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novellearts's reviews
1747 reviews
The Party by Natasha Preston
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.0
3.25/5 stars rounded down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4.25/5 stars rounded down.
I loved this book. I think the only thing preventing me from giving it a higher rating was that the characters weren't as developed as I wished they were and the relationships fell flat to me. They also moved incredibly fast without much pursuit into chemistry or connection.
Besides that, I still really loved these characters. No, they weren't as dynamic as I hoped they would be, but they were still lovable characters in my eyes. I was rooting for them deeply and the end gutted me.
I loved the premise of this book and the whimsical tone that it had. I really appreciated the look into Birdie's struggles internally and externally with being a single mother. Her desire to be independent while still wanting to care for Emaleen and the mistakes that she made along the way.
I loved this book. I think the only thing preventing me from giving it a higher rating was that the characters weren't as developed as I wished they were and the relationships fell flat to me. They also moved incredibly fast without much pursuit into chemistry or connection.
Besides that, I still really loved these characters. No, they weren't as dynamic as I hoped they would be, but they were still lovable characters in my eyes. I was rooting for them deeply and the end gutted me.
I loved the premise of this book and the whimsical tone that it had. I really appreciated the look into Birdie's struggles internally and externally with being a single mother. Her desire to be independent while still wanting to care for Emaleen and the mistakes that she made along the way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Where Lost Girls Go by B.R. Spangler
challenging
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? It's complicated
4.0
3.75/5 stars rounded up.
Detective Casey White has been hoping that one day she will be reunited with her daughter who was taken from her 14 years ago. When she finds a teenage girl in the woods in nothing but a nightgown, she hopes that it’s her daughter, Hannah. Instead, it’s a young girl named Cheryl Parry who was taken 9 years ago with her sister. Cheryl’s sister wasn’t as fortunate and was found dead. The bodies of young girls keep being found in the woods and it becomes clear that there is a serial killer who is very good at what they do. Casey is determined to not only find the killer, but also to find her daughter.
I wouldn’t say that I “enjoyed” reading (listening to) this book as it was pretty dark and depressing, but I appreciated the story. It’s never easy to read stories like this but yet it’s something that can and does happen.
I kept rooting for all of these young girls and Detective Casey. I desperately wanted the killer caught, her daughter found, and these girls safe.
I thought the narrator did a pretty good job reading this story. It was pretty engaging and I thought the pacing was pretty solidly paced up until the ending. The ending of this book almost felt a bit rushed to me and left me feeling slightly underwhelmed. I think the execution could’ve been better and the ending could’ve been stronger for me.
I had trouble visualizing this as the Outer Banks and I kept forgetting that this was where the story took place.. I’ve honestly never been, but based off of everything I’ve seen in photos and movies, it didn’t align to me. A small detail but something that threw me off.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Detective Casey White has been hoping that one day she will be reunited with her daughter who was taken from her 14 years ago. When she finds a teenage girl in the woods in nothing but a nightgown, she hopes that it’s her daughter, Hannah. Instead, it’s a young girl named Cheryl Parry who was taken 9 years ago with her sister. Cheryl’s sister wasn’t as fortunate and was found dead. The bodies of young girls keep being found in the woods and it becomes clear that there is a serial killer who is very good at what they do. Casey is determined to not only find the killer, but also to find her daughter.
I wouldn’t say that I “enjoyed” reading (listening to) this book as it was pretty dark and depressing, but I appreciated the story. It’s never easy to read stories like this but yet it’s something that can and does happen.
I kept rooting for all of these young girls and Detective Casey. I desperately wanted the killer caught, her daughter found, and these girls safe.
I thought the narrator did a pretty good job reading this story. It was pretty engaging and I thought the pacing was pretty solidly paced up until the ending. The ending of this book almost felt a bit rushed to me and left me feeling slightly underwhelmed. I think the execution could’ve been better and the ending could’ve been stronger for me.
I had trouble visualizing this as the Outer Banks and I kept forgetting that this was where the story took place.. I’ve honestly never been, but based off of everything I’ve seen in photos and movies, it didn’t align to me. A small detail but something that threw me off.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
3.5/5 stars. Entertaining read. I mostly listened to this one while at work.
Books like these are always an easy, enjoyable read for me. I generally love concepts like these for a plot although they’re not the most unique ones out there.
I got this book through my library and then later got approved on NetGalley after having already read this. (The struggle of forgetting to withdraw my requests)
Even though I had already read this on my own, I still appreciate the approval from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are always my own.
Books like these are always an easy, enjoyable read for me. I generally love concepts like these for a plot although they’re not the most unique ones out there.
I got this book through my library and then later got approved on NetGalley after having already read this. (The struggle of forgetting to withdraw my requests)
Even though I had already read this on my own, I still appreciate the approval from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are always my own.
Chlorine by Jade Song
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
3.75/5 stars. This wasn’t what I was expecting but I still really enjoyed it. This book kept me company during a rough night of insomnia.
The Younger Woman by Cate Ray
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
3.75/5 stars, rounded up.
Gabby meets a woman younger than her named Ellis at the bar and drunkenly confesses to her that she wishes her husband Fred were dead. Gabby begins to search for Ellis and the truth while also trying to expose Fred's secrets.
I listened to the audio of this book and thought the narration was fantastic. I had no complaints at all. The narration was clear and easily understood and the voice acting was wonderful.
This started off a little bit slow for me and I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this one but it thankfully ended up picking up. I wasn't expecting the ending twist. It honestly wasn't even on my radar as being the reveal.
I wasn't a huge fan of the dual perspectives. I find that they're not my favorite unless they're really well done and this one wasn't bad but also wasn't incredible. I found myself in brief moments of confusion while I was trying to get reoriented with the POV. I think multiple POVs are a bit more challenging to keep track of as audio. Because of this, I think the book may have been a bit more enjoyable if I read the book alongside the audio just so I could visually keep track of where I was in the POVS.
I think the ending paid off and there was a lot going on for the last 1/3 of the book. I would definitely pick up another book by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC! All opinions are my own.
Gabby meets a woman younger than her named Ellis at the bar and drunkenly confesses to her that she wishes her husband Fred were dead. Gabby begins to search for Ellis and the truth while also trying to expose Fred's secrets.
I listened to the audio of this book and thought the narration was fantastic. I had no complaints at all. The narration was clear and easily understood and the voice acting was wonderful.
This started off a little bit slow for me and I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this one but it thankfully ended up picking up. I wasn't expecting the ending twist. It honestly wasn't even on my radar as being the reveal.
I wasn't a huge fan of the dual perspectives. I find that they're not my favorite unless they're really well done and this one wasn't bad but also wasn't incredible. I found myself in brief moments of confusion while I was trying to get reoriented with the POV. I think multiple POVs are a bit more challenging to keep track of as audio. Because of this, I think the book may have been a bit more enjoyable if I read the book alongside the audio just so I could visually keep track of where I was in the POVS.
I think the ending paid off and there was a lot going on for the last 1/3 of the book. I would definitely pick up another book by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC! All opinions are my own.
A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-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
3.0
3.5/5 stars, rounded down.
I'll be honest and say I picked this one up for the absolutely stunning cover and the sapphic romance. While the cover did not disappoint, I think the romance did. I had extremely conflicting feelings on the main character, Lorelei. Lorelei was written with flaws on display. She has an extremely rough personality with a flaming temper and a smart mouth. While I appreciated that she was different from most FMCs that I tend to read, she also irritated when it came to treating others around her so poorly. Specifically Sylvia. I understand that this was meant to be an enemies (or rivals) to lovers, but even when they worked their way towards "lovers," I still found Lorelei to be cruel and unkind which really bothered me. Their relationship felt steeped in toxicity which left me struggling to get on board with.
I also wasn't as engulfed in this story as I hoped to be. These two things are what prevented me from rating it 4 stars.
What really worked for me was the atmosphere, setting, and writing. I loved all of these so much that I desperately was wishing that I didn't feel let down from the characters and story so that I could've rated this higher. The setting and atmosphere were amazing. I loved the world that Allison Saft created and fell in love with her prose. It's extremely rare that I wish for a series out of standalone books, but for this one, I wish there was a second book. I wanted to see more character development and I felt that the ending could've benefited from a sequel. If this was a duology, I would pick up book 2 in a heartbeat.
Another shoutout for the stunning cover artwork. This is probably one of my favorites of all time.
I'll be honest and say I picked this one up for the absolutely stunning cover and the sapphic romance. While the cover did not disappoint, I think the romance did. I had extremely conflicting feelings on the main character, Lorelei. Lorelei was written with flaws on display. She has an extremely rough personality with a flaming temper and a smart mouth. While I appreciated that she was different from most FMCs that I tend to read, she also irritated when it came to treating others around her so poorly. Specifically Sylvia. I understand that this was meant to be an enemies (or rivals) to lovers, but even when they worked their way towards "lovers," I still found Lorelei to be cruel and unkind which really bothered me. Their relationship felt steeped in toxicity which left me struggling to get on board with.
I also wasn't as engulfed in this story as I hoped to be. These two things are what prevented me from rating it 4 stars.
What really worked for me was the atmosphere, setting, and writing. I loved all of these so much that I desperately was wishing that I didn't feel let down from the characters and story so that I could've rated this higher. The setting and atmosphere were amazing. I loved the world that Allison Saft created and fell in love with her prose. It's extremely rare that I wish for a series out of standalone books, but for this one, I wish there was a second book. I wanted to see more character development and I felt that the ending could've benefited from a sequel. If this was a duology, I would pick up book 2 in a heartbeat.
Another shoutout for the stunning cover artwork. This is probably one of my favorites of all time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
Negative Images by Rebecca Schier-Akamelu
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Negative Images follows the story of Anita Walsh grieving through her husband's unexpected death. Soon after his funeral, Anita becomes haunted by the ghost of her husband. These ghosts, called Negative Images, feed off of tormenting their survived loved ones. They exist to destroy the lives of those that they loved. These Negative Images are becoming more and more prevalent within society, but even so, people will avoid those haunted by a Negative Image.
Anita, who is struggling against her husband's haunting, tries to find a way to rid herself of his Negative Image. Anita works together with another being haunted by a Negative Image to try to find a "cure."
Rebecca Schier-Akamelu found a way to differentiate her book from others by creating her own twist to a haunted ghost story. This is her debut novel and I thought it was a great start. I loved the concept. I thought the writing was concise and the story flowed well. This book was gripping from start to finish and I loved that this took on an investigative approach. The pacing was steady throughout and the characters were well written.
I only wish that this story had more atmosphere to it. I wasn't as immersed as I wanted to be and was hoping for a more ominous tone. Regardless, I still would recommend this book and if the author decides to write another book in the future, I would definitely pick it up.
Negative Images releases to the public on July 22nd.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Anita, who is struggling against her husband's haunting, tries to find a way to rid herself of his Negative Image. Anita works together with another being haunted by a Negative Image to try to find a "cure."
Rebecca Schier-Akamelu found a way to differentiate her book from others by creating her own twist to a haunted ghost story. This is her debut novel and I thought it was a great start. I loved the concept. I thought the writing was concise and the story flowed well. This book was gripping from start to finish and I loved that this took on an investigative approach. The pacing was steady throughout and the characters were well written.
I only wish that this story had more atmosphere to it. I wasn't as immersed as I wanted to be and was hoping for a more ominous tone. Regardless, I still would recommend this book and if the author decides to write another book in the future, I would definitely pick it up.
Negative Images releases to the public on July 22nd.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Injury/Injury detail