Scan barcode
wanderingthepage's reviews
168 reviews
Goblin: A Novel in Six Novellas by Josh Malerman
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I am not a huge fan of short stories, but overall this collection was good. Of course some stories I enjoyed more than others. I did struggle with this book, one story I restarted because tbh, I was a little confused. Some parts were hard to get through when I didn’t enjoy that particular story. Overall I’m glad I pushed through and finished. My favorite stories were Kamp, Presto and The Hedges.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Police brutality
The Girls Are Never Gone by Sarah Glenn Marsh
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Body horror, Medical content, and Death of parent
Slade House by David Mitchell
dark
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
2.75
It seems many have loved this book, I’m sad that I just couldn’t get into it. I almost DNF’ed this one and I don’t think I gained any enjoyment from finishing it lol. Sometimes if I stick it out, I end up enjoying the book in the end. I didn’t connect with the plot or the characters. The elements were there for things I love, yet this one fell short for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Racism, and Sexual content
A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell
4.0
A Stranger on the Beach was a fast paced, drama filled read! I could barely put this book down. You get sucked into the plot right away, with drama on every page and short chapters this book is a quick read. The chapters go between Caroline’s point of view and then Aidan’s, giving us a glimpse at two slightly varying storylines. It becomes apparent quickly that something is askew. I have to tread lightly as I don’t want to reveal anything in depth because you should go into this book as blind as possible in my opinion. While, I did have some idea of part of the plot twist, other parts I didn’t see coming. I have talked to a fellow bookie friend that said she didn’t see any of the plot twist coming! Regardless of me having some clue I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it for my fellow thriller lovers! I can’t wait to read the other books on my shelves from Michele Campbell, she is definitely an auto buy author in my eyes!
Gretchen: A Thriller by Shannon Kirk
4.0
Gretchen was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it did not disappoint! I loved that this book was a thriller but had some great creepiness mixed in. I was completely blindsided by the first big plot twist and it took the book in a direction I didn’t expect but it was great. Lucy has been on the run with her mother for 13 years, living in many different states. They settle in their 11th state, at a new rental, on the property of Gretchen and her father. You can tell right away something is way off with the father daughter pair! I expected something to happen right away but, Lucy settles in for the summer and gets her first job. Just when you are starting think maybe you were wrong, bam, everything breaks loose! I was literally reading this book with my jaw on the floor. I couldn’t even believe what was happening. Then, just when you start to settle in again, bam, another plot twist. There were so many facets to this plot, that it made for more than I had expected from this book. I actually cried at the conclusion, they were happy tears though. The ending really touched my heart. I am now a huge fan of Shannon Kirk and have already ordered her book “Into the Vines”. I highly recommend this book, I think it’s a great read and brings something different to the sea of thrillers.
The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
3.5
3.5 stars - I am keeping this short and sweet because I don’t want to ruin any part of the book for you all. The Turn of the Key is definitely a slow burn, the action doesn’t really start until 200+ pages. Now, I don’t mind a slow burn, there were parts leading up to the twist that I did really love but, there were a couple of times that I was just ready to get on with it. I loved the creepy eerie atmosphere Ruth Ware builds in this book, that was one of my favorite things about the story. I didn’t fully guess the twist but, I also kinda did. I can’t explain more because it will ruin it. I felt that there was so much build up for a somewhat flat ending. I felt very let down after all the anticipation that was built. The twist was just meh for me and the ending had some somewhat loose ends. I mean, maybe not totally loose but, there was something that happened and I was like, wait.......... so what does that mean?! I was very frustrated at first so I took a few days before writing this review. I had a hard time deciding on a rating because I feel that 3 stars is a bit harsh but it was not 4 stars for me, therefore I am going with ⭐️⭐️⭐️
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
4.0
I really loved One of Us is Lying. I wavered on my rating, I contemplated giving this one 4.5 stars. I decided on 4 stars because of a couple of things, the first was that I figured out the whodunit pretty easily. It did not ruin the story for me though! There were enough other twists in the story to keep it alive. The second thing I just didn’t love, was the ending. The prologue is set three months later, we mainly hear from two of the characters. I wanted updates from everyone. But, I read this as part of a buddy read and while discussing, my friend reminded me that there will be a second book so that possibly explains the lack of updates. Believe it or not, this book made me cry! One of Us is Lying does have LGBTQ representation, that part of this story really hurt my heart. I just felt so connected to that character, parts of that story line absolutely had me on the edge of my seat! This book really has plenty of mystery and surprise, a dash of romance and LGBTQ representation so it has tons going for it. I definitely got some PLL vibes and even a little Gossip Girl! I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy YA.
The Institute by Stephen King
4.0
This was my very first Stephen King novel! I went into this thinking I would get a bit more horror, The Insitute was definitely more science fiction. I really got Stranger Things vibes from this book, minus the demmagorgan and a few other things. Think more Eleven and Hopper. The beginning of the book started a bit slow for me but, it definitely picked up once we got to The Institute. During the middle of the book, I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. There are definitely a few big events that will have you on the edge of your seat. You get invested in these children and you root for them. The last section of the book was a bit predictable and I really wanted more from the ending. It was not a bad ending, it just wasn’t what I had envisioned after such a crazy journey. I am glad I read my first Stephen King, I think I need to check out some of his earlier horror novels, they seem to be more my taste. While this wasn’t my favorite book, I did enjoy many parts. I think a lot of you will really like this one.
The Lies They Tell by Gillian French
4.0
I really enjoyed this YA thriller/mystery. I figured out the whodunnit fairly easily, but this is YA so I take that into consideration. This was a quick read and the pacing kept me interested. If you are looking for a quick read and a light thriller, I highly recommend picking this one up!