neni's reviews
383 reviews

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I am so disappointed in this book and don't understand what all the hype was about. The premise was intriguing  if a bit cliché, but it truly missed the mark. The writing is kinda basic and falls flat, it has none of the elegance and mystery that a gothic style novel should have. None of the characters feel like real people or act in ways that are believable. The main character is annoying in her genericness and feels like a "beautiful feisty woman" trope. The mystery itself is both predictable and shabbily explained. The horror has none of the nuance of classic gothic and the main "creep" factor would be more accurately categorised as body horror and fear of sexual assault (which happens btw in a weirdly fetishised way) than proper "spooky" vibes. Overall, a passable reading experience but if it was any longer I wouldnt have finished it.
Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

EXCELLENT witchy story. Read it in two sittings because I just couldn't stop. Female rage done right. Beautiful illustrations!
The Raven and The Reindeer by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous funny hopeful mysterious medium-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? Yes

4.5

I really loved this!! The only slightly negative point is that I think it could have been a little bit shorter, but I had a wonderful time regardless. Stephen is a sweetheart who deserves all the best ^.^

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

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funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman

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mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate by Peter Wohlleben

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informative slow-paced

3.5

Informative and accessible. Had some trouble with the pacing since there was quite a bit of repetition and there wasn't a structure to the whole book. It felt like a bunch of loose chapters on different subjects put together.
The Seventh Bride by T. Kingfisher

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dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0