this_ween_reads's reviews
175 reviews

This was an enjoyable read. I love the magic, particularly that of the houses, I found it very cool and unique. I really enjoyed the lore of the world and the university, I would have loved more information on that and the magic houses. I thought the writing was really good, it felt rich and was atmospheric. I really loved the all black vampires and found that to be such a fun way to read about vampires, since that’s not often a take that’s often shared (only other black vampire I know of was in The Fledgling, so much needed representation). The main character got annoying to me, and I’m hoping she is less so in the next book. She started off strong and then I felt like she kinda lost that feeling. I enjoyed the main male vampire, he was very fitting for what one thinks of a vampire lol. I will definitely read the next book as I’m intrigued to see what happens next. The romance move sadly a slower pace than most, which I appreciated. But since I don’t enjoy romance, I’m not a good person to give further insight into it lol. Overall, a solid read that I enjoyed! 

What an incredible short story! The writing is wonderful, fast and yet detailed. You get a full look into the characters in such a short time. I was fully immersed in this story and it’s shocking that you have so much feeling in 29 pages! It’s very beautiful and very sad. It’s free on KU as of this moment and it’s such a fast read that I definitely recommend taking the time to check it out. I was really impressed and wished there was even more to read.

I am not even sure where to start with this book lol. I didn’t know a ton about this book except the main character is dealing with the loss of a loved one and that it was about grief and something horror related.

So to say I didn’t have any idea of what was to come is an understatement lol. This is a wild ride. It’s so well written, deep, complicated, scary, mysterious, disturbing, and atmospheric.

I’ll need time to reflect on this one because I just don’t know how I feel overall. Did I enjoy the book? Absolutely! But I felt so much so fast that I’m left unsteady and need to think it all through.

This book is an experience and I loved it! Reading this as blind as possible is my recommendation because it really kept me guessing and uncomfortable in the best ways. It’s a very unique story that has so many elements.

-With that being said, you may want to at least peek at trigger warnings. There was a part I definitely didn’t see coming that caught me off guard and would be upsetting to some; it was to me. It didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book, but it made me really sad twice over. 

This was an interesting read. I appreciated hearing his story and the impacts of his childhood and then generations before him had on his life and those around him. It's really important for us to understand the impacts of mental health (especially untreated and undiagnosed) of older generations on the younger, which is something that resonates very personally for me. I am thankful of people who cahn share these kinds of stories. This has a similar feeling to the book Educated, but differs in many aspects that makes it worth reading even if you've read Educated.

I tend to go into books relatively blind, so I knew very little before starting this. I assumed (incorrectly lol) that this was a general overview of what it is like to live in an area where tsunamis happen. While that is true to some degree, this focuses on a specific tsunami event and the details of the families with lost loved ones. I was hardly 17% in before I had already been crying my eyes out. This book is beautifully done. It gives a detailed play by play of the events leading up to and after the tsunami. It is an absolutely heartbreaking read, one I was not at all mentally prepared for lol. In the end, I felt like the author did a great job telling the stories of those involved, and I felt honored to be a witness of their story and felt really connect to the families. I definitely recommend this. It is a book I have often thought of since reading, and it will always stay with me. 

I really enjoyed this book. The author does a great job breaking down the barons of the food industry. He details how each one came to be, as well as all the negative impacts they have on the industry and will continue to have. He tells the story in an engaging way that gives you a lot of information in a way that feels very conversational. It is well written and researched.

Oh how I loved this book! I got sucked in real quick and I loved every single second of it. It had all my favorite elements in a fantasy, and was very well done. The writing is excellent, the world building and story are grand, the characters are all very interesting, and the magic system is very cool and unique. I loved the kind of ancient Roman setting, and I’m always a sucker for dark academia! Sometimes I struggle with political led fantasy because I get so confused lol, and while I was still kinda confused here lol, I enjoyed it all and I don’t think I’m supposed to know it all yet. I definitely recommend this book!

Reading this was very enlightening and very upsetting. Mental health is a topic not covered well even now, but back when Crownsville was operating, it was way worse. This was especially true with how the evolving field dealt with and handled black patients. It’s a hard read but an important one. As someone who struggles with severe mental illness myself, I had great empathy for those spoken about in this story. The added layer of race is not something I can understand on a personal level, but the book did an excellent job painting the picture clearly. You’ll fully grasp the concept of this asylum, how it worked, how it failed, and the impacts it had on staff, patients, and the black community. This is a must read for anyone who wishes to better understand history from both a mental health standpoint and a black perspective. Both topics are very worthy of your time and attention.