synclaire's reviews
58 reviews

Mister Magic by Kiersten White

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore and Violence

Minor: Incest and Rape

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, and Cannibalism

Minor: Excrement, Vomit, and Abortion

The Paranormal Ranger: A Navajo Investigator's Search for the Unexplained by Stanley Milford Jr.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.

As someone who reads almost exclusively fiction, this just wasn’t for me. I appreciate the author’s passion about the subject matter. The book just came off as very slow paced to me and it couldn't hold my attention.

Rest Stop by Nat Cassidy

dark reflective 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? Yes

4.25

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Stalking, and Sexual harassment

The Running Man by Stephen King

tense 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Violence

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Child death and Rape

Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink, Jeffrey Cranor

adventurous funny lighthearted 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? It's complicated

5.0

The September House by Carissa Orlando

challenging dark inspiring mysterious reflective tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Self harm, Blood, Vomit, Murder, and Gaslighting

Universal Harvester by John Darnielle

mysterious slow-paced

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

1.5

As a native of the Midwest I found the book’s emphasis on rural midwestern lifestyle nostalgic. However, I picked up the book because it was advertised as trippy, cerebral psychological horror. I do not think that is an accurate description of this novel by any means. Then again, maybe I just didn’t get it.