hounded's reviews
81 reviews

The Hole by Pyun Hye-young

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

It was a interesting concept and I love how the character relationships unfolded. But I did find the plot pretty boring for me. The characters themselves felt bland to me especially the mother in law despite her being one of the main focuses. 

The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker

3.0

I was honestly expecting more from this book as I've heard nothing but praise for it since I first got into horror. I think it just felt a bit flat and the characters felt very 2 dimensional. I still enjoyed it and I'm glad I read a horror classic as I had known the movie! Definitely worth the read if you like horror and a quick one! However I don't think it is a drop everything to read kind of book. The action was good and fun and there are some lines that I will think about forever! Of course as well I love the cenobites they definetly hold a more omnipotent feeling in the book rather then the movie did which is much more to my liking.

And Then I Woke Up by Malcolm Devlin

2.5

I think the concept was amazing I liked the twist on a classic zombie story. I thought it was going to be a very good commentary on classism and the unity of people but it seems those messages got lost in the unfortunately not very engaging plot. The end was a a fun way to really make you question as the characters did but I wish it had been expanded upon more.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

4.25

So good! The intertwining stories all leading into one was so so good to read. It felt like once I started to piece together whats going on I couldn't wait for the next hint of the story. The characters felt well thought out and unique but the women felt a little flat but everyone else was fantastic! The imagery used in it was great and I could visualize every scene! 

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.75

Absolutely insane intense book! The author is so so talented at really getting into the head of the main character! It knew when to ramp up the tension and did not hold back! It felt like the stress will never end and even when it "did" it was so sour and still stressful! It was so good and I definitely will be rereading again at some point

Sabrina by Nick Drnaso

dark

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

Very unsettling and paranoia inducing read for me. All the news stories and reactions from the people felt so real. This was hard to get through in subject matter so I had to speed through it. But for me that's a sign of a well written book!

What is Not Yours is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi

4.25

I think all of the stories in here are worth the read and have so many small details that I will definitely have to read it again! My favorites are "is your blood as red as this?" And "freddy barrandov checks in".

Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird by Agustina Bazterrica

3.0

I had a lot of fun reading this book. It's style was something new to me and I really liked it. The stories were disturbing and all of them had a good sense of mood. Unfortunately I found some of the stories confusing or just lackluster compared to some of the other stories in here! But Still!! Read it!
My favorites are; Hell, The Dead, The wolfs breath, and Dishwasher :)

Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories by Thomas Anguti Johnston, Cara Bryant, Gayle Kabloona, Ann R. Loverock, K.C. Carthew, Repo Kempt, Jay Bulckaert, Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley, Aviaq Johnston, Richard Van Camp, Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley

3.75

Such a good collection of stories! It's always fun reading through so many different styles of writing but unfortunately some of them were not to my taste. The stories I did like have really stuck with me! With out a doubt worth picking up and reading :)

Build Your House Around My Body by Violet Kupersmith

5.0

Oh my god! It is going to be a long time finding another book as good as this one! Everything in this book was perfection. The writing style is beautiful and immersive. The characters all feel so fleshed out and well done. The plot itself always kept me engaged even in the "Slower" parts of it. The horror elements where used so so well I can't think of another horror anything that did all of it right like this book did. The commentary on racism, colonization, and misogyny were so well presented and talked about so thoroughly all through the plot of the story. I truly cannot express how much this book has rooted itself in my brain and cannot wait to read it again!