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phaas's reviews
281 reviews
What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
I love a friend group with secrets and What Lies In The Woods did not disappoint! This was a really enjoyable read! There were some twists I predicted and others I did not. Overall, it felt like the plot made sense and was wrapped up nicely. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this author in the future!
Side note: In my personal opinion, I felt the author did an amazing job of depicting how mental illness(es) can present themselves. Characters weren’t labeled with specific disorders but instead displayed symptoms and their disorders were spoken about without labels. As someone with my own psychiatric illnesses, one or two of which were represented in this book, I loved the accurate- to my own experience- representation without the need for labels and diagnoses. That being said, while I did not find this book triggering, others may.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Stalking
They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South by Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers
informative
slow-paced
4.5
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Me, at the beginning: Okay this is fun, but I’m pretty sure I know what’s going on. A bit predictable.
Me, at the very end: OKAY OKAY RACHEL HAWKINS. I did NOT know what was going on.
This was a really enjoyable read for me! The first 90% of the book felt a little predictable- while still entertaining- but the final chapter was a twist I did not expect.
I really loved the themes and parallels between characters in this novel. It’s a pretty easy read but would also make an amazing book club pick to deep dive into.
Me, at the very end: OKAY OKAY RACHEL HAWKINS. I did NOT know what was going on.
This was a really enjoyable read for me! The first 90% of the book felt a little predictable- while still entertaining- but the final chapter was a twist I did not expect.
I really loved the themes and parallels between characters in this novel. It’s a pretty easy read but would also make an amazing book club pick to deep dive into.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Miscarriage, Suicide, and Blood
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
dark
fast-paced
5.0
WOW this was my first Catherine Steadman book and I was blown away! I love a good morally gray plot and a MC with skeletons in their closet. This book had all of that with a satisfying ending. I will definitely be reading more of this author’s work!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The People We Keep by Allison Larkin
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Abandonment
Moderate: Homophobia, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Blood