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thenovelstitch's reviews
267 reviews
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
dark
mysterious
fast-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
4.5
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak is a propulsive and mind bending take on the classic ghost story. Mallory Quinn, 18 months sober, takes up a job as a nanny in a upscale South Jersey suburb. This feels like the perfect place for Mallory to continue her sobriety and to come to terms with where her life is at now. Teddy the five-year-old son that she is nannying is a sweet and gregarious little kid who loves to draw. As Mallory settles into life with Teddy and his family, she starts to notice some of Teddy's drawings have a darker side. When she witnesses Teddy seemingly becoming possessed by a spirit in an attempt to draw more disturbing pictures, she knows something is terribly wrong in that house. Unfortunately, the parents do not believe her, and Mallory starts to question her own sense of reality.
I have had this book on my bookshelf since September 20 22 and for whatever reason I just have been putting off reading it until yesterday. I picked it up at 8 AM and by 3 PM I had finished it. I read it in every crack of time I had throughout my day yesterday because it was so engaging, so well written and so thrilling. I just could not put it down! Why it took me almost 3 years to get here, I don't know, but I'm so glad I did and I have his second book on order right now. The writing is needle sharp. The plot is well paced, well tensioned and you can tell that this book went through really great editing because there is no moment where the story lags or feels boring or loses your interest. This is what makes a book a fantastic book to me -- it's not just the material inside, but it's how it is curated for the reader.
If you like expertly written ghost stories, then I think you will really like Hidden Pictures.
I have had this book on my bookshelf since September 20 22 and for whatever reason I just have been putting off reading it until yesterday. I picked it up at 8 AM and by 3 PM I had finished it. I read it in every crack of time I had throughout my day yesterday because it was so engaging, so well written and so thrilling. I just could not put it down! Why it took me almost 3 years to get here, I don't know, but I'm so glad I did and I have his second book on order right now. The writing is needle sharp. The plot is well paced, well tensioned and you can tell that this book went through really great editing because there is no moment where the story lags or feels boring or loses your interest. This is what makes a book a fantastic book to me -- it's not just the material inside, but it's how it is curated for the reader.
If you like expertly written ghost stories, then I think you will really like Hidden Pictures.
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Last Murder At the End of the World by Stuart Turton is another incredible work by this author. There was no way I thought he could top the 7 1/2 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and the Devil in the Dark Water but I think he's come close with this book.
After a devastating apocalyptic fog takes over the entire world, a small group of refugees on a Greek island survive by the help of three scientists known as the "elders". The elders and the small group of survivors have managed to survive for the last 90 years on this island by keeping the fog at bay until suddenly a death starts a chain reaction that begins to threaten the lives of everybody on the island. For one of the Islanders, Emory, this is an opportunity to not only solve a murder and save her people but to gain answers to some of her deeper questions about the elders, the island and what's beyond. Unfortunately, as Emory digs deeper into the island, secrets begin to emerge that may be more threatening than the fog that is now slowly creeping towards them from the sea.
The Last Murder At the End of the World is one part apocalyptic story, one part a narrative on AI and one part commentary on the way humans inevitably keep people "othered". I thought this was an incredible setting and story to explore all three of these themes through the lens of an apocalypse and a "locked island" backdrop. Even though these themes are prominent, the unraveling mystery at the center of the story is so fantastically plotted and tensioned that you don't necessarily feel like you're reading a book about the impact of technology on humans. Turton does a fantastic job leading the reader expertly through the story and as the reader you are just in the dark as Emory, who is tasked with figuring out what happened and what to do.
The only reason this book is a four out of five stars is because the ending of the book felt a little lack luster compared to the magnitude of the book up until the ending. I don't know what I was expecting or what I was hoping for, but I do know that it was for a little bit more than what we got.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book to anybody who enjoys lock room type mysteries and who has enjoyed any of his previous books. I can't wait to read whatever he thinks up next.
After a devastating apocalyptic fog takes over the entire world, a small group of refugees on a Greek island survive by the help of three scientists known as the "elders". The elders and the small group of survivors have managed to survive for the last 90 years on this island by keeping the fog at bay until suddenly a death starts a chain reaction that begins to threaten the lives of everybody on the island. For one of the Islanders, Emory, this is an opportunity to not only solve a murder and save her people but to gain answers to some of her deeper questions about the elders, the island and what's beyond. Unfortunately, as Emory digs deeper into the island, secrets begin to emerge that may be more threatening than the fog that is now slowly creeping towards them from the sea.
The Last Murder At the End of the World is one part apocalyptic story, one part a narrative on AI and one part commentary on the way humans inevitably keep people "othered". I thought this was an incredible setting and story to explore all three of these themes through the lens of an apocalypse and a "locked island" backdrop. Even though these themes are prominent, the unraveling mystery at the center of the story is so fantastically plotted and tensioned that you don't necessarily feel like you're reading a book about the impact of technology on humans. Turton does a fantastic job leading the reader expertly through the story and as the reader you are just in the dark as Emory, who is tasked with figuring out what happened and what to do.
The only reason this book is a four out of five stars is because the ending of the book felt a little lack luster compared to the magnitude of the book up until the ending. I don't know what I was expecting or what I was hoping for, but I do know that it was for a little bit more than what we got.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book to anybody who enjoys lock room type mysteries and who has enjoyed any of his previous books. I can't wait to read whatever he thinks up next.
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
funny
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? It's complicated
4.75
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio is one of those books that is so wildly fresh you just cannot put it down. Seriously, I read this book in three days and would have finished it sooner if I didn't have to do things like work ;)
Lauren comes home one night after drinks with a friend to find a man --a HUSBAND -- in her apartment. She's apparently been married to him for years, and she has no idea who he is. When he heads up into the attic the next morning, she watches in shock as a different husband comes down in his place. Realizing that her attic spits out husbands whenever they cross the threshold, Lauren sets about playing with her own personal dating app. Expect, being able to flip through husbands may not be as fun as she thinks, because each time she exchanges a husband, something about her own life changes too.
I thought The Husbands was such an interesting take on the "repeat day" trope as well as a wonderful commentary on modern dating, singlehood, and exploring all the different ways partnership can work. The writing is quick witted and the pacing is perfect. I hope this gets made into a movie ASAP!
Lauren comes home one night after drinks with a friend to find a man --a HUSBAND -- in her apartment. She's apparently been married to him for years, and she has no idea who he is. When he heads up into the attic the next morning, she watches in shock as a different husband comes down in his place. Realizing that her attic spits out husbands whenever they cross the threshold, Lauren sets about playing with her own personal dating app. Expect, being able to flip through husbands may not be as fun as she thinks, because each time she exchanges a husband, something about her own life changes too.
I thought The Husbands was such an interesting take on the "repeat day" trope as well as a wonderful commentary on modern dating, singlehood, and exploring all the different ways partnership can work. The writing is quick witted and the pacing is perfect. I hope this gets made into a movie ASAP!
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
mysterious
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? Yes
3.25
Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
Another banger from Lisa Jewell! I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review, so here it is.
In Don’t Let Him In, Ash Swann’s life is turned upside down when her father is killed one evening coming home from work. Her life becomes even more unsettled when her mom begins dating a man, Nick, who claimed to know her father back in their youth. Ash is confused and hurt that her mother would start dating so quickly and that every day feels like it is inching her closer to having a new stepdad. Ash begins to suspect that Nick isn’t the world’s most perfect boyfriend, and as she starts to dig deeper, interconnected lives and lies start to surface.
Overall Don’t Let Him In is a solid 4/5 stars for me. The twists, turns and u reliable narrators worked perfectly! Jewell has SUCH a talent for crafting thrillers that hook you and keep you engaged from page one. Was I able to guess all the twists correctly? Sure. Did it detract from the experience of reading this book? Not at all. I would totally recommend this book to anyone who wants something quick, engrossing and thrilling to read.
In Don’t Let Him In, Ash Swann’s life is turned upside down when her father is killed one evening coming home from work. Her life becomes even more unsettled when her mom begins dating a man, Nick, who claimed to know her father back in their youth. Ash is confused and hurt that her mother would start dating so quickly and that every day feels like it is inching her closer to having a new stepdad. Ash begins to suspect that Nick isn’t the world’s most perfect boyfriend, and as she starts to dig deeper, interconnected lives and lies start to surface.
Overall Don’t Let Him In is a solid 4/5 stars for me. The twists, turns and u reliable narrators worked perfectly! Jewell has SUCH a talent for crafting thrillers that hook you and keep you engaged from page one. Was I able to guess all the twists correctly? Sure. Did it detract from the experience of reading this book? Not at all. I would totally recommend this book to anyone who wants something quick, engrossing and thrilling to read.
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Huh.
I am not so sure where I stand with The Buffalo Hunter Hunter. Overall, it was a solid 3.75 star read for me. I thought the characters were really intriguing and very distinct, I enjoyed Jones’ fresh take on vampires and I thought the dual POVs were done so well. Each character’s voice was so distinct, which is what made the dual perspectives so fun to jump back and forth between.
This book is LONG and SLOW and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I was surprised by my desire to stick it out and finish it because I usually DNF’d just on pacing alone. Im not sure I’m better off for sticking it out though, as much as I enjoyed the depth of Arthur and Good Stab’s stories there were a multitude of issues I had with the story outside of the pacing.
The first and biggest issue for me is Etsy’s character and the flimsy wrappings of her story that contained the deeper narrative. Honestly could have done without the entire Etsy storyline. It felt so jarring to jump back into her perspective after such a sweeping saga that it practically killed the vibe for me. Her character wasn’t funny (even though she was desperately trying to be) or clever. The book would easily be 4.5 stars if her part wasn’t in it. I struggled with understanding the necessity of her story. It felt like Jones couldn’t let go of this characters and needed to just drag out their existence a little bit more. I could have done without it.
The rest of my gripes are small and probably insignificant. Trying to understand what the hell a “dirty-face” was or what they meant when referring to items or other food sources was confusing and took me out of the story often. Jones would follow up with a definition or clarity later in the chapter, but it was so far past the new phrase or word that you’d then spend multiple pages wondering what the hell this thing meant. Again a small gripe, and I get that these are historically accurate words and names for things like cows and prairie dogs, it was just a bit tough to navigate.
All in all, I probably won’t read this again but I would recommend it for a horror lover who wants a fresh take on vampire and the Wild West. There are some significant potential content triggers in here so please read content warnings if you need.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
I am not so sure where I stand with The Buffalo Hunter Hunter. Overall, it was a solid 3.75 star read for me. I thought the characters were really intriguing and very distinct, I enjoyed Jones’ fresh take on vampires and I thought the dual POVs were done so well. Each character’s voice was so distinct, which is what made the dual perspectives so fun to jump back and forth between.
This book is LONG and SLOW and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I was surprised by my desire to stick it out and finish it because I usually DNF’d just on pacing alone. Im not sure I’m better off for sticking it out though, as much as I enjoyed the depth of Arthur and Good Stab’s stories there were a multitude of issues I had with the story outside of the pacing.
The first and biggest issue for me is Etsy’s character and the flimsy wrappings of her story that contained the deeper narrative. Honestly could have done without the entire Etsy storyline. It felt so jarring to jump back into her perspective after such a sweeping saga that it practically killed the vibe for me. Her character wasn’t funny (even though she was desperately trying to be) or clever. The book would easily be 4.5 stars if her part wasn’t in it. I struggled with understanding the necessity of her story. It felt like Jones couldn’t let go of this characters and needed to just drag out their existence a little bit more. I could have done without it.
The rest of my gripes are small and probably insignificant. Trying to understand what the hell a “dirty-face” was or what they meant when referring to items or other food sources was confusing and took me out of the story often. Jones would follow up with a definition or clarity later in the chapter, but it was so far past the new phrase or word that you’d then spend multiple pages wondering what the hell this thing meant. Again a small gripe, and I get that these are historically accurate words and names for things like cows and prairie dogs, it was just a bit tough to navigate.
All in all, I probably won’t read this again but I would recommend it for a horror lover who wants a fresh take on vampire and the Wild West. There are some significant potential content triggers in here so please read content warnings if you need.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Genocide, Gore, Racial slurs, Torture, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Minor: Sexual assault
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten was pretty much your average thriller -- a group of four women, dubbed the Nacka Four, mysteriously disappear on a secluded island off the coast of Sweden and ten years later another group of women head to that same island to celebrate a bachelorette party.
Tessa, our main character, is a podcaster turned social pariah after something terrible happened, presumably around her podcast. You won't find out what that thing is though until you're practically done with the book and by then it will be hard to care. Tessa is struggling with the fallout of this mysterious situation and she's broke which becomes her defining personality trait in this story. With less than 20 bucks to her name she joins her sister and friends at a luxury resort on the same small Swedish island those four girls disappeared at ten years earlier. She feels like an outcast, and can't quite get the hang of the social dynamics between old friends who have new lives. When one of them mysteriously and suddenly leaves the island at night, leaving only a note behind, Tessa begins to suspect that what happened to the Nacka Four is now happening to them.
Overall, the book was a typical thriller. It was fast paced, had dual timelines and was full of twists and turns that unfortunately were pretty predictable. The Bachelorette Party is a 3/5 star read for me, however I did read advanced reader copy so I am hoping that the editorial team will clean it up a little bit more before publishing. The biggest issue I had with the book was the amount of unnecessary exposition from Tessa, especially her inner thoughts. The author spent so much time telling us how Tessa was feeling and yet we are strung along for most of the book around the "big thing" that Tessa is carrying. I really hope the editors trim a LOT of fat here. I get that in first person POV it's really easy to over explain the character's experiences and it was just too much here. I also didn't like any of the characters, but not because they were annoying characters but because they kinda all blended into each other.
Overall I think I would recommend this book if you want an easy beach reach or something similar. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Tessa, our main character, is a podcaster turned social pariah after something terrible happened, presumably around her podcast. You won't find out what that thing is though until you're practically done with the book and by then it will be hard to care. Tessa is struggling with the fallout of this mysterious situation and she's broke which becomes her defining personality trait in this story. With less than 20 bucks to her name she joins her sister and friends at a luxury resort on the same small Swedish island those four girls disappeared at ten years earlier. She feels like an outcast, and can't quite get the hang of the social dynamics between old friends who have new lives. When one of them mysteriously and suddenly leaves the island at night, leaving only a note behind, Tessa begins to suspect that what happened to the Nacka Four is now happening to them.
Overall, the book was a typical thriller. It was fast paced, had dual timelines and was full of twists and turns that unfortunately were pretty predictable. The Bachelorette Party is a 3/5 star read for me, however I did read advanced reader copy so I am hoping that the editorial team will clean it up a little bit more before publishing. The biggest issue I had with the book was the amount of unnecessary exposition from Tessa, especially her inner thoughts. The author spent so much time telling us how Tessa was feeling and yet we are strung along for most of the book around the "big thing" that Tessa is carrying. I really hope the editors trim a LOT of fat here. I get that in first person POV it's really easy to over explain the character's experiences and it was just too much here. I also didn't like any of the characters, but not because they were annoying characters but because they kinda all blended into each other.
Overall I think I would recommend this book if you want an easy beach reach or something similar. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.