Review of All the Little Raindrops by Mia Sheridan
From the moment I stumbled upon All the Little Raindrops, I was excited. Mia Sheridan, the author behind the heartfelt Archer’s Voice, had ventured into darker territory with this new release. The intersection of romance and suspense is typically where I thrive as a reader, so I couldn’t resist adding this book to my October Prime First Reads. The buzz surrounding it—often likened to a mash-up of Saw and The Hunger Games—had me intrigued. However, what followed felt more like a torturous endurance test than a thrilling ride, leaving me with an unexpectedly bitter taste.
The premise of All the Little Raindrops sounded captivating: Noelle and Evan, sworn enemies due to a traumatic past involving familial betrayal, find themselves kidnapped and locked in cages, forced to participate in a horrific survival game. This dark backdrop promised a blend of tension and intricate character development. Sadly, what unfolded over the course of the book felt disjointed and deeply lacking. The tension fizzled out rather than building as expected, leading to a rambling plot that wandered off track long after the harrowing start.
Sheridan’s writing left much to be desired. The pacing was uneven, especially in the second half, which spanned seven years. Instead of delving into the trauma and complexities of Noelle and Evan’s post-abduction lives, we were left with surface-level interactions and overwhelming internal monologues that failed to engage. I found myself repeatedly rolling my eyes at the lack of character depth, and there was a frustrating reliance on miscommunication tropes that felt painfully out of place.
For a storyline that could have explored the darker aspects of trauma and healing, the execution fell flat. Much of the horrors they endured happened off-page, which could have been a powerful narrative choice, but instead left a hollow space where emotional resonance should have been. The potential for a gripping, character-driven drama was squandered on awkward romance and contrived plot twists. To be honest, I barely made it to the end, as I opted to abandon the story for a beloved Harry Potter movie—an escape I found more engaging and fulfilling.
While I can see how some readers might enjoy All the Little Raindrops, especially those open to mixing thriller elements with romance, I have to caution that the promise of psychological suspense is largely unfulfilled. Readers looking for a deftly crafted narrative that really digs into the characters’ psyches may find themselves disappointed, especially in comparison to Sheridan’s earlier work.
In conclusion, if you are drawn to themes of survival and dark romance with a heavy hand in trauma, this book might still pique your interest, but approach it with tempered expectations. For me, it was an unfortunate misstep in Sheridan’s catalog, leading to a reading experience I wish I could forget. But as the book world teaches us time and again, not every story is for every reader, and just perhaps, this one will find its audience among those keen on the unconventional thrills it tries to offer.
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