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3.0 AVERAGE
3.0 AVERAGE
(Mini-Review) I've been eagerly anticipating Stephanie Perkins' newest book after finishing There's Someone Inside Your House, & this was a ton of fun, a great YA take on survival horror that's perfect for spooky season! I enjoyed how contained the story was - you've got one setting set over the course of mostly two nights, & what a setting it was! Personally, I'm terrified of the woods & camping, so this really played into my fears about ever setting foot into the woods for backpacking, you just never truly know what may be lurking in the trees. There was quite a bit of buildup before the action really got going, but I loved the tension Perkins crafted between Neena & Josie - & once the shenanigans really started, it just took off! I definitely didn't see the situation turning out the way it did, either, so props for catching me off guard! If anything, I wish we would've gotten just a little bit more out of the ending, but that's just me being nitpicky. All in all, I really enjoyed this, a perfect read to gear up for Fall & Halloween. I've really liked both of Perkins' YA thrillers & I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next!
Wow this one is messed up! If you like that, pick it up! It started off slow for me and I almost put it down. Once the chaos began it didn’t stop. I’m not sure I liked the ending, I wanted more closure.
honestly this book was mid
boring beginning and while it spiced up towards the end, nothing that wasnt predictable
wanna see my full review see
@ashleys.readingcorner on instagra,
boring beginning and while it spiced up towards the end, nothing that wasnt predictable
wanna see my full review see
@ashleys.readingcorner on instagra,
Is she goofy and a little (very) unrealistic? Yes
But was this also a fun read? Also yes
I think if you go into this looking for just something entertaining and you don't poke around at too many seams, this is an enjoyable read. I think the girls fighting etc was pretty realistic, and while I agree that things get very quickly wild and wacky in the second half, I didn't think this first part was boring/unnecessary. The villains were over the top (not sure how I feel about the sexual violence element of it but that's another story) and like Josie in particular was going THROUGH it, and I mean the ending....but if you're looking for like a kind of Netflix-esque teenage horror vibe this is it. If it were any longer maybe my thoughts would be different but this was like the perfect dose of quick entertainment for someone who has struggled to find anything above a 2-star read lately. I will say though I find it hard to keep track of the two girls in the beginning when the perspective would kind of shift mid-chapter, but as the book went on they became a bit more distinct as their plots diverged (unsure if this would have been helped by reading her other book first).
CW: threat of/implied sexual violence, gore
But was this also a fun read? Also yes
I think if you go into this looking for just something entertaining and you don't poke around at too many seams, this is an enjoyable read. I think the girls fighting etc was pretty realistic, and while I agree that things get very quickly wild and wacky in the second half, I didn't think this first part was boring/unnecessary. The villains were over the top (not sure how I feel about the sexual violence element of it but that's another story) and like Josie in particular was going THROUGH it, and I mean the ending....but if you're looking for like a kind of Netflix-esque teenage horror vibe this is it. If it were any longer maybe my thoughts would be different but this was like the perfect dose of quick entertainment for someone who has struggled to find anything above a 2-star read lately. I will say though I find it hard to keep track of the two girls in the beginning when the perspective would kind of shift mid-chapter, but as the book went on they became a bit more distinct as their plots diverged (unsure if this would have been helped by reading her other book first).
CW: threat of/implied sexual violence, gore
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
fast-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:
No
So i am conflicted on how to rate this but ended up rounding down to a 3.
Pros: I love the pacing of Perkins horror novels. She knows how to get us into the world, establish just enough back story, and then move the heck on to the main plot and inciting incident. I really enjoyed Josie and Neena's relationship and I think many teens can feel like they can relate to the relationship they have forged as many of us come from homes of questionable stability and escape to more stable ground at least for a bit.
This being said the girls and their dual POVs are the best part of the story bc while I was invested in moments, such as the horror moments, the general overarching story did not grab me in a way that kept me fully invested in the same way I was for Perkins other novel There's Someone Inside My House.
The body horror regarding the primary antagonist was uncomfortable and well described, but like damn you really put Josie through the ringer to only end on a okay the girls will now go there seperate ways after this encounter. I can't image Neena going to move 5 days after this ordeal so maybe a short epilogue could have helped end the novel and provide finality. Maybe not necessary but could have been nice.
Cons: I was really hoping for a genuine supernatural elements and it never came as it was not that type of novel, but I feel like it would have been more interesting than the story we got. Especially considering the weird cop out way they escaped via the animal intrusion which it itself was a weird call back to earlier in the novel.
Pros: I love the pacing of Perkins horror novels. She knows how to get us into the world, establish just enough back story, and then move the heck on to the main plot and inciting incident. I really enjoyed Josie and Neena's relationship and I think many teens can feel like they can relate to the relationship they have forged as many of us come from homes of questionable stability and escape to more stable ground at least for a bit.
This being said the girls and their dual POVs are the best part of the story bc while I was invested in moments, such as the horror moments, the general overarching story did not grab me in a way that kept me fully invested in the same way I was for Perkins other novel There's Someone Inside My House.
The body horror regarding the primary antagonist was uncomfortable and well described, but like damn you really put Josie through the ringer to only end on a okay the girls will now go there seperate ways after this encounter. I can't image Neena going to move 5 days after this ordeal so maybe a short epilogue could have helped end the novel and provide finality. Maybe not necessary but could have been nice.
Cons: I was really hoping for a genuine supernatural elements and it never came as it was not that type of novel, but I feel like it would have been more interesting than the story we got. Especially considering the weird cop out way they escaped via the animal intrusion which it itself was a weird call back to earlier in the novel.