Scan barcode
annagwritesandreads's reviews
244 reviews
My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Note: Check any content warnings, just in case. It's a horror book, but even my skin was crawling a bit too much at certain scenes.
2.5/5 stars
General description: Roos has been forced to perform seances to keep her mother and her alive. These seances aren't completely real, but Roos is possessed by her spirit companion Ruth during the seances to convince patreons the spirits of their loved ones are there. One day, wealthy widow Agnes Knoops attends a seance and decides afterward to take in Roos (she pays her mom off). Agnes and Roos then live in a slowly deteriorating mansion together and Roos will do anything to make Agnes happy, even if that means potentially being replaced when Roos comes up with a scheme to bring back something she knows will make Agnes happy: her husband. But, not everything is as it appears in the paper. Will Agnes truly be happy with Roos?
The compelling parts:
- I'd say the first few chapters, the point of the book where the plot gets clear, and slightly before the end are the most interesting points of the story.
- I did like how spooky the book was, it's definitely perfect for a Halloween time read.
The loss of stars:
- Roos gets interviewed by a doctor in the book and I feel like it kind of spoils the whole thing. There is nothing surprising or that compelled me to want to read longer.
- Agnes just annoyed me, I feel like she didn't tell Roos important aspects about her life on purpose and it ruined the story for me to see how often this happens.
Overall, if you like horror books and prefer character driven stories, you could like this! But if you need a heavy plot book, this is not the book for you.
2.5/5 stars
General description: Roos has been forced to perform seances to keep her mother and her alive. These seances aren't completely real, but Roos is possessed by her spirit companion Ruth during the seances to convince patreons the spirits of their loved ones are there. One day, wealthy widow Agnes Knoops attends a seance and decides afterward to take in Roos (she pays her mom off). Agnes and Roos then live in a slowly deteriorating mansion together and Roos will do anything to make Agnes happy, even if that means potentially being replaced when Roos comes up with a scheme to bring back something she knows will make Agnes happy: her husband. But, not everything is as it appears in the paper. Will Agnes truly be happy with Roos?
The compelling parts:
- I'd say the first few chapters, the point of the book where the plot gets clear, and slightly before the end are the most interesting points of the story.
- I did like how spooky the book was, it's definitely perfect for a Halloween time read.
The loss of stars:
- Roos gets interviewed by a doctor in the book and I feel like it kind of spoils the whole thing. There is nothing surprising or that compelled me to want to read longer.
- Agnes just annoyed me, I feel like she didn't tell Roos important aspects about her life on purpose and it ruined the story for me to see how often this happens.
Overall, if you like horror books and prefer character driven stories, you could like this! But if you need a heavy plot book, this is not the book for you.
Weyward by Emilia Hart
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I would recommend checking the content warnings before reading, because I feel like there are a lot but they were not mentioned in the audiobook version.
General Description: Three women, one cottage, a connection that lasts the test of time. 1619: Altha is on trial for witchcraft after a stampede kills a man. 1942: Violet has been sheltered her entire life, until her cousin turns her world inside out. 2019: Escaping an abusive relationship, Kate finds solace in a cottage left to her by her great-aunt. However, the cottage holds more secrets than Kate is expecting. Follow the lives of these three women as they navigate being women forced into terrible situation and how they handle each of them.
The parts that were okay?
- There was one part where the birds and bugs attack someone who deserves it and I liked that.
- Altha's story line near the end of the book did briefly pull me into the book
The loss of 3 stars:
- This felt like an extremely long book where truly not much happens. I didn't feel empowered after this, more frustrated than anything over the lack of anything happening.
- We don't get a true explanation on the connection for all of these women, or the magic, or even get full resolution on 2/3 of their lives (I did think Violet's had enough resolution)
- No story line really compelled me to want to keep reading for the majority of the book and I felt like I had to push through this book.
Overall, I am sure someone who loves character driven stories would adore this, but that someone is not me.
General Description: Three women, one cottage, a connection that lasts the test of time. 1619: Altha is on trial for witchcraft after a stampede kills a man. 1942: Violet has been sheltered her entire life, until her cousin turns her world inside out. 2019: Escaping an abusive relationship, Kate finds solace in a cottage left to her by her great-aunt. However, the cottage holds more secrets than Kate is expecting. Follow the lives of these three women as they navigate being women forced into terrible situation and how they handle each of them.
The parts that were okay?
- There was one part where the birds and bugs attack someone who deserves it and I liked that.
- Altha's story line near the end of the book did briefly pull me into the book
The loss of 3 stars:
- This felt like an extremely long book where truly not much happens. I didn't feel empowered after this, more frustrated than anything over the lack of anything happening.
- We don't get a true explanation on the connection for all of these women, or the magic, or even get full resolution on 2/3 of their lives (I did think Violet's had enough resolution)
- No story line really compelled me to want to keep reading for the majority of the book and I felt like I had to push through this book.
Overall, I am sure someone who loves character driven stories would adore this, but that someone is not me.
The Reality Bug by D.J. MacHale
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Note: This is the 4th book in the Pendragon series. There will inherently be spoilers for the series below. Proceed with caution.
General Description: Veelox is the next territory Bobby Pendragon has to try and save from their turning point. However, traveler Aja Killian tells him it's fine, that she has it under control. The issue: everyone wants to live in the perfect reality that Lifelight creates for them. Aja's solution: The reality bug. This bug will make people's reality in Lifelight less than perfect, hopefully encouraging them to get back into the real world to produce food, people, and other aspects of a society. However, is it really that simple? Bobby isn't sure and he sticks around to see. How will the Reality Bug work and will it truly stop Saint Dane? It almost feels too easy...
ALL the goods:
- Aja Killian could call me an idiot and I'd hug her; i love her personality and her character growth.
- Lifelight is so well described and I love the science fiction aspect added into the series.
- The Mark and Courtney second earth story lines are getting more complex and added a layer I think the series greatly benefit from
- Being able to go so many places in one book kept the book engaging the entire time.
- Finally, Bobby. Bobby is my favorite character of all time because of how he grows after each challenge, how he isn't just good or bad, and I think the Reality Bug really sets up the further complexities we will see from Bobby as we continue reading the series.
Overall, if you've started the series, how can you stop?! Keep going!!
General Description: Veelox is the next territory Bobby Pendragon has to try and save from their turning point. However, traveler Aja Killian tells him it's fine, that she has it under control. The issue: everyone wants to live in the perfect reality that Lifelight creates for them. Aja's solution: The reality bug. This bug will make people's reality in Lifelight less than perfect, hopefully encouraging them to get back into the real world to produce food, people, and other aspects of a society. However, is it really that simple? Bobby isn't sure and he sticks around to see. How will the Reality Bug work and will it truly stop Saint Dane? It almost feels too easy...
ALL the goods:
- Aja Killian could call me an idiot and I'd hug her; i love her personality and her character growth.
- Lifelight is so well described and I love the science fiction aspect added into the series.
- The Mark and Courtney second earth story lines are getting more complex and added a layer I think the series greatly benefit from
- Being able to go so many places in one book kept the book engaging the entire time.
- Finally, Bobby. Bobby is my favorite character of all time because of how he grows after each challenge, how he isn't just good or bad, and I think the Reality Bug really sets up the further complexities we will see from Bobby as we continue reading the series.
Overall, if you've started the series, how can you stop?! Keep going!!
Funny Story by Emily Henry
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
5.0
Note: While I am rating this 5/5 stars, I felt this book on a super personal level. I can definitely see the criticisms related to this book, but I am definitely going more with my soul on this rating, as you'll see.
General Description: Daphne gets her hurt broken in one of the worst way possible. Her fiance ends their engagement the night of his bachelor party after realizing he's in love with his female childhood best friend. Daphne now has to find a new place to live, but luckily, her ex-fiance's new girlfriend also ended a relationship with a man named Miles. Miles has an open room and that's how Daphne and Miles end up living together. Now, Daphne is setting her sights on getting out of Michigan, but Miles convinces her to let him show her how Michigan can be a place she alone calls home. Will Daphne leave? What else will Miles show her beyond the Michigan beaches?
All the goods:
- The concept of living together after two break ups was interesting to me.
- I love a good midwestern exploration story line.
- the sister subplot added depth to this book that I think rounded out the book nicely.
- In regards to Daphne, while not perfect, I feel like her and I are very similar and it made me love the book that much more.
- In regards to Miles, I feel like he's a lot like my husband, so I think he'll always have a special place in my heart.
Overall, I think if you didn't like Happy Place, you may like this book better than that. I don't think this should be your first Emily Henry book in my opinion, i'd go in publication order and see if you like her earlier works before picking this up.
General Description: Daphne gets her hurt broken in one of the worst way possible. Her fiance ends their engagement the night of his bachelor party after realizing he's in love with his female childhood best friend. Daphne now has to find a new place to live, but luckily, her ex-fiance's new girlfriend also ended a relationship with a man named Miles. Miles has an open room and that's how Daphne and Miles end up living together. Now, Daphne is setting her sights on getting out of Michigan, but Miles convinces her to let him show her how Michigan can be a place she alone calls home. Will Daphne leave? What else will Miles show her beyond the Michigan beaches?
All the goods:
- The concept of living together after two break ups was interesting to me.
- I love a good midwestern exploration story line.
- the sister subplot added depth to this book that I think rounded out the book nicely.
- In regards to Daphne, while not perfect, I feel like her and I are very similar and it made me love the book that much more.
- In regards to Miles, I feel like he's a lot like my husband, so I think he'll always have a special place in my heart.
Overall, I think if you didn't like Happy Place, you may like this book better than that. I don't think this should be your first Emily Henry book in my opinion, i'd go in publication order and see if you like her earlier works before picking this up.
Bride by Ali Hazelwood
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
General Description: Misery is the only daughter of a powerful vampire councilman. He tells Misery, who has been blending in with the human world for years, that she will be wed to an Alpha of the werewolf pack of the Southwest. Surprisingly, Misery agrees, because she believes the Alpha had something to do with the disappearance of her best friend. Can Misery find her friend before the Alpha realizes something is up, or will Misery find that she has a surprising ally in the Alpha?
The good:
- The spicier scenes in this book made sense for me and followed the progression of the book.
- The overall mystery from the description of the book.
- I think I like the marriage of convenience trope thanks to this book. I thought it was very well done.
- I would instantly go back into the world that Ali built (and I'm convinced we will be back based on the ending).
The loss of one star:
- I did feel a bit lost not have any Omegaverse knowledge. I still don't fully know what a Knot is or anything like that, and when those aspects were highlighted, I felt a bit taken out of the book.
Overall, if you are a fan of Ali Hazelwood but aren't sure about the paranormal world, I would recommend it. I still enjoyed it even with the lack of paranormal knowledge
The good:
- The spicier scenes in this book made sense for me and followed the progression of the book.
- The overall mystery from the description of the book.
- I think I like the marriage of convenience trope thanks to this book. I thought it was very well done.
- I would instantly go back into the world that Ali built (and I'm convinced we will be back based on the ending).
The loss of one star:
- I did feel a bit lost not have any Omegaverse knowledge. I still don't fully know what a Knot is or anything like that, and when those aspects were highlighted, I felt a bit taken out of the book.
Overall, if you are a fan of Ali Hazelwood but aren't sure about the paranormal world, I would recommend it. I still enjoyed it even with the lack of paranormal knowledge
Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
General Description: Joanna has been protecting the library her father left to her after one of the books he spent his life protecting seemingly killed him. She does this completely alone, as her sister Esther was told by their father to run every year or the same people who killed Esther's mom would get her. However, for one year, Esther doesn't move. And chaos ensues. Esther has to escape the Antarctic base she's on alive and hopefully make it to Joanna. But the people hunting Esther are more powerful than anyone can imagine. How will Esther make it back to Joanna?
The good:
- The description of magic and how the books are created seems extremely unique and I was enthralled, if a bit disgusted.
- I liked the three different perspectives of the different roles in this hidden society and how they all come together (yes there are 3 perspectives even if the description doesn't say so, it surprised me too).
- I feel like the mystery was twisty the entire time and kept you on your toes (for a very long time)
- I could never predict any of the plot twists in this book and I was very impressed when they did hit in the second half of the book.
The loss of a star:
- We spend SO LONG building this world. It makes the book a bit tough to get through at first, and then we get through some major events so quickly. I wish this were a series. Because we've spent so much time in this world with not a ton of action in my opinion and I want to go back.
Overall, if you're okay with a somewhat frustrating fantastical book that you want to spend more time in, you should pick this up. If there is a second book announced, my review will be edited appropriately :)
The good:
- The description of magic and how the books are created seems extremely unique and I was enthralled, if a bit disgusted.
- I liked the three different perspectives of the different roles in this hidden society and how they all come together (yes there are 3 perspectives even if the description doesn't say so, it surprised me too).
- I feel like the mystery was twisty the entire time and kept you on your toes (for a very long time)
- I could never predict any of the plot twists in this book and I was very impressed when they did hit in the second half of the book.
The loss of a star:
- We spend SO LONG building this world. It makes the book a bit tough to get through at first, and then we get through some major events so quickly. I wish this were a series. Because we've spent so much time in this world with not a ton of action in my opinion and I want to go back.
Overall, if you're okay with a somewhat frustrating fantastical book that you want to spend more time in, you should pick this up. If there is a second book announced, my review will be edited appropriately :)
Exes and O's by Amy Lea
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Note: I do recommend reading Set On You before this book, but there won't be spoilers in the description, only if you read the book in full will there be spoilers for Set On You
General Description: Tara has had her heart broken 10 times. However, Tara still believes in love. She decides to explore the second chance romance trope in real life. With the help of her roommate Trevor, she starts to find the men who broke her heart. Trevor isn't one for a relationship, but seeing all the men Tara is considering affects him in a way he wasn't expecting. Will Tara find love and will Trevor be able to enter into a relationship like he never has before.
The good:
- I liked Trevor as a MMC. He felt honest in his support of Tara
- The romance plot is sweet. Their interactions in their shared apartment were enjoyable.
- Tara isn't the worst? The relationship between her and her grandmother is my favorite part of Tara if I'm honest.
The loss of 2 stars:
- This felt like a worse version of The Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa. The second chance romance hunt didn't feel as genuine.
- Then, the second chance interactions were so outlandish, it felt like too much for a contemporary story and took me out of the book. The book felt very disjounted with this weird journey while also trying to balance the relationship Tara is forming with Trevor.
Overall, I don't fully know who this is for out there. It's just a mid book in my opinion. I think if you liked Set on You you may like this book?
General Description: Tara has had her heart broken 10 times. However, Tara still believes in love. She decides to explore the second chance romance trope in real life. With the help of her roommate Trevor, she starts to find the men who broke her heart. Trevor isn't one for a relationship, but seeing all the men Tara is considering affects him in a way he wasn't expecting. Will Tara find love and will Trevor be able to enter into a relationship like he never has before.
The good:
- I liked Trevor as a MMC. He felt honest in his support of Tara
- The romance plot is sweet. Their interactions in their shared apartment were enjoyable.
- Tara isn't the worst? The relationship between her and her grandmother is my favorite part of Tara if I'm honest.
The loss of 2 stars:
- This felt like a worse version of The Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa. The second chance romance hunt didn't feel as genuine.
- Then, the second chance interactions were so outlandish, it felt like too much for a contemporary story and took me out of the book. The book felt very disjounted with this weird journey while also trying to balance the relationship Tara is forming with Trevor.
Overall, I don't fully know who this is for out there. It's just a mid book in my opinion. I think if you liked Set on You you may like this book?
Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
4.5/5 Stars
General Description: Mallory lost all interest in chess once her father left. However, Mallory's best friend needs another player for a charity event. How could Mallory say no? Well, when she ends up playing against the world chess champion and wiping the floor with him, she wishes she never said yes. Now, Mallory is in the chess world spotlight. She'll come face to face with Nolan Sawyer, that chess champion she meet, more than she was expecting. Can she face the world of chess again? Will she end of meaning more to Nolan than she ever expected, or becoming his biggest enemy?
The goods:
- The details that went into the chess world in this book engrossed me in the entire book. I even google the chess world championship while reading it because I was so curious.
- I don't know what Ali puts into her words, but they instantly pull me in every time without fail.
- The side characters in the chess world, especially the villain, keep the story going even when Mallory and Nolan aren't in the same room.
- This was an extremely quick read that I enjoyed.
The loss of a half star:
- There is a conversation between Mallory and her mom that I absolutely hated. It felt so gaslight-y to me and harsh.
Overall, I think this is a stunning YA (realistically a new adult in my opinion) romance that will sweep you off your feet, and teach you more about chess than you ever thought you'd learn if you're not a chess player.
General Description: Mallory lost all interest in chess once her father left. However, Mallory's best friend needs another player for a charity event. How could Mallory say no? Well, when she ends up playing against the world chess champion and wiping the floor with him, she wishes she never said yes. Now, Mallory is in the chess world spotlight. She'll come face to face with Nolan Sawyer, that chess champion she meet, more than she was expecting. Can she face the world of chess again? Will she end of meaning more to Nolan than she ever expected, or becoming his biggest enemy?
The goods:
- The details that went into the chess world in this book engrossed me in the entire book. I even google the chess world championship while reading it because I was so curious.
- I don't know what Ali puts into her words, but they instantly pull me in every time without fail.
- The side characters in the chess world, especially the villain, keep the story going even when Mallory and Nolan aren't in the same room.
- This was an extremely quick read that I enjoyed.
The loss of a half star:
- There is a conversation between Mallory and her mom that I absolutely hated. It felt so gaslight-y to me and harsh.
Overall, I think this is a stunning YA (realistically a new adult in my opinion) romance that will sweep you off your feet, and teach you more about chess than you ever thought you'd learn if you're not a chess player.
The Never War by D.J. MacHale
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Note: This is the 3rd book in the series. There will inherently be spoilers if you are reading this!
General Description: Bobby Pendragon is swept away to First Earth after a devastating loss on Cloral (not of the territory, but of something important to him). It's 1937 and Bobby has to find the turning point with the help of Spade from Cloral and Gunny, the older travel of First Earth. Bobby is instantly thrown into the world of two rivaling gangs, but what will be the turning point and can he bring himself to stop it? Will one of the gangs prevail? Should Bobby even choose a side of a criminal?
The loss of 1 star (starting backwards, but you'll see why):
- This is the least action packed book thus far in the series and I was a bit distracted by the monologues this book held, but...
All the goods:
- ...This is the book where you start to see bobby's conflicted character development shine and you would not get that without the longer monologue scenes.
- SPADE AND GUNNY were fantastic in this book. I love seeing the other travelers.
- Once again, the conflict is not straight forward in this book, and I love how complicated DJ makes saving the world.
- You learn a bit more about Mark and Courtney, which I always love to see from our 2nd earth perspective.
Overall, read the series :) thanks!
General Description: Bobby Pendragon is swept away to First Earth after a devastating loss on Cloral (not of the territory, but of something important to him). It's 1937 and Bobby has to find the turning point with the help of Spade from Cloral and Gunny, the older travel of First Earth. Bobby is instantly thrown into the world of two rivaling gangs, but what will be the turning point and can he bring himself to stop it? Will one of the gangs prevail? Should Bobby even choose a side of a criminal?
The loss of 1 star (starting backwards, but you'll see why):
- This is the least action packed book thus far in the series and I was a bit distracted by the monologues this book held, but...
All the goods:
- ...This is the book where you start to see bobby's conflicted character development shine and you would not get that without the longer monologue scenes.
- SPADE AND GUNNY were fantastic in this book. I love seeing the other travelers.
- Once again, the conflict is not straight forward in this book, and I love how complicated DJ makes saving the world.
- You learn a bit more about Mark and Courtney, which I always love to see from our 2nd earth perspective.
Overall, read the series :) thanks!
The Darkness Rises by Stacy Stokes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Note: There is discussion of School Shooting and Death in this novel. Check for all content warnings before reading.
General Description: Whitney can see a dark cloud over people when death is coming nearer to them. She used this power to save someone, but that someone ended up shooting multiple people at a school football game. Whitney has lived with the guilt of this alone, but now, someone knows her secret and is threatening to expose her to the world. Who is targeting her and can Whitney find out before her entire world crumbles?
The good:
- The concept was SO unique to me. I loved the idea of the skill of seeing these clouds, even thought that is a ton of responsibility. Quintessential speculative fiction in my opinion.
- I was actually okay with the lack of full explanation for why Whitney has this particular power. We stay in Whitney's true perspective and the point of the book is not to figure out the power, so I feel pretty content with the progression of the book, even if not all my questions were answered.
- I think the mystery and plot twists were fantastic. I was convinced I knew what would happen but I was wrong.
- Whitney character development was on point and I think she's a fantastic character.
The loss of 1 star:
- I don't know why I'm so picky on pacing lately, but it felt too slow, then too fast, and there was never a good rhythm that I could get into when reading it and kept me pretty disengaged at important parts of the book.
Overall, if you read the content warnings and can handle them, and are looking for a darker YA speculative novel, this is a great next pick
General Description: Whitney can see a dark cloud over people when death is coming nearer to them. She used this power to save someone, but that someone ended up shooting multiple people at a school football game. Whitney has lived with the guilt of this alone, but now, someone knows her secret and is threatening to expose her to the world. Who is targeting her and can Whitney find out before her entire world crumbles?
The good:
- The concept was SO unique to me. I loved the idea of the skill of seeing these clouds, even thought that is a ton of responsibility. Quintessential speculative fiction in my opinion.
- I was actually okay with the lack of full explanation for why Whitney has this particular power. We stay in Whitney's true perspective and the point of the book is not to figure out the power, so I feel pretty content with the progression of the book, even if not all my questions were answered.
- I think the mystery and plot twists were fantastic. I was convinced I knew what would happen but I was wrong.
- Whitney character development was on point and I think she's a fantastic character.
The loss of 1 star:
- I don't know why I'm so picky on pacing lately, but it felt too slow, then too fast, and there was never a good rhythm that I could get into when reading it and kept me pretty disengaged at important parts of the book.
Overall, if you read the content warnings and can handle them, and are looking for a darker YA speculative novel, this is a great next pick