Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

56 reviews

trzcuit's review

dark funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

blacksphinx's review

funny 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? Yes

4.0

I got this book because I've seen a lot of people talk about T. Kingfisher's work but hadn't read any myself yet, and this was her latest release. As someone who tried going to school for forensic anthropology and

has a strong interest in ceremonial magick

, it felt like it was written just for me? It is a deeply WEIRD book that didn't go in the direction I originally expected, and I loved it. I wish there was more of it, or that it was longer, perhaps the pacing being a little different? Maybe a touch more explanation to really take it to the 5-star finish line.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Racism, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Terminal illness, Dementia, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

horrorandscience's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was a fun take on a haunted house novel. It reminded me (in vibes) a lot of Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt, where the house is haunted less by ghosts and more by the area’s past. It’s a lot different in plot, but I am enjoying the hyper specific “house haunted by bad vibes” genre. 

Samantha Montgomery has to briefly move in with her mother while her archeological dig is postponed because of human remains. Instantly, she can tell something is wrong with her mom. She’s not as bright and cheerful as she used to be, and she’s embracing ideals that are very unlike her. Sam starts digging into what’s going on, and as a scientist, she finds stuff that she just does not believe. 

I love a good story about familial trauma and breaking generational trauma. This definitely falls into that category. It also directly tackles fat phobia, which is rare in horror stories. It was also just… creepy. Sam is an archeoentomologist, meaning she deals with old bugs. So warning, there’s bugs. I also loved the vultures in this story. The book also takes place in North Carolina and tackles stuff like systemic and generational racism. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. My only real issue, hence the .5 star reduction, is a bit of a spoiler but it had to do with the ending. It was just kind of too easy. Otherwise, T. Kingfisher blows me away yet again. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the chance to read this advanced review copy. A House with Good Bones is available now. 

CW for fat phobia, body shaming, racism, medical trauma, entemophobia, child abuse, emotional abuse, fire, injury description, blood, gore, and death

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Fatphobia

Moderate: Racism, Blood, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

maryellen's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Ursula Vernon does mundane-to-utterly-terrifying so brilliantly. . Excellent characters, a story that starts off slow, with little moments of dread, and then launches itself into full-blown terror. I absolutely loved it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

acwhite's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

I simply could not put this book down. I read the back 1/2 in a single sitting. Very little I can say except that it was engrossing, expertly woven, and extremely fun to read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Racism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

boglord's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Racism, and Blood

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Cursing, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail