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sunshine_ghost's reviews
591 reviews
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
2.0
Started out great. Love the idea of gentrification being the main antagonist…. but the bad guy was like a hyper exaggerated Scooby Doo bad guy and it all fell flat for me during the denouement. Some well developed characters however, and can tell a lot of research went into the the history of Brooklyn and NYC. But as a thriller it leapt well past the bounds of suspension of disbelief to a point where I stopped engaging because it was so over the top.
Trinity Row by Kelly Martin
2.0
Why were the parents blaming Ivy for her brother’s death?
I thought the twist was gonna be that her mum had lost her marbles (hence Ivy mentioning that her mother was talking to people who weren’t there AGAIN), and kidnapped Ivy, parental alienation style, then manipulated Ivy into thinking her Dad blamed her for Ian’s death… except it’s never explained. Her mother’s previous mental health issues never explained, why the parents blamed a literal child for the death of her adult brother - never explained. The rationale for Ivy and her mum moving from house to house to town to town, never explained (parental kidnapping would’ve made sense in this context!). Ivy was an incredibly passive and indecisive/hesitant main character. So much self doubt and the brief flashes in the pan where she experiences confidence/self-actualisation are immediately followed be more self doubt and going back on her actions… rendering any satisfying character arc moot.
Also felt like the author didn’t know how to resolve the story of killing the big bad. Just was a bit of a “let’s stab the villain and see what happens” … also not satisfying.
I get I’m not the target audience but I still love and read teen pulp horror and in many way this was on par with that, but with a little tweaking could’ve been so much more.
I did enjoy when the entire cast of characters got together in the end… Ivy, John, Nate, Dara Lynn, Hannah, Melanie and the mum. That was done well!
I thought the twist was gonna be that her mum had lost her marbles (hence Ivy mentioning that her mother was talking to people who weren’t there AGAIN), and kidnapped Ivy, parental alienation style, then manipulated Ivy into thinking her Dad blamed her for Ian’s death… except it’s never explained. Her mother’s previous mental health issues never explained, why the parents blamed a literal child for the death of her adult brother - never explained. The rationale for Ivy and her mum moving from house to house to town to town, never explained (parental kidnapping would’ve made sense in this context!). Ivy was an incredibly passive and indecisive/hesitant main character. So much self doubt and the brief flashes in the pan where she experiences confidence/self-actualisation are immediately followed be more self doubt and going back on her actions… rendering any satisfying character arc moot.
Also felt like the author didn’t know how to resolve the story of killing the big bad. Just was a bit of a “let’s stab the villain and see what happens” … also not satisfying.
I get I’m not the target audience but I still love and read teen pulp horror and in many way this was on par with that, but with a little tweaking could’ve been so much more.
I did enjoy when the entire cast of characters got together in the end… Ivy, John, Nate, Dara Lynn, Hannah, Melanie and the mum. That was done well!
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
5.0
Best book I’ve read in recent memory. I felt the entire story from start to finish deep inside my gut. Wow.
The Ghost of Ivy Barn by Mark Stay
5.0
I loved this book so much. It story carefully, perfectly crafted beat for beat, so many laugh out loud moments, and heart warming moments and just enjoyable throughout. It’s lighthearted but the suspense is gripping at the same time.
I loved booked 1 & 2, but this is easily the best of the bunch. I really only thought it was a trilogy so thrilled that there’s another to come!! If you’re planning to read this book or start this series, the audiobook is a must.
I loved booked 1 & 2, but this is easily the best of the bunch. I really only thought it was a trilogy so thrilled that there’s another to come!! If you’re planning to read this book or start this series, the audiobook is a must.
Heaven's Crooked Finger by Hank Early
4.0
Gritty, dark, meandering yet not slow. I don’t know if I necessarily enjoyed the story (personal choice rather than it being poorly written), however I enjoyed Earl’s characterisation and the atmosphere that the writing steeped me in/Southern gothic setting.
A tricky one for me to rate, since I choose a star rating by vibes alone
A tricky one for me to rate, since I choose a star rating by vibes alone