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rlsjxvx's reviews
9 reviews
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“Beauty is terror. Whatever we call beautiful, we quiver before it.”
Just in time for school, “The Secret History” is a psychological thriller that is not only dark and perverse, but quite intelligent as well. This modern classic follows a group of students trying to make sense of the mundane existence of college life by pushing the edges of what is socially acceptable. The push too far and the resulting domino effect will engulf you all the way to the final pages. Smart, funny, and suspenseful, “The Secret History” will have you reading far into the night.
Just in time for school, “The Secret History” is a psychological thriller that is not only dark and perverse, but quite intelligent as well. This modern classic follows a group of students trying to make sense of the mundane existence of college life by pushing the edges of what is socially acceptable. The push too far and the resulting domino effect will engulf you all the way to the final pages. Smart, funny, and suspenseful, “The Secret History” will have you reading far into the night.
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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? No
4.5
“Every house has a story to tell and a secret to share.”
It doesn’t take long to figure out that “Home Before Dark” by Riley Sager is a classic haunted house story. As you read further, you soon realize that it’s so much than that. Spanning 25 years of pain and sorrow, Maggie Holt, the protagonist, returns home to Baneberry Hall, seeking out the truth to why she and her family fled in the middle of the night, vowing never to return again. Discoveries are made… Horrific, terrifying discoveries. A riveting page turner, “Home Before Dark” will have you locking your doors and keeping your lights on while devouring the words contained on it’s pages.
It doesn’t take long to figure out that “Home Before Dark” by Riley Sager is a classic haunted house story. As you read further, you soon realize that it’s so much than that. Spanning 25 years of pain and sorrow, Maggie Holt, the protagonist, returns home to Baneberry Hall, seeking out the truth to why she and her family fled in the middle of the night, vowing never to return again. Discoveries are made… Horrific, terrifying discoveries. A riveting page turner, “Home Before Dark” will have you locking your doors and keeping your lights on while devouring the words contained on it’s pages.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
“To the person in the bell, black and stopped as a dead baby, the world itself is the bad dream.”
“The Bell Jar” was Plath’s only novel, a novel that she described as “an autobiographical apprentice work which I had to write in order to free myself from the past.” The novel follows Esther Greenwood, a young college student, through her life and subsequent mental breakdown. Full of trigger warnings, “The Bell Jar” shows the pain underneath the beauty, pain that can be insufferable.
If you are ever in need of help, please know that help is available.
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
“The Bell Jar” was Plath’s only novel, a novel that she described as “an autobiographical apprentice work which I had to write in order to free myself from the past.” The novel follows Esther Greenwood, a young college student, through her life and subsequent mental breakdown. Full of trigger warnings, “The Bell Jar” shows the pain underneath the beauty, pain that can be insufferable.
If you are ever in need of help, please know that help is available.
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Self harm, Suicide, Domestic abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Clarity & Connection by Yung Pueblo
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
“it is to the benefit of your inner peace
not to harm others”
What I thought was poetry ended up being more of an essay into the heart of yung pueblo, the pen name for Diego Perez. A biography that turns into a self-help book, “clarity & connection” will have the reader looking into their soul, asking themselves questions like “is this a healthy connection or an unhealthy attachment?” yung pueblo goes on to explain self-awareness and the multiple sources of healing, such as compassion, commitment, and observation. At the end of the day, love yourself. Love yourself enough to not cause harm to yourself or the ones closest to you.
not to harm others”
What I thought was poetry ended up being more of an essay into the heart of yung pueblo, the pen name for Diego Perez. A biography that turns into a self-help book, “clarity & connection” will have the reader looking into their soul, asking themselves questions like “is this a healthy connection or an unhealthy attachment?” yung pueblo goes on to explain self-awareness and the multiple sources of healing, such as compassion, commitment, and observation. At the end of the day, love yourself. Love yourself enough to not cause harm to yourself or the ones closest to you.
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
dark
sad
tense
fast-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
3.5
Horrific, gut-wrenching, provocative… These are just three words that barely scrape the surface while trying to describe this dystopian novel. Do you like blood? What about sex? Do sick and twisted ideals peak your interest? Then “Tender Is The Flesh” is just the book for you. The subject matter was hard to read at times, but I couldn’t stop. The grotesque beauty that this novel contains will carry you through to the very last page.
The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates
emotional
reflective
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? No
4.5
“Maybe, love is always forgiveness, to a degree.” - Chandler Burnaby
Like Niagara Falls, the backdrop for this novel, “The Falls” is powerful, beautiful, and full of tragedy. The Burnaby family encounters love, loathing, loss, and forgiveness. A tragic love story, Oates pulls us down a path that explores the inner working of families that are at the mercy of outside forces that cannot be controlled. Oates prose allows us to truly believe the thoughts and feelings of her characters, almost as if they are actually alive.
Like Niagara Falls, the backdrop for this novel, “The Falls” is powerful, beautiful, and full of tragedy. The Burnaby family encounters love, loathing, loss, and forgiveness. A tragic love story, Oates pulls us down a path that explores the inner working of families that are at the mercy of outside forces that cannot be controlled. Oates prose allows us to truly believe the thoughts and feelings of her characters, almost as if they are actually alive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Murder, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Suicide
The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz
4.0
Funny, whimsical, enlightening… Three words that I would use to describe this quirky novel about a dysfunctional family. Full of drama and humor, “The Latecomer” started as a story full and grief, grief that lasted for decades until the memories were finally laid to rest. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars for me!
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
3.0
How to begin this review… Apparently all this happened, more or less. An anti-war book, time-traveling sci-fi novel all in one, “Slaughterhouse-Five mixes in horror of warfare with dark humor that can make you cringe at times. From aliens to predicting ones own death, this novel really has anything you could be looking for.
So it goes.
So it goes.
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