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condls27's reviews
293 reviews
Ricochet by Keri Lake
Did not finish book. Stopped at 80%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 80%.
This just felt like trauma porn that was performative for shock value. The darker topics were not handled with any sort of care at all. Horrific event after horrific event was just piled on top of one another instead of actually weaving a story together. I am no stranger to dark romance but there’s a difference between writing a book with dark themes and throwing every traumatic event you can think of on a page. The target audience for this book are white women who are convinced they’re going to get trafficked from a Target parking lot because of a fake post that went viral on Facebook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Goldfinch by Raven Kennedy
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a solid conclusion to a great series! My only teeny-tiny gripe is that I wish the epilogue several years later not months.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Grief, and War
A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
dark
emotional
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The beginning of the book really hooked me- it almost felt like a darker Ella Enchanted (which was my favorite book when I was a kid so I was all in) but the pacing of the rest of the book lost me. And I didn’t love how the ending wrapped up. Not my fave but I still love T. Kingfisher
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Gore, and Murder
Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was such a beautifully atmospheric and angsty story. I loved the parallels between the vampires and the white colonizers and the mix of historical fiction and folklore.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Colonisation, War, and Classism
What a Match by Mimi Grace
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was so sweet and a perfect little palate cleanser. The banter and the spice were so good but I wish we got to see a little more of their relationship building. I felt like for such a short book, it felt like they were apart more than they were together. Will definitely continue the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Between Fear & Favor by Jess Wisecup
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Another great installment to this amazing series. The story was constantly plowing forwards, I didn’t feel like there was any needless filler. My only complaint is I wish some recaps had been worked in. I didn’t get a chance to do a re-read before starting this book and while I had a grasp on the main plot line, I felt like there were characters who popped up that I had completely forgotten about. Other than that, it was perfect and I can’t wait for the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Sexual content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I love this series, every book is such a quick fun read. I always think I have the ending worked out and then I’m surprised.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
A Dawn of Gods & Fury by K.A. Tucker
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is a really solid fantasy series. There is a LOT of information thrown at you but in my opinion, it’s done in a smart way that doesn’t feel overwhelming or repetitive. With that said though, the ending felt rushed and a little underwhelming. All that prep, all that information we had to consume and it was just over. I truly thought there was going to be one more book with how everything was shaping up leading into the final chapters so I wish the ending how been fleshed out a bit more. Still a great series that I would recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and War
All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A gripping, dark mystery that will keep you engaged to the very last sentence. Take care and check trigger warnings before reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Murder