Danielle Book Review, Books

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney | Book Review

I first became aware of Sally Rooney’s work back in 2020 but until now, I hadn’t actually read anything by her (or even watched any adaptions). After some contemplation — and seeing various opinions on social media — I settled on starting with Conversations with Friends and I’m so happy that I did. While I can’t say if it’s her best work, I certainly had the best time with it and it feels like a wonderful way to start delving into her books.

For those unaware, Conversations with Friends follows Frances, a student and aspiring writer who performs spoken word poetry with her best friend Bobbi who also happens to be her ex-girlfriend. The two of them meet and become friends with a journalist Melissa but as events unfold, Frances becomes much closer with Melissa’s husband Nick (an actor) and it all leads to Frances having to face who she is, her actions (and reactions), and what she wants.

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Danielle Book Review, Books

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano | Book Review [Spoiler Free]

My first 5-star read of 2022 was Finlay Donovan Is Killing It and I absolutely devoured that book, instantly falling in love with it so, of course, I had to pick up the sequel: Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead. I’m going to say it right now. If you enjoyed that first book, you’ll get on well with this one. I was nervous going into it, wondering if it would live up to the first book, but I ended up loving it just as much.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is set not too long after the events of book one and it has a lot of the same characters. While Finlay continues to struggle with writing and deadlines, she is yet again thrust into the criminal world when her estranged husband becomes the target of a contract killer. 

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Danielle Book Review, Books

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano | Book Review

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It was my first 5-star read of 2022. I had some pretty high expectations for this one and I’m so pleased that it worked out. In fact, it made me love it even more to discover that not only did it meet those expectations but it succeeded them.

The book follows Finlay, a novelist who is overheard while discussing her next book with her agent and is mistaken for a contract killer. When someone tries to hire her, it creates a catalyst for a series of events as Finlay falls down a bit of a rabbit hole. The story is great and hilarious and the mystery is genuinely interesting. The pacing is great and because that mystery is never overcomplicated, it means the plot moves along at a wonderful pace and the entire book is entertaining from start to finish.

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Danielle Book Review, Books

No Exit by Taylor Adams | Book Review

It’s by no means perfect but No Exit is still a decent thriller that’s worth the time picking up. It’s fast-paced which makes for a fairly quick reading experience and despite the odd hiccup here and there, it’s almost entirely a constant push forward.

The story follows Darby who is forced to take refuge at a rest stop during a blizzard along with four strangers. While there, she discovers evidence of a kidnapped child and has to figure out what to do and who might be involved.

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