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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
This was such a good Christmas novella. Like it was surrounding a murder so I wouldn’t call it cute but it was a perfect read for rn.
Ashley was a giant red flag in how naïve she was but hey, we all know the stereotypical dumb girl in horror movies. Loved how she gave Sacramento representation and it was described as being a boring city 😭 Emma and Adam were also red flags (to be honest the whole set up was) and I get it was to set up the plot but like who in the right mind is going along with any part of this.
I didn’t feel the twisty-ness that mysteries usually have but that was fully welcomed since I could just turn my brain off and not try and figure out what happened. I loved that it was under 100 pages but we still got a full story that was satisfying. I have some mixed feelings on a majority being told through diary entries but I didn’t absolutely hate it. It was different from the normal first person pov and gave us an unreliable narrator vibe but I think I wanted a mysterious third factor.
3.75/5 - is this how the late 80s really were or…?
Ashley was a giant red flag in how naïve she was but hey, we all know the stereotypical dumb girl in horror movies. Loved how she gave Sacramento representation and it was described as being a boring city 😭 Emma and Adam were also red flags (to be honest the whole set up was) and I get it was to set up the plot but like who in the right mind is going along with any part of this.
I didn’t feel the twisty-ness that mysteries usually have but that was fully welcomed since I could just turn my brain off and not try and figure out what happened. I loved that it was under 100 pages but we still got a full story that was satisfying. I have some mixed feelings on a majority being told through diary entries but I didn’t absolutely hate it. It was different from the normal first person pov and gave us an unreliable narrator vibe but I think I wanted a mysterious third factor.
3.75/5 - is this how the late 80s really were or…?
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
tense
fast-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
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have a hit/miss relationship with this author's books. I loved The Kind Worth Killing and want to read it again before reading the sequel but I didn't like some of his others at all. This novella hooked me in and it has a pretty decent mystery at its core which I enjoyed.
It is told in diary entries being read by the protagonist who prefers to be alone for Christmas because of the events of decades ago that the diary contains. She is taken back to her days as a Christmas guest at her friend's house and the happenings there.
The twist, when it came, was quite unexpected though I was left with a few questions at the end!
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated