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woodsybookworm's reviews
99 reviews
Where I End by Sophie White
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
๐ชขWhere I End๐ชข
"After the freedom of sleep, I am once more confined to my life"
I was warned this would be unsettling, nonetheless I read on.
Where I End follows Aoileann, a young woman who assists her paternal grandmother in caring for Aoileann's invalid mother - whom she has nicknamed the 'bed-thing'. Aoileann has completely disassociated herself from her mother's condition and turned her into an object or as she says, 'a relic of a human', 'a nuisance', 'a chore'.
When a young artist in residence named Rachel arrives with her newborn child, Aoileann finds herself infatuated. Aoileann begins stalking Rachel, sneaking into her house at night, dreaming of a life with her - without the bed-thing and the baby to hold them back. Her desire for human connection, lacking in her own family, has created a monster within herself that even the townspeople fear.
Sophie White made the mundane aspects of everyday life, of caring for a family member who cannot care for themselves, into an absolutely unnerving nightmare.
Even considering all this, the book was a slow read for me and there were a few points I almost DNFed due to boredom and frustration. While I will not be getting the imagery of this book out of my head, I still didn't find it an enjoyable enough read to come back to or possibly even recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Self harm, Chronic illness, Excrement, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Stalking
Food to Die for: Recipes and Stories from America's Most Legendary Haunted Places by Amy Bruni
dark
informative
medium-paced
4.0
๐๐ฝ๏ธ Food To Die For ๐ฝ๏ธ๐
This book is a deep dive into ghostly history with a splash of recipes - old and new. Written by Amy Bruni, known for her work on SyFy's Ghost Hunters and the TLC docu-series Kindred Spirits, Bruni weaves her personal experience visiting haunted locales with historical information on the locations.
I expected the cookbook parts of the book to be recipes inspired by the locations but most were modern recipes from the actively open haunted hotels and restaurants. We get more unique recipes in the section of the book on haunted houses - like Lizzie Borden's meatloaf, taken from a handwritten recipe card by Borden herself.
The majority of the recipes are simple enough to produce at home and the history of haunted places make for a fascinating read. If you know a lot about haunted history, you might already recognize quite a few of the locations described in the book but if you're looking to dip your toe into ghostly territory then this would be a fun read or a great gift for the budding supernaturalist.
I can definitely say I'd like a sequel especially living in a state known for its many ghost towns and its haunted history. There's so much out there to explore for future books!
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Celebrate, and Amy Bruni for allowing me to read this book as an eARC.
This book is a deep dive into ghostly history with a splash of recipes - old and new. Written by Amy Bruni, known for her work on SyFy's Ghost Hunters and the TLC docu-series Kindred Spirits, Bruni weaves her personal experience visiting haunted locales with historical information on the locations.
I expected the cookbook parts of the book to be recipes inspired by the locations but most were modern recipes from the actively open haunted hotels and restaurants. We get more unique recipes in the section of the book on haunted houses - like Lizzie Borden's meatloaf, taken from a handwritten recipe card by Borden herself.
The majority of the recipes are simple enough to produce at home and the history of haunted places make for a fascinating read. If you know a lot about haunted history, you might already recognize quite a few of the locations described in the book but if you're looking to dip your toe into ghostly territory then this would be a fun read or a great gift for the budding supernaturalist.
I can definitely say I'd like a sequel especially living in a state known for its many ghost towns and its haunted history. There's so much out there to explore for future books!
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Celebrate, and Amy Bruni for allowing me to read this book as an eARC.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Suicide
Romancing Miss Stone by M.C. Vaughan
adventurous
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? Yes
3.5
๐ฆ Romancing Miss Stone ๐ฆ
Tropes: Opposites Attract, Hurt-Comfort, Insta Love, Grumpy Sunshine ๐
Bo Ferguson is a quiet homebody who suddenly receives a notification from his fiance that she's breaking up with him...over text. Not taking the break-up text as the end of his relationship, Bo decides to be spontaneous and book a flight to Belize to confront his destiny (capital 'D' Destiny that is - his fiance).
Alex Stone is a fiery tour guide in desperate need of money to pay back a loan she took out on her travel company after the loss of her father. In dire need of funds, she might have just found her meal ticket in sweet and simple Bo.
But when sparks fly between the two will they discover the missing piece they've been looking for in each other or will Bo's mission and Alex's own past heartbreak get in the way?
But when sparks fly between the two will they discover the missing piece they've been looking for in each other or will Bo's mission and Alex's own past heartbreak get in the way?
I enjoyed the banter and how Alex walked Bo through his panic attacks - they had good chemistry and were sarcastic with each other but they also knew when to stop pushing and be real.
Overall this was a cute rom-com reminiscent of its parodied namesake, Romancing The Stone, with lower stakes and a fun role reversal.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for the eARC copy!
Content Warnings
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Grief
Embrace the Beast by Mia West
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Alien Pilot Needs a Nanny by Tasha Black
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.0
The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
The story is split between two timelines. One timeline follows Sophia Ashmore as she assists her husband James in his search for a rare breed of spiders known as Pseudonephila Sireine on a remote island in Greece. The primary timeline follows Henry Latimer, an audiologist and poet, as he attempts to assist Edward Ashmore in gaining investors for his unique spider silk fabric.
The fabric is unusual in the fact that one side creates complete silence, cutting off all sound of the outside world, while the other side causes a sound nicknamed the Telverton malaise which causes an illness known as the echoes. The echoes cause deafness and madness, which has corrupted the town and all who live and work around the factory.
As Sophia discovers more about the island people, the spiders, and her growing love for a village woman named Hira so too does Henry learn of the curse of the spiders as he struggles with his own infatuation for Sir Edward.
This book is so hard to explain! I enjoyed it, though I will say the characters are not lovable - this book is filled with characters who are cruel, self-absorbed, and gaslight each other left and right. Even so, I found the book interesting and it kept me invested.
There are a few side characters I would have liked to see more of like Philomel, Edward's daughter, who was born deaf due to complications with the spiders - her and her mother's story would make an interesting prequel/sequel.
If you get an opportunity to pick it up on release day prepare for some gothic vibes and a lot of references to Greek Mythology! Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and author Bridget Collins for allowing me to read an ARC of this book
The fabric is unusual in the fact that one side creates complete silence, cutting off all sound of the outside world, while the other side causes a sound nicknamed the Telverton malaise which causes an illness known as the echoes. The echoes cause deafness and madness, which has corrupted the town and all who live and work around the factory.
As Sophia discovers more about the island people, the spiders, and her growing love for a village woman named Hira so too does Henry learn of the curse of the spiders as he struggles with his own infatuation for Sir Edward.
This book is so hard to explain! I enjoyed it, though I will say the characters are not lovable - this book is filled with characters who are cruel, self-absorbed, and gaslight each other left and right. Even so, I found the book interesting and it kept me invested.
There are a few side characters I would have liked to see more of like Philomel, Edward's daughter, who was born deaf due to complications with the spiders - her and her mother's story would make an interesting prequel/sequel.
If you get an opportunity to pick it up on release day prepare for some gothic vibes and a lot of references to Greek Mythology! Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and author Bridget Collins for allowing me to read an ARC of this book
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, and Gaslighting
A Peculiar Peril by Jeff VanderMeer
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Jonathan Lambshead has inherited his grandfather's massive mansion filled floor to ceiling with oddities and curiosities. While exploring the seemingly neverending mansion, Jonathan happens upon a doorway to another world full of talking animals, occultists, and a terrifying evil.
I'd compare this to a darker version of Narnia, where you can't guarantee everyone will make it out in the end.
This is probably the most off his usual path work for Jeff Vandermeer - while his voice is still in it - it's much more like a young adult fantasy than the cosmic horror of his usual work. If you're reading this because you're a fan of Jeff Vandermeer this might not be what you're expecting.
I'd compare this to a darker version of Narnia, where you can't guarantee everyone will make it out in the end.
This is probably the most off his usual path work for Jeff Vandermeer - while his voice is still in it - it's much more like a young adult fantasy than the cosmic horror of his usual work. If you're reading this because you're a fan of Jeff Vandermeer this might not be what you're expecting.
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
An expedition consisting of an anthropologist, surveyor, psychologist, and biologist are sent by government agency Southern Reach to explore Area X. Like a bubble shimmering at the edge of society, Area X is a zone where nature has reclaimed the land and all prior expeditions into this zone have ended in disaster. Area X is growing slowly each day, closer and closer to the city edges - will it take over the world, what really happened to the expedition teams that entered, will this expedition be the one to finally solve the mystery of Area X?
Jeff Vandermeer's books are written like cosmic horror poetry - the characters are unreliable and often not empathetic and the landscape is curiously odd. Annihilation is beautiful. The world building and the scenery these characters walk through are written out in deeply intense prose, highly detailed.
If you aren't a fan of books that describe every small detail this might not be for you but if you enjoy a mystery with some cosmic horror elements then you'll enjoy this book.
Jeff Vandermeer's books are written like cosmic horror poetry - the characters are unreliable and often not empathetic and the landscape is curiously odd. Annihilation is beautiful. The world building and the scenery these characters walk through are written out in deeply intense prose, highly detailed.
If you aren't a fan of books that describe every small detail this might not be for you but if you enjoy a mystery with some cosmic horror elements then you'll enjoy this book.
The Child Thief by Brom
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
5.0
A dark Peter Pan retelling. Nick is tricked by Peter into joining him in Neverland, which sounds like a dream land of magic and freedom. Instead he finds himself surrounded by feral children and thrown into a power struggle of Neverland's leaders.
This book is so good it's unreal. I love Peter Pan retellings but this one takes the cake. Peter isn't some wide eyed boy who only sees the good in the world, he's like an angry teenage spirit of the forest who fights against adult authority.
The expansion of Neverland lore and characters was so entertaining to read and Brom's art mixed with the storyline made for a beautiful journey into a chaotic world.
If you get a chance to pick up this book, you won't regret it!
This book is so good it's unreal. I love Peter Pan retellings but this one takes the cake. Peter isn't some wide eyed boy who only sees the good in the world, he's like an angry teenage spirit of the forest who fights against adult authority.
The expansion of Neverland lore and characters was so entertaining to read and Brom's art mixed with the storyline made for a beautiful journey into a chaotic world.
If you get a chance to pick up this book, you won't regret it!
The Plucker by Brom
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Jack (and the box), a forgotten toy, must fight against the evil Plucker, a demonic spirit, to protect his fellow toys and his human child Thomas.
Think of a terrifying Toy Story, it's even laid out like a kid's picture book. This is probably the most whimsically dark book I've ever read. Set up like a kid's book with large print and overlay images you'd think it'd be a cute story about a toy protecting its child but this is Brom so there are more than cute little monsters to go up against there are literal demons for Jack to battle.
If you've always wanted to see your toys fight against the actual monster under the bed this is the book for you.
Think of a terrifying Toy Story, it's even laid out like a kid's picture book. This is probably the most whimsically dark book I've ever read. Set up like a kid's book with large print and overlay images you'd think it'd be a cute story about a toy protecting its child but this is Brom so there are more than cute little monsters to go up against there are literal demons for Jack to battle.
If you've always wanted to see your toys fight against the actual monster under the bed this is the book for you.