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#BookReview: Or Not …

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Hi everyone. Today, I had hoped to have some book reviews for you. Alas, I’ve read three duds in a row, the highest scoring of which I gave three stars and the lowest, just the two. I’d had high hopes of Later by Stephen King, which released in the UK yesterday, and I read it in one go. Sadly, a lot let it down, so it only earned 3 stars. Really, though it’s sold and priced as a novel, it’s more like a novella-sized book, and it’s full of passive writing and doesn’t have an ending as such. So, all in all, a disappointing reading week, lols.

I won’t share the reviews in full, because I no longer share reviews on my blog that rate less than four stars, but I will share the links in case you’re interested, next to the titles and Goodreads links. With the Stephen King book, I just rated that without reviewing, while the other two were NetGalley reads, so I’ve written reviews in full for them. If you look at the other reviews for The Stranding, you’ll see that some readers love it–I would say this book by Kate Sawyer is a marmite book: you’ll either love it, or you’ll hate it. 

 

Missing Pieces by Tim Weaver: 3 stars https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3849080968 

The Stranding by Kate Sawyer: 2 stars https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3859481777

Later by Stephen King: 3 stars … no review

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NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

Have a great rest of your week, everyone. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

 

26 Comments on “#BookReview: Or Not …”

  1. It’s good to see that you’re not afraid to share your honest opinion, Harmony – that makes your 4 or 5 stars more valuable. Toni x

  2. Thanks for sharing these books and your thoughts Harmony.. they are as important as the 4 and 5 star reviews to ensure people are getting a balanced perspective. Lately I have read some books by authors that I have followed for years such as Lee Childs and was very disappointed in the one he has co-written recently with his brother.. lacked the punch of his others..

    • So many well established authors seem to be going that way lately. Such a shame. I agree with the importance of the lower-starred reviews. Thanks, Sally. Hugs xx 🙂

  3. It is disappointing when you pick up a book by a writer such as Stephen King and are left wondering if he even wrote the book at all. Thank you for sharing, Harmony!

  5. Sorry you had so many not-up-to-par reads in a row. That’s really surprising about King, too.

    I still consider a three star read average/okay, and will share three star reviews on my blog, but nothing below that. Of course, if I can’t award three stars, odds are I didn’t finish the novel. Hope you have better luck with your next read, Harmony!

  6. That’s so frustrating, isn’t it? So much time invested, only for it (or in your case, them) to end so unsatisfactorily. I hope your next one is an unequivocal five-star read.

    • I tell you, too many runs like this one make me feel like never reading another book, lols. Thanks, Staci 🙂

  8. Sorry about getting three duds in a row. I recently read a book that really warranted only two stars (a new-to-me author), but I felt bad and gave it three. I didn’t post that one on my blog either.

    Too bad about King.

    • I hate giving low-rated reviews these days. I only reviewed these because I’d committed to via NetGalley. Otherwise, I would have left them be. Thanks, Joan 🙂

  9. Too bad about rhe Stephen King book. I had been eyeing it. Hopefully your next three reads will be better:)

    • Fingers crossed! I’m not going to buy anything new from SK until it’s been out a while and I can see the reviews and do a ‘look inside’ either virtually or physically. Thanks, Denise 🙂

  10. Hi Harmony, Stephen King is no longer a go to author for me. I have tried several of his more recent books and they have been spectacular fails for me. I stick to the tried and tested books of his I really loved in the 80s and 90s. I saw this new book on Bookbub yesterday and read the blurb to my mother. I knew it wouldn’t be for me.

    • I’m with you, and he is no longer an auto-buy for me. I’ve been let down too many times now. Thanks, Robbie 🙂