maddyotis's reviews
175 reviews

The Selection by Kiera Cass

funny mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

A little young even for a YA, but still really good!! Kept my attention for most of it and even though I wasn’t sold at the beginning, I started to really like the story. And dare I say that I got a few butterflies from Maxon… lol 

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

dark emotional tense 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

4.0

What a crazy read. Loved the suspense and all the crazy sh*t happening, it was soooo well done and genuinely scared TF out of me. The ending was… I guess, okay? Still processing the ending. But the way this is told from a child’s POV adds such an extra layer of emotion and confusion and scariness. And the double meanings to sooo many things… and the open-ended questions… great read overall!

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I can see why this one wouldn’t be for everyone. It’s cruel and dark and funny at times but then you feel bad for laughing because all of this is so messed up. It told a story about bravery among women and that’s how I’m choosing to see the story. Some characters were infuriating and some instances were infuriating. But this one is gonna stick with me for a long time. 

Saving Noah by Lucinda Berry

dark emotional fast-paced

Feels kinda weird trying to “rate” this story when it’s such a sensitive topic. I loved the way this book was written because it truly makes you question your morals and how we feel empathy. Definitely NOT a thriller, more like a family drama with a plot twist at the end. 

The Haunting by Natasha Preston

dark medium-paced

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

2.0

GOD AWFUL. The characters were all sooooo annoying, all of them. The story was pretty boring for the most part, maybe a few good scenes scattered throughout. End was terrible. 

Also, why is it called The Haunting when there actually isn’t any haunting or paranormal part about this story? 

Run by Blake Crouch

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Super fast moving story that kept me turning the page. Definitely got tiresome at points because the story was a bit redundant. Didn’t love that there’s no full explanation of things though. I wanted to know more. 

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

mysterious 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? No

3.5

The first 150 pages were soooo slow. I didn’t get the creepy vibe that everyone says this book delivers. But it eventually picked up a lot. I would say I wasn’t totally in love with the story, but there was something addictive about the characters. 

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

informative sad fast-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

3.0

Quick read before giving back into the main series!

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Did not finish book. Stopped at 61%.

Was not inclined to finish this book. The story had run it’s course for me and I just wasn’t interested anymore. 

The Push by Ashley Audrain

dark tense fast-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

4.0

A little confused on how I feel about this one honestly. Didn’t really love the characters, and the story was told in a very interesting tone/tense. It took me some time to adjust for sure. But at the same time, the story was very raw and personal and was done in a way that hooks you.