I really enjoyed this one. It was a beautiful, whimsical tale based on the indigenous lore of the Lipan Apache tribe.
Elatsoe was SO good, so of coursI really enjoyed this one. It was a beautiful, whimsical tale based on the indigenous lore of the Lipan Apache tribe.
Elatsoe was SO good, so of course, I wanted to know more about Grandma Shane. I loved Elatsoe's ability to communicate with animals and her adventure.
This one felt deeper and richer in that so much was acceptable, such as with the mushroom rings for travel and the way that Darcie Little Badger wrote this showed growth and strength in her talent as an author. I really can't wait to see what she delivers next.
A scene that stood out starkly to me was when everyone was getting sick from unsanitary water after a flood, and the question is asked "What did we do now?" and trying to find a reason how it can be tied back to some guilt of a past misdeed But the response "Nothing. Tragedies aren't punishments." And I think a lot of us still have that kind of religious guilt of being punished for action or inaction, but really, it is just a tragedy and not a punishment. Sometimes bad things just happen, and it's not a karmic reaction or a punishment.
This started out really well, and then it just kind of started to turn 2-dimensional.
The mystery wasn't too bad, but it could have provided a bit morThis started out really well, and then it just kind of started to turn 2-dimensional.
The mystery wasn't too bad, but it could have provided a bit more suspense.
The two timelines were weirdly set up.
There's not really any one thing I can put my finger on here escept maybe character development of the 2nd timeline from the beginning, and then the 1st timeline slacked off while the 2nd got more important.
5 years later, I enjoyed this one even more than the first time. Maybe it's because I have read the follow-on series, and my fulfillment was better fi5 years later, I enjoyed this one even more than the first time. Maybe it's because I have read the follow-on series, and my fulfillment was better filled with that one.
Persephone is hands down my all-time favorite character of this whole series, and she was woefully short in lines. I missed the witty humor and her quotable awesomeness that was held in other books. I was so happy for those short moments though.
This time around, the romance and understanding with Blue were more apparent. However, I still want more of Blue and the ladies.
I highly recommend the audio version of this. Delanie Nicole Gill’s voice acting lifted this one up to a whole other experience in the creep factor! FI highly recommend the audio version of this. Delanie Nicole Gill’s voice acting lifted this one up to a whole other experience in the creep factor! From that first opening sentence, she gives 8-year-old Bela a voice that lets you know you are in for a ride of horror and suspense.
Josh Malerman gives his readers a LOT to love in this horrific haunting. Bela is a spectacular character, even if her parents are less than stellar.
There are some interesting characters, but by the time the séance and security protocols are involved, it gets a bit much.
The "loss of innocence" could have gone many different ways.
Overall, everything up to leaving the house with many rooms was 5-star material, but everything after brought it down to a 4-star for me.
I liked the case of the author, and the things going on behind the scenes. Kay being a target may get tiresome if it is every book, but I guess it wasI liked the case of the author, and the things going on behind the scenes. Kay being a target may get tiresome if it is every book, but I guess it was the same with Alex Cross.
I forgot how much nonstop smoking there was in the early 90s. It's pretty cringe to read about in 2024, haha.
I will continue on; I love the scientific bits that are thrown in.
Huh.... Well, this had a lot of elements that could have made it great.
Twin kidnapping-could be great
Mental hospital on a Shutter Island like locatioHuh.... Well, this had a lot of elements that could have made it great.
Twin kidnapping-could be great
Mental hospital on a Shutter Island like location-great
Secret paternity test? Great
And yet... No. There was maybe only one good suspenseful moment.
Instead, this felt like a storyboard of potential book ideas that were all bullets on sticky notes that ended up pasted into a Word doc and had some work with filling in the gaps.
Kiela is a beautiful character, and Cas makes the adventure hilarious.
I love all of the characters on the island, the This was wonderfully whimsical.
Kiela is a beautiful character, and Cas makes the adventure hilarious.
I love all of the characters on the island, the acceptance of so many races and differences, and the way that they all just work together without thinking about it.
The merhorses were spectacular!
I loved the spell magic here and everything about the island.
This is such a rich environment with beautiful characters and MEEP! I really hope that Sarah Beth Durst continues to use this in the future. I am in the PRO series.
I don't want this to be the end. This is a warm hug, and I want more.
Grant County is substantially darker than most of Will Trent. Karin Slaughter seems to be taking out of all of her anger at the injustices done to womGrant County is substantially darker than most of Will Trent. Karin Slaughter seems to be taking out of all of her anger at the injustices done to women here, and honestly good for her.
Lots of character development on a mostly darker slant.
Sara Linton- much self-guilt and self-exploration here. I liked the softer parts with Jeff and the strong parts at her clinic.
Chief Jeffrey Tolliver is surprisingly the softest character in the book, which I guess was echoed and expounded upon by Will Trent. In this one, he has a lot of the "Why won't you just let me love you" trope with Sara. The guilt of having to shoot someone and not knowing if it was the right choice.
Lena Adams-This one was almost more demanding on her than the first book. Dark connections with dark people, darkness in her own mind. I love how the relationship with her uncle and her career struggle developed. It's amazing how she can still accomplish anything, but she is a badass in her own way.
TW: Pedophiles, incest, cutting, teen pregnancy, genital mutilation, torture, suicide by police, death and dismemberment of an infant, attempted suicide, etc.
It was fun to have so much of the book involve my home state and places I have spent much time in. I have always been curious about what a peyote visiIt was fun to have so much of the book involve my home state and places I have spent much time in. I have always been curious about what a peyote vision trip would be like.
I can't believe Walt didn't react more to that last-second news.
This was a great one for the further evolution of Henry as a character, even though I always wanted more.
The reservation was the main setting, and the mystery was a bit convoluted.
A good one for showing that we all have craziness going on in our lives, but when someone takes a chance on us, it can make a big difference.
Chris Whitaker has woven together a richly developed cast of characters. This is a bit of a saga as it spans more than 25 years of these characters' lChris Whitaker has woven together a richly developed cast of characters. This is a bit of a saga as it spans more than 25 years of these characters' lives (starting in 1976 and ending in 2001).
Narrated through the eyes of Patch, a one-eyes boy who revels in his disability and takes on the persona of a pirate. He ends up kidnapped in place of one of the girls, and his plight to save and locate the rest of the girls ends up consuming him.
Saint, whose neverending search leads her to a life in law enforcement, constant feelings of inadequacy, and a struggle between her drive and her strict religious upbringing.
Misty, a girl who was saved yet feels unworthy of the life she was given.
Charlotte comes in later to narrate and enrich the story's further development as it grows. I love that Charlotte brings in some random, witty, foul-mouthed comedic relief in an otherwise mostly serious novel.
Ancillary characters abound, and Chris Whitaker does not waste the significance of characters.
I absolutely loved the details of the search for the missing and coinciding with the search for the serial killer. I love that the characters were flawed and real.
However, something about this just kind of started to feel TOO long. There are a LOT LOT LOT of chapters, to the point that it was kind of crazy. More than 200 chapters is insane. Sometimes in the last third of the book, I just wanted to skip ahead and see what happened. I think it drug on a bit too long.
This was my first novel by the author; he is obviously very talented. I will be picking up other novels in the near future.
I freaking loved this! Admittedly, it was a bit weird to get into in the beginning, but Heavebreaker!
Sara Wolf is a fantastic character. I love her. I freaking loved this! Admittedly, it was a bit weird to get into in the beginning, but Heavebreaker!
Sara Wolf is a fantastic character. I love her. I don't even care if she turns evil and tries to take over humanity; I am on her side!
Jousting in space with steeds that are ship machines, alien components, and a robotic dog.
Political houses and intrigue. The spider.
LOVED the characters, all darker grey.
Okay, so if I were going to pick something a part, it would be the difficulty of grasping the full scope of visualization of both the arena (for some reason, I am envisioning Saturn's rings) and the full scope of the steeds in battle since they seem to be somewhat separate from the steed and the rider. We need more descriptions on these, and please, some mockup photos or something.
Also... The under the ocean... Freaking brilliant and diabolical. I love it. That fight with the psychopath was so creepy and terrible. Well done.
5 Stars, can't wait for more in this series, the ending was POW! ...more
I loved this until the end when it felt like I was missing pages, but nope, that was it.
The most hilarious part was when a character is pushed off toI loved this until the end when it felt like I was missing pages, but nope, that was it.
The most hilarious part was when a character is pushed off to their death. I know that's irreverent of me, but for some reason, the way it was written made me think of about a thousand ways to parody it.
I loved Spindrift; wish I liked the ancillary characters more and wanted a bit more of the history.
The first story was just terrible. I hate Dorothy. Dorothy has already been built up to be hated, and this story is from her point of view, and she isThe first story was just terrible. I hate Dorothy. Dorothy has already been built up to be hated, and this story is from her point of view, and she is even more terrible as a narrator.
I liked the Glenda story, which gave me a bit of insight into how she helped Dorothy become as monstrous as possible.
The monkey's brain obsession snippets were interesting, and this set of stories was just too much Dorothy for me.
Danielle Paige did a fantastic job creating someone that you hate, but I don't enjoy her enough to enjoy this more than a 3 star....more