readbyashleyd's reviews
2249 reviews

I’ve been waiting for years for Holly Black to write an adult book and goddamn if why did it take so long because it’s so freaking good! Give me all the secret societies and dark magic and thieves please! I loved the story from start to finish, I devoured it in one sitting actually. It’s just THAT good! 

Catriona Ward never fails to absolutely astonish me with her talent and while this isn’t my favourite book of hers, it’s still absolutely amazing. The way she weaves all the different elements of the story together is really what makes the book, it’s just done so effortlessly. And the story itself is just absolutely horrifying and gut wrenching and the twists and turns will blow your mind! 

Goddamn it, how is this book so fucking good?!?! With every book Hendrix writes I swear it’s my favourite and then a new one comes along and steals my heart even more. And that’s what this book did, completely and totally stole my heart. It’s unlike anything Hendrix has written before and it is most definitely his most beautiful and haunting work yet. Words can’t describe how this book made me feel and how deeply it affected me. Hands down going to be my favourite book of the year. 

I had very high expectations for this book since I loved the first one so much. And I’m incredibly happy to report that it met and exceeded my expectations. It took me longer to read it because I was both just savouring being back in this world and having to leave it again soon and wait desperately for the next book. The world and characters that the author has created are just beyond words! 

I feel like this book was just MEANT for me. I knew the second I read the first sentence that it would become an all time favourite and I was absolutely right. It’s just everything I love in a book and more. When a book is about books and languages it just hits me in a way I can’t describe. Especially when it’s this bloody brilliant! I really can’t recommend this one highly enough. 

Second book in a row this year that just has me seeing STARS because it’s so fucking brilliant. Gimme anything with cults and I’m sure to love it and this story, it just can’t be any more perfect. It’s dark and satanic and twisty and I devoured it from start to finish! 

This. Book. Is. EVERYTHING. I can already tell you it’s going to be in my top five reads of the year. It hooked me from page one and I only sank deeper into the story as I greedily turned its pages. Everything about it is just absolutely bloody BRILLIANT! The concept, the execution, the MESSAGE! It’s just freaking perfection. 

When I read “before Charles Manson there was Tony Costa” I was instantly sold. I’ll devour anything and everything serial killers and true crime and Manson is a particular favourite of mine. I really enjoyed that part of the story. But I found the author tried just a bit too hard to bring in the ties with Vonnegut and Mailer and that got tiresome after awhile.