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tashasbooks's reviews
440 reviews
The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror by Tori Bovalino
4.5
Oh my god, I loved this book so much! It's always super tough to rate anthologies because each story is different and has a different writing voice but I genuinely enjoyed the majority of them a lot.
These are depicted as folk horror and a lot of these stories as expanded urban legends and I found them so fun to read through. I think this book isn't necessarily pitched in the correct way though and I don't think these stories truly represent folk horror. This really is just about urban legends and ghost stories the characters are involved in. Our characters are mostly young, like this is definitely YA focused with a lot of characters being in their teens and in high school.
My favorite stories that I liked the most out of this book are "Loved by All, Save One" by Tori Bovalino, "Ghost on the Shore" by Allison Saft, "Stay" by Erica Waters, and "It Stays with You" by Aden Polydoros.
These are depicted as folk horror and a lot of these stories as expanded urban legends and I found them so fun to read through. I think this book isn't necessarily pitched in the correct way though and I don't think these stories truly represent folk horror. This really is just about urban legends and ghost stories the characters are involved in. Our characters are mostly young, like this is definitely YA focused with a lot of characters being in their teens and in high school.
My favorite stories that I liked the most out of this book are "Loved by All, Save One" by Tori Bovalino, "Ghost on the Shore" by Allison Saft, "Stay" by Erica Waters, and "It Stays with You" by Aden Polydoros.
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.5
What Moves the Dead was a super interesting retelling of The Fall of The House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe.
Alex Easton is a retired soldier that gets a strange letter from a childhood friend imploring him to come to her manor due to her falling ill. Alex journeys to the small town to find that everything is a bit strange and both Madeline Usher and her brother, Roderick, are suffering from a strange illness. The wildlife doesn't seem to act normal and there are fungal growths everywhere. Alex must get to the bottom of all this strangeness in order to help both the Ushers with the help of a doctor and fungal expert.
I haven't read the short story before, so I wasn't familiar with the background and inspiration behind the story. You definitely feel an eerie and strange atmosphere and Alex himself is very wary of everything happening in the town. The hares that don't run from people and the lake that seems to glow at night definitely hike up the intensity. It's a fast moving book considering it is only a novella, but I do feel like there was sufficient world-building and we do learn a lot about Alex through their interactions.
The explanation behind the fungal growth and the overall description of everything happening really added to the spooky atmosphere. It definitely matches the setting of gothic horror but also including fungus haha. The cast was great and has that humor and camaraderie that T. Kingfisher is always really good at writing in her horror novels. The only reason this isn't rated higher is just because I wish we got more! I wanted more development character wise and getting to know them all which is always hard with a novella.
Alex Easton is a retired soldier that gets a strange letter from a childhood friend imploring him to come to her manor due to her falling ill. Alex journeys to the small town to find that everything is a bit strange and both Madeline Usher and her brother, Roderick, are suffering from a strange illness. The wildlife doesn't seem to act normal and there are fungal growths everywhere. Alex must get to the bottom of all this strangeness in order to help both the Ushers with the help of a doctor and fungal expert.
I haven't read the short story before, so I wasn't familiar with the background and inspiration behind the story. You definitely feel an eerie and strange atmosphere and Alex himself is very wary of everything happening in the town. The hares that don't run from people and the lake that seems to glow at night definitely hike up the intensity. It's a fast moving book considering it is only a novella, but I do feel like there was sufficient world-building and we do learn a lot about Alex through their interactions.
The explanation behind the fungal growth and the overall description of everything happening really added to the spooky atmosphere. It definitely matches the setting of gothic horror but also including fungus haha. The cast was great and has that humor and camaraderie that T. Kingfisher is always really good at writing in her horror novels. The only reason this isn't rated higher is just because I wish we got more! I wanted more development character wise and getting to know them all which is always hard with a novella.
This Cursed Light by Emily Thiede
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
4.5
The Cursed Light expands on the world from the first book and introduces some fun new character dynamics!
We pick up six months after the ending of the events in the first book. Alyssa is returning from a diplomatic trip and reunites with Dante who is still not feeling fully back to himself. Everyone is still trying to heal altogether from the war, but Dante is sure that this isn't the end and Crollo will be back. Dante and Alessa as well as the crew of Fonti leave to find the missing ghiotte and figure out what they must to do stop the next battle deigned by the gods.
I think my expectations were a bit high going into this book, and because of that it took me some time to feel fully invested in the world again. I found the modern language to be a bit more jarring this time around and I'm not sure if that was in there in the first or more pronounced in this one? I also felt at the beginning of this novel, Dante and Alyssa were both being extremely immature. I really thought they would have grown from the events of the first book, but I struggled with how they were treating each other. They definitely won me over again of course and I loved their banter between them and the loving relationship they have. I think most of the issues I found was that there was just a lack of a plot until the Ghiotte are found. Once the plot centers around the upcoming battle again, I found myself immersed and excited when reading.
There are so many more elements to found family in this book, especially since Alessa and Dante were so isolated in the first. There are some fun new romances to be found in the book and we really get further character development of the group as we learn more about them (and of course some new ghiotte characters). Kaleb is a treasure and the perfect source of comedic relief in this book. We also get some insight into Adrick and his choices and how he mends his relationship with his sister and looks out for her.
Regarding our main characters, Dante is definitely one of my favorite book boyfriends and he truly goes on his own healing journey in this book as he finds himself again after losing his powers. He struggles so much of what his purpose is and strengths being a ghiotte and having to rediscover himself. Alessa at the same time is also going through her own struggles with her relationship with Dante and confidence in herself. The battle of Divoronado really affected her and she is scared what that might mean for the future. Reading how they found each other again and their commitment to each other really touched me and I felt this was a fitting follow-up to This Viscous Grace.
We got more expansion in the world, more questions answered about the lore, and developed characters that made their own found family. I was surprised how the ending shook out and was happy with the epilogue and the individual happiness our characters found. This duology is definitely a favorite!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
We pick up six months after the ending of the events in the first book. Alyssa is returning from a diplomatic trip and reunites with Dante who is still not feeling fully back to himself. Everyone is still trying to heal altogether from the war, but Dante is sure that this isn't the end and Crollo will be back. Dante and Alessa as well as the crew of Fonti leave to find the missing ghiotte and figure out what they must to do stop the next battle deigned by the gods.
I think my expectations were a bit high going into this book, and because of that it took me some time to feel fully invested in the world again. I found the modern language to be a bit more jarring this time around and I'm not sure if that was in there in the first or more pronounced in this one? I also felt at the beginning of this novel, Dante and Alyssa were both being extremely immature. I really thought they would have grown from the events of the first book, but I struggled with how they were treating each other. They definitely won me over again of course and I loved their banter between them and the loving relationship they have. I think most of the issues I found was that there was just a lack of a plot until the Ghiotte are found. Once the plot centers around the upcoming battle again, I found myself immersed and excited when reading.
There are so many more elements to found family in this book, especially since Alessa and Dante were so isolated in the first. There are some fun new romances to be found in the book and we really get further character development of the group as we learn more about them (and of course some new ghiotte characters). Kaleb is a treasure and the perfect source of comedic relief in this book. We also get some insight into Adrick and his choices and how he mends his relationship with his sister and looks out for her.
Regarding our main characters, Dante is definitely one of my favorite book boyfriends and he truly goes on his own healing journey in this book as he finds himself again after losing his powers. He struggles so much of what his purpose is and strengths being a ghiotte and having to rediscover himself. Alessa at the same time is also going through her own struggles with her relationship with Dante and confidence in herself. The battle of Divoronado really affected her and she is scared what that might mean for the future. Reading how they found each other again and their commitment to each other really touched me and I felt this was a fitting follow-up to This Viscous Grace.
We got more expansion in the world, more questions answered about the lore, and developed characters that made their own found family. I was surprised how the ending shook out and was happy with the epilogue and the individual happiness our characters found. This duology is definitely a favorite!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The September House by Carissa Orlando
4.75
The September House was such a fun haunted read that tells the story of a haunted house in a unique way!
Margaret found her dream house for a cheap price and was so happy to be able to move in 4 year sago with her husband Hal. What they didn't know is that it was extremely haunted and gets worse in the month of September. Blood drips down the walls, ghosts run amok pointing at the basement door, and there is never-ending screaming in the night. Margaret refuses to leave the house, it is her dream home but she has kept the quirks of the house secret to her daughter. Once Hal goes missing, Margaret's daughter Katherine comes to visit against Margaret's protests. She must do everything she can to keep her daughter safe and navigate the horrors of September.
I really, really loved this book. Margaret is a wonderful MC who I think just has an unbeatable optimism in the way she handles the house and deals with the "pranksters." These are the children ghosts who appear in September and you could tell she even has a fondness towards Elias (who has viciously bit her when getting in his personal space). I admired her as a character and truly loved how it played into the entire premise. Instead of people trying to leave the haunted house, she does her best to navigate the house and the rules she creates to stay in her dream home. If anything, the relationships between the ghosts in the book and Margaret were the best parts of the book.
I loved the pacing of the plot and the general atmosphere of the book. It's quite a gory book, especially with the descriptions of the wounds that the ghosts have sustained. Also the ghosts in this book aren't just haunting, they touch people and manipulate the real world. There are those horror aspects, but at the same time this book does touch a lot on domestic violence. It really tells you a lot about Margaret and Katherine, and how their relationship is affected by that and their decisions. The book switches between the past when Margaret and Hal first bought the house and in the present where Margaret is trying to hide the house's hauntings from her daughter.
The ending is absolutely crazy! I will say this is a true haunted house story and I love that versus it being explained away or someone is crazy. Overall the book is pretty gory and graphic, but also has the sarcastic and dark humor that I really enjoy in horror books.
Margaret found her dream house for a cheap price and was so happy to be able to move in 4 year sago with her husband Hal. What they didn't know is that it was extremely haunted and gets worse in the month of September. Blood drips down the walls, ghosts run amok pointing at the basement door, and there is never-ending screaming in the night. Margaret refuses to leave the house, it is her dream home but she has kept the quirks of the house secret to her daughter. Once Hal goes missing, Margaret's daughter Katherine comes to visit against Margaret's protests. She must do everything she can to keep her daughter safe and navigate the horrors of September.
I really, really loved this book. Margaret is a wonderful MC who I think just has an unbeatable optimism in the way she handles the house and deals with the "pranksters." These are the children ghosts who appear in September and you could tell she even has a fondness towards Elias (who has viciously bit her when getting in his personal space). I admired her as a character and truly loved how it played into the entire premise. Instead of people trying to leave the haunted house, she does her best to navigate the house and the rules she creates to stay in her dream home. If anything, the relationships between the ghosts in the book and Margaret were the best parts of the book.
I loved the pacing of the plot and the general atmosphere of the book. It's quite a gory book, especially with the descriptions of the wounds that the ghosts have sustained. Also the ghosts in this book aren't just haunting, they touch people and manipulate the real world. There are those horror aspects, but at the same time this book does touch a lot on domestic violence. It really tells you a lot about Margaret and Katherine, and how their relationship is affected by that and their decisions. The book switches between the past when Margaret and Hal first bought the house and in the present where Margaret is trying to hide the house's hauntings from her daughter.
The ending is absolutely crazy! I will say this is a true haunted house story and I love that versus it being explained away or someone is crazy. Overall the book is pretty gory and graphic, but also has the sarcastic and dark humor that I really enjoy in horror books.
Ararat by Christopher Golden
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Ararat is a supernatural thriller that leans more horror with claustrophobic anticipation.
Myriam and Adam are an adventure loving couple that film and write about their exploits. When one of their old guides at Mount Ararat in Turkey tells them an earthquake led to an exposed cave on the mountain, they rushed to get there first. They discover that there is an ark inside the mountain and claim the site for archeological purposes. A team of scholars, archeologists, and filmmakers make camp inside the mountain to investigate the site. They find a coffin with a deformed human being that looks like a demon and it causes chaos and doubt to cede the group. Everyone is trapped on the mountain when a blizzard comes in, but then they start to be hunted.
The plot was extremely fast paced, but I really enjoyed the pace overall as it kept me very intrigued and invested. Overall, it was an interesting read where the first half of the book is them exploring the ark and trying to discover if it truly is Noah's Ark from the Bible. Because of religious backgrounds, the horned cadaver causes a lot of fear and distrust in a very claustrophobic space, leading to people turning on each other. It's very much a society that starts to break down and gets ruled by fear. The setting was also very unique and not mountaineering is something I have not read about before.
The POVs start with Myriam and Adam, but then they switch between a whole cast of characters. Therefore, you don't get as much connection with the characters other than those two and Walker. Walker was sent by the United States as a member of the National Science Foundation (an undercover for another organization) and we get a lot of time from his perspective. With how often the POV switches, it definitely threw me off a little and made it hard to understand which person's perspective you are reading from. Also, once people start actually getting killed, a lot of the emotional punch is lost due to the lack of character development.
Once things delve fully into chaos, I was captivated. This truly is far more horror than thriller (and I think it is marketed as a thriller?). There is a lot of gore, terror, and panic. Nobody is safe in this book, and my heart rate rises more than once. I liked the ending, but I also didn't at the same time? I saw there are sequels in this world, but it focuses on other phenomenon. It really is a horror book ending though.
Myriam and Adam are an adventure loving couple that film and write about their exploits. When one of their old guides at Mount Ararat in Turkey tells them an earthquake led to an exposed cave on the mountain, they rushed to get there first. They discover that there is an ark inside the mountain and claim the site for archeological purposes. A team of scholars, archeologists, and filmmakers make camp inside the mountain to investigate the site. They find a coffin with a deformed human being that looks like a demon and it causes chaos and doubt to cede the group. Everyone is trapped on the mountain when a blizzard comes in, but then they start to be hunted.
The plot was extremely fast paced, but I really enjoyed the pace overall as it kept me very intrigued and invested. Overall, it was an interesting read where the first half of the book is them exploring the ark and trying to discover if it truly is Noah's Ark from the Bible. Because of religious backgrounds, the horned cadaver causes a lot of fear and distrust in a very claustrophobic space, leading to people turning on each other. It's very much a society that starts to break down and gets ruled by fear. The setting was also very unique and not mountaineering is something I have not read about before.
The POVs start with Myriam and Adam, but then they switch between a whole cast of characters. Therefore, you don't get as much connection with the characters other than those two and Walker. Walker was sent by the United States as a member of the National Science Foundation (an undercover for another organization) and we get a lot of time from his perspective. With how often the POV switches, it definitely threw me off a little and made it hard to understand which person's perspective you are reading from. Also, once people start actually getting killed, a lot of the emotional punch is lost due to the lack of character development.
Once things delve fully into chaos, I was captivated. This truly is far more horror than thriller (and I think it is marketed as a thriller?). There is a lot of gore, terror, and panic. Nobody is safe in this book, and my heart rate rises more than once. I liked the ending, but I also didn't at the same time? I saw there are sequels in this world, but it focuses on other phenomenon. It really is a horror book ending though.
Here for the Wrong Reasons by Lydia Wang, Annabel Paulsen
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
3.5
Here for the Wrong Reasons is definitely for the Bachelor fans!
Krystin is a Rodeo Queen from Montana who has spent her life competing in barrel racing, and wants to give Hopelessly Devoted a try. Josh Rosen is the new lead and Krystin will leave to compete in the reality TV show for his heart and find the husband to fill the life she's always wanted. Lauren on the other hand is an emerging content creator who joins the cast of Hopelessly Devoted in order to increase her follower count and social media following. She has no interest in Josh, because she is hiding her sexuality and hopes to make it far enough to be memorable but not lead him on. As both women compete in the show, they turn each other heads and must navigate the sticky situation they find themselves in.
I am a massive Bachelor fan and I feel like you have to be one as well to truly like this book because so much of the book surrounds that. It's actually really funny how they changed it just enough for its own show. Instead of handing out roses, they hand out strings and the lead will "cut" the strings on their wrists at the "string-cutting ceremony". They give out gold ribbons for dates instead of strings and there is a first impression ribbon. And of course, an "After the Final String" tv special.
It was a ton of fun to get a book in this setting and I very much enjoyed that part and I truly did like the lead Josh. I will say this book really delves into the setting and there is a lot of time spent on the show and the different group dates they go on as they compete further and further into the show.
One part I found lacking was that there was little interaction between Krystin and Lauren for a huge part of the first book. When they kiss for the first time, it felt strange because it lacked any yearning and development of their feelings for each other, specifically on Krystin's end. It seemed like Krystin really did like Josh and she pulled a 180 when she kissed Lauren, whereas more of Lauren's perspective shows how she is thinking about Krystin romantically. I did feel we got more development on Krystin's side, but Lauren's motivations seemed more murky and more to push the overall plot. Once their romance does develop, I really enjoyed it and truly felt the depth of their relationship.
Another part that I really didn't like was how the other contestants in the dating show were treated. They were all depicted as shallow, annoying, and self-serving. Obviously Lauren is there for the wrong reasons, but they make it seem like every other woman besides Krystin are there for the wrong reasons as well and super catty. Overall, it felt strange to me and I really wish there were different characterizations of female contestants in this book that didn't push them into this one box.
Again, I don't think this is a book for everyone. The reason why this kept so many stars is because it was so fun to read about a book essentially about the Bachelor and because I'm a fan I really enjoyed that aspect. So if you want to read a romcom about the Bachelor that ends in a sapphic relationship, then this book is for you!
Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Krystin is a Rodeo Queen from Montana who has spent her life competing in barrel racing, and wants to give Hopelessly Devoted a try. Josh Rosen is the new lead and Krystin will leave to compete in the reality TV show for his heart and find the husband to fill the life she's always wanted. Lauren on the other hand is an emerging content creator who joins the cast of Hopelessly Devoted in order to increase her follower count and social media following. She has no interest in Josh, because she is hiding her sexuality and hopes to make it far enough to be memorable but not lead him on. As both women compete in the show, they turn each other heads and must navigate the sticky situation they find themselves in.
I am a massive Bachelor fan and I feel like you have to be one as well to truly like this book because so much of the book surrounds that. It's actually really funny how they changed it just enough for its own show. Instead of handing out roses, they hand out strings and the lead will "cut" the strings on their wrists at the "string-cutting ceremony". They give out gold ribbons for dates instead of strings and there is a first impression ribbon. And of course, an "After the Final String" tv special.
It was a ton of fun to get a book in this setting and I very much enjoyed that part and I truly did like the lead Josh. I will say this book really delves into the setting and there is a lot of time spent on the show and the different group dates they go on as they compete further and further into the show.
One part I found lacking was that there was little interaction between Krystin and Lauren for a huge part of the first book. When they kiss for the first time, it felt strange because it lacked any yearning and development of their feelings for each other, specifically on Krystin's end. It seemed like Krystin really did like Josh and she pulled a 180 when she kissed Lauren, whereas more of Lauren's perspective shows how she is thinking about Krystin romantically. I did feel we got more development on Krystin's side, but Lauren's motivations seemed more murky and more to push the overall plot. Once their romance does develop, I really enjoyed it and truly felt the depth of their relationship.
Another part that I really didn't like was how the other contestants in the dating show were treated. They were all depicted as shallow, annoying, and self-serving. Obviously Lauren is there for the wrong reasons, but they make it seem like every other woman besides Krystin are there for the wrong reasons as well and super catty. Overall, it felt strange to me and I really wish there were different characterizations of female contestants in this book that didn't push them into this one box.
Again, I don't think this is a book for everyone. The reason why this kept so many stars is because it was so fun to read about a book essentially about the Bachelor and because I'm a fan I really enjoyed that aspect. So if you want to read a romcom about the Bachelor that ends in a sapphic relationship, then this book is for you!
Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare
3.75
Clown in a Cornfield is a fun YA horror book that is extremely fast paced and reminiscent of Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Quinn Maybrook moves to Kettle Springs to her father to get a fresh start after the loss of her mother. She happens to get involved in a feud between the older generation and adults and the teenagers. The adults are fed up with the kid's pranking after it leads to a young girl's death. The corn syrup factory that used to supply many of the jobs shut down and was recently burned down by more pranking teenagers. Someone masquerading as Frendo, the town's mascot clown, decides the best way to make Kettle Springs great again is to kill all of the prankster teens.
I was expecting this book to be more of a thriller? Like the clown pops up and kills someone and then the town doesn't know who it as and what was going on. Instead it happens all at once and I was not expecting that. The reason I comp it to Texas Chainsaw Massacre is because it's just absolute chaos and gore as it ramps up. The pacing is crazy and I was quite surprised by the gore and death as this is a YA book, but it made it feel like a true horror book and no one was safe!
I would say character wise, this is mainly just a plot forward kind of book. The POV switches often, especially minor characters as they are killed off. It's very much a slasher type of book that's absolutely wild and was truly engaging. Definitely pick this up for a fun, fast horror book!
Quinn Maybrook moves to Kettle Springs to her father to get a fresh start after the loss of her mother. She happens to get involved in a feud between the older generation and adults and the teenagers. The adults are fed up with the kid's pranking after it leads to a young girl's death. The corn syrup factory that used to supply many of the jobs shut down and was recently burned down by more pranking teenagers. Someone masquerading as Frendo, the town's mascot clown, decides the best way to make Kettle Springs great again is to kill all of the prankster teens.
I was expecting this book to be more of a thriller? Like the clown pops up and kills someone and then the town doesn't know who it as and what was going on. Instead it happens all at once and I was not expecting that. The reason I comp it to Texas Chainsaw Massacre is because it's just absolute chaos and gore as it ramps up. The pacing is crazy and I was quite surprised by the gore and death as this is a YA book, but it made it feel like a true horror book and no one was safe!
I would say character wise, this is mainly just a plot forward kind of book. The POV switches often, especially minor characters as they are killed off. It's very much a slasher type of book that's absolutely wild and was truly engaging. Definitely pick this up for a fun, fast horror book!
House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
4.25
House of Hunger is a gothic mixed with horror book and has an iteration of vampires set in a historical industrial setting.
Marion has lived in the slums of the South where she works a miserable job with no reprieve and has to help support her sickly brother. She wants out, but there are no options for her besides becoming a bloddmaid. She sees the listing in the paper and decides to apply. All Marion knows is that in the North, the wealthy lords drink the blood of those in service and the women are greatly compensated and treated with a pension. Once Marion arrives at the House of Hunger, the countess takes an interest in her and throws her into mystery and secrets, and she has to find out what is going on in order to save her life.
I very much liked the atmosphere and the gothic setting of the House and its history. In general, there isn't a lot of worldbuilding, the story is very centric to the people in it rather than an overall world. It's very reminiscent of the Industrial Revolution/early 19th century due to the description of the slums and the working atmosphere.
I really liked Marion as a character and I completely understood her decisions. One she starts to get more attention from Countess Lisavet, she becomes enamored with her and will do anything to keep that attention. Because of her characterization and background, you understand her wanting that relationship and monogamy with Lisavet, enough to overlook her suspicious actions.
The pacing is super quick, and once I was two-thirds of the way through the book, I was thinking that there had to be more to the story. The very end of the book picks up super fast and overall it left on an ambiguous ending. I was hoping it would be a bit more happy in a sense, but this is technically a horror novel so the ending made sense.
Marion has lived in the slums of the South where she works a miserable job with no reprieve and has to help support her sickly brother. She wants out, but there are no options for her besides becoming a bloddmaid. She sees the listing in the paper and decides to apply. All Marion knows is that in the North, the wealthy lords drink the blood of those in service and the women are greatly compensated and treated with a pension. Once Marion arrives at the House of Hunger, the countess takes an interest in her and throws her into mystery and secrets, and she has to find out what is going on in order to save her life.
I very much liked the atmosphere and the gothic setting of the House and its history. In general, there isn't a lot of worldbuilding, the story is very centric to the people in it rather than an overall world. It's very reminiscent of the Industrial Revolution/early 19th century due to the description of the slums and the working atmosphere.
I really liked Marion as a character and I completely understood her decisions. One she starts to get more attention from Countess Lisavet, she becomes enamored with her and will do anything to keep that attention. Because of her characterization and background, you understand her wanting that relationship and monogamy with Lisavet, enough to overlook her suspicious actions.
The pacing is super quick, and once I was two-thirds of the way through the book, I was thinking that there had to be more to the story. The very end of the book picks up super fast and overall it left on an ambiguous ending. I was hoping it would be a bit more happy in a sense, but this is technically a horror novel so the ending made sense.