ryinwonderland's reviews
850 reviews

Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry by Ransom Riggs

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adventurous emotional fast-paced
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Ransom Riggs is so good. Leopold has been having visions of Sunder for years. Sunder, of course, being the fictional world in the fantasy series he discovered on vhs tapes that his mother left behind when she died. Then he finds himself in Sunder…for real…and the adventures begin. 
A Pirate's Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne

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adventurous lighthearted 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? No

3.75

A swashbuckling follow up to Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea, this time our favorite sapphic couple have taken to the high seas in a pirate adventure. If you like the vibes of Legends and Lattes and you want a few extra helpings of adventure, this series is perfect. Steamy, funny, sweet, and adventurous, it’s a good cozy time. Pour a cup of tea and curl up with this delightful book. 
Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers

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dark emotional fast-paced

3.5

A collection of interwoven stories across centuries that each have a central monster (vampires, werewolves, zombies, men). Ultimately it’s a story of family. I do think I missed a lot doing the audiobook because I didn’t recognize the connections until about halfway through. Might read the physical copy to really understand and appreciate it. 
Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.5

Gods ands Monsters and Devils and Humans and legends and prophecies and myths and so much blood. This book grows and grows and sheds the skin of the story you thought you were reading as it stretches out into something much more epic and horrific. 
The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir

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fast-paced

5.0

An excellent possession novel, a la Come Closer. Very creepy and unsettling. So good. 
The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard

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mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

Murder mystery! Family secrets! Trust no one! Set in San Francisco, a SF Crime Tour Guide turns temporary murder investigator as she tries to clear her family’s names in various murder cases by solving the cases herself (she cooperates with the homicide detective, but still tries to do his job better than him all while developing a crush on him - she’s got a lot going on). 
Voyage of the Damned by Frances White

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adventurous emotional mysterious fast-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

5.0

A phenomenal locked room mystery in a fantasy setting! I loved this. 
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

EAT THE RICH. 
Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito

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challenging dark funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I absolutely loved this. A psychopathic serial killer governess in Victorian times. Rich, gluttonous, awful people. This book is brilliant. Winnifred, the governess and narrator, is (unintentionally?) hilarious in her blunt way of describing the horrors she has inflicted and her observations of the horrendous family she works for. I love her. 
I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin

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adventurous tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Man, I love Jason Pargin. This is a thrilling adventure through a toxic landscape (America) with lots of violence and vitriol and it’s a blast. 💥