eggcatsreads's reviews
456 reviews

With three conflicting narratives, each with their own unreliable narrator, figuring out which sister the voice of the killer in this novel is will be a challenge. 

Trigger warning for: CSA, animal abuse/mutilation (only discussed, no actual animals are harmed in this novel), body mutilation, killing, rape (mentioned), medical gaslighting 

I enjoyed the beginning of this book, as we learned and explored each of the women’s perspectives and histories, but as the story progressed I felt at times that the author was intentionally muddying their narratives to try to make the resolution at the end more “dramatic.” I kind of figured out which was the voice of the killer from the start, if only because only one character didn’t have so many red herrings that made me mentally go “well it can’t be that one it’s too obvious,” but even with the ending I felt like the timeline and explanation kind of fell apart at the end. 

By the ending of the novel I was confused about both the timeline, as well as the actual crimes committed when they were children, as so much of this book focuses on hiding specific details to keep the reader guessing that I think the author forgot that we (as the reader) aren’t privy to the same information if she hasn’t written it down. As we follow each sister - one, with false memories of being abused by her grandfather, one obsessed with her grandfather’s house and needing to purchase it, and the other with fond memories and hating their sister with the memory issues - we are slowly able to piece together the entire story of their past. Except…each of them has some conflicting narratives, memory lapses, and pieces that don’t add up. 

And then by the ending, we’re still left with some questions about their actual past. We find out where the one sister’s false memories come from, yes, but we’re never given answers for questions that are even explicitly asked in the novel. Why do they spend so much time at their grandfather’s house? What exactly is going on? We’re given some nuggets of information in the literal last chapter or so, but nothing that fully closes the holes in the narrative during the rest of the novel, and that made the ending feel incomplete. 

(Also. Not fully related, but, uh. An “intact hymen” isn’t an indication of virginity, nor do you need to bleed during your first sexual experience to prove you were a virgin. Strange inclusion to have in this book.) 

 

A psychological horror novel that in many ways feels like playing a grown-up version of Corpse Party, with a fascinating premise and a trapped-location feel.

Trigger warning for: Self-harm, self-mutilation, CSA, child abuse, body horror, negative self-image, suicide

Unfortunately, like when I read The Book of Accidents, this book just wasn’t for me. I am a huge fan of the staircase in the woods phenomena and r/nosleep story, so I decided to give this book a chance before deciding that this author wasn’t one for me. However, while the title of this book does focus on the penultimate staircase, and there are a few other staircases scattered throughout - in all honesty, this book is barely about them. This book focuses much more on interpersonal relationships and traumas - and the house they all wind up trapped in - than staircases at all! I would honestly say this book has much more in common with the No-End House creepypasta and some similarities to the game Corpse Party, and that the staircase motif was more added so the author could have an exciting title to catch readers familiar with the concept. 

The first about 30% of this book was a chore to read. I’ve heard people complain about the politics being included in this book, and hilariously I would almost agree - except from the opposite direction. If I wasn’t so sure the author was leaning anti-Trump, I’d have believed him to be conservative. The ONLY openly queer character in this book is such an open stereotype that despite me also being nonbinary, agender, and aromantic I felt like Lore was almost a strawman so readers could point and laugh at how “ridiculous” a nonbinary aromantic pansexual would be as a person. ESPECIALLY when her introduction is made by harassing the “normal” seeming pro-Trump character in this novel - and this character is never given the same stereotypical treatment, and is instead seen as the “straight” man to offset how “insane” the other character is being. We’re supposed to find it funny that Lore accuses him of “hating” her because he voted for Trump - as if it’s ridiculous to assume someone voting for someone who has openly been racist, sexist, homophobic, and transphobic and has created legislation to make being anything other than “acceptable cishet” a crime would - maybe - not be someone a queer woman would be comfortable around. 

This uncomfortable feeling of homophobia never fully leaves the novel, as while Lore is openly attracted to both men and women, and is supposed to be aromantic - she still ends the novel in a relationship of some sort with a character who had been in love with her as children. A relationship that she, herself, had decided then to not pursue because she wouldn’t be able to give him the same kind of devotion he would give her. And at no point do either of these characters discuss what being in a sexual queerplatonic relationship would look like, and so I can only assume this is her “proper” ending to her “wildness” she had before - she’s been tamed into a relationship that she had never indicated wanting or desiring. And granted, I’m very much projecting here, but since I - once again - am ALSO aromantic it seems like an uncomfortable throughline. (Also, the author very clearly states that she can have sexual relationships but not romantic because she’s aromantic, NOT asexual, and as an asexual myself that’s…not true? Aros can have romantic relationships and aces can have sexual ones - and I’m not saying that Lore ending the book in a supposed romantic relationship is a bad thing, just that - with no discussion in the book to imply any kind of discussion about it - it feels a bit heteronormative to read.)

[Also, the character Lore ends up with I felt like had a much clearer romantic throughline to one of the other men in the story, which I feel would have done a lot to counteract the (hopefully) unintentional homophobia present in this novel.]

After I forced myself to continue past the first 30%, the book itself did improve - but that could be in part because it no longer felt like a flashlight was being pointed at my face and going “haha aren’t people like you so weird and confrontational!” 

Rather than staircases, this book instead focuses on the broken friendships of these characters and the traumas each had faced growing up. And, well…some of these could have been included more tactfully - or, not at all. One in particular felt like it was added simply for the shock value, and then each character winds up in a sort of “trauma Olympics” with each other to try to one-up everyone - even if that’s not how they intend to come across. (One scene even felt like in Jenny Nicholson’s video on Split, where she criticized self-harm scars as the only way someone with depression or suicidal thoughts could articulate it, and that these scars are the only way to help save themselves.) 

Finally, I found the ending to be a tad annoying as - while generally I enjoy open-ended stories - the way this one did felt anticlimactic, as it very clearly set up something that would have ruined the emotional feelings the reader (and these characters) felt about this character throughout the story. Also, I felt like this book kind of took a sharp left turn when we left the staircase mystery and motif, and instead entered into “evil sentient house” where…the motivation to do things just…fell apart? As the story progressed it slowly made less and less sense - especially with the climatic reason for the house to have become evil and sentient in the first place. (No spoilers, but really? That’s the evil that started this mess? That’s it??) I felt like having an actual root cause we could explore almost made the story less believable, and by the time it was revealed I was simply reading to finish this book. However, I know I’m not in the majority of my feelings towards this book, so I would recommend you check it out if you are a fan of horror and being trapped in a single location that is actively trying to break you down. 

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Random House Worlds for providing this e-ARC.

With how much I loved Epic of Helinthia, the sequel had a lot riding on its shoulders - and it exceeded my expectations flawlessly. I reread Epic to prepare for Oracle, and I’m so glad I did as Oracle has so many different intricacies and plot points hidden throughout that at no point was I ever certain which way the cards would end up. While I would say that Epic felt more like a story that actively took you along for the ride (literally in the case of Gonivein), Oracle is one that develops around you and forces you (and the characters) to respond. While Oracle generally occurs in one single location, at no point is there nothing going on, nor can we (the reader) rest as we watch the political tension rise around everyone. 

Oracle begins with us having a new point of view - Lithaneva - and in doing so we’re able to get a much better understanding of the politics of the world outside of Dargos’ perspective. As the daughter of the Anax, having her perspective is key to understanding the fate of Helinthia under his rule - and why, exactly, she is working with the resistance to remove him from power. I loved having this extra point of view, as it humanizes those we wouldn’t find sympathetic otherwise - such as her new husband Branitus, who we meet in Epic. I was shocked by how much I loved him as a character, as before every instance we meet of him is in a public, formal setting through Dargos or Gandor’s eyes. 

With both Dargos and Gonivein now being fugitives after the events in Epic, their safety is much more fragile throughout Oracle - in many ways, resting on the goodwill of Kelric. With Kelric deciding to continue to marry Gonivein, despite doing so potentially alienating the Anax against the wishes of his polis, the political landscape suddenly becomes much more treacherous for everyone living in Golpathia. I really liked the new perspective that living in a different area, without Dargos being able to be a main playing character anymore, allowed for the understanding of the world building within this book. During Epic we’re lead to believe that Dargos’ dislike of the Anax, and desire to overthrow him is a political secret held only to his closest allies - but then we find out in Oracle that this isn’t the case, and that Dargos might have been too certain of his ability to do so and had potentially told too many people of his open dislike of the Anax. This causes strife for anyone who is too openly friendly with Dargos - including Kelric - and makes it much harder for Dargos to ensure political safety for not only himself, but his sister and Forluna, as well. 

I also really liked that, despite both Gonivein and Tor being confirmed as the oracles of Apollo and Artemis, this doesn’t add too much safety to Gonivein’s life. While being the Oracle of Apollo has some political benefits, being the sister of Dargos in some ways almost negates those benefits, and so she is still very much in danger. I also found it fascinating that, rather than excitement, the general feeling within the polis of there being two new confirmed oracles, when there hadn’t been any in years, to be anxiety over what the gods are planning to happen. The idea being that, in times of prosperity the gods don’t bother with the whims of mortals, but only during times of strife they do. And so, with the two new oracles added, tensions within the polis are continuously rising as everyone is on edge about potentially even worse things happening in the future. 

With so much political strife and tension in the air, every decision any character makes winds up having far-reaching consequences - even those no one is aware about. With sides being chosen in the sand everywhere around, it’s only when the dust finally settles that we will find out who is truly on which side. Oracle is a fantastic second book, as despite much of the book occurring in one single location, so much is going on to help set up the worldbuilding and characterization that at no point do you hit a slow spot - or feel like a certain perspective isn’t needed to fully understand what is going on. Every character within this book is forced to make some extremely difficult decisions, and no one ends the book the same person they started it with - and especially not the same people they were in Epic. This series is absolutely one to read for anyone who is a fan of Greek retellings (despite this being an original story), political strife, and in-depth worldbuilding. I cannot wait to see how this story develops as this series continues, and I will absolutely be coming back for more the second I can. 

(I also did not see that ending coming, and I'm so excited to see how that plays out in the future!)

Side note: The author is a PHENOMENAL writer when it comes to characterization. AT NO POINT could I tell if I liked or hated Kelric, as the second I felt one way he would do something that would change my mind. And at no point did anything he did not feel like a genuine response from him! I feel like I was Gonivein during the entire novel, constantly switching between forgiving and loving him, and wanting nothing to do with him. There are a few other characters who I loved watching their characterization build and change throughout this novel as they grew as people, but none were as striking to me as Kelric. Legitimately, at no point was I certain how, exactly, I felt about this man, and I loved it. At no point could I simply write him off in my head as someone I disliked, and yet, even during the times I was on his side I was still unsure about his true motives or how he would respond to whatever new issue had arisen. I ended Epic hating him and wanting him nothing the worst, and left Oracle unsure about my actual feelings about him because at no point did I not understand his actions. 

What do you do when you have magic but can’t do anything about it? That question haunts our main character Naila - called the “Hollow Mage,” using an insult towards those without magic, she is one of the oldest students still taking her class - and she still can’t perform even the simplest of spells. The problem is - she has magic, and if she never learns how to control it one day it’ll consume and destroy her. But when she finally finds out where her power lies, it might just be the thing causing destruction in her home.

Filled with political tension, magical bigotry, and an overarching plot connecting multiple different perspectives together, The Outcast Mage is perfect for fans of intense fantasy worldbuilding and multi-POV stories. While it takes a while for the reader to fully understand everything going on in this story, dumping us into the world with little buildup - as the novel progresses you’re able to begin to piece together the larger puzzle.

I loved the characters within this story, and there were even a few that surprised me with how much I grew to love them, but every character had a reason for their perspective to be included and I never found a chapter lacking or like a character could have been removed without losing any of the plot. 

My biggest issue was only that sometimes when a chapter would end and the next would start, we would be shoved further in the story than we had left it, and had to figure out what exactly happened in the meantime. It wasn’t always entirely jarring, but there were a few times where (Naila especially) would be in a situation and the chapter would end, and then the next chapter shows her already having resolved that same issue. 

A book that sharply reflects the American political landscape, with a central political figure taking more and more power and preaching hatred towards a group of citizens living within their city - blaming them for each and every problem regardless of facts - and creating a group of secret police that follow only him to root out dissension and arresting anyone who isn’t a member of his “in-group,” this book has a refreshing amount of things to say within its pages. 

 

I believe in women’s rights, but more importantly I believe in women’s wrongs. Cordelia Black is both a role model and an inspiration, and the world would be a safer place if she was real. 

Is murder the worst crime you can commit? Are there crimes where you think “I wish they were dead” after you learn about them? Do you believe in the death penalty? Depending on your answer to these questions, you might have the same beliefs as Cordelia Black, hand of justice. (Not murder, she doesn’t like to apply such a label to herself. After all, she’s only cleaning up the streets and making them safer, it’s not like she’s doing anything without a purpose!)

I was sucked into Cordelia’s world from the first hints that her outer appearance was more of a facade to a darker pastime. She’s detail-oriented, efficient, and on top of everything - or she was, until a new boyfriend comes into her best friend’s life. Simon. The worst guy you can think of to date a woman with a teen daughter. Flashy, charming, and kind on the surface - but with just something to make you raise your hackles whenever he’s around. Luckily for her chosen family, Cordelia is there to keep them safe.

I loved getting into Cordelia’s head, and found myself rooting for her during the entire novel. I wanted her to get away with it all, and was at the edge of my seat every time something happened that just hinted that she was about to lose it all. This book is filled with red herrings - both in events and characters - and until it’s resolved you’re never certain how it will shake out for Cordelia. Semi-dating a cop on the case of her own murders, a best friend with a shitty boyfriend that she’s trying to figure out how to dispose of, and the pharmaceutical drug she’s a spokeswoman for launching her into an investigation - there’s a lot that could cause her to trip up and make a mistake. 

While I’ve never watched Dexter myself, I did find myself thinking that some scenes were similar in vibe - intensity and comedic relief - as Santa Clarita Diet.. No, there’s no cannibalism or a couple in this book, but some of the situations felt like they’d fit right on a television show. Answering the door to a cop while you desperately try to cover the blood spatter on yourself, refusing to let him in because there’s a dead body in your kitchen? Opening the freezer to jokingly talk to the head you keep in there until you can find a good location to dump it? Hysterical. This book was both intense and hilarious, and I think it’d make an excellent show or movie if it were expanded upon. I, myself, would love to watch Cordelia Black rid the world of evil men. 

If you’re fans of stories centering around serial killers, bad men getting what’s coming to them, and female empowerment, then look no further than This Girl’s a Killer. Cordelia Black is here to keep the streets safe, if only she can stick to her meticulous and proven safeguards and avoid getting caught. 

 

Filled with wild folklore, death magic, and a sapphic romance that will keep you wanting more, this book feels like a spiritual successor to The Bear and the Nightingale. 

We follow our main character, Hellevir, a woman who can speak to animals and see spirits in nature that others are blind to, as she discovers she has the power to enter Death and bargain to bring the newly deceased back to life. Every toll has its price, however, and soon she is trapped with a bargain with Death itself to keep from cutting herself into smaller and smaller pieces to save those around her. When she saves the princess herself from Death, knowledge of her skills go far beyond her and force her into serving the Crown - no matter the cost to her, or those around her.

The imagery in this book is beautiful, as we travel with Hellevir as she speaks with spirits in the trees in lakes, to the strange place she goes when she enters Death. Everything evokes a kind of wonder in the reader as they can see the beauty in the world through the main character’s eyes. However, not everything is wonderful, as the more and more she travels into and bargains with Death, the tighter the binds around her begin to close in as she becomes entangled in a political mess where no one will leave unscathed. 

The romance in this book - mild as it is - I felt really strongly added to the tension and the stakes present. Hellevir is forced to contend with what she believes she knows about Sullivan with what Sullivan (and her grandmother) are actually doing. With parts of her soul given up each time she resurrects Sullivan giving them a connection neither can break or understand, she has no choice but to follow both her heart - and the threats - even when she wants nothing more than to escape back to the small village she left. 

Perfect for fans of Katherine Arden, Ava Reid and Naomi Novik, The Gilded Crown will captivate you from the first page and keep you wanting more even after you finish reading. 

While I expected more of a ghost story with a haunted ghost ship, what I found within this book was a compelling narrative that tackles the insidious creeping nature of racism and xenophobia that turns once loving neighbors into those who would turn their backs on you while you were being assaulted in the street. I was hooked from the first page, and the rest of this book kept me riveted in my seat until I finished reading this in one single sitting. 

The worldbuilding in this book is compelling and intricate, and leaves the reader wishing for more when the last page is finally read. We are given glimpses into the world of these characters, and information is sprinkled along like breadcrumbs every time something new happens, and we - as the reader - need to connect the dots and fit together the puzzle. 

The characters are compelling, and I enjoyed getting into the minds of those within this book. Figuring out their struggles and goals, while never explicitly telling us in a 1-to-1 fashion, instead allowing the narrative to tell the story and for the book and their actions to compel the reader into wanting more. 

A brilliant introduction into this world, I cannot wait to read what happens next on their journey and to find out more of what - exactly - occurred on their father’s ghost ship. Or why it mysteriously showed back up - empty and unharmed - 9 years after his disappearance. Without giving too much away, I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories with a shifting political landscape and characters trying to keep their heads above water at all costs, where their circumstances have forced their hands into choosing uncertainty over certain death. Hull and Fire almost feels like an alternate reality historical fiction tale, with a world and characters that feel both real and realistic - and where the reader can see the similarities reflected within our own society, as well. 

 

 Calling all #BossBabes and #SHEeos, are you ready to #rise to the challenge and become your own boss? Do you want time to make money while staying at home taking care of your kids (and husband, #lolz)? Well, join my team with LuLaRoe! Wait no, Arbonne! Ah, shoot, no, I meant LuminUS! A life-changing opportunity that’s only available for a select few more girls on my team awaits! #itsnotapyramidscheme

Death in the Downline gives us a humorous look into the dangers of “direct selling” (because pyramid schemes are illegal, duh!) and the manipulative cult tactics they use to entrap women into their schemes. I really enjoyed this book, especially how - while it definitely went into how those entrenched in this #hustle culture change as people, it never demonizes the women trapped in the cult and who are too ashamed to see a way out. 

While taking some extremes about the measures some of the women stuck in MLM cults do to keep their downlines and their wealth, at many points the things in this book echoed what anyone who has escaped these cults have talked about. LuminUS is a fake MLM company - but the things it is doing reflects very real companies that have ruined countless lives. The founder, pushing for women to serve their husbands while also looking a certain way - to the point of potentially dangerous plastic surgery? Look no further than LuLaRoe! A MLM company that gives out flashy cars and other “benefits” while never actually footing any of the danger in the cost? One that has too many products to keep track of, with shady ingredient labels and insistence on how “miracle” their stuff is? Arbonne comes to mind. Not to mention the countless other MLM’s that have come and gone, still tricking desperate women into shelling out money they don’t have with the promise of a better life.

Humorous, dramatic, and deadly all at once, Death in the Downline lets us explore these manipulative cult tactics from the safety of our homes - and allows us a glimpse into the fragile, house-of-cards lives many of these women have to live to try to survive being a #BossBabe. While criticizing those at the top of this pyramid, this book handles understanding that many of the women lower on the pyramid are victims themselves - even when they are still taking advantage of other women, as well. 

As I was reading, I was reminded of two sets of videos I’d watched münecat on YouTube deepdive onto both LuLaRoe (LuLaRoe: The Real Untold Story) and Arbonne (Arbonne is a Cult), two very informative videos that gave me a stronger understanding of MLM cult tactics and shady business practices, and if you have any interest in MLM content - and I feel like anyone who is reading this book does - I’d highly suggest checking them out. In many ways the things reflected in this fictional MLM are the very same things done by real companies taking advantage of desperate women, and the better we all understand how this is done, the better we can help our friends and our family escape the cult. 

 

A haunting tale of generational curses and how no matter how much you try the past will come back to haunt you - literally.

I found this book to be a fun and fascinating read, filled with legitimate danger and significant character growth as our main character learns to try to fight the curse haunting her and the town - as well as attempt to reconnect with her mother. When exploring the strange house that she and her mother moved into - seen as haunted by the local town - Ceci discovers a mysterious door that leads to a well that seemingly grants wishes. All is not as it seems, as this wishing well is more like a Monkey’s Paw situation and soon Ceci realizes the very real danger she is exposing to her friends and family by trying to find the easy way out of her problems. 

This book flew by as I read it, and I was hooked onto the local superstition of the town, as well as the very real history that is uncovered when Ceci begins to investigate further. I thought the tension was done extremely well, as we’re never certain how exactly this tale will end - or who are the true villains in this story. I also liked how even as we, as the reader, were putting together the pieces of Ceci and her mother’s past, we were never fully able to guess the ending or how everything would resolve. While I found the ending itself to be a bit predictable and cliche, I was never bored or uninterested in the storytelling itself. 

The thing I found the hardest to deal with during my reading was some of the dialogue between Ceci and Jamie, as well as the almost naive way Ceci embraces the wishes from this mysterious magical well - and refuses to acknowledge the very real dangers that ever wish she uses causes. However, this is a YA book so I cannot fault the book for having a young naive main character, when she is only about 16 and dealing with many issues on top of the magical wishing well. I also feel like, considering the book’s title being These Vengeful WIshes, that many of the wishes - and their consequences - were rather tame. 

 

A slow-creeping hunger that eventually consumes you until you have no choice but to embrace it - or die unfulfilled. 

Hungerstone, a Carmilla retelling, is a perfect read for fans of A Dowry of Blood (or An Education in Malice, another Carmilla retelling) and other vampire narratives. Slow to pick up momentum, at no point are we - the reader - ever certain of how the events in this book will unfold. 

Lenore, an unappreciated wife of a steel owner, meets Carmilla - thrown from her carriage and in need of care - during their trip to their isolated mansion. Locked alone with no one to talk to other than Carmilla, who slowly infects her mind with desires and wants that she’s never before allowed herself to feel, leaves Lenore with a hunger that she cannot help but do whatever she can to sate - at any cost.

My only complaint within this book is that at times I felt the narrative moved almost too slowly with Lenore as our main character, where things would happen in the narrative and yet she would do nothing about it. In many ways I, as the reader, almost felt like Carmilla - waiting for Lenore to make her decision and being less than patient in the process of doing so. A few times it felt like things had paused in the storyline simply to allow Lenore to ignore her surroundings and do nothing, but overall I found this story to be compelling and had to read until the end to find out how - exactly - Lenore would finally slack her hunger and find freedom.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Zando for providing this e-ARC.