Jessica_V

I really enjoyed Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty. Admittedly, the beginning was a little challenging for me, which feels common with other time travel stories I've read. I am glad I stuck with it because everything eventually came together in a satisfying way.

What I connected with most was the relationship between the protagonist and her daughter. A lot of the social situations and awkward moments from growing up felt very real and brought back a surprising amount of nostalgia. The characters felt emotionally believable even when the plot became complicated, and this kept me coming back for more.

I was also relieved that the story committed fully to its premise instead of taking an easier way out with the ending. The final twists felt meaningful and earned. Even when I assumed part of the reveal early on, I still enjoyed seeing how everything unfolded.

Plant Lady by Minyoung Kang has an interesting premise with a dark tone that makes for an exciting read if you like morally gray protagonists and vigilante type stories. I mostly appreciated the creative structure and the way the events unraveled, even when they became pretty morbid at times. It definitely kept the story moving at a fast pace, but maybe too fast. I personally struggled to connect with the characters. There was an attempt to create more emotional depth and character development, but it just missed the mark for me. The story wasn't my best fit, but I can see it resonating with readers who enjoy chaotic thrillers with themes of female revenge.

I appreciated the plot, but had some trouble relating to the main character’s personality. I agree with other reviews that I’ve seen that referenced the simplistic writing style. This might be okay, depending on a person’s mood. The book wasn’t a perfect fit for me, but I was pleased with how the story ends.

There were breadcrumbs placed throughout the book that made me want to keep reading. For example, there would be just one sentence moving the plot forward that would force me to ask how or why while turning to the next page. The plot was also complex. It wasn't necessarily a direct connection that drove behavior, but an indirect connection. I initially felt like I could relate to one of the main characters, but as I learned more through character development, I realized we were actually nothing alike. I can usually predict a plot twist, but i missed this one! I love a book that can completely surprise me and this one did!