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117 reviews
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
My first Andy Weir book, this definitely will not be my last. I was not expecting this Sci-Fi to have so much heart and humor!
Grace wakes up not remembering where or who he is. Much to his suprise, Grace is on a space ship. Weir cleverly plotted Grace's flashbacks and as he recovered his memory our main character grew each time. I was always entertained by this interstellar journey and fell in love with the characters. I was teary eyed on multiple occasions. I will highly recommend this book to anyone that asks.
Grace wakes up not remembering where or who he is. Much to his suprise, Grace is on a space ship. Weir cleverly plotted Grace's flashbacks and as he recovered his memory our main character grew each time. I was always entertained by this interstellar journey and fell in love with the characters. I was teary eyed on multiple occasions. I will highly recommend this book to anyone that asks.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
The Butcher Game by Alaina Urquhart
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Wren is trying to cope with the escape of The Bayou Butcher, her attempted murderer. Jeremy quickly is on the hunt again after his near capture in Louisiana and with bodies piling up, Wren is back to work tracking him down.
I really enjoy Wren's attributes and can resonate with a woman whom is strong willed and has difficulty staying still in chaos. She wants the danger to go away and she wants to be the one to make sure it does. The author writes characters to love and even while while Jeremy is fowl, she writes this antagonist to stir a curiosity within the reader.
I was so engrossed in the first book, The Butcher and the Wren, I was left a tad underwhelmed with the plot of this sequel. Though I still thoroughly enjoyed the book, there was almost too much happening between the different points of view. I hope the third book will delve deeper into the backgrounds of the characters and flesh out some of this missing information.
For my audiobook lovers: I was taken aback by the narrators of this second book. The accent of the detective Wren is friends and works closely with, John, changed from the first, and I was very distracted by this.
I really enjoy Wren's attributes and can resonate with a woman whom is strong willed and has difficulty staying still in chaos. She wants the danger to go away and she wants to be the one to make sure it does. The author writes characters to love and even while while Jeremy is fowl, she writes this antagonist to stir a curiosity within the reader.
I was so engrossed in the first book, The Butcher and the Wren, I was left a tad underwhelmed with the plot of this sequel. Though I still thoroughly enjoyed the book, there was almost too much happening between the different points of view. I hope the third book will delve deeper into the backgrounds of the characters and flesh out some of this missing information.
For my audiobook lovers: I was taken aback by the narrators of this second book. The accent of the detective Wren is friends and works closely with, John, changed from the first, and I was very distracted by this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Murder
The Cave Dwellers by Christina McDowell
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Following several wealthy families of Washington D.C. after the murder of the Ranks, we are thrust into the intricate politics of being affluent.
The author writes from different character perspectives throughout the book, showing how each of their lives are intertwined and affected by the sudden deaths. Bunny, in particular, is highly motivated to look deeper into her privilege. She finds herself questioning her families history and status. When a black man is accused and arrested, she takes it upon herself to see why the murders happened.
I enjoyed the diversity of the characters and the believable traits each portrayed. I also enjoyed the ending. Everything is not alright.
Unfortunately, I did have issues following the plot. This story is more of a commentary on the elite, and it takes a minute to get used to the idea of finding meaning in the action rather than a conclusion.
The author writes from different character perspectives throughout the book, showing how each of their lives are intertwined and affected by the sudden deaths. Bunny, in particular, is highly motivated to look deeper into her privilege. She finds herself questioning her families history and status. When a black man is accused and arrested, she takes it upon herself to see why the murders happened.
I enjoyed the diversity of the characters and the believable traits each portrayed. I also enjoyed the ending. Everything is not alright.
Unfortunately, I did have issues following the plot. This story is more of a commentary on the elite, and it takes a minute to get used to the idea of finding meaning in the action rather than a conclusion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Sexual harassment
The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book gave me Rizzoli and Isles, Crossing Jordan and Bones vibes. I really enjoy a good crime drama where a medical professional joins the hunt.
I was thoroughly impressed by this book. I listened to the audio and really enjoyed how the chapters were split between the killer and the medical examiners point of view. I think the author did a great job capturing the feeling of each character. I was actually suprised by the plot and couldn't put this down!
I was thoroughly impressed by this book. I listened to the audio and really enjoyed how the chapters were split between the killer and the medical examiners point of view. I think the author did a great job capturing the feeling of each character. I was actually suprised by the plot and couldn't put this down!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Blood
All the Hearts You Eat by Hailey Piper
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Ivory finds herself searching for answers to Cabrina Aphrodite Brite's death. She finds Cabrina's death poem on Ghost Cat Island, and a dark pull and connection are explored. The story explores multiple points of view from Cabrina's diary, her friends, Rex and Xi, Ivory, and Cabrina's controlling mother, Viola. I listened to the audiobook, and each POV has a different narrator, which is well performed.
This gothic horror was uncomfortable, which I loved, while exploring themes of transformation, inclusion, love, and identity. The complexity of each character is well written and is portrayed in a way that you can understand each one's desires and decisions. Piper does a wonderful job of making the reader think about how our lives are interconnected and how others' decisions affect our being. I very much enjoyed the descriptive writing and how Piper was able to place me right into a scene or into the thought process of each character. I hope more people can get comfortable with the uncomfortable and open their hearts to this book and the sea.
This gothic horror was uncomfortable, which I loved, while exploring themes of transformation, inclusion, love, and identity. The complexity of each character is well written and is portrayed in a way that you can understand each one's desires and decisions. Piper does a wonderful job of making the reader think about how our lives are interconnected and how others' decisions affect our being. I very much enjoyed the descriptive writing and how Piper was able to place me right into a scene or into the thought process of each character. I hope more people can get comfortable with the uncomfortable and open their hearts to this book and the sea.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Transphobia
Minor: Violence
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Mallory Quinn, recovering addict, is hired as a nanny in an afluent New Jersey suburb by Ted and Caroline Maxwell. Their son, Teddy, is a shy boy who has a newfound love for drawing since moving into the families home. The drawings become more and more disturbing, and Mallory seeks out the help of neighbors to help decipher this paranormal mystery.
Rekulaks writes a lot of the mundane day to day of being a nanny, and personally, some of the repetition could have been avoided. I was also unimpressed by the portrayal of a narcotic addict. It felt very basic and unresearched. As a family member of addicts this very specific character flaw could have been investigated and portrayed in a more accurate and expanded way.
I did enjoy the mystery and was surprised by the foreshadowing that was sprinkled into the plot. The relationships felt organic, and overall I enjoyed the book.
Rekulaks writes a lot of the mundane day to day of being a nanny, and personally, some of the repetition could have been avoided. I was also unimpressed by the portrayal of a narcotic addict. It felt very basic and unresearched. As a family member of addicts this very specific character flaw could have been investigated and portrayed in a more accurate and expanded way.
I did enjoy the mystery and was surprised by the foreshadowing that was sprinkled into the plot. The relationships felt organic, and overall I enjoyed the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Car accident
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Alicia Berenson is a sought after realist painter in London, but when she is found with her husband dead in their home the mystery of why she will not talk begins.
I listened to the audiobook and I was pleasantly surprised by the narration. The point of view changes from Alicia's psychologist, Theo Faber, and her own journal entries.
Theo is drawn to Alicia's story and applied to The Grove where she is committed so he can decipher why Alicia has remained silent since her husband's murder.
Alex Michaelide's writing is encapsulating and keeps the reader guessing the entire novel. I truly did not have any qualms while listening to The Silent Patient and the mystery is in most ways so believable it will stick with me for a long time. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers.
I listened to the audiobook and I was pleasantly surprised by the narration. The point of view changes from Alicia's psychologist, Theo Faber, and her own journal entries.
Theo is drawn to Alicia's story and applied to The Grove where she is committed so he can decipher why Alicia has remained silent since her husband's murder.
Alex Michaelide's writing is encapsulating and keeps the reader guessing the entire novel. I truly did not have any qualms while listening to The Silent Patient and the mystery is in most ways so believable it will stick with me for a long time. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Murder
Minor: Sexual assault
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
The Van Laar's are a powerful family, and when their daughter, Barbara, ends up missing while attending Camp Emerson on the families own property, the Van Laar's past resurfaces.
The story follows an indefatigable (a word I learned reading this) amount of characters, and the timeline jumps quite often. However, the author was able to organize the chapters in a way that was easy to follow. The overwhelming consternation (another word I learned in this book), as a mood reader, made me want to stop and take a break multiple times. I even considered DNFing because of the uneasiness and anger I felt towards the characters. This is just a testament to the authors ability to portray the inequalities and injustices that happen in our world.
I tried to listen to the audiobook but quickly needed to switch to a physical version. I was not able to connect with the narrator and found the inflections of the first few chapters off. Once I was able to pause and add my own voice to the book, it was much more compelling. This was an interesting take on the power of wealthy families and how their presence and influence may not only change the lives of those with less around them, but their own families' fates.
The story follows an indefatigable (a word I learned reading this) amount of characters, and the timeline jumps quite often. However, the author was able to organize the chapters in a way that was easy to follow. The overwhelming consternation (another word I learned in this book), as a mood reader, made me want to stop and take a break multiple times. I even considered DNFing because of the uneasiness and anger I felt towards the characters. This is just a testament to the authors ability to portray the inequalities and injustices that happen in our world.
I tried to listen to the audiobook but quickly needed to switch to a physical version. I was not able to connect with the narrator and found the inflections of the first few chapters off. Once I was able to pause and add my own voice to the book, it was much more compelling. This was an interesting take on the power of wealthy families and how their presence and influence may not only change the lives of those with less around them, but their own families' fates.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death and Blood
So Witches We Became by Jill Baguchinsky
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
So Witches We Became is a YA horror that surprised me.
I was expecting spooky shadow monsters and creepy crawlies, which were there, but what is slowly built up are the real monsters of this story. Jill Baguchinski is wonderfully descriptive and is able to portray the setting and emotions of the characters in a way that makes the reader feel right there with them.The themes are dark and uncomfortable, yet they are so carefully written that the character development creates a sense of hope.
The only disappointment I feel after finishing this story is a feeling of a possible plot hole. What happened to the mother, that our main character Nelly started seeing the shadow? I feel like the backstory was necessary and maybe forgotten along the way.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Kristen James and Jeremy Carlisle Parker. Both of these narrators were able to differentiate tones carefully between the characters, and I enjoyed listening to them.
I was expecting spooky shadow monsters and creepy crawlies, which were there, but what is slowly built up are the real monsters of this story. Jill Baguchinski is wonderfully descriptive and is able to portray the setting and emotions of the characters in a way that makes the reader feel right there with them.The themes are dark and uncomfortable, yet they are so carefully written that the character development creates a sense of hope.
The only disappointment I feel after finishing this story is a feeling of a possible plot hole. What happened to the mother, that our main character Nelly started seeing the shadow? I feel like the backstory was necessary and maybe forgotten along the way.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Kristen James and Jeremy Carlisle Parker. Both of these narrators were able to differentiate tones carefully between the characters, and I enjoyed listening to them.
Carmilla: The First Vampire by Amy Chu
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Based on the 1871 novel, 'Carmilla', this graphic novel is a modern take. The graphics and storyline were easy to follow along with, and I was interested the entire way through. I haven't read the classic yet, but this was an easy introduction for it.