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archaicrobin's reviews
620 reviews
Hawk Mountain by Conner Habib
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Hawk Mountain is one of the most heartbreakingly devastating book I’ve read in a long time. This one was hard to read but I also could not put it down because I had to know how all this tragedy ends. This is not for the faint of heart, it’s horribly sad and incredibly gruesome with visceral descriptions of gore.
If you want an emotional read, with LQBTQ characters, tons of heartache, and gorey imagery, this one is a must be prepared! I heard this one was messed up but I had no idea….. going into this one with little info is best!
If you want an emotional read, with LQBTQ characters, tons of heartache, and gorey imagery, this one is a must be prepared! I heard this one was messed up but I had no idea….. going into this one with little info is best!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Burnt Offerings by Robert Marasco
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
If I could describe this book in one word it would be : sinister. This is not a haunted house book filled with ghosts and scares at every corner, instead this a slow burn gothic horror where the terror is gradual, insidious, and hardly noticed until it’s too late.
The Rolfe family decides to splurge and spend their summer at a grand but ramshackle estate in the country to relax and receive a break from city life. As they settle into the house strange things start occur and soon it’s clear the house is not right, and neither are its owners.
I absolutely loved this classic horror novel reminiscent of the old days when haunted house books were insidious, slow burns, that left you devastated at the end. This one is not for those looking for gore, fast paced narratives, or terrifying scenes. This is a haunted house book for those looking for a slow gothic horror that will have you entranced. Even though I was able to figure out the house’s intentions it did not make the horror any less terrifying. Love this one!
The Rolfe family decides to splurge and spend their summer at a grand but ramshackle estate in the country to relax and receive a break from city life. As they settle into the house strange things start occur and soon it’s clear the house is not right, and neither are its owners.
I absolutely loved this classic horror novel reminiscent of the old days when haunted house books were insidious, slow burns, that left you devastated at the end. This one is not for those looking for gore, fast paced narratives, or terrifying scenes. This is a haunted house book for those looking for a slow gothic horror that will have you entranced. Even though I was able to figure out the house’s intentions it did not make the horror any less terrifying. Love this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Wylding hall is a novella exploring the strange occurrences that occurred to a 70s folkband that stayed there to create their best selling album.
Written in documentary style the reader sees the mystery occur through multiple perspectives. I don’t know if I’d consider this a haunted house story, even though it’s marketed that way, I’d say this is more folk horror. You have a strange secluded village, ancient traditions and burial grounds, and an old manor built upon that burial site.
Overall I found this one interesting and entertaining but in my opinion it was very slow and not scary at all. The novella focused more on the band and their relationships more than the horror here. Very gothic feel but none of the scares.
Written in documentary style the reader sees the mystery occur through multiple perspectives. I don’t know if I’d consider this a haunted house story, even though it’s marketed that way, I’d say this is more folk horror. You have a strange secluded village, ancient traditions and burial grounds, and an old manor built upon that burial site.
Overall I found this one interesting and entertaining but in my opinion it was very slow and not scary at all. The novella focused more on the band and their relationships more than the horror here. Very gothic feel but none of the scares.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Mysterious Island: Catalina: The Strange Side of Catalina by Jim Watson
adventurous
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
3.0
I picked up this book about the murders, ghosts, and mysteries of Catalina last year and waited until our return trip this summer to finish! This is a great collection of local legends, lore, and mysteries for those interested in the dark history of the island or those looking to learn more about the paranormal occurrences.
As a SoCal local we vacation here for a weekend every summer and it was interesting read about all the spooky things that occurred on the island I thought I knew so well! If you’re interested in Catalina Island history and have an interest in the unexplained I’d say this is a fun, easy, and informative read.
As a SoCal local we vacation here for a weekend every summer and it was interesting read about all the spooky things that occurred on the island I thought I knew so well! If you’re interested in Catalina Island history and have an interest in the unexplained I’d say this is a fun, easy, and informative read.
Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
Hemlock island is a horror mystery thriller with a fun premise and some crazy twists! Laney has recently lost her sister, become guardian to her niece, been through a painful divorce she still doesn’t understand, and has had to rent out her island sanctuary to make ends meet. When strange things start to occur on the island she decides to go and figure out what is going on. Some uninvited guests show up with lots of unspoken tension making this initial visit much more complicated, especially when bodies start to show up.
While this book isn’t perfect and I don’t see it working for everyone, I did enjoy it overall. Lots of gruesome scenes, lovable characters, and tons of twists. Hemlock Island is a really weird book and while it does suffer from too many inner dialogues it still managed to keep the action going and the end was pretty bonkers! If you like weird out there thriller/horror this one could be a fun read.
While this book isn’t perfect and I don’t see it working for everyone, I did enjoy it overall. Lots of gruesome scenes, lovable characters, and tons of twists. Hemlock Island is a really weird book and while it does suffer from too many inner dialogues it still managed to keep the action going and the end was pretty bonkers! If you like weird out there thriller/horror this one could be a fun read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
After finishing this book I’m not really sure how I feel. I don’t hate it but I honestly don’t feel it was a good time.
Gyre is underground in a cave on another planet fulfilling a very expensive, well paid, secretive caving job for her abrasive employer Em. As Gyre gets deeps into the cave things start going worse and worse. Soon she’s struggling to not just survive, but to make it back to the surface in one piece.
This book had so much potential! I love survival horror, space horror, and caving stories because I find them so terrifying! This one had ghosts, weird alien worms called tunnelers, and an antagonist that is complicated and Gyre’s key to survival. All the pieces were there but the execution was not.
While Gyre was a great character it was hard to relate to the other main character Em who is responsible for Gyre’s plight and her reasons for it are dumb and pretty nonsensical. The author tries to make it sound like her motives have a meaning but honestly they don’t and it makes her incredibly unlikeable and impossible to relate to.
Also, the forced romance between Gyre and Em I found really gross. Stockholm syndrome does not equal love, and the fact that this unnecessary abusive and toxic relationship was even a thing, just sat very wrong with me. Gyre would be in a horrific situation and thinking about Em and how she cares for her despite all the abuse Em dishes out. I don’t like novels that glorify toxic or abusive relationships, and this one was so off the rails and really not necessary.
In addition, this book is so long and slow with nothing really sci fi going on beyond the suit and these tunnelers that we don’t see until the end of the book and only for a page. The pacing is far too slow, with a majority of the book being climbing and traversal of the cave intermixed with Em and Gyre’s interactions, and Gyre’s slowly unraveling sanity which made this a hard one to get through for me. In the end it wasn’t even worth it because the ending was so anti climactic and again just kinda gross due to the toxic relationship here.
This one had so much potential and was honestly a big disappointment.
Gyre is underground in a cave on another planet fulfilling a very expensive, well paid, secretive caving job for her abrasive employer Em. As Gyre gets deeps into the cave things start going worse and worse. Soon she’s struggling to not just survive, but to make it back to the surface in one piece.
This book had so much potential! I love survival horror, space horror, and caving stories because I find them so terrifying! This one had ghosts, weird alien worms called tunnelers, and an antagonist that is complicated and Gyre’s key to survival. All the pieces were there but the execution was not.
While Gyre was a great character it was hard to relate to the other main character Em who is responsible for Gyre’s plight and her reasons for it are dumb and pretty nonsensical. The author tries to make it sound like her motives have a meaning but honestly they don’t and it makes her incredibly unlikeable and impossible to relate to.
Also, the forced romance between Gyre and Em I found really gross. Stockholm syndrome does not equal love, and the fact that this unnecessary abusive and toxic relationship was even a thing, just sat very wrong with me. Gyre would be in a horrific situation and thinking about Em and how she cares for her despite all the abuse Em dishes out. I don’t like novels that glorify toxic or abusive relationships, and this one was so off the rails and really not necessary.
In addition, this book is so long and slow with nothing really sci fi going on beyond the suit and these tunnelers that we don’t see until the end of the book and only for a page. The pacing is far too slow, with a majority of the book being climbing and traversal of the cave intermixed with Em and Gyre’s interactions, and Gyre’s slowly unraveling sanity which made this a hard one to get through for me. In the end it wasn’t even worth it because the ending was so anti climactic and again just kinda gross due to the toxic relationship here.
This one had so much potential and was honestly a big disappointment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Adrift by K. R. Griffiths
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
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
4.0
Adrift is a fast paced creature feature set on a giant cruise ship’s maiden voyage. I absolutely loved the fast paced story packed with action, creatures, and surprisingly well crafted characters.
This author was not afraid to kill people off and I was genuinely sad at some of the deaths, and even feel that some could have been avoided or were used in cliche ways, which is partially why I couldn’t give this one a perfect rating.
Along with some choices I felt were unnecessary and implicitly a little misogynistic, there were also a few typos throughout which factored into my final rating.
Overall, Adrift isn’t perfect but if you’re looking for a fast paced, action horror with vicious, ancient creatures and fun characters pick this one up! I will definitely be continuing the series.
This author was not afraid to kill people off and I was genuinely sad at some of the deaths, and even feel that some could have been avoided or were used in cliche ways, which is partially why I couldn’t give this one a perfect rating.
Along with some choices I felt were unnecessary and implicitly a little misogynistic, there were also a few typos throughout which factored into my final rating.
Overall, Adrift isn’t perfect but if you’re looking for a fast paced, action horror with vicious, ancient creatures and fun characters pick this one up! I will definitely be continuing the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Fantasy is not a genre I branch into often and especially not Romantasy. The first thing I’d say is don’t expect a great fantasy novel here. This is a character driven romance with YA tropes and some fairies thrown in. If a character is in a dangerous situation, don’t worry because they will magically be ok and everything will be alright!
This book is for those looking for a cozy romance with a feel good message about community, helping others, and allowing others to help you. I would not recommend this to anyone looking for fantasy or even a good fairy story.
The characters were initially interesting but in my opinion halfway through the book they start acting out of character and the relationship moves far too fast without enough ground work. Also if you don’t like the characters stop reading, because there is nothing else here but character interactions and conflicts with no tension because they always find a crazily coincidental way out with no causalities.
The pacing in this is also way off. One minute you have a fun scene where the characters are interacting with local
Fairies and bickering and it’s genuinely enjoyable then you have about 50 pages of Emily talking about the food they’re eating, or the state of the cottage, and it’s so dull.
I started this book at a neutral rating, a sold 3/5 until halfway and then it just completely tanked for me. I will not be continuing this series because it just wasn’t for me and the issues listed above are just too much to overlook.
This book is for those looking for a cozy romance with a feel good message about community, helping others, and allowing others to help you. I would not recommend this to anyone looking for fantasy or even a good fairy story.
The characters were initially interesting but in my opinion halfway through the book they start acting out of character and the relationship moves far too fast without enough ground work. Also if you don’t like the characters stop reading, because there is nothing else here but character interactions and conflicts with no tension because they always find a crazily coincidental way out with no causalities.
The pacing in this is also way off. One minute you have a fun scene where the characters are interacting with local
Fairies and bickering and it’s genuinely enjoyable then you have about 50 pages of Emily talking about the food they’re eating, or the state of the cottage, and it’s so dull.
I started this book at a neutral rating, a sold 3/5 until halfway and then it just completely tanked for me. I will not be continuing this series because it just wasn’t for me and the issues listed above are just too much to overlook.
The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-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
I really loved the unique story, it’s not everyday you get to read a book about ghost dinosaurs! I also loved the detailed look at paleontologists and what goes into creating museum exhibits especially the struggles of non profits. The author did his research and it shows! I have always loved dinosaurs so when I heard there was a book about a museum haunted by dinosaurs I had to read it!
While I did enjoy The Paleontologist it did have it flaws. The story was a little messy with a slow moving plot and a poor twist that you kinda just have to accept and move on. The pacing was also very slow, with a big Dino ghost one moment then a slog of nothing for chapters.
If you’re into unique supernatural stories with some mystery I do think this one is worth checking out especially if you’re into ghosts or dinosaurs. If you can’t overlook a somewhat convoluted plot though you might not enjoy this one as much.
While I did enjoy The Paleontologist it did have it flaws. The story was a little messy with a slow moving plot and a poor twist that you kinda just have to accept and move on. The pacing was also very slow, with a big Dino ghost one moment then a slog of nothing for chapters.
If you’re into unique supernatural stories with some mystery I do think this one is worth checking out especially if you’re into ghosts or dinosaurs. If you can’t overlook a somewhat convoluted plot though you might not enjoy this one as much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Cultural appropriation
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
I usually avoid retellings of stories because they’re usually too similar or not unique enough to differ from the source material. Kingfisher is one author I always have an exception for! Her retellings somehow remain loyal to the source but always are so unique and magical in comparison.
This is a fun retelling of sleeping beauty told from the perspective of the reluctant godmother. Filled with magic, faeries, sprites, knights, and changelings this was a delightful little novella that I recommend to anyone looking for a short, quirky, fantasy story.
This is a fun retelling of sleeping beauty told from the perspective of the reluctant godmother. Filled with magic, faeries, sprites, knights, and changelings this was a delightful little novella that I recommend to anyone looking for a short, quirky, fantasy story.