Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
I'm not sure what I was expecting...but it wasn't it. I struggled to finish it, and almost DNF'd. It was gorier than I expected and left something to be desired. It needed more banter...or something. Overall just not it for me.
emotional
funny
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
Fun book. Easy read. Quirky. Nothing heavy at all which is what I needed at this moment. So it hit the spot for me.
It's in the horror genre, but it was ridiculous enough that it made me laugh. I'll be reading the second book too once I can get a copy from the library.
It's in the horror genre, but it was ridiculous enough that it made me laugh. I'll be reading the second book too once I can get a copy from the library.
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The end saved the book.
I enjoyed the storyline, but it was so repetitive that I had to skim through parts because it felt like I was reading the same chapter over and over from different points of view.
I'm not sure I'm completely satisfied with the ending, but it did save the story and brought it up a half star.
I enjoyed the storyline, but it was so repetitive that I had to skim through parts because it felt like I was reading the same chapter over and over from different points of view.
I'm not sure I'm completely satisfied with the ending, but it did save the story and brought it up a half star.
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Small town murder mystery meets graphic horror in this story of the Evans women, who keep the undead in check.
"...every now and then a body would rise, unfinished and hungry for a second bite at the life it had left behind."
I learned the hard way that I shouldn't read this mystery-horror novel right before bed. When I say that's it's graphic, I mean Gory with a capital G (which I loved; chants: bring on the gore!). Think faces eaten off, brain matter splattered, and internal organs spilling out of razed corpses, etc. Lindy Ryan is so adept at crafting these scenes that I saw these bleeding bodies in my dreams nightmares. 😱
I enjoyed the hints of Southern charm throughout this book, and I loved seeing four generations of women work together to keep their town safe. I was less interested in following Deputy Roger Taylor, who arrives after the victims' bodies have been eviscerated. Since we already know what's tearing these people apart, the deputy's repeated speculations that it might not be animal attacks and may have something to do with the Evans sisters felt superfluous.
I felt the same way about Ducey Evans' love of butterscotch candies. She pops so many into her mouth throughout the book that I began to feel resentful of those little hard-candy sweets. I hoped they would prove significant in some way (e.g., maybe Ducey would turn out to be an undead and the candies were a way to mask her foul breath), but alas, she just really likes butterscotch candies. Like, A LOT.
I was also under the impression that the Evans women would get out and actually hunt the undead, but they mostly stay in their funeral home and stab things at a leisurely pace. But Ryan does eventually deliver some satisfying slaying, which I was pleased to see. 😎🔪
Finally, if I'm being completely honest, I don't fully understand the ending. I think I know what Ryan is hinting at, but not with certainty, and that's disappointing. But a lot of people seem to really like the ending, so this is probably just a me problem.
Overall, I found Bless Your Heart a delightfully gory and entertaining read. I'd have loved to pick it up during the month of October when the weather is ripe for haunting reads. And I can definitely see myself giving the second book a chance in the future.
P.S. Why does the cover feature a woman with vampire teeth? There are no vampires in this book. Did I miss something?
"...every now and then a body would rise, unfinished and hungry for a second bite at the life it had left behind."
I learned the hard way that I shouldn't read this mystery-horror novel right before bed. When I say that's it's graphic, I mean Gory with a capital G (which I loved; chants: bring on the gore!). Think faces eaten off, brain matter splattered, and internal organs spilling out of razed corpses, etc. Lindy Ryan is so adept at crafting these scenes that I saw these bleeding bodies in my dreams nightmares. 😱
I enjoyed the hints of Southern charm throughout this book, and I loved seeing four generations of women work together to keep their town safe. I was less interested in following Deputy Roger Taylor, who arrives after the victims' bodies have been eviscerated. Since we already know what's tearing these people apart, the deputy's repeated speculations that it might not be animal attacks and may have something to do with the Evans sisters felt superfluous.
I felt the same way about Ducey Evans' love of butterscotch candies. She pops so many into her mouth throughout the book that I began to feel resentful of those little hard-candy sweets. I hoped they would prove significant in some way (e.g., maybe Ducey would turn out to be an undead and the candies were a way to mask her foul breath), but alas, she just really likes butterscotch candies. Like, A LOT.
I was also under the impression that the Evans women would get out and actually hunt the undead, but they mostly stay in their funeral home and stab things at a leisurely pace. But Ryan does eventually deliver some satisfying slaying, which I was pleased to see. 😎🔪
Finally, if I'm being completely honest, I don't fully understand the ending. I think I know what Ryan is hinting at, but not with certainty, and that's disappointing. But a lot of people seem to really like the ending, so this is probably just a me problem.
Overall, I found Bless Your Heart a delightfully gory and entertaining read. I'd have loved to pick it up during the month of October when the weather is ripe for haunting reads. And I can definitely see myself giving the second book a chance in the future.
P.S. Why does the cover feature a woman with vampire teeth? There are no vampires in this book. Did I miss something?
This was a standout comedy horror novel for me and I absolutely adored it, especially the Evans women. Set in a small Texas town, four generations of Evans women help run the funeral parlor from 80-year old Ducey, the steely matriarch, to 15-year old Luna, the youngest Evans just trying to survive high school. Things start to go bump in the night and before we know it people start to turn up, or not turn up, dead all throughout the town. Big moments happen for everyone along with there being consequences to actions taken with everything coming full circle in the end.
Throughout the story we learn a little bit about the big mess that occurred 15 years prior and about how each of these characters think. I especially enjoyed bouncing around between the different viewpoints which I'm not usually a fan of but it was handled so deftly with this novel that I was excited to see what each character was doing or what they were thinking about with the situation.
I actually listened to this on audiobook, which I've found makes horror novels quite palatable for me, and I've got to say that the narrator, Stephanie Németh-Parker, really brought it all beautifully together. The way she changed her voice to fit all of the different characters really gave them an extra oomph and even her male intonation wasn't too bad. Highly recommend this book especially if you want your horror southern fried with a dash of hot sauce.
Throughout the story we learn a little bit about the big mess that occurred 15 years prior and about how each of these characters think. I especially enjoyed bouncing around between the different viewpoints which I'm not usually a fan of but it was handled so deftly with this novel that I was excited to see what each character was doing or what they were thinking about with the situation.
I actually listened to this on audiobook, which I've found makes horror novels quite palatable for me, and I've got to say that the narrator, Stephanie Németh-Parker, really brought it all beautifully together. The way she changed her voice to fit all of the different characters really gave them an extra oomph and even her male intonation wasn't too bad. Highly recommend this book especially if you want your horror southern fried with a dash of hot sauce.
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
A fun, cute read!
Didn't think I would enjoy the "grandmas who monster hunt" horror genre as much as I did, but Lindy Ryan wrote this book with so much heart and soul that I couldn't help but love it.
This isn't some dainty lil read either - the gore descriptions were...hm. something. (I read a specific character's 3rd act death on a plane and literally had the 'I hope no one looks over and sees what I am reading because this is questionable' thought).
I also love the subversion of tropes that Ryan played with. It wasn't exactly a blindsiding surprise when she turned certain stereotypes and tropes on their heads, but I also loved the freshness it introduced.
It was a fun read, and the characters felt so real (I'm pretty sure we all have a Ducey grandmother), partially because Ryan based several on women in her own family.
The final reveal of the Big Bad was a little out of nowhere, but there were hints, I guess. So that was the only thing that really threw me off. I also would've liked to know more about Luna and her...abilities (but maybe that's being saved for book 2?).
Also (it's a doomed romance, I know), I want a prequel of Grace and her beau(s).
Didn't think I would enjoy the "grandmas who monster hunt" horror genre as much as I did, but Lindy Ryan wrote this book with so much heart and soul that I couldn't help but love it.
This isn't some dainty lil read either - the gore descriptions were...hm. something. (I read a specific character's 3rd act death on a plane and literally had the 'I hope no one looks over and sees what I am reading because this is questionable' thought).
I also love the subversion of tropes that Ryan played with. It wasn't exactly a blindsiding surprise when she turned certain stereotypes and tropes on their heads, but I also loved the freshness it introduced.
It was a fun read, and the characters felt so real (I'm pretty sure we all have a Ducey grandmother), partially because Ryan based several on women in her own family.
The final reveal of the Big Bad was a little out of nowhere, but there were hints, I guess. So that was the only thing that really threw me off. I also would've liked to know more about Luna and her...abilities (but maybe that's being saved for book 2?).
Also (it's a doomed romance, I know), I want a prequel of Grace and her beau(s).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Vomit, Death of parent