msrichardsreads89's reviews
2624 reviews

This was such a fun novel! I really enjoyed the tulip mania combined with the political intrigue in Holland of the time. While I didn't grow very attached to the characters, this was an adventurous, pacey book. I loved the obsession over the black tulip and how such a small plant can create such a dynamic plot. There was subtle humor throughout, and the audiobook narrator (Peter Joyce) was fantastic. I much prefer The Count of Monte Cristo, but if you are looking for a fun, quick read, I would recommend The Black Tulip. 

This was such a fantastic sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw. It takes place four years after the first book ended. Deliciously creepy, fantastic dialogue, connecting plot threads, more points of view, and amped up gore and violence. This was a love letter to the slasher genre. In typical slasher fashion, the sequel needs to stay true to the formula but up the stakes, and it did not disappoint. My one complaint is that I wish we had more of Jade. I loved following her journey in the first book. However, I love that Jade has changed and grown and it has such a huge payoff at the end. I cannot wait to get to the next book! 

Incredibly dramatic but oh so fun! The villains and side characters were so dynamic, and I loved the gothic style of this novel. The plot is thrilling, and it was so hard to put this book down! 

Not in the mood right now

I had high expectations for this novel because I absolutely loved The Only Good Indians. Stephen Graham Jones did not disappoint. SGJ weaves Indigenous culture into the narrative and subverts the traditionally white slasher. I devoured this book in less than 24 hours because it was so gripping that I did not want to put it down. We follow teenager Jade Daniels, who lives in a small town and is obsessed with slasher movies. Jade doesn't see herself as the Final Girl but when events in town start to take a turn toward the horrific, she knows what is coming. I loved following Jade and reading her perspective. The character work and setting are so vivid and the prose was fantastic. I loved that in between chapters we get Jade's extra credit essays on slasher films. Fans of Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and Scream will enjoy this book. I am not really a horror fan, but this story was so captivating that I immediately wanted to pick up the next book Don't Fear the Reaper. This is a story that will stick with me and one that I want to return to in the future. 

This book was such a good time! As always, CMY's characters are dynamic and endearing. Aurelia is a fantastic protagonist, and I loved following her story. Love and Life has so many melodramatic plot twists that I did not want to put this book down. I highly recommend this one!