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sarahweyand's reviews
378 reviews
Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I guess I should start by saying I don't think this book is for everyone, and if you hate it, I can totally understand why. Much like Go as a River, which I also read this month, this book doesn't feel like it has much of a plot to it. More of a hard-hitting slice-of-life. I just happen to really relate to some of what's brought up here due to my career as a woman in tech.
I enjoyed the prose and the audiobook narration, and I was eager to know what would happen next even if I couldn't discern what the conflict was, if there even was one. I just felt like in another life, it could be me, and that was a captivating thought.
The *gimmick* of this book that I'm not totally sure I understood was the black hole. I can appreciate it as a metaphor and motif and its purpose thematically - in theory - but it felt like it didn't play enough of a role in the story. I was just expecting more, so that was a bit of a let-down.
All in all I was pleasantly surprised here. I probably wouldn't recommend it to most folks, but I appreciate it for what it is.
I enjoyed the prose and the audiobook narration, and I was eager to know what would happen next even if I couldn't discern what the conflict was, if there even was one. I just felt like in another life, it could be me, and that was a captivating thought.
The *gimmick* of this book that I'm not totally sure I understood was the black hole. I can appreciate it as a metaphor and motif and its purpose thematically - in theory - but it felt like it didn't play enough of a role in the story. I was just expecting more, so that was a bit of a let-down.
All in all I was pleasantly surprised here. I probably wouldn't recommend it to most folks, but I appreciate it for what it is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Suicide, and Abortion
Moderate: Mental illness and Pandemic/Epidemic
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
YESSSSSSS! The last time I had a 5-star read this year was mid-August and I just KNEW I could count on T Kingfisher to knock it out of the park. The atmosphere is eerie and Gothic and delightful and oppressive. The prose is just the right amount of descriptive and beautiful.
I felt doom. I felt gloom. There were a couple sequences that had me genuinely squirming and on the edge of my seat. It was just the right length, which is something I don't often say about novellas (T Kingfisher always does wonderful with her pacing and length of books this size though). I thought the worldbuilding was interesting but not overbearing, and I got approved for an ARC for the sequel YUM YUM.
Classic Kingfisher W, can't wait to nosh on more reads by her.
I felt doom. I felt gloom. There were a couple sequences that had me genuinely squirming and on the edge of my seat. It was just the right length, which is something I don't often say about novellas (T Kingfisher always does wonderful with her pacing and length of books this size though). I thought the worldbuilding was interesting but not overbearing, and I got approved for an ARC for the sequel YUM YUM.
Classic Kingfisher W, can't wait to nosh on more reads by her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, and Death
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
Go as a River by Shelley Read
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
Every time I finish a book, my husband will always ask what it was about. This is one of the few books where my answer is "How much time do you have?"; it's near impossible to give an easy synopsis of what I read here, but I do know that I enjoyed it.
This was a book about many things: family, love, loss, motherhood, perseverance, survival. It made me think about a lot of big questions without posing them directly or giving me an answer. The prose was wonderful to listen to (I enjoyed the audiobook), and the atmosphere felt like a dappled summer day, which is a nice change given that it's snowing outside.
Pacing here was medium-slow, especially because it was hard to tell where the plot was going at times. But I was always interested in listening and I felt like I really cared about our protagonist. I also really, really liked where this book ended. Perfect choice.
I'd definitely pick up something else by Shelley Read and will look out for future releases of hers! Give this one a read if you like historical fiction and heavy slice-of-life, introspective novels.
This was a book about many things: family, love, loss, motherhood, perseverance, survival. It made me think about a lot of big questions without posing them directly or giving me an answer. The prose was wonderful to listen to (I enjoyed the audiobook), and the atmosphere felt like a dappled summer day, which is a nice change given that it's snowing outside.
Pacing here was medium-slow, especially because it was hard to tell where the plot was going at times. But I was always interested in listening and I felt like I really cared about our protagonist. I also really, really liked where this book ended. Perfect choice.
I'd definitely pick up something else by Shelley Read and will look out for future releases of hers! Give this one a read if you like historical fiction and heavy slice-of-life, introspective novels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
The Star and the Strange Moon by Constance Sayers
adventurous
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
Thanks to Redhook and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feedback are my own.
I've read a few horror books about media gone awry recently (Silver Nitrate, Mister Magic, etc.), but I've never heard of one with this exact premise. And I really did like the premise. I thought the concept of having to act your way out of a horror movie in a Groundhog Day-type manner was riveting, and the fact that the film with the new additions was shown every couple of years was very eerie.
For the most part, I enjoyed the execution! I loved the Gothic atmosphere, the slow burn, the twists that the audience was given. I will say it was probably 50-100 pages too long. However, the thing I liked most was the evolution of the relationship between Christopher and Gemma. It felt reminiscent of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue for a couple reasons (and I loved that book).
The biggest disservice to this book is marketing it as a horror; it is absolutely not. This is a fantasy historical fiction with a touch of romance. The backdrop / inciting incident is the filming of a horror movie, but I feel like describing it as a horror book closes it off to a potentially wider audience who would enjoy this book. While there are certainly a few horror/Gothic elements to the plot, I wouldn't let that characterization dissuade you from looking into this book.
Overall, an interesting premise executed very well, and I look forward to seeing what Sayers comes out with in the future.
I've read a few horror books about media gone awry recently (Silver Nitrate, Mister Magic, etc.), but I've never heard of one with this exact premise. And I really did like the premise. I thought the concept of having to act your way out of a horror movie in a Groundhog Day-type manner was riveting, and the fact that the film with the new additions was shown every couple of years was very eerie.
For the most part, I enjoyed the execution! I loved the Gothic atmosphere, the slow burn, the twists that the audience was given. I will say it was probably 50-100 pages too long. However, the thing I liked most was the evolution of the relationship between Christopher and Gemma. It felt reminiscent of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue for a couple reasons (and I loved that book).
The biggest disservice to this book is marketing it as a horror; it is absolutely not. This is a fantasy historical fiction with a touch of romance. The backdrop / inciting incident is the filming of a horror movie, but I feel like describing it as a horror book closes it off to a potentially wider audience who would enjoy this book. While there are certainly a few horror/Gothic elements to the plot, I wouldn't let that characterization dissuade you from looking into this book.
Overall, an interesting premise executed very well, and I look forward to seeing what Sayers comes out with in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent
Alice by Christina Henry
This could have been promising, but any positives I have are vastly outweighed by poor execution and unnecessarily tying in an IP that in no way enhanced the content of the story. Don't waste your time.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Noooo. NOOOOOO. Tell my why both Christina Henry books I've read so far have been flops. I own three more of her books. What does this mean?
I am so sad. There is so much room here for horror and oddities. Tim Burton's adaptation of Alice in Wonderland shows that even with a family-friendly premise, the story can be weird and off-putting. This seriously just shouldn't have been a retelling at all. The connections to the original fairytale exist almost in name only, with some of the most iconic and charismatic characters (or elements of characters) being left out.
So much of the horror of this book felt included for shock value, which is disappointing. This is a very adult book (see trigger warnings and take them seriously, please), but that doesn't always mean horror has to equate to needless violence or trauma. With the exception of one character introduction with the Caterpillar, which I found to be very effective and horrifying, I thought most of the horror elements thrown at the wall didn't stick for me.
In rapid-fire bullet points, here are some of my other gripes, since I can't be bothered to spend any more energy on this book:
I am so sad. There is so much room here for horror and oddities. Tim Burton's adaptation of Alice in Wonderland shows that even with a family-friendly premise, the story can be weird and off-putting. This seriously just shouldn't have been a retelling at all. The connections to the original fairytale exist almost in name only, with some of the most iconic and charismatic characters (or elements of characters) being left out.
So much of the horror of this book felt included for shock value, which is disappointing. This is a very adult book (see trigger warnings and take them seriously, please), but that doesn't always mean horror has to equate to needless violence or trauma. With the exception of one character introduction with the Caterpillar, which I found to be very effective and horrifying, I thought most of the horror elements thrown at the wall didn't stick for me.
In rapid-fire bullet points, here are some of my other gripes, since I can't be bothered to spend any more energy on this book:
- totally unbelievable and unnecessary romance between our protagonists
- a seeming hesitancy to really lean into the fantasy/magical elements of the book
- a very linear "go meet this scary character, now go meet this scary character" plotline
- the STUPIDEST goddamn ending with both major antagonists being dealt with in less than two pages each
This could have been promising, but any positives I have are vastly outweighed by poor execution and unnecessarily tying in an IP that in no way enhanced the content of the story. Don't waste your time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Rape, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, and Cannibalism
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I feel like this book has a gorgeous cover and a neat premise and is just painfully average on the inside. Tell me why it took me two weeks to read this book. Huh? The Hacienda had all the markings of a hit for me: atmosphere, slow burn, enjoyable writing, and yet I felt it fizzled on any sort of compelling execution. I like Gothic horror and this felt like a great read to kick off the spooky season, but the plot points felt so repetitive that I feel I could have easily knocked 50 pages off and not realized.
I felt once the plot started rolling that our protagonist, Beatriz, would have responded differently to the same tricks once she realized what was happening. Sure felt like she kept doing the same things and having the same reactions and then being surprised when nothing changed. I can understand some of it, but over the course of 350 pages it became a little too much.
However, classic haunted house stories have such a wonderful aura around them and this story exuded culture and history and care as well as horror. I also really enjoyed the ending and felt it was good and realistic and the right decision for the characters and the direction of the story. I don't know if many authors would have made the right choice there. I think this is a sure winner for Gothic lovers, those who aren't too into horror but want a spooky fall atmosphere, or those just getting into the genre.
Bonus point: hot priest.
I felt once the plot started rolling that our protagonist, Beatriz, would have responded differently to the same tricks once she realized what was happening. Sure felt like she kept doing the same things and having the same reactions and then being surprised when nothing changed. I can understand some of it, but over the course of 350 pages it became a little too much.
However, classic haunted house stories have such a wonderful aura around them and this story exuded culture and history and care as well as horror. I also really enjoyed the ending and felt it was good and realistic and the right decision for the characters and the direction of the story. I don't know if many authors would have made the right choice there. I think this is a sure winner for Gothic lovers, those who aren't too into horror but want a spooky fall atmosphere, or those just getting into the genre.
Bonus point: hot priest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent
Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee
adventurous
emotional
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? No
4.0
To be transparent, I checked out this audiobook from the library because it was available ASAP, it was short, and it finished off a StoryGraph challenge I was trying to wrap up. And it just stole my little heart! This was such an interesting and well-written story. I was hooked immediately. The folklore/mythical beasts were wonderful, the character relationships were well done, and I really enjoyed the ending even if it wasn't what I expected.
The biggest complaint, of course, is that this is an idea that could have (and in my opinion, should have) been a full sized novel. There is so much lore and worldbuilding and political intrigue and character dynamics that are just begging to be explored, and while I thought it was well written for a novella, overall I was disappointed with the lack of depth that always seems to come with a work of this length. Give me 400 pages of BIRD.
Would absolutely still recommend though, especially if you're short on time. Gonna have to check out Jade City now!
The biggest complaint, of course, is that this is an idea that could have (and in my opinion, should have) been a full sized novel. There is so much lore and worldbuilding and political intrigue and character dynamics that are just begging to be explored, and while I thought it was well written for a novella, overall I was disappointed with the lack of depth that always seems to come with a work of this length. Give me 400 pages of BIRD.
Would absolutely still recommend though, especially if you're short on time. Gonna have to check out Jade City now!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss, Tahl Raz
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
Let's get things straight: I am NOT a business book girlie. I think lots, if not most, business/leadership/communications books are farces written by privileged, white, middle-aged men to get you to buy a book full of information you could have found online for free, and that's how they make their money.
On the other hand, this is kinda good.
The key to this book is that it's part FBI storytelling, part negotiation advice. Learning about the hostage negotiation tactics Voss used and different scenarios in which he applied them was fascinating. By far my favorite aspect of the book. I also wish it was the only part.
This book is also, literally, Manipulation Tactics 101. That's cool if you're a hostage negotiator and sharing your stories about life-or-death situations, but it becomes more uncomfortable when you start thinking about applying these tactics to literally anyone else. I'm also a confrontation-avoidant introvert that doesn't get off on haggling with a used car salesperson for hours, so maybe this book wasn't written for me. Serves me right for picking up a business book when I guess what I wanted was a memoir.
Maybe I'll try some of the more tame tactics here with people I'll never see again and don't care about, but most seem too overly asshole-ish to implement in public. Also I'm a woman, and no matter how assertive I am, there are men who never take me seriously anyway. I want to like this book so bad, but it doesn't have enough of the juicy stuff in it.
On the other hand, this is kinda good.
The key to this book is that it's part FBI storytelling, part negotiation advice. Learning about the hostage negotiation tactics Voss used and different scenarios in which he applied them was fascinating. By far my favorite aspect of the book. I also wish it was the only part.
This book is also, literally, Manipulation Tactics 101. That's cool if you're a hostage negotiator and sharing your stories about life-or-death situations, but it becomes more uncomfortable when you start thinking about applying these tactics to literally anyone else. I'm also a confrontation-avoidant introvert that doesn't get off on haggling with a used car salesperson for hours, so maybe this book wasn't written for me. Serves me right for picking up a business book when I guess what I wanted was a memoir.
Maybe I'll try some of the more tame tactics here with people I'll never see again and don't care about, but most seem too overly asshole-ish to implement in public. Also I'm a woman, and no matter how assertive I am, there are men who never take me seriously anyway. I want to like this book so bad, but it doesn't have enough of the juicy stuff in it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Murder
Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
I'm so glad I finally got around to listening to this book. I'm so glad I chose to listen to the audiobook because I cannot recommend the narrator highly enough. Her voice was so emotive and melodic and a joy to listen to.
I found this book's premise to be so compelling, even before i knew just how true its content was. While the plot drew me in, the real star of the show is the relationship between our protagonist, Civil, and the girls she is assign to care for, India and Erica. Watching her bond strengthen with the girls throughout the book was a delight, as were the many other relationships between various characters. The first two-thirds of this book had me in a chokehold.
I will say that the dual timeline in Take My Hand doesn't really do it for me. The plot points in the past are far more interesting and heart-wrenching than anything that occurs in the present, which is such an unfortunate flaw to have in a book. Luckily the storyline heavily favors the past, so that wasn't much of an issue for most of the plotline. However, the final third of the book leans more heavily into a trial and the ramifications of certain plot events, and we're pulled away from the foundational relationships of the book slightly. While this was still an interesting aspect of the plot, I can't say I cared for it nearly as much.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book, especially the audiobook, even if just for the educational aspect. These very real, horrific circumstances don't get a lot of acknowledgement these days, and it's important to remember that they did happen and affect real people. Will be on the lookout from more from Perkins-Valdez.
I found this book's premise to be so compelling, even before i knew just how true its content was. While the plot drew me in, the real star of the show is the relationship between our protagonist, Civil, and the girls she is assign to care for, India and Erica. Watching her bond strengthen with the girls throughout the book was a delight, as were the many other relationships between various characters. The first two-thirds of this book had me in a chokehold.
I will say that the dual timeline in Take My Hand doesn't really do it for me. The plot points in the past are far more interesting and heart-wrenching than anything that occurs in the present, which is such an unfortunate flaw to have in a book. Luckily the storyline heavily favors the past, so that wasn't much of an issue for most of the plotline. However, the final third of the book leans more heavily into a trial and the ramifications of certain plot events, and we're pulled away from the foundational relationships of the book slightly. While this was still an interesting aspect of the plot, I can't say I cared for it nearly as much.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book, especially the audiobook, even if just for the educational aspect. These very real, horrific circumstances don't get a lot of acknowledgement these days, and it's important to remember that they did happen and affect real people. Will be on the lookout from more from Perkins-Valdez.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Medical trauma, and Abortion
Nestlings by Nat Cassidy
dark
mysterious
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
4.25
Thanks to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feedback are my own.
This is the first horror book in a good long time that genuinely scared me. Very wary of reading this one too late at night, and that's such a good thing. The atmosphere and slow-burn mystery was so well executed that my mind went wild trying to guess the endings and twists. I was right on a couple, but that is rarely something that "ruins" a book for me.
I really enjoyed the relationship dynamics between all the characters and watching how our protagonists evolved. The characters and their motivations were all realistic and it made some of the choices they made easy to empathize with even if I hated the character themself. The inciting incidents leading up to the climax were some of the most haunting things I've read recently, and I found myself gasping and talking out loud while reading, which doesn't happen often.
I will say that once everything was revealed and the climax was occurring I found myself getting a little more bored and confused, but it didn't do a lot to mar my overall enjoyment of the book. Nestlings is being marketed as Rosemary's Baby meets Salem's Lot and while I haven't consumed either piece of media, I can totally see where they're pulling from and I think it's brilliant.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to my fellow horror lovers and I can easily see Cassidy becoming one of my favorite authors in the horror space today.
This is the first horror book in a good long time that genuinely scared me. Very wary of reading this one too late at night, and that's such a good thing. The atmosphere and slow-burn mystery was so well executed that my mind went wild trying to guess the endings and twists. I was right on a couple, but that is rarely something that "ruins" a book for me.
I really enjoyed the relationship dynamics between all the characters and watching how our protagonists evolved. The characters and their motivations were all realistic and it made some of the choices they made easy to empathize with even if I hated the character themself. The inciting incidents leading up to the climax were some of the most haunting things I've read recently, and I found myself gasping and talking out loud while reading, which doesn't happen often.
I will say that once everything was revealed and the climax was occurring I found myself getting a little more bored and confused, but it didn't do a lot to mar my overall enjoyment of the book. Nestlings is being marketed as Rosemary's Baby meets Salem's Lot and while I haven't consumed either piece of media, I can totally see where they're pulling from and I think it's brilliant.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to my fellow horror lovers and I can easily see Cassidy becoming one of my favorite authors in the horror space today.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Medical content