djmysteryflavor's reviews
406 reviews

This book was kind of like a more supernatural Hunger Games but with a lot more romance, which is fair considering this is for adults. The premise surrounding the manor and the competition was honestly what drew me in to this book but I do feel like I needed more than what's given. While I enjoyed that there were supernatural characters and a lot of danger within the manor, there was a lot more focus on the relationship with Ophelia, our main character, and the phantom she meets inside the wall of Phantasma, which isn't necessarily what I thought I was getting when I picked this up. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy romance, and I enjoyed the banter but I felt that the romance was a little rushed and lacked a little of the spark I think the author wanted it to have. That being said, I did still enjoy reading it and did enjoy the story overall. I thought the representation of OCD was compelling and a unique portrayal. Check your trigger warnings! There is some disturbing imagery and violence which should be noted. If you're looking for a vibey gothic supernatural romance, though, this might be for you. 

I ran across this memoir by Ila Borders and realized that I definitely should have heard of this amazing player before now. I love baseball. It's the one sport I can really follow and have followed since I was a kid watching the Braves with my grandma in the 90's. I wish I had learned of Ila's incredible career then because I know she would have inspired me in a lot of ways as both a person who is queer and just in sheer determination to find my success. Ila's story is not just about baseball, though that is a big portion of this memoir so if you aren't into stats or if sports terminology then keep that in mind, but it's also about how a person balances what they believe and who they are or want to be. It's also about growing up. Growing up in a world that is sometimes much more against you than with you and the perseverance to prove them wrong. 

I have to be honest in that I was a bit bored by this book. I understand what it was going for but I ultimately felt very disinterested in any of the characters other than Marx. Perhaps that was the point? I’m not sure. I did, however, like the game references and differences portrayed between Sadie and Sam as they grow up and together. Mostly I just felt very sad for these characters who could have solved a lot of their problems by actually just talking to each other instead of hiding their issues. 

A lovely collection of stories and artwork that remind me of classic tales of heroism all told through the point of view through brave woodland critters. 

As someone who was friends with a lot of members of our high school marching band, this felt nostalgic for me. Harper, additionally, reminded me of the parts of growing up queer that were sometimes difficult and other times joyous when I was that age. I loved the friendships and the growth that those friendships go through. I did feel like the whole Tinder profile plot point, though necessary for the development of certain relationships, was a little convoluted. I also felt that the resolution to the story fell a little flat for me. Overall, though, I enjoyed the writing and the premise of a queer love story told within a marching band setting. 

This was a highly anticipated read for me and it didn’t let my expectations down. Gwen, a princess, and Arthur, a chaotic young lord, are to be married but can’t stand each other. Through a surprising development they form a truce and ultimately become friends. For me that was the best part of this story besides the typical medieval background points within the plot. The friendship between not only Gwen and Arthur but also between the other characters within their little family made reading this book a delight. Additionally I found that quite a bit of the dialogue made me laugh as the characters bumble their way through romance, battles, and just all around shenanigans. A very fun YA read. 

I was caught a little off guard by this story because I was not especially aware of the more fantastical elements of the book but found that they were balanced into the horror within the pages quite well. I did have an inkling about who the culprit was but not the details around the how they were able to cause their chaos. Definitely a fun read if you’re looking for a YA fantasy horror with a more Victorian era vibe. 

I really enjoyed Lenz’s writing style as well as the injections of her humor within the difficult memories she put on paper. Sometimes all it takes for a person to get taken advantage of by people like those mentioned in this book simply being a good person with an open heart and I thought that Lenz provided a good insight into this point of view. Not every cult is some big, explosive, newsworthy entity. More often than not it’s just normal people with greedy little hands thirsty for power and control. 

An interesting mix of supernatural mystery and an examination of the beautiful balance between life and death. It was unsettling and lovely in a gruesome sort of way. I doubt I will forget the imagery.