witchy_woo_13's reviews
1064 reviews

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.5

Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

4.75

Slow to start but once it got going - so good! I'm greatly looking forward to Pride's story, which seems to be the next one. 
A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.5

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

4.0

Cackle by Rachel Harrison

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emotional funny lighthearted sad fast-paced

4.5

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

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adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

4.75

Maeve Fly by CJ Leede

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dark funny sad tense medium-paced

4.5

Open the Casket by J.N. Eagles

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dark mysterious sad fast-paced

4.0

 
Eagles does a great job of threading a complete story through a series of poems - some acrostic, others poetic prose or blackout. We are brought into a world of a mysterious ghost, a grieving woman, a cemetery tree, a grave digger, and grave robbers. We are brought into the story through a single POV, that of the ghost, as they question by they are trapped in the cemetery, and make observations about mourners and the nature of things dying (like a cemetery tree). 


Perhaps my favorite thing about this book was a realization I had about part way through. The blackout poems! These poems are blackouts using other poems in the book, sometimes the one just before it. I thought this was really impactful and can use the duality a poem can contain. I also really enjoyed the use of color - with just the physical pages, to reflect on the juxtaposition between light and dark. 


Overall, a nice quick read if you are looking for something slightly spooky and atmospheric for the season. 
The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

Sundial by Catriona Ward

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

3.75