From the Bookshelf of Nothing But Reading Challenges…

If We Were Villains

M.L. Rio

Start date: December 1, 2022

Finish date: December 31, 2022

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What Members Thought

Nov 16, 2024 Amy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: rec-currently-reading-podcast, fiction, _own-home-library, rec-ig-blogs-friends-other, rec-sarah-s-bookshelves-live, read-in-2024

Glad I finally read this one after hearing raves for years but it was not for me. I almost put it down five or six times and probably should have but I decided to see it through. It’s just not for me - too erudite, too much Shakespeare, too much of everything FOR ME.

4 likes · Like · see review

Dec 15, 2017 Krissy marked it as dnf

Shelves: pgs-300-399, audiobook

My ignorance in all things Shakespeare related really hindered my enjoyment of this novel. I have always found his stuff kind of snoozy. And this book just had too much Shakespeare. The kids even converse in quotes during normal every day conversations. It was all just over my head. Guess I'm too much of a dummy to get this.

DNF at 22%. No rating ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 21, 2021 Cora rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: american-author, murder, audio-book-at-library, woman-author, mystery, kindle, illinois, available-at-library, friendship, relationships

This was a different and interesting story. As the tragedy of the story unfolds the question became not who was murdered or why, but more of how Oliver came to take the blame (or was he telling the truth all along). It was a dark story with a lot of quotes from Shakespeare (the students have their own style of talking that involved quoting the bard a lot). I did like Oliver and the other students. It was a story with a lot of layers and morally gray areas. I would recommend it to readers that ap ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 01, 2023 Rachel N. rated it really liked it

Shelves: lgbt, shakespeare, acting, friendship, illinois, college, debut, read-in-2023

Oliver Marks served a 10 year jail sentence. Upon his release he tells the former police officer in charge of the case the truth of what happened. Oliver was one of 7 students in their fourth year in the acting program at the Dellechester classical Conservatory. For the fall production of Julius Caesar the students are cast in their normal rolls, hero, villain etc. When Halloween comes around the students are given rolls out of the norm for Macbeth and trouble ensues. This story sucked me in. I ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 04, 2023 Jessica rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I've seen some reviews that complain about how pretentious the characters in this book were. Speaking as someone who went to a conservatory (though not for drama) I can tell you... we were exactly this pretentious. Being in a program where your goal is the study Art with a capital A... we absolutely partied too much, had petty feuds and rivalries (and romances) with each other, and most definitely used in-jokes from the art itself to pepper our conversations.

There was a lot less murder though.

T ...more

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Feb 14, 2022 Ashley rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery-crime, kristen-buddy-reads

This book was weird. It was confusing at times, to know who did what and with whom. But I liked the ending.

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Aug 15, 2017 Yzabel Ginsberg marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Aug 06, 2018 Carrie marked it as to-read

Oct 28, 2018 Renee marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Oct 29, 2018 Sarah rated it really liked it

Mar 03, 2020 Charlene rated it liked it

Feb 19, 2020 Mai rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

Sep 19, 2020 Amanda A marked it as ktbr · review of another edition

Shelves: overdrive, tbr-september, audio-o

Jan 03, 2021 Jen Ifer's Inklings marked it as to-read

Aug 25, 2021 Territadlock06 marked it as to-read

Sep 13, 2021 Territadlock06 marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Sep 23, 2021 Jen Ifer's Inklings marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Nov 22, 2021 Lauren rated it it was amazing

Jan 12, 2022 Logan marked it as to-read

Shelves: own-bought-paper, mystery, clean-sweep, recommended

Mar 15, 2022 Ivy marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Mar 16, 2022 Kat marked it as to-read

Jul 01, 2022 Jaime marked it as to-read

Shelves: ntb

Aug 21, 2022 Kelly marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Sep 18, 2022 Kristen is currently reading it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, suspense, fiction, cream-covers, new-adult, kindle, tandem-print-and-audio, kindle-unlimited, 2025-challenge-books, src-fall-2025