michelles_book_nook's reviews
260 reviews

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

⚠️ TW: death ⚠️ If you're looking for an eerily gothic folk horror then this book is for you! This book follows Chloe and her soon to be husband, Sam, as they begin to look forward to their wedding day in the seemingly quaint little church known as Small Angels nestled at the edge of Mockbeggar Woods in the tiny close knit village that Sam grew up in and Chloe now calls her home. Amongst the cobwebs and dust of the ancient relic of the church she expects to find love and good blessings for their nuptials but what she didn't expect are the villagers concerned faces, her fiancé's remoteness or the nagging voice in her head whispering to her of fears she didn't even know she had. Something in the woods is beginning to stir, to creep closer to the sleeping houses. Something that should have been banished long ago. Whatever it is, it's getting stronger and pretending it isn't there won't keep the wedding, the village or Chloe safe. Wow this is one of those books that is so hard to review without spoilers but I absolutely loved it! It is such a bewitchingly written tale of ominous darkness that is so creepy and gripping that you won't want to put it down. The different pov's really hooked me and the intertwined story was just so haunting right up until the end. We all know that feeling of being watched or knowing someone or something is around you and this really gave me those chilling feels. And despite loving it the only reason I've dropped it down a star is because I did feel that it could have been a bit shorter as at just over 460 pages its a chonk and personally I don't think it would have negatively impacted the story if it were shorter. Overall though, this book would be perfect as a spooky ghost story at Halloween. This beauty is out on 2nd August 2022 and I highly recommend reading it!

Content Warnings

The Getaway by Ross Armstrong

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dark mysterious reflective slow-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? Yes

3.0

⚠️ TW: animal cruelty, animal death, xenophobia, mental health, murder, suicide ⚠️ You can't beat a classic whodunit read and this is just that. This book follows multimillionaire Robert Rathwell and his family and staff as they embark on a holiday to their private island in Greece. With tranquil white beaches, turquoise water and beautiful sun it is the picture of paradise but this is no ordinary family holiday and little do they know it will be their last when their peaceful world is shattered. In an attempt to make a murder look like suicide everyone comes under scrutiny and everyone has a motive, some darker than others, and as they scramble to work out who the killer is more secrets simmer to the surface showing a more violent side to paradise. This book was an effortless read and had so many layers. I really enjoyed the multiple pov's from the various characters as it helped to drip feed information about pasts and motives so you could play along in what feels like a game of Cluedo as you continue reading. Overall, this is a really good read and I think it would be perfect for some light beachside reading this summer!

Content Warnings

Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

⚠️ TW: ableism and medical trauma ⚠️ This book is everything and I adored every last word! This book is a beautifully written memoir focusing on the life of Rebekah Taussig and her journey with disability and everything that comes hand in hand with it. I cannot even begin to express how much a book like this means to me as a disabled wheelchair user, and I'm not ashamed to say I cried multiple times while reading this because of how relatable it was from the bigger picture of disabled life right down to the nitty gritty things like sex, medical trauma and the evolving picture of accessibility throughout different stages of life. Also, I read this as part of a buddy read for Disability Pride Month with the Non-fiction Faction group and I'm really looking forward to discussing it with other people with some of whom are also disabled or chronically ill to discuss the themes of this book from other pov's. Overall, I think everyone needs to read this book and I cannot recommend it highly enough!

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Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

⚠️ TW: transphobia ⚠️ Sometimes you just need a cute LGBTQ+ coming of age read to make you smile and this definitely ticked all the boxes! This graphic novel follows Bebe and Annie as they embark on their senior year of high school and work through all of the challenges that come with being a teenager and learning who they truly are. Annie is a smart, outspoken and antisocial teen who's under pressure from her mum, a former high school cheerleader, to join the cheerleading squad to make friends and round out her college applications. And Bebe is a people-pleasing, newly trans girl who must keep her parents happy with her grades and social life in order to maintain their support of her transition. Through the trials and challenges of cheer training, school work and social pressures the two girls rekindle the friendship they thought had been lost and discover there may also be other feelings springing up between them. This graphic novel is so adorable and it is so much more than just a romance. It's also a love story between friends encouraging each other to be their best selves as well as expressing really important life lessons such as standing up for yourself and pursuing your own happiness. Overall, I really loved this short graphic novel and I highly recommend it 👏🏼

Content Warnings

The Memories In Blood by Guy Cross

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

⚠️ TW: paedophilia, child abuse, rape, death, suicide ⚠️ This is not a book to be reading alone at night! 😱 This book focuses on the terrifying clutches of dark magic, occultism and the disturbing force of Gregory Rook as he haunts the Porter family through the medium of blood and the innocence of children. After a dark and stormy night and a horrific hit and run accident the Porter family's lives are unknowingly changed forever. But will they be able to defeat the dark magician in time and save themselves? This book had me absolutely hooked from the very beginning. It is so creepy and filled with suspense and classic psychology horror scare tactics but it is done in such a way that it isn't predictable and really gives you that menacing and macabre feel which is perfectly paired with the fact you just cannot stop reading. Overall, this does have some dark themes so please read the TW's but if you are a fan of psychological horrors then I really recommend giving this one a read.

Content Warnings

Scorpius by Ryker Strode

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challenging dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

⚠️ TW: animal death, cannibalism, drug use, brief mentions of miscarriage ⚠️ This was such a trippy read that gives off creepily disturbing 90's horror vibes! This horror novella follows Jay and his long term girlfriend, Sadie, who are at a beach front hotel to celebrate Valentine's Day but unfortunately Sadie decides she can't be with him anymore and they split up over dinner. He knows they have had a treacherous relationship in recent years and as he begins to understand the issues that have caused their break up and the fact only he can change these things he decides to go for a walk along the beach to clear his mind. But little does he know that his afternoon walk will turn into a night of terror as he battles his own demons. This novella is written so cleverly and makes you so uneasy in parts. And despite Sadie and Jay not being very likeable characters, you couldn't help but feel for them both especially as the picture of what goes on during Jay's terror filled night starts to really come to light. Overall, this was a great quick read and if you are a horror fan I recommend giving it a go.

Content Warnings

The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup

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challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

⚠️ TW: murder, torture, animal death, sexual assault, rape, child abuse, paedophilia, domestic violence, abduction ⚠️ Wow this is such an intense and addicting crime thriller! This book follows the Danish police as they begin discovering brutally murdered women alongside Chestnut Man dolls and as Naia Thulin and Mark Hess become partners on this high profile case they find a mysterious piece of evidence that sends all of their theories reeling as it links to the disappearance of a young girl a year prior who was never found and presumed dead with the killer being behind bars and the case long since closed. And now with a suspected serial killer waiting to strike again they are racing against the clock to figure out all the pieces to this complex and harrowing case. This book left my brain like mush for all the right reasons! It is such an heart pounding page turner filled with twists that will send your mind racing to connect the dots. Admittedly I found it a bit slow to begin with before it really hooked my attention but from that point on I could not put it down or stop thinking about who the killer could be (and trust me I considered all possibilities, or at least who I thought were possibilities) and when it was finally revealed I was speechless. One of my favourite things was how the book was finished so well by explaining the beginning of the book and tied off a couple loose ends perfectly. Overall, I highly recommend this book and I will definitely be on the look out for more books from this author.

Content Warnings

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

⚠️ TW: domestic violence, rape, homophobia, drug abuse, murder, child abuse, miscarriage, mentions of infertility ⚠️ Wow how did I leave this rollercoaster ride of a book on my tbr for so long?! This book follows Libby, an adopted young woman, who one day discovers she has inherited a large house in Chelsea from her birth parents but from that day forward her life becomes a whirlwind as she discovers the truth about the house she now owns and the people that once lived inside it. All she knew before this was that as a baby she was found in the house well fed and cared for by the police and social services however in the kitchen below were three decomposing bodies and a hastily scrawled note in what appeared to be a cult like suicide pact but what she doesn't know is the shocking goings on that happened there. This book is so complex and will have you hooked until the very last page. It's quite slow at the beginning but trust me it is worth it and you will be grateful for the slow drip feed of information as it really picks up the pace fast. I absolutely loved the various pov's between characters and timelines and how in parts it really made you question each and every character and their reliability. Also, it is jam packed with twists and turns and even though I guessed one or two it will still leave you reeling and just when you think all of the twists and turns are over it hits you with more. And that ending 😱 I think it's safe to say I need the sequal immediately 🙈 Overall, I highly recommend reading this book and it's definitely up there with one of my favourite books so this year.

Content Warnings

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

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challenging emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

⚠️ TW: emotional abuse, doxing, mental health, suicidal ideations ⚠️ This one really hit my heart hard! This book follows Frances who is an academics obsessed sixth former with one goal in mind - getting into Cambridge University. She refuses to let anything get in her way including friends, a guilty secret and her true self. This is all until she meets Aled and for the first time she isn't afraid to be herself. However when the fragile trust between them is broken Frances is caught between who she was and who she longs to be and in order to do any of that she first needs to confront her past. This book is so, so good!! I genuinely think everyone doing their exams needs to read this book because the underlying messages about the pressure to perform and being academic is so important for young people to hear because so many are lead to believe that university and academic courses are the main goal at that stage of life when so many other options are available. Also, I absolutely loved the layers to this story and the themes of identity, diversity and the freedom to choose. And the representation, as always with Alice Oseman's work, is amazing and gives great representation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and demisexual relationships. Overall, I highly recommend reading this book.

Content Warnings

The Box by Dan Malakin

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

4.0

⚠️ TW: murder, transphobia, homophobia, sexism, racism, xenophobia, sexual assault, black mail, violence, alcoholism, drugging, rape, torture, conversion therapy, grooming, mentions of domestic violence ⚠️ Wow this is a dark, page turning rollercoaster ride of a thriller! This book follows Ed Truman and his family. He's been accused of sexual assault by 3 former clients, his son, Mitchell, won't speak to anyone and his daughter, Ally, is being targeted by an alt-right organisation when she disappears. Ed believes the organisation targeting her have abducted her, but before he can go to the police his DNA is found on the body of a murdered young woman. Suddenly he's the subject of a nationwide manhunt led by the tenacious DCI Jackie Rose. Ed finds himself on the run with Ally's friend, Phoenix, who claims she knows where Ally is. But what is the truth, is Ed a violent sexual predator or is he the victim of a ruthless conspiracy theory? This book has so many layers and will have you hooked from the very beginning. It is filled with dark and gripping twists and is so unbelievably fast paced. I really loved how it was good vs evil throughout the whole book but also didn't make Ed and his family perfect either. Also, another thing that made this book even darker for me is knowing that alt-right groups like this actually exist in the real world. Overall, I recommend giving this one a read but please take the TW's into consideration before you do.

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michelles_book_nook's reviews 260 reviews

michelles_book_nook's reviews
260 reviews