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2.83k reviews by:
betweentheshelves
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this to review! Generally, I’m not a horror genre kind of person, but I love everything that Tiffany D. Jackson writes. No exceptions here! As her first foray into the horror genre, it accomplished all of its spooky glory. For the most part.
First, Jackson does a great job from the beginning creating a spooky atmosphere, one where you know something sinister is going on right from page one. This book is pitched as Get Out meets The Haunting of Hill House, and honestly, that’s the perfect description for the way this book feels. For instance, things are happening behind closed doors, and no one really wants Mari and her family there. It just adds to the spooky nature of what’s happening in their house.
For the most part, the characters are well fleshed out and add a lot to the story. Mari has a severe phobia of bed bugs, and her anxiety is part of what helps in building the suspense. As events in the house start to escalate, I couldn't put the book down!
However, the ending felt too abrupt to me. Honestly, there’s a lot of buildup for a great resolution, with parallels to what’s happening in the real world. We get a little bit of resolution, but I wanted more! Usually I’m okay with open endings, but another 10 or 15 pages I think would have pushed it to where it needed to be.
All in all, if you’re looking for a great spooky book to add to your fall TBR, this one will definitely fit the bill!
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Perfectly creepy and un-put-downable, but that ending! I just wanted a bit more from the ending. More to come in a review next week!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was definitely not for me. For a good majority of the book, Grace had a crush on one of her teachers, which was kind of cringey. Yes, this happens in high school, but I don't know. Something about the way it was written just didn't jive with me. I also didn't particularly like Grace as a character. I kind of got where she was coming from, but it also made the book itself hard to read for me. As someone who reads for character, this definitely threw me and made it hard for me to get into the book.
The writing style also felt odd. It was hard for me to tell how much time was actually passing. At times, it felt like too much time? I don't even know how to explain it. All around, this book was just a miss.
The writing style also felt odd. It was hard for me to tell how much time was actually passing. At times, it felt like too much time? I don't even know how to explain it. All around, this book was just a miss.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this entire thing in one sitting and man, is it well done. I was impressed from beginning to end. More to come in a review later this week!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Grief
Moderate: Medical content, Mass/school shootings
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to Tor Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this to review! I’ve written about my love for TJ Klune before, but I absolutely adored this book. Seriously, Hugo and Wallace were just so adorable and cute and everything about their relationship really tore at your heartstrings. No one writes emotion like Klune does!
I’m only going to make one complaint about this book and it’s about the summary that’s included on Goodreads/the book jacket. Some of those events don’t happen until at least halfway through the book! Book summaries are supposed to give you a taste, not tell you everything that happens in the book.
Anyway, I digress. I truly believe that TJ Klune is a king of writing character, emotion, and found family. Wallace is totally, completely unlikable at the beginning, but everything changes once he meets Hugo. And Hugo! What an adorable cinnamon roll of a man. I never wanted anything bad to happen to him, and he absolutely deserved the world.
The world building was also really well done here. I enjoyed the way Klune imagined the afterlife and it worked really well for the story. I want to go to Hugo’s tea shop and just enjoy a cup of tea with them. When you read the book, I know you will too!
Coming off the success of The House in the Cerulean Sea, I think TJ Klune will have another hit on his hands. Fans of that book will definitely enjoy this one as well. Definitely be on the lookout for it when it comes out in September!
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TJ Klune does it again! All the feels with this book. More to come in a review later this week!
TJ Klune does it again! All the feels with this book. More to come in a review later this week!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Grief
Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, Death of parent, Murder
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For some reason I thought this was more of a companion novel, but you definitely can't read this without reading A Song Below Water. Which you should definitely read because it's also an amazing book!
What I liked about this one were the many discussions about how society views Black girls and Black women. The metaphor with these magical abilities and Naema tackles these issues head on. I also liked how this built on the world we got in A Song Below Water, expanding it and giving us more characters and more interaction with society in general. Overall, a really great read!
What I liked about this one were the many discussions about how society views Black girls and Black women. The metaphor with these magical abilities and Naema tackles these issues head on. I also liked how this built on the world we got in A Song Below Water, expanding it and giving us more characters and more interaction with society in general. Overall, a really great read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Stalking
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this to review! From the dazzling cover, I knew there was going to be something I liked about this book. And I am happy to say that it lived up to my expectations!
This is a historical fantasy, and overall, it’s really well done. Smith does such an excellent job crafting this world, and then slowly revealing it to you throughout the story. As Frances is learning, so is the reader. Not only does the magical world feel fully realized, but also the historical one. Smith merged them so well that the two worlds work together seamlessly.
And the characters! While Frances gets a little in her head at times, the romance and the friendships she makes add even more to the story. The mystery behind her journey also keeps you turning the pages, adding twists and turns that make the book all the more exciting. Overall, even if there were some slower moments, this book is sure to keep you hooked.
Plus, it’s coming out just in time for fall spooky season! Which will be the perfect time to read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beautiful, lyrical storytelling that absolutely lends itself to re-telling of Asian folklore. Honestly, I would say the audiobook is the way to go because it's mesmerizing. I had a hard time stopping when I was done driving. Lim definitely knows how to craft worlds, create beautiful characters, and keep you on the edge of your seat.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Self harm, Death of parent
Minor: Body horror
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am so torn about this ending! What a cliffhanger, honestly. Do they end up together or not?? I desperately need to know. Honestly, I wanted more from Taichi and Kohei in this volume and I just didn't get it. Still love the characters, the discussions about thd deaf/hard of hearing community, though. That on its own is worth 4 stars.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This wasn't my favorite volume so far, as there's a good chunk where Taichi and Kohei weren't even really talking. The art is still great, though! And I really enjoy the discussions about the deaf community. They're important and I don't see it nearly often enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The sister relationship dynamics is probably the best thing about this book. The thriller/mystery lacked a little for me, as I mostly guessed what was going to happen from the beginnig. This would definitely be a good read-a-like for those who like One of Us Is Lying, though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Abortion, Murder, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse