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caitlinking's reviews
340 reviews
Penance by Eliza Clark
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
In a Thousand Different Ways by Cecelia Ahern
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Sandwich by Catherine Newman
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Love is a Curse by Keith Stuart
4.5
You know that book that’s been eyeing you from your TBR pile, silently judging you for months? Love is a Curse was that book for me. And let me tell you, I'm thrilled I finally took the plunge. I expected a light read—boy, was I wrong! Instead, I found myself knee deep in a gothic atmosphere so thick with malevolence that I considered putting on a nightlight 🤣
Keith Stuart masterfully weaves beautiful lines and profound ideas into a mysterious narrative that kept me flipping pages like my life depended on it. I may be wrong, but it felt like the author himself is a fan of horror, and if that’s the case, it definitely shone through. I especially loved the references to Mary Shelley—not just because she wrote Frankenstein in Bath, where the book is set, but also because she and her husband were fascinated by the occult. The séances in the story were reminiscent of the ones they attended, adding an extra layer of eerie authenticity.
Despite a few slower sections, particularly those lengthy letters, they were essential for piecing together the family's tangled history and generational trauma. In the end, the book delivered a captivating experience that kept me hooked.