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marshalls_library's reviews
180 reviews
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
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? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A Darker Shade of Noir: New Stories of Body Horror by Women Writers by Joyce Carol Oates
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Bad Cree by Jessica Johns
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Attack From the '80s by Eugene Johnson
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Ballad of the Werevixens by Kristopher Triana
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A Light Most Hateful by Hailey Piper
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Spoiler Free
"All she had was the truth, terrible and useless."
Let me say right out of the gate that this was a PHENOMENAL book. It will easily find its way into my top ten list of the year. @haileypiperfights absolutely crushes it with this book.
It's difficult to dive really deep into the plot without providing spoilers, but at its core this is a story about friendship, love, family, grief, and identity, told through the lens of cosmic/psychological horror.
A Light Most Hateful starts off as a potential creature feature, then morphs into what you think might be a virus infecting the minds of a small town, before really starting to develop into what is ultimately the tragic story of how a young woman's grief manifests and impacts the lives of everyone around her.
The real identity of the novel isn't immediately revealed, but Piper keeps you guessing and wildly entertained while leading you to that point.
I mistakenly assumed Queen of Teeth would remain my favorite book by Hailey, but there's a new champ in town. Based on her growth (I've read six of her ten books now), in a few years I suspect her to keep blowing us away while becoming one of the most important voices of the genre.
"All she had was the truth, terrible and useless."
Let me say right out of the gate that this was a PHENOMENAL book. It will easily find its way into my top ten list of the year. @haileypiperfights absolutely crushes it with this book.
It's difficult to dive really deep into the plot without providing spoilers, but at its core this is a story about friendship, love, family, grief, and identity, told through the lens of cosmic/psychological horror.
A Light Most Hateful starts off as a potential creature feature, then morphs into what you think might be a virus infecting the minds of a small town, before really starting to develop into what is ultimately the tragic story of how a young woman's grief manifests and impacts the lives of everyone around her.
The real identity of the novel isn't immediately revealed, but Piper keeps you guessing and wildly entertained while leading you to that point.
I mistakenly assumed Queen of Teeth would remain my favorite book by Hailey, but there's a new champ in town. Based on her growth (I've read six of her ten books now), in a few years I suspect her to keep blowing us away while becoming one of the most important voices of the genre.
Beneath a Pale Sky by Philip Fracassi
challenging
dark
emotional
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? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Spoiler Free
Beneath a Pale Sky by @pfracassi is one of those rare collections that doesn't disappoint or underdeliver in any way.
There's a lot of range here, with some stories grounded firmly in reality...the claustrophobic and psychological horror of being buried alive in the rubble of an earthquake, or riding a ferris wheel only to realize a small plane is headed straight towards you.
There are also some supernatural and cosmic elements here as well, with a university professor discovering alien life, and closing with a character who is friends with the physical embodiment of Death.
Gothic is still my favorite Fracassi read so far, but as far as single-author collections go, Beneath a Pale Sky is one of the best I've read.
Beneath a Pale Sky by @pfracassi is one of those rare collections that doesn't disappoint or underdeliver in any way.
There's a lot of range here, with some stories grounded firmly in reality...the claustrophobic and psychological horror of being buried alive in the rubble of an earthquake, or riding a ferris wheel only to realize a small plane is headed straight towards you.
There are also some supernatural and cosmic elements here as well, with a university professor discovering alien life, and closing with a character who is friends with the physical embodiment of Death.
Gothic is still my favorite Fracassi read so far, but as far as single-author collections go, Beneath a Pale Sky is one of the best I've read.
The Lottery and Other Stories: 75th Anniversary Edition by Shirley Jackson
challenging
dark
reflective
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? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5