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novellearts's reviews
1746 reviews
Senseless by Ronald Malfi
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
3.0
2.75 rounded up.
Senseless started off strong for me and then unfortunately I found myself losing interest and struggling to keep focused. I loved the writing as I usually do with Ronald Malfi's books but I found that I wasn't captivated by the story. It felt a bit messy for me and almost seemed to me like I was experiencing different books throughout listening.
I found the characters to be strange and with little to be desired. I think I'm just a bit incompatible with Malfi as much as I wish that wasn't the case.
I at least seem to be an unpopular opinion. I still think this book was incredibly well crafted and I'm sure many will love it. I can appreciate Malfi's artistry even though the story wasn't for me. If you're thinking of reading this, I would still say to give it a shot.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7439584181
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/0cb5a039-0fcd-43f2-9a5c-9293f5b7986b/share
Senseless started off strong for me and then unfortunately I found myself losing interest and struggling to keep focused. I loved the writing as I usually do with Ronald Malfi's books but I found that I wasn't captivated by the story. It felt a bit messy for me and almost seemed to me like I was experiencing different books throughout listening.
I found the characters to be strange and with little to be desired. I think I'm just a bit incompatible with Malfi as much as I wish that wasn't the case.
I at least seem to be an unpopular opinion. I still think this book was incredibly well crafted and I'm sure many will love it. I can appreciate Malfi's artistry even though the story wasn't for me. If you're thinking of reading this, I would still say to give it a shot.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7439584181
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/0cb5a039-0fcd-43f2-9a5c-9293f5b7986b/share
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
4.0
4.25/5 stars.
I thought this was a fantastic listen. This reminded me of a darker version of The Bones Beneath My Skin. The two stories were vastly different but they shared some similarities. I actually went into this book mostly blind. I didn't even read the whole blurb and I found that to be a great pay-off. I would recommend doing the same if you're able! There is a lot of mystery surrounding a peculiar little boy and a monster lurking around him. I don't want to say too much about the plot because I think it would detract from the reading experience. It was exciting not knowing what to expect out of this book.
I can always expect to love Nat Cassidy's writing so I wasn't surprised that this book was no different. The characters were intriguing and lovable. The story was mysterious, tense, and heart-wrenching. I listened to the audiobook and I always love when authors pop in to do some or all of the narration. That was the case here. Helen Laser narrated the majority of the book but had some help from Nat Cassidy. Both did an amazing job.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7010684726
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/25ba6ea3-8282-4bd1-8ce7-673ee29d03b6/share
I thought this was a fantastic listen. This reminded me of a darker version of The Bones Beneath My Skin. The two stories were vastly different but they shared some similarities. I actually went into this book mostly blind. I didn't even read the whole blurb and I found that to be a great pay-off. I would recommend doing the same if you're able! There is a lot of mystery surrounding a peculiar little boy and a monster lurking around him. I don't want to say too much about the plot because I think it would detract from the reading experience. It was exciting not knowing what to expect out of this book.
I can always expect to love Nat Cassidy's writing so I wasn't surprised that this book was no different. The characters were intriguing and lovable. The story was mysterious, tense, and heart-wrenching. I listened to the audiobook and I always love when authors pop in to do some or all of the narration. That was the case here. Helen Laser narrated the majority of the book but had some help from Nat Cassidy. Both did an amazing job.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7010684726
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/25ba6ea3-8282-4bd1-8ce7-673ee29d03b6/share
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
I Can Fix Her by Rae Wilde
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
What I liked:
-LGBTQ representation.
-Domestic abuse representation.
-The writing.
I thought the prose within this short story was fantastic. I had really no complaints there. I also enjoyed the LGBTQ characters and the domestic abuse representation. Since I enjoyed the writing, I know I would like to give another book from this author a try in the future.
Unfortunately I struggled with this book. Although it was short, it felt long to me. I couldn't find myself immersed within this story and I was honestly confused for much of it. It felt like a fever dream. Things sort of came together at the end, but I also was left wondering, "What did I just read?" Maybe this was just a case of me not fully understanding the story and less on the author, but nonetheless, that's how it left me feeling.
While I enjoyed the representation, I was disappointed to find myself unable to connect with any of the characters. I think being that this book was so short, there wasn't much character development and I found the characters unlikeable.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the arc. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7178691020
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/b21145dc-f1ec-4e04-8056-1a978768062a/share
-LGBTQ representation.
-Domestic abuse representation.
-The writing.
I thought the prose within this short story was fantastic. I had really no complaints there. I also enjoyed the LGBTQ characters and the domestic abuse representation. Since I enjoyed the writing, I know I would like to give another book from this author a try in the future.
Unfortunately I struggled with this book. Although it was short, it felt long to me. I couldn't find myself immersed within this story and I was honestly confused for much of it. It felt like a fever dream. Things sort of came together at the end, but I also was left wondering, "What did I just read?" Maybe this was just a case of me not fully understanding the story and less on the author, but nonetheless, that's how it left me feeling.
While I enjoyed the representation, I was disappointed to find myself unable to connect with any of the characters. I think being that this book was so short, there wasn't much character development and I found the characters unlikeable.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the arc. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7178691020
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/b21145dc-f1ec-4e04-8056-1a978768062a/share
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder
The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
4.0
3.75/5 stars rounded up.
I read The Perfect Marriage a few years ago and loved that book. While I thought this one was still enjoyable, I also felt that it was unnecessary and wasn't as good as the first one. I honestly didn't feel like The Perfect Marriage needed a sequel but I'm also not mad to have gotten one.
This is pretty fast-paced and action-packed from the start with a strong FMC. The story was incredibly exaggerated and was extremely far-fetched yet it was entertaining. Sarah, the main character, almost feels like Amy from Gone Girl. At least it feels like Amy could've been the inspiration.
While Sarah isn't exactly "likable" she's also the only character that I did enjoy in this and I constantly find myself cheering her on. If you can look past the outlandish plot of this book, it is an enjoyable read. If you're looking for something more realistic and believable, this is definitely not the book for you.
If you grab the audiobook for this story, the narrator did a fantastic job. I would really love to listen to this story while reading along in the physical copy once this book releases.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6953614771
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/20841e1d-6146-41a4-9793-979b1ec56df1/share
I read The Perfect Marriage a few years ago and loved that book. While I thought this one was still enjoyable, I also felt that it was unnecessary and wasn't as good as the first one. I honestly didn't feel like The Perfect Marriage needed a sequel but I'm also not mad to have gotten one.
This is pretty fast-paced and action-packed from the start with a strong FMC. The story was incredibly exaggerated and was extremely far-fetched yet it was entertaining. Sarah, the main character, almost feels like Amy from Gone Girl. At least it feels like Amy could've been the inspiration.
While Sarah isn't exactly "likable" she's also the only character that I did enjoy in this and I constantly find myself cheering her on. If you can look past the outlandish plot of this book, it is an enjoyable read. If you're looking for something more realistic and believable, this is definitely not the book for you.
If you grab the audiobook for this story, the narrator did a fantastic job. I would really love to listen to this story while reading along in the physical copy once this book releases.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6953614771
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/20841e1d-6146-41a4-9793-979b1ec56df1/share
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes
2.0
2.5/5 stars rounded down. I just could not get into this story. Started off kind of intriguing and I quickly felt myself losing interest.
Nobody's Fool by Harlan Coben
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
3.0
This book really lost its steam for me. I was super interested in the beginning and then around 30-50% I started losing interest. It didn't pick back up until the very end and by the time that I got there I found myself significantly less invested in the story.
I thought the writing was cohesive and easy to read, but the pacing and overall story is where I think I struggled with this one. Something about this just didn't resonate with me.
I thought the narrator did a fantastic job though. This was a very pleasing narration to listen to. Good pace, good tone, and good clarity.
This book wasn't bad but it honestly just missed the mark for me. I do think it's worth picking up though.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7283304925
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/dc5764da-aa26-4664-b278-05f96bd3ba87/share
I thought the writing was cohesive and easy to read, but the pacing and overall story is where I think I struggled with this one. Something about this just didn't resonate with me.
I thought the narrator did a fantastic job though. This was a very pleasing narration to listen to. Good pace, good tone, and good clarity.
This book wasn't bad but it honestly just missed the mark for me. I do think it's worth picking up though.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7283304925
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/dc5764da-aa26-4664-b278-05f96bd3ba87/share
Gone by Dreda Say Mitchell
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
There was a lot of mystery throughout this story and I honestly wasn't able to figure it out until getting closer to the end. I really appreciated the depiction of grief and how determined Alison was to find out the truth, years later. This book showed how differently grief can affect you.
I think this would've been a good book to actually sit down and physically read but I had the audio copy. The narrator, Eilidh Beaton, was great. Her tone and clarity were fantastic and made the experience really engaging. I really love when all of the characters feel suspicious and unreliable and I felt that way with this book.
There's not much that I didn't enjoy about this except maybe it felt a little slow around halfway in. It was very brief though and didn't prevent me from enjoying.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/228378768
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/5d84c00e-22b8-4b68-bf69-c352107b88ac/share
I think this would've been a good book to actually sit down and physically read but I had the audio copy. The narrator, Eilidh Beaton, was great. Her tone and clarity were fantastic and made the experience really engaging. I really love when all of the characters feel suspicious and unreliable and I felt that way with this book.
There's not much that I didn't enjoy about this except maybe it felt a little slow around halfway in. It was very brief though and didn't prevent me from enjoying.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/228378768
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/5d84c00e-22b8-4b68-bf69-c352107b88ac/share
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail