night0wl_23's Reviews (144)

Good collection of different stories in a variety of writing styles.
Overall book rating is the rounded average of the ratings I gave the individual stories. 

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Cursed Bunny - rating notes

The Head - 3 stars - a little gross, mostly weird. There’s absolutely a metaphor here that I can’t put into words 

The Embodiment - 3 stars - another one with a metaphor I can’t put into words, single mothers? In our society? In this economy? Idk 

Cursed Bunny - 4 stars - karma I guess? Kid didn’t deserve that though 

The Frozen Finger - 4 stars - interesting, confusing (which is purposeful, very well executed), something took her place? 

Snare - 5 stars - oh my god, horrific and gross, a tale about greed? 

Goodbye, My Love - 5 stars - I love love love futuristic stories with androids 

Scars - 4 stars - long and confusing, but it all ties together in the end, very sad 

Home Sweet Home - 3 stars - probably just me not connecting the dots, but felt like a lot of random plot points thrown together without anything connecting them 

Ruler of the Winds and Sands - 5 stars - ALL MEN DO IS LIEEEEEE 

Reunion - 5 stars - existential and incredibly depressing 

GOD I LOVE WARRIOR CATS 
No but seriously, the graphic novels are amazing and captures the characters and plot I love so so much so incredibly well 

There are definitely some authors from this that I’ll check out further, really good read :D

Frank Jones - 3 stars - a little gross, mostly weird 

Dancing - 3 stars - this poor woman, what did she do to deserve that 

Scarlet Ribbons - 3 stars - very immersive but I didn’t understand it ):

Malena - 5 stars - oh my god, parasitic twin 

Dancing with Mirrors - 4 stars - generational eating disorders? Beauty standards, very sad 

Metempsychosis, or The Journey of the Soul - 5 stars - a little fun a little existential, really liked it 

Concealed Carry - 5 stars - wow. Just wow. Commentary on gun laws and abortion bans in the US, showing how dystopian it feels to outsiders. God forbid you get an abortion, life is so precious, but anyone can buy a gun! Famously known for killing people 

Gross Anatomy - 5 stars - horrific and gross, I couldn’t put the book down. I hope he died at the end 

Breathing Exercise - 4 stars - short and straight to the point, very depressing, self destructive 

Muzzle - 3 stars - I’m confused, very descriptive writing though, made me feel gross all over in a positive «this is what I want from body horror» kinda way 

Her Heart May Fail Her - 3 stars - vampires? A bit too short to really get a feeling 

The Chair of Tranquility (from the Diary of Mrs. Thomas Peele, Trenton, New Jersey, 1853) - 5 stars - true horror is found in the past, no imagination needed 

The Seventh Bride, or Female Curiosity - 3 stars - the man got what he deserved 

Nemesis - 3 stars - its body horror, but I’m unsure about the plot? I can’t tell if it’s implied that she gave him the pox or if it’s just a coincidence?? 

Sydney - 4 stars - huhhh 

Average of about 3,8 something can’t remember stars, so I’m rounding it up to 4 stars for the overall review.

I’m speechless. 
Every single character in this book felt so real, so complex and so human. 
Following Bel’s entire life from her first screaming breath to her last, is something I’ve never read before, unique, interesting and so well done.
I don’t even know what to say, it was just incredible. 

I love this book. And I won’t stop thinking about it for a while. 

I read Carmilla in August of last year and in my review I said that I would love to read a book expanding on that story, and well, this book is exactly what I imagined.

The setting and characters are perfect, incredibly detailed with so many layers making the story so incredibly immersive and interesting. 

Reading the historical note at the end told me exactly how much thought and care had been put into bringing this story to life, and it really shows. 

I’ve been stuck in a reading slump for 7 months, but I think Lenore and Carmilla got me out of it, I haven’t consumed a book this fast in so long I forgot what it felt like (still took me two weeks though). 

I will remember this book over the next month while I go into exam crunch season, I’ll remember to take a break to feed my hunger (aka watch hermitcraft). 

This book was so immersive and interesting, I really enjoyed it! 
Only complaint I have is the ending. The entire book was so detailed, just for the ending to wrap up in 20 pages. 
I personally prefer seeing the aftermath in books like this, how did

Imagine handle the publics reaction? What did they do with the captured siren? Did Hallie manage to establish communication?

So many questions with no answers. 
I hope a sequel is in the making, I haven’t had enough of these characters yet. 

Atmospheric, eerie and beautifully written.

Usually I don’t like it when a book leaves me with more questions than answers, but this book is the exception. It just works so well with the themes of love, illness, loss and grief. 

The only thing keeping this from a 5 star is that I am a fantasy girly at heart, and would’ve loved to know just a little bit more about the sea creature. I’m desperate to know what Leah wrote about it. 

I will think about Miri and Leah for a long time. 

I cannot recommend this trilogy enough to fantasy enjoyers. Especially the audiobook version, the narrator is phenomenal. 

The only thing keeping this from 5 stars is because I felt like the ending was a bit short, I really wish it had been drawn out just a bit longer. 

Other than that, the entire trilogy was amazing, heartbreaking and unforgettable.

This book was incredibly predictable from start to finish, with mid world building and no moral of the story. 

I couldn’t connect with the characters because I never got to know them. 
For example,

Emerson is there start to finish but all I really know about him is that he’s ‘logical’. Not because I saw him being logical, but because that’s the only thing Bly described him as. But like, what logical person gets themselves death cursed?

. I don’t know Elise, her death was sad sure, but I don’t notice her loss even though that’s the entire plot of the book. 

Somehow Bly has prepared for the games for an entire year, but at every challenge she has to cheat her way through to win, orrr be lucky enough to catch the eye of a hopelessly romantic suicidal vampire. 

But the side characters will be quick to remind you that they see her strength, and fully believe she can achieve this impossible task. 

Our main character, Bly, isn’t very likeable either. She sees herself as this selfless person trying to revive her sister, but her reasoning is entirely selfish. She’s so selfish and self absorbed that she didn’t even realise her sister and Emerson were friends unrelated to her, she feels horrible for causing Elise’s death, not because she got her sister killed, but because her parents hate her for taking away their perfect daughter.

And the way she thought Emerson joined the games for her? Girly, Elise was his friend too, he joined to try to win Elise’s life back. Not to help you specifically get over your guilt so the two of you can live happily ever after. 

Speaking of guilt and Bly’s motivations, I’m so incredibly disappointed that she didn’t learn anything. At the end, after all the lessons we just went through she’s still the same Bly from the beginning of the story. The only difference is the pain and suffering, and pointless bloodshed she’s caused. 

Onto the romance, zero chemistry for miles. Kerrigan was probably the only interesting character, but still your typical edgy mysterious love interest who’s actually just misunderstood and a sweetheart. 

I hope he never forgives Bly for what she did. After everything he did for her, after opening up about his past and his insecurities, she intended to cause him the same pain she can’t live with.

And to end the review, circling back to the world building. The lore was nice, I liked the detail of history changing based on who you asked. But the game was disappointing. You expect something like Hunger Games, but the party didn’t even face any danger. It was just a walk through the woods, hearing the screams of death in the distance but never having to face it.

I’m disappointed. A really cool concept with really poor execution. 

Haunting and beautiful