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curiouslykatt's reviews
1086 reviews
Night of the Witch by Chris Harrison
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
All roads lead to Crooked House.
This is the second instalment in the crooked tales series, and book two picks up right where book one left off.
I appreciate the little reminder opener at the start of this because book one had a lot going on towards the end and felt rushed to finish so it was good to have a little mini overview. Harrison has such a strong talent for writing prologues that get me super excited to read his books. Book two felt more focused than book one but I do feel it needed a heavier hand in editing. You can see where Harrison has experience in the film industry and has an eye for setting the scene, but in writing that ultimately leads to books being a bit too long and feeling drawn out without delivering enough substance for readers to sink their teeth into. I think some editing could reel in some of the excess and allow Harrison to shine in creating more opportunities to connect with the characters.
I appreciated the deeper dive in Peter’s story here and found him to be my favourite character, the addition of the Father as well was a nice touch and inevitably made me think of the exorcist. I also loved the use of Crooked House as an anchor to bring all the characters together.
Much like book one where a lot of Easter eggs are thrown throughout for movie fans, Harrison delivered here again for the horror fans.
The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
After You by Jojo Moyes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson
dark
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
4.0
Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men by Harold Schechter
dark
informative
medium-paced
3.5
A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea by Masaji Ishikawa
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
No Credit River by Zoe Whittall
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
“If you feel your feelings physically in your body, you can release them. “
My first book by Zoe Whittall but certainly not my last.
This a memoir told over a collection of prose poetry that oscillate between past and present over a six year period, before the pandemic and during the lockdowns.
The anxiety that Zoe feels is palpable in these 74 pages, you can’t help but feel her pain, her loss, her indecision. For many of us we have been in the same space, being an adult woman in your 30s and 40s is really weird and can be unnerving and unsettling. Zoe bares all here, sharing deeply intimate vulnerable moments and in the end you’ll feel like she is your friend and you let out a sigh of relief that someone else knows how it feels.
Some of my favourite pieces (that I have a vision to turn into a bit of an art project):
Tell Me How You Know, What You Know.
I’d Like a Double Espresso & The National on Repeat.
Stolen Daylight
The Somatic Craze
Thank you bookhug press and zgreads for my copy. No Credit River will be available October 29th and I can’t think of a better time to read this. When the weather starts to change and a new season is on the horizon.
Follow Me to Ground by Sue Rainsford
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Little Moons by Jen Storm
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
Grief is a funny thing and it can feel like you’re grieving incorrectly and correctly all at the same time.
This graphic novel tells a part of Reanna’s and her family’s story of losing a sister, a daughter, and a grand daughter. Reanna’s older sister goes missing one day on her way from school. One day she leaves home and never comes back. What follows is a family coming to terms with her absence. Reanna is a teen and trying to find solace and connection with her sister by embracing her Ojibwe traditions. Reanna’s mother’s grief is pushing her away from the traditions that remind her of her eldest daughter, of her bead work, and her dancing in her regalia.
What Jen Storm does with this story with the help of the imagery by Ryan Howe, colours by Alice Rl, and lettering by Nickolej Villiger is showcase a story that grief and loss manifests differently in each person. There’s some rights, some wrongs, and a wise Koko whose advice is to let people grieve and simply be there for them when they’re ready. There’s truly no perfect way to handle loss, there’s sadness, there’s confusion, there’s rage and with time there’s growth and healing. This is a great opportunity to open up dialogues with older teens about MMIWG2S and for adults to help younger teens navigate heavy grief.
Thank you Highwater Press for my copy.
This graphic novel tells a part of Reanna’s and her family’s story of losing a sister, a daughter, and a grand daughter. Reanna’s older sister goes missing one day on her way from school. One day she leaves home and never comes back. What follows is a family coming to terms with her absence. Reanna is a teen and trying to find solace and connection with her sister by embracing her Ojibwe traditions. Reanna’s mother’s grief is pushing her away from the traditions that remind her of her eldest daughter, of her bead work, and her dancing in her regalia.
What Jen Storm does with this story with the help of the imagery by Ryan Howe, colours by Alice Rl, and lettering by Nickolej Villiger is showcase a story that grief and loss manifests differently in each person. There’s some rights, some wrongs, and a wise Koko whose advice is to let people grieve and simply be there for them when they’re ready. There’s truly no perfect way to handle loss, there’s sadness, there’s confusion, there’s rage and with time there’s growth and healing. This is a great opportunity to open up dialogues with older teens about MMIWG2S and for adults to help younger teens navigate heavy grief.
Thank you Highwater Press for my copy.