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pineconek's Reviews (816)
challenging
dark
emotional
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
Thanks I love it.
This was a wild ride on audiobook. Both stories developed at an excellent and gripping pace, and the chapters always ended in a cliffhanger. While I did think "oh, come on" after the n-th cliffhanger, it made for a quick and engaging read.
This is a book about a female professor who kills men on campus who, by her standards, deserve it. Her story is alternated with the daily lives of a group of freshmen, told through the eyes of a wallflower who tries to understand the world of college and dating. The overall themes of the book are very dark, and center sexual violence, rightous anger, and revenge.
But it's also a thriller, and one that succeeds in not falling into some of the major traps of the genre. Even though some of the twists and major plot points were moderately guessable, the novel is fun to read and never pulled me out of the story with inaccuracies or bizarre distractions (I won't point fingers at other thrillers that have...). Ultimately, I was successfully thrilled.
Recommended if you enjoy "good for her" books with morally ambiguous protagonists (so... Gone Girl) and are willing to suspend disbelief for a decently researched thriller. 4.5 stars rounded up for how fun is was.
This was a wild ride on audiobook. Both stories developed at an excellent and gripping pace, and the chapters always ended in a cliffhanger. While I did think "oh, come on" after the n-th cliffhanger, it made for a quick and engaging read.
This is a book about a female professor who kills men on campus who, by her standards, deserve it. Her story is alternated with the daily lives of a group of freshmen, told through the eyes of a wallflower who tries to understand the world of college and dating. The overall themes of the book are very dark, and center sexual violence, rightous anger, and revenge.
But it's also a thriller, and one that succeeds in not falling into some of the major traps of the genre. Even though some of the twists and major plot points were moderately guessable, the novel is fun to read and never pulled me out of the story with inaccuracies or bizarre distractions (I won't point fingers at other thrillers that have...). Ultimately, I was successfully thrilled.
Recommended if you enjoy "good for her" books with morally ambiguous protagonists (so... Gone Girl) and are willing to suspend disbelief for a decently researched thriller. 4.5 stars rounded up for how fun is was.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
(review written nearly 3 months after finishing the book, so bear with me here)
I think I loved this!?
"Reprieve" is a real-life, full contact, escape-room-haunted-house experience. And, if you make it through, there's money waiting for you on the other side.
I love a good multi-timeline story with excellent foreshadowing. In one timeline, we share the terror of our handful of protagonists as they travel through the six rooms of the haunted house. These rooms are Weird and the descriptions of the Weird were very good and creepy. Think living dolls coming at you with weapons, sensory deprivation, unseen things that squelch, and body horror galore.
And then we had flashbacks which told the backstory of our protagonists. I have a soft spot for the trope of seemingly unconnected narratives coming together in surprising ways, so I absolutely enjoyed this ride. A story of love (obsession? crush?), culture clashes/culture shock, adolescent follies, and desperation.
To top it off, we were teased with court transcripts. Those are always fun.
Recommended if you like imperfect characters who make each other's lives a little worse, good descriptions of body horror, and a quick paced page turner that packs in many Themes. 4.5 stars rounded up.
I think I loved this!?
"Reprieve" is a real-life, full contact, escape-room-haunted-house experience. And, if you make it through, there's money waiting for you on the other side.
I love a good multi-timeline story with excellent foreshadowing. In one timeline, we share the terror of our handful of protagonists as they travel through the six rooms of the haunted house. These rooms are Weird and the descriptions of the Weird were very good and creepy. Think living dolls coming at you with weapons, sensory deprivation, unseen things that squelch, and body horror galore.
And then we had flashbacks which told the backstory of our protagonists. I have a soft spot for the trope of seemingly unconnected narratives coming together in surprising ways, so I absolutely enjoyed this ride. A story of love (obsession? crush?), culture clashes/culture shock, adolescent follies, and desperation.
To top it off, we were teased with court transcripts. Those are always fun.
Recommended if you like imperfect characters who make each other's lives a little worse, good descriptions of body horror, and a quick paced page turner that packs in many Themes. 4.5 stars rounded up.
