polinarmsh's reviews
474 reviews

My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

challenging dark slow-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

The whole book you're stuck in the head of the main character, and she is insufferable. And since the book is pretty long (and stretched out for no reason), you just have to sit through her ramblings about how she thinks she lives in a slasher for more than half of the book until finally something happens. The ending is also quite weak and unsatisfying.

Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.0

Nothing really happened, the idea was very good but it was over way too soon

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I didn't get it and I'm angry about it

The Hunger by Alma Katsu

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

It's a fine book, it was just too slow for me

The Only One Left by Riley Sager

mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Very tense read,

with a classic Riley Sager plot twist ending. I found it pretty funny that at least 4 characters in this book were called some form of the name Rick (but yeah 2 of them end up being the same person). I was really convinced the detective Richard would end up being Ricardo Mayhew.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Abortion

The Last One by Will Dean

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

The book was really great and the premise was very unique. However I give it one star less than I would, just because of the last couple of paragraphs.

The author apparently decided to turn it into a comedy in the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Suicide, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Confinement, Dementia, and Grief

Craven Manor by Darcy Coates

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Quite boring, not scary, very little character development, very little things happening, a bad attempt at a plot twist and a weak resolution

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Gore

The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

Minor: Gore

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Brilliant, thrilling and very emotional. Keeps you tense to the very end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief

The Pinhoe Egg by Diana Wynne Jones

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Emotional abuse and Murder