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minimicropup's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
3.5
Atmosphere: 👍
You know how childhood memories can be both extremely vivid and super foggy? The writing style nailed that feeling. Set in a home with lots of nooks and crannies, it has a whimsical atmosphere with an underlying sense of danger that builds until it starts taking over.
-If you feel lost, there's a layout of the house on the author's website, because they based it on their grandparents' actual house!
-If you feel lost, there's a layout of the house on the author's website, because they based it on their grandparents' actual house!
Main POV: 👍
A twin in their 20s/30s returning to their childhood home. They were all too happy to leave behind their twin sister and hometown as a young adult to become a content creator in L.A., and returning has brought back not-so-welcome memories of their shared childhood.
Growls and Howls: 🐺
-If you write a story but don’t give much detail, I will start filling it in with my imagination. And if you suddenly get descriptive and smash all my little imaginings to bits halfway through I will be so mad at you. That’s exactly what this author did BUT I was fully there for it. The fantastical and strange is gradually shaped and smashed into real life Horrors and I loved it.
-The ending wasn’t necessarily a bad one, but it was so rushed that one of the characters had to explain everything to us and the MC. And I was still confused…I wish the beginning half of the book was cut down to draw out that ending so we could discover some of it out on our own.
Show'n'Tell: 😵💫
Show with a sudden switch to tell just when it was getting good. Like bringing a Pokemon card in for class, then ending with “oh yeah I have two special edition ones too”. Flashes them up just as the bell rings.
Cred Rating: 👍🤡
Best to go in with suspended disbelief. Like, the treasure hunt would have been over if anyone in that house ever picked up a Swiffer. Realistic police investigation and portrayals of how we process childhood abuse.
Reading Journey: 👍
You know those city walking tours on YouTube? The one for Edinburgh went through strobe-light carnivals at the base of a giant castle on a cliff, sidewalks with gothic looking structures scattered about, and house music blaring through a maze of alleyways. That’s what reading this felt like.
Good match if you like:
-Unreliable NarratIVES (MC is sure of their memories but also starting to doubt them, yet others are having the same troubles and we aren’t sure which one is the true version and who to trust)
-Childhood trauma and resilience themes
-"Good for her" trope
-"Good for her" trope
-Puzzles
-Dark family secrets
-Evil/psychic twin bond energy
Vibes: 😢🤯😵💫
Format: Library E-book via Libby
Format: Library E-book via Libby
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Self harm, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Blood, Drug abuse, and Violence
Minor: Incest, Sexual content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Mental illness rep involves dissociative disorder and repressed memories. One character is described as paranoid schizophrenic by someone, but also recognized by others as suffering from extreme lifelong abuse. Sexual content that is explicitly described in the book is consenting adults,cphunter's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
My first 5 stars! I absolutely loved this book. It was so so well written (I only have one very minor criticism, which is that there is a French character whose mix of English and French was…unusual) and the twists were so well executed.
The story drew me in with confusion and then there were so many well placed clues and reveals that I was enthralled.
The story drew me in with confusion and then there were so many well placed clues and reveals that I was enthralled.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Incest, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
tabby2920's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Incest, Rape, and Sexual violence
rachclark's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Incest, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Suicide attempt
madarauchiha's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜 my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara 💜 💙 💚 💛 🧡 ❤️
It's a standard who dunnit mystery with plenty of plot twists and a great pay off. I greatly dislike the incest plot, but it worked well enough.
Content warnings:
medium self harm, pedophilia, incest, drug overdose,
major racism about magical non existent tribes, child abuse, mouth trauma, blood, dental trauma, scars , guns, stalking, paranoia, suicide, incest, domestic abuse, abuse, manipulation, unhealthy relationships, marital infidelity, child abuse, gaslighting, NSFW, suicide threats, suicide, medical scenarios, death, murder,
About the incest warning. Major spoilers.
the 'bluebeard' character is actually the grandfather. The grandfather is also their father, having imprisons one of his adult twin daughter and raped them off screen, impregnating her at least once. The incest / csa is not depicted explicitly but it is implied and confirmed to have happened. The plot is focus more on the current day, as the grandfather is long since dead.
It's a standard who dunnit mystery with plenty of plot twists and a great pay off. I greatly dislike the incest plot, but it worked well enough.
Content warnings:
medium self harm, pedophilia, incest, drug overdose,
major racism about magical non existent tribes, child abuse, mouth trauma, blood, dental trauma, scars , guns, stalking, paranoia, suicide, incest, domestic abuse, abuse, manipulation, unhealthy relationships, marital infidelity, child abuse, gaslighting, NSFW, suicide threats, suicide, medical scenarios, death, murder,
About the incest warning. Major spoilers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Grief, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence
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