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nocturnalbookworm's reviews
72 reviews
Bones by Yolanda Olson
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A twisted tale
I've read a lot of fucked up things but this definitely wins the "Most Fucked Up Thing I've Ever Read" award. Guy takes you along on a journey of madness, his madness though remember he's not crazy (or so he says) the descriptions of his delusions and his justification for everything is masterfully done.
I've read a lot of fucked up things but this definitely wins the "Most Fucked Up Thing I've Ever Read" award. Guy takes you along on a journey of madness, his madness though remember he's not crazy (or so he says) the descriptions of his delusions and his justification for everything is masterfully done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child abuse, Blood, Sexual violence, Gore, Torture, Stalking, and Murder
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
emotional
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Tense, engaging, and oddly charming. I was kept guessing until the very end!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Child death
The Bees by Laline Paull
5.0
An Interesting tale
I rather enjoyed this one. I found the balance of anthropomorphic and natural bee descriptions was done quite well. I read this all in one day and just couldn't put it down. I had to know what was happening in the hive and what would become of Flora. The prologue and epilogue were nice feels-y touches as well.
I rather enjoyed this one. I found the balance of anthropomorphic and natural bee descriptions was done quite well. I read this all in one day and just couldn't put it down. I had to know what was happening in the hive and what would become of Flora. The prologue and epilogue were nice feels-y touches as well.
1984 by George Orwell
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Wow... I will have to take some time to think up a proper review. For now I can say that this was an amazing, scary, and all to possible book I found nearly impossible to put down. It's haunting, uncomfortable but at the same time I felt a need to keep going page after page. I would highly recommend this be read by everyone everywhere.
100 Fathoms Below by Steven L. Kent, Nicholas Kaufmann
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
This pulled me in from the beginning and kept me guessing throughout. It was a face paced and bloody story that did an excellent job of setting the claustrophobic scene. This book takes place on a submarine and Kent and Kaufmann did an excellent job of setting the stage and emphasizing the feeling of being trapped. Though the reader can pretty much figure out its vampires early on (so much so I wouldn't even consider it a spoiler), the reveal to the characters is slow and makes sense. I appreciate that the crew of the Roanoke seemed to not just blindly accept it and it took time to really come to that conclusion. It felt like there was an appropriate level of denial and it felt realistic, which I like in a supernatural creature story. The tension in the book was kept up from the very moment of chapter 1. The only thing that didn't make this a 5 star read for me was that a couple of the "surviving" moments of some characters felt a little too lucky. However, I will say that this book doesn't hold back on killing characters you fully expect (and hope) will make it to the end. Even with those moments, I was still left scared that some characters I had grown attached to wouldn't make it. As well the characters that I didn't care for that ended up dying I felt like there was justice in their deaths and I found them very satisfying when they happened.
This book was provided to me for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was provided to me for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
The Visitor by Louvie G. Tucker
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
I was super intrigued by this one and it did not disappoint! The Visitor gave me major 1984 vibes, with a more modern feel and more action. An excellent sci-fi dystopian story that executed its social commentary excellently. The one big complaint was the big cliffhanger at the end, I want to know what happens so badly! Alas, I will just have to wait patiently for the arrival of the 2nd book. Picking a favorite character is hard because honestly, it’s such a close tie between Aetius and Sasha.
Plot ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐
World Building ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Enjoyment ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall Rating 4.6/5
Read as part of a Book Tour, I was provided a free copy in exchange for an honest review
Plot ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐
World Building ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Enjoyment ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall Rating 4.6/5
Read as part of a Book Tour, I was provided a free copy in exchange for an honest review
The Night Has Seen Your Mind by Simon Kearns
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.0
My first impressions and speculation on how this would all play out were somehow both met and wonderfully thrown out the window. I struggle to list all the things I like without giving away spoilers. Loneliness, trauma, and what it means to be human are all wrapped up in this gory psychological thriller. There were a few times that I had to reread because I got a bit confused but overall this was a gripping read.
Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The book is set almost completely in Mattias Goff’s artic home in the winter. The first bit of the book has our MCs traveling to this location. There wasn’t much set up in the outside world and but the isolated Crystal Falls is well described and at some point, the location plays a role in the plot.
World-Building/Setting ⭐⭐⭐
The book cycles between the POV of Goff’s 5 guests. They are Chris, Jenny, Sarah, Patrick, and Cassian. First impressions I thought that Chris would be my favorite and that Cassian would be my least. As the book progressed I turned out to be half right. Sarah ended up being my fav and I hated Cassian. Each POV felt unique to the character, they were all distinct with their own views and ways of thinking that really come out well-executed.
Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The writing was well done overall, at the end I had trouble navigating the technical jargon. Be prepared to look up a few of the words as you read, but hey learning something new is rarely a bad thing. The unsettling feeling crept up a slow pace which I love. Things get pretty crazy but it ramps up so gradually that it was easy to suspend disbelief.
Writing Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Personal Enjoyment ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall Rating 4/5
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review, This did not affect my review in any way and all of the above are my honest thoughts and feeling.
Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The book is set almost completely in Mattias Goff’s artic home in the winter. The first bit of the book has our MCs traveling to this location. There wasn’t much set up in the outside world and but the isolated Crystal Falls is well described and at some point, the location plays a role in the plot.
World-Building/Setting ⭐⭐⭐
The book cycles between the POV of Goff’s 5 guests. They are Chris, Jenny, Sarah, Patrick, and Cassian. First impressions I thought that Chris would be my favorite and that Cassian would be my least. As the book progressed I turned out to be half right. Sarah ended up being my fav and I hated Cassian. Each POV felt unique to the character, they were all distinct with their own views and ways of thinking that really come out well-executed.
Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The writing was well done overall, at the end I had trouble navigating the technical jargon. Be prepared to look up a few of the words as you read, but hey learning something new is rarely a bad thing. The unsettling feeling crept up a slow pace which I love. Things get pretty crazy but it ramps up so gradually that it was easy to suspend disbelief.
Writing Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Personal Enjoyment ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall Rating 4/5
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review, This did not affect my review in any way and all of the above are my honest thoughts and feeling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Sexual assault