goblingirlreads's reviews
819 reviews

Model Home by Rivers Solomon

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Model Home is described as a haunted house book flipped on its head. And it is that in some ways. However, in many ways it's about Ezri finally processing a very traumatic childhood and coming to terms with what happened then, while also dealing with a new tragedy in the present surrounded by their two sisters, Eve & Emmanuelle, and their daughter, Elijah. This book is very heavy. If you open the content warnings here on Storygraph you'll find....a lot. I recommend checking those and coming into this book only if you feel safe. That said, I thought this was absolutely incredible. The prose drew me in and swept me away. The way the story bounces between past and present was smooth and exciting. The relationships between the characters felt real. No one was perfect but everyone was doing their best. I consumed this story and I definitely attribute this to how brilliant Rivers Solomon is as an author. It was painful but it was also amazing.
Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

Go to review page

dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

It's sad for my to admit but I think I'm not a fan of Octavia Butler's writing style. It comes across as very cold to me. This book is extremely sexually charged from beginning to end so that's an odd contrast. That said, Butler's ideas and concepts I find absolutely fascinating. It's not one I'm running to recommend but I enjoyed it fine.
Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson

Go to review page

adventurous tense 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

3.5

There's something very exciting about Nalo Hopkinson. While I can't say I love loved this one, it made me really eager to try her other work. It's entrenched in culture, magic, power hungry characters, spirits and gods. I have to say I didn't quite grasp all of it which could totally be part of why my review didn't hit that 4-star. There were parts I struggled to understand since we were dropped right into the thick of it. But I'm telling you, there's something here that really wants to read more work, especially since this is one of her early books!
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

Go to review page

emotional reflective 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

Absolutely beautifully written book. I enjoyed it immensely.
Galatea by Madeline Miller

Go to review page

emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Madeline Miller just has a lovely voice and really brings myths to life. An exceptional talent! As with any short stories, if anything I wanted more! But that wasn't the goal of this and I really enjoyed it.
Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

A year ago Joan's husband walked out on her, but there's something about that night that doesn't seem quite right to her even though everyone is telling her it's time to start moving on. Then, he reappears in a very unlikely place, not acting at all like himself, and Joan has to start to put together the pieces of a mystery if she wants her husband back. This was great!! Dimaline has established herself as an author that I can trust to tell a fascinating story, keep me invested, give me characters to root for, and lore that grounds the story in myth and culture. Really enjoyed this one!
Affinity by Sarah Waters

Go to review page

Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
I REALLY WANT to like Sarah Waters. But I'm a third of the way through and I just am not connecting with any of the characters or the prose so I'm calling it here.
Little Eve by Catriona Ward

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

On a remote Scottish isle in 1920, an entire family is discovered ritualistically murdered in their secluded castle. Only one survivor remains. She whispers "Little Eve did it". We jump back in time to learn about Little Eve's childhood, growing up in a family that is more like a cult than a loving family as we see the chain of events that lead to this tragic ending.

There's something about this story. While I can't say that I loved it or am leaping to recommend it to others I can say it grabbed and held my attention for the whole book. I was enraptured by it. The gothic vibes were just right. Catriona Ward is a huge talent and this gave me Shirley Jackson vibes for sure, particularly reminding me of "We Have Always Lived in the Castle". Even though this book was character driven, I would've liked even more exploration of character. I really wanted it to go deeper than it did but I still really appreciated the characterization I did get. Sometimes the plot meandered in ways that didn't always serve the story, and there were some confusing elements that could have been clarified, but ultimately this was very good.
Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 1 by James Tynion IV

Go to review page

mysterious sad tense 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

The City in Glass by Nghi Vo

Go to review page

dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I don't know, Nghi Vo! Big thanks to TorDotCom for my copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Here's the deal: I love how Nghi Vo writes. I find it atmospheric, emotional, and captivating. That said, this one is not particularly a favorite of mine. The plot is thin and it's more about the demon Vitrine and the fall and rise and fall of a city under her watch. There are parts that were absolutely stunning to read and parts that were a slog. I enjoyed myself but I'm not running to recommend it to friends.