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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
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:
Yes
A family of women own a funeral home and a ton of secrets. Deucy, Lenore, Grace, and Luna… 4 generations with the complex relationships you’d expect. This was full of creepiness and gore, but the East Texas women kept the tone in the lighter side. The ending has me wanting more!
3.5 stars. A good, fun, and interesting story. The action didn’t pick up until towards the end and I felt the conclusion of the story was a bit rushed. Do not regret reading.
This was really cute! It’s a perfect mix of funny and horror, it is way more graphic than I thought but my little horror heart loved that. I also loved that it was set in the 90s, reminded me of southern book club guide to slaying vampires a little? I’ll definitely read the second one when it comes out! Very interested in what will happen next
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Entertaining and a good display of the complexity of the mother daughter relationship. This was surprisingly gory but absolutely fits the plot and added to the tense atmosphere.
I wished the characters were a little more fleshed out and interesting, great grandma was my favorite. I also found the ending abrupt and hope the next book will make me feel more.
I wished the characters were a little more fleshed out and interesting, great grandma was my favorite. I also found the ending abrupt and hope the next book will make me feel more.
Stephanie Németh-Parker's narration for Bless Your Heart from Lindy Ryan really makes this book work! Thank you to MacMillan and St Martin's press for review copies of Bless Your Heart. I recommend this one on audiobook as I really thought the narration gave style to Ryan's writing that helped me enjoy the story more.
There is a lot to like in this story, it resonated with my buffy the vampire slayer loving self and my appreciation for stories with strong female characters and for family dynamics that are complex but funny and edgy, and for the part of me that likes a sneakily dark and gory story underneath the fun and humor (similar to some of grady hendrix's books). I really appreciated the voice acting that captured tone and spirit of the different characters, let the darkness sneak in but also the humor too.
My one note is that the writing, despite a solid plot and characters and themes I love... didn't always work for me, this is a really liked it but missing some of the pizzazz/pow that I was expecting, I think it was the somewhat scattered development of the plot as we were learning about two big plot points, the family story and then what was happening in the town (akin to a pilot for a show that has to do a lot of work to explain a lot of things.., it works but I hope it is a set up for another story that flows more effectively!)
There is a lot to like in this story, it resonated with my buffy the vampire slayer loving self and my appreciation for stories with strong female characters and for family dynamics that are complex but funny and edgy, and for the part of me that likes a sneakily dark and gory story underneath the fun and humor (similar to some of grady hendrix's books). I really appreciated the voice acting that captured tone and spirit of the different characters, let the darkness sneak in but also the humor too.
My one note is that the writing, despite a solid plot and characters and themes I love... didn't always work for me, this is a really liked it but missing some of the pizzazz/pow that I was expecting, I think it was the somewhat scattered development of the plot as we were learning about two big plot points, the family story and then what was happening in the town (akin to a pilot for a show that has to do a lot of work to explain a lot of things.., it works but I hope it is a set up for another story that flows more effectively!)
Thank you to MacMillan and St Martin's press for review copies of Bless Your Heart. I recommend this one on audiobook as I really thought the narration gave style to Ryan's writing that helped me enjoy the story more.
There is a lot to like in this story, it resonated with my buffy the vampire slayer loving self and my appreciation for stories with strong female characters and for family dynamics that are complex but funny and edgy, and for the part of me that likes a sneakily dark and gory story underneath the fun and humor (similar to some of grady hendrix's books).
My one note is that the writing, despite a solid plot and characters and themes I love... didn't always work for me, this is a really liked it but missing some of the pizzazz/pow that I was expecting, I think it was the somewhat scattered development of the plot as we were learning about two big plot points, the family story and then what was happening in the town (akin to a pilot for a show that has to do a lot of work to explain a lot of things.., it works but I hope it is a set up for another story that flows more effectively!)
Stephanie Németh-Parker's narration for Bless Your Heart from Lindy Ryan really makes this book work so I suggest this is a great one to read and listen along as well. I really appreciated the voice acting that captured tone and spirit of the different characters, let the darkness sneak in but also the humor too.
There is a lot to like in this story, it resonated with my buffy the vampire slayer loving self and my appreciation for stories with strong female characters and for family dynamics that are complex but funny and edgy, and for the part of me that likes a sneakily dark and gory story underneath the fun and humor (similar to some of grady hendrix's books).
My one note is that the writing, despite a solid plot and characters and themes I love... didn't always work for me, this is a really liked it but missing some of the pizzazz/pow that I was expecting, I think it was the somewhat scattered development of the plot as we were learning about two big plot points, the family story and then what was happening in the town (akin to a pilot for a show that has to do a lot of work to explain a lot of things.., it works but I hope it is a set up for another story that flows more effectively!)
Stephanie Németh-Parker's narration for Bless Your Heart from Lindy Ryan really makes this book work so I suggest this is a great one to read and listen along as well. I really appreciated the voice acting that captured tone and spirit of the different characters, let the darkness sneak in but also the humor too.
Campy as hell, which I don't mind every once in a while. I love when campy is told in a matter of fact way too. A fun jaunt centered around a family of women I liked.
Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review
Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review
You know I really liked this! And I will definitely be reading the next book.
Just didn’t want to waste any more time with it. Took far too long to ramp up, and then the reveals/twists weren’t worth it. The characters were difficult to tell apart (it took me a good 100 pages to figure out how the Evans women were related) because other than Ducey, their voices were identical. I just kept waiting to feel engaged in the story or attached to the characters, and I didn’t. The potential for a neat horror novel was there, but none of the lore of the Strigoi was ever fleshed out (pun intended). A few petty reasons I stopped:
-A 15 year old dies and the police investigate the scene, an autopsy is performed, AND she’s taken to the mortuary ALL BEFORE HER PARENTS ARE INFORMED THAT SHE IS DEAD?! What the actual fuck.
-Too many butterscotch candies. For real. She must eat 50 a day.
-They knew who the injured dog belonged to and once again took matters into their own hands before telling the owner. It’s 1999, not 1899. Use a phone.
-Snow is said to have used “Aquafina” hair spray. I assume she meant Aquanet
-Multiple typos. Not the author’s fault. That’s on the editor.
Hopefully someone finds their niche with this book, but I found it boring, unimaginative, and half baked.
-A 15 year old dies and the police investigate the scene, an autopsy is performed, AND she’s taken to the mortuary ALL BEFORE HER PARENTS ARE INFORMED THAT SHE IS DEAD?! What the actual fuck.
-Too many butterscotch candies. For real. She must eat 50 a day.
-They knew who the injured dog belonged to and once again took matters into their own hands before telling the owner. It’s 1999, not 1899. Use a phone.
-Snow is said to have used “Aquafina” hair spray. I assume she meant Aquanet
-Multiple typos. Not the author’s fault. That’s on the editor.
Hopefully someone finds their niche with this book, but I found it boring, unimaginative, and half baked.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes