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LaurenELovesToRead

LaurenELovesToRead

Joined September 2019

World Traveler & Writer Of Book Reviews! Call Me Lauren Or Call Me Lolly! Xx
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Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters
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LaurenELovesToRead
Pickpick

Loved it! A light rom com that doesn‘t fall into too many cliches. Friendship is highlighted more than romance in the end, and I think that‘s quite beautiful to see.

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LaurenELovesToRead
The Gilded Ones | Namina Forna
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Brilliant fantasy novel. Develops characters way better than most books, and had unexpected twist as & turns right up to the final chapters. Excited for the sequel next year.

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LaurenELovesToRead
Yesterday Is History | Kosoko Jackson
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One of the best books I‘ve read! All characters were so well developed, and the storyline flowed with ease. I like how it was sort of full circle in a way too. Definitely recommend!

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LaurenELovesToRead
Louis & Louise | Julie Cohen
Mehso-so

Although I loved the premise of the book and much of the content, I did wish for more at points. The book may have been better if certain aspects had been taken in slightly different directions.

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LaurenELovesToRead
King and the Dragonflies | Kacen Callender
Mehso-so

I was drawn in by the blurb, and had high expectations, but was sad when I started reading it and it turned out to be a bit of a slow burner, however I still loved aspects of the book. I liked the characters quite a lot, and when King‘s internal struggles were delved into that gave some depth, and about half-way through some pace finally picked up. As for the ending, it just felt empty, I wish we‘d gotten an epilogue to see what happens later on.

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LaurenELovesToRead
When We Were Magic | Sarah Gailey
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Amazing! Loved the writing style of the author, and thought every single character was fully-developed! The story was silly and it was mystical. It was heartwarming and at times heartbreaking. This book was brilliant!

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LaurenELovesToRead
Eight Pieces of Silva | Patrice Lawrence
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A twisty mystery that took a very different track than I expected yet in the most marvellous and intriguing way possible. It was fast paced and insane, at points I was confused but soon things were explained. The book was an ode to dark obsession, and complex family dynamics. Overall a great read!

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LaurenELovesToRead
Pickpick

A great read- the cutest little rom com. Made me cry on multiple occasions during reading; out of pride, relief, anger, sadness, and happiness. That ending too was so perfect- I won‘t spoil it but prepare to melt.

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LaurenELovesToRead
Cinderella Is Dead | Kalynn Bayron
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Absolutely stunning!! My new favourite book; I enjoyed it from chapter one until the very end, and was shocked by every twist and turn, with nothing being predictable. The romance of Sophia and Constance is also beautiful, and was a necessary strand to this story. I loved every page of Cinderella Is Dead, and think this author is truly gifted with writing talent!

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LaurenELovesToRead
The Switch | BETH. O'LEARY
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Cute read- I would actually say it is better than her first book (The Flatshare) because the characters are better developed and more likeable. It‘s a very sappy story but well written and has a great moral of the importance of family (including chosen) to it.

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LaurenELovesToRead
Kingdom of Souls | Rena Barron
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Loved the book a lot! Very well written with great character development and lots of dramatic twists. I really liked how the story built on Arrahs friendships with the various characters, and I appreciated the side storyline of romance between Essnai & Kira. I highly suggest this book for those who want to get into fantasy fiction.

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LaurenELovesToRead
The Other Mrs Miller | Allison Dickson
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I loved this book way more than I expected myself to! It was full of twists and turns, some of which I saw coming but many were surprising to me, and the second half of the book was a beautiful kind of intensity. The writers ability to give characters depth was perhaps the most impressive part, and she really sent all the characters in directions I‘d have never seen coming. A great book to read, and I‘m excited that it‘s getting adapted for tv.

11 likes1 stack add
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LaurenELovesToRead
MY DARK VANESSA. | KATE ELIZABETH. RUSSELL
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This was a hard subject matter to read but was meticulously written and gave an interesting view into a victims mind. It really grasps the nature of the slow build up to abuse, a very realistic take on relevant issues; And even though at points you‘re not sure if you like Vanessa, or understand her decisions, by the end you learn to sympathise with her and are glad that she‘s getting the help and support she needs.

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LaurenELovesToRead
The Binding | Bridget Collins
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A historical fiction novel. A mystery novel. A fantasy novel. A romance novel. PERFECTION! I loved this book a lot, I could escape the real world and melt into it. The story is so well thought out and perfectly executed, I don‘t know what else to say other than this is a must read and a masterpiece... and yes you will cry.

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LaurenELovesToRead
Girl, Woman, Other | Bernardine Evaristo
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I loved this book for its diversity and it‘s originality, and even though it did get confusing at times with too many characters, and pretty much no punctuation, it was still an amazing book to read.

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LaurenELovesToRead
The Doll Factory: A Novel | Elizabeth Macneal
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Morbid and dark yet also alluring, this novel feels like a twisted fairy tale; It is written with so much colour and life even in inanimate objects, and though some elements are disturbing (*cough* Silas *cough*) I really did enjoy this book.

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LaurenELovesToRead
Dear Amy | Helen Callaghan
Mehso-so

I enjoyed this book in patches, but compared to Helen Callaghan‘s second book this was rather disappointing. It took me a long time to get through and I prefer a book that I get sucked into. I liked the style of writing, and the length of the chapters was well thought out, but I feel so much was missing. Good but not exceptional.

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LaurenELovesToRead
The Foundling | Stacey Halls
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Stacey Halls second novel is just as indulgent as her first, I read it much quicker than other books of the same length; Her writing just flows. I loved the character development, and thought the ending of the story was beautiful, and couldn‘t have been more perfect. Like her first book, I found this educational also, I had never heard of The Foundling Hospital before reading this, and now I have been researching more into its history. Great read!

16 likes1 stack add
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LaurenELovesToRead
BLOOD ORANGE. | HARRIET. TYCE
Mehso-so

The book draws a dark inspiration from the death of MP Steve Milligan, and the prologue especially made you want to read on and find out what will happen. However, it did disappoint in many ways; For starters, the characters were simply not likeable, and the author expects you to understand lawyer terminology even though most people don‘t. Some later chapters had pace, though many of the other chapters were slow. Had high hopes but not the best.

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LaurenELovesToRead
The Familiars | Stacey Halls
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What a perfect book! It was a beautiful tale of friendship, a legendary examination of defiance, and a feminist masterpiece. The Familiars is my first dip into historical fiction, I surprised myself by loving it so much, I actually can‘t wait to read Stacey Halls new book. The author is amazing, able to put more current messages into a historical piece without confusing time periods. I found the book educational, and feel thankful that I read it.

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LaurenELovesToRead
Who Did You Tell? | Lesley Kara
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I truly became invested in Astrid‘s story. With strong writing techniques, such as how when the author explains a scent you can smell it too, it was all very clever. However, some sentences felt too structured and clean, this is a story about addiction, sentences should reflect her mind; be more messy and break some rules! All in all a great book though, I liked how when you thought you‘d reached the climax you were actually only half way there.

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LaurenELovesToRead
Hold Your Tongue | DEBORAH. MASSON
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One of the best I‘ve read; I got lost in it. Kept me guessing till the end, every single thing said is important and revisited later as part of an unforeseen twist! Friendship was a key theme which is rare for a thriller... and then the twist at the end OMG (I won‘t spoil it), this novel had me on the edge of my seat throughout. A book has never made my heart beat that fast before! All in all, it was dark and creepy yet disturbingly believable.

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LaurenELovesToRead
The Hunting Party | Lucy Foley
Mehso-so

The book had its good parts, but I felt there were too many perspectives; Emma‘s felt irrelevant until she became more important to the narrative nearer the end, and Doug‘s perspective was not needed at all. Also- even if I should have expected it from the title- I did not like how at some points in the book it promoted hunting, I found it disturbing and saw it as unneeded as the hunting lodge was simply a location and nothing more. A so-so read.

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LaurenELovesToRead
The Retreat | Sherri Smith
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Slightly inappropriate at times yet enjoyable and addictive nonetheless. This book will keep you guessing till the end, and will send shivers up your spine throughout. Some of the side plots I don‘t think were finished off properly, but I presume it was how the author saw fit. All in all it was a solid read!

9 likes1 stack add
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LaurenELovesToRead
55 | James Delargy
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It put me on the edge of my seat, I for the most part loved the novel. I was left angered at the end though; The cliffhanger leaving me confused and flipping back & forth- utterly baffled. I understand why the author did it, not wanting to close his debut thriller with a cliche happy ending yet also not wanting to create a scene of horror, but I hated being left in the dark. I don‘t know how I feel, I don‘t know what more to say, I am shocked!

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LaurenELovesToRead
Everything Is Lies | Helen Callaghan
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The best thing about this book was the writer; There was something exciting about the tempo the book was written in, it was one of those novels which you cannot put down. The cult element was eerily similar to what is bound to happen nowadays with new celeb churches. And although I guessed the identity of Wolf earlier on in the book than the author likely planned, I did certainly get shocked by a few twist and turns that were less obvious to me.

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LaurenELovesToRead
The Secret Santa | Trish Harnetiaux
Mehso-so

I liked the idea of a festive mystery book but sadly it was not overly exciting and I predicted the big twist way before the end, yet that said, there were still certain parts that were sharp and clever. The thing that kept me reading was the Zara chapters though; Her character had the most distinct voice and I liked how she wasn‘t a run of the mill character, she was original, and I think the author should be proud of herself for creating her.

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LaurenELovesToRead
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The Swallows is impressive in many ways but mainly due to the writing skills of author Lisa Lutz. I loved the character development of Ms Witt, and also of Gemma and Linny. It was one of those storylines that make you disappointed in human kind, it is important though as girls are taken advantage of in the real world and it shouldn‘t be ignored.

18 likes1 stack add
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LaurenELovesToRead
Our Stop | Laura Jane Williams
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A great book with developed characters, a diverse range of relationships, and lots of feminism too. There are quite a few annoying little spelling/grammar errors, sometimes of main characters names or mistyping is as it which made me lose the flow of reading occasionally, but I don‘t think this by any means takes away from the fact that this is a lovely gentle read by a talented author. I look forward to seeing what Laura Jane Williams does next.

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LaurenELovesToRead
The Day of the Accident | Nuala Ellwood
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A twisty tale that kept me constantly guessing, I kept having lightbulbs and then changing my mind, really thinking into it all, and still didn‘t manage to figure it out before the big reveal. The ending was crazy and perfectly executed. The best thing about the book was the dialogue, each character had their own unique voice, it is a skill of a truly talented writer. A great read where the pages are so easy to turn and you can‘t stop reading.

Eggs Welcome to Litsy 🎈🎈 5y
Linsy Welcome to Litsy!!! ✨ 5y
21 likes2 comments
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LaurenELovesToRead
Mehso-so

It was choppy and not a flowing storyline, which is why I am giving this book a so-so rating. I think the depth in which the characters are explored was great however, and especially enjoyed the exploration of Korede‘s guilt & reasoning in helping her sister; I also loved her intriguing and against all odds friendship with her patient Muhtar. I‘m on the fence with this one as I did love the overall premise but the format just wasn‘t my cup of tea.

Sace I did the audiobook for this and really liked it. 5y
LaurenELovesToRead @RestlessFickleBookHoarder I did like it, I just found the book jumped around a lot and so was hard to follow, maybe the audiobook would have suited me better! I feel the audiobook may have allowed me to really get into the authors mind and move through the narrative with her, get what she wanted me to think and feel. I am not an audiobook person but it may have suited this particular book. (edited) 5y
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LitsyWelcomeWagon Welcome to Litsy! Here are links to #Litsytips: http://bit.ly/litsytips and #LitsyHowTo videos: goo.gl/UrCpoU. There‘s lots of fun things to do: book exchanges, buddy reads, photo challenges and more! @litsywelcomewagon 5y
LaurenELovesToRead @LitsyWelcomeWagon Very useful article! Thank you! 5y
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Hope you're enjoying Litsy so far 🎃📚👻 5y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 🎉🤗 5y
27 likes7 comments
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LaurenELovesToRead
An Anonymous Girl | Sarah Pekkanen, Greer Hendricks
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Well-written and addictive! An Anonymous Girl has now become the best book I‘ve read so far, overtaking The Farm. The characters are so deeply explored and at points you feel like you‘ve been pulled into their world. There is a twist and turn at every flip of a page, you think you understand it all- think it‘s all figured out- and then there‘s a spanner thrown in the works and then a spanner thrown at the spanner. A must read. A work of art.

19 likes1 stack add
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LaurenELovesToRead
The Secretary: A Novel | Renée Knight
Mehso-so

It took a while to get off the ground, the final few scenes were worth the wait though. I think the ending was clever, and in ways was a cliff hanger- don‘t worry I won‘t spoil it. I wouldn‘t say that it‘s excellent, but it‘s a good read. If you‘re looking for an intense thriller, it‘s perhaps a bit tame and mild, it is interesting though and a good examination of loyalty.

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LaurenELovesToRead
On My Life | Angela Clarke
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OMG I love this book! Do not go through life without reading On My Life by Angela Clarke; it is one of the best books out there! A really great insight into UK prison life, a strongly developed main character, it will make you cry, you‘ll be shocked by many twists, and the ending- with what she named her newborn child- made my heart melt.

8 likes1 stack add
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LaurenELovesToRead
The Whisper Man | Alex North
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It‘s creepy but not terrifying. The ending is just right. I loved this book. A nice beginner horror-thriller I‘d say, not too much but not boring or holding back. If you want a well written debut to become addicted too, then The Whisper Man is the one for you.

16 likes1 stack add
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LaurenELovesToRead
Bunny: A Novel | Mona Awad
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Amazing! I love Bunny by Mona Awad. Absolutely entrancing and hilarious. So confusing. Insane. Mad. Bonkers. Yet a complete and utter work of art. Read but don‘t expect it to be sensible. This is a cheeky piece of literature with many unexpected and rather, well, nuts twists!

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LaurenELovesToRead
The Farm: A Novel | Joanne Ramos
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Best book I‘ve read so far. Tackles many issues and is written so well that you feel like you are watching a film, super visual. Discusses class, discusses what money can pay for, discusses rights to your own body. I love the multitude of perspectives and the ending made me tear up- perfect, as perfect as it could be considering the circumstances! Amazing writer, can‘t wait to see what Joanne does next.

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LaurenELovesToRead
Queenie | Candice Carty-Williams
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A really important read, Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams tackles many real issues without being draining or heavy. It will make you laugh out loud and, although the ending could be a tad more satisfying, you‘ll be left wanting to befriend the main character!

Nute Welcome to Litsy! It‘s a warm and friendly community. I know that you will enjoy yourself here. I‘m looking forward to getting to know you!🙂 5y
16 likes1 comment
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LaurenELovesToRead
The Flatshare: A Novel | Beth O'Leary
Mehso-so

The Flatshare by Beth O‘Leary is an enjoyable and light hearted read. I‘d call it cosy; perfect with a cup of tea, a warm duvet, and not too much distraction. I wouldn‘t call it gripping, and it‘s certainly not a masterpiece, but the storyline is original, and romantic in a more real life way than other rom coms, and their are some of the best side plots you‘ll ever come across (Mr Prior/Johnny White)

rather_be_reading welcome to litsy 📚☕📚 @LitsyWelcomeWagon 5y
15 likes2 stack adds1 comment