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hellokatya's reviews
152 reviews
Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
so boring
so many words with nothing said
perspective of narrator is so odd
so many words with nothing said
perspective of narrator is so odd
The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
i had really high hopes for this book, and for the most part: it fulfilled them.
the entirety of the book kept me really engaged and locked in, aside from a few slow parts.
the aspect of time travel did confuse me a bit, but in an intriguing way that made me more encapsulated.
i would definitely recommend this book for someone wanting to venture out into broader genres, without jumping head in.
my only gripe is how abrupt the ending was. we never got any real answers. did kirby figure out and accept that harper was time traveling? did dan survive? did she get the closure she needed from finding her (would be) killer and killing Him? did she and dan pursue a relationship? how did she move on and heal from the trauma?
i did appreciate the chapter from bartek and thought it was a really nice addition. a really nice way to finish it off.
the entirety of the book kept me really engaged and locked in, aside from a few slow parts.
the aspect of time travel did confuse me a bit, but in an intriguing way that made me more encapsulated.
i would definitely recommend this book for someone wanting to venture out into broader genres, without jumping head in.
i did appreciate the chapter from bartek and thought it was a really nice addition. a really nice way to finish it off.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Transphobia, Blood, Stalking, and Outing
Minor: Deadnaming and Medical trauma
The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
3.0
i had really high hopes for this but the majority of the book just left me thinking…. why?
the ending was a good wrap up, got everything it needed in, and left open for a sequel - would i read it? potentially - but it wasn’t good enough to justify reading.
i would only recommend this book if you’re interested in a quick binge read - hardly at that.
was not impressed but the author definitely knew how to leave a good cliffhanger and make you want to keep on.
the ending was a good wrap up, got everything it needed in, and left open for a sequel - would i read it? potentially - but it wasn’t good enough to justify reading.
i would only recommend this book if you’re interested in a quick binge read - hardly at that.
was not impressed but the author definitely knew how to leave a good cliffhanger and make you want to keep on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
3.75
this book was outside of my normal reading bubble, and i enjoyed it, i just wished it had focused more on grace herself.
sometimes yuki and her friends seemed really selfish regarding grace’s issues, and it rubbed me the wrong way, but overall: i liked the book and would recommend it.
sometimes yuki and her friends seemed really selfish regarding grace’s issues, and it rubbed me the wrong way, but overall: i liked the book and would recommend it.
When I Was You by Minka Kent
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.75
this book had a grasp on me that i couldn’t shake - it only took 2 days for me to finish it.
from the first page, it had me hooked. the pacing was perfect, the characters felt real, and it was just a perfect book.
the only gripe i have is that we found out what happened to shane through marisol; i would’ve much rather heard it from his or sam’s perspective — a chapter of hers would’ve been the cherry on top.
otherwise, i wholly love this book and recommend it highly.
from the first page, it had me hooked. the pacing was perfect, the characters felt real, and it was just a perfect book.
the only gripe i have is that
otherwise, i wholly love this book and recommend it highly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Addiction and Gun violence
All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
3.5
this book was very good, but left me a bit underwhelmed.
the plot was very good, twisted at just the right points, and the big reveal definitely caught me off guard - i hadn’t even considered the possibility.
i thoroughly enjoyed her writing style, she has a way of drawing you in with her ability to contort words to feel what you want her to.
i only have two issues:
1. i wish she would’ve done more with the unreliable narrator aspect. she never felt unreliable because she was fully lucid and able to decipher what was going on around her - the only area she lacked was when she didn’t have information because of outside sources, not because of herself and a limited view. she really could’ve played much more into the fact that she hadn’t been sleeping, was slowly going mad from all her unanswered questions, and that everyone around her seemed to think she was at fault.
2. the ending was a happy ending, wrapped up in a bow, but it felt very underwhelming. did he murder allison? we only got isabelle’s opinion and the answers she came to by herself, never any real confirmation. was she actually reunited with mason? or was her walking into his room a nod to her facing her fears and her reality? how did she manage to get ben sent to prison? the detective for so long thought she had killed mason - just didn’t have proof - so in what world would he just let her off so easy? i understand the aspect of it being full circle from her mother and the chief, but it just isn’t viable to me.
3. i thought the unraveling of the plot and how long was spent on each plot point could definitely use some work. i felt a lot of time was spent on less important aspects of the story, and more important ones were rushed through.
overall, i think this book is definitely worth the read, and i will be recommending it, it just was not what i had hoped for.
the plot was very good, twisted at just the right points, and the big reveal definitely caught me off guard - i hadn’t even considered the possibility.
i thoroughly enjoyed her writing style, she has a way of drawing you in with her ability to contort words to feel what you want her to.
i only have two issues:
1.
2.
3. i thought the unraveling of the plot and how long was spent on each plot point could definitely use some work. i felt a lot of time was spent on less important aspects of the story, and more important ones were rushed through.
overall, i think this book is definitely worth the read, and i will be recommending it, it just was not what i had hoped for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping
Minor: Abandonment
Night Film by Marisha Pessl
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
the format irked me and writing style made it difficult to digest - had to reread over and over and just found myself skimming passages to get to anything relevant to the story
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
this book was not what i had expected going in, but i’m glad i went in mostly blind.
it reminds me a lot of “imaginary friend” by stephen chbosky” and it was phenomenal.
the writing was informal, but not in an amateur way, it felt very personal. the characters were very three dimensional and felt like real people.
at times i felt it was a little over the top with anya, but overall i really enjoyed this book and Will be recommending it!
it reminds me a lot of “imaginary friend” by stephen chbosky” and it was phenomenal.
the writing was informal, but not in an amateur way, it felt very personal. the characters were very three dimensional and felt like real people.
at times i felt it was a little over the top with anya, but overall i really enjoyed this book and Will be recommending it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Car accident, and Gaslighting
Minor: Confinement and Infertility
Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
i went into this books with really high hopes… came out the other side very disappointed.
now let me be clear, this book absolutely wasn’t made for my tastes, so take my feelings with a grain of salt.
now let me be clear, this book absolutely wasn’t made for my tastes, so take my feelings with a grain of salt.
- the writing was fantastic — claire fuller creates a beautiful atmosphere and is incredible at description and making words come to life; i just wasn’t looking for that in a book. i found myself skimming passages and having to re-read a few times to understand what was happening
- the writing style took quite a while to get used to. it reads a little odd - i’m not sure what it is - and it took me out of the immersion. it was a chore for a while to try and figure out what was being portrayed
- i rarely wanted to pick it back up once i’d put it down — the only thing that kept me going was hoping the ending would suffice, but it kind of just went flat. i wasn’t impressed and felt there was a lot that could’ve been explored further.
- the ending felt very rushed and more closing down than finishing up a story
i would recommend for anyone who enjoys thorough atmosphere and imagery, with a taste for slow burns. this just wasn’t my kind of book, but i’m sure other people would love it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment
Minor: Pregnancy
The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
3.75
i’m really unsure how i feel about this book.
i really, really, enjoyed the ending. i think it really solidified this book, but i do have a few issues:
1. it was a bit hard to pick up again once i had put it down. during the read it was interesting enough to keep going, but it was hard to get the motivation again once i had stopped.
2. the story didn’t really pick up until the 30% mark and the main plot themes weren’t fully developed until around the 40% mark — all the backstory from the blurb had already been put out so why did it take so long for any development to begin?
3. why is a 28 year old regressing to her teenaged cattiness?
4.i dont like how much time was spent on the asylum being an integral part of the story, just for it to fall flat and be a minuscule (in the grand scheme) detail. where did the women go? why would they have just thrown the scissors into the lake (or left them in the asylum) if lottie’s family cared so deeply about the history of it? why was helmut never reunited with his sister?
5. in ch. 36: “maybe the only way to free myself from the grip of guilt is to learn the truth.” — why was this framed as some epiphany? this had been the goal from the very beginning of the book.
6. the girls, natalie and allison + sasha and krystal, are only given a few defining character traits and never really explored or developed beyond that - though their very existence is integral to the overall plot. (with natalie and allison i suppose it serves a greater purpose [?] )
overall: i think this book makes for a good binge read if you’re willing to stick it out for a pretty damn satisfying ending.
i really, really, enjoyed the ending. i think it really solidified this book, but i do have a few issues:
1. it was a bit hard to pick up again once i had put it down. during the read it was interesting enough to keep going, but it was hard to get the motivation again once i had stopped.
2. the story didn’t really pick up until the 30% mark and the main plot themes weren’t fully developed until around the 40% mark — all the backstory from the blurb had already been put out so why did it take so long for any development to begin?
3. why is a 28 year old regressing to her teenaged cattiness?
4.
5. in ch. 36: “maybe the only way to free myself from the grip of guilt is to learn the truth.” — why was this framed as some epiphany? this had been the goal from the very beginning of the book.
6. the girls, natalie and allison + sasha and krystal, are only given a few defining character traits and never really explored or developed beyond that - though their very existence is integral to the overall plot. (with natalie and allison i suppose it serves a greater purpose [?] )
overall: i think this book makes for a good binge read if you’re willing to stick it out for a pretty damn satisfying ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, and Car accident
Minor: Adult/minor relationship