alicemorrison1029's reviews
78 reviews

The Haunted Mask by R.L. Stine

3.0

The Push by Ashley Audrain

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

i was kinda miserable for most of this book. i wouldn’t recommend reading it in one sitting because it’s really heavy, i had no power so i did it anyways. the writing is fantastic though and i was so engaged throughout the entire thing. i say i was miserable mainly because this dang woman just couldn’t catch a break and i just wanted everything to fix itself. but the ending. man. i loved that ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Rouge by Mona Awad

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Circe by Madeline Miller

adventurous

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

If This Book Exists, You're in the Wrong Universe by Jason Pargin

adventurous challenging dark funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin

challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

i loved reading this book. the overall experience was fantastic, but the ending left me unsatisfied. i understand what the author was trying to achieve: he wanted the readers to decide what they thought truly happened to marjorie/john/merry for themselves—what was the true explanation for marjorie’s mental state/behavior: possession or mental illness,

why did marjorie want the rest of the family to be killed, and what is the implication at the end about merry’s soul/spirit?

while usually an ambiguous ending like this would be enjoyable for me, i feel like this specific story requires more answers/explanation to leave the readers feeling satisfied, because, even though i enjoyed the book overall, i wanted more from the ending and was left feeling unsatisfied and unfulfilled. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Religious bigotry

Galatea by Madeline Miller

sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25