crin_d1nk's reviews
55 reviews

We Play Games by Sarah A. Denzil

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This is an audio only book. Very good voice acting and they added great audio cues when transitioning from character POV to websites and blogs. It was entertaining. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Abortion

The Little Sleep by Paul Tremblay

mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Hide by Kiersten White

dark tense slow-paced

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

2.75

I think the premise of the book was very clever. The strongest elements were when we were able to peak behind the curtain and learn what was happening in the background. The unspoken turmoil that was hinted at within and between the seven families could of been explored more. Overall, the book was very slow and felt disjointed. I thought the love story was very forced and felt out of place. There were so many interesting characters that were under utilized and could of been more fleshed out. A better version of this story is the movie Cabin in the Woods. 

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I loved the concept of this book. A breakup box where the main character relates a time/memory from a past relationship to each object. Even though I knew that the main couple were going to break up at the end of the story I desparately wished that they would stay together. 

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No

5.0

The end of the book had my skin crawling and I was internally yelling. It was hard to know what was real and what was fiction. One of the better endings of a scary book. 

Petrograd by Philip Gelatt

dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This story is in Russia during WW2 and focuses on a british spy who finds himself ensared in a plot to kill  Rasputin. I thought the story did an amazing job balancing the various parities involved and their personal interests. It painted the picture of a hungry city of citizens who wanted change, to both the Russian and English intellegency community who wanted the war the end in their countries favor, and to the Russian Monarch who was out of touch with reality. The main character was sympathetic and complex. I thought the art style did a great job setting the tone and gave everyone distinctive characterstics. I can not recommend this book enough. 

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
Did not finish book. Stopped at 29%.

This book has visual componets in the form of pictures drawn by a child. I feel like I am missing out on some of the suspense and magic of the book without those pictures. I want to complete this book in written form instead of continuing with the audio format

X-Men: Grand Design by Ed Piskor

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This is one of the most beautiful books I own. Ed Piskor is pooring love into every page. The art style is incredible unique and sets the tone for this series. Grand Design is a re-telling of the history of the X-Men. It takes a complicated topic (due to the confusing nature of comic books) and is able to piece together a very cohesive history. His art style is perfectly suited to the storytelling. Can't wait to purchase and read his other books. 

The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai

emotional reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

4.0

I really enjoyed this story. Overall, it's a slow and mellow read which is exactly what I needed at this moment in my life. This was a great story to use for lens reading (vision therapy) because of how simple the story is. However, although the writing style and tone is simple, the individual stories themselves are quite complex and emotional. It was beautiful the way the author was able to combine food and memory and emotions tied to said memory. It was a beuatiful slow read. 

Irredeemable, Vol. 8 by Peter Krause, Eduardo Barreto, Mark Waid, Damian Couceiro, Diego Barreto

challenging dark fast-paced

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

5.0