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stacyrenee's reviews
398 reviews
woke up no light by Leila Mottley
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
Adult
Poetry collection
From the author of Nightcrawling (on my tbr)
Beautifully written, emotional, inspiring, but also heartbreaking and a bit disturbing (ie, Elijah McClain’s last words)
There is pain, there is joy. Scars and inner turmoil. Love and body positivity.
Poetry collection
From the author of Nightcrawling (on my tbr)
Beautifully written, emotional, inspiring, but also heartbreaking and a bit disturbing (ie, Elijah McClain’s last words)
There is pain, there is joy. Scars and inner turmoil. Love and body positivity.
Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
YA
Fantasy
Fantasy
To The Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Adult
Historical fiction
Told in a series of letters, articles, photographs, etc.
Tells the story of a Colonel who embarks on an expedition to uncharted Alaskan territory
And the wife who was left behind because of her pregnancy
Historical fiction
Told in a series of letters, articles, photographs, etc.
Tells the story of a Colonel who embarks on an expedition to uncharted Alaskan territory
And the wife who was left behind because of her pregnancy
Januaries: Stories of Love, Magic & Betrayal by Olivie Blake
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Adult
Fantasy
Short stories
Contains some ‘spice’ 🌶
Fantasy
Short stories
Contains some ‘spice’ 🌶
Lost on a Mountain in Maine by Donn Fendler, Joseph Egan
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
3.0
Recommended ages: 9+
Nonfiction
Memoir
About a boy who ends up lost on a mountain in Maine for two weeks
Includes some religious undertones
Has a late-2024 film adaptation - haven’t seen it yet
Nonfiction
Memoir
About a boy who ends up lost on a mountain in Maine for two weeks
Includes some religious undertones
Has a late-2024 film adaptation - haven’t seen it yet
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Contemporary fiction
*Banned Book
Set in New Hampshire
Starts with a school shooting, then breaks down the how and why of it, plus a twist ending.
*Banned Book
Set in New Hampshire
Starts with a school shooting, then breaks down the how and why of it, plus a twist ending.
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
dark
mysterious
fast-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
3.5
Adult
Classic
Crime Mystery
3.5 stars
The 10th book in the Hercule Poirot series
Poirot investigates a murder while traveling by train from Istanbul
Watched the film adaptation afterward!
Classic
Crime Mystery
3.5 stars
The 10th book in the Hercule Poirot series
Poirot investigates a murder while traveling by train from Istanbul
Watched the film adaptation afterward!
The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Adult
Horror / mystery / thriller
Hist fic + modern pov
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Set in West Hall, Vermont
This tensely atmospheric winter tale covers two timelines in the same small town, one from 1908 and the other set in the modern day and age, where the modern MC finds the diary that helps her with her own horrifying mystery.
The 1900’s portion of this book gave me all ‘The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey’ vibes, with a small family of 3 living in a mountain wilderness during winter, but with a major horror twist.
Add in the modern pov and this becomes a tale spanning generations that very much reminded me of ‘The Invited’ by (checks SG…) the same author 😅 I’m guessing that’s their writing vibe?
Horror / mystery / thriller
Hist fic + modern pov
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Set in West Hall, Vermont
This tensely atmospheric winter tale covers two timelines in the same small town, one from 1908 and the other set in the modern day and age, where the modern MC finds the diary that helps her with her own horrifying mystery.
The 1900’s portion of this book gave me all ‘The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey’ vibes, with a small family of 3 living in a mountain wilderness during winter, but with a major horror twist.
Add in the modern pov and this becomes a tale spanning generations that very much reminded me of ‘The Invited’ by (checks SG…) the same author 😅 I’m guessing that’s their writing vibe?
Winterhouse by Ben Guterson
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
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? Yes
4.5
MG
Fantasy / Mystery
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
4.5 stars
This was a lot of fun!
The MC, Elizabeth, is an orphan who lives with an uncaring aunt & uncle that send her away during Christmas break while they go off on a private vacation. Not only do they only give her $3 and 3 outfits, but Elizabeth must find her way, by train, to Winterhouse, a hotel that has been mysteriously paid for the entirety of her stay despite her aunt & uncle’s tight-pursed ways. The hotel ends up being cozy and charming and full of mystery, including a enormous library and a new friend or two, as well as a few baddies to look out for.
I especially loved how the MC, Elizabeth, and her new friend, Freddy, enjoy wordplay, including word ladders that are shared at the beginning of each chapter and a few riddles within.
Fantasy / Mystery
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
4.5 stars
This was a lot of fun!
The MC, Elizabeth, is an orphan who lives with an uncaring aunt & uncle that send her away during Christmas break while they go off on a private vacation. Not only do they only give her $3 and 3 outfits, but Elizabeth must find her way, by train, to Winterhouse, a hotel that has been mysteriously paid for the entirety of her stay despite her aunt & uncle’s tight-pursed ways. The hotel ends up being cozy and charming and full of mystery, including a enormous library and a new friend or two, as well as a few baddies to look out for.
I especially loved how the MC, Elizabeth, and her new friend, Freddy, enjoy wordplay, including word ladders that are shared at the beginning of each chapter and a few riddles within.
In the Hour of Crows by Dana Elmendorf
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
5.0
Adult
Mystery
Magical Realism
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Set in a small town in Appalachia, Weatherly Opal Wilder is and has always been a ‘Death Talker’. Since she was little, her grandmother would bring her to anyone dying to talk and sing the death away from taking them. Now her cousin and best friend, Adaire, has been murdered and Weatherly finds herself unable to talk the death away from the son of who she thinks is Adaire’s murderer. Stuck in a place full of people that have always resented and avoided her unless on death’s doorstep, Weatherly must fight to find the truth of her cousin’s murder and her own existence before it’s too late.
I really enjoyed this. The setting, the magical realism and witchy vibes, the mystery and intrigue. It’s dark and atmospheric with a slight touch of romance tossed in.
Weatherly is a pretty memorable character with a very unique gift; the magical ability to talk death out of taking a victim and turn that ‘death’ or illness and spit it up as poison. This gave a very dark and witchy turn to the story. Suspense twist ending.
Mystery
Magical Realism
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Set in a small town in Appalachia, Weatherly Opal Wilder is and has always been a ‘Death Talker’. Since she was little, her grandmother would bring her to anyone dying to talk and sing the death away from taking them. Now her cousin and best friend, Adaire, has been murdered and Weatherly finds herself unable to talk the death away from the son of who she thinks is Adaire’s murderer. Stuck in a place full of people that have always resented and avoided her unless on death’s doorstep, Weatherly must fight to find the truth of her cousin’s murder and her own existence before it’s too late.
I really enjoyed this. The setting, the magical realism and witchy vibes, the mystery and intrigue. It’s dark and atmospheric with a slight touch of romance tossed in.
Weatherly is a pretty memorable character with a very unique gift; the magical ability to talk death out of taking a victim and turn that ‘death’ or illness and spit it up as poison. This gave a very dark and witchy turn to the story. Suspense twist ending.