Reviews

Darkness There but Something More: A Dark Suspense Novel by Cassandra O'Sullivan Sachar

minimicropup's review

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This was interesting to start, but with each reveal, I lost interest. 
 
Energy: Open. Restrained. Nervous.  
Scene: 🇺🇸 Small liberal arts college near Philadelphia PA
Perspective: We follow our main character as they embark on a new academic position teaching courses about Edgar Allan Poe. We also get a past perspective from a pledging sorority sister. 
 
🐺 Growls: A plot that felt like the author wrote themselves into a corner. The Satanic Panic stuff.
🐕 Howls: How the plot is delivered. The last half of the book. 
🐩 Tail Wags: The first half of the book. 
 
🤔 Random Thoughts:
Marissa is a visiting professor. She is no longer tenured. Did you forget? Don’t worry, you’ll be reminded of it every other chapter. 
 
Small problematics: 
(1)    Introversion is not social anxiety and vice versa. One of the characters has social anxiety; she is feeling so lonely, isolated, and conflicted as she actively tries to make friends but panics and overanalyzes her interactions, resulting in avoidant behaviours that make her feel worse. It’s presented as her just being “introverted”.... 
(2)    Potentially offensive misrepresentation (at worst) to cheesy stereotypes (at best) around witchcraft
At least the academic blasé around how universities rely on ignorance to manage potential scandals felt real. 
 
Such a convoluted ending. Complex, implausible schemes and attempts to justify characters’ suddenly extreme actions. 
 
Everyone talks like an awkward manuscript draft. It’s unnatural, stiff, and formal, even in the semi-spicy scenes. Everyone sounds the same. 
 
I like ambiguous character descriptions. But I hate when we find out someone has chestnut hair and blue eyes when I spent over half the book imagining them otherwise. Authors, if you have a specific appearance in mind for a character, tell us! ASAP
 
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🤓 Reader Role: Deep in the characters’ minds, knowing all their thoughts, feelings, and fears. 
🗺️ World-Building: Open to interpretation, not sparse but not immersive or descriptive either
🔥 Fuel: How did the student die? Was it murder? If so, who did it? What is our main character hiding about their past? 
📖 Cred: Ultimately suspended disbelief to over-the-top 
🚙 Journey: This looks good! Never mind, I’ll be over here on my phone. 
 
Mood Reading Match-Up:
-Brush clearing. Leaves crunching. Body odour. Baby powder. River. Rocks. 
-New adult sorority scandal
-All grown-up with a past
 
Content Heads-Up: Hazing. Miscarriage. Infertility. Alcohol (addiction, self-medicating). Parental neglect. Loss of an adult child. Loss of a baby. Abortion. Witchcraft, occult.
 
Rep: Heterosexual. Cisgender. White and ambiguously described Americans. Endometriosis. 
 
📚 Format: Kindle Unlimited
 
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vagariousmind's review

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

2.75

chrissypops's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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? Yes

3.75

Thank you Netgalley, Cassandra O'Sullivan Sachar and Wicked House Publishing for the eArc of Darkness There but something More. 

When I read the burb of this dark suspense novel, I was really curious and really enjoyed the mix of genre. Mystery, thriller with dark elements which is being told on 2 timelines. 

Marissa, who has already suffered a great deal in her life, gets an opportunity to work at her old university as an English Professor.  As the narrative progresses, Marissa casts her mind back to her days at BlackThorn Uni, and the secrets that she keeps which are triggered by a disappearance of one of her students.

I found the main character, Marissa, felt real. Someone who carries a lot of pain but is willing to still be a good person and I really liked her. I really enjoyed the dark elements of this thriller, is went overdone and gradually weaved its way through the story and crescendoed at the end. The only thing Im not sure with, is the title. Im not sure if the title of the book suits the narrative but that's a personal preference. 

avy9891's review

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4.0

It was a little confusing at first with the story going from past to present time. Marissa decides to leave her tenured position after her baby dies and she divorces her husband. An old professor whom she has kept in touch with tells her about an opportunity at her old university. She thinks it’s a good opportunity and moves back home. Where she meets a student that reminds her of herself at that age. After tragedy strikes, she begins to realize the similarities between what happened to her student and something from her past. A long buried secret that must come to the surface. Definitely recommend this books if you want a suspenseful read.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
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