richtate's reviews
758 reviews

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez

dark emotional mysterious slow-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

4.0

The Only One Left by Riley Sager

dark mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

This novel is a little Agatha, but it’s also a little Shirley. The result is a maddening mystery with so many insane revelations. It’s been a long time since I’ve read something I couldn’t put down.  

Burn the Negative by Josh Winning

dark mysterious tense 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? Yes

3.0

A solid horror whodunnit. 

True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee by Abraham Riesman

dark emotional informative sad slow-paced

5.0

One of the strangest biographies I've ever read. It leaves you feeling like we all fell for the con man that was Stan Lee. 

The Day of the Door by Laurel Hightower

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-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

5.0

THE DAY OF THE DOOR is the sort of book that wrings every bit of emotion from the reader. It’s one of the most unique haunting books I’ve read in a while. The payoff is utterly fantastic. While it may be horror, it’ll put a smile on your face. 

The Crow by James O'Barr

dark emotional sad 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

5.0

One of my most favorite stories ever. 

She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

5.0

One of the best haunted house stories ever. 

SHE IS A HAUNTING by is incredibly meticulous haunted house story.  Everything about this novel  makes you feel uncomfortable and off balance. There are so many layers to peel away, so many little intricate mysteries to unpack. While the plot is slow, the payoff will tear you to shreds. 

What Kind of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman

dark mysterious sad 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? Yes

3.5

This was a solid novel. Nothing spectacular but well-written with a fun story.

Seed by Ania Ahlborn

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Dark and seething. The climax is a pure assault to the senses. By the time you see what’s coming, it’s far too late to turn away. 

This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

1.5

This book would have been served with a better editor. There's a lot of repetitive prose and recycling that threw me out of the experience. The characters also make a series of horrible (see unbelievable) choices to get them into their predicament. YMMV but this one was a massive miss for me.