dr_dr_olshakes's reviews
110 reviews

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez
Did not finish book.

Hope to pick it up again someday. Pretty interesting to read a POV of someone with chronic migraines tho!

Piñata by Leopoldo Gout
Did not finish book.

Libby hold expired at about 20% in and I just don't feel compelled to renew it. 

The Push by Ashley Audrain

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.5

I've waited a bit to review this because I wanted to see if I would like it more with some time between me and the book. It has such high reviews, but it didn't land for me. I was just engaged enough the whole time to finish it. I think I was hoping for more horror than, idk, thriller? I did like the generational trauma line, and appreciated the context of each of the mothers POVs. I also liked the ending and got to experience the full impact of the cliffhanger. 

That said, the book meandered, and the passage of time was inconsistent, and her marriage with Fox felt textbook "sahm and ungrateful husband." A lot of people have said that this book was filled with twists, and maybe it was, but those also felt predictable and frankly rote for this kind of story. 

I have a fascination with horror novels about motherhood, so this did scratch that itch, even though it's not really horror. 

The Hunger by Alma Katsu

challenging dark slow-paced

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

2.0

What a slog. I think this book was hampered by just how slow wagon trains move, making the book itself slow. Also, too many POVs. It made it hard to get invested in any one character. I do respect the author's willingness to kill any and anyone (or at least keep the people who died IRL dead). But honestly, the suspense was lacking, the supernatural element felt unfulfilled, and I'm probably going to forget about this book in its entirety. 

Meg by Steve Alten

adventurous funny tense fast-paced

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

3.0

LOVE that he crawled around inside the meg and severed its heart with a tooth fossil. That whipped. The rest is whatever. 

It by Stephen King

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

I'll always love this book, warts and all. I lost my beloved cat recently, and needed a creature comfort book. That's It. 

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

dark funny tense slow-paced

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

3.75

My first Grady Hendrix that isn't at least 4 stars. I just cannot forgive how slow that first half was. It was an absolute grind to get through. It's rough when the MC doesn't accept the haunting, especially when it is literally attacking her, until the 50% mark. Also, while I normally don't mind if the characters are largely unlikable...this first half tested my limits.

All that said...he did it. Grady Hendrix really wrote a genuine, straight up, no irony, no shame, only a little tongue-in-cheek puppet book. He really said he was going to write a scary puppet book and then he did it. I got mad respect for that. This book, despite the first half, still had all of my favorite things about reading Hendrix. He has an incredible ability to both reveal in the shlockiest horror tropes with both sincerity and fun. He managed to make such tense scenes and high stakes out of one of the sillier horror premises. 

Also, loved that Mark's whole thing started with "9/11 changed everything." 9/11 started his puppet downfall. Amazing. 

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

challenging dark tense medium-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

4.5

Splatter punk skin in thriller clothing.

Horrifying, tense, and captivating. I didn't want to put it down. Though I did take a short break to get through my 72 hour migraine. Serial rapist killer isn't exactly healing. It was so easy to get right back into the flow and tension.

I really appreciate how easily each twist flowed into the next one without a break in logic or something so shocking it shoves you out of the story. It feels more like an inevitable progression of horrors. Claire and Lydia are complex, nuanced characters that keep you invested, both in their actions and development. 

There are some images that will stick around for a long time.

Breast mutilation always gets to me (If I Die in Juarez, Lisey's Story) and I keep thinking about the casual description of Julia's body.

I meant the comparison to splatter punk, but without the mean-spirited, masculine tang that tends to rest heavy on that genre. It didn't pull any punches and went a lot, lot further than I thought it would.

The Epstien-level ending was the only part that hit a little askew for me, but overall this is a top notch thriller. 

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

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

3.5

A fun "ice cream" read while I waited out the 72 hour migraine. Charming, engaging, and I liked the pacing of the romance. Also liked the magic rules. Overall, served its lighthearted purpose while I regained the brain stamina for Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter. 

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

dark sad tense medium-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

4.0

Immensely enjoyable. I loved each twist and the spooks were solid. I wish I'd written this review when I actually finished the book last week, but I am heartily in favor of the ending, loved it.

absolutely love how disgusting the House was and loved loved loved that the haunting was a manifestation of the home. Spectacular.