booknightowl's reviews
1241 reviews

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I found this very slow and could not keep my interest. I was really hoping for better character development and just a better detailed story overall. Just fell flat to me.  Hoping the movie is better than this book. 

We Never Die: Secrets of the Afterlife by Matt Fraser

hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

5.0

Perpetual West by Mesha Maren

adventurous challenging dark funny hopeful informative tense slow-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 book takes place at the Texas border and Mexico. Alex and Elana move to El Paso to start a new beginning. Alex is adopted by white parents but wants to learn more about where he comes from. Elana comes home from visiting family to find Alex is missing. The cops won’t help her so she takes it upon her own hands to find him. 

This book is a slow going book. You pick this up if you feel like reading a longer book because it has a lot going on.  I enjoyed reading it just felt like it could get wordy at times. I gave this book a B+ 

Thank you Algonquin books for an Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

dark mysterious tense 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

2.0

I read this genre because I like the mystery factor and hope that it will wow me. This was not the case. I didn’t connect with Any of the characters. The main character narration kind of threw me off. I suspected a lot of things that were true so there was really no mystery. I just didn’t find this to be at all realistic even though I know it was made up but I should feel like it could happen. I did like the setting. I also enjoyed some of the flashbacks.  C-

A Sliver of Darkness by C.J. Tudor

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

I usually don’t read short stories so it’s hard for me to rate this book when I’m not a fan of them. I did enjoy the first story the most. 

This book is a collection of short stories and I liked how the author wrote a little note on why she chose this short story to be part of the book and how it can
Me about. 

Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

adventurous funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Fairy Tale is about a boy who one day he hears a dog barking and finds a man who has fallen off a ladder. Not knowing that this choice by helping this man was going to change his life forever. 

Stephen King writes with such great imagination. Is so descriptive with his writing that everything you read becomes such a clear picture in your mind. This book was filled with so many characters from all types of fairy tales that you read as a child or even as a grown up. I liked how it was not as spooky as some of his books can be. Very entertaining. 

Tin Camp Road by Ellen Airgood

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad slow-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

4.0

I picked up this book because it was set in the upper part of Michigan and I am from Michigan so I was intrigued. This book is about a single mom who is just trying to do what is best for her daughter so when she is told that the house they are renting is being turned into a vacation rental she tries everything she can to find somewhere to live without changing her daughters whole world. 

I really enjoyed the narration of this book. I like how it was written and I really like the main character and her daughter. I understand some people have pride and don’t like to take the help when it is needed but I am not one of those people. I would have taken help from
Everyone who offered it. Especially if I have a child to look after. Overall I did like the book and I gave it a B+

Who Do I Think I Am? by Anjelah Johnson-Reyes

funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

Who Do I Think I Am? All Anjelah has ever wanted was to be an actress. Growing up in California in a Latino family Anjelah writes this memoirs about her upbringing, her friends, school and everything in between. She talks about how she ended up becoming a comic and how she met the love of her life. 

I remember the first time I seen Anjelah. I was scrolling through YouTube and stopped on one of her videos where she was doing stand up comedy. She had me laughing and I just remember thinking hey I’m Mexican too and I don’t speak Spanish either.  I loved her stories and all the jokes she had. When I seen she had a memoir I knew I had to read it. I listened to the audiobook and followed along with my book. I love how she reads her own book and that made the experience of reading/listening better. I give this memoir an A+

Before I Do by Sophie Cousens

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-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

Before I Do by Sophie Cousens is a book about Audrey and Josh who are getting married. The book takes place between the hours before I Do and the Years before the I Do. There are so many signs that show Audrey why she should say I don’t or is it just cold feet. Then unexpectedly Josh’s sister brings a date to the wedding who Audrey felt like he was the one that got away. This is when things don’t go as planned. 

I enjoyed this book so much. I don’t know why I took so long to read it. I loved how funny the main character was. I loved the friendship and the mother daughter issues. The most important part is the writing got me all in my feelings. My heart felt at times happy at times sad and even on the verge of almost crying. I give this book an A+

Thank you to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

The Cabin at the End of the World is about a group of people that come to this cabin where a. couple and their daughter our vacationing. The group tells the couple that if one of them does not sacrifice themselves the planet will end. 

The story started off great. It had me very intrigued on what was going to happen next. After some point I felt like this book was going nowhere and I wasted my time reading a book where nothing happened. The ending left me with more questions then answers. This is the type of book that you will either love or hate. C-