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coralinejones's reviews
373 reviews
The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim
2.75
You go girl! Or not. I don't know.
I didn't like the later half of this novel. Found my amusement and interest dwindling as the story progressed.
Funnily enough, the most "horrific" part of the novel was the detailed description of our main character eating fish eyes. Other than that, we're just reading about her distaste for her mother's racist boyfriend as her mother cries and is pathetic.
I didn't like the later half of this novel. Found my amusement and interest dwindling as the story progressed.
Funnily enough, the most "horrific" part of the novel was the detailed description of our main character eating fish eyes. Other than that, we're just reading about her distaste for her mother's racist boyfriend as her mother cries and is pathetic.
The Haunted Forest Tour by Jeff Strand, James A. Moore
2.0
Literal horror slop. So bad I can't even be damned to write a literal review. The fact that this book is supposed to be "funny" but didn't get one chuckle out of me... It has the humor of an early 2010s parody movie; those movies that had Kim Kardashian in it and made fun of all the popular movies and singers at the time? Yeah, exactly that. I can see this book being turned into a terrible horror movie that you watch with friends and make fun of on Friday nights. I guess, in a way, that's a compliment.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
4.5
The ending of this was actual insanity. Gay shenanigans if I ever saw it. Imagine dying at the hands of your one-sided lover because vanity overtook him in ways unbeknownst to man.
Dorian unable to care for a single soul his entire life... Only until his portrait was so unappealing and horrific that he couldn't take it anymore. He literally was like, "You know what? I WILL be good because this ugly painting is ruining my LIFE." just for him to kill himself in the end, much like Sybil. Wow, lmao.
RIP to my girl Sybil, by the way.
Unintentionally funny. Beautifully written. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because sometimes it dragged a bit too much, and like many classics there was too much dialogue and description where there didn't need to be. Otherwise, I LOVE.
Dorian unable to care for a single soul his entire life... Only until his portrait was so unappealing and horrific that he couldn't take it anymore. He literally was like, "You know what? I WILL be good because this ugly painting is ruining my LIFE." just for him to kill himself in the end, much like Sybil. Wow, lmao.
Unintentionally funny. Beautifully written. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because sometimes it dragged a bit too much, and like many classics there was too much dialogue and description where there didn't need to be. Otherwise, I LOVE.
Fragile Animals by Genevieve Jagger
Did not finish book. Stopped at 60%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 60%.
I can't take it anymore. This is so worthless and boring. I hate to be rude since I know this is the author's debut, but I'm violently over the Ottessa Moshfegh type of novels that keep getting published lately. The only difference is that this one has "vampires". I think that needs to be used loosely because the only vampire is Moses and he does literally fuck all the entire time. They talk, it's boring, they walk around, nothing happens, we learn Noelle is NOT Catholic anymore. Like this cannot be understated. She is NOT Catholic and her FATHER is agnostic. Like for real. SHE'S NOT CATHOLIC ANYMORE!
Fragile Animals has unnecessarily disgusting and long winded scenes that lead to nothing. Low stake slop meant for a very specific demographic, of which I acknowledge I'm not that audience. I need to stop forcing myself to read these kinds of books because they ultimately do nothing for me.
Fragile Animals has unnecessarily disgusting and long winded scenes that lead to nothing. Low stake slop meant for a very specific demographic, of which I acknowledge I'm not that audience. I need to stop forcing myself to read these kinds of books because they ultimately do nothing for me.
The Haar by David Sodergren
3.5
Did not care for some of it, but the horror/violence was gnarly so that was cool! I liked the concept, but I didn't understand why the villains were /that/ villainous... given the circumstances. I kind of guessed what was going to happen early on but that's okay! Didn't take away my entertainment in the long run
Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare
2.0
What exactly was the point of this... I was only interested in Kel and couldn't find myself paying enough attention to anything or anyone else. I truly didn't not care.
Some parts were interesting but, ultimately, this book is 300 pages too long and full of unnecessary description. Someone else had said there was too much "theater description" and I agree.
Some parts were interesting but, ultimately, this book is 300 pages too long and full of unnecessary description. Someone else had said there was too much "theater description" and I agree.
Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid
1.0
DNF @ 50%.
I'm sorry but this is awful. I fear I may not be the target audience for Ava Reid's writing, as I wasn't a fan of another novel of hers not too long ago. Though, that said, her writing here IS intriguing. The main problem I have with Lady Macbeth is that it's not Lady Macbeth at all. This is a retelling that isn't retelling much, but rather rewriting everything altogether. I don't mind creative liberties when it comes to retellings, but I love the original Lady Macbeth, and the play Macbeth, so much that I just can't overlook this.
Reid's Lady Macbeth is a meek, bratty, unlikable, seventeen year old French xenophobe. A lot of her traits are told to us, but never shown, making any concept of her being witty and cunning fall short.
Someone else had called this a character assassination and I agree! Not just for Lady Macbeth, but Macbeth himself! I don't know how Reid made this story so boring as well? I don't mind a slow paced book, and like I said her writing isn't all that terrible, but the pacing here is so off and unkind. I love the source material too much to let this go. For that reason I've DNF'd halfway through and I don't see myself picking it up again to finish.
I'm sorry but this is awful. I fear I may not be the target audience for Ava Reid's writing, as I wasn't a fan of another novel of hers not too long ago. Though, that said, her writing here IS intriguing. The main problem I have with Lady Macbeth is that it's not Lady Macbeth at all. This is a retelling that isn't retelling much, but rather rewriting everything altogether. I don't mind creative liberties when it comes to retellings, but I love the original Lady Macbeth, and the play Macbeth, so much that I just can't overlook this.
Reid's Lady Macbeth is a meek, bratty, unlikable, seventeen year old French xenophobe. A lot of her traits are told to us, but never shown, making any concept of her being witty and cunning fall short.
Someone else had called this a character assassination and I agree! Not just for Lady Macbeth, but Macbeth himself! I don't know how Reid made this story so boring as well? I don't mind a slow paced book, and like I said her writing isn't all that terrible, but the pacing here is so off and unkind. I love the source material too much to let this go. For that reason I've DNF'd halfway through and I don't see myself picking it up again to finish.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
3.0
I like how whimsical the movie is in comparison to the novel. Still lovely
Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne
2.0
I don't understand why a bunch of half-assed, cliche, horror shit happened in the way beginning and then the very end it was all but boring, slice-of-life nothingness? I sat through this insufferable family for no reason?
What's funny is that I initially enjoyed the catty family drama. I thought the random back and forth added something slight to the overall picture; making assumptions about how their dynamic would change once the mysteries of the house come to the front. I feel like this NEVERRRR came to fruition.
Everyone was so shit to Anna, in my opinion for no reason, and nobody was held accountable for their actions. They shat on her the entire novel and she barely got to defend herself? She did sometimes but it never worked out in her favor... and don't get me wrong, I understand that this family being unlikable is the point and characters don't need to be likeable or be redeemed but, as stated, this was INSUFFERABLE. I was so tired of this by the end. I wanted to DNF 80% of the way through.
I also won't start up again but nothing was gothic about this novel except the cover.
What's funny is that I initially enjoyed the catty family drama. I thought the random back and forth added something slight to the overall picture; making assumptions about how their dynamic would change once the mysteries of the house come to the front. I feel like this NEVERRRR came to fruition.
Everyone was so shit to Anna, in my opinion for no reason, and nobody was held accountable for their actions. They shat on her the entire novel and she barely got to defend herself? She did sometimes but it never worked out in her favor... and don't get me wrong, I understand that this family being unlikable is the point and characters don't need to be likeable or be redeemed but, as stated, this was INSUFFERABLE. I was so tired of this by the end. I wanted to DNF 80% of the way through.
I also won't start up again but nothing was gothic about this novel except the cover.