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house_of_hannah's reviews
257 reviews
Briardark by S.A. Harian
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Thank you so much to Compass & Fern and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC; it is greatly appreciated.
FINALLY ! I have been wanting a spooky lost in the woods novel that would just completely immerse me for ages. This book is it ! It's touted as a combination of Lost and House of Leaves. While I never watched Lost, and don't know what sort of twists are present in that show, House of Leaves is my favorite book of all time, and I can confirm that this book has major HoL vibes and is a great comparison.
This book takes off quite quickly, and never dies down. I am honestly a bit shocked at how much crazy shit happens in here. As someone who absolutely loves to craft theories this book is right up my alley. It will keep you questioning everything and everyone. As this is the first book of a series, do not expect many answers. I know I'm going to be going crazy waiting for the second book.
Considering how quickly the plot gets going, this is a long book. I'd say from the 70-90% mark it does start to feel drawn out a bit, but then that last 10% is another gut punch. I think the first 50% of the story is my favorite, and is just the right amount of "WTF" for me. I do think for some it might get a bit overwhelming past this point, because there is a lot going on here, and it might be tough to keep track of everything.
This is a multi POV book, which I thought was going to be a downside for me in the beginning, but it actually fits into the story so well. It's easy to tell the characters apart, and they are fully devoloped, so no one feels like a throw away character. What they are feeling comes across the page effortlessly , and I felt so much freakin' anxiety reading this book.
The atmosphere, the fear, that feeling of not knowing what's real or not, retreating into your head to feel safe, etc. All these things are portrayed in a well done manner without being over descriptive. It's exactly the kind of read I've been searching for lately, and it makes my horror filled heart so happy. I 100% recommend it to horror fans, particularly if you love the deep, dark woods as a setting. If you loved House of Leaves, and enjoyed the show Dark, I think this book would be worth picking up.
Have I already found my favorite book of 2023 ? I might have ! I will for sure be picking up a physical copy of this book, and bring on 2024, because I absolutely need that sequel !
FINALLY ! I have been wanting a spooky lost in the woods novel that would just completely immerse me for ages. This book is it ! It's touted as a combination of Lost and House of Leaves. While I never watched Lost, and don't know what sort of twists are present in that show, House of Leaves is my favorite book of all time, and I can confirm that this book has major HoL vibes and is a great comparison.
This book takes off quite quickly, and never dies down. I am honestly a bit shocked at how much crazy shit happens in here. As someone who absolutely loves to craft theories this book is right up my alley. It will keep you questioning everything and everyone. As this is the first book of a series, do not expect many answers. I know I'm going to be going crazy waiting for the second book.
Considering how quickly the plot gets going, this is a long book. I'd say from the 70-90% mark it does start to feel drawn out a bit, but then that last 10% is another gut punch. I think the first 50% of the story is my favorite, and is just the right amount of "WTF" for me. I do think for some it might get a bit overwhelming past this point, because there is a lot going on here, and it might be tough to keep track of everything.
This is a multi POV book, which I thought was going to be a downside for me in the beginning, but it actually fits into the story so well. It's easy to tell the characters apart, and they are fully devoloped, so no one feels like a throw away character. What they are feeling comes across the page effortlessly , and I felt so much freakin' anxiety reading this book.
The atmosphere, the fear, that feeling of not knowing what's real or not, retreating into your head to feel safe, etc. All these things are portrayed in a well done manner without being over descriptive. It's exactly the kind of read I've been searching for lately, and it makes my horror filled heart so happy. I 100% recommend it to horror fans, particularly if you love the deep, dark woods as a setting. If you loved House of Leaves, and enjoyed the show Dark, I think this book would be worth picking up.
Have I already found my favorite book of 2023 ? I might have ! I will for sure be picking up a physical copy of this book, and bring on 2024, because I absolutely need that sequel !
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Mental illness
Minor: Vomit, Cancer, and Infidelity
Dancing on the Grave of a Son of a Bitch: The Complete Motorcycle Betrayal Poems by Diane Wakoski
emotional
reflective
sad
3.5
I am not well versed in poetry, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. These felt more like short stories than what you would view as the traditional poem. Don't get me wrong, it's still very much poetry, but it's not setup how you would expect.
There were definitely some hits here, and there were several times where I highlighted some lines that I felt were very impactful. Unfortunately, this collection is ridiculously repetitive. I really just wanted to tell the author, "Girl ! These men are not that important !" She really made it seem like her entire life and being revolved around men, and instead of the feeling I thought I was going to get I just felt sad for her.
There were definitely some hits here, and there were several times where I highlighted some lines that I felt were very impactful. Unfortunately, this collection is ridiculously repetitive. I really just wanted to tell the author, "Girl ! These men are not that important !" She really made it seem like her entire life and being revolved around men, and instead of the feeling I thought I was going to get I just felt sad for her.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.
DNF @149 pages. Yes, I am DNFing my first read of the year. đ This is January's pick for the local book club I'm in, and the ironic part is that this was my suggestion. đ
I was not aware going into it that it's told in the second person, which is a style that I absolutely do not like. I was completely taken aback when I started reading. I also found the beginning to be so confusing and difficult to follow. It almost felt like a stream of consciousness - partial thoughts and all.
I am just really not into this writing style, and and I don't want to force myself to finish it, because that will 100% put me into a reading slump. If it's not gripping me at 150 pages in, and I dread picking it up, then it's just not gonna happen.
I was not aware going into it that it's told in the second person, which is a style that I absolutely do not like. I was completely taken aback when I started reading. I also found the beginning to be so confusing and difficult to follow. It almost felt like a stream of consciousness - partial thoughts and all.
I am just really not into this writing style, and and I don't want to force myself to finish it, because that will 100% put me into a reading slump. If it's not gripping me at 150 pages in, and I dread picking it up, then it's just not gonna happen.
The Secret by R.L. Stine
dark
sad
fast-paced
3.0
Re-reading some of my old Fear Street books for spooky season. Goosebumps and Fear Street were my first forays into horror literature when I was a kid. Child me probably loved this book.
I must say it's actually better than I was expecting. It's an easy read, but is well written, and definitely uses common phrases you see in YA geared books. The plot moved at an insane speed, there are a million twists, and the characters are very overdramatic, but those are all things that would keep a younger audience engaged with the story.
Personally, I was always interested in what was going to happen next, and never felt bored. I did not read the first book before this one as I am only reading what I own, and I had no problem with following along. It took me an hour and a half to read, so nice to complete in one sitting.
I must say it's actually better than I was expecting. It's an easy read, but is well written, and definitely uses common phrases you see in YA geared books. The plot moved at an insane speed, there are a million twists, and the characters are very overdramatic, but those are all things that would keep a younger audience engaged with the story.
Personally, I was always interested in what was going to happen next, and never felt bored. I did not read the first book before this one as I am only reading what I own, and I had no problem with following along. It took me an hour and a half to read, so nice to complete in one sitting.
Final Grade by R.L. Stine
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
I'm re-reading the three Fear Street books I own from when I was a kid. Out of the three I thought I would like this one the least, but it pleasantly surprised me ! This one is actually kinda scary as it deals with a very real world horror. It's quite a messed up situation, and I think 12 year old me would have been a bit traumatized. This cover is the absolute worst though, and is very misleading.
Switched (Fear Street Series) by R.L. Stine
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
2.0
Re-reading the Fear Street books that I own, and this one is the first disappointment. First, the description is wrong; it's a wall, not a cabin. The major twist is incredibly predictable, but I don't hold that against it as this is for teens. What I dislike is the use of mental illness as the horror. This book isn't scary, it's just straight up sad.
I also could not get over how every other character reacted in this book. It was so stupidly repetitive, and fully leaned into the trope of not saying the important stuff right away. Out of the three Fear Street titles I own, this was the first one I was actively bored with. I thought the concept was interesting, and I honestly wish they had just kept with what the description makes it out to be.
I also could not get over how every other character reacted in this book. It was so stupidly repetitive, and fully leaned into the trope of not saying the important stuff right away. Out of the three Fear Street titles I own, this was the first one I was actively bored with. I thought the concept was interesting, and I honestly wish they had just kept with what the description makes it out to be.
The Iliac Crest by Cristina Rivera Garza
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
I have no idea what I just read. All I know is that I liked it.
The Little Red Phone by Henry Kane
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Wtf was that ? I picked this up at a second hand book shop, and was drawn in by the cover and the description. I was so excited to start reading this, and even though I went into it with no expectations, I'm still disappointed.
This book really could not figure out what it wanted to be. We didn't even get to the house that has the red phone until 50 pages in. A good chunk of it is simply a plot about a woman having an emotional affair. The description of this book feels so freaking misleading; that plotline doesn't really come to fruition until the last 20 pages, and it ends with the least climactic scene ever.
Content warning here for rape, and rape of a minor. This is where I almost DNFed the book. Click the spoiler if you want to know what happened.So I almost DNFed when the mom has a dream that her 12 year old adopted son has sex with her. It is heavily implied that it is not a dream, which is confirmed later when she ends up pregnant. In the last 30 pages of the book it is revealed that the 12 year old son's twin sister has also been experiencing these "dreams". I wanted to barf. There is also an 81 year old woman who is raped and murdered. Why in the fucking hell is this the plotline !?
This plot had nothing to do with an entity, and everything about traumatizing women repeatedly. The writing very much felt like 60s/70s crime novels, and was borderline boring. For being written in the 80s it felt incredibly dated, and there is some harsh language in here pertaining to mental illness. Henry Kane was a white man in his 70s when he wrote this book, and you can feel that in every word.
This book really could not figure out what it wanted to be. We didn't even get to the house that has the red phone until 50 pages in. A good chunk of it is simply a plot about a woman having an emotional affair. The description of this book feels so freaking misleading; that plotline doesn't really come to fruition until the last 20 pages, and it ends with the least climactic scene ever.
Content warning here for rape, and rape of a minor. This is where I almost DNFed the book. Click the spoiler if you want to know what happened.
This plot had nothing to do with an entity, and everything about traumatizing women repeatedly. The writing very much felt like 60s/70s crime novels, and was borderline boring. For being written in the 80s it felt incredibly dated, and there is some harsh language in here pertaining to mental illness. Henry Kane was a white man in his 70s when he wrote this book, and you can feel that in every word.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Death of parent, Incest, Murder, and Pregnancy
Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
adventurous
dark
sad
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
This was my third time experiencing this story, as I've watched the donghua and read the manwha before finally picking the novel up. Because of this it did take me a bit to get into the book, but there was enough new information and interactions that it definitely felt worth it.
This series has been my first foray into the wuxia and danmei genres. I absolutely adore the interactions between all of the characters. I have been spoiled on some scenes in the later novels, but I'm actually kinda glad of that, because the foreshadowing is perfection. There will be just one sentence that completely changes how I view an interaction.
The "style" of the writing does take a bit to get used to, as you can 100% tell that this is a translation. Some words and phrases are used that seem really out of place, or a character may say something that does not suit their character. I am in love with this series though, and will definitely be seeking out MXTX's other works.
This series has been my first foray into the wuxia and danmei genres. I absolutely adore the interactions between all of the characters. I have been spoiled on some scenes in the later novels, but I'm actually kinda glad of that, because the foreshadowing is perfection. There will be just one sentence that completely changes how I view an interaction.
The "style" of the writing does take a bit to get used to, as you can 100% tell that this is a translation. Some words and phrases are used that seem really out of place, or a character may say something that does not suit their character. I am in love with this series though, and will definitely be seeking out MXTX's other works.
Tales of Terror and Mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
The most average collection of stories I have ever read. I did not rate any story in here above a 3.5. Some stories had some promise, but then the ending would either drop the ball, or yet another woman would be brutalized, or shown to not be able to think for herself.
The following are each story in this collection, a brief summary, and my individual ratings.
Tales of Terror
The Horror of the Heights (1913) - A journal owned by a missing aviator is discovered in a field. It chronicles his journey into breaking the record for highest flight, but also his quest into exploring âair junglesâ where he believes monsters lurk. 3 Stars
The Leather Funnel (1902) - A man visits his friend in Paris. This friend is a collector of all things antique and odd. The man asks for the story behind a leather funnel that leads him into the credibility of dreams. 3.5 Stars
The New Catacomb (1898) - An Englishman and a German are both archeologists, as well as friends, in Rome. The German man discovers a catacomb that is incredibly significant, but is reluctant to share it with his colleague until the Englishman tells him about his relationship with a certain woman. 3.5 Stars
The Case of Lady Sannox (1893) - A woman, Lady Sannox, very openly cheats on her husband, Lord Sannox, with a well known surgeon. 1 Star
The Terror of Blue John Gap (1910) - A man suffering from tuberculosis moves to the countryside for the fresh air. Here he hears rumors of a great beast living deep in the depths of the mine, Blue John Gap. 3 Stars
The Brazilian Cat (1898) - A man who comes from a wealthy family, but has blown his inheritance, visits a cousin he has never met in hopes of receiving financial aid. This cousin has imported a whole menagerie of animals from Brazil, including a rare Brazilian cat. 3.5 Stars
Average: 2.92 Stars
Tales of Mystery
The Lost Special (1898) - A man arranges a train to take just him to his destination as he is in an urgent hurry. However, the train never makes it to the final stop as it, the man, and the crew have seemingly disappeared into thin air. 3 Stars
The Beetle-Hunter (1898) - A medical student with an interest in insects sees an ad in the paper asking for a strong man whoâs medically trained and has a knowledge of beetles. Feeling that this ad was written for him he heads to the location, is immediately hired, and follows this Lord to a location for reasons unknown. 3 Stars
The Man with the Watches (1898) - A train pulls into its destination, and the crew realizes that the first class cabin door is open. Inside they discover the body of a young man who was apparently shot. Three others are also missing. 2 Stars
The Japanned Box (1899) - A man takes a japanned box wherever he goes. At night his servants hear a womanâs voice coming from the room he keeps the box in. Rumors spread, and some think he has gone back to his old ways, while other believe something more ghostly is afoot. 3 Stars
The Black Doctor (1898) - A doctor is murdered in his home after he breaks off his engagement to his fiancĂ©e. The fiancĂ©eâs brother is the only suspect until someone comes forward with a statement that changes the direction of the entire trial. 3.5 Stars
The Jewâs Breastplate (1899) - A man who just recently became the director of a museum receives an anonymous letter warning him that a burglary will occur soon in the museum. 3.5 Stars
The Nightmare Room (1921) - A man is aware of the plot his wife has to poision him so she can be with his friend. 3.5 Stars
Average: 3.1 Stars
Overall Average: 3 Stars
As you can see the Tales of Mystery came out a bit better than the Tales of Terror, which is to be expected of someone who writes so many crime stories. However, I actually found some of the Mystery stories to feel more horror-esque than the Terror ones.
Will I read more Arthur Conan Doyle ? Nah. After this stint of short story books I think I'm good on bland and mediocre writing for awhile.
The following are each story in this collection, a brief summary, and my individual ratings.
Tales of Terror
The Horror of the Heights (1913) - A journal owned by a missing aviator is discovered in a field. It chronicles his journey into breaking the record for highest flight, but also his quest into exploring âair junglesâ where he believes monsters lurk. 3 Stars
The Leather Funnel (1902) - A man visits his friend in Paris. This friend is a collector of all things antique and odd. The man asks for the story behind a leather funnel that leads him into the credibility of dreams. 3.5 Stars
The New Catacomb (1898) - An Englishman and a German are both archeologists, as well as friends, in Rome. The German man discovers a catacomb that is incredibly significant, but is reluctant to share it with his colleague until the Englishman tells him about his relationship with a certain woman. 3.5 Stars
The Case of Lady Sannox (1893) - A woman, Lady Sannox, very openly cheats on her husband, Lord Sannox, with a well known surgeon. 1 Star
The Terror of Blue John Gap (1910) - A man suffering from tuberculosis moves to the countryside for the fresh air. Here he hears rumors of a great beast living deep in the depths of the mine, Blue John Gap. 3 Stars
The Brazilian Cat (1898) - A man who comes from a wealthy family, but has blown his inheritance, visits a cousin he has never met in hopes of receiving financial aid. This cousin has imported a whole menagerie of animals from Brazil, including a rare Brazilian cat. 3.5 Stars
Average: 2.92 Stars
Tales of Mystery
The Lost Special (1898) - A man arranges a train to take just him to his destination as he is in an urgent hurry. However, the train never makes it to the final stop as it, the man, and the crew have seemingly disappeared into thin air. 3 Stars
The Beetle-Hunter (1898) - A medical student with an interest in insects sees an ad in the paper asking for a strong man whoâs medically trained and has a knowledge of beetles. Feeling that this ad was written for him he heads to the location, is immediately hired, and follows this Lord to a location for reasons unknown. 3 Stars
The Man with the Watches (1898) - A train pulls into its destination, and the crew realizes that the first class cabin door is open. Inside they discover the body of a young man who was apparently shot. Three others are also missing. 2 Stars
The Japanned Box (1899) - A man takes a japanned box wherever he goes. At night his servants hear a womanâs voice coming from the room he keeps the box in. Rumors spread, and some think he has gone back to his old ways, while other believe something more ghostly is afoot. 3 Stars
The Black Doctor (1898) - A doctor is murdered in his home after he breaks off his engagement to his fiancĂ©e. The fiancĂ©eâs brother is the only suspect until someone comes forward with a statement that changes the direction of the entire trial. 3.5 Stars
The Jewâs Breastplate (1899) - A man who just recently became the director of a museum receives an anonymous letter warning him that a burglary will occur soon in the museum. 3.5 Stars
The Nightmare Room (1921) - A man is aware of the plot his wife has to poision him so she can be with his friend. 3.5 Stars
Average: 3.1 Stars
Overall Average: 3 Stars
As you can see the Tales of Mystery came out a bit better than the Tales of Terror, which is to be expected of someone who writes so many crime stories. However, I actually found some of the Mystery stories to feel more horror-esque than the Terror ones.
Will I read more Arthur Conan Doyle ? Nah. After this stint of short story books I think I'm good on bland and mediocre writing for awhile.