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kearstinreading's reviews
42 reviews
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
“Albert Einstein once said that weak people revenge, strong people forgive, and intelligent people ignore. It was one of the few things he was wrong about.”
My relationship with this book is unquestionably love-hate, which I think I might have been Feeney’s goal. The characters are so, incredibly frustrating, constantly making the dumbest decisions (reminiscent of a train wreck of a horror film when each choice will unquestionably lead to another death), but they’re also just so… human. Fallible. Interesting.
Daisy Darker is the story of a child named Daisy, who grew up with a heart condition in a family complicated by a lack of love - and, at times, an overabundance of it. Born with a genetic heart condition that promised almost certain death, Daisy‘s entire world revolves around her family and their summers at Seaglass, her grandmother’s home. She harbors many fond memories of their years at Seaglass, all of them brimming with the love her grandmother displayed for Daisy, her favorite grandchild.
Drawn back to Seaglass to celebrate their grandmother’s 80th birthday, the entire family becomes cut off from the world for 8 hours due to the rising tide of the ocean overlooked by the home. During those eight hours, the family is forced to face some collective uncomfortable truths - about their family, and about themselves individually…. and about death, as one by one, members of the family are picked off & killed.
Daisy Darker is, overall, a story that drew me in & left me unable to rest until I knew who was behind the elaborate events unfolding over the course of the eight-hour night.
My relationship with this book is unquestionably love-hate, which I think I might have been Feeney’s goal. The characters are so, incredibly frustrating, constantly making the dumbest decisions (reminiscent of a train wreck of a horror film when each choice will unquestionably lead to another death), but they’re also just so… human. Fallible. Interesting.
Daisy Darker is the story of a child named Daisy, who grew up with a heart condition in a family complicated by a lack of love - and, at times, an overabundance of it. Born with a genetic heart condition that promised almost certain death, Daisy‘s entire world revolves around her family and their summers at Seaglass, her grandmother’s home. She harbors many fond memories of their years at Seaglass, all of them brimming with the love her grandmother displayed for Daisy, her favorite grandchild.
Drawn back to Seaglass to celebrate their grandmother’s 80th birthday, the entire family becomes cut off from the world for 8 hours due to the rising tide of the ocean overlooked by the home. During those eight hours, the family is forced to face some collective uncomfortable truths - about their family, and about themselves individually…. and about death, as one by one, members of the family are picked off & killed.
Daisy Darker is, overall, a story that drew me in & left me unable to rest until I knew who was behind the elaborate events unfolding over the course of the eight-hour night.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
American Royals by Katharine McGee
emotional
lighthearted
medium-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 have been obsessed with royal-based fiction since childhood, so I couldn’t resist snagging this book the moment I learned of its existence. The fact this book is merely the first in a series makes me all the more excited to continue on this royal journey.
I must confess - I’m normally not a huge fan of alternating POVs, and that’s actually probably what prompted me to knock off half a star. I might have preferred to read a book from Beatrice’s perspective, one from Samantha’s, etc., rather than the constant jumping between storylines - but I do appreciate the continuity and the fact the characters are all going through shared experiences at the same time.
Beatrice, despite being maddeningly frustrating at times (seriously, I wanted to grab her & shake her more than once), is an endearing main character nonetheless. Readers can all but feel her constant torment between person & duty, which I can’t help but appreciate. For me, though, Samantha was the most beloved of all. Am I the only one who keeps hoping she will end up on the throne?!
All in all, highly recommend for a quick & easy read. Now… off to the sequel!
I must confess - I’m normally not a huge fan of alternating POVs, and that’s actually probably what prompted me to knock off half a star. I might have preferred to read a book from Beatrice’s perspective, one from Samantha’s, etc., rather than the constant jumping between storylines - but I do appreciate the continuity and the fact the characters are all going through shared experiences at the same time.
Beatrice, despite being maddeningly frustrating at times (seriously, I wanted to grab her & shake her more than once), is an endearing main character nonetheless. Readers can all but feel her constant torment between person & duty, which I can’t help but appreciate. For me, though, Samantha was the most beloved of all. Am I the only one who keeps hoping she will end up on the throne?!
All in all, highly recommend for a quick & easy read. Now… off to the sequel!