lucashearn1's reviews
59 reviews

Apt Pupil by Stephen King

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Haven’t read anything this grim in a long time. There’s no good guy, no redemption, it just slowly devolves into the characters becoming more detestable. I felt gross after having finished it. Still a quite compelling story, invoked some emotions.

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

dark mysterious 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

3.75

Overall really enjoyable. I wasn’t a huge fan that it jumped around so much. I understand it makes sense for the plot and pacing of the book, it just didn’t grip me that much. Especially noticeable when I put it down for a few days and had to reconfigure timelines in my head. 

Also not a huge fan of first person narratives. It wasn’t hugely off putting, but is more of a personal taste thing.

Besides those two points I thoroughly enjoyed the story. A sad reality that it’s incredibly plausible for everything in the novel to have happened. Probably why the first person narrative was used, now that I think about it.

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

adventurous emotional hopeful sad tense 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

4.25

A really fun read. Pretty short overall but I’m looking forward to the sequel. 

Shift by Hugh Howey

dark emotional 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

5.0

I’m actually so impressed by how good this was. I really liked the first book, so I was worried this wouldn’t live up to it, but I honestly think I like this one more. There’s a reduction in describing people going up and down stairs, which is a huge bonus for me. I know it fits in pretty heavily with the plot but after the 15th time in the first novel I was getting a little tired of it.

I’m not usually a huge fan on “prequel” stuff, but this was really well done and super engaging. I love how it all wrapped into the first book towards the end. 

Overall, highly recommend, I look forward to reading Dust.

Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird by Agustina Bazterrica

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

As with most short story collections, there is some good and some that don’t hit as hard. Overall I enjoyed most of the stories. 

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

So the version of this that I read also contained a bunch of short stories. I’m not focusing on those, only the titular story.

Years ago I watched the movie, which I enjoyed a lot. Now reading through this story I liked it more than the movie, even though they’re pretty wildly different. Kept me wondering what was going to come next. Very fun read.

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The winter has my mood crushed for reading. I was enjoying this a lot, it was just getting the motivation to pick it up and read. I found it really hard to be on the main characters sides at the beginning because they were both incredibly annoying. As the book went on I started to like them more and more. What can I say, I find dolls creepy.

Mister Magic by Kiersten White

adventurous hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-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

3.25

This took me friggin forever to finish. It was pretty decent, I just was struggling fully getting into it. Nothing crazy, turn off your brain and enjoy. I don’t know why I got weirdly emotional at the epilogue, it wasn’t really that sad. 

Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth

dark funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Abby needs to find a good therapist. For how dark and graphic this could be at times, I still found myself finding humour in the absurdity of it all. A very simple plot driven by the unhinged thoughts of the main character. Fun read.

The Night House by Jo Nesbø

dark mysterious fast-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

2.25

I got really hooked at the beginning. It was an interesting opening and I was intrigued as to what was coming next. Unfortunately, as the book continued, I became less and less interested. I think part one is pretty solid, but I really didn’t like the direction it went in part two and three. Also most of the characters are just the worst, so it was hard to really root for anyone.