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archaicrobin's reviews
608 reviews
Never Lie by Freida McFadden
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
A fast paced thriller that’s a little cliche and everyone is a bad person in some way. I knocked this audiobook out during a day of paperwork and it was easy enough to follow without having to put forth any mental effort. The twist was out there, a little too out there for me honestly. The characters were not likeable and the plot was interesting enough but nothing spectacular. If I wasn’t stuck in an office sorting through student portfolios all day I honestly don’t think this would have held my interest enough to finish it.
#middletonmanor by Sandra J. Paul
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Way too short with no real plot or characters developed. This was basically a short story but it never really started and went nowhere. This felt like something I’d read in a creative writing workshop. I honestly don’t know what else to say, I’m confused as to why this was published at all.
I Found Christmas Lights Slithering Up My Street by Ben Farthing
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Very weird holiday horror novella about dangerously invasive Christmas lights. Farthing has very creative ideas and that’s what is keeping me reading these novellas, despite the issues I have with his writing. The characters in this series so far are always very bland to
me which often makes the stories a little dull since I can’t connect to anyone in the story. If you’re looking for a Christmas horror story this one could be enjoyable.
me which often makes the stories a little dull since I can’t connect to anyone in the story. If you’re looking for a Christmas horror story this one could be enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Child death
I Found Puppets Living In My Apartment Walls by Ben Farthing
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I Found Puppets Living in My Apartment walls was recommended to me alot. I was so excited for my library to get this novella I started it right away and was very disappointed.
I loved how weird and out there this book was, and the concept was creepy but the execution was poor in my opinion. The characters, especially Brittany, were underdeveloped and didn’t feel like real people. The characters were uninteresting and I did not feel connected or worried for any of them, which is always a let down for me.
Along with the boring and lifeless characters the plot really didn’t make any sense to me. I could see where the author tried to explain what was happening, and how the puppets came to life but it fell very short. Black magic, ok that’s how so get over it was the explanation and the ending left so much unexplained I honestly would have trouble explaining this to anyone.
While I found the book mediocre I still enjoyed the weirdness of it, which is why I gave it 2 stars and not 1. I will also read another novella by Farthing to give his writing another chance. Would I recommend this? If you’re looking for a short read that’s pretty weird and don’t mind the faults I’d say give it a try.
I loved how weird and out there this book was, and the concept was creepy but the execution was poor in my opinion. The characters, especially Brittany, were underdeveloped and didn’t feel like real people. The characters were uninteresting and I did not feel connected or worried for any of them, which is always a let down for me.
Along with the boring and lifeless characters the plot really didn’t make any sense to me. I could see where the author tried to explain what was happening, and how the puppets came to life but it fell very short. Black magic, ok that’s how so get over it was the explanation and the ending left so much unexplained I honestly would have trouble explaining this to anyone.
While I found the book mediocre I still enjoyed the weirdness of it, which is why I gave it 2 stars and not 1. I will also read another novella by Farthing to give his writing another chance. Would I recommend this? If you’re looking for a short read that’s pretty weird and don’t mind the faults I’d say give it a try.
Rest Stop by Nat Cassidy
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This novella is wild, gruesome, and the epitome of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Abe stops at strange gas station on his way to visit his grandmother and finds himself suddenly part of a serial killer’s rampage. Rest stop was horrifying and so weird.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
This is the third book by McMahon I’ve read and so far she never disappoints. A fast paced thriller with multiple timelines and multiple strong female leads all trying to solve the same mystery. I love this author’s skill in weaving supernatural with thriller and it’s always hard to put her books down. If you’re looking for a spooky winter thriller with some mystery elements I’d recommend this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Miscarriage, Blood, Grief, and Murder
The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I usually enjoy T. Kingfisher's lighthearted horror but something about this one just missed the mark.
The premise sounded so interesting, a woman going to clear out her mean grandma’s hoarded out house in the middle of the woods all alone with no one but a dog? Sounded great!
Unfortunately, it was not great. The main character feels like a self insert by the author and I found her to be boring, dull, and dumb. I listened to the audiobook for this one and the narrator read everything with this snarky, sarcastic, smart ass tone that made listening to this book a true test of my patience.
Our dull main character, Mouse, meets her neighbor who is named Foxy…..and together they start to investigate the weird occurrences in the woods.
This story did not make a lot of sense to me and was very boring. I had to listen at 2x speed just to finish this one I honestly can’t think of one thing I enjoyed. This is not a good book, but is it the worst thing over ever read? No. I’m so glad this isn’t the first book by Kingfisher I read, and I recommend checking out her other books and skipping this one.
The premise sounded so interesting, a woman going to clear out her mean grandma’s hoarded out house in the middle of the woods all alone with no one but a dog? Sounded great!
Unfortunately, it was not great. The main character feels like a self insert by the author and I found her to be boring, dull, and dumb. I listened to the audiobook for this one and the narrator read everything with this snarky, sarcastic, smart ass tone that made listening to this book a true test of my patience.
Our dull main character, Mouse, meets her neighbor who is named Foxy…..and together they start to investigate the weird occurrences in the woods.
This story did not make a lot of sense to me and was very boring. I had to listen at 2x speed just to finish this one I honestly can’t think of one thing I enjoyed. This is not a good book, but is it the worst thing over ever read? No. I’m so glad this isn’t the first book by Kingfisher I read, and I recommend checking out her other books and skipping this one.
Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I had high hopes for this medieval horror book mostly due to all the praise this one has received, but unfortunately Between Two Fires fell short for me.
The writing style is abrupt and brash which suits the story and the setting, but it does make connecting with the characters at first a little hard, or at least it was for me. I found it hard to feel attached to anyone until more than halfway too the book and at that point it’s too late.
The story itself is interesting and my favorite part was all the crazy demons they encounter but something was missing for me. Between Two Fires is a well written story and you can tell the writer is knowledgeable but I was never intrigued enough to want to pick this one up. I honestly don’t understand all the hype behind this novel. It’s fine, but not great.
The writing style is abrupt and brash which suits the story and the setting, but it does make connecting with the characters at first a little hard, or at least it was for me. I found it hard to feel attached to anyone until more than halfway too the book and at that point it’s too late.
The story itself is interesting and my favorite part was all the crazy demons they encounter but something was missing for me. Between Two Fires is a well written story and you can tell the writer is knowledgeable but I was never intrigued enough to want to pick this one up. I honestly don’t understand all the hype behind this novel. It’s fine, but not great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore
Did not finish book. Stopped at 45%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 45%.
Was looking a cute feel good romance but this one just did not hit the mark. The characters aren’t interesting and honestly are a little annoying. They instantly are in love and the author tries to go for this slow burn but it doesn’t work because the characters are so dull and both had insta love. Romance isn’t my genre but I do like to read them every now and then between heavier books, but I try to find novels that at least have lovable characters or an interesting plot.
The boring characters were made worse by the non existent plot where the only conflict is the two characters getting cock-blocked every five minutes. This was a huge miss for me…
The boring characters were made worse by the non existent plot where the only conflict is the two characters getting cock-blocked every five minutes. This was a huge miss for me…
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A twisty and out there horror novel about a family that call definitely overstays their welcome. I had no idea where this one was going and even after finishing it I’m still contemplating what happened. This is for those that like their horror subtle and slow, with a twist of psychological and otherworldly entities. This one was hard for me to rate, I think I need to sit with it more. Would recommend to fans of House of Leaves and other speculative horror fiction.