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kibernick's reviews
133 reviews
Spectral Sounds: Unquiet Tales of Acoustic Weird by Manon Burz-Labrande
Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.
19th century aristocrats bossing around their wives and underlings was the true horror of these tales. Not for me.
The Haar by David Sodergren
emotional
funny
mysterious
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? No
4.0
Here for an 80-year old female protagonist in a horror novel. Good for her!
Tell Me I'm Worthless by Alison Rumfitt
dark
funny
fast-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? It's complicated
3.5
The book has an important message and I liked the book overall. However the prose left something to be desired and I felt that its message was not merely spoonfed to me, but hammered into my eyes.
Negative Space by B.R. Yeager
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was so dreadfully bleak and would’ve been my favourite read of 2024 so far if it weren’t for Our Share of Night. Based off of the blurbs though, I thought it would be a different book but I was very happy with what I got.
This was unputdownable. Imagine HBO’s Euphoria sliced through with the first season of True Detective, written in an unusual style that reminded me of Her Body and Other Parties. That’s absolutely not to say that the book is derivative - it’s original, bleak and dripping with atmosphere. It just sucks you in into its horrible, picturesque world. I still feel like I’m trapped in its suffocating, psychedellic swamp.
The author utilises literal “negative space”, by implying meaning, leaving out details and reactions out, all in an interesting way that keeps you hooked. It was done with style and didn’t feel cheap.
My only gripe was that, on a few occassions, the gloom was a bit repetitive, and also I also think that the book’s ending could’ve been more punchy.
Overall, top recommend, if you’re into horrible teenagers in a small town getting mixed up in occult shit. Oh and very nicely queer.
This was unputdownable. Imagine HBO’s Euphoria sliced through with the first season of True Detective, written in an unusual style that reminded me of Her Body and Other Parties. That’s absolutely not to say that the book is derivative - it’s original, bleak and dripping with atmosphere. It just sucks you in into its horrible, picturesque world. I still feel like I’m trapped in its suffocating, psychedellic swamp.
The author utilises literal “negative space”, by implying meaning, leaving out details and reactions out, all in an interesting way that keeps you hooked. It was done with style and didn’t feel cheap.
My only gripe was that, on a few occassions, the gloom was a bit repetitive, and also I also think that the book’s ending could’ve been more punchy.
Overall, top recommend, if you’re into horrible teenagers in a small town getting mixed up in occult shit. Oh and very nicely queer.
Waking the Moon by Elizabeth Hand
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Got recommended this book after reading _Our Share of Night_. I do generally like Elizabeth Hand but this couldn’t hold a candle to it.
There were many wonderful and evocative descriptions, especially of the supernatural events in the book. However I was extremely turned off by the overly dramatic dialogue and most of the characters. The love triangle felt very _Twillight_ (before _Twillight_). Also, I nearly lost all interest in the book after the halfway point.
Overall, a nice but also frustrating read. Maybe I wasn’t the target audience.
There were many wonderful and evocative descriptions, especially of the supernatural events in the book. However I was extremely turned off by the overly dramatic dialogue and most of the characters. The love triangle felt very _Twillight_ (before _Twillight_). Also, I nearly lost all interest in the book after the halfway point.
Overall, a nice but also frustrating read. Maybe I wasn’t the target audience.
The Affirmation by Christopher Priest
emotional
hopeful
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind by Molly McGhee
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Kinda like if Douglas Adams wrote a book tie-in for a movie directed by Terry Gilliam based off the show Severance. Really deep emotional and contemporary topics were delivered by narrator that was too scatterbrained, quirky and avoidant for me. Still, a pretty decent book.
The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
3.5