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bookedbyclare's reviews
271 reviews
Hammer the Sky (and Other Wonder Tales) by LL Rose
reflective
sad
slow-paced
2.75
Thank you to StoryGraph for a gifted copy of Hammer the Sky.
I found a few of these stories to be thought provoking, creative and deeply sad. I could only consume them in small doses. I enjoyed An offering of Lesser Gifts & Mortal, Mortal the most. I skimmed a few of the others though. A real mixed bag that wasn't as captivating as I hoped.
I found a few of these stories to be thought provoking, creative and deeply sad. I could only consume them in small doses. I enjoyed An offering of Lesser Gifts & Mortal, Mortal the most. I skimmed a few of the others though. A real mixed bag that wasn't as captivating as I hoped.
The Whispers by Ashley Audrain
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this as an audiobook - amazing production and cast.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Mental illness
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Violence, Stalking, and Gaslighting
In the Cover of Darkness: Welcome to Hidden Valley by K. Wish
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
ARC Review: Out 1 February 2024 🌑🌑
🚩 Check Trigger Warnings
In The Cover of Darkness started strong, it was good to get an insight into the situation our hero finds herself in. I felt the tough topic of DV was handled with so much grace and understanding. Mila finds herself free but only hanging on by a thread when Dante finds her on the side of the road.
I really appreciated the characterisation of Dante - how passionate and caring he is to Mila although the possessiveness is a little much. There was a few too many references to sunshine - taking the grumpy sunshine trope a little too seriously as well as a constant use of 'my god' or 'oh gods' throughout.
I really wish we had a few more descriptions of the setting and wish there was more of a push for this to be set in the mountains of NZ. I think that was a missed opportunity.
Although there were some questionable plot points and a few too many coincidences I was engaged in the relationship between these two and the friends around them.
Overall, I think this was a really solid debut novel from K Wish. You would enjoy this if you're looking for a small town romance, he falls first, grumpy sunshine with only mild spice. It was a fast and addictive read. I'd be keen to see where their story goes next. 💐
🚩 Check Trigger Warnings
In The Cover of Darkness started strong, it was good to get an insight into the situation our hero finds herself in. I felt the tough topic of DV was handled with so much grace and understanding. Mila finds herself free but only hanging on by a thread when Dante finds her on the side of the road.
I really appreciated the characterisation of Dante - how passionate and caring he is to Mila although the possessiveness is a little much. There was a few too many references to sunshine - taking the grumpy sunshine trope a little too seriously as well as a constant use of 'my god' or 'oh gods' throughout.
I really wish we had a few more descriptions of the setting and wish there was more of a push for this to be set in the mountains of NZ. I think that was a missed opportunity.
Although there were some questionable plot points and a few too many coincidences I was engaged in the relationship between these two and the friends around them.
Overall, I think this was a really solid debut novel from K Wish. You would enjoy this if you're looking for a small town romance, he falls first, grumpy sunshine with only mild spice. It was a fast and addictive read. I'd be keen to see where their story goes next. 💐
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship