shereadytoread's Reviews (806)

This book was such a bore for me. I was disappointed since the premise sounded absolutely perfect but I didn’t enjoy it at all. There was no chemistry between the main characters outside of the spice. The relationship didn’t feel believable at all. The mystery of the curse seemed to ramble and doubt keep me engaged at all. I made it to the end but I think the book stalled for me around halfway through.

No matter the type of horror you enjoy, this book has something for you. Everything from slashers to body-snatchers to space horror to werewolves to cults, you will find it here.

The Black Girl Survives In This One is a great horror anthology featuring black girls who fight and survives horrors of all types. I enjoyed every story I read and the twists of each kept me excited for the next. I cannot wait to pick up the hardcover of this one! It’s definitely going to be a display book for my shelves 💜

My favorites:
1. Welcome Back to the Cosmos, which follows a space scavenger who runs up against an entity who either wants to destroy her or become her.
2. The Black Strings, which follows a young musician cursed with the ability to see people’s unraveling strings of fate but is powerless to prevent their deaths.
3. Harvesters, which follows a young couple headed home from a party with who they believe are friends they are safe with.

Disclaimer: I received a gifted ARC
 

Short, sweet and colorful. Sapphic romance with a sci-fi backdrop.

This was such a beautiful, expressive work. Literally the epitome of "be gay, do crime" but tons of heart and depth. I loved that the book was lighthearted and heartwarming, but delved into serious introspection. The book deals with bodily autonomy, relationships, suicidal ideations, and creating a life you love. The art is bright and fun and really supports the story.

This book was an interesting commentary on the societal pressures of women and the extremes that can arise from refusal to accept ones own differences. It is a quick story told in a first person POV. The It is a rather contained story (few characters, settings, etc) but still makes an impact.

This was a fun little mystery/fantasy with a horror spin later in the story. However, the ending really missed for me. It fell into some really toxic family relationship dynamics and presented them in a way that made it seem that the victim is responsible for repairing. I think they were trying to draw a parallel to the MC's family dynamics but it didn't land. Overall I still think it's a really interesting plot and a good story. The twist worked well. The moving book was definitely a good plot device. 

This was such an engrossing read. As someone with family a small drive from Crownville, MD, I've been aware of the existence of Crownville but not the history until now. Once I started reading this, I couldn't put it down. I finished this in less than 24 hours. We tend to think of the past in such a distant way. Crownsville State Hospital closed during my lifetime (probably the lifetime of anyone reading this as well). Interviews with family members of former patients and with former employees, along with historical archives saved at the last minute have culminated in this amazing work. 

It not only tells the history of the asylum but also discusses the history of mental health treatment, institutions and the continued failures of both asylums and community care. It discussed the criminalization of mental health policies and the increased carceral response to poor and mentally ill community members. Something that strikes me most was a portion in which someone interviewed discussed they were running out of time to tell this story as those who lived it were passing away. How much of our lives and history are loss because there is no one to carry the story? What stories are we carrying? I expect that this is a read I will revisit in the futures. 

Disclaimer: I received a free finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

It's an interesting premise, but gets repetitive quick if you read through them all. I think this is better picked up and put down a few times, instead of read straight through. It's a pocket novelty book and has some gems.