hearth_hobbit's reviews
512 reviews

Jackal by Erin E. Adams

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I received a free copy of this eBook from Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.

Genre: Horror, Paranormal, Mystery/Thriller

You make like this book if you like:

• Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
• True Crime
• Us (Movie)
• It Part I (Movie)

3.5 Stars: I liked it

Summary: Liz reluctantly comes home to her hometown in Johnstown, Pennsylvania after years away to attend her best friend’s wedding. While at the wedding, the happy couple’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing while Liz is watching her. Driven by grief and fear for Caroline’s safety, Liz is willing to do anything to find Caroline including confronting the town’s unsavory past. 

Thoughts: I love looking at the symbolic meaning of a story, which is probably why I love Horror so much as a genre. Horror is a great vehicle to discuss societal fears and systemic injustice. This book explores a couple of different topics but the main theme revolves around the way missing and murdered Black girls cases are often forgotten and/or ignored. Prior to reading this book I had been listening to Black Girl Gone, a podcast that sheds light on overlooked cases of missing and murdered Black women and girls. I don’t think you necessarily need to have prior knowledge to read this book but after hearing several years worth of episodes from this podcast, it helped me to appreciate this book and its themes. The main character ends up unearthing decades’ worth of missing Black girls that go missing on the same day every year. While in the book it seems like that's super obvious and if someone who doesn’t even live in this town picks up on it, then it's a mystery that should’ve been solved a long time ago and that, of course, is the point. The fact that Black girls go missing on this day annually is not lost on the people who live there and it becomes a part of the town’s lore.

For the most part I did really enjoy this book. The author does a fantastic job of creating a tense and chilling atmosphere. However, I think the story would have benefitted from having the paranormal aspect of the story woven in sooner. For a good portion of the book it seems like the big bad could be anyone. I felt like it when it was revealed that the villain was supernatural, it was too far in. To be honest, I also didn’t completely understand the resolution to the story. Still, I’d be interested in reading something from this author again.

 

The Honeys by Ryan La Sala

3.5

Karmen by Guillem March

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

1.5

Genre: Paranormal, Science Fiction

TW: Nudity, Death, Suicide

1.5 Stars: I didn’t like it

Summary: Karmen is an entity tasked with shepherding souls to the afterlife. Assigned to a newly deceased woman named Catalina, Karmen assists her as she does with everyone but for some reason this mission specifically is different from the rest. 

Thoughts (spoilers): The idea for this story is interesting but I don’t love the way it was executed. The plot was pretty standard and the ending was pretty cliche. 

Artistically, this graphic novel is 10/10.  From her x-ray look to her hair to her face, Karmen’s design is very cool. The way bodies were drawn was expert level. I’ve had to do figure drawing in school and it is not easy so I admire the skill of being able to accurately render a human figure. It was necessary too because the two main characters were naked and wearing a skin tight suit.

I had a lot of issues with Catalina as a character. First, I think the idea that someone would kill themselves because their crush didn’t feel the same about them is wild. Second, I think it's a weird choice to have the main character be naked nearly the entirety of the story. Karmen is able to conjure bandages for Catalina at one point in the story but doesn’t create clothes for Catalina even when she’s clearly uncomfortable with being naked. It just seemed like an excuse to have a naked woman on the page and I don’t think that would have bothered me so much if this story wasn’t about death and suicide.

While Karmen looks amazing, there’s not a whole lot going on under the surface. There’s a subplot about the other entities that are like Karmen and how shepherding souls is just a soulless job for them and how they’re pursuing some kind of work “bonus” and Karmen is the only one who truly cares about the souls. I think that had potential for being interesting and it probably is explored more later in the series. Personality wise, I think the author was going for a seemingly airheaded type of character that is actually very wise underneath it all and all the chaos that Karmen creates is all for some cosmic reason that we only figure out in the end. Typically I really like that type of character but I felt it wasn’t executed well in this story.

Overall I think more time could’ve been spent on the writing. I feel like it was almost good but it fell short. I probably will not continue with this series.

 

You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Lacey Lamar, Amber Ruffin

emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

Behind You Is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I received a free copy of this eBook from Netgalley and Tor Teen in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars: I loved it

Genre: YA, Urban/Contemporary Fantasy, Horror

TW: Death, SA, Violence, Homophobia

You may like this book if you like:

• American Horror Story: Coven
• The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste
• The Craft (I’ve actually never seen this movie but based on vibes it seems similar)
• Twitches (but make it horror)
• Revenge

Summary: On the anniversary of their ancestors’ bloody dethronement, twin heirs Cristina and Clement, mourn the loss of their father while caring for their sick mother. After their mother is given days to live the two find out that their mother isn’t sick, she’s been cursed. Hellbent on finding the person who cursed their mother, Cristina and Clement undergo an investigation of the magical (literally) community of New Orleans and call in debts that are owed to them.

Thoughts: I devoured this book. I loved the family dynamics in this story. When the story begins, we’re told that the family used to be close but they’re not anymore. The way the book is written I could feel that and I was longing for them to resolve their issues. It’s one thing to be able to write about something present but it’s another to be able to write about the absence of a thing. 

This book brings up a myriad of social issues sometimes using magic as a metaphor and sometimes not. I thought the way the author handled these topics was cleverly done. They were subtle and obvious when necessary.

I’m looking forward to the sequel in April! 

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

I received a free copy of this eBook from Netgalley and Joy Revolution in exchange for an honest review.

5 Stars: I loved it

Genre: YA, Romance

You may like this book if you like:

• Emma by Jane Austen 
• To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han
• Lovely Complex (Anime)

Summary: Celine and Brad have been ex best friends and mortal enemies since a fight in their youth. Their interactions consist mainly of petty insults and academic rivalry until the two apply for a survival course in the woods that could result in a full ride scholarship for the top “explorer”. As they work together to win, they heal their bond and their relationship grows into something different and new.

Thoughts: This book was wholesome and adorable. The whole cast of characters was great. Our two main characters, Celine and Brad, are very lovable but also struggled with issues such mental illness and abandonment which I thought were handled with care. I loved the banter between Celine and Brad, I thought they were very funny and literally laughed out loud at times. Their relationship is very sweet and tender. I wouldn’t say this book was exciting per se but it was cozy without being boring. 

While I’m not the demographic for this book, I legitimately enjoyed reading this as an adult and I’m sure I would’ve liked it had I read it as a teen. Talia Hibbert has flawlessly transitioned her style from adult romance to YA romance. I’m not sure there’s a book by Talia Hibbert that I wouldn’t love at this point. 

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

 I received a free copy of this eAudiobook from Netgalley and RB Media in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars: I liked it

Genre: Urban Fantasy, YA/New Adult

You may like this book if you like:

• Playing as Dark Urge in Baulder’s Gate III
• Witchy Fantasy
• Lost Girl (SyFy Series)
• The Magicians (the series not the books)
• Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury
• X-Men

Summary: Venus Stoneheart is a brewer of illegal love potions that are organized and sold by her mother, Clarissa. When Clarissa is found dead after being shot with an iron bullet, Venus is given the chance to take revenge on her mother’s killer. However, the price for revenge may be steeper than Venus is willing to pay.

Thoughts: While I enjoyed this book overall, I think it was a bit crowded for one book of this length. I think it either should have been split into two parts or longer. There’s such a rich world to be explored and so much that happens that I felt like I didn’t have time to get to know the world and the characters as much as I would have liked. I also felt like the romance subplot could have been drawn out farther into the book or even to the second book. I felt like I wanted to know more about the couple separately and what drew them together. They have a history but I felt like that wasn’t enough to convey why they’re compatible. That may just be me though because I want everything to be slow burn.

After reading this book, there’s nothing I want more for Venus than to put her on a cruise or something because she’s been through so much and needs a break. I think for everything Venus is put through she handles it pretty realistically, which is to say she’s falling apart throughout the book. I appreciated that because to be grieving and finding out things that affect her life and the lives around her, it was very understandable for her to not be okay.

The characters were pretty compelling but there were a lot of them and at times I had a hard time remembering who was who. I loved the family relationships. I liked how integrated the family was in each others’ lives. Venus and Janus’s relationship was my favorite. They felt realistically like sisters.  

 I thought the world building in this story was very accessible. The story is told with excerpts of newspaper articles, encyclopedia clips, and media within the world at the start of each chapter, which I think is a  fun way to world-build.

The magic in this book was one of the best parts. There were some powers that I hadn’t ever seen before. For example, the main character is a “negative empath”, so she’s able to catch on to all negative emotions around her and even be a magnet for negativity at times. It doesn’t sound like the funnest power to get, especially paired with a shit-stirring demon living inside one’s body but it did add more drama to the story. There was also a woman who tells fortunes and she does so by journaling her premonitions which I thought was a very cool idea but also I was daydreaming about all the stationary I would buy if I was her.

I thought the brewing process was interesting to read about. I loved the description of the ingredients and the significance of each one. Flowers and their meanings were brought up many times throughout the story. I love that kind of thing so I really enjoyed that detail.

I also loved the way familiars are set up within this book. Familiars are magical pets that look out for the families they belong to. They can basically live forever if they aren’t killed and the longer they live, the stronger they become. The Stoneheart family familiar actually played a significant part within the story and was a character in its own right. 

If you’re interested in this book it’ll be available starting tomorrow, March 5, 2024.

 

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I received a free copy of this eBook from Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. 

 

5 Stars: I loved it

Genre: Horror

You may like this book if you like:

• Ghost stories
• Hereditary (movie)
• Mother (movie)
• Existential dread 
• Black coffee

Summary: The spirit of La Llorona has her sights set on Alejandra and she won’t stop until she drags Alejandra into the same darkness all the women that came before her were dragged into. 

Thoughts: This story explores the horror of intergenerational curses, toxic cycles, and the trauma that’s passed on from parent to child if those who come before can’t heal. We all want to be a “cycle breaker” and while we all may not have to battle an ancient demon to do so, this story illustrates how monumental a task that can be. Alejandra was a fully fleshed out character and perfectly crafted for this story.

I felt Alejandra’s despair and I shared many of her worries about motherhood. The fear of failing as a parent, passing on unhealthy coping mechanisms to my (future) children, not knowing enough about my heritage to pass on to my children. 

While I feel like this story was done well symbolically, the monster was also genuinely scary. The description of it was very creepy, definitely something you might see at the edge of your vision in the middle of the night. 

*spoiler*

I loved that the breaking of the curse is finding community, learning about your heritage, and taking action for your own story. Horror stories don’t often offer a solution for the topics it touches on but I appreciated the conclusions this story came to. 

While I appreciate this book a lot, it did lag at points. I’m willing to over look that though because I enjoyed it but other readers may not. Also, if motherhood or parenthood is not a topic you’re interested in, this may not be interesting.

TW: Suicide, body horror, mental illness, SA, Death

    

#TheHauntingofAlejandra #NetGalley

Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen

mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

 

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for an honest review. 

4 Stars: I liked it

San Francisco, 1952: After being fired unceremoniously from the San Francisco police for getting caught during a raid on a gay bar, Andy’s plan is to drink away the remainder of his money and pitch himself into the bay. When Andy is asked to  privately investigate the murder of Irene Lamontaine, head of the famous Lamontaine soap empire, he jumps at the chance. At Lavender House he discovers a queer, found family who are able to live openly and while he’s enchanted with the Lamontaine’s living arrangements, Andy can’t get too comfortable because someone in this family might be a murderer.

You may like this book if you like:

• Murder mysteries
• Found Family
• Historical Fiction
• Knives Out
• Clue

Thoughts:

I’ve never watched a noir but I know the vibe and this book is exactly what I thought a noir would be. Each of the family members, I could see very clearly in my mind and I loved the dynamic between them in Lavender House. It was also very heartwarming to see Andy finding a place for himself as he conducted his investigation. Overall, the mystery was pretty predictable but the journey was obviously the main attraction. Even though this book is considered to be noir, I might label it more as a cozy mystery. The sequel is out and a third book will be coming out this year and I would be interested in continuing this series.

Vikas Adam was the narrator for the audiobook and I enjoyed his performance for this book.