goodreads_connoisseur's reviews
331 reviews

Hokuloa Road by Elizabeth Hand

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

0.5

I forfeit all credibility to trash this series because I read all three of them but I'm not letting that hold me back from saying Holly Jackson is one of the worst authors I've ever read. I liked the first book up until the ending, didn't like the second, and couldn't help but read the third just to see how things ended up. I could go on and on but here are my main gripes:

1. I spent most of the series thinking Pip was intentionally supposed to be unlovable and that it was all part of her devolving into a killer. Turns out she's just an apathetic type-A who capitalizes on a rape survivor's pain to get revenge on a jock who made her look stupid in court. I can't remember a single instance in the last two books where she expresses any empathy for Nat. Instead Pip makes her confront her rapist so she can get away with murder.

2. What editor thinks gen-z in America  use outdated British slang for three entire books? I know the budget for this series wasn't small so where's the effort?

3. Picking random tertiary characters to be your killer =/= plot twists. This was a problem for all three books. 
4. Pip's flashbacks were such a poor depiction of PTSD. It was astonishing how bad and frequent the descriptions of a gun exploding (first in her ears and then in heart--why?) were. Same goes for her prescription pill addiction that she seems to have healed herself from

5. Way too much "fizzing" and "gushing" throughout. This series should come with a kinetic imagery bingo card. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Rape

Chef's Kiss by Jarrett Melendez

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr.

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-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

3.75

Devil House by John Darnielle

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Violence

Dirt Creek by Hayley Scrivenor

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, and Rape

Elsewhere by Alexis Schaitkin

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Medical content

Mademoiselle Revolution by Zoe Sivak

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Gore

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.5