chapters_w_mathew's Reviews (23)

Glow of the Everflame

Penn Cole

4.0

adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense 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

The Gate of the Feral Gods

Matt Dinniman

3.75

adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Spark of the Everflame

Penn Cole

4.25

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Fearless

Lauren Roberts

4.0

emotional mysterious sad tense 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: Complicated

Blood of Hercules

Jasmine Mas

3.75

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook

Matt Dinniman

3.5

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Stare

Edward Fleck

3.5

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Like Shutter Island, but with a darker twist—Stare traps you in the mind of a man spiraling through a psych ward, only to reveal he’s been drugged and manipulated by his presumed-dead father as part of a sinister, secretive drug experiment.

Stare by Edward Fleck is a tense, fast-moving psychological horror story with an intriguing premise and plenty of suspense to keep the pages turning. The concept is imaginative and engaging, and Fleck has a clear knack for building tension and crafting memorable plot beats.

While I never found the vocabulary difficult to understand, the word choices at times felt overly elaborate, which occasionally slowed the pacing and made the story feel more drawn out than it needed to be. Additionally, the characters—though interesting—often shared similar voices, which made it harder to distinguish between them and fully connect on an individual level.

Still, Stare is a solid and enjoyable read, especially for those who appreciate a story that blends intensity with creativity. With some refinement in character voice and pacing, Fleck’s work has the potential to become even more impactful in future projects.