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lon3rston3r's reviews
58 reviews
This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The plot of this book grabbed me immediately because I loved the idea of tech and horror meeting in the middle. However, the plot mentioned on the book seems to have taken a backseat to everything else that happens and becomes a metaphor for something else. I still enjoyed reading the story and really liked the build up.
You know when you read a book and the mystery or conflict starts to build up and bubble over the surface and you grow more and more excited to see how it will unfold or resolve? Then you reach the conclusion and it just doesn’t pay off or work? Then you feel like you wasted all this excitement for nothing? That’s how I felt when I finished this book. It was written very well, but it just didn't live up to what I expected and I found myself disappointed when I reached the end.
THIS PART OF MY REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS:
This book starts off with the plot of a seemingly haunted apartment gaining access to this world’s Siri-like device or the device itself being haunted. But the book begins with the death of Vera, Thiago’s wife. The plot of the book made it seem like Vera would survive at least the beginning of the story, so I was thrown off. As I kept going, it became kind of apparent that the book would focus on Thiago’s grief and I was ok with that. I struggled to like Thiago’s character and just found him unlikeable.
I enjoyed the buildup of the story, but disliked the ending. It seemed like one of those horror books where the real horror is something that is super realistic. The real horror in this book? Grief and what it can do you. The ending seemed metaphorical and I believe that Thiago succumbing to the chef or the wall was him succumbing to grief. And Vera’s mom dying kind of made it more clear before I got to the ending because she was struggling with Vera’s death as well. Not a bad book and it is written well, but the ending was unsatisfying and I found myself annoyed. Also poor Brimley😭
You know when you read a book and the mystery or conflict starts to build up and bubble over the surface and you grow more and more excited to see how it will unfold or resolve? Then you reach the conclusion and it just doesn’t pay off or work? Then you feel like you wasted all this excitement for nothing? That’s how I felt when I finished this book. It was written very well, but it just didn't live up to what I expected and I found myself disappointed when I reached the end.
THIS PART OF MY REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS:
I enjoyed the buildup of the story, but disliked the ending. It seemed like one of those horror books where the real horror is something that is super realistic. The real horror in this book? Grief and what it can do you. The ending seemed metaphorical and I believe that Thiago succumbing to the chef or the wall was him succumbing to grief. And Vera’s mom dying kind of made it more clear before I got to the ending because she was struggling with Vera’s death as well. Not a bad book and it is written well, but the ending was unsatisfying and I found myself annoyed. Also poor Brimley😭
Reprieve by James Han Mattson
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
This book was neither amazing nor bad. It is a classic whodunit but with a horror twist. And by horror I mean it takes place at a haunted house/escape room around Halloween. I didn’t find any characters that stood out to me and the reveal was kind of sad and felt like a cop out, but it’s a quick lil read for Halloween.
THIS PART OF THE REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
The ending was unsatisfying for me because there were times when the trope of black people being the first or only ones to die in a scary movie was joked about, so when Kendra’s cousin died, I was sad. And I felt like it was the easy way out. An incel sneaking into the haunted house/escape room and going on a lil rampage annoyed me.
THIS PART OF THE REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
We Are Not Like Them by Jo Piazza, Christine Pride
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This book was written well and the characters are compelling. I don't really have anything extraordinary to say about the book, even though I liked it. It was giving high school summer reading (not in a bad way). I liked Riley the most and rooted for her throughout the book. I like Jen, but she is harder to love.
THIS CONTAINS POSSIBLE SPOILERS
I found Jen a little harder to love because of her obvious jealousy, envy and/or resentment towards Riley. And when her husband's family were being lowkey (or well...highkey) racist, she never spoke up. I felt bad for Riley that she hid her feelings and held out on her experiences, because she thinks that Jen wouldn't understand. Riley's character development was handled well. I felt like Jen's jealousy towards Riley wasn't talked about enough and it definitely wasn't handled.
THIS CONTAINS POSSIBLE SPOILERS
Devil House by John Darnielle
2.0
Gage Chandler is a true crime writer working on his new book about the sword murders of two victims in an old, abandoned adult store during the height of the Satanic Panic. Choosing to live in the very house where the murders took place, Chandler begins a journey that soon blurs the line between fact and fiction.
I chose this book because it was in the horror/thriller section and the plot seemed interesting enough. It turns out the story is more of a weird meta analysis on true crime storytelling within the actual story. It seemed compelling enough, but the author's style of writing made it very difficult to follow due to the constant changing perspectives. The book kept leaping between the case, the author indulging us on the main character's writing process (which is super boring and nobody cares) and telling us about the first case Chandler covers. This book feels like it is supposed to be making a bigger statement about something, but it really feels like the book is calling me stupid for not being able to catch on. And I found myself constantly reading reviews to make sure I wasn't crazy for not liking the book, but I think the only reason people were praising the book so much is because the author is a musician.
THIS PART OF THE REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
The chapters recounting the White Witch case were FAR more interesting than the actual story, let alone the case that Chandler was supposed to be covering. Even though the White Witch case was Chandler's first success, it wasn't really mentioning the impact he had on the people or the community. I found that weird since the plot of the book made it seems like it was supposed to be an analysis on true crime writers. Also the book kept mentioning how Chandler came from kings. What the f*ck does that have to do with anything? Also the medieval chapter?! Like what even was that? I skipped that part once I realized it wasn't relevant to the story. All the jumping around in the book made it hard to keep my attention.
Then the ending where it was revealed that the teenagers in the story were made up?! I was so mad I decided to keep reading the book when I wanted to DNF so bad. It felt like a slap in the face. Or more like a spit in the face for deciding to keep reading the book and giving the author a chance. If the author wanted to make an analysis on the themes of writing true crime, I felt like he could've did it in a better way.
I chose this book because it was in the horror/thriller section and the plot seemed interesting enough. It turns out the story is more of a weird meta analysis on true crime storytelling within the actual story. It seemed compelling enough, but the author's style of writing made it very difficult to follow due to the constant changing perspectives. The book kept leaping between the case, the author indulging us on the main character's writing process (which is super boring and nobody cares) and telling us about the first case Chandler covers. This book feels like it is supposed to be making a bigger statement about something, but it really feels like the book is calling me stupid for not being able to catch on. And I found myself constantly reading reviews to make sure I wasn't crazy for not liking the book, but I think the only reason people were praising the book so much is because the author is a musician.
THIS PART OF THE REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
Then the ending where it was revealed that the teenagers in the story were made up?! I was so mad I decided to keep reading the book when I wanted to DNF so bad. It felt like a slap in the face. Or more like a spit in the face for deciding to keep reading the book and giving the author a chance. If the author wanted to make an analysis on the themes of writing true crime, I felt like he could've did it in a better way.
Nestlings by Nat Cassidy
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I really liked this! I originally planned to save this for Halloween to get into the spooky vibes, but I couldn't wait! Ana is a lovable character and I really feel for her throughout the entire book. I didn't expect the twist and didn't quite particularly like the ending, although I enjoyed the journey. I did really like the narrative surrounding Ana and her disability. There were times in the story where you would think Ana would be more discouraged to continue because of her resentment towards her injury and how she struggles to get around sometimes, but it only gave her more strength and I loved that.
DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU WANT THE STORY SPOILED!
Ana dealing with the combination of postpartum depression or just plain depression from her disabling injury due to giving birth made her so likeable to me and I found myself really rooting for her. Her husband, Reid, seems supportive in the beginning but turns out to be just as angry and resentful as Ana. I found that really annoying how he would chastise her for her very real and understandable feelings, but have those same feelings himself. I really didn't like him.
The twist being vampires and gargoyles was NOT what I was expecting, but I stuck with it and enjoyed its uniqueness. I didn't quite like the ending because sometimes I expect the story to wrap up neatly like a pretty little bow, but I am happy that Ana is where she wants to be by the end of the story. Her husband getting what he deserves made me happy because I was crushed by his betrayal. I also I LOVED that at the climax, the villain offered Ana a chance to rid herself of her disability, and she refused. I loved that her "happy" ending didn't involve her disability going away.
DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU WANT THE STORY SPOILED!
The twist being vampires and gargoyles was NOT what I was expecting, but I stuck with it and enjoyed its uniqueness. I didn't quite like the ending because sometimes I expect the story to wrap up neatly like a pretty little bow, but I am happy that Ana is where she wants to be by the end of the story. Her husband getting what he deserves made me happy because I was crushed by his betrayal. I also I LOVED that at the climax, the villain offered Ana a chance to rid herself of her disability, and she refused. I loved that her "happy" ending didn't involve her disability going away.
Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur
inspiring
reflective
tense
5.0
This has been on my wishlist for quite some time. I found her story super inspiring and she really painted a picture to the lengths the FBI and state police departments would go to stifle the Black Liberation Movement and their efforts to provide for their community and defend themselves. Assata recounting her childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood show how those experiences shaped her sense of self and her sense of justice. She's been through so much that I'm glad that she is living her best life in Cuba.
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I don't have much to say about this book. I love the plot of retiring assassins that have to go on the run to prevent their agency from terminating them. I was like reading John Wick but instead of a man, it is 4 60-something ladies.
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this book so much I read it in two days. I love a horror/thriller story based on a child doing something creepy. Based on the plot, it was giving "Disturbia", but I loved when the story took a turn. Mallory being a recovering addict added a layer of unreliability to not just the story, but to how she is perceived. I found myself rooting for her and wanting the best for her.
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
Did not finish book. Stopped at 70%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 70%.
I didn't finish the book because I didn't like it. This is a first for me because I love true crime books and I chose to read this book finally after it being on my TBR for a while since EARONS got arrested and I wanted to know more about the case. I think the writing style and how it jumped around didn't keep my attention, although I will say that given the circumstances, Michelle McNamara's husband and co-collaborators did a great job putting all her notes and unfinished excerpts in order. I think that's what ended up making me abandon the book.
And There He Kept Her by Joshua Moehling
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I liked reading the book and the plot was interesting enough. My boyfriend chose this book for me, so I wouldn't have chosen it myself, but it was a decent read. Nothing stuck out to me about the characters or the writing which is why I gave it 3.5 stars.