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Serenity McC

  • 18
  • reviews
  • 8
  • helpful votes
  • 20
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Worth buying

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-22-25

I binged this in less than 12 hours as it was fairly well written and compelling. Sheri did an amazing job sharing her story, her challenges, her pain, and her growth. Some things seemed to be closed over, but who can blame her?

I only knew a bit about the whole story before going into this book, and now I know far more. What a heartbreaking experience for these kids!

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Enjoyable listen

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 08-03-24

I didn't know who the author was when I started because I don't watch her show. I primarily got this book because I was told there were some good details from behind the curtain of Mormonism, and they were right.
I most enjoyed the telling of her childhood stories and the insight they gave to both a Mormon upbringing and a childhood in the 80s. She frequently drops pop culture references, and some really brought me back. I found her mostly relatable, at least through to her early adulthood. Her later adulthood is completely unrelatable, but, overall, the book was a quick and interesting listen. Her narration was very, very good.

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Intriguing story

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-06-24

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Unfortunately, I figured out the main twist a bit early on, so it led me to several outbursts when I berated the characters for being oblivious, but it hooked me from the beginning and had me wholly invested right up to the end when I immediately started looking for a sequel. If you're looking for something a bit spooky and creepy, this is a great listen.

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Blatant and disgusting racism

Overall
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-04-24

Each book in the series leading up to this one had some micro aggressions, but this one went way too far and was repulsive.

"Feeling twinges of guilt, I recited my comforting mantra to myself:

I was as glad to see black library patrons as white...

I thought black kids were as cute as white kids...

I worked as well with black librarians as white...

Except Beverly Willington.."

Beverly was a completely stressed out librarian who wanted Aurora to pull her weight in the library. Aurora played victim as always, but to calm herself down after a heated confrontation, she recited her overtly racist mantra.

Charlaine Harris needs to speak to this or be canceled!

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It's OK

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 04-13-24

I really wanted to like this, but it was just OK. I dislike the countless coincidences that felt lie they only existed to try to build tension that never came. I also disliked the stilted dialog, the stereotypical portrayal, the absurd scenarios, and the lack of confidence portrayed by the main character despite building her up to be a strong, capable woman.

This isn't the worst, though it's far from the best, so if you want something moderately interesting, go for it.

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Refreshing and enthralling

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-05-24

Finally! Female protagonists who are both smart and capable! This story was enjoyable as it twisted and turned, and while it pushed the bounds of believability, it was a fun ride all the same. I am SO tired of female characters who ignore the obvious and make really stupid moves so a man can save them. There were certainly moments I wanted to slap Kat, but Meg was pretty great, and Kat's eventual growth was a relief. Overall, this was a story which pulled me in and made me want to keep listening, it was intriguing, and I was very satisfied with having Meg's tale wrap up nice and neat.

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Twisty and thrilling

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-18-24

I had no idea what to expect going into this book, so it was a lot of fun to be kept off balance with no idea who to believe or where it would end. There were several sections I had to replay more than once to understand what was happening, and there were always more questions than answers, but I'm glad I hung in until the end.

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A decent account of his time in

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-02-23

Mark has a story to tell, and it's good, but the writing is not great. It lacks the polish that other accounts of leaving this cult possess, especially Leah Remini and Jenna Miscavige's books. It was another interesting peek behind the curtain, but there wasn't anything new or unexpected in the telling. There were a few moments when he seemed to show just how emotionally stunted he is - the jibes about the obese woman on the diving board were petty and unkind.

Overall, wait until this is on sale if you are interested. If this had been a movie, I'd suggest you wait until you can stream it for free.

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Another good Myron book

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-03-23

While I enjoy Corben's writing, especially the colorful characters and twisty plots, these books have not aged well. Old technologies and old ideologies lock these in the past, so newer and younger readers would probably not enjoy them much. I like the nostalgia of some things, and it was an overall interesting story. Unfortunately, I guessed the final twist pretty early on, so the climax was a wee less exciting than it might have otherwise been.

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Enjoyable mystery

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-26-23

I really like the Wilde character, and the way tiny clues are dropped remind me of the Encyclopedia Brown books I loved as a kid. Harlan Coben is a talented writer, and I'm looking forward to reading more of his work.

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