richtate's reviews
760 reviews

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.

The Devil's Playground by Craig Russell

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.75

This is a wonderful book for fans of early silent cinema and the crossover into the talkies. The story is awfully niche although well researched and full of Easter eggs. 

Dear Laura by Gemma Amor

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

Obsessive, bloody, and full of sadness. 

The Wind Began to Howl by Laird Barron

dark mysterious medium-paced

5.0

I love Laird Barton’s prose and this story arc so much. 

Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

One of the most brutal and breathtaking short horrors I’ve read in some time. 

Lion's Pride: The Turbulent History of New Japan Pro Wrestling by Chris Charlton

informative slow-paced

3.0

A great look at the history of NJPW. 

Soft Targets by Carson Winter

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

 A clever, well-written, cutting edge look at gun violence intermixed with weird fiction. 

Dehiscent by Ashley Deng

dark mysterious sad 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

At its core, this is a story about life, death, and rebirth in the middle of a climate change apocalypse. There are secrets lurking in the attic.

Maeve Fly by C.J. Leede

dark mysterious medium-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

5.0

MAEVE FLY is dark, perverse, and incredibly violent. It’s a new era of AMERICAN PSYCHO with a gut punch ending. There are secrets lurking in the basement, and they are drenched in blood. It all comes together with the perfect climax that you don’t see coming until it’s too late. I loved this book.