novellearts's reviews
1653 reviews

A bit slow at the start but ended up picking up. I really appreciated how this book handled social issues. I loved the afterword too. It was a seamless mix of horror with historical fiction. I don’t feel that I often get insights into the atrocities that Japanese people living in this time had to go through. And the afterword did an amazing job briefly speaking about how COVID helped surge people’s racism too. COVID became an outlet for a lot of people’s hatred and anger.

I’m excited to read more from this author. 

This book was okay but I think the genre classifications were off. This was more erotica than anything else listed. Again, not a bad thing but given the tagged genres as well as the description, I was hoping for horror. This didn’t deliver at all on that front. 

Most of these characters were insufferable in my opinion. I didn’t really mind Rika but I couldn’t stand Michael as well as basically every other male in this book. I wish Rika had more of a backbone though. She lets all of the male characters (specifically Michael) walk all over her, and treat her like garbage but somehow she just.. forgets about all of that and doesn’t care? Michael has some of the most cruel lines to Rika and she still actively pursues him. 

• “‘This was a mistake,’ I bit out, scowling at her. ‘You’re pretty, and you have a pussy, but other than that, you’re not special. You’re just ass.’”
• “‘You’re a thirteen-year-old piece of baggage my family has to look after who’s going to turn into nothing but an eighteen-year-old copy of your drunk mother!’ Her eyes flood, and she looks about ready to break. ‘Only you probably won’t be able to land a rich husband with that scar,’ I growl.”

The highlight for me was Rika with Alex in that one scene but it didn’t even lead anywhere.. honestly the book would’ve been better if she ditched all of the male drama and took up with Alex instead. 

The common underage theme here bothered me too. <spoilers>Michael was, I believe 20, when he was wanting to have sex with Erika (16 at the time) and then he waits till she’s 19 and he’s 23? And then the videos of his group of friends with underage girls? It was just gross.</spoilers> All of these guys had some weird obsession with young girls and I couldn’t get on board with it.

I also just found this plot to be incredibly far-fetched. I’m not exactly looking for “realistic” when I start reading a book but this was just wacky to me.

I didn’t find the sex scenes all that appealing either. Maybe it’s because I had such a strong dislike for the characters or maybe it’s because of the high school drama aspect that was a turn-off?

Not a strong start to the new year. This book was so slow. I didn’t start getting interested until around 75% (give or take). This just didn’t even feel reminiscent of the first book to me. 

It’s been a while since I’ve read any poetry but this one I thought was beautifully done. It was nice to read horror poetry for a change. I enjoyed how the POV would change between poems and I found them captivating. The way this was written left room for the reader to have some of their own interpretation as well. 

As for the cover, it’s stunning and I think it conveys exactly how these poems feel. 

This book wasn’t what I was expecting. I found the story confusing and the characters unlikeable. I primarily listened to this as an audiobook, occasionally switching to the ebook when I was able to sit down and physically read. I’m not sure if that altered my opinion on this or not. The vibes were definitely creepy and mysterious and I understand what the end goal was here.. but I guess I’m confused on how it actually happened? I felt like this book was pulling me in all different directions and like Eve, I’m confused on where we landed.

I almost DNF’d this at 80% and I probably should’ve. 

5/5 stars. Crying and in need of emotional support after this.

I surprisingly won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and just finished reading the ARC. Ironically, out of all of the books I read this year, this may have been my favorite read. The connections, the love, the trauma, the hope, the despair. I am ugly crying. I didn't expect to fall so in love with this book.

I couldn't put this book down. I read it from start to finish in one sitting (only with bathroom breaks). The writing was beautiful, the story was beautiful, the message was beautiful.

There is a part with some whales that is incredibly heartbreaking, for those of you that would want to know whether they live or die,

they end up living. It's a heart-wrenching scene, but when you make it through, you'll be relieved and joyful.

I loved seeing the connections form between these characters and to see how they broke and forged together. I'm not sure that I really have anything bad to say about this story.

I was at first apprehensive about the multiple POVs but it was so well-done that it wasn’t an issue at all. It actually offered more for the story than had it been one POV. 

This was a story of one woman washing up on shore in search of her husband only to be saved by a teenage girl. It then follows her search for her husband while expanding on the lives of this family and their connections severed and created. We learn the dark truths of this island and the haunting past that shaped this family.

It is a mystery as well as a story about love, loss and healing. 




TW: animal cruelty/death (mentions), drowning, death, parent death, grief, pregnancy, suicide, cancer, child death, adult/minor relationship