mrdcoolblue's reviews
131 reviews

The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

emotional funny hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

This was a delightful story of modern royalty mixed with holiday shenanigans. You get deep feelings related to family, expectations, duty, right vs wrong. Coal and Hex have some seriously corny and relentless flirting; they’re so cute together. 

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

medium-paced

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

3.0

This was meant to be a dark and reflective Christmas story with some Christmas gothic elements, but it didn’t have as many conventions of the mystery genre as I was looking for. 

Japanese Ghost Stories by Lafcadio Hearn

medium-paced

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

3.5

Thirteen Storeys by Jonathan Sims

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

This book had a very interesting structure. Each chapter is the haunted story of someone attached to this apartment building. The hauntings are distinct and different, but as you continue, you start to connect all these intricately woven threads until it leads to a very clear anti-billionaire message. It’s bleak and downright scary at times, but you also get a strong catharsis. 

Scrimshaw by Ethan M. Aldridge

dark mysterious tense 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? Yes

4.0

Oooh, this one was really creepy. It does lean a little too heavily on the main character questioning their own sanity for my taste, but you can’t deny this is a very gothic series and it often comes with the territory 

Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was incredibly engaging from start to finish and a wild ride. Told in found footage/diary entries. The haunts start off pretty quickly, and the narrative digs deep into the characters’ psychology to create an atmospheric and tense story. 

The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner

slow-paced

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

2.0

This became a case of bad marketing and positioning on the publisher’s part. It’s not spooky. It’s not an interesting murder mystery. The pacing is clumsy. The lore is half-formed. Only read this if you’re looking for Victorian feminine angst and a la croix barest whisper of  thriller. I appreciated the lesbians, but the romance wasn’t skillful either. 

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

It’s a quick and interesting spin on a classic story. One point of confusion is that it’s very firmly grounded in a setting that existed, but the POV character was from a fictional country with its own culture and lore

The Design of Books: An Explainer for Authors, Editors, Agents, and Other Curious Readers by Debbie Berne

informative slow-paced

3.0

It’s aimed at authors who plan to publish for the first time (trade or self). It’s a pretty basic guide, but I still found some helpful tips and insights. 

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

dark 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? Yes

4.5

This was really fun and tangled together. The meta-commentary could be a bit much at times, but overall I had a great time reading this story.