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uutopicaa's reviews
713 reviews
#middletonmanor by Sandra J. Paul
There’s nothing quite like a short horror story to cleanse the palate after a disappointing read. It was the perfect time for me to read it.
This story, while straightforward in its plot (an influencer risks everything to stream from a haunted house and naturally things go wrong), is still engaging... though not exactly surprising.
Despite its simplicity, the narrative has a lot of potential to evolve into something more substantial, perhaps a novella. Expanding the story could allow readers to truly immerse themselves in the mansion’s eerie atmosphere, something that’s only hinted at in its current form.
As it stands, everything moves so quickly that there’s not enough time to fully appreciate the sense of dread the haunted house should evoke. I found myself wishing for more depth, both in terms of the setting and the characters. The mansion’s history, the town, and the characters' backstories all felt a bit underdeveloped, leaving me wanting more. A longer format could give us the chance to explore these elements and build a stronger sense of tension and fear.
Again, it is not a bad story at all. It was exactly what I wanted to read, but It could be much better too.
Overall, while the story has a strong classic foundation and potential, it feels a bit lacking in content to really deliver a memorable horror experience. It’s good, but I believe it could be much more if expanded. I’d love to see an extended version in the future!!!
And yes, I know this story is part of a "Tiny Horrors" collection of short stories, but it didn’t fully hit the mark for me as it is. I'm not sure how to explain it exactly.
As a writer, it’s certainly possible to craft a compelling and scary horror story in a brief format with the same word count. My issue with this story is that it feels more like a much larger narrative that has been summarized and stripped of the atmosphere and tension that would make it truly effective.
Still, I recommend it when you have the itch to read a quick haunted house story before going to bed!
3.5
There’s nothing quite like a short horror story to cleanse the palate after a disappointing read. It was the perfect time for me to read it.
This story, while straightforward in its plot (an influencer risks everything to stream from a haunted house and naturally things go wrong), is still engaging... though not exactly surprising.
Despite its simplicity, the narrative has a lot of potential to evolve into something more substantial, perhaps a novella. Expanding the story could allow readers to truly immerse themselves in the mansion’s eerie atmosphere, something that’s only hinted at in its current form.
As it stands, everything moves so quickly that there’s not enough time to fully appreciate the sense of dread the haunted house should evoke. I found myself wishing for more depth, both in terms of the setting and the characters. The mansion’s history, the town, and the characters' backstories all felt a bit underdeveloped, leaving me wanting more. A longer format could give us the chance to explore these elements and build a stronger sense of tension and fear.
Again, it is not a bad story at all. It was exactly what I wanted to read, but It could be much better too.
Overall, while the story has a strong classic foundation and potential, it feels a bit lacking in content to really deliver a memorable horror experience. It’s good, but I believe it could be much more if expanded. I’d love to see an extended version in the future!!!
And yes, I know this story is part of a "Tiny Horrors" collection of short stories, but it didn’t fully hit the mark for me as it is. I'm not sure how to explain it exactly.
As a writer, it’s certainly possible to craft a compelling and scary horror story in a brief format with the same word count. My issue with this story is that it feels more like a much larger narrative that has been summarized and stripped of the atmosphere and tension that would make it truly effective.
Still, I recommend it when you have the itch to read a quick haunted house story before going to bed!
The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill
2.0
*NOTE: I had the opportunity to experience the audiobook as an ARC (advanced reader copy) through NetGallery, and I’m grateful to the publisher for providing it. This review reflects my honest opinion.
So, where do I even begin?
I really wanted to love this book. The premise sounded fantastic, and it seemed incredibly promising. The concept reminded me of some of my favorite "bookish" books (I know that sounds a bit funny) like "The Cat Who Saved Books", "Almond", "Days at the Morisaki Bookshop", "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" (this one is about time travelling), and "Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop". These are the types of stories I gravitate toward, and I thought this one would be right up my alley.
But I was wrong.
So, the plot. The novel follows a trans young adult (he is almost in his 30´s I believe) living in New York City with his queer friends. For various reasons, he decides to temporarily return to his hometown in Illinois and help her mom pack up everything in their house so she can move to a smaller condo. While there, he visits the local bookstore where he once worked as a teenager. Through a strange twist of fate (or maybe the bookstore’s magic), he encounters his teenage self—pre-transition. The two versions of him get to interact, understand one another better and help each other navigate self-acceptance, life choices and personal growth.
On paper, this sounds like a heartwarming, thoughtful story that touches on important issues. It promises great queer representation and positive messages about being true to oneself, and it has the potential to be a deeply moving narrative. But unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark.
Let’s start with the pacing. The rhythm of the book is all over the place. Some scenes rush by while others drag on for far too long. There are entire chapters that feel unnecessary, contributing little to the overall story and could easily be skipped without any impact on the plot. This inconsistent pacing made the reading experience feel disjointed.
Another issue is the characterization. The protagonist, while well-meaning, is unidimensional and annoying. He constantly repeats the same thoughts about himself throughout the book. For example, whenever his mother is mentioned, he says something like, “I didn’t know my mom was working on this project, but I haven’t called her in months” or “I didn’t know my mom was planning to move, but I barely call her once a year.” This kind of repetition happens in almost every chapter, which makes it feel less like a fully realized character and more like a character stuck in a loop.
When it comes to the other characters, the mother is the only one who feels well developed and like a real person. Everyone else is merely a token, filling a specific role in a particular scene before fading into the background to be forgotten. I wish we got to see more of them.
The overall structure of the story felt more like an unpolished draft than a finished product. It seemed as though the book was rushed to publication, perhaps in an attempt to capitalize on the current cultural conversation around queer identity, which, although probably well-intentioned, gave the book a sense of being hurried and incomplete.
Ultimately, I had high hopes for this story, but the execution fell short. The concept is intriguing and the representation of queer identities is commendable, but the storytelling doesn’t do justice to the potential of the idea. If you’re looking for a meaningful, heartwarming tale about self-discovery, there are better options out there.
Sadly, I can’t wholeheartedly recommend this one. Great premise, but poor execution.
So, where do I even begin?
I really wanted to love this book. The premise sounded fantastic, and it seemed incredibly promising. The concept reminded me of some of my favorite "bookish" books (I know that sounds a bit funny) like "The Cat Who Saved Books", "Almond", "Days at the Morisaki Bookshop", "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" (this one is about time travelling), and "Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop". These are the types of stories I gravitate toward, and I thought this one would be right up my alley.
But I was wrong.
So, the plot. The novel follows a trans young adult (he is almost in his 30´s I believe) living in New York City with his queer friends. For various reasons, he decides to temporarily return to his hometown in Illinois and help her mom pack up everything in their house so she can move to a smaller condo. While there, he visits the local bookstore where he once worked as a teenager. Through a strange twist of fate (or maybe the bookstore’s magic), he encounters his teenage self—pre-transition. The two versions of him get to interact, understand one another better and help each other navigate self-acceptance, life choices and personal growth.
On paper, this sounds like a heartwarming, thoughtful story that touches on important issues. It promises great queer representation and positive messages about being true to oneself, and it has the potential to be a deeply moving narrative. But unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark.
Let’s start with the pacing. The rhythm of the book is all over the place. Some scenes rush by while others drag on for far too long. There are entire chapters that feel unnecessary, contributing little to the overall story and could easily be skipped without any impact on the plot. This inconsistent pacing made the reading experience feel disjointed.
Another issue is the characterization. The protagonist, while well-meaning, is unidimensional and annoying. He constantly repeats the same thoughts about himself throughout the book. For example, whenever his mother is mentioned, he says something like, “I didn’t know my mom was working on this project, but I haven’t called her in months” or “I didn’t know my mom was planning to move, but I barely call her once a year.” This kind of repetition happens in almost every chapter, which makes it feel less like a fully realized character and more like a character stuck in a loop.
When it comes to the other characters, the mother is the only one who feels well developed and like a real person. Everyone else is merely a token, filling a specific role in a particular scene before fading into the background to be forgotten. I wish we got to see more of them.
The overall structure of the story felt more like an unpolished draft than a finished product. It seemed as though the book was rushed to publication, perhaps in an attempt to capitalize on the current cultural conversation around queer identity, which, although probably well-intentioned, gave the book a sense of being hurried and incomplete.
Ultimately, I had high hopes for this story, but the execution fell short. The concept is intriguing and the representation of queer identities is commendable, but the storytelling doesn’t do justice to the potential of the idea. If you’re looking for a meaningful, heartwarming tale about self-discovery, there are better options out there.
Sadly, I can’t wholeheartedly recommend this one. Great premise, but poor execution.
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
dark
slow-paced
2.5
La verdad es que me sorprendió que no me gustara. He leído otras obras de la autora que me fascinan, pero con esta no conecté. Sentí que no pasaba nada en toda la historia hasta el final, que sobraban un montón de páginas y que el "giro sorpresivo" era obvio desde el inicio. Incluso cuando el final se acercaba, ya también tenía clarísimo cómo iba a acabar, al punto de sentir que podía dejar el libro inconcluso sin perderme de nada.
Está muy bien escrito, y la ambientanción es increíble. También tiene muy buenos personajes y una premisa interesante. Pero el ritmo de la historia me resultó aburridísimo. Como cuando uno tiene que escribir un ensayo de X cantidad de páginas y lo adorna con un montón de palabras que no significan nada solo para llegar al mínimo.
En fin. Como sí me han gustado otras cosas de la autora, posiblemente lea algo más suyo en el futuro.
Está muy bien escrito, y la ambientanción es increíble. También tiene muy buenos personajes y una premisa interesante. Pero el ritmo de la historia me resultó aburridísimo. Como cuando uno tiene que escribir un ensayo de X cantidad de páginas y lo adorna con un montón de palabras que no significan nada solo para llegar al mínimo.
En fin. Como sí me han gustado otras cosas de la autora, posiblemente lea algo más suyo en el futuro.
Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose
4.75
No me gusta que el final es un infodump de casi cincuenta páginas. Salvo por eso, el libro es magnífico.
Una velada en la librería Morisaki by Satoshi Yagisawa
3.5
3.5
El primero me gustó mucho más. Y este... pues lo empecé en español, pero había tantos errores en los diálogos (muchas rayas de diálogo que faltaban más que nada) que lo tuve que acabar en ebook en inglés.
El primero me gustó mucho más. Y este... pues lo empecé en español, pero había tantos errores en los diálogos (muchas rayas de diálogo que faltaban más que nada) que lo tuve que acabar en ebook en inglés.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
4.75
Definitivamente una de mis mejores lecturas del año. El final me resultó un poco más básico de lo que esperaba, pero fue coherente y no estuvo mal.
El aroma a lavanda by Cabushtak
emotional
fast-paced
3.75
Se lee rapidísimo. Es cortito y fresco. Yo no soy el público ideal para la historia, y no la he disfrutado tanto como tros libros de la autora que tienen personajes más adultos. No obstante, eso no significa que el libro sea malo. Al contrario, es un libro muy bonito que habla sobre la homofobia, en especial en pueblos más pequeños de Latinoamérica, en el odio que existe, el bullying, las amenazas, los peligros y el temor de los miembros de la comunidad de ser sinceros consigo mismos y con quienes les rodean.
Es un libro duro, pero también un libro que refleja una realidad que existe todavía en el presente, lamentablemente.
Es un libro duro, pero también un libro que refleja una realidad que existe todavía en el presente, lamentablemente.
The Killer Next Door by Amanda Stevens
tense
fast-paced
3.0
No es lo que más me ha gustado de la autora ni por casualidad. Al ser breve, sentí que faltaba mucho contexto y que no se disfruta del desarrollo, todo pasa apuradísimo y muy líneal. No hay misterio en realidad.