lewis666's reviews
73 reviews

Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Don't Fear the Reaper expands on its predecessor in ways I didn't expect. And the emotional drive from the characters after suffering from such a traumatic event steadily grows chapter by chapter. It was a bit of a slow start, but it inevitably hooked me (pun intended) and I couldn't put it down.

The writing is just immaculate! The way Stephen Graham Jones puts attention to detail on key moments, especially when things get really dark, satisfied the hell out of me. And I loved the mystery surrounding the Dark Mill South Killer, I was completely enthralled whenever his presence was felt. And Stephen took the story to places I wasn't expecting, which leaves the third book in this trilogy completely wide out in the open for anything to happen!

Very minor nitpicks, like some complexities that are slightly head scratchy and perhaps some pacing issues. But other than that, this slasher fan absolutely loved this! Definitely a small step above My Heart is a Chainsaw. Onto the final book in the trilogy! 🔥🩸❤️

Jujutsu Kaisen, Vol. 0 by Gege Akutami

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

As a huge fan of Greek Mythology, it was going to be hard for me to completely dislike this. I was instantly swept up in the stories and lives of the Gods of Olympus and Medusa through Natalie Haynes's vision. It comes naturally to me because I love it so much. I immediately took to Medusa, just a young girl who's suffered so much wrong and tragedy in her life at the hands of the Gods. This story is a feminist, human spin on "the monster" Medusa and it does so unbelievably well to tug on your heartstrings.

My small issues with the book is I feel there were too many characters to keep track of. It's written with chapters dedicated to each character through their perspective, and it really takes a while before the focus is back on Medusa herself. When we're there, it's very good. However there's a lot happening to Medusa when maybe I could've used with more of her personal life from the ground up before sprinting back to whatever Perseus or Athene are doing. So there are small periods of the book where it kinda dragged, but these are very minor issues personally.

Stone Blind is a deeply personal spin on the story of Medusa and I was simply captivated by it. It's a true art when you already know the fate of a character through years of knowledge and then for an author like Natalie to still stab your heart with a needle of betrayal (in a good way) and leave you feeling emotionally rewarding. (I cried a little when I finished) Just a fantastic read! I LOVE Greek Mythology!

The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill

Go to review page

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

My second Susan Hill book (The Woman in Black being the first) and I honestly wasn't expecting to love this almost as much as my previous read. I think it's clear now I really vibe with Susan's style and writing. Her ability to set up a simple yet intriguing premise, and expand on it with effective horror with just the right amount of ingredients. Less is more, and it's all atmosphere!

The only thing letting it down I think is the slightly rushed ending, and perhaps a sniff of loose ends? But besides that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! For someone with an overactive brain who can find it difficult to read, The Man in the Picture is a short and to the point experience that I was easily swept up in. The mystery behind the Venetian Picture gave me goosebumps! Great first read and start to the year!

Attack on Titan, Volume 27 by Hajime Isayama

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced