Time for another round of Yvo’s Shorties! This time around a new release and a backlist title I’ve been meaning to read… Dear Edward turned out to be a good read, although not as mindblowingly good as I thought it would be. The Craftsman was without doubt another great Bolton read.
Title: Dear Edward
Author: Ann Napolitano
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary
First published: January 6th 2020
Publisher: The Dial Press
Finished reading: November 30th 2020
Pages: 352
“Take stock of who we are and what we have and then use it for good.”
I’ve seen so many raving about Dear Edward and I couldn’t resist finally reading it myself when I saw it was a Goodreads Choice Awards finalist. And I guess it is unpopular opinion time again… Because while I did think that it was a good read, somehow it didn’t exactly blow me away as much as I thought it would. It might have been the wrong story at the wrong time, it might have been that my expectations were simply too high, but the fact is that there was something about Dear Edward that didn’t convince me completely. I still can’t put my finger exactly on the why, but I think it probably has to do something with the fact that I found it rather slow in parts. This slower pace made it harder to stay invested in points, and while I did love the dual timeline with the ‘before’ and ‘after the crash’, I did think introducing so many different characters didn’t help either. Edward himself was an intriguing character to follow though and especially after the crash. Dear Edward is designed to play with your feelings, and it is without doubt heavy on the sad and emotional moments. That said, I think I was expecting the story to make me feel more? There was something about the way the different characters were described that made it harder to actually connect to them. Still, this is probably just me as most people seem to love this story, and like I said despite a few issues I’m still glad I took the time to read this story.
Title: The Craftsman
(The Craftsman #1)
Author: Sharon Bolton
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
First published: May 3rd 2018
Publisher: Trapeze
Finished reading: December 4th 2020
Pages: 422
“The crowd seems to press forward and hang back simultaneously, like a confused tide that can’t quite remember whether it is ebbing or flowing.”
I’ve enjoyed Sharon Bolton‘s writing in the past, so I have been looking forward to finally pick up my copy of The Craftsman. And I most definitely like what I found! This is not your ordinary crime thriller, as you will find the supernatural and witch references infused in the plot. I love how the author used old legends and information about the witch trials and incorporated it into the story… It definitely took The Craftsman to the next level for me. This story has a dual timeline, where the majority is set in 1969 back when Florence first caught the killer, and the rest of the chapters are set in 1999 which is the ‘present’ timeline. Suspense and plot twists are built up expertly, and The Craftsman definitely has that creepy supernatural and horror vibe in points. While I did have a gut feeling about part of the final reveals, I never guessed the full truth and Florence was a great character to follow. I really do hope there will be a sequel coming out, as I wouldn’t mind seeing more of her!
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Fab reviews Yvo xx
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Thanks! xx
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There will be a sequel to The Craftsman, Yvo. It should have been out already but it was pushed back. Next year I think.
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Oh that’s good to know! I tried looking up information but I didn’t see it mentioned beyond something vague on Goodreads.
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I am intrigued by the craftsman more. Sounds wonderful. Lovely reviews
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I loved that The Craftsman wasn’t just another crime thriller but also incorporated the supernatural! I really do hope there will be a sequel next year. xx
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Both of these are high on my list. As much as I’m looking forward to Dear Edward, I’ve seen others who didn’t experience the emotional impact as you were also anticipating. I’ve got it on audio so the pacing probably won’t be a factor (one great thing about the audio format). Excellent reviews, Yvo💜
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Oh yes I do know what you mean! Although listening to anything higher than 1.25x speed still doesn’t feel right for me personally. Audiobook newbie here! xD xx
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I rarely listen higher than 1.25 either.
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Oh good to know I’m not the only one! I’ve seen lots of peope mention 1.5 or even 2 and I just can’t get used to those speeds. xD
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Me either. I recall setting one book at 1.5 but that’s because it was recorded at a very slow pace. Normally, if there’s a pacing problem in the eBook, it just won’t bother me in the audio format…I can wait it out more easily😏
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Oh good to know I’m not the only one. xD I haven’t listened to all that many audiobooks, so I don’t think I’ve encountered a slower pace yet, although Wuthering Heights might count? I really enjoyed that classic in audio version.
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I am glad you enjoyed the Craftsman, Yvo. Fingers crossed there will be a sequel. Great reviews.
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Kelly said there is supposed to be one that was pushed back to next year… Fingers crossed. 😉 xx
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Great reviews Yvo. I read The Craftsman and it was not what I had been expecting at all, but I did enjoy it. The characters were great. Too bad about Dear Edward, not on my TBR and won’t be adding it.
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Oh yes, I wasn’t expecting the supernatural angle in The Craftsman either! But I really liked how the witch element was incorporated into the story. Dear Edward can go both ways I guess… Most people do seem to love it and I still liked it; I guess I expected a better emotional connection myself I guess.
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Dear Edward is one of my favorites of the year. I’m sorry it wasn’t all you wanted it to be, lovely! xx
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I might just have set my expectations too high? I did still enjoy it though, so it might just be me being in a weird headspace and not being able to connect to it properly as a consequence. xx
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