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A review by booksandbarbara
Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I loved this!!!
I'm always doubtful about whether an author can manage to paint a scene, build a good story, and create characters well enough within such a short space, but once I read the opening chapter, which perfectly set everything up, that doubt flew out the window. I was sucked in and as invested as the characters themselves. The concept reminded me of another book I had read recently (What Moves the Dead), but I swiftly left that thought behind as the story progressed on. But if you did love those books, you'll definitely love this one!
We follow our cast, Edie, Hannah (my favourite of the bunch), Tuck, Tamar, and Theo. A ragtag group of insomniacs who find themselves roped into a creepy ass mystery, working together in some messed up way to uncover what the hell is going on. The characters have some of the smoothest and realistic banter, as expected with Rio's works, all with their own individual flair and intriguing stories and history. There are twists and turns, a bit of gore, strange goings ons, and an abundance of character. It all wraps up beautifully with an ending that will leave you thinking about it long after finishing. I just wish this was a full on novel, because there was so much more that I would have loved to have gone deeper into, in regards to the plot itself, and the history of the characters. Either way, this is the perfect in between books type of novella you need to sink your teeth into. I fully recommend you go read this one.
I'm always doubtful about whether an author can manage to paint a scene, build a good story, and create characters well enough within such a short space, but once I read the opening chapter, which perfectly set everything up, that doubt flew out the window. I was sucked in and as invested as the characters themselves. The concept reminded me of another book I had read recently (What Moves the Dead), but I swiftly left that thought behind as the story progressed on. But if you did love those books, you'll definitely love this one!
We follow our cast, Edie, Hannah (my favourite of the bunch), Tuck, Tamar, and Theo. A ragtag group of insomniacs who find themselves roped into a creepy ass mystery, working together in some messed up way to uncover what the hell is going on. The characters have some of the smoothest and realistic banter, as expected with Rio's works, all with their own individual flair and intriguing stories and history. There are twists and turns, a bit of gore, strange goings ons, and an abundance of character. It all wraps up beautifully with an ending that will leave you thinking about it long after finishing. I just wish this was a full on novel, because there was so much more that I would have loved to have gone deeper into, in regards to the plot itself, and the history of the characters. Either way, this is the perfect in between books type of novella you need to sink your teeth into. I fully recommend you go read this one.