Scan barcode
nnephy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The amount I had to read about coffee during this book only for it to have to do with NOTHING else was wild. A lot of this book is full and nothing really happens, and when it does it's confusing. I didn't find it terrifying, I didn't really understand the parallels to agatha christie as this author writes nothing like her and it almost fell like she was comparing herself to her, it was extremely predictable, and the characters weren't fleshed out at all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Mental illness
pseudoliterature's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.5
If there is one thing I'd like to highlight is Katrina Leno's writing, and her ability to write atmospheres and moods in her books. Each of her stories have such a distinctive feeling to them, her magical realism feels mundane in the best way possible, creating these worlds that you feel you might find just around the corner.
However, this book doesn't get the full 5 stars for one reason in particular, and that is the amount of gaslighting in it. This is a completely personal reading taste situation, where this topic in particular is very triggering for me as an individual, it built such a level of anxiety that there where parts of the book that I just couldn't enjoy, even if thought they were well written and did work as important parts of the story as a whole. I can understand the decision she made, story wise, and the anxiety she purposefully creates is part of the mood she builds with this story, it work for the content of the book, and if you don't have troubles reading some motherly gaslighting then I don't think this is going to be something that sours your experience.
Besides that, this is a great book, highly inspired by Agatha Christie (in a not so subtle way) and her frustration building techniques. I'm really excited to see what she writes next
However, this book doesn't get the full 5 stars for one reason in particular, and that is the amount of gaslighting in it. This is a completely personal reading taste situation, where this topic in particular is very triggering for me as an individual, it built such a level of anxiety that there where parts of the book that I just couldn't enjoy, even if thought they were well written and did work as important parts of the story as a whole. I can understand the decision she made, story wise, and the anxiety she purposefully creates is part of the mood she builds with this story, it work for the content of the book, and if you don't have troubles reading some motherly gaslighting then I don't think this is going to be something that sours your experience.
Besides that, this is a great book, highly inspired by Agatha Christie (in a not so subtle way) and her frustration building techniques. I'm really excited to see what she writes next
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Grief
Minor: Emotional abuse
shannonxvx's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, and Grief
gm_vak's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, and Grief
fionac326's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Self harm, Suicide, and Grief
annacolb's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death
whatellisreadnext's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦.
𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮.
Following her father's passing, Jane and her Mum, move from sunny California to an old decrepit house in Maine. Her mother grew up there, and they have plans to do it up and sell it on, but Jane hears bumps in the night and starts to feel that they're not alone...
Did I buy this book because the cover is incredible? Yes. Did the story live upto the cover? No. That being said, I did absolutely devour this one in less that 24 hours. It is compulsively readable and super easy to follow. I enjoyed it overall, but just felt like I was reading a lesser version of Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power.
Taking a step back, this is young adult fiction and I could totally see a teenager absolutely loving it. I just felt as an adult, it was all too circumstance. Some YA books transcend age and can be enjoyed by all, but I just don't think this is one of those books.
I usually just put trigger warnings at the bottom, but this one is deeply rooted with Jane's grief of losing her father, and although this was really well written, I think this could be quite traumatic to read for somebody who has lost a parent.
The main thing that bothered me was the ending. Yes, I figured out the mystery before the protagonist, I mean this is often a given with YA fiction, but the last 10 pages just made no sense for me in terms of the decisions made by the main character. I threw the book on my bed when I was done and if this book wasn't so pretty, I probably would have launched it across the room💁🏻♀️
𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮.
Following her father's passing, Jane and her Mum, move from sunny California to an old decrepit house in Maine. Her mother grew up there, and they have plans to do it up and sell it on, but Jane hears bumps in the night and starts to feel that they're not alone...
Did I buy this book because the cover is incredible? Yes. Did the story live upto the cover? No. That being said, I did absolutely devour this one in less that 24 hours. It is compulsively readable and super easy to follow. I enjoyed it overall, but just felt like I was reading a lesser version of Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power.
Taking a step back, this is young adult fiction and I could totally see a teenager absolutely loving it. I just felt as an adult, it was all too circumstance. Some YA books transcend age and can be enjoyed by all, but I just don't think this is one of those books.
I usually just put trigger warnings at the bottom, but this one is deeply rooted with Jane's grief of losing her father, and although this was really well written, I think this could be quite traumatic to read for somebody who has lost a parent.
The main thing that bothered me was the ending. Yes, I figured out the mystery before the protagonist, I mean this is often a given with YA fiction, but the last 10 pages just made no sense for me in terms of the decisions made by the main character. I threw the book on my bed when I was done and if this book wasn't so pretty, I probably would have launched it across the room💁🏻♀️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Grief
delvesinshelves's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, and Grief
Moderate: Body horror and Blood
Minor: Confinement
coolmombeck's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Fast read and creepy. Leno wrote a perfectly accurate description of pica (eating of non-food items as comfort during stressors for people that struggle with specific OCD). While I truly enjoyed the book, the ending left me saddened. I thoroughly enjoyed the addition of the love of Agatha. 3/5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Violence
leighsnerdlife's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Holy crap, this book... I loved it. It’s YA gothic horror (!) and it ticks off all the right boxes: old creepy house, ghosts, secrets etc. And the ending went in a direction I totally didn’t expect - I swear my jaw dropped while reading it. It’s the perfect October book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death