Scan barcode
charidabelle's reviews
279 reviews
ヴァニタスの手記 2 [Vanitas no Carte 2] by Jun Mochizuki
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter
dark
emotional
tense
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? Yes
3.0
It's an excellent depiction of living in a soulless capitalist society and the majority of the time I spent reading this book I felt anxious and tense. By the end of the book however, I was disconnected to everyone and just wanted it to end. Whether that's an endorsement or a critique of the writing I'm not sure.
I Married A Mothman by Regine Abel
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Parliament of Rooks #1: Spring by Abigail Jill Harding, Richard Starkings
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
3.0
The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Volume 1: Charmed Life/The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Black Butler Vol. 34 by Yana Toboso
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was initially a DNF but then I decided to give it another try. The story is told by Roos Beckman, a young woman with a spirit companion Ruth who is abused by her parental figure and forced to perform fraudulent seances to make a living. Despite already being an adult, Roos' upbringing gives her the worldview and dependency of a child, forced as she is to rely on her Mama.
She finds rescue and relief in Agnes Knoop, a widow who initially comes to the seance and who we learn also has a spirit companion. The two are drawn together and their relationship develops from there. Agnes recognizes the abuse that Roos is suffering and buys her from her Mama and takes her to live in her decaying family estate.
We get the story from two perspectives, one from Roos directly in the past and the other from a doctor who is interviewing her in the present where we learn that horrible events have taken place killing Agnes as well as Agnes' sister in law of which Roos is the primary suspect.
Throughout the book the idea of sanity and what is real and what is imagined is constantly called into question and as the readers we never quite know if what we're being told is the truth or merely the way that the characters believe it to be.
I enjoyed the overall gothic nature and atmosphere of this book. It fits the genre perfectly and did a good job of keeping that sense of quiet horror and unease. While I understand how the doctor's interviews helped tie the book together, I felt that it ruined any manner of suspense or mystery as we were constantly told what was going to happen next. I believe it would have been much stronger had we kept that suspense. I appreciate that this was a sapphic love story but I do wish I had felt a bit more connection between Agnes and Roos.
Even so this is great for fans of Crimson Peak and The Turn of the Screw which is referenced heavily throughout the book.
She finds rescue and relief in Agnes Knoop, a widow who initially comes to the seance and who we learn also has a spirit companion. The two are drawn together and their relationship develops from there. Agnes recognizes the abuse that Roos is suffering and buys her from her Mama and takes her to live in her decaying family estate.
We get the story from two perspectives, one from Roos directly in the past and the other from a doctor who is interviewing her in the present where we learn that horrible events have taken place killing Agnes as well as Agnes' sister in law of which Roos is the primary suspect.
Throughout the book the idea of sanity and what is real and what is imagined is constantly called into question and as the readers we never quite know if what we're being told is the truth or merely the way that the characters believe it to be.
I enjoyed the overall gothic nature and atmosphere of this book. It fits the genre perfectly and did a good job of keeping that sense of quiet horror and unease. While I understand how the doctor's interviews helped tie the book together, I felt that it ruined any manner of suspense or mystery as we were constantly told what was going to happen next. I believe it would have been much stronger had we kept that suspense. I appreciate that this was a sapphic love story but I do wish I had felt a bit more connection between Agnes and Roos.
Even so this is great for fans of Crimson Peak and The Turn of the Screw which is referenced heavily throughout the book.
You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher
Did not finish book. Stopped at 36%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 36%.
Lost interest as the plot is not progressing how I expected. The romance aspect is a bit too repetitive.