// Quick Review // The Witch of Tin Mountain is a beautifully written yet wonderfully chilling novel that left me speechless.
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// Other Information // Publisher: Lake Union Publishing Page Count: 332 pages Release Date: February 1, 2023 Series: None Tags: Fiction, Adult, Fantasy, Thriller, Romance, Horror, Paranormal, Historical fiction, Gothic
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// Review // I was very excited for this novel because I loved Kennedy’s first book, Parting the Veil. Due to my anticipation, I dove into the world of The Witch of Tin Mountain. It absolutely lived up to my expectations.
Filled with rich detail and a chilling plot, I was in love with this novel. The book starts with a mysterious scene, one that made me want to know more. As the novel progressed, I found myself sinking further into my chair because of the eeriness and mystery within the pages.
The characters were well written and had believable personalities and understandable struggles that brought them to life on the page. I did have some trouble distinguishing between some of the characters due to changes in point-of-view and time periods. However, these changes were necessary for the plot.
The setting was stunning. Kennedy has beautifully incorporated the Ozarks into her novel, creating a crackling atmosphere for her characters to journey through.
Overall, I loved this novel and look forward to Kennedy’s future works.
// Other Information // Publisher: Quill and Birch Publishing Page Count: 440 pages Release Date: October 5, 2021 Series: None Tags: Fiction, Young adult, Adult, Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal
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// Review // Golem is a brilliantly crafted horror novel perfect for fans of classic horror movies and books.
I could not put this novel down. The psychological horror in Golem is absolutely enthralling and terrifying all at once. Alleva does an excellent job of messing with the reader’s head and making them question themselves throughout their experience with the novel.
Not only are the characters realistic, but Alleva manages to make you feel like you are going through the terrors they are experiencing. Golem transports the reader to a chilling place that is perfect to enter when you want a terrifying experience.
I honestly cannot wait to read the novel again. It truly got me in the Halloween spirit with its mind-twisting plot and excellent characters.
// Quick Review // A brilliantly written horror novel that kept me interested from start to finish. Hide exhibits a broad and unique cast of characters, each trying their best to survive the horrifying circumstances they unknowingly introduced themselves to.
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// Other Information // Publisher: Del Rey Page Count: 256 pages Release Date: May 24, 2022 Series: None (that I am aware of) Tags: Fiction, Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy, Suspense, Horror, Paranormal
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// Review // Wow.
I don’t even know where to start with this novel. It has been so long since I was so involved in a book that I was sad to see it end, and even longer since I have read a breathtaking yet horrifying book. Hide is a truly excellent and distinctive book, one that I’m sure will stick with me for the near future.
I had hardly any issues with Hide and flew through the book at an amazing speed (for me, anyway). The plot was fast-moving but filled with mystery and terror. I spent the novel wondering about the new discoveries being made by the characters throughout the story. The plot came together beautifully and is truly a masterpiece. Hide was reminiscent of The Hunger Games and Winterset Hollow in its game of survival. However, it stands out when it comes to its memorable and lovable characters, chilling setting, and horror.
The story takes place in an abandoned amusement park where 14 characters are meant to hide for 7 days in order to win 50,000 dollars. Run down, haunted, and hiding deadly secrets, the amusement park seems like a hopeful opportunity until day by day Mack, Ava, LeGrand, and Brandon notice something is amiss. Their discovery of secrets reveals that they were not brought to Asterion—the home of this twisted game—to get a second chance. Rather, they were brought here to die at the hands of a devilish monster summoned here in generations past to protect Asterion.
I felt like I could truly connect to the vibrant cast of characters that Kiersten White created. Despite having 14+ characters introduced almost all at once, it was not hard for me to recognize them all through the frequent POV changes in the novel. The evolution of relationships in Hide added so much to the plot; it raised the stakes. With realistic characters in an unfamiliar landscape and situation, White created an absolutely genius progression of fear.
I have never wanted to see a book as a movie as much as I want this one to be. I can just imagine how terrified I would be while seeing Hide on a screen. Kiersten White’s writing style, too, is beautiful and perfectly fits the feel of this book. The way the author explores the character’s trauma while incorporating it into the plot was fascinating and made me admire the characters even more. ‘
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and cannot wait to check out more of White’s works.
// Quick Review // I find it very difficult to review this novel because I am not quite sure how I feel about it. There were many intriguing aspects that I loved but there were also many things that I didn’t enjoy about Wake the Bones.
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// Other Information // Publisher: Wednesday Books Page Count: 320 pages Release Date: July 12, 2022 Series: None Tags: Fiction, Young adult, Fantasy, Contemporary, Romance, Horror, Paranormal, Urban fantasy, Gothic
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// Review // Wake the Bones is an unsettling yet beautifully crafted tale of sacrifice, love, and magic. Full of hidden horrors, the novel follows the story of four young adults navigating a farm that holds an evil power set on their destruction.
When I first started this novel, I was absolutely in love with the characters. They were beautifully written. Laurel, Isaac, Ricky, and Garrett all help out on Uncle Jay’s (Laurel’s uncle) farm and have been friends since they were little. The main character, Laurel, lost her mother at a young age and now her whole world is changed drastically by the reveal of true wickedness that has invaded the land she loves and tends to. The relationships between the characters were obvious at the start. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed and adored them. Isaac and Garrett’s and Laurel and Ricky’s relationships were written very well and colorfully.
A great aspect of Wake the Bones is that not only is the plot driven by a devil-like threat, but also the character’s inner struggles. Isaac struggles to be himself in the small town the story describes. Although he would like to be with Garrett, he wishes to leave while Garrett wishes to stay and live the life he has thus known. Similarly, Ricky and Laurel’s relationship is along the lines of the enemies-to-lovers trope. Both of these added tensions to the scenes that already felt suspenseful.
However, I felt that the character development was somewhat lacking. The story contains magic but also takes place in a world fairly similar. Laurel is somewhat aware of the powers she has, but her friends disregard the validity of her claims… until the second half of the novel. They all of a sudden believe in magic? It felt unrealistic and like it came out of nowhere. Also, though Laurel was already used to having magic, she claimed to be incapable of having control of her powers. Except, when she has to use them in a life or death scenario, all of a sudden she becomes an expert in using the earth to fight off a demon? And it is not as if there was a time skip between her being unable to control her powers and not; this takes place on the same day. I would have liked to of seen her fail a little bit before getting a hang of using her magic. It would have been more realistic and made more sense.
I was absolutely in love with the first half of the book. The suspense beautifully built up and made me anticipate when Laurel would finally fight the villain of this story. The first half was solid and well-paced, unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the second half. All of a sudden it felt rushed and did not flow well, or make sense. A big reveal occurs yet there is hardly any time before Laurel is fighting with the ‘devil’. The twist and turns really had no effect on the story because there was no time to see the characters react and adapt to them. This made major parts of the novel lose their emphasis.
Overall, there was a lot of potential and good aspects, but the novel fell short in the second half. However, I still enjoyed reading Wake the Bones and would recommend it to those looking for a paranormal novel full of exciting characters, a rural setting, and a similar feeling to Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
// Quick Review // A mediocre novel, The Haunting of Beatrix Greene features a haunting yet very predictable tale. Not to say that its predictability makes it any less horrifying and creepy.
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"'Twenty years ago... my mother killed my little brother. Then she killed herself.'"
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// Other Information // Publisher: Serial Box Page Count:23 pages – this is what both the Amazon and Goodreads pages say the page count is. However, it is far longer. I don’t have an exact page count because the Kindle app does not allow for you to see the page count of mobi files. But I’d say this novel is at least 150 pages. Release Date: August 7, 2020 Series: The Haunting of Beatrix Greene #0.1 Genre: Fiction, Adult, Young adult, Horror, Historical fiction, Gothic, Paranormal, Mystery, Supernatural, Fantasy, Historical, Romance
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// Book Description (via Goodreads) // In Victorian England, a savvy spiritual medium must outsmart the most important client of her career: a scientist determined to expose frauds like her.
But their game of wits has fatal consequences when a vengeful spirit answers their summons. If they cannot put aside their prejudices—and growing passion—and find a way to banish the ghost together, one of them could be its next victim.
Get a sneak peek of The Haunting of Beatrix Greene by bestselling authors Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, and Vicky Alvear Schecter.
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// Characters // I have to start of my review of the characters by saying that this is where the novel lacked the most. I felt that while the idea of the characters was interesting, it was not executed well. I don’t know whether this stems from the fact that there were three authors collaborating on this novel, but the novel still lack consistent characters.
Besides the inconsistencies with the characters, I also found that they were mostly flat and didn’t have a life to them. However, I did love the interactions between the characters. I thought that these were written perfectly.
The novel follows the journey of Beatrix Greene, a medium who’s… not really a medium. Her assistant, Harry, was by far my favorite character; he’s just adorable, aloof, and hilarious.
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"It undid her. Thoroughly. This man, this odd, distant man, who had grown up in a house of blood and terror and was even now looking at her, with all her own demons, and seeing her. Truly seeing her. Admiring her. Understanding her. Oh, it was foolish and mad, and she might regret it, but right now, she could not see how."
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// Writing and Setting // When I first heard that The Haunting of Beatrix Greene was written by 3 different authors collaborating together, I was very excited because I thought that all of them would bring something different to the table. However, I found that this was not the case. Despite being descriptive and perfectly spooky, there was no difference between the chapters written by the three authors.
Personally, my favorite part of this novel was its haunting atmosphere. The Haunting of Beatrix Greene captures the spookiness and peril of the situation perfectly. The Ashbury Manor, a haunted manor FYI, is a place that Beatrix and Harry must explore to prove it is haunted.
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"It is not the first night screams have rung through the halls of Ashbury Manor. It will not be the last."
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// Plot // I have mixed feelings about the plot. On the one hand, investigating a haunted murder mystery seems very interesting to me. On the other, I felt that the mystery itself was not very present.
However, the spookiness that was promised was definitely there! I kept glancing at the corners of my room during the night wondering what was lurking there... perhaps the ghosts from the novel.
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"...she had been the dead. Been possessed by the dead. It was real, and suddenly Beatrix was part of this... place. This haunting."
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// Overall Review // While I do feel that there were some issues that could be improved upon, The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is a spooky and promising start to the series that Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, and Vicky Alvear Schecter have created.
// Content Warnings: ableist language, body shaming, suicide attempt by self-sacrifice, alcohol consumption, blood and gore depiction, murder and attempted murder, physical and psychological torture, knife and gun violence, kidnapping, hostage situation, war themes, emesis, airship accident, death of a loved one, physical assault, animal death //
// Quick Review // While I didn’t enjoy Siege and Storm as much as I enjoyed Shadow and Bone, I loved the new characters and the exciting new information gained about the Grishaverse series’ world throughout the novel.
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// Other Information // Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Page Count: 435 pages Release Date: June 4, 2013 Series:Shadow and Bone #2 Tags: Fiction, Young adult, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Adventure, Magic, High fantasy, Dark fantasy, Dark, YA fantasy
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// Review // I thoroughly enjoyed the sequel to Shadow and Bone. I cannot believe that I waited this long to read a series this entertaining and brilliant. Although I did not enjoy Siege and Storm as much as the first novel in the series, I loved re-entering the rich world that Leigh Bardugo created.
Fair warning, there will be spoilers for Shadow and Bone in this review. Leave now or forever hold your peace.
The novel takes place after the events of the first. Mal and Alkina have escaped the Darkling—for now—and are staying low in the hopes of retaining their freedom. The book jumps right into the action with the discovery that the Darkling did survive the ending of Shadow and Bone… and he has a new power that has made him supposedly stronger than ever before. Alina is thrown back into the dangerous ambitions of the Darkling, who won’t rest until he is able to control all of Ravka—and the world.
Just like the first book, the setting is magnificently built and described. The world-building of the entire series is excellent, but I do wish that Bardugo would delve more into the other countries besides Ravka. Perhaps this will happen in the last novel or the other series (I am currently reading Ruin and Rising… wish me luck).
Though showcasing characters from the first book, Siege and Storm also introduces us to the characters of Sturmhond/Nikolai, Tamar, and Tolya. Nikolai quickly became my favorite character of the entire series so far, and I cannot wait to see what happens with his character. As always, the characters were deep, realistic, and compelling.
With the introduction of Nikolai came another love interest and struggle in Alina’s life. Personally, I am still here for Mal and Alina’s relationship. I think that their history together makes their relationship truly important, and Mal does not wish to use Alina for political gain unlike Nikolai or the Darkling. However, I would not be entirely upset if Nikolai and Alina do end up together… he’s Nikolai, I mean, come on!
The plot itself was fantastic and moved at a quick pace, though there were some parts that felt slow and drawn-out. I enjoyed the new discoveries that were made along the way and cannot wait to find out the next piece of the puzzle.
My favorite part of this book was Alina’s character development. In the first novel, she is hesitant, weak, and kind. She hesitates to kill an animal despite what her hesitation puts at stake—her life and those of many others across the entire world. In Siege and Storm, she becomes much more powerful, ruthless, and quick to take control. I honestly hope that she becomes a villain somewhat. I think it would complete her character arc and really drive home the point that is brought up many times throughout the series—“What is infinite? The universe and the greed of men.” – Leigh Bardugo, Shadow and Bone
Overall, Siege and Storm is a solid sequel and build-up to the finale of the Shadow and Bone trilogy. I hope to be reviewing Ruin and Rising soon because I cannot wait to find out what happens to Alina Starkov and her friends.
// Content warnings: classism, ableist language, fatmisia, slavery (mentioned), kiss without consent, blood and gore depiction, dead bodies and physical injuries, death of a friend and parents (mentioned), murder, attempted murder, kidnapping (hostage situation and blackmail), war themes, violence, graphic animal death //
Please educate yourself on the content warnings for this novel before reading, as I may have missed some in my review.
// Quick Review // Shadow and Bone has been popular for quite some time, but it wasn’t until recently that I bought the trilogy and Six of Crows duology. Now, I am finally reading the Shadow and Bone trilogy, and next, I will read Six of Crows, hopefully. I guess you could say I am gearing up to watch the Netflix series. As always, I am late to the game. But my hesitation to read popular series had no effect on the fact that I loved this novel.
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// Other Information // Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Page Count: 369 pages Release Date: June 5, 2012 Series:Shadow and Bone #1 Tag: Fiction, Young adult, Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Adventure, Magic, Enemies to lovers, High fantasy, Friends to lovers
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// Review // I have absolutely nothing but good things to say about Shadow and Bone. For those who are like me and hesitate to read popular series for fear of being let down, fear not… for the first novel in this series is phenomenal. I’ll be reviewing the rest of the trilogy soon and doing an episode on my podcast on the entire Shadow and Bone trilogy within the week.
Shadow and Bone is hands-down one of the best fantasy novels that I have read in a long time, if not ever. It has quite literally everything I love about books: magic, good antagonists, amazing characters, complex world-building, romance, action, adventure, mystery, twists and turns. I cannot get enough of this book, its world, and its characters. I am utterly obsessed. I get the hype now; it is truly deserving of it. I don’t think I have been as obsessed with a book series since The Hunger Games.
Shadow and Bone follows the upheaval of Alina Starkov’s life as she discovers she has magical powers. She is thrust into a life completely unlike that she is used to. Separated from her best friend since childhood, Mal, she feels hopeless as she tries to navigate her new life and the powers she just became acquainted with. Ever present in the background is the Darkling, one of the most powerful Grisha (the magic users of the series). All of the characters have depth and distinct personalities, making them worth reading and caring about. This level of depth assisted in making the love interests actually interesting. The love triangle was set up beautifully. I could envision Alina with both Mal and the Darkling. And while I will not spoil anything, I can say that I completely get Alina’s mistakes in choosing who to be with at first… I am not stronger than the Sun Summoner, okay?
Leigh Bardugo has a way of writing that makes the words leap off the page and become true before you. The world-building itself was fantastic, rich, and lively. But Bardugo’s talent for description perfectly accentuated the unique and interesting world she created. Shadow and Bone features Ravka, a country torn by war and separated by the Shadow Fold, a place of darkness almost impossible to survive. Not only was the setting and world-building perfection, but the magic system was too. Instead of being forced to just accept the way that magic works in the novel, Bardugo allows the reader to become acquainted with the unique magic that Grisha can possess.
I have to mention that I loved the character development that Alina undergoes throughout the book. I was happy to see that instead of immediately being able to control and use her powers, Alina struggled with everything for a good portion of the novel before being able to truly step into her role as a Grisha. It was refreshing to see something realistic, especially since one must suspend reality to read any fantasy book, let alone one as rich as this.
The story maintained a perfect pace for every part of the book. By not focusing too much on slow-moving details and focusing on important parts of the plot, Bardugo created a masterpiece. I was captivated by the progression of Shadow and Bone and its twists and turns. I’m usually pretty good at guessing the outcome of novels/movies—a gift I inherited from my mom, who is always spoiling things for everyone without having even watched/read anything—but I was absolutely in the dark for this book and was shocked by the major reveals. Nothing is as it seems, which I appreciated.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Shadow and Bone and cannot wait to explore the rest of the Grishaverse. I highly recommend that you read the series, even if you are a scaredy-cat like I am.