reading_under_covers's reviews
1490 reviews

While I immediately felt The Lottery reference in this story, the language was flowery and didn’t make me interested to stick around for the time travel aspect of it all.

Another great addition to the Frendo universe! This book reminded me how graphic this series is, BUT ALSO how much love I have for the characters. 

And intricately woven storyline with great cult vibes!

I enjoyed this one a lot. Henry Winkler is a huge staple of WI culture so getting to hear more about his start, how he was raised, and the challenges he faced in his career was really cool.

MEMORIALS was my first read by Richard Chizmar (don’t come for me lol) and I enjoyed it SO much.

The slow build kept the tension rising as our three main characters road trip and camp from one roadside memorial to another and the intercut documentary footage made this lil filmmaker beyond happy 🎥

I loved seeing Billy, Troy, and Melody slowly open up to each other as the story progressed and things began to get…weird 👀

With an ending that packs a punch as it goes off the rails, this was a tragically beautiful story that will stick with me for a while.

Every year, the New Orleans elite gather to crown the queen at the Les Masque Ball. Last year, the Queen died, this year she seems to have gone missing or simply run away. When three Maids get an ominous text from her, they come together to unmask their town’s debutante secrets.

THE DEBUTANTES by Olivia Worley is a wild, action-packed, culty YA thriller!

Pulling from her own experience growing up in the New Orleans’ deb culture, Olivia masterfully crafts a story full of tension, secrets, and some wealthy wealthy folks 🤑

I loved seeing the evolution of Vivian, Piper, and April’s friendships as they uncovered just who was being kept in whose pockets 👀

Definitely a story that will have you flipping pages!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

After the world ends one evening, those who survive are offered the choice of trying to live off of a destroyed planet or to head underground and become reality stars in a weird alien video game reality show where the goal is to live until the next level. Carl and his ex-girlfriend's show cat (Princess Donut) choose the latter…

DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL by Matt Dinniman was my first ever LitRPG and I found it to be a fun (traumatizing) time!

Carl and Princess Donut are such a fun duo and the formatting of the story really leans into the video game/role playing aspect, which I’ve never consumed before and (as a non-gamer girlie) found very intriguing.

This story is DARK. It’s the end of the world and the remaining population are killing each other in order to survive/make good tv, however, Dinniman works in some humor to make it not feel so doom and gloom.

Parts of the RPG did drag for me and some of the language wasn’t my favorite, but I’ve heard the audiobooks are amazing, so if I do continue with this series, I think that will be the route I go (literally need to know what happens to my queen, Princess Donut 🐱)

Thanks to Ace, Berkley Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What a storyteller!!!

When Laci said she had more stories up her sleeve that she hadn't shared before, she wasn't kidding.

Loved getting to hear more about her life's history and what got her into scamming and scheming!

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

THE ESTATE by Sarah Jost held a lot of intrigue for me - our main character can go into art and she also ends up in the throes of a mysterious, aristocratic family that she has prior history with - color me curious 👀

However, I felt the story to be missing quite a bit of tension and the plot ultimately didn’t seem to go anywhere. As much as I love a slow burn, this one was a slog to get through and I didn’t find the magical realism strong enough to carry the whole story.

This book was as heartbreaking as it was vengeful and I love love love when a gorey ghost novel can have me crying by the end 😭 

 

As we follow Annie Lane on her path to justice in finding out who murdered her, we get to know her absent mother, shitty (10000%) ex, her best friend who may have left on a bad note, and her new ghost friends that help her understand how to exist in limbo and what her limits are 👻 

 

This story was truly unique and I’d love to see it get adapted to the screen someday!!