the beginning? I see it’s popular everywhere and yet I got a few chapters in and ditched it. Not sure whether it was my reading curse or the book? Should I restart it?
Thoughts on Kirstin Hannah. My favourite was The Nightingale and feel her other books are so OTT. I find with her novels, that I’m reading along, getting engrossed and then she chucks everything including the kitchen sink in terms of misery, suffering and incredulity. It’s almost as though I should finish her books a few chapters before the end
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If I see a book that I find is unfairly high or low I’ll vote up or down to try and bring it to the rating I feel it deserves
mine are usually:
1 star - hated it, will either immediately donate it and feel sorry for who pics it up or let it fall into the where the crawdads sing book graveyard behind my bookshelf. don’t want to look at it or see it ever again.
2 stars - not as much hate as above but usually something about it really annoyed me
will also donate.3 stars - fine, enjoyed it, won’t keep it and will have no lasting impact. if it’s the first of a series i likely won’t read the rest.
4 stars - liked very much, will probably keep, might seek out other books by the author. would recommend to others.
5 stars - perfection no notes. will keep forever, won’t recommend in case someone doesn’t like it and i feel sad, give a fond look whenever i pass it on one of my bookcases
Yes I love Janice Hallett’s books too! My favourite is The Appeal and it is still my go to audiobook if I’ve had a bad day and need to utterly confuse myself about what’s going onI read The Correspondent on kindle and there was no issue with formatting for me and I loved it too.
Weirdly I have a thing for epistolary books and have read most of Janice Hallett’s books plus 84 Charing Cross Road, which started me on this path of loving these books, so if anyone has recommendations on other authors or books, please share that
I am going to add 84 Charing Cross Road to my list as you’ve listed it with Janice Hallett and she is one of my absolute favourite authors.
I respect the not recommending it to anyone because you don't want someone to not love it like you do.mine are usually:
1 star - hated it, will either immediately donate it and feel sorry for who pics it up or let it fall into the where the crawdads sing book graveyard behind my bookshelf. don’t want to look at it or see it ever again.
2 stars - not as much hate as above but usually something about it really annoyed me
3 stars - fine, enjoyed it, won’t keep it and will have no lasting impact. if it’s the first of a series i likely won’t read the rest.
4 stars - liked very much, will probably keep, might seek out other books by the author. would recommend to others.
5 stars - perfection no notes. will keep forever, won’t recommend in case someone doesn’t like it and i feel sad, give a fond look whenever i pass it on one of my bookcases
i’ve been burnt before
(ie when a friend of mine read in memoriam a few months ago and told me she didn’t like it) - i get too protective of books i really love!
I listened to it on Borrow box and enjoyed it, was a lovely listen but didn't think it was exceptional! Am also surprised by it's hype.
I love Janice Hallett so also putting this on my list, I think her writing is really unique and very very clever. She has my gripped!Yes I love Janice Hallett’s books too! My favourite is The Appeal and it is still my go to audiobook if I’ve had a bad day and need to utterly confuse myself about what’s going on
I am going to add 84 Charing Cross Road to my list as you’ve listed it with Janice Hallett and she is one of my absolute favourite authors.
I am also a huge Hannah Kristen fan but I adore historical fiction so love reading about the themes and time periods she covers
I never suggest my favourite books for my book club, incase it gets trashed by some Neanderthal member
This would downgrade MANY of my five stars! I feel a bit guilty rating a book three or below if I didn’t like it, which I know is ridiculous.mine are usually:
1 star - hated it, will either immediately donate it and feel sorry for who pics it up or let it fall into the where the crawdads sing book graveyard behind my bookshelf. don’t want to look at it or see it ever again.
2 stars - not as much hate as above but usually something about it really annoyed me
3 stars - fine, enjoyed it, won’t keep it and will have no lasting impact. if it’s the first of a series i likely won’t read the rest.
4 stars - liked very much, will probably keep, might seek out other books by the author. would recommend to others.
5 stars - perfection no notes. will keep forever, won’t recommend in case someone doesn’t like it and i feel sad, give a fond look whenever i pass it on one of my bookcases
I always feel like the main body of Kristin Hannah's books are great - interesting subject matter that is well researched with believable and well fleshed out characters. I can even put up with the inevitable misery, but I always feel like the endings are so rushed! The book is usually quite slow paced, then ends in about 2 chapters with all the loose ends conveniently tied up!I had a terrible reading year in 2025, probably my worst ever. So many DNF’s and no concentration I’m currently on my second book this year so I’m hoping the bad reading curse is broken
Question on The Wedding People - Did you like it from the beginning? I see it’s popular everywhere and yet I got a few chapters in and ditched it. Not sure whether it was my reading curse or the book? Should I restart it?
Thoughts on Kirstin Hannah. My favourite was The Nightingale and feel her other books are so OTT. I find with her novels, that I’m reading along, getting engrossed and then she chucks everything including the kitchen sink in terms of misery, suffering and incredulity. It’s almost as though I should finish her books a few chapters before the end
never feel guilty! i’ve launched books into my tesco donation bag from a great height if they get one star from me
and, as mentioned, where the crawdads sing remains stuck behind my bookcase because it fell there and i hate it too much to rescue it. i wish goodreads allowed half stars tbh: the gap between a 3 and a 4 sometimes feels too big to me!
I bought this on Kobo the other day because I recognised his name. I haven't started it yet but will come back here once I have.I finished Actually I’m a Murderer by Terry Dreary last night - he of Horrible History fame and I can’t decide if I liked it or not. I’m not sure if it was meant to be funny or not and it felt a bit of a drag at times
Ohh strategic rating! I like it.
I don't rate my reads but it has always seemed like a big flaw with Goodreads that you can't do half stars. I imagine for the higher rated books it'd allow for more differentiation.
I use this rating system for book reviews @Kerrie86.
10 Star Rating System for Book Reviews - The Reviewers
10 Star Rating System for Book Reviews Why The Reviewers use a 10 star rating system for our book reviews A lot of review sites appear to use a 5 star rating system but in our opinion this isn’t really good enough for book reviews and is why we use a 10 star system. Let’s […]
www.thereviewers.co.uk
I can't remember who it was that shared about A River In Darkness. I have just devoured it in one sitting. I have been to the DMZ and the fact that that strip of land divides the haves and have nots is heartbreaking.
The DMZ is mostly 2 miles wide, just two miles away and you can eat as much rice as you want, sleep in a bed in a bedroom, have a television, healthcare and freedom.
It is scary and sad.
The DMZ is mostly 2 miles wide, just two miles away and you can eat as much rice as you want, sleep in a bed in a bedroom, have a television, healthcare and freedom.
It is scary and sad.
Loving all of the Kristen Hannah comments because they totally sum up so many of my feelings about her too. I hated everything about The Four Winds and rolled my eyes so hard as everything she threw at the main character in The Great Alone that I vowed not to bother with any more of her books…and yet I seem to have a copy of The Women on my Kindle TBR!
I do think she’s generally over-hyped as an author, probably off the back of The Nightingale being on so many people’s favourites lists. It feels a bit like she’s been trying too hard to live up to that ever since and not quite getting there.
I do think she’s generally over-hyped as an author, probably off the back of The Nightingale being on so many people’s favourites lists. It feels a bit like she’s been trying too hard to live up to that ever since and not quite getting there.
Same here. I will give a 5 only to books I couldnt put down, couldnt wait to pick up, will read again. 4s for books I really enjoyed, 3s for ok, not bad, enjoyed, instantly forgettable, 2s for rubbish and dont give 1s because they will be DNFs
Then her "Wild" one i mentioned recently i felt like she did little research for! It was strange, not as much misery but way less research and some things that seemed really based on biased assumptions! It read like a book written by someone completely different.i feel the exact same about kristin hannah. she obviously does insane levels of research but she just tries to pack so much stuff in. the last book i read of hers was the four winds and all the suffering in that was just completely pointless and it made me angry
I'm currently reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Shwab. Has anyone read it?
I think her books are readable but just not always great in the end. Despite the misery i find them quite easy to get through, which i think says a lot since i have poor ability to focus on a book for longLoving all of the Kristen Hannah comments because they totally sum up so many of my feelings about her too. I hated everything about The Four Winds and rolled my eyes so hard as everything she threw at the main character in The Great Alone that I vowed not to bother with any more of her books…and yet I seem to have a copy of The Women on my Kindle TBR!
I do think she’s generally over-hyped as an author, probably off the back of The Nightingale being on so many people’s favourites lists. It feels a bit like she’s been trying too hard to live up to that ever since and not quite getting there.
Listened to it on audio which I think spoiled it for me as I kept drifting off and missing bits
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