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1662500505
| 9781662500503
| B0CKJ75R53
| 4.30
| 14,692
| Jul 16, 2024
| Sep 24, 2024
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liked it
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. --- To check content warnings for all of the books you read, go to the Trigger Warning Databa Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. --- To check content warnings for all of the books you read, go to the Trigger Warning Database. Thank you to Dean Koontz, Thomas & Mercer, and Amazon Publishing for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 3.5/5 Stars Characters: 3/5 Stars Writing: 5/5 Stars Setting: 3/5 Stars Plot: 3.5/5 Stars Memorability: 3/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // The Forest of Lost Souls is a typical Koontz thriller filled with interesting twists and characters. Chilling yet slow at parts, his newest novel is enjoyable but more difficult to get into than others. --- // Other Information // Publisher: Thomas & Mercer Page Count: 396 pages Release Date: September 24, 2024 Series: None Tags: Fiction, Adult, Young Adult, Horror, Thriller --- // Review // While it has been a while since I have been able to sit down with a book and escape into another world, I finally found the time to enjoy this newest Koontz thriller. As a fan of Koontz’s earlier novels, I am always glad to delve into another of his stories. For the sake of not spoiling the novel, I will simply say that Koontz did not disappoint. A chilling ride, The Forest of Lost Souls takes the reader through a story filled with a tense atmosphere. Though I had difficulty connecting with the characters in this story, I did appreciate the complexity each character had, especially Vida. The novel does boast a disturbing antagonist, however. Nash Deacon is frightening and, frankly, the nightmare of every woman. His character made me viscerally uncomfortable, which, of course, is the goal in a horror/thriller. I neither hated nor loved the setting. The story takes place in Kettleton County, an isolated rural place which reminded me too much of home. The plot itself is exciting yet took me a while to get into. It is a bit slow in the beginning, but becomes well-paced later on. Overall, while this is not my favorite novel of Koontz’s, it is a solid and chilling novel. I cannot wait to read more of his future works. --- FOLLOW ME: Book Instagram || Personal Instagram || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts || Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 27, 2024
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Aug 05, 2024
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Jun 27, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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0872868680
| 9780872868687
| 0872868680
| 3.91
| 32
| unknown
| Nov 22, 2022
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it was amazing
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to City Li Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to City Lights Books and Joyce Chopra for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. To check content warnings for all of the books you read, go to the Trigger Warning Database. --- // Quick Review // 5/5 Stars I was fortunate enough to have the chance to read this book prior to its release. Deep and memorable, Lady Director will leave you awestruck as it takes you on a journey through Chopra’s inspiring life. --- // Other Information // Publisher: City Lights Books Page Count: 232 pages Release Date: November 22, 2022 Series: None Tags: Non-fiction, Adult, Young adult, Memoir, Biography --- // Review // Lady Director is a raw, gripping narrative of Joyce Chopra’s experiences throughout her career as a director. The book delves deeply into the thoughts and emotions that Chopra underwent while she balanced her career and motherhood, all while undergoing the criticisms of others. Hollywood has hardly ever been welcoming to women in the film industry, so it is no surprise that this was the case for Chopra when she aspired to become a filmmaker. I found myself enthralled with the accounts written on the page before me. It was very easy for me to empathize with Chopra, as her style of writing perfectly reflects herself at the time. Emotionally powerful, Lady Director is a profoundly genuine and compelling memoir that delves into some of the most prominent issues involving sexism within our society. While showcasing the strength women must have to achieve their dreams, the book also celebrates the many accomplishments of Joyce Chopra in a way that makes you feel as if a friend is telling you a captivating story. Chopra’s memoir is a rich and significant account that will leave readers stunned. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 19, 2022
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Oct 24, 2022
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Sep 16, 2022
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Paperback
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1662507623
| 9781662507625
| 1662507623
| 4.05
| 16,017
| Feb 01, 2023
| Feb 01, 2023
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really liked it
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- To check content warnings Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- To check content warnings for all of the books you read, go to the Trigger Warning Database. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 4/5 Stars Characters: 4/5 Stars Writing: 5/5 Stars Setting: 5/5 Stars Plot: 4/5 Stars Memorability: 4/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // The Witch of Tin Mountain is a beautifully written yet wonderfully chilling novel that left me speechless. --- // 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 --- // 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. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 18, 2023
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Jan 31, 2023
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Aug 24, 2022
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Paperback
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B0DN9QLMTX
| 4.21
| 163
| Oct 05, 2021
| Oct 05, 2021
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really liked it
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- To check content warnings f Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- To check content warnings for all of the books you read, go to the Trigger Warning Database. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 4/5 Stars Characters: 4/5 Stars Writing: 5/5 Stars Setting: 3/5 Stars Plot: 4/5 Stars Memorability: 3/5 Stars --- // 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 --- // 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. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 25, 2022
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Oct 13, 2022
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Jul 21, 2022
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ebook
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3.94
| 4,966
| Jul 26, 2022
| Jul 26, 2022
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it was amazing
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Disney Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Disney Lucasfilm Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. // Content Warnings: violence, mentions of death, violence against animals/planet // Please educate yourself on the content warnings for this novel before reading, as I may have missed some in my review. All quotes are taken from Padawan by Kiersten White. --- "All Obi-Wan wanted was to be a Jedi Knight, to go out into the galaxy and be an agent of goodness, of order, of the light." --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 5/5 Stars Characters: 5/5 Stars Writing: 5/5 Stars Setting: 5/5 Stars Plot: 4.5/5 Stars Memorability: 4/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // This is the second novel I have read by Kiersten White, and though it is a stark difference from Hide, I absolutely loved Padawan. This is the perfect novel for those wanting to read about Obi-Wan Kenobi’s journey of self-discovery on his way to becoming a better padawan. --- // Other Information // Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press Page Count: 416 pages Release Date: July 26, 2022 Series: Star Wars Tag: Fiction, Young adult, Fantasy, Science fiction, LGBTQ+, Middle grade, Star wars, Space --- // Review // I want to start off this review by addressing the controversy that has erupted over Padawan‘s assistance in confirming Obi-Wan Kenobi as bisexual (also potentially asexual). Personally, I am glad that Kiersten White decided to include this in her novel in order to bring about more diversity within Star Wars. As a huge Star Wars fan and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I believe it is important that people are able to see themselves in media, and the inclusion of Obi-Wan’s sexuality in Padawan is a major step towards this in a beloved series. Also, I must commend White for not only including this in her novel but also making it casual in the text. Obi-Wan’s sexuality is not flaunted to be shown only as a token of diversity but is authentically shown as a part of his character. Not only is it important to have diversity in media, but it is equally essential to make it realistic, relatable, and meaningful. So, thank you Kiersten White for making an already loved character in the Star Wars fandom that much more important for members of the LGBTQ+ community. --- "'...I was living in fear for so long. Afraid to fail, afraid to let others down, afraid of loss, afraid of even being afraid.' --- Now, into the novel itself. Kiersten White does a fantastic job of taking a well-known character yet introducing new aspects while staying true to the known Obi-Wan Kenobi. Now, this novel seems to be aimed more toward middle grade/young adults, and the maturity of Obi-Wan reflects this. Taking place long before The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan is a struggling padawan who is at odds with his master, Qui-Gon Jinn. Though dedicated to the ways of the Jedi, Obi-Wan is seen struggling with connecting to the force. He feels as if he is being held back by his master and is not able to go on missions like his fellow padawans. In the Star Wars films and shows (and yes, I have yet to watch Obi-Wan Kenobi—don’t worry, I’ll watch it soon) we see an already trained Obi-Wan, one who is connected to the force and sure in his abilities. However—though staying true to Obi-Wan’s nature—Padawan explores the uncertainty that Obi-Wan struggles with while growing up in the Jedi Order. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Obi-Wan struggle with connecting to the force, since it seems in the movies that he has no problem doing so. His battle with his training made his character that much more deep and realistic. I have to mention that I found it funny how similar young Obi-Wan is to Anakin in Attack of the Clones. Around 28:10 in Attack of the Clones, Anakin complains to Padmé that Obi-Wan is holding him back. In Padawan, Obi-Wan complains through his narration that Qui-Gon is holding him back. It is eerily similar but also funny since Obi-Wan and Anakin’s relationship is like that of father-son, as Anakin says at 22:00 in Attack of the Clones. Gosh, I feel like I’m writing an essay and stating my evidence. But, I love Star Wars so why not? I think it is worth mentioning that as long as you have seen the prequels, you should have no problem understanding the events of this novel. The story starts off at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant where Obi-Wan is being rebellious and skipping meditation (the Jedi equivalent of not eating your vegetables, I’m sure). From there, he discovers that Orla Jareni left the way to an unexplored planet called Lenahra. It is inhabited by a group of seemingly force-sensitive kids around the same age as Obi-Wan, though some are younger. Kiersten White describes a rich and lively planet that is sometimes hostile to its inhabitants, yet sometimes not. As Obi-Wan navigates this new and supposedly deadly world, he also develops his connection to the force and his strength in using it. He vows to help the people he has met on Lenahra, even if his return to Coruscant reveals his expulsion from the Jedi Order. Staying true to his character, Obi-Wan wishes only to help those and bring some lightness to even the furthest corner of the galaxy. The plot itself was excellent yet had more to do with internal struggles and evolution than that of Star Wars‘ iconic battles and light saber fights. If you go into this novel expecting loads of action and battles, you might be disappointed. However, I found the exploration of Obi-Wan’s doubts and fears to be crucial to understanding the character further. There was plenty of action towards the end of the novel, but as I said, this is not an action-focused story. Obi-Wan’s meddling with the mystery behind Lenahra causes some issues for him and the inhabitants which he must face if he wishes to truly help the planet and its people. Also, throwing it back to Attack of the Clones once more, Padawan mentions how Obi-Wan came to know Dex, which I thought was a clever easter egg and was a detail that got me excited. Overall, I had a lot of fun with this novel and enjoyed its pleasant new characters and exploration of Obi-Wan’s character and background. I highly recommend it to any Star Wars fan, especially those who love Obi-Wan Kenobi. It’s essentially a Star Wars coming-of-age, which I love. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 23, 2022
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Jul 23, 2022
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Jul 09, 2022
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Hardcover
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1639883878
| 9781639883875
| 1639883878
| 3.16
| 61
| unknown
| Jun 01, 2022
|
liked it
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Andy Fr Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Andy Frye and Atmosphere Press for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I am unable to provide a full list of content warnings due to my inability to finish reading the novel. Please educate yourself on the content warnings for this novel before reading. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 3/5 Stars Characters: 3/5 Stars Writing: 4/5 Stars Setting: 5/5 Stars Plot: 2/5 Stars Memorability: 4/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // I enjoyed many aspects of this novel but also was slightly disappointed with the execution of this 90s-filled time travel story. --- // Other Information // Publisher: Atmosphere Press Page Count: 356 pages Release Date: June 1, 2022 Series: None Tag: Fiction, Adult, Science fiction, LGBTQ+, Music, Time travel, 90s --- // Review // Promising a nostalgia-filled story for those fortunate enough to experience the 90s, Ninety Days in the 90s follows the time-traveling excursions of Darby, a music store owner who just wants to relive the past. I was fairly excited about this novel because although I was born after the 90s, I still love music and movies from the decade. A lot of the novel focuses on the pop culture of the time, even from the very start. This has its pluses and minuses, as the references to 90s culture at the start of the novel seem to take away from the actual 90s setting during the rest of the book. The setting was by far the best part of Ninety Days in the 90s. Darby wishes to redo her past in order to change her future and is able to do so by traveling to Chicago in 1996 through the Grey Train. The Grey Train was explained fairly well and was an interesting part of the book. It was nice to know how the time travel aspect worked. Darby is thrust back into the 90s to reunite with old lovers, friends, jobs, and music. Unfortunately, I found that the plot felt repetitive and slow-moving. Darby traveling back in time is perhaps the most exciting part of the book to me. I will say that I cannot judge the second half of the novel, but the first half was definitely not for me. Though I enjoyed the 90s vibe and culture, I didn’t feel like anything important to the book occurred within the first half of the book. Though the idea that Darby traveled back in time itself is spectacular, the events of the novel seemed to have little to no effect on Darby’s character. I wish that the leap back in time would have contributed to Darby’s journey of self-discovery and reconciling herself with the past. It would have made her character more enjoyable and realistic while also adding meaning to the plot. I called this book quits past the halfway point because it felt like nothing was going anywhere, and I accepted that the book just wasn’t for me. Maybe it’s because I wasn’t the target audience, but I had a hard time reading this book. Like I said though, there were definitely things that I really enjoyed and loved reading about. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 25, 2022
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Jul 30, 2022
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Jul 07, 2022
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Paperback
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4.03
| 23,700
| Jul 19, 2022
| Jul 19, 2022
|
really liked it
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Amazon Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Amazon Publishing and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. // Content warnings: animal attacks, cult, death, mature content, mention of cannibalism, mention of incest, mention of teen pregnancy, mentions of child abuse, mentions of self-mutilation, mentions of sexual assault, murder // Please educate yourself on the content warnings for this novel before reading, as I may have missed some in my review. This novel contains many dark themes that can be disturbing to some. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 4/5 Stars Characters: 3/5 Stars Writing: 5/5 Stars Setting: 5/5 Stars Plot: 4/5 Stars Memorability: 3/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // The Big Dark Sky is a brilliantly written novel following the stories of various characters all connected to a mystery at the center of the spiderweb they’ve been caught in. Full of suspense and showcasing Koontz’s excellent writing style, The Big Dark Sky maintains Koontz as one of the best thriller writers. --- // Other Information // Publisher: Thomas & Mercer, Amazon Publishing Page Count: 390 pages Release Date: July 19, 2022 Series: None Tags: Fiction, Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Science fiction, Suspense, Horror --- // Review // From the moment I started reading The Big Dark Sky, I was drawn in by the mysterious and paranormal nature of the novel. The homicidal forces that surrounded the characters posed a serious threat and made me want to know more about the peril. From a psychotic cult to murderous aliens, The Big Dark Sky presents a complex intermingling of evil forces that threaten to eradicate humankind. Dean Koontz is a master at using multiple points of view to build suspense and shows different storylines all barreling towards one focus. Think a Stranger Things-esque meetup at the end of the season but just in a book (yes, Stranger Things is and always will be my obsession… go watch Season 4). The point is that I love media that utilize this form of storytelling and it almost always keeps me engaged with the story. The Big Dark Sky is relatively fast-paced after the first few chapters and, as I mentioned, contains what seems to be many small plots. Still, they all connect in the end. The suspense and stakes of the situation rise rapidly throughout the book. However, I felt that the ending was too rushed and didn’t fit with the rest of the novel. Frankly, it was underwhelming and left me a little disappointed in contrast to the rest of the events. Without mentioning any spoilers, I will say that the final showdown between the characters and the monstrous evil attacking humanity would have been better had it been slowed down. Even though the fight was very predictable, it felt like the villain came out of nowhere? If that makes sense? Gosh, it’s so hard to review books without spoilers. Anyways, I was slightly disappointed with the characters in this novel. Usually, I can handle a large cast of characters and distinguish them from one another. Unfortunately, many of the characters just felt too similar to one another for me to truly connect to or care about them. Characters like Joanne, Ophelia, Colson, and Asher Optime stuck out, though. Joanne is a young woman whose past is shadowed by mystery, tragedy, and lies. Though, she doesn’t know it until mysterious occurrences haunt her house and dreams. The story allows her to discover the truth behind her past, unraveling the life she has known throughout her adult life. Ophelia and Colson are both captives of Asher Optime, a psychopathic egomaniac whose sole ‘purpose’ is to start and finish the destruction of humanity. For whatever reason—probably their homicidal tendencies—Asher reminded me a lot of Patrick Bateman from American Psycho (undoubtedly, though, Asher Optime could not possibly be more stylish than Christian Bale). Asher is determined to set himself apart from the rest of the human race. However, his choice of action is not to spread goodness throughout the world but instead to kidnap people, make them hopeless, and then kill them… all in the name of his twisted agenda shaped by a cult. Despite being completely evil, I found Asher Optime to be the most unique and memorable of the characters. Perhaps it is because he is the perfect villain for a thriller/suspense novel. One of my favorite parts of The Big Dark Sky was the setting. The isolation that the Rustling Willows Ranch offered added a chilling feel to the book. It is truly one of my worst fears to be far from civilization… being in/near the woods just intensifies my absolute terror. I’ve seen too many horror movies to know that taking a ‘fun’ little trip to an isolated place is practically a death wish. Can you tell I’m not an outdoorsy person? All parts of the novel came together to form a relatively cohesive and chilling tale of deception, secrets, and evil. Overall, I enjoyed reading The Big Dark Sky. There were many aspects that made this novel a worthwhile and suspenseful read. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 23, 2022
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Jul 02, 2022
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May 04, 2022
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ebook
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9781620067796
| 162006779X
| 3.26
| 34
| unknown
| Mar 28, 2022
|
liked it
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- // Content Warnings: death, Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- // Content Warnings: death, violence, death of children // To check content warnings for all of the books you read, go to the Trigger Warning Database. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 3.5/5 Stars Characters: 2/5 Stars Writing: 4/5 Stars Setting: 4/5 Stars Plot: 3.5/5 Stars Memorability: 3/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // Oliver Seneca presents an intriguing yet creepy story in Faces in a Window, where his characters must endure the cursed nature of St. Stephen’s Middle School. Along the way, they are met with horrors that will haunt your nightmares. --- // Other Information // Publisher: Hellbender Books Page Count: 295 pages Release Date: March 27, 2022 Series: None Tags: Fiction, Young adult, Adult, Thriller, Science fiction, Horror, Supernatural, Apocalyptic, Post-apocalyptic --- // Book Description (from Amazon) // Every school has a secret. After two beloved teachers pass away at St. Stephen’s Middle School, it’s up to Ian Evans & Michelle Thompson to fill their shoes. But their eager anticipation soon turns to terror. They are plagued with unexplainable nightmares and horrific visions: Students who aren’t really there; the school catching fire; scenes of their own deaths playing out before them. Uncovering what it all means could cost them their jobs, or their lives. With each other’s determination to find the truth of the school’s past, and with the help of an old janitor, Ian and Michelle must risk it all to save more than just their souls. --- // Review // Faces in a Window starts off with a gripping scene, one that kept me reading and interested in the story. I thoroughly enjoyed how the reader was thrust into chaos by just starting to read the novel, it made for an entertaining beginning. Throughout the novel, Seneca manages to keep tensions high, even in the most harmless of situations. I was constantly aching to know what would happen next and what terrors were just a page away. While the novel is a tad cliche, I did enjoy the story. I was interested in the history of St. Stephen’s Middle School, where the novel takes place. However, I did feel that the pacing threw off the excellent plot and made the book feel very repetitive. The story is split between Ian Evans and Michelle Thompson. I really wanted to care about their characters, but the lack of depth to them made me not attached to them. Similarly, I did not care about their relationship at all. The interactions between characters felt very unrealistic, and they lacked chemistry. From the moment Ian and Michelle met, I could tell they were going to be love interests for each other. Unfortunately, I felt like their romance happened far too early on in the novel for it to feel real, organic, and compelling. Where Faces in a Window really excels is its setting. St. Stephen’s Middle School and its haunted nature was intriguing and kept me reading to find out what its history was. The novel has a really classic horror movie feel to it, due to the inclusion of many tropes. I liked the nostalgic feeling this had, despite it being a newer novel. While some might call it outdated horror, I definitely enjoyed the older feeling it had. Overall, Faces in a Window was promising but didn’t necessarily live up to expectations. It had some great aspects and potential, but its characters really fell flat, pulling me out of the story. The novel is perfect to read when you want some thrilling scares but don’t want to be deeply unsettled or disturbed. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 08, 2022
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Sep 19, 2022
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Apr 20, 2022
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Paperback
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1838498753
| 9781838498757
| 1838498753
| 3.35
| 34
| unknown
| Apr 18, 2022
|
it was ok
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to Deixis Press f Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to Deixis Press for providing me with a copy novel in exchange for an honest review. I am unable to provide a full list of content warnings since I was unable to finish reading this novel. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 2.5/5 Stars Characters: 2/5 Stars Writing: 2/5 Stars Setting: 1/5 Stars Plot: 4/5 Stars Memorability: 2/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // Due to its promising and intriguing premise, I had looked forward to reading this novel. However, it was clearly for a specific target audience that I am unfortunately not a part of. ---- // Other Information // Publisher: Deixis Press Page Count: 260 pages Release Date: April 18, 2022 Series: None Tags: Adult, Fiction, Science fiction, Techno thriller, Technology, Thriller --- // Review // First of all, I want to mention that The Transfer Problem is not necessarily a bad book, but it just was not for me. The premise interested me due to the promise of an “adrenaline-fueled mystery that takes readers to the heart of a dark world”. I am a huge fan of mysteries and thrillers, so I decided to give this techno-thriller a try. I was enjoying the book and its mysteriousness until it got too technical. I don’t know what I expected from a techno-thriller, but the number of descriptions of technology seemed overbearing. This heavy emphasis was important to the book but made me bored. I am just not a person who loves pages of technology… I am not a woman in STEM. Besides this, I was disappointed with the characters in the novel. I went into this book wanting to appreciate and like them, but I felt so disconnected from them that this felt impossible. The first few chapters seemed promising, however the further the story continued I felt less and less interested in what happened to the characters and who they were. The novel follows the story of Ethan and Anna—also Robert—who are attempting to transfer a conscious mind into Ethan’s trading algorithms. The potential to transfer oneself into a computer is definitely interesting and made me want to read the novel. However, as I mentioned earlier there was so much focus upon technology that I was lost and was unable to focus on the book. --- // Wrap Up // Although this book was not for me, there were definitely aspects that will appeal to others. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 29, 2022
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Jun 13, 2022
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Apr 01, 2022
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Paperback
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1534484361
| 9781534484368
| 1534484361
| 4.02
| 2,023
| Apr 19, 2022
| Apr 19, 2022
|
it was ok
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to Margaret K. Mc Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. I am unable to provide a full list of content warnings since I was unable to finish reading this novel. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 2/5 Stars Characters: 2/5 Stars Writing: 2/5 Stars Setting: 4/5 Stars Plot: 1/5 Stars Memorability: 2/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // While I had been looking forward to reading this novel, I was ultimately disappointed by the slow pace and could not get interested in the book. I didn’t finish reading Sofi and the Bone Song, but perhaps that’s because of a recent book slump. --- // Other Information // Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books Page Count: 416 pages Release Date: April 19, 2022 Series: None Tags: Fiction, Young adult, Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+, Lesbian, Music, Magic --- // Review // Recently I have found it very difficult to enjoy reading, so my thoughts on this novel may not be typical. I’ve heard great things about Sofi and the Bone Song and was very excited to receive an ARC. I looked forward to reading this book, but as I started to read it I became very disinterested in the story. The characters and plot did not necessarily hold my attention and I was very bored. However, it would not be fair of me to condemn this novel when I didn’t even finish it. This is why, unlike my other DNFs, I gave this novel two stars rather than one. It was very promising, I was just unable to get into the novel. It is noteworthy that the setting and world that Tooley created are magnificent and clearly well put together. As I said, this book just did not hold my attention. --- // Wrap Up // I recommend this to people who enjoy fantasy. Just because I wasn’t able to enjoy this book doesn’t mean you will be unable to. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 16, 2022
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Apr 04, 2022
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Dec 31, 2021
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Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
1250268885
| 9781250268884
| 1250268885
| 3.90
| 78,631
| Mar 01, 2022
| Mar 01, 2022
|
really liked it
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to Minotaur Books Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. // Content Warnings: murder, violence, teen pregnancy, sexual relationship between an adult and a minor, drug deals, gun violence // – Please educate yourself on the content warnings for this book before reading, as I may have missed some here. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 4/5 Stars Characters: 4/5 Stars Writing: 4/5 Stars Setting: 5/5 Stars Plot: 5/5 Stars Memorability: 3/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // Fast-paced and thought-inducing, The Night Shift features a spectacular mystery that keeps one yearning for answers. Filled with fascinating twists and turns, Finlay’s latest thriller presents a vast cast of characters that will connect you to an outstanding whodunit. --- // Other Information // Publisher: Minotaur Books Page Count: 368 pages Release Date: March 1, 2022 Series: None Tags: Adult, Contemporary, Crime, Fiction, Horror, Murder mystery, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller --- // Characters // Though filled with a plethora of magnificent characters, the novel is split between three main characters with various circumstances and backgrounds. The way this story unfolded between its characters reminded me of Stranger Things (I’ve been rewatching the series in preparation for Season 4, of course); how all the characters deal with different pieces of the puzzle but eventually come together to form the whole picture. Ella is the sole survivor of the New Years’ Eve 1999 attack on the Blockbuster Video in Linden, New Jersey. It was hard to understand Ella’s character at first. It is not until later in the novel that the book begins to unveil the reality behind Ella’s character and I began to understand her better. Ella is very obviously traumatized from the attack on her and her friends in 1999. She carries the survivor’s guilt from that night and finds it difficult to navigate adult life in 2015. Agent Keller is helping to investigate the murders of workers in an ice cream shop; a murder eerily similar to that of the Blockbuster murders. Chris is a lawyer with deep connections to the Blockbuster murder. Back in the day, his brother was the prime suspect in the Blockbuster murders. Chris now lives under a different name but becomes entangled in defending the suspect of the ice cream shop murders. All three of these characters eventually cross paths, but their journey to their meeting is what really makes the book interesting. It took me a while to become truly interested in this novel and its characters, but after reading half of the novel I began to care for Ella, Chris, Keller, and others. --- // Writing and Setting // I love media of the mystery genre that starts off with a bunch of little mysteries that need to be untangled in order to see the entire truth of the story. They typically keep my interest, just as this book did. The secrets contained in this novel span from 1999 to 2015. The past never seems far from the present, as murders similar to that of the ones on New Years’ Eve 1999 continue to occur as the characters race against the clock to find the culprit. --- // Plot // The plot, since this is a thriller/mystery, was my favorite part of The Night Shift. Though I’ve seen many people saying they thought this story was very predictable, I found it to be the complete opposite. I was completely entranced by how in the dark I was. Perhaps it was because it took me longer to read this novel that I wasn’t immediately struck with suspicions of who the killer could be. Regardless, I thought that this book was filled with surprises and twists and turns. As I’ve mentioned various times, the characters deal with their own sub-plots that contribute meaning to the overarching question of the novel: Who is the killer who struck in 1999 and 2015? --- // Wrap Up // Usually, when I am in a reading slump I do not finish the novel I am reading. However, The Night Shift was able to hold my attention and I’m so glad it did. Otherwise, I would have missed out on a chilling story containing betrayal, murder, and chaos. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 22, 2022
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Feb 26, 2022
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Dec 27, 2021
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Hardcover
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0593359240
| 9780593359242
| B09DKDZQXT
| 3.32
| 41,818
| May 24, 2022
| May 24, 2022
|
it was amazing
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to NetGall Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. // Content warnings: child abuse, suicide, murder, murder of a child, attempted murder, gore // Please educate yourself on the content warnings for this novel before reading, as I may have missed some in my review. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 5/5 Stars Characters: 5/5 Stars Writing: 5/5 Stars Setting: 5/5 Stars Plot: 5/5 Stars Memorability: 5/5 Stars --- // 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. --- // 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 --- // 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. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 03, 2022
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Jul 08, 2022
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Dec 14, 2021
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Kindle Edition
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1643138650
| 9781643138657
| 1643138650
| 3.72
| 2,675
| Feb 01, 2022
| Feb 01, 2022
|
really liked it
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to Pegasus Crime Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to Pegasus Crime for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. // Book Content Warning: death, murder, mentions of suicide, mentions of drowning, violence, sexual content // - Please educate yourself on the content warnings for this book before reading, as I may have missed some here. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 4/5 Stars Characters: 3/5 Stars Writing: 5/5 Stars Setting: 5/5 Stars Plot: 4/5 Stars Memorability: 3/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // Because I had never read a novel by Paul Vidich before, I started reading this novel with no idea of what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by the brilliant mystery within The Matchmaker: A Spy in Berlin‘s pages that ended with an epic demonstration of a woman’s determination. --- // Other Information // Publisher: Pegasus Crime Page Count: 352 pages Release Date: February 1, 2022 Series: None Genre: Fiction, Adult, Historical fiction, Spy, Suspense, Mystery --- // Characters // Anne Simpson is a woman living in West Berlin during 1989. She’s been married for two years to Stefan Koehler, a piano tuner who goes on frequent business trips. It’s not until Stefan doesn’t come back from a trip and she meets James Cooper that Anne realizes the life she has known for two years may be entirely false. Anne’s life is thrown upside down because of her discovery of Stefan’s supposed death and apparent betrayal. I found Anne to be a strong and stubborn woman who has had a terrible past few years filled with heartbreak and grief. And although I could see this in her, I didn’t feel a true connection to her (or any other characters, for that matter) until the very end of the novel. The characters weren’t as important to me as the events that occurred, and I felt that they weren’t as relatable as I’d hoped they would be. I always look for a connection with characters while I am reading, especially an emotional one, but for some reason this novel didn’t quite hit the mark in that department. Although I didn’t connect to the characters, that doesn’t mean they lacked depth. Most, if not all, of the main characters were fleshed out and had a backstory that impacted others or the plot. I loved the hidden layers of some characters, especially those of Stefan, who I spent the entire novel trying to figure out. --- // Writing and Setting // Vidich’s writing is compelling and descriptive, transporting one to an important time in history in which Vidich clearly did their research. Though I am anything but a history expert, I felt that the author did a fantastic job of conveying the importance and stress of Berlin in 1989. Although I hesitate to read historical fiction, the setting of The Matchmaker was my favorite part of the novel. The suspense in the air was clear and made me anxious for Anne as she attempted to navigate this new world of deceit she had been thrown into. --- // Plot // The best way to describe the pace of this novel is as a rollercoaster. The beginning and end of the novel felt as if they dragged on, and it took me a little while to get into the book. However, the action and suspense eventually became more frequent and intriguing towards the middle, and I found myself fascinated by its captivating mystery. The end of The Matchmaker left me in awe, as it was a twist I would have never expected. --- // Overall Review // I was delighted by the suspense of reading The Matchmaker, a thrilling spy novel set in Berlin during 1989. I will definitely be reading more of Vidich’s works. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 23, 2021
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Dec 27, 2021
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Nov 09, 2021
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Hardcover
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1534493794
| 9781534493797
| 1534493794
| 4.08
| 70,804
| Apr 05, 2022
| Apr 05, 2022
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it was ok
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to Simon & Schust Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I am unable to provide a full list of content warnings due to being unable to finish this book. Please educate yourself on the content warnings for this novel before reading. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 2/5 Stars Characters: 1/5 Stars Writing: 2/5 Stars Setting: 2/5 Stars Plot: 3/5 Stars Memorability: 2/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // The first book I read by Rachael Lippincott was Five Feet Apart, and I loved it! So, I was very excited when I found out that Lippincott was writing a sapphic novel with their wife. I had high anticipations for She Gets the Girl but was, unfortunately, let down. Whether it’s my general dislike for rom-coms or whether the unrealistic characters threw me off, I was unable to finish reading this novel. --- // Other Information // Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Page Count: 384 pages Release Date: April 5, 2022 Series: None Tags: Fiction, Young adult, Contemporary, Romance, LGBTQ+, Enemies to lovers, Lesbian, Rom-com (Romantic comedy), Sapphic --- // Characters // One of my least favorite parts of this novel is its characters. I so desperately wanted to love the characters, yet they were incredibly too unrealistic and unrelatable for me to connect with or care about them. Told in dual-POV, She Gets the Girl follows the stories of Alex and Molly, two gay women both leaving home to go to college in Pittsburgh. Just before leaving her hometown, Alex breaks up with her girlfriend as the result of an argument over Alex’s unwillingness to commit to a relationship. Molly on the other hand has a crush on Cora Myers, a girl who is totally cool yet practically doesn’t know Molly exists. From the start it is very obvious that Molly and Alex will get together, it’s just a matter of how it happens. Before reading, I was looking forward to the hate-love relationship between the two that was promised. Unfortunately, even before the two characters met, I found myself indifferent to their lives and relationships. They both seemed dull, like there was something crucial missing to them that would have made them lively and realistic. --- // Writing and Setting // The writing is not as compelling as I would have preferred. It’s your typical YA contemporary novel. I found it appealing that the events of She Gets the Girl take place at a college, rather than high school (which seems to be very popular with YA novels). It was something fresh in an otherwise dull novel. --- // Plot // The plot was what kept me reading as long as I did. I was struggling to get through the book, as it is very slow-paced and disjointed at first (for the first 20% of the book, at least). I only ended up reading to the 20% mark, because I was just so bored. However, I read that far for the promise of two new college students trying to get girlfriends but falling in love with each other instead. I was excited when I first got the chance to read this book because of the premise, however, so many other issues were hard to overlook and made this book unreadable (for me at least). --- // Overall Review // I’m not opposed to trying to read this novel again another time. There wasn’t necessarily anything wrong with it, it just wasn’t for me. I find that I hardly ever like contemporary novels, and especially not rom-coms. If I do, there has to be something unique about the book, it seems. Regardless, if you are a fan of Rachael Lippincott’s works and are looking for a sapphic rom-com to read, She Gets the Girl will be perfect for you. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 04, 2022
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Jan 16, 2022
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Nov 06, 2021
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Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
1922311413
| 9781922311412
| 1922311413
| 4.31
| 147
| Oct 07, 2021
| Oct 07, 2021
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it was amazing
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Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Benjami Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Benjamin J. Ryan and Odyssey Books for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All quotes are taken from Beckoning of the Gate by Benjamin J. Ryan. // Book Content Warnings: violence, death, sexual assault, harassment // – Please educate yourself on the potential content warnings for this novel before reading, as I may have missed some here. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 5/5 Stars Plot: 5/5 Stars Setting: 5/5 Stars Characters: 5/5 Stars Writing: 5/5 Stars Memorability: 5/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // A beautifully written and magical tale, the first novel in The Vāyilian Threads series is a masterpiece full of adventure, danger, and high stakes. Unlike any fantasy novel I have read before, Beckoning of the Gate was a fantastically thrilling and compelling journey that left me yearning for more. --- “‘Your fear is good, Santha. It tells you that you are alive, and drives you to be cautious with that life. The danger you face is very real, but you have been chosen for a reason. Just like you and I were to meet, the path to your destiny is set before you.'” --- // Other Information // Publisher: Odyssey Books Page Count: 430 pages Release Date: October 7, 2021 Series: The Vāyilian Threads #1 Genre: Fiction, Adult, Young adult, Fantasy, Dark fantasy, High fantasy, Adventure --- // Book Description (from Goodreads) // The only life Santha Lathagin has ever known has become her prison. Vicious gossip is everywhere. Whispers of a scandal have turned to accusations of murder, and fingers are pointing her way. Feeling powerless and alone, she yearns for escape. When Santha stumbles upon a small, rusted key in the forest near her home, it seems her silent pleas have been answered. Awakened by her touch, the key demands to be heard—and she is not the only one to heed its call. Thrust into a world only glimpsed in the stories of her childhood—of faeries and princes and eldritch magick— Santha sets out to unlock its secrets. But uncovering the truth has its own perils, and as the key’s influence grows, she will be left with a choice: survival or sacrifice. But will it truly be hers to make? … All the while, in the north, something ancient stirs. A great power that could unravel the very threads of existence. --- // Characters // The characters within this novel’s pages are rich and full of life. Santha Lathagin, a young woman from a small farm town called Silver Valley in the highlands of southern Seratora, one of the four kingdoms. Santha is going through a rough time in her small town, with rumors of murder surrounding her. Nevertheless, she continues to take care of her goats while staying at her friend Dandon’s school. At first, Santha is presented as a simple yet headstrong young lady with nothing but a simple life. However, when she discovers a mysterious key in the forest, all Santha has known is turned upside down. The key chooses her for a purpose, one which Santha must discover. What Santha doesn’t expect is the interest of wights (fae) in the key. I admired the evolution of Santha over time. Once she knows her presence draws wights and endangers her town, she decides to leave and discover the purpose of the key. Dandon, however, refuses to let her leave town until she has a basic understanding of survival and wights. This knowledge does not come to her right away, instead, she must work for it. She is a realistic yet strong protagonist who is also likable. I’ve already mentioned Dandon D’Avery, Silver Valley’s teacher of all things fae, but there are other amazing and fascinating characters that make this story unique. Throughout Santha’s journey, she goes in and out of contact with Erodius Moureaux, a bold and foolhardy young man who becomes obsessed with her (and she, him). Besides Erod, Santha is accompanied by a magical ‘dog’ by the name of Biahnd, who was created by Dandon. Sassy and adorable, Biahnd is the companion anyone on the run would wish for. The wights, or fae, in this novel are spectacularly created and magical. The challenges they present to Santha add grit and struggle to the story. --- “‘Let me tell you a little secret. Destiny. Fate. It is not a passageway—narrow, enclosed, predetermined with a destination irrevocably set—but rather, a field as far as the eye can see with any number of routes to take.'” --- // Writing and Setting // Ryan does a great job of describing everything perfectly with an atmosphere of magic and darkness. The world is so full of depth and history, which the author is fantastic at conveying to the reader. In this world, there are four kingdoms, two of which are Seratora and Calig. Wights have been around for as long as Santha can remember, but have kept to the shadows for so long that many people regard them as fantasy. “Like the two main societies of fae, the two temperaments: seelie and unseelie. The former were considered to be benevolent in nature, the latter less so, and with an insatiable hatred towards humanity.” The fae follow the orders of the most powerful wights. The entire story is rich with colorful and mystical places, characters, atmosphere, and history. --- // Plot // As I mentioned earlier, Santha discovers a mysterious key that is essentially a beacon to all wights, though for what, no one knows. This is what Santha must discover: the purpose of the key and why it has chosen her as its keeper. Santha undergoes multiple trials during which she grows as a person. Through loss, chaos, and destruction she must learn her true destiny while protecting those around her. Beckoning of the Gate was entertaining and fast-paced with nothing unnecessary throughout. I loved every chapter and page, for each added more to a story I could not wait to discover the bittersweet ending to. --- “Whatever was to come, she made a vow: never again would she let others pay the price for her own choices. No matter the cost to herself.” --- // Overall Review // I loved the feeling of adventure that Beckoning of the Gate gave me as I read of Santha’s journey to save her world and friends. Unique and mesmerizing, I could not put this book down and loved every moment. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 26, 2021
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Dec 11, 2021
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Oct 26, 2021
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Paperback
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1625862083
| 9781625862082
| 1625862083
| 3.97
| 10,433
| Sep 01, 2021
| Sep 01, 2021
|
it was amazing
|
Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Jonatha Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Jonathan Durham and Credo House Publishers for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. // Book Content Warnings: death, violence, torture, animal cruelty, blood, stabbings // – Before reading this novel, please be aware that while I try my best to disclose any potential content warnings for novels I review, I may have missed some. Please educate yourself on the CW for this novel before reading, as there are many violent scenes and gruesome details. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 5/5 Stars Plot: 5/5 Stars Setting: 5/5 Stars Characters: 5/5 Stars Writing: 5/5 Stars Memorability: 5/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // Taking its rightful spot as my favorite book this year (and maybe of all time), Winterset Hollow is an immaculate mixture of good, evil, darkness, and light that had me hooked from beginning to end. Twisted and unexpected, I could not put this novel down until I knew the outcome of the horrific events that took place in this wonderfully mysterious and suspenseful novel. --- // Other Information // Publisher: Credo House Publishers Page Count: 286 pages Release Date: September 1, 2021 Series: None Genre: Fiction, Adult, Mystery, Fantasy, Dark fantasy, Drama, Horror, Thriller, Suspense, Adventure --- // Book Description (from Goodreads) // Everyone has wanted their favorite book to be real, if only for a moment. Everyone has wished to meet their favorite characters, if only for a day. But be careful in that wish, for even a history laid in ink can be repaid in flesh and blood, and reality is far deadlier than fiction . . . especially on Addington Isle. Winterset Hollow follows a group of friends to the place that inspired their favorite book-a timeless tale about a tribe of animals preparing for their yearly end-of-summer festival. But after a series of shocking discoveries, they find that much of what the world believes to be fiction is actually fact, and that the truth behind their beloved story is darker and more dangerous than they ever imagined. It’s Barley Day . . . and you’re invited to the hunt. Winterset Hollow is as thrilling as it is terrifying and as smart as it is surprising. A uniquely original story filled with properly unexpected twists and turns, Winterset Hollow delivers complex, indelible characters and pulse-pounding action as it storms toward an unforgettable climax that will leave you reeling. How do you celebrate Barley Day? You run, friend. You run. --- // Characters // The novel introduces the reader to a trio of friends by the names of Eamon, Caroline, and Mark. Immediately, I was struck by how real Durham’s characters felt. It was almost as if I could envision them and reach forward to pat them on the shoulder. Their love for one another and friendship was apparent, making me automatically attached to the three. Eamon is a traumatized man whose childhood first consisted of living in the woods with his seemingly crazy father, then foster homes due to his dad’s disappearance. I couldn’t help but feel bad for Eamon from the start, for he had a confusing and, as I said, traumatic childhood. Caroline is a headstrong and lively woman who is dating the oblivious Mark. All three are on a trip to Addington Isle, the island which inspired the book Winterset Hollow, a book that got Eamon through his childhood. Yes, everyone, this is a book within a book, so get excited. *MILD SPOILERS* Once the three get to the island, the reader is introduced to the characters within the beloved Winterset Hollow: Runny (a rabbit), Flackwell (a frog), Finn (a fox), and Bing (a bear). These four are adorable at the start, but crueler intentions lay beneath the surface. The depth of each character and their relationships is so thoroughly written and undeniably realistic. The creativity with which Durham has written his characters is unbelievable. --- // Writing and Setting // Winterset Hollow is at first glance a fantasy novel that is light and jovial. However, underneath there are many gloomy and disastrous layers that are peeled back and observed throughout the progression of the story. The atmosphere of the novel is similar to its writing and best described as fantastically layered. One of the most important places in the novel is Addington Isle, the island that is supposedly magical, wonderful, and beautiful. --- // Plot // There is so much to discuss when it comes to the plot of Winterset Hollow. Not only are there so many terrifying horror and action scenes, but also a string of mysteries can be found throughout. As I’ve mentioned, Eamon and his friends take a trip to Winterset Hollow‘s place of origin, Addington Isle, home of the book’s author (not Jonathan Durham, instead E. B. Addington). They discover that the characters they grew up loving are real and inhabit Addington Isle. They’re invited to join in the Barley Day feast (a tradition of celebration for the Hollow’s characters), but things take a darker turn as the history of cruelty inflicted upon the Hollow’s animals comes back to haunt Addington Isle’s visitors. --- // Overall Review // Winterset Hollow is an unforgettable book that is impactful and deeply layered. I loved its twists and turns, characters, atmosphere, and horror. Overall, Winterset Hollow was a fantastic novel that I will never forget. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 12, 2021
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Nov 20, 2021
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Oct 15, 2021
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Paperback
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1250790824
| 9781250790828
| 1250790824
| 3.44
| 2,463
| Jul 12, 2022
| Jul 12, 2022
|
liked it
|
Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Wednesd Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. // Content Warnings: mental and physical abuse, violence, suicide, dental trauma, guns, postpartum depression, drug usage, animal death, blood, and abuse by an alcoholic parent // Please educate yourself on the content warnings for this novel before reading, as I may have missed some in my review. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 3.5/5 Stars Characters: 3/5 Stars Writing: 5/5 Stars Setting: 3/5 Stars Plot: 3/5 Stars Memorability: 4/5 Stars --- // 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. --- // 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 --- // 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. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 08, 2022
|
Jul 17, 2022
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Oct 15, 2021
|
Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
1611883180
| 9781611883183
| 1611883180
| 3.76
| 42
| unknown
| Dec 07, 2021
|
it was ok
|
Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to David Biddle a Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to David Biddle and The Story Plant for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. // Book Content Warnings: transphobia (deadnaming, harassment, etc.), harassment, assault // – Please be aware that I might have missed some potential content warnings. There is a great deal of transphobia and transphobic characters in this novel, so please keep that in mind before reading. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 2.5/5 Stars Plot: 1/5 Stars Setting: 3/5 Stars Characters: 1/5 Stars Writing: 3/5 Stars Memorability: 4/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // While I expected a novel exploring a discovery of identity and self, I was met with a novel full of transphobia that had seemingly no end. I was utterly disappointed by the novel and its many aspects, for I was so looking forward to reading this book. --- // Other Information // Publisher: The Story Plant Page Count: 352 pages Release Date: December 7, 2021 Series: None Genre: Fiction, Young adult, Coming of age, Contemporary --- // Book Description (from Goodreads) // It’s the summer of 2013 and 15-year-old Ivy Scattergood has traveled with her family to their vacation home in Maine. The Scattergoods are a blended, mixed-race family with old Philadelphia area Quaker roots. Ivy loves the Red Sox, one single music group at a time (this year it’s Johnnyswim), helping make dinner every night, and this guy in Maine named Bailey Cooper. Ivy also has no interest in makeup, heels, dresses, and most of the basic assumptions people make about what it means to be a teenage girl — but don’t call her a Tomboy, at least to her face. Then her cousin Robert from San Diego (also 15) comes to visit — as a beautiful, glamorous young woman who has re-named herself Rita Gomez. Thus begins a summer where Ivy’s worldview will expand, where she will discover new layers to herself and those around her, and where stepping forward into the unknown will emerge as a bold adventure. Lyrically written and brimming with spirit, OLD MUSIC FOR NEW PEOPLE is a luminous work of fiction. --- // Characters // The main character, Ivy, is completely unlikable and transphobic (I’ll get into it later). But, to be honest, (besides Rita) all of the characters are. Ivy is a 15-year-old girl with a major case of “not like other girls” syndrome. I found her to be entirely self-obsessed, obnoxious, and snobby. Rita, the real star of the show, is a teen trans-woman who visits Ivy and her family during the summer at their vacation home. Rita was the only decent character in this novel. I really felt for her and the battle that she must go through while living with her atrocious family. None of the people she comes in contact with are understanding of her identity as a trans-woman and the struggles she endures. Now, about the transphobia in the novel… The story is told from the point of view of Ivy, whose internal monologue consists of criticizing and observing Rita. There are many moments where Ivy describes how Rita must be making a mistake in being trans because you are who you were born as. Oh, and let me not forget the scene where Ivy, Rita, and the rest of the family go to a Red Sox game. During this scene, Rita becomes upset and hides from the rest of the family but comes back even more upset. Ivy questions her about the situation, which is a good idea. However, Rita leaves again and this time Ivy decides to follow her. Rita reveals that while in the bathroom, two women and two men cornered her and not only verbally harassed her but also physically assaulted her. Ivy takes this situation and decides to lecture Rita about the difficulties that come with being trans. She uses this as reasoning for why Rita should not be trans, as if it is a choice. I really hoped that over the course of the story, Ivy would learn more about being trans through Rita and become more understanding. I hoped this evolution of mindset would occur for all of the characters. However, the only difference between the characters at the start and end of the novel is that they no longer hide their opinion of trans people, rather they tell Rita what they think straight to her face. I am not sure whether this was the author’s intention, or not, but either way, 99% of the characters in this novel are unapologetically transphobic. --- // Writing and Setting // The writing was compelling and realistic; it felt like I was inside a teenager’s head. The vacation home that Ivy’s family owns sounds fantastic and made the book have that summer feel to it. With oncoming snow in my area, the summer vibes were welcome. --- // Plot // The entire novel centers around how much Rita being trans affects the rest of her family. I honestly cannot point out any other point of focus in the book. Ivy’s entire conflict she must overcome is how ‘weird’ Rita is and how ‘unnatural’ being trans is. It really felt like Rita was supposed to be an antagonist and burden upon the rest of the characters. The use of a trans-woman to push along the plot and be the ‘villain’ of others’ stories really pushed me the wrong way. --- // Overall Review // I had high expectations but was severely disappointed with this novel. The amount of transphobia in this book really put a damper on the self-discovery that was promised. I felt that it did the opposite of what it tried to accomplish. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 22, 2021
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Nov 26, 2021
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Oct 08, 2021
|
Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
1633375099
| 9781633375093
| 1633375099
| 4.09
| 784
| Sep 06, 2021
| Sep 06, 2021
|
it was amazing
|
Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Boyle & Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- A huge thank you to Boyle & Dalton and Natalie Symons for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. // Book Content Warnings: death, murder, kidnapping, pedophilia, alcoholism, mental illness, self-harm, eating disorder, attempted drowning, homophobia (slurs), racism, sexual harassment, sexual assault, violence // – There are some graphic and disturbing scenes in this novel, so please educate yourself on the content warnings before reading, as I might have missed some. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 5/5 Stars Plot: 5/5 Stars Setting: 5/5 Stars Characters: 5/5 Stars Writing: 5/5 Stars Memorability: 5/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // Lies in Bone is a curiosity-inducing novel that examines the fragility of humanity and truth through the lens of a teen in the 80’s. Full of family secrets, lies, and discoveries, Natalie Symon’s thrilling novel took me on an electrifying ride with its vulnerable and realistic characters. --- // Other Information // Publisher: Boyle & Dalton Page Count: 402 pages Release Date: September 6, 2021 Series: None Genre: Fiction, Adult, Young adult, Coming of age, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Thriller, LGBTQ+ --- // Book Description (from Goodreads) // Told by a tart-tongued young woman with a love of Bruce Springsteen, Lies in Bone is at once a mystery and coming-of-age tale fueled by dark secrets involving love, murder, and the truths worth lying for. On Halloween 1963, eleven-year-old Chuck Coolidge and his brother Danny are lost in a toxic smog covering the steel town of Slippery Elm, Pennsylvania. When the smog lifts, half the town is sick and twenty people are dead. And Danny is missing. Now, over twenty years later, Chuck’s teenage daughter Frank plots escape from this “busted and disgusted” town. When a murdered child is found in the river, investigators link the crime to the disappearance of Danny in ’63, and Frank’s life is turned upside down. In the face of her worst fears, she must uncover her family’s dark past if she wants to keep her sister Boots from the hands of The State. Led to discover the unimaginable truth about Danny’s disappearance, Lies in Bone culminates in a shocking eleventh-hour reveal and an emotionally charged finale. --- // Characters // Lies in Bone boasts a large cast of realistic and complex characters who are utterly human. I felt such deep connections to many of the characters, especially Frank, the main character whose story Lies in Bone tells. Frances (Frank) Coolidge is a fiery, determined, and responsible teen whose family is anything but functional. She’s the best big sister who’s always looking out for her little sister, Boots. Frank’s entire life is thrown upside down when her family moves to Slippery Elm to take care of her grandmother. Frank meets her best friend Ray, the taboo gay kid in a small town, and begins to adjust to her future in a dreary small town in a house full of secrets. Frank learns things she never knew about her family, specifically that she has a missing uncle, Danny. Her dad, Chuck, apparently neglected to tell her that on Halloween 1963, his little brother went missing and his own mother thought he was responsible. Frank begins her own investigation into the family secrets that her grandmother and father refuse to discuss. She refuses to give up until the very end, she is determined to solve a 20+-year-old cold case because it is just too personal. One of my favorite characters, Ray, is Frank’s best friend. I loved the realistic inclusion of a gay and POC character, and the criticism of homophobia. Ray is a relief in the continual darkness of a small town in the ’80s that is wrapped up in murders and disappearances. Frank’s mysterious and seriously messed up father, Chuck Coolidge, is a bundle of good and bad. I have mixed feelings about him, just as Frank does. To be honest, Frank, the 16-year-old, is more responsible than her father. To give Chuck some grace, he was looked upon as the murderer of two young boys at a young age, one of the boys being his own little brother. But still, his actions are questionable. Now, while I may love Ray, I love Boots a whole lot more. She is the most adorable character who is just along for the crazy and disturbing ride. I felt so sorry for Boots, as she is a young child experiencing the horrendous events in this novel. One of the aspects I most admire about this book’s characters is the growth all of them undergo. I was able to watch Frank and Boots grow up and adapt amidst the chaos. --- // Writing and Setting // The novel was full of fast-paced and slower-paced sections that balanced out perfectly and created a thrilling adventure. It was dark, twisted, terrifying, and disturbing. I loved reading about the dark corners of the small town of Slippery Elms during the late ’80s. The novel takes place in the ’80s (I love, love, love media set in the ’70s-’80s) in the decrepit small town of Slippery Elms that has a history of child disappearances and murders. The atmosphere was chilling and sinister, adding more to the suspense of the story. --- // Plot // There were so many twists-and-turns and ups-and-downs throughout Lies in Bone that I was shaking with anticipation. Discovering answers to questions burning in my mind was satisfying yet torturous since more mysteries were introduced along the way. Frank describes the moment her life began to plummet into darkness as the ominous move to Slippery Elms to take care of her grandmother. The start of the novel builds up deliciously to an apogee full of thrills. Murder, disappearances, family secrets, town secrets, crooked characters, and shady events can all be found within the pages of this anxiety-inducing novel. I truly do not want to say much about specific events in this novel, as every little discovery was a magnificent discovery for me and I do not want to ruin that experience for everyone else. --- // Overall Review // Lies in Bone is one of the most thrilling novels I have read in a long time. It has paved its way onto my list of favorite books. It was perfect in many aspects and kept me intrigued until the very end. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 02, 2021
|
Nov 12, 2021
|
Oct 05, 2021
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Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
3.36
| 5,206
| Jan 18, 2022
| 2022
|
it was amazing
|
Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to St. Martin’s P Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews. Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews. --- Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. // Book Content Warnings: alcohol, blood, gore, mention of homophobia, mental illness, panic attacks, violence, disassociation, implied sexual content, sexual content, mention of sexual harassment, insanity, intrusive thoughts, disturbing scenes, death, death of an animal, graphic violence, sexism, pedophilia, sexual assault, sexual harassment, murder // – As always, please educate yourself on the content warnings for this novel before reading. This novel is especially heavy and contains many disturbing and dark scenes/themes that can make one very uncomfortable. --- // Quick Statistics // Overall: 5/5 Stars – I would rate it higher if I could. Characters: 5/5 Stars Writing: 5/5 Stars Setting: 5/5 Stars Plot: 5/5 Stars Memorability: 5/5 Stars --- // Quick Review // Such a Pretty Smile is a chill-inducing novel that examines the patriarchy and sexism through a terrifying tale of death and mystery. Oozing horror at every flip of the page, I could not put this electrifying novel down until I read it cover to cover. Filled with relatable characters and emotion, Such a Pretty Smile was overtly thrilling, blood-curdling, and above all, powerful. --- “Those pure, innocent girls kept from anything that defined them in the name of protection, while their brothers carried on as if there was nothing to fear. But for them, there wasn’t. They would never understand the inherent trepidation that came as a result of being wrapped in girl flesh.” --- // Other Information // Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Page Count: 320 pages Release Date: January 18, 2022 Series: None Genre: Fiction, Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary, Horror, Suspense, Supernatural, Dark, Gore, Feminism --- // Book Description (from Goodreads) // A biting novel from an electrifying new voice, Such a Pretty Smile is a heart-stopping tour-de-force about powerful women, angry men, and all the ways in which girls fight against the forces that try to silence them. There’s something out there that’s killing. Known only as The Cur, he leaves no traces, save for the torn bodies of girls, on the verge of becoming women, who are known as trouble-makers; those who refuse to conform, to know their place. Girls who don’t know when to shut up. 2019: Thirteen-year-old Lila Sawyer has secrets she can’t share with anyone. Not the school psychologist she’s seeing. Not her father, who has a new wife, and a new baby. And not her mother—the infamous Caroline Sawyer, a unique artist whose eerie sculptures, made from bent twigs and crimped leaves, have made her a local celebrity. But soon Lila feels haunted from within, terrorized by a delicious evil that shows her how to find her voice—until she is punished for using it. 2004: Caroline Sawyer hears dogs everywhere. Snarling, barking, teeth snapping that no one else seems to notice. At first, she blames the phantom sounds on her insomnia and her acute stress in caring for her ailing father. But then the delusions begin to take shape—both in her waking hours, and in the violent, visceral sculptures she creates while in a trance-like state. Her fiancé is convinced she needs help. Her new psychiatrist waves her “problem” away with pills. But Caroline’s past is a dark cellar, filled with repressed memories and a lurking horror that the men around her can’t understand. As past demons become a present threat, both Caroline and Lila must chase the source of this unrelenting, oppressive power to its malignant core. Brilliantly paced, unsettling to the bone, and unapologetically fierce, Such a Pretty Smile is a powerful allegory for what it can mean to be a woman, and an untamed rallying cry for anyone ever told to sit down, shut up, and smile pretty. --- // Characters // The novel follows the past and present of Caroline Sawyer and her 13-year-old daughter, Lila. Before really going into Caroline and Lila, I want to mention how realistic, deep, and relatable the characters of this novel truly were. As this novel deals strongly with sexism, misogyny, and the patriarchy, both Caroline and Lila deal with various frustrating scenarios in which I was also frustrated. The author does a fantastic job of conveying the emotions of their characters to the reader, which made me become even more attached to their lively characters. Caroline is an artist whose life has been anything but easy. Though she does not remember, at a young age she was kidnapped by the infamous ‘serial killer’ ‘The Cur’. Though still alive in 2019, Caroline was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2004 when she started seeing ‘visions’ of strange half dog/half man creatures in the corner of her room, heard unreal dogs barking, and lost time as the days went by; all around the time of a series of murders and mutilations. Called crazy, Caroline submits to her drug-induced stupor and recommits her life to art in order to take care of her daughter, Lila. However, throughout the novel we see a new side of Caroline: the strong, powerful, and headstrong Caroline. In 2019, Lila is a 13-year-old with a crush on her homophobic best friend, Macie. It really cannot get worse than that: being in middle school while having a crush on your unattainable best (and only) friend. Alas, it does. Another series of young girls going missing and turning up murdered occurs, seemingly inducing a strange switch in Lila’s personality. Lila begins to hear dogs barking that aren’t there, see things that also aren’t, and becomes malicious. Caroline, of course, is disturbed by this change in her sweet baby. Things only get worse as more murders occur and Lila feels pressured by Macie to become increasingly different and rebellious. All of DeMeester’s characters were utterly realistic and relatable. As I said, the personalities of each character shone through and made me become even more connected to the characters and the story. --- // Writing and Setting // DeMeester’s writing is true magic, one that can transport you from your dimly lit room at night to an eerie scene. Everything was described in graphic detail, but not to the point of boredom. I could truly envision everything that occured in the novel and felt like I was there, which made the book’s horror even more terrifying. The in depth and practically poetic descriptions of this book’s events provided many gory scenes. Dark and energetic, the atmosphere of Such a Pretty Smile was inescapable and deliciously malevolent. The novel splits between Caroline and Lila’s points of view. Caroline’s POV differs between 2004 and 2019, which provides a unique view of past and current events in the book. --- // Plot // I have nothing but good words to say about Such a Pretty Smile‘s perfectly paced and anxiety-inducing plot. Every little detail is important in this novel, and you never have a good idea of what is truly real or false until the very end. Never a dull moment, Such a Pretty Smile is terrifying throughout the novel and never stops being so. The story centers around the lives of Caroline and Lila while a series of murders and mutilations occurs seemingly in the background. But, with Such a Pretty Smile, nothing is ever as it seems. Things become particularly serious for Caroline and Lila as Lila seems to change overnight and Caroline relives a similar killing spree from years before. --- // Overall Review // Such a Pretty Smile was eerily entertaining and powerful, conveying a strong message about the origin of women’s daily fear of the outside world. I cannot think of a better horror book I have read, for Such a Pretty Smile is the epitome of a perfect novel. --- FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 22, 2021
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Dec 24, 2021
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Sep 24, 2021
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my rating |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.30
|
liked it
|
Aug 05, 2024
|
Jun 27, 2024
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||||||
3.91
|
it was amazing
|
Oct 24, 2022
|
Sep 16, 2022
|
||||||
4.05
|
really liked it
|
Jan 31, 2023
|
Aug 24, 2022
|
||||||
4.21
|
really liked it
|
Oct 13, 2022
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Jul 21, 2022
|
||||||
3.94
|
it was amazing
|
Jul 23, 2022
|
Jul 09, 2022
|
||||||
3.16
|
liked it
|
Jul 30, 2022
|
Jul 07, 2022
|
||||||
4.03
|
really liked it
|
Jul 02, 2022
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May 04, 2022
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||||||
3.26
|
liked it
|
Sep 19, 2022
|
Apr 20, 2022
|
||||||
3.35
|
it was ok
|
Jun 13, 2022
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Apr 01, 2022
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||||||
4.02
|
it was ok
|
Apr 04, 2022
|
Dec 31, 2021
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||||||
3.90
|
really liked it
|
Feb 26, 2022
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Dec 27, 2021
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||||||
3.32
|
it was amazing
|
Jul 08, 2022
|
Dec 14, 2021
|
||||||
3.72
|
really liked it
|
Dec 27, 2021
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Nov 09, 2021
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||||||
4.08
|
it was ok
|
Jan 16, 2022
|
Nov 06, 2021
|
||||||
4.31
|
it was amazing
|
Dec 11, 2021
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Oct 26, 2021
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||||||
3.97
|
it was amazing
|
Nov 20, 2021
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Oct 15, 2021
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||||||
3.44
|
liked it
|
Jul 17, 2022
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Oct 15, 2021
|
||||||
3.76
|
it was ok
|
Nov 26, 2021
|
Oct 08, 2021
|
||||||
4.09
|
it was amazing
|
Nov 12, 2021
|
Oct 05, 2021
|
||||||
3.36
|
it was amazing
|
Dec 24, 2021
|
Sep 24, 2021
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