Thank you to the author for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Eric LaRocca has once again w|||
Thank you to the author for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Eric LaRocca has once again written a novella to "bug" all my friends with...pun intended. Much like in "Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke", this book makes you wonder - where is this going? And when you get there, everything clicks into place in the most horrifying way.
The writing in this is quick-paced, blink and you might miss it. There is a level of understanding of the dystopian world that's been built out without ever directly explaining itself, which is genuinely a level of writing expertise I praise highly. The things that occur in this book are jarring, causing one to feel tense during the entire experience. And once you get to the ending, there is a moment of feeling pleased but also shocked at everything that's occurred.
Much like Eric's other works, I would absolutely recommend reading the content and trigger warnings that other reviewers have provided.
Thank you to the author for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Eric LaRocca has once again written a novella to "bug" all my friends with...pun intended. Much like in "Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke", this book makes you wonder - where is this going? And when you get there, everything clicks into place in the most horrifying way.
The writing in this is quick-paced, blink and you might miss it. There is a level of understanding of the dystopian world that's been built out without ever directly explaining itself, which is genuinely a level of writing expertise I praise highly. The things that occur in this book are jarring, causing one to feel tense during the entire experience. And once you get to the ending, there is a moment of feeling pleased but also shocked at everything that's occurred.
Much like Eric's other works, I would absolutely recommend reading the content and trigger warnings that other reviewers have provided.
I have to give this book credit as a middle book in a trilogy, as those often really struggle with maintaining the character personalities and their cI have to give this book credit as a middle book in a trilogy, as those often really struggle with maintaining the character personalities and their core morals, but Owen manages to do that in this book. While the plot wasn't as tightly woven as the first book, our characters felt like coming home. They were just as clever, witty, and silly as they always have been. There are some themes around family being what you make of them as well, and I felt that was done incredibly well. Of course, I have to mention the sex in this book, because often I hate when sex is suddenly brought up in a YA trilogy. Yet, the fumbling around, the sudden attraction, and the awkwardness of it felt so true to their age and their histories that I couldn't be mad about it. I feel many readers tend to forget these are teenagers, and it's their first time falling in love. This all lined up with the teen experience as I recall it. Did I find it a bit annoying after a while? Yes, but I'm also older than the intended audience, and I can recognize that. ...more
I honestly feel like at this point, I should know better than to pick up a thriller that links itself to things like Desperate Housewives or the Real I honestly feel like at this point, I should know better than to pick up a thriller that links itself to things like Desperate Housewives or the Real Housewives. The mystery of this book was dilluted, repeatedly, by the inane. By the time we go to the resolution of the mystery, I found that I hardly cared at all. I found most of the character unbearable to read about, and their traumas and problems felt flat. I love trash television, and I love domestic thrillers, but this was so slow paced that I almost DNF'd 80% in, ready to accept that I actually didn't care "whodunit."...more
I don't think I've been this stressed out by a book in a long time, especially not a domestic thriller. The thing with this book is that it doesn't rely on twists, or even an unreliable narrator- it relies on hope that someone will realize this mother needs help. It's always hard to review these novels without spoiling, so I won't get too into the plot here, but it was pretty good. The descriptions of the struggles with new motherhood felt realistic and the atmosphere was written fantastically. However, the characters? Were not. I've never wanted to punch a new dad in the face before, but this book changed that. I felt no love towards Natalie's husband, and in fact, frequently wished at least something would happen to him. And, the quick and tidy wrap up at the end takes a full star from this book. You're in the weeds with this one and suddenly- it's over. Epilogue. Everything is resolved and fine. I'm sorry, what? That felt rushed and ridiculous. Everything apart from those two things was great, but really and unfortunately, those two things are important to the plot. ...more
I wanted to like this book, really and truly. But it threw me in so suddenly with so little world building that I had a hard time connecting with the I wanted to like this book, really and truly. But it threw me in so suddenly with so little world building that I had a hard time connecting with the story or the characters. While I understood that it was a Cinderella retelling, I felt confused about the way magic worked and the rules around it. This made me really struggle with the book. When we did get explanations, they were info dumping, and that made things more tricky for me. By the end, I liked the plot, but didn't care much about the world or the characters. ...more
I've read Wendy Heard's horror before, and I was excited to dive into a thriller by her. I was happy to find it was just as exciting as I expected. ThI've read Wendy Heard's horror before, and I was excited to dive into a thriller by her. I was happy to find it was just as exciting as I expected. The characters were well developed and the story line, while predictable, was engaging and interesting. This was an ARC I found myself staying up late to finish, which is unusable for me nowadays. If you're a fan of Heard's writing style and her ability to write complex female characters, and you love thrillers where you know who dun it, but you don't know the how or why, this is definitely a book for you. ...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. AS CAWPILE: C|||
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. AS CAWPILE: Characters: 7 | Atmosphere: 9 | Writing: 7 | Plot: 7 | Intrigue: 9 | Logic: 5 | Enjoyment: 7 total: 7.29 / 4 Stars
The Eden Test was definitely an interesting plot and one I don't think I've seen done before. There were secrets abound, and while I thought the initial secret involving the husband was going to be the overarching theme, I was pleasantly surprised. The cabin in the woods vibe is always a stressful one, the remote trapped nature of it making for a great backdrop. A town full of people suspicious, and suspicious of you adds to that atmosphere. There were moments where I felt I had to distance myself a bit from reality, the likelihood of someone getting as far as Daisy seemed unreal to me, for example. The things I found most unrealistic do lean on the spoiler side, though, so I'll have to keep them to myself.
Overall though, I enjoyed the book and found the twists genuinely a surprise to me, and appreciated the originality aspects quite a lot....more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
AS CAWPILE: C|||
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
AS CAWPILE: Characters: 2 | Atmosphere: 5 | Writing: 5 | Plot: 8 | Intrigue: 8 | Logic: 5 | Enjoyment: 5 Total: 5.43 This was an interesting thriller format. A killer who has no desire to kill, but is willing to do so for her sisters. I liked Sissy, but her incessant fantasizing finding its way into reality was irritating at best, and eye-rolling-ly childish at worst. I found it hard to separate myself from reality as well when it came to this book, as the likelihood that these triplets were able to get away with this for so long - even with the best clean up was so absurd. Regardless, the pacing here is done well and I enjoyed the plot at a surface level. This is definitely a low investment, and interesting thriller, as long as you can pull yourself from reality enough to disregard rules....more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. AS CAWPILE: C|||
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. AS CAWPILE: Characters: 10 | Atmosphere: 10 | Writing: 10 | Plot: 8 | Intrigue: 8 | Logic: 7 | Enjoyment: 9 Total: 8.86
Eric LaRocca has done it again and encompassed all the things that make you uncomfortable and curious in one fell swoop. These short stories have varying degrees of horror to them, but each one had my attention closely. Short story collections are always tricky to review, as I find myself always wanting more from them. However, as Eric has flourished in the short story style, this collection had both the perfect amounts of backstory or lack-thereof balanced with the perfect amount of plot intrigue. It's safe to say that I'll be buying this one to add to my Eric collection, as they have quickly become my favorite horror author....more
Courtney Gould writes such incredible horror. This book had twists and turns that had me reeling in the best possible way. Beck's panic attacks feel tCourtney Gould writes such incredible horror. This book had twists and turns that had me reeling in the best possible way. Beck's panic attacks feel tangible, and her worries about memory loss because of it is familiar to me and felt represented well. There is also blatant use of the word "lesbian" on page for representation, which may not seem like much to some, but happens so rarely that I was pleased to see it. The growth of Beck and Riley was interesting to observe in the environment they were placed in, and what I thought was just going to be another cult story really proved itself to be something new in a world of repeated plotlines. This was truly an original and unnerving plot and I loved every minute of it. ...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. AS CAWPILE: C|||
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. AS CAWPILE: Characters: 8 | Atmosphere: 10 | Writing: 9 | Plot: 9 | Intrigue: 9 | Logic: 10 | Enjoyment: 10 total: 9.29 / 5 Stars
This was such a fun middle grade. Grace is a lovable character, and while she acts very much her age, I remember being that age and being frustrated with all the adults around me. The familial dynamics were played out really well here, showing sides of the parents/adults vs. children mindset in a tangible way. I think that this could be a good read for parents, as well as children, as it shows the many ways kids interpret our actions around them and the way we affect them. The artwork here was gorgeous and really well done. I had such a fun time reading this one....more
Scary cabin? Check. Weird camp on a weird lake? Check. Overly friendly boy and scary guy in the woods? Check and check. This book marks off some of the basics of horror and yet it promoted more character growth than most of the contemporary novels I've read lately. However, it also hinders itself with this focus, making some of the logic and the plot fall through with quick solutions and unlikely outcomes. There was room for more to be explored, but it wasn't done. I still enjoyed the book and found it incredibly fast paced, which gives it that extra star boost. But it missed the mark on logic when it comes to giving it five stars- and unfortunately for a book like this, I have to understand the basics of a curse for me to feel invested in the outcome....more
This was a sweet book, overall. Our main character is very much a teenager, and for many adults reading this book, I'm sure they can find it frustrating. However, I found it interesting to look back on myself at this age, and how I acted pretty similarly. Some of the behavior felt foolish, sure, but what teenagers aren't foolish, at least some times? The dynamic of Brynn and her father almost made me cry more than once. It was surprisingly more sweet than I expected. I found the ghost plot frustrating at times, but it was extremely necessary for this plot to move along. Do I think the "mystery" aspect of it was necessary? To the readers, no. But for Brynn? Probably, yeah. It was probably necessary to entertain herself during her summer alone. And that I think I can forgive. Overall, this book encapsulates the feelings of anxiety and depression, but also the feelings of being a teenager and not sure what to do with everything that might entail. ...more
This book was like the Satanic Panic meets any 80's/90's slasher meets your personal cocktail of religious trauma and I loved it. It was fast paced anThis book was like the Satanic Panic meets any 80's/90's slasher meets your personal cocktail of religious trauma and I loved it. It was fast paced and the characters were relatable even though they were from a different era. With the current environment of things in the United States, books like these feel more prevalent than ever. Gigi Griffis wrote something that truly had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Each character, even the side characters, felt fleshed out and well considered, and the turmoil of "the preacher's daughter" was so real and accurate that it surprised me. ...more
Wildblood was well-written and had an interesting concept. I enjoyed learning about the world that these characters came from. However, the romance felt oddly rushed considering our main characters' trauma. While that trauma and the panic attacks and such were handled well, it still felt rushed. There also was this bouncing around on ideas without really ever diving deeply into them. From colonizing to assault to racism- all of it thrown into the book and would have fit well into the book if it was addressed more thoroughly. Yet, it felt like it was added in for the reader's awareness without fully digging into it at any time. I'll admit this isn't my area of expertise, nor my place to speak on it, so this wasn't a part of my rating fully. Wildblood was an interesting read, the pacing was quick and it was hard to put it down. I had a lot of fun reading it. ...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Belladonna w|||
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Belladonna was a sweet romance. Was it life-changing? No, not at all. Was it bad? Also no, not at all. I left this read feeling pleased with the ending, and indifferent at the same time. Signa and Death are the most interesting characters in the story, and everyone else felt somewhat flat. I had a minimal investment in them, which made what happened to them less effective than it should have been. I'm still interested in knowing what happens in the next books, as I'm interested in Signa and Death's relationship as well as the powers and world with regards to Death specifically. However, the book often focused too much on the inane, day-to-day courting and ball activities than the murder mystery, or the concepts of the metaphysical power. These concepts are what drew me to the book, and they seemed to be sprinkled in, as though this book was more about what courting was like back in this era than there being a murder to solve.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Belladonna was a sweet romance. Was it life-changing? No, not at all. Was it bad? Also no, not at all. I left this read feeling pleased with the ending, and indifferent at the same time. Signa and Death are the most interesting characters in the story, and everyone else felt somewhat flat. I had a minimal investment in them, which made what happened to them less effective than it should have been. I'm still interested in knowing what happens in the next books, as I'm interested in Signa and Death's relationship as well as the powers and world with regards to Death specifically. However, the book often focused too much on the inane, day-to-day courting and ball activities than the murder mystery, or the concepts of the metaphysical power. These concepts are what drew me to the book, and they seemed to be sprinkled in, as though this book was more about what courting was like back in this era than there being a murder to solve.
This book was definitely a book. That's an attempt at finding something positive to say here. The book modernity felt confusing to me, a strange balancing act between "is this modern or is this in a medieval time?" I recognize this was a different world than ours, but it still felt too far removed from the rules of the world as we know it that it was hard to hold onto anything. There is also a constant reference to redheads that felt really odd and unenjoyable to me. Additionally, the characters are all horrible? None of them are redeemable. This book was hard to get through as I wanted to fistfight all the characters, and didn't really feel any of them deserved a positive ending. I don't imagine I would read this again....more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. AS CAWPILE: C|||
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. AS CAWPILE: Characters: 8 | Atmosphere: 9 | Writing: 5 | Plot: 7 | Intrigue: 7 | Logic: 5 | Enjoyment: 9 Total: 7.14
I adored this book. I think it did a really good job of not necessarily making the romance be the fast-paced moral guiding focus that YA fantasy often does. I found myself rooting for the girls and their plans, even when it came down to betrayal. The story was well-developed, the backstory made sense and the world was interesting to me. The pull-in from a culture unlike my own was enjoyable and I'm really glad I got to read this one....more
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. While marketed as a romance, and it is important to the story, it didn't overshadow the plot or Emily's plans. I appreciated the character development, and the slow burn of the enemies to lovers was a lot of fun. The rules around fae and the way that scholarly people versus people who directly interact with fae differed felt realistic even in a fantasy setting. There were moments when I was a bit lost as to what was going on, but despite those moments, I still had a lot of fun reading this one. ...more
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