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hesticht's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Domestic abuse, Violence, Death of parent, Child death, Murder, Gore, Death, and Confinement
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, and Classism
Minor: Homophobia
vivireads99's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Grief, Child abuse, Blood, Child death, Classism, Murder, and Suicide
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Self harm
kimberlyswalters's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
The characters were dull. I liked Ava, but I didn't feel a strong connection to her or any other character. I didn't care about any of them dying because of that. The concept was good, but I felt like it could've been better if it were written from one characters perspective, or even switching it each chapter. The omnipotence of it made things a bit muddled and allowed less time to get to know each character more (which I think is the exact opposite of what the author intended). For instance, the only thing you really know about Mack is her past and how she blames herself for what happened, and that she has the hots for Ava. I just wanted a chance to care about the characters more, but most of them are either unlikeable, exaggerated stereotypes, and/or boring.
I don't think I have the vocabulary to express how much I disliked the ending, so I can only try to sum it up and hope whoever is reading this rambling will understand. Even if I don't care for the characters, I'd at least like to know what happened to them, the rest of Asterion, and if the families suffered, or if the beast ended up fed and satisfied and where our characters were going afterwards. It left too many questions that mattered unanswered, so it just felt sloppy and like the author also didn't care where they ended up, or if the readers were satisfied. I'm really just ranting here, but I don't like wasting my time on entertainment that just ends up frustrating me and leaving me feeling confused about the author's intent. Hopefully this silly little review will save someone else from reading it if they also aren't a fan of that style of ending. It was blunt and unnecessary. It was gifted to me, so I am glad I didn't spend my own money on this.
I don't think I have the vocabulary to express how much I disliked the ending, so I can only try to sum it up and hope whoever is reading this rambling will understand.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Misogyny, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child death, Classism, Cursing, and Toxic relationship
thatswhatshanread's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Let it be known that I am deeply fascinated by abandoned places, but especially abandoned amusement parks. So I was instantly drawn to this book!
It was sort-of like “The Hunger Games” meets “Ready or Not” (a criminally underrated movie IMO) meets “Stranger Things”.
I don’t want to give too much away, as it’s better to go in blindly. But I will say I had hoped for faster pacing, and maybe less switches between POVs. The plot was intriguing, though the second half derailed from that intrigue at times. I would also note that, personally, I didn’t really find this read as a horror. Maybe more of a suspense? It had the creepiness factor.
Not a bad book, though I had wished for more. It definitely surprised me, which is a plus. Would love to see it made into a movie!
It was sort-of like “The Hunger Games” meets “Ready or Not” (a criminally underrated movie IMO) meets “Stranger Things”.
I don’t want to give too much away, as it’s better to go in blindly. But I will say I had hoped for faster pacing, and maybe less switches between POVs. The plot was intriguing, though the second half derailed from that intrigue at times. I would also note that, personally, I didn’t really find this read as a horror. Maybe more of a suspense? It had the creepiness factor.
Not a bad book, though I had wished for more. It definitely surprised me, which is a plus. Would love to see it made into a movie!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Cursing, Death, Abandonment, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Bullying, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Alcohol, Classism, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Minor: Lesbophobia
inkdrinkers's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book was so terrifying, I got nauseous.
It will be incredibly hard to keep this spoiler free, but I am going to try my best. Hide is about Mack, a homeless woman in her late twenties who gets offered the chance of a lifetime - participate in a reality show and maybe walk away with $50,000. It would be a no-brainer for most, but the catch is the show revolves around a game of hide and seek - which has horrific ties to her past.
From the beginning, this had me hooked. The first 25% of the book is setting everything up, but it's a quick portion before the meat of the story that is absolutely necessary. I ran through it in 35 minutes, almost to the second - and when I got into the rest of the book I felt like screaming. The slow horror, the tension, and slowly realizing the plot was one of the best reading experiences I've had in a long time. This was horrific in the best of ways, and will continually stay with me for years.
This is a clear must-read for any thriller fan. It paces so extremely well and I LOVED the layout of the book. There are no true chapters, but it would have felt bogged down with them. The formatting is perfect and kept the story sprinting towards the end. I will say the switching point of views threw me at the beginning, but I caught up pretty quick and recognized the nuances between voices.
I don't know what else to say other than I absolutely loved this. I want a copy for my shelves, but I also want a hug from my mom because I'm genuinely terrified. At least I read it at night - and the monster doesn't come until dawn.
It will be incredibly hard to keep this spoiler free, but I am going to try my best. Hide is about Mack, a homeless woman in her late twenties who gets offered the chance of a lifetime - participate in a reality show and maybe walk away with $50,000. It would be a no-brainer for most, but the catch is the show revolves around a game of hide and seek - which has horrific ties to her past.
From the beginning, this had me hooked. The first 25% of the book is setting everything up, but it's a quick portion before the meat of the story that is absolutely necessary. I ran through it in 35 minutes, almost to the second - and when I got into the rest of the book I felt like screaming. The slow horror, the tension, and slowly realizing the plot was one of the best reading experiences I've had in a long time. This was horrific in the best of ways, and will continually stay with me for years.
This is a clear must-read for any thriller fan. It paces so extremely well and I LOVED the layout of the book. There are no true chapters, but it would have felt bogged down with them. The formatting is perfect and kept the story sprinting towards the end. I will say the switching point of views threw me at the beginning, but I caught up pretty quick and recognized the nuances between voices.
I don't know what else to say other than I absolutely loved this. I want a copy for my shelves, but I also want a hug from my mom because I'm genuinely terrified. At least I read it at night - and the monster doesn't come until dawn.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Death, Confinement, Blood, Gore, Vomit, Violence, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror
Moderate: Racism, Classism, and Religious bigotry
This is a place for me to scream about spoilers.lyss_reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Violence, Murder, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Racism, Transphobia, Homophobia, Classism, Stalking, and Ableism
Minor: Racial slurs
nicole_cob_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Child death, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Violence, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Death
rachelunabridged's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-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
4.0
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
~~~
Picture this: you are a struggling young person, and someone approaches you with this unusual offer: compete in a one week long hide-and-seek competition for the chance to win $50,000. Not many would pass up an opportunity like that, and unfortunately, our protagonist, Mack, can't afford to either. Among the 14 contestants, alliances are made and friendships are forged, but it doesn't take long before the competitors begin to notice that the game isn't playing out quite as described...
~~~
The opening chapter of this book effortlessly pulled me in, and it only got better from there. You have a sense early on that things aren't what they appear, and the author very skillfully builds the tension as the story progresses. I read this book in huge chunks at a time because the mystery sucked me in and I needed to know what was going on ASAP!
Though some of the characters felt a bit cliche, there were a few good ones that I really connected with throughout the story, especially once the backstory reveals started kicking in. So stressful to want to see so many of them succeed, but knowing only one can be the winner.
While I did really enjoy this read, there were some ham-fisted reveals later in the story that I wished had been handled better. It felt like the author didn't think the readers would be able to pick up what she was laying down. It was heavy handed to the point that I rolled my eyes multiple times, and that's ultimately when I decided to take a star off. (Others may not mind the author holding their hand and leading them along as much as I do, but...)
Despite the hiccups at the end, I thought this was a great read and look forward to reading more books by this author.
~~~
Picture this: you are a struggling young person, and someone approaches you with this unusual offer: compete in a one week long hide-and-seek competition for the chance to win $50,000. Not many would pass up an opportunity like that, and unfortunately, our protagonist, Mack, can't afford to either. Among the 14 contestants, alliances are made and friendships are forged, but it doesn't take long before the competitors begin to notice that the game isn't playing out quite as described...
~~~
The opening chapter of this book effortlessly pulled me in, and it only got better from there. You have a sense early on that things aren't what they appear, and the author very skillfully builds the tension as the story progresses. I read this book in huge chunks at a time because the mystery sucked me in and I needed to know what was going on ASAP!
Though some of the characters felt a bit cliche, there were a few good ones that I really connected with throughout the story, especially once the backstory reveals started kicking in. So stressful to want to see so many of them succeed, but knowing only one can be the winner.
While I did really enjoy this read, there were some ham-fisted reveals later in the story that I wished had been handled better. It felt like the author didn't think the readers would be able to pick up what she was laying down. It was heavy handed to the point that I rolled my eyes multiple times, and that's ultimately when I decided to take a star off. (Others may not mind the author holding their hand and leading them along as much as I do, but...)
Despite the hiccups at the end, I thought this was a great read and look forward to reading more books by this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Confinement, Death, Violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Racism
debussy's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Suicide
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