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targrhaegar's reviews
177 reviews
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
There are some other characters, though not as important as our main two, who are still well-written. I really loved Miljin as well. I didn't trust him at the beginning, but as the story progressed, he became very dear to me and I wish him nothing but the best.
You really need to pick this book up and give it a chance. You will be so surprised and have the best time ever reading it. I'm sure it will be in many people's Best of 2024 lists at the end of the year. It will definitely be in mine.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
Best.
Book.
Ever.
That's it. That's the review. Drop everything you're doing right now and go read this masterpiece. I beg you.
Ok, but seriously. This is the first book by Robert Jackson Bennet that I've read and it certainly won't be the last. I've had The Founders trilogy on my TBR for ages, and I can't wait to read it, especially now that I know his writing style is magnificent and I'm in love with it.
What a great introduction to a series! I'm 100% sure it will become amazing and beloved by so many people. I can't wait for the next books to be published and be back in this world.
The plot of The Tainted Cup is extremely interesting and engaging. It starts as a very strange, but simple murder, but as the story continues and our main characters discover more clues, the plot becomes something much, much bigger. The scope of this entire investigation is huge. I loved every single second of it. I couldn't stop reading; I wanted to know what would come next. This story is heavily inspired by Sherlock Holmes, and you can clearly see it. I enjoyed finding all the little clues and trying to guess what they meant and what they would lead to. Everything is connected in some way or another, and it was so satisfying when we finally learned who was behind it all and why. I felt particularly proud of myself when I found the answer to one the questions in this mysteryI knew that Uhad was the third poisoner! . That is to say that if you pay attention, you might be able to connect all the pieces together and find the answer alongside our main characters. Though it will be hard, because there are so many shocking twists!
This is a fantasy series, and as the first book, you can expect tons of worldbuilding. But it won't be too boring and annoying; Jackson Bennet did a great job blending the worldbuilding parts with the rest of the story, creating a perfect balance. Right from the beginning we are told things such as: ''I wondered if even the air was expensive in here, then saw it was: a massive kirpis mushroom had been built into the corner of every main room—a tall, black fungus built to suck in air, clean it, and exhale it out at a cooler temperature''. And you know exactly what to expect: a captivating, fascinating and extremely creative world with a magic system that will continue to surprise you the more you read.
And finally, the characters in this book are the most lovable you'll ever find. Our two main characters: Din and Ana are the perfect pair. They complement each other perfectly, working together in perfect harmony to solve the mystery. Ana is very eccentric right from the beginning and I felt a bit frustrated by her. I found her annoying and rude; HOWEVER, none of that is true (except the eccentric part), for she is very well developed throughout the story, and you just can't help but grow to love her dearly. She's a very interesting main character with a fascinating backstory that I can't wait to read more about in the future books. And Din, my beloved. My sweetheart. My honeypie. My everything. He's so amazing and incredible. I love him so, so, so much. He's smart, he's strong, he's sweet, he's funny, he's everything you want in a main character and more. So much more. His character development in this one is top-notch. I can't wait for everyone to read this book and fall in love with Din.
Book.
Ever.
That's it. That's the review. Drop everything you're doing right now and go read this masterpiece. I beg you.
Ok, but seriously. This is the first book by Robert Jackson Bennet that I've read and it certainly won't be the last. I've had The Founders trilogy on my TBR for ages, and I can't wait to read it, especially now that I know his writing style is magnificent and I'm in love with it.
What a great introduction to a series! I'm 100% sure it will become amazing and beloved by so many people. I can't wait for the next books to be published and be back in this world.
The plot of The Tainted Cup is extremely interesting and engaging. It starts as a very strange, but simple murder, but as the story continues and our main characters discover more clues, the plot becomes something much, much bigger. The scope of this entire investigation is huge. I loved every single second of it. I couldn't stop reading; I wanted to know what would come next. This story is heavily inspired by Sherlock Holmes, and you can clearly see it. I enjoyed finding all the little clues and trying to guess what they meant and what they would lead to. Everything is connected in some way or another, and it was so satisfying when we finally learned who was behind it all and why. I felt particularly proud of myself when I found the answer to one the questions in this mystery
This is a fantasy series, and as the first book, you can expect tons of worldbuilding. But it won't be too boring and annoying; Jackson Bennet did a great job blending the worldbuilding parts with the rest of the story, creating a perfect balance. Right from the beginning we are told things such as: ''I wondered if even the air was expensive in here, then saw it was: a massive kirpis mushroom had been built into the corner of every main room—a tall, black fungus built to suck in air, clean it, and exhale it out at a cooler temperature''. And you know exactly what to expect: a captivating, fascinating and extremely creative world with a magic system that will continue to surprise you the more you read.
And finally, the characters in this book are the most lovable you'll ever find. Our two main characters: Din and Ana are the perfect pair. They complement each other perfectly, working together in perfect harmony to solve the mystery. Ana is very eccentric right from the beginning and I felt a bit frustrated by her. I found her annoying and rude; HOWEVER, none of that is true (except the eccentric part), for she is very well developed throughout the story, and you just can't help but grow to love her dearly. She's a very interesting main character with a fascinating backstory that I can't wait to read more about in the future books. And Din, my beloved. My sweetheart. My honeypie. My everything. He's so amazing and incredible. I love him so, so, so much. He's smart, he's strong, he's sweet, he's funny, he's everything you want in a main character and more. So much more. His character development in this one is top-notch. I can't wait for everyone to read this book and fall in love with Din.
''So instead of committing robbery, I made tea''.
There are some other characters, though not as important as our main two, who are still well-written. I really loved Miljin as well. I didn't trust him at the beginning, but as the story progressed, he became very dear to me and I wish him nothing but the best.
You really need to pick this book up and give it a chance. You will be so surprised and have the best time ever reading it. I'm sure it will be in many people's Best of 2024 lists at the end of the year. It will definitely be in mine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Torture, and Medical content
Dead Beat by Jim Butcher
I loved the descriptions in this book. This quote is a great example; I loved the words used to explain how this character's power felt.
There were tons of really hilarious moments in this book, without taking away from the seriousness of the whole situation. There is a new character introduced: Butters, and he is the best person I've ever met. He's so sweet, funny and his character development is top tier. One particular moment I really enjoyed was: ''POLKA WILL NEVER DIE!'' You'll understand when you get to that part.
The action scenes were epic, especially the final battle. I won't spoil it, but so many mind-blowing things happened that I couldn't believe it.
Finally, Butcher's notes at the end of the book were so cute and sweet. He talked about his childhood and how he grew to love Sci-Fi and Fantasy. I really liked it that part.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
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
Another marvelous Desdren book by Jim Butcher!
This was different. [Her] power, whatever it was, didn't fill the store. It emptied it in a way that I didn't think I fully understood. Utter stillness spread out from her—not peace, for that would have been something tranquil, accepting. This stillness was a horrible, hungry emptiness, something that took its power from being not. It was made of the emptiness at the loss of a loved one, of the silence between the beats of a heart, and of the inevitability of the empty void that waited patiently for the stars to grow cold and burn out. It was power wholly different from the burning fires of life that formed the magic I knew—and it was strong. God, it was so strong.
I loved the descriptions in this book. This quote is a great example; I loved the words used to explain how this character's power felt.
There were tons of really hilarious moments in this book, without taking away from the seriousness of the whole situation. There is a new character introduced: Butters, and he is the best person I've ever met. He's so sweet, funny and his character development is top tier. One particular moment I really enjoyed was: ''POLKA WILL NEVER DIE!'' You'll understand when you get to that part.
The action scenes were epic, especially the final battle. I won't spoil it, but so many mind-blowing things happened that I couldn't believe it.
Finally, Butcher's notes at the end of the book were so cute and sweet. He talked about his childhood and how he grew to love Sci-Fi and Fantasy. I really liked it that part.
The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
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
I was never interested in reading this book because the original cover really put me off. I don't like the cover art; I find it really ugly. How stupid I was. This is why you should never judge a book by its cover.
This short story by Sanderson is one of the greatest I've ever read. It's absolutely amazing how he managed to craft such an intricate and fascinating plot in such a short number of pages. The premise of this book is so original and interesting. You should never doubt his abilities as an author; he truly is one of the best.
The magic system in this story is top notch. One of the most originals I've read. I want to read more of it. I want a million books set in this world and with this magic system. I need to smoke it, snort it, inject it.
I don't have much else to say about The Emperor's Soul other than it was brilliant in every way and that you should read it. Right now. Go on Kindle and read it. I'm waiting.
Now I want to talk about the audio book by GraphicAudio. I absolutely love it. I love love love love love love love love love love love love it. I love it more than life itself. Their work is of such high quality: the narration, the different voice actors (I particularly really enjoyed Shai's voice and accent), the sound effects, the music, it's all amazing. I can't stress it enough. Everyone should listen to their audiobooks. They upgrade the reading experience and make you enjoy the book so much more.
This short story by Sanderson is one of the greatest I've ever read. It's absolutely amazing how he managed to craft such an intricate and fascinating plot in such a short number of pages. The premise of this book is so original and interesting. You should never doubt his abilities as an author; he truly is one of the best.
The magic system in this story is top notch. One of the most originals I've read. I want to read more of it. I want a million books set in this world and with this magic system. I need to smoke it, snort it, inject it.
I don't have much else to say about The Emperor's Soul other than it was brilliant in every way and that you should read it. Right now. Go on Kindle and read it. I'm waiting.
Now I want to talk about the audio book by GraphicAudio. I absolutely love it. I love love love love love love love love love love love love it. I love it more than life itself. Their work is of such high quality: the narration, the different voice actors (I particularly really enjoyed Shai's voice and accent), the sound effects, the music, it's all amazing. I can't stress it enough. Everyone should listen to their audiobooks. They upgrade the reading experience and make you enjoy the book so much more.
Neighborhood Watch by Sarah Reida
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
3.5
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Neighborhood Watch is a story about a group of rich people who live in a picture-perfect neighborhood and who start getting killed one by one. The characters in this book are supposed to be horrible and disgusting people. However, they felt too cartoonish and exaggeratedly evil. This made it hard for me to hate them, which is what you're supposed to do as the reader (or as any normal human being, because these characters are objectively bad people). Instead, I just found them really funny and entertaining and I honestly felt really bad when they got murdered.
The murders in this book are really creative and even poetic, in a way. I liked the murder weapons that were used for each victim and how they were used. Each murder was extremely ironic, considering what the victims were thinking about or doing right before they were murdered. I really liked this aspect of the book. The author did a great job with that.
I suspected a certain character was the murderer about halfway in, but I wasn't so sure. When said character was reveled as the murderer, I wasn't surprised. I had some other suspects, but this one made the most sense. I liked the reveal and everything that happened after.
The most important part about this book is that it's so much fun to read. I couldn't put it down. Neighborhood Watch is extremely easy to read and you will finish it in a sitting, enjoying every single second of it. It's such an entertaining book. And very creepy, too. I got so nervous every time one of the characters heard weird noises inside their house.
Speaking of houses, WHY THE HELL DID THEY STAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE A KILLER WAS ON THE LOOSE?
Anyways, I really loved this book because, as I said, it's so entertaining. The ending is very satisfying and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I'm so glad I read this book.
Neighborhood Watch is a story about a group of rich people who live in a picture-perfect neighborhood and who start getting killed one by one. The characters in this book are supposed to be horrible and disgusting people. However, they felt too cartoonish and exaggeratedly evil. This made it hard for me to hate them, which is what you're supposed to do as the reader (or as any normal human being, because these characters are objectively bad people). Instead, I just found them really funny and entertaining and I honestly felt really bad when they got murdered.
The murders in this book are really creative and even poetic, in a way. I liked the murder weapons that were used for each victim and how they were used. Each murder was extremely ironic, considering what the victims were thinking about or doing right before they were murdered. I really liked this aspect of the book. The author did a great job with that.
I suspected a certain character was the murderer about halfway in, but I wasn't so sure. When said character was reveled as the murderer, I wasn't surprised. I had some other suspects, but this one made the most sense. I liked the reveal and everything that happened after.
The most important part about this book is that it's so much fun to read. I couldn't put it down. Neighborhood Watch is extremely easy to read and you will finish it in a sitting, enjoying every single second of it. It's such an entertaining book. And very creepy, too. I got so nervous every time one of the characters heard weird noises inside their house.
Speaking of houses, WHY THE HELL DID THEY STAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE A KILLER WAS ON THE LOOSE?
Anyways, I really loved this book because, as I said, it's so entertaining. The ending is very satisfying and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I'm so glad I read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Domestic abuse, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Death, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Outing, Pregnancy, Racism, Infidelity, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent and Sexual content
Minor: Cancer
CROOK TALES FOR TWO by Ellen Byerrum
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I hate Italian people. 3 stars.
(This is a joke, I'm Italian myself).
Anyways, CROOK TALES FOR TWO is primarily a romance novel with some mystery sprinkled here and there. I liked it. Specially the setting of this book; the fashion, the theater, the drama of it all. It's very glamorous. The mystery aspect was very interesting and the twist at the end was unexpected. I honestly had no clue who was behind it all. I also enjoyed the romance that took place in this story because it wasn't extremely cheesy. Their romance could be summarized like this:
Graydon: I'm so obsessed with you; I need you badly.
Esmé: Leave me alone, you rat troll.
Esmé, inside her thoughts: Just looking at him sends shivers down my spine. I need his touch.
Their dynamic was very fun to read about. It never got tiring.
Now, the things I didn't really like about this novel were, firstly, the length of its paragraphs. This novel was full of extremely long walls of texts that didn't say anything important or relevant, in my opinion. And my God, was it tedious to read.
I also didn't really care for Esmé, the main character. I found her a bit annoying. Specially whenever she went on about how she wasn't rich, despite getting her family's small fortune after they died. She constantly talked about being self-made and how she only used her fortune to buy her apartment. Well, surprise; you are privileged, my friend. It got really tiring after a few chapters. We get it, you're different to the rest of the rich people you surround yourself with. If I were rich, I would embrace it.
Overall, this novel was nice. I had fun reading it and the author did a great job, despite her overuse of long paragraphs. I recommend it if you're looking for an intriguing mystery-filled romance.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book.
(This is a joke, I'm Italian myself).
Anyways, CROOK TALES FOR TWO is primarily a romance novel with some mystery sprinkled here and there. I liked it. Specially the setting of this book; the fashion, the theater, the drama of it all. It's very glamorous. The mystery aspect was very interesting and the twist at the end was unexpected. I honestly had no clue who was behind it all. I also enjoyed the romance that took place in this story because it wasn't extremely cheesy. Their romance could be summarized like this:
Graydon: I'm so obsessed with you; I need you badly.
Esmé: Leave me alone, you rat troll.
Esmé, inside her thoughts: Just looking at him sends shivers down my spine. I need his touch.
Their dynamic was very fun to read about. It never got tiring.
Now, the things I didn't really like about this novel were, firstly, the length of its paragraphs. This novel was full of extremely long walls of texts that didn't say anything important or relevant, in my opinion. And my God, was it tedious to read.
I also didn't really care for Esmé, the main character. I found her a bit annoying. Specially whenever she went on about how she wasn't rich, despite getting her family's small fortune after they died. She constantly talked about being self-made and how she only used her fortune to buy her apartment. Well, surprise; you are privileged, my friend. It got really tiring after a few chapters. We get it, you're different to the rest of the rich people you surround yourself with. If I were rich, I would embrace it.
Overall, this novel was nice. I had fun reading it and the author did a great job, despite her overuse of long paragraphs. I recommend it if you're looking for an intriguing mystery-filled romance.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book.
The Limestone Manor by Jonny Thompson
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
4.0
Wow, I was pleasingly surprised by this book! I had a lot of fun reading it.
I would say this is definitely a cozy mystery. The main focus of the story is on Cliff and his friends living at the Limestone Manor.
I've never read a book where the main characters are elderly people. I really liked that. It was so fun reading about their adventures and how they interact with each other. This book really helped me feel better about growing old. I've been thinking a lot about how each day I'm closer and closer to death and that makes me feel so much anxiety. It's very overwhelming. These characters helped me realize that being old is not that bad. You can know you don't have much time left on Earth and still have fun and feel happy.
The cast of characters is amazing. They're so unique and funny in their own way. I would love to be a part of their friend group. I particularly liked Jan. And by liking, I mean that I have a tiny crush on him. I also grew to like Cliff more and more as the story went on.
This book is full of nostalgy, as Cliff reminisced of his old days in St. Mary's. I really liked the descriptions and the overall vibe of this small town in Canada. I think it's so charming and magical. I would love to live there.
It would be wonderful if this story turned into a series. It definitely feels like this first book was a setup for a future series. There's nothing I wish more than to be back at St Mary's and see these lovely characters having more adventures.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book.
I would say this is definitely a cozy mystery. The main focus of the story is on Cliff and his friends living at the Limestone Manor.
I've never read a book where the main characters are elderly people. I really liked that. It was so fun reading about their adventures and how they interact with each other. This book really helped me feel better about growing old. I've been thinking a lot about how each day I'm closer and closer to death and that makes me feel so much anxiety. It's very overwhelming. These characters helped me realize that being old is not that bad. You can know you don't have much time left on Earth and still have fun and feel happy.
The cast of characters is amazing. They're so unique and funny in their own way. I would love to be a part of their friend group. I particularly liked Jan. And by liking, I mean that I have a tiny crush on him. I also grew to like Cliff more and more as the story went on.
This book is full of nostalgy, as Cliff reminisced of his old days in St. Mary's. I really liked the descriptions and the overall vibe of this small town in Canada. I think it's so charming and magical. I would love to live there.
It would be wonderful if this story turned into a series. It definitely feels like this first book was a setup for a future series. There's nothing I wish more than to be back at St Mary's and see these lovely characters having more adventures.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book.
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder and Death
The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
I want to begin this review by emphasizing how incredibly good this book was. If someone had pointed a gun at me and told me to stop reading this book, I would have told them to pull the trigger, because I would rather face death than to quit this book. It was that good.
The plot of this book is extremely interesting, fascinating and original. Unfortunately, I can't tell you much about it, because that is something that you need to discover by yourself while reading The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.
This book if full of mysteries. There were mysteries within mysteries. The more you read, the more questions you have and the more addicting the book becomes. All you want to do is glue your eyes to the pages so you can finally learn the truth behind the death of Evelyn.
There were also several unexpected plot twists. Every single one of them was extremely shocking. Just when I thought that I had everything figured out, a new piece of information would be revealed. This is a book where paying attention to every tiny detail is of utmost importance.
Even though I've only read one of his works, I can confidently say that Turton is now one of my favorite authors. The fact that this is a debut novel is very amazing. His writing is one of the best I've read. I will definitely be reading more of his works in the future. I'm really looking forward to that.
All in all, you really need to read this book if you want a mystery that will keep you in the edge of your seat.
The plot of this book is extremely interesting, fascinating and original. Unfortunately, I can't tell you much about it, because that is something that you need to discover by yourself while reading The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.
This book if full of mysteries. There were mysteries within mysteries. The more you read, the more questions you have and the more addicting the book becomes. All you want to do is glue your eyes to the pages so you can finally learn the truth behind the death of Evelyn.
There were also several unexpected plot twists. Every single one of them was extremely shocking. Just when I thought that I had everything figured out, a new piece of information would be revealed. This is a book where paying attention to every tiny detail is of utmost importance.
Even though I've only read one of his works, I can confidently say that Turton is now one of my favorite authors. The fact that this is a debut novel is very amazing. His writing is one of the best I've read. I will definitely be reading more of his works in the future. I'm really looking forward to that.
All in all, you really need to read this book if you want a mystery that will keep you in the edge of your seat.
Delicates by Brenna Thummler
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
What a lovely story!
I adore the new character we are introduced to in this story: Eliza. She's such a sweet and smart child. Wendell is a cutie patootie, as always. I wish he were corporeal so I could give him the biggest hug.
We explore some sad but very important themes in this story: loss, suicidal thoughts and bullying. I really liked how it was handled. It's important for kids -and adults-, to understand that their words and actions have an impact.
I also really enjoyed the art in this one. The character's expressions really showed how lonely and sad they were feeling.
Overall, I would say this novel is much, much better than the first one. It deals with more complex topics and it does so very nicely.
I adore the new character we are introduced to in this story: Eliza. She's such a sweet and smart child. Wendell is a cutie patootie, as always. I wish he were corporeal so I could give him the biggest hug.
We explore some sad but very important themes in this story: loss, suicidal thoughts and bullying. I really liked how it was handled. It's important for kids -and adults-, to understand that their words and actions have an impact.
I also really enjoyed the art in this one. The character's expressions really showed how lonely and sad they were feeling.
Overall, I would say this novel is much, much better than the first one. It deals with more complex topics and it does so very nicely.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
5.0
I LOVE NEVILLE.
The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson
Poor, poor Ashley. The diary entry format is great, made me feel more connected to her, like she was a real person. Which made the second part of the book even more painful. I actually shed a few tears because I felt like one of my friends just died. The twist was completely unexpected. I really didn't think the story was going to take this turn. I thought, if anything, Emma was going to be the one to get murdered by Adam.
I really enjoyed this book. It's amazing how such a short story made me feel so connected to its main character and feel so many emotions while reading it. Good job, Swanson.
I really love this author. Can't get enough of his books.
The only complain I have about this story is Ashley appearing as an actual ghost at the end. She wasn't even a part of Emma's imagination. She's a real ghost. I don't particularly care for ghost stories since they're not realistic and make everything feel kind of goofy and not really creepy. But it's okay. I enjoyed the book, nonetheless.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It's amazing how such a short story made me feel so connected to its main character and feel so many emotions while reading it. Good job, Swanson.
I really love this author. Can't get enough of his books.
The only complain I have about this story is Ashley appearing as an actual ghost at the end. She wasn't even a part of Emma's imagination. She's a real ghost. I don't particularly care for ghost stories since they're not realistic and make everything feel kind of goofy and not really creepy. But it's okay. I enjoyed the book, nonetheless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Alcohol, Murder, Death, Domestic abuse, and Blood
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Incest and Rape