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novellearts's reviews
1619 reviews
Cross My Heart by Megan Collins
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was messy and I didn't like the characters. Somehow, everyone felt completely unreliable and they were very unlikeable. A few of the characters I wanted to reach through the book and knock some sense into. I also felt like the story was pulling me all over the place.
There were a lot of twists, but I didn't care for them too much. This book was a miss but there was nothing inherently wrong with it, it just wasn't for me. I think if I liked the characters more, this would've been a lot more tolerable to me.
There were a lot of twists, but I didn't care for them too much. This book was a miss but there was nothing inherently wrong with it, it just wasn't for me. I think if I liked the characters more, this would've been a lot more tolerable to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Toxic friendship
Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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
3.0
This book turned out to be more about internal conflict than I was expecting. Lydia is hungry but only consumes pig's blood. She practices self-control on humans and has a lot of internal conflict regarding who she is, stemming from her relationship with her mother.
This is not a traditional vampire book about destruction, death, and feeding but more about Lydia trying to overcome her internal demons and accept herself. This focuses deeply on her connections with other people and herself. Lydia could've benefited from a vampire therapist.
This is not a traditional vampire book about destruction, death, and feeding but more about Lydia trying to overcome her internal demons and accept herself. This focuses deeply on her connections with other people and herself. Lydia could've benefited from a vampire therapist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I accidentally deleted my previous review, so let’s try this again..
I love how seamlessly the author is able to weave together history with fiction. You still get to enjoy the supernatural horror, while also learning along the way. It really is a skill to be able to write historical fiction well enough that your readers forget that it’s based on real events. And who doesn’t like vampires?
This book was pretty brutal though with a lot of death and a lot of gruesome descriptions. This probably is not the book for you if you get squeamish with injury details. If you enjoy that sort of thing, then this book will be a dream!
The writing was beautifully done and I felt that the story flowed really well. The only qualm I had with this book was that at times it was a bit confusing to me. There were some things that I didn’t know the meanings of at first and I at times struggled with keeping characters straight. It just took some adjustment and highlights to reference back to.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book!
I love how seamlessly the author is able to weave together history with fiction. You still get to enjoy the supernatural horror, while also learning along the way. It really is a skill to be able to write historical fiction well enough that your readers forget that it’s based on real events. And who doesn’t like vampires?
This book was pretty brutal though with a lot of death and a lot of gruesome descriptions. This probably is not the book for you if you get squeamish with injury details. If you enjoy that sort of thing, then this book will be a dream!
The writing was beautifully done and I felt that the story flowed really well. The only qualm I had with this book was that at times it was a bit confusing to me. There were some things that I didn’t know the meanings of at first and I at times struggled with keeping characters straight. It just took some adjustment and highlights to reference back to.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Racism, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Gruesome Getaway by R.N. Cogley
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
An Ireland getaway takes a brutal turn as Tadhg, his twin brother and his brother's girlfriend get caught in the middle of an intense "tradition." I don't want to give too much of the plot away, so I'll keep it briefly at this.
The characters I found to be slightly infuriating and a bit ridiculous. Their explanations and denials of all the weird circumstances surrounding their stay had me frustrated. "The wind" being one of the worst excuses. Not only that, but their determination to disregard warnings blew my mind. I would've immediately been gone!
I think this story would've benefited from some more background and explanation of the village. I was interested in the lore surrounding their village and I don't feel that we really received any details. Once the horrors started to unfold, I found this story much better. Unfortunately, I felt that the story revolved too much around the dramatics of Tadhg's failed relationship. With this being such a short book, I would've liked to see a bit more balance.
It was a very quick and easy read. The drama kept me motivated to keep reading, but as I said, I wish I had received more history regarding the Celtic symbols and the village.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
The characters I found to be slightly infuriating and a bit ridiculous. Their explanations and denials of all the weird circumstances surrounding their stay had me frustrated. "The wind" being one of the worst excuses. Not only that, but their determination to disregard warnings blew my mind. I would've immediately been gone!
I think this story would've benefited from some more background and explanation of the village. I was interested in the lore surrounding their village and I don't feel that we really received any details. Once the horrors started to unfold, I found this story much better. Unfortunately, I felt that the story revolved too much around the dramatics of Tadhg's failed relationship. With this being such a short book, I would've liked to see a bit more balance.
It was a very quick and easy read. The drama kept me motivated to keep reading, but as I said, I wish I had received more history regarding the Celtic symbols and the village.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Crime comes to a hidden town meant to be a sanctuary. When a woman is drugged and dragged into the woods screaming, she narrowly escapes with her life. Soon after, a body is found in the woods. This frozen body seems to be a case of hypothermia, but it isn’t, is it?
I made the mistake of not realizing that this was book three of a series when I began reading. This (quite obviously) led to me missing some important backstory. This was a pretty strong thriller and kept me interested but I didn’t completely love the character’s story.
I didn’t expect so much of the story to revolve around the MC’s pregnancy. I don’t normally mind it too much but it made me uncomfortable hearing about the contractions and delivery.
I think I would like to return to this book after I read the first two books in this series. I do think the concept was strong, but the characters didn’t quite deliver for me. But again, that probably is due to my mistake of not realizing this was book three.
The narrator did a fantastic job reading this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this audiobook.
I made the mistake of not realizing that this was book three of a series when I began reading. This (quite obviously) led to me missing some important backstory. This was a pretty strong thriller and kept me interested but I didn’t completely love the character’s story.
I didn’t expect so much of the story to revolve around the MC’s pregnancy. I don’t normally mind it too much but it made me uncomfortable hearing about the contractions and delivery.
I think I would like to return to this book after I read the first two books in this series. I do think the concept was strong, but the characters didn’t quite deliver for me. But again, that probably is due to my mistake of not realizing this was book three.
The narrator did a fantastic job reading this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this audiobook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Stalking, Murder, and Pregnancy
Below by Kev Harrison
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Nick's grandfather is celebrated as a hero for helping miners escape out of a collapsed mine. Nick, Jess, and Sofia decide to go into the mine many years later to document the mines and end up with an accurate account of Nick's grandfather's final moments. As they enter into the mines, strange things begin happening and they start finding even stranger journal entries written by Nick's grandfather.
This story reminded me a bit of As Above So Below and The Descent. This story was fast-paced and pretty action-packed. My only complaint is that I felt as though the book ended abruptly. It was also a little bit predictable, but still very enjoyable.
This story reminded me a bit of As Above So Below and The Descent. This story was fast-paced and pretty action-packed. My only complaint is that I felt as though the book ended abruptly. It was also a little bit predictable, but still very enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail
The Surgeon by Leslie Wolfe
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
A patient dies on the operating table and the surgeon realizes that she recognizes him. And she’s glad that he died. Immediately, this death causes her to go under investigation and scrutiny.
This book is a twist of lies and deception. I both listened and read along and I don’t think the narrator was a good fit at all for this book. The narration style didn’t match the tone of the book and I found it to be distracting. She would’ve been a better fit for a fantasy story.
This book is a twist of lies and deception. I both listened and read along and I don’t think the narrator was a good fit at all for this book. The narration style didn’t match the tone of the book and I found it to be distracting. She would’ve been a better fit for a fantasy story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Dark Bloom by Molly Macabre
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This story starts with two trauma burdened characters meeting in a tense encounter. Nick and Kate then band together to survive through the undead to reach safety. We get to see these characters battle their inner demons and learn how to trust one another.
We get flashbacks mid-story as we uncover more of the Nick and Kate's trauma that helped make them who they are and lead them to this point in the story. The timing was great as we don't learn too much too fast. I really enjoyed the writing and the character development. The characters were also very lovable and I couldn't help but root for both of them.
This was action-packed and exciting. I'm surprised that this book isn't more well-known.
We get flashbacks mid-story as we uncover more of the Nick and Kate's trauma that helped make them who they are and lead them to this point in the story. The timing was great as we don't learn too much too fast. I really enjoyed the writing and the character development. The characters were also very lovable and I couldn't help but root for both of them.
This was action-packed and exciting. I'm surprised that this book isn't more well-known.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
One Dark Night by Hannah Richell
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a ghost story about a road haunted by a murdered girl. A group of students go out on Halloween night to have a party and investigate, resulting in one of them winding up dead.
This is a story with many secrets, mystery, and suspicion. This book follows multiple character POVs as we fight to figure out what is true and what is a lie. Detective Ben fights to find out the truth as he investigates the death. Or was it a murder? Detective Ben's daughter Ellie, attended the same school as the deceased student and has been lying to her parents about where she was that night. Rachel, Ellie's mom, is also a guidance counselor at the school as well. Interviews of the staff, students, and victim's family soon commence and we are thrown into a deceit-filled investigation.
The writing, story-telling, and atmosphere in this book were fantastic. This story had me wanting to find out more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc.
This is a story with many secrets, mystery, and suspicion. This book follows multiple character POVs as we fight to figure out what is true and what is a lie. Detective Ben fights to find out the truth as he investigates the death. Or was it a murder? Detective Ben's daughter Ellie, attended the same school as the deceased student and has been lying to her parents about where she was that night. Rachel, Ellie's mom, is also a guidance counselor at the school as well. Interviews of the staff, students, and victim's family soon commence and we are thrown into a deceit-filled investigation.
The writing, story-telling, and atmosphere in this book were fantastic. This story had me wanting to find out more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Murder
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
4.0
I loved the plot of this book. This cafe offers its customers a chance to go back in time but you must return before your coffee gets cold, you cannot alter the present, and you have to sit in a specific seat to travel.
This was a great cozy read for me. It follows four characters who go back in time to have a chance to tie up some loose ends that they felt they had in their lives. A heartwarming story with a beautiful premise.
This was a great cozy read for me. It follows four characters who go back in time to have a chance to tie up some loose ends that they felt they had in their lives. A heartwarming story with a beautiful premise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy