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onmalsshelf's reviews
1336 reviews
Only the Guilty Survive by Kate Robards
dark
tense
medium-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
3.5
Overall, I think I’m giving this a 3.5
A book following survivor of a cult in northern Michigan? Sold
I think this was successful in what the author set out to do, but there were a few things that kept me from enjoying it more.
First, I’d classify this more of a literary mystery or suspense over a thriller.
The author did a great job of setting the scene in both timelines and got that eerie feeling going right from the start.
Ten years ago there was a mass murder of the Flock in northern Michigan after another member goes missing. Claire is the sole survivor besides the missing the cult founder Dom. He’s in the wind and suspicion still falls on Claire ten years later.
There’s now a podcaster making a show in this cold case and he’s determined to get Claire to talk, but her father and husband want to shelter her because she can’t remember anything from that time. Or can she?
What happened that summer of 2012 and who murdered Lollie before the Flock died?
A book following survivor of a cult in northern Michigan? Sold
I think this was successful in what the author set out to do, but there were a few things that kept me from enjoying it more.
First, I’d classify this more of a literary mystery or suspense over a thriller.
The author did a great job of setting the scene in both timelines and got that eerie feeling going right from the start.
Ten years ago there was a mass murder of the Flock in northern Michigan after another member goes missing. Claire is the sole survivor besides the missing the cult founder Dom. He’s in the wind and suspicion still falls on Claire ten years later.
There’s now a podcaster making a show in this cold case and he’s determined to get Claire to talk, but her father and husband want to shelter her because she can’t remember anything from that time. Or can she?
What happened that summer of 2012 and who murdered Lollie before the Flock died?
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
reflective
tense
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
The Unlucky Ones by Hannah Morrissey
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
There’s no doubt that Morrissey is the queen of Midwestern Noir and Black Harbor is at its center.
This end to the series ties up things perfectly, both case wise and relationship wise.
Hazel and Kole have always been an interesting duo to follow and the Kole’s detectives round out the crew. Behind Black Harbor and all of its cases is an issue found in many Midwestern towns and to see a crew work these cases has been entertaining.
This end to the series ties up things perfectly, both case wise and relationship wise.
Hazel and Kole have always been an interesting duo to follow and the Kole’s detectives round out the crew. Behind Black Harbor and all of its cases is an issue found in many Midwestern towns and to see a crew work these cases has been entertaining.
At Dark, I Become Loathsome by Eric LaRocca
Did not finish book. Stopped at 27%.
Thanks to Libro.fm and the publisher for the ALC.
I think physical book will be the way to go for this one. I tried it on audio and after 10 straight minutes of repetition of chat room names, I feel like I’m going crazy. It has taken me straight out of the story.
I think the premise is interesting, but the audio experience with the same chat room usernames constantly repeated plummeted my overall experience.
I will consider picking this up physically once it’s released.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 27%.
Thanks to Libro.fm and the publisher for the ALC.
I think physical book will be the way to go for this one. I tried it on audio and after 10 straight minutes of repetition of chat room names, I feel like I’m going crazy. It has taken me straight out of the story.
I think the premise is interesting, but the audio experience with the same chat room usernames constantly repeated plummeted my overall experience.
I will consider picking this up physically once it’s released.
The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
An insightful look at what a gift economy looks like. It gave me a lot to think about, but I was left wondering what a gift economy looks like when it comes to healthcare and
Mood Machine by Liz Pelly
informative
slow-paced
4.5
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I've had a Premium Spotify account since 2017 (all hail the student account prices of the 2010s) and I've also been an advocate for Spotify after iTunes/Apple Music forced that U2 album on all of us that we still can't get rid of. However, Mood Machine unveils that not all is all sunshine and skittles behind the rise of Spotify.
Make no mistake, this is a dense book of journalism. So much so that I decided to pick up the audiobook on Libby instead of continuing on in my ARC from the publisher. The author delves into the rise of Spotify in Sweden and its sweep over Europe before it jumped the pond into the US market.
Spotify is not the perfect streamer company that many make it out to be. Musicians barely make money off of the platform and now Spotify is adding in AI music into playlists so that real musicians make even less money.
The new Spotify game seems to be using AI to undermine the consumer and the artists without any of us realizing it until now.
I've had a Premium Spotify account since 2017 (all hail the student account prices of the 2010s) and I've also been an advocate for Spotify after iTunes/Apple Music forced that U2 album on all of us that we still can't get rid of. However, Mood Machine unveils that not all is all sunshine and skittles behind the rise of Spotify.
Make no mistake, this is a dense book of journalism. So much so that I decided to pick up the audiobook on Libby instead of continuing on in my ARC from the publisher. The author delves into the rise of Spotify in Sweden and its sweep over Europe before it jumped the pond into the US market.
Spotify is not the perfect streamer company that many make it out to be. Musicians barely make money off of the platform and now Spotify is adding in AI music into playlists so that real musicians make even less money.
The new Spotify game seems to be using AI to undermine the consumer and the artists without any of us realizing it until now.
The House of My Mother by Shari Franke
dark
fast-paced
5.0
May we see the fall of moms who exploit their children on social media.
Savage Tongues: A Novel by Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5