A few years ago, I used to write mini reviews. They were usually a few lines of my thoughts about books that didn’t really get full reviews on here, but I still wanted to talk about them. I used to write them as individual blog posts, but this time I’m doing a bigger post at the end of the year. Now as to why they didn’t get full reviews… for varied reasons. Some are short, some are long, but they’re all honest and unvarnished.
Here are my mini reviews 2025:
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – 4/5 – mini reviews 2025
This could be categorized as suburban noir, I suppose.
Madeline, Jane, and Celeste – an unlikely trio but the greatest of friends.
So many issues touched on in this story, making it a quick read, but it’s anything but light.
There are moments of happiness but also very real issues, just like real life. Things can and do change in a moment.
People are not black and white, they’re in many different shades. It’s ok to change your opinion of people, but it isn’t ok to judge someone without knowing their reality.
A surprising effect this book had on me was showing me how important it is to have empathy, but not at the cost of your own sanity and self preservation. I think that’s an important life lesson for everyone.
It’s easy to assume what’s going on based on what you can see, but what you can see as an observer or bystander isn’t necessarily what is actually going on.
Sometimes what you think you saw isn’t even what’s happening.
Nobody actually knows the full truth besides the people experiencing it.
And it’s so important to be aware of things like that.
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The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides – 1.5/5 – mini reviews 2025
The 1.5 rating is me being generous.
What a weird book. I don’t understand why it’s critically acclaimed. The ending feels like a cop out, and not even a good one. I expected to like it because it’s a genre I like. I did not like this book – not the protagonist, not the way the story unfolded, and not even the twist. There are so many better slow burn or psychological thrillers that I’ve enjoyed. Would recommend any of those over this for sure.
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Her Perfect Family by Teresa Driscoll – 2.5/5 – mini reviews 2025
My first book by this author, and I went in with no expectations. I was pleasantly surprised at how the story progressed, and I really like when this happens – especially since the author has already written a few more thrillers!
A bit surprising that the wife felt her secret was so terrible when it really wasn’t. The husband, on the other hand, had a fairly believable reaction to things, so that was fine. The suspects were all interesting and layered characters. Lots of red herrings abound. Sorta heartbreaking, sorta scary story.
Gemma’s flashbacks in the form of her diary essays were a great narrative device, one I’m surprised isn’t used more often. Overall, good writing style, and definitely engaging, but the plot was a bit thin in my opinion.
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Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes – 3.5/5 – mini reviews 2025
Don’t know if I’ve read this author before (I checked, I haven’t) but this book was really really nice and I definitely will read more by Moyes. This type of book always makes me really happy and optimistic – I especially liked the female friendships and overcoming obstacles bit.
All the characters are strong people (which I loved!) and they have their own full rich lives – needs, wants, and personalities. They also get along in different ways, with their children making up an important part of their lives.
An enjoyable read for sure.
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Hope you enjoyed my mini reviews 2025! I really liked putting this together, and I think I’ll do more of these!
