Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan is a very interesting story. It follows Rae, a young woman who is very sick and makes a bargain to enter the worlLong Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan is a very interesting story. It follows Rae, a young woman who is very sick and makes a bargain to enter the world of her favorite book series. Only when she enters, she find that she has actually taken the place of the villain character. What else can she do but embrace it?
The biggest thing about this book is it is very campy. If you do not like things that are a little silly and goofy, this isn’t the book for you. Rae is in a story book world and is constantly using modern terminology and having to explain what it means to the other characters around her. This is really funny in the book but I know it could get on some reader’s nerves if they want something a little more serious.
I really had a good time with this one. I was laughing out loud more than once and I thought the main plot was intriguing. There is a large cast of characters but I think the author does a good job giving everyone a distinct personality.
My only issue with this book is that it feels long. Some parts seem kind of repetitive and it makes the pacing feel a bit off. I think fifty pages could probably have been edited out and it would have helped a lot. But it was still an enjoyable read.
Moira Quirk narrates the audiobook. She is one of my favorite audiobook narrators and I thought she did great in this book. Her voice matched the type of story very well. ...more
The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig is a lush fantasy that draw inspiration from “Godfather Death” by the Grimm Brothers and follows Hazel, a thirteThe Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig is a lush fantasy that draw inspiration from “Godfather Death” by the Grimm Brothers and follows Hazel, a thirteenth child who is promised to a god.
I don’t want to say anything else because it’s better to go into this book not knowing much but this was absolutely fantastic. When I wasn’t reading this book, I was thinking about reading it. And when I was reading it, I was trying to slow down and stay in the story as long as possible.
This book is so atmospheric. I feel like I was really in this world. The reader gets to see a lot of Hazel’s life and the author manages to make everything seem important to the story, no matter how small it is.
There is magic and mystery and a smidge of romance (though I would never classify this as a romantic book). There are gods and royalty. There are themes of morality and mortality and they are woven so well into the narrative.
This will, without a doubt, be in my top books of the year and I cannot wait to get a physical copy to reread because I always miss Hazel. ...more
The Wedding Witch is the third book in the Ex Hex series and follows Tamsyn and Bowen, two characters that we know about from previous books. When theThe Wedding Witch is the third book in the Ex Hex series and follows Tamsyn and Bowen, two characters that we know about from previous books. When they both end up attending the same witchy wedding, chaos ensues and they end up having to work together to get things figured out.
I went into this book only knowing that it followed Bowen, a character I have been intrigued by and have been wanting to learn more about. As I read it, I realized that this book felt very different from the other two books. Very little of this book takes place in Graves Glen, the small town the previous books are set in. While I did enjoy this installment more than the previous book, it was missing a lot of the charm and small town magic the other books had.
I enjoyed Tamsyn and Bowen together. They had obvious chemistry and seemed to play off of each other well. The main plot of this story is where I had the most issues. It just didn’t really make sense to me and the way things went in the last third of the book really went in a direction I didn’t like. There is a very specific thing that happens that I won’t spoil but it immediately felt weird to me.
This was a fun book. It’s a very fast read but with less magic than I would have liked. I think this is where I need to officially stop reading from this author. I have enjoyed a couple of her books but they mostly end up letting me down. While this one was a book that I had a good time reading for the more part, it was still lacking some of the charm I wanted from this series. ...more
Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White follows Miles, a young trans man who survives an attempted murder that spurns him into action.
Every book by tCompound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White follows Miles, a young trans man who survives an attempted murder that spurns him into action.
Every book by this author is so different from the last but still has that common thread of a trans teen learning to get by in a world that is against them-just set against completely different backdrops. I really loved the setting of this one. Appalachia is such a unique area of the United States and books that are set in that area usually have great atmosphere.
I really loved Miles as a character. He was complex and had to try and make a lot of decisions that were very difficult. The side characters really added to the story to fully flesh it out. I just loved this book. It definitely leans more into the thriller category and I flew through it. I read it in a single sitting which is not something I do often.
I went into this book blind and that was a great way to experience it. I have read both of this author’s previous books so I kind of knew what to expect. That being said, there is a pretty lengthy content warning list. Should you need to look at that list, the author has it on his website as well as on the Goodreads page for this book.
The cover is a little creepy and there is a dog on it. Her name is Lady and she is so sweet. You don’t need to worry about her through the book. I know that is a big thing for some people so I just want to make sure you know going in that things will be okay for her. Maybe not okay for everyone else though. ...more
Evil In Me by Brom was somehow exactly what I thought it would be but managed to really impress me at the same time. It follows Ruby who is currently Evil In Me by Brom was somehow exactly what I thought it would be but managed to really impress me at the same time. It follows Ruby who is currently going court mandated community service and helping take care of an older man when his daughter isn’t home. While she is at his house one day, she discovers that all the creepy stuff he collects may actually have some deeper origins. Ruby ends up on quite the mission and meets a lot of interesting people along the way.
I think from the first few pages, the reader can kind of guess where this story is going to go but it still does some surprising things along the way. I loved Ruby’s character and enjoyed following her around. I loved the way things in the plot progressed. This book has a good amount of gore in it but also a lot of heart and some humor. I also really enjoyed a lot of the side characters, even the “bad” ones because that added extra depth to the story.
This book is really fast paced despite having really long chapters. I found myself flying through it, wanting to know what would happen. I think the big moment of conflict at the very end felt a little rushed. After all the build up, I wanted just a little more.
I think this is going to be a book a lot of people really enjoy. It has a familiar but still unique vibe. It reminded me of watching an older favorite movie and I had a great time. ...more
Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma is a dark academia, vampire novel that pulls from African mythology and features a lot of black characters. It is being Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma is a dark academia, vampire novel that pulls from African mythology and features a lot of black characters. It is being pitched as The Cruel Prince meets Ninth House. After finishing the book, I do think that pitch is accurate and I think fans of those books will enjoy this book.
This book follows Kidan as she searches for her sister. She believes her sister has been taken by a vampire. In order to find out what happened to her sister, Kidan decides to infiltrate an elite university called Uxlay. The story progresses from there.
This book was full of so much lore and it was so unique, I don’t want to say more because it’s best to discover it as you read but I was captivated. I had super high expectations for this book and it surpassed those. I can’t believe this is a debut book. My only complaint is that I don’t have the second book now to read immediately.
I listened to the audio of this one and it’s narrated by Jordan Cobb. Her voice was so perfect for this story and I think it added to the experience. I could easily differentiate between the characters and it was easy to listen to.
I’m predicting it now. This will be a sleeper hit. It will come out and a few people will talk about it and then more people will talk about it and more until it really blows up. This book has the perfect fall vibe which will match up well with its release date. Plus the first print run is absolutely stunning. I can’t wait to get a physical copy.
Huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook before its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ...more
Lucy Undying by Kiersten White is a loose Dracula retelling that follows Lucy, a character who plays a critical role in the original Dracula tale. WitLucy Undying by Kiersten White is a loose Dracula retelling that follows Lucy, a character who plays a critical role in the original Dracula tale. Without going too much into the plot, this novel is a story that explains how Lucy really was and what became of her.
I am a huge Kiersten White fan so I was already excited about this but once I started reading it, I was so hooked. This story is incredible sapphic and gorgeously written. This is told in a few different formats and povs. Iris is a modern day character who finds Lucy’s diary so we get Iris’ modern pov, Lucy’s diary entries, and some transcripts.
The diary entries and the transcripts were far and away my favorite part of this book but I did enjoy Iris’ pov as well. It just felt more modern where as the rest had a more poetic vibe to it.
This book has so much longing and aching in it. I found myself tearing up more than once while reading this. I just loved some of the lines so much. There is a change in tone at about the 65 percent mark where it becomes a lot more plot focused so there is this feeling have having multiple stories mashed together which I really enjoyed but may not work for everyone.
I think there are a lot of great discussions that could come from this book about identity and womanhood and love.
I cannot wait to get my hands on a physically copy of this to annotate and tab because I enjoyed this so much. This will definitely be in my top books of the year, if not my top book of the year. I just finished it and I already want to reread it.
Huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ...more
Ghost Camera by Darcy Coates is a short story collection with the first story being the titular story. This one was originally written several years aGhost Camera by Darcy Coates is a short story collection with the first story being the titular story. This one was originally written several years ago but due to fan popularity, it is making a comeback in this collection.
I really enjoy this author. She is somehow able to perfectly capture the vibe of “cozy horror” and this collection really exemplifies that. I think the strongest story is the first story. It was the most interesting and fun for me to read but the subsequent short stories were nice too. I love a short story collection. Something about short horror really works well for me.
I don’t think all the stories were amazing but there were at least a fun time. Most of them were about a three star read for me. The first story was definitely a solid four which leaves this collection at about a 3.5 star overall, rounded up. I would highly recommend this collection to anyone trying to get into horror or to anyone who can’t handle super scary things but once something a little on the creepy side.
Huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ...more
Nightmare of a Trip follows the Somerset family as they go on a vacation from the Midwest to Orlando, Florida but what starts out as family fun quicklNightmare of a Trip follows the Somerset family as they go on a vacation from the Midwest to Orlando, Florida but what starts out as family fun quickly turns into a vacation from hell when things start going awry. Will they be able to make the most of it or will their haunted vacation be the best of them?
I thought this was a fun book. I think my expectations were a little high because of how much I loved Suburban Hell by this author. I think this book struggles to know what story it wants to tell so it’s just telling all of them at the same time.
There are a lot of things going on in this book. It wants to be a humorous vacation gone wrong book while also being a haunted road trip book while being a quick read and all those things just don’t mesh well. The pacing is a little strange at times because it felt like a lot of rushing from point to point.
I did enjoy the family dynamics. Reading this while my own kids were screaming around the house as background noise really added to the atmosphere of the story.
This is a strong three star book for me. While I didn’t like it as much as this author’s horror debut, I enjoyed my time reading it. I think it was a fun time, just a little muddy at times.
Huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. ...more
Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London follows a woman named Tess who is a huge fan of a series of vampire books and actually believes that they may be bFang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London follows a woman named Tess who is a huge fan of a series of vampire books and actually believes that they may be based on a true story due to overwhelming evidence supporting that fact. So when it turns out that she is not far from the truth, she is up for the adventure, if she can survive it.
I am so bummed that I didn’t love this book. I wanted to so much because I loved this author’s debut book and I love cheesy vampire books. But I just never felt connected to this story. The magic system was kind of hard to understand, there were too many povs which made it impossible to connect to the characters, and the tone jumped from light and cheesy to very dark and serious randomly. All the mixed media inserts felt pointless.
There were a few scenes in here that felt like they had been ripped straight out of twilight and the vampire diaries. I’m sure there are a lot do people who will enjoy this book. I just wanted so much more from it.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ...more
The City in Glass by Nghi Vo follows a demon named Vitrine and a city called Azril and how the two of them are interconnected.
This is one of those booThe City in Glass by Nghi Vo follows a demon named Vitrine and a city called Azril and how the two of them are interconnected.
This is one of those books that could best be described as not much plot, all vibes. Like the other books I have read by this author, this book just scratched something in my brain. The prose is lyrical and luscious and the story that is woven is captivating.
This story is also one of those “trust the process” books. The beginning is kind of confusing but the more you read, the more it makes sense and you begin to form an attachment to the characters.
I cannot wait to reread this and annotate it. There were some lines that really hit deep and the overall story was so beautiful....more
House of Bone and Rain by Gabino Iglesias follows five young adult men as the seek revenge for the death on one of their mothers. With a storm incominHouse of Bone and Rain by Gabino Iglesias follows five young adult men as the seek revenge for the death on one of their mothers. With a storm incoming, tension runs high in this page turning horror thriller that will have you up late reading.
I loved this book. The writing was so beautiful and I love the mix of Spanish from some of the characters. The author does a wonderful job giving context clues to what the Spanish means if you aren’t familiar with the language but it’s also very easy to translate if you are reading the ebook version.
I found all the characters to be very distinct. They all seemed to have their own moral compass and sometimes it aligned with the other characters but sometimes it didn’t. I think this was a really fast paced read and very unique with the way the story was told.
I would highly recommend going into this book blind and just being there for what the story throws at you but I will say this book can be very gory and gruesome at times so be aware of that going in.
I cannot wait for this book to release so I can get a physical copy to annotate. There are some quotes that will stick with me for a long time. I never tab ebooks but I found myself tabbing this one a lot which is just a testament to how stunning the writing was.
Huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ...more
Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto has been my most anticipated romance read of the year for so long that it feels surreal now to have actually read Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto has been my most anticipated romance read of the year for so long that it feels surreal now to have actually read it. It like that feeling when you are a kid on Christmas looking around at all the shredded wrapping paper and wondering what now? This book was like Christmas morning to me and now I have an empty hole in my life because it’s over. All that to say, I really loved this book.
It follows Gwen and Alex, two musicians who are both incredibly talented and find themselves sitting across from each other as members of an orchestra. Sparks begin to fly between them when they realize how compatible they are music-wise. But emotions aren’t as easy to handle as strings when their two very different worlds start to collide.
As a former band nerd, this book played directly to my music loving soul. I loved all the scenes where they would practice and listening to classical music while reading this really amplified the overall experience. I thought the tension between the characters was perfect and the lead up to the spice was top notch. Speaking of spice, this book had me fanning my face more than once.
I loved the growth the main characters went on. They start the book kind of in a weird state of uncertainty and they don’t know what they want but the more the story unfolds, the more they find their path. This book was originally fanfiction and I think you can really see that with parts of this but that made me love it even more. I love when things are a little over the top.
I also loved the cameos of the Forget Me Not characters! I missed Ama and Elliot so getting to see them again was amazing!
I loved this so much and can’t wait to read what this author writes next. I think I still loved Forget Me Not just a little more but this one was fantastic too. Huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ...more
Blood Over Bright Haven by M L Wang follows Sciona, a young woman with a goal. That goal is to be the first woman accepted into the High Magistry. HowBlood Over Bright Haven by M L Wang follows Sciona, a young woman with a goal. That goal is to be the first woman accepted into the High Magistry. However, getting in is just the beginning because challenges await her at every turn. Will she be able to make it through?
This was my first book by this author and it definitely won’t be my last! One thing I really loved about this book was how accessible it was. While there is a pretty intricate magic system, I think it was so well explained that it would be easy to understand for most readers. With this being a standalone as well, I think it is a great fantasy book that I will be recommending over and over again.
This book had a lot of hard hitting themes of racism, classism, sexism, and colonialism and it manages to balance everything really well while still conveying the message. More than one time I wanted to throw my ereader across the room because I was getting so mad at what was going on.
There are a lot of complexities to the plot and it somehow manages to come together so well at the end of the story. I was worried I would feel like this book didn’t do enough but I was very satisfied with how it ended.
This book packs an emotional punch because you get so attached to the characters so anytime they are facing a hardship, it feels like you are right there with them.
I would highly recommend picking this book up when it releases. It is so good. ...more
This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher is a cozy fantasy that follows three heroes ten years after their big battle as they are living their lives. Now they hThis Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher is a cozy fantasy that follows three heroes ten years after their big battle as they are living their lives. Now they have to come together again for the Queen’s wedding and what follows is a reluctant reunion between the three as they are forced to relive memories of their past.
I was super excited about this book when I saw the pitch and found out that E.B. Asher is actually a pen name for not one, but three authors. I’m so happy that this really met my expectations. This was so cozy and funny. I have been seeing it pitched as like The Princess Bride and I don’t really see that comparison but I do think this is comparable to the vibes the Ella Enchanted movie and Shrek. Those fantasy stories that incorporate more modern stuff into them. This story has coffee shops and an Uber type of service along with a few other things.
The majority of this book is also super low stakes. There is no plot until about the 50% mark and it’s much more focused on the characters and their lives. So this would work well for fans of Legends and Lattes. Even the more action packed parts weren’t anything too wild.
There are two romances going through this book that I enjoyed. But my main issue with this book is there are four main characters and only three points of view and the only point of view we don’t get is the one that I was the most interested in.
I think a lot of people will really enjoy this book. If you are a fan of Dungeons and Dragons vibes with lower stakes and some fun banter, check this one out!
Huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ...more
Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman follows Bela, an eight year old child who is being haunted by an entity she refers to as “Other Mommy.” OtIncidents Around the House by Josh Malerman follows Bela, an eight year old child who is being haunted by an entity she refers to as “Other Mommy.” Other Mommy is determined to get into Bela’s heart but has to get permission from Bela first. At first, Other Mommy only visits Bela at night but the longer the story goes on, the more Other Mommy comes out until she is appearing everywhere Bela goes.
This book was so scary to me. I’m not someone who gets scared by books typically and I think I’m pretty desensitized to a lot of horror after reading so much of it. But this book has actual jump scares! If you mixed Coraline with Lights Out and sprinkled a little Paranormal Activity on top, you would have this book.
This book is told entirely from Bela’s perspective and I think that decision works well because of the way a child’s mind works. Things are bigger and more scary reading them from her point of view. Adults talk over her so you only get snippets of conversations sometimes so you are forced to try to fill in the blanks. It makes a lot of the adults seem very clueless, which I can see annoying some people but it just felt realistic to me.
The atmosphere is top notch in this book. The way things are described had me looking over my shoulder while reading! If you want to be scared, I suggest reading this at night in the dark for the fullest effect.
This book is going to be a huge hit with horror fans when it comes out because it is truly creepy and unsettling. I have read a few books by this author now and this is my favorite. Make sure to put this one your radar!
Huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ...more
American Rapture is the second novel by CJ Leede and it follows a very sheltered catholic teenager named Sophie who finds herself in the middle of theAmerican Rapture is the second novel by CJ Leede and it follows a very sheltered catholic teenager named Sophie who finds herself in the middle of the apocalypse. Surrounded by sex obsessed zombies, Sophie is determined to find a way to her twin brother. Meeting several different people along the way, Sophie learns more about herself and the world in this coming of age horror novel.
I read an arc of this author’s debut novel and while that was a gory romp, this book has a lot more introspection. This book is for the people who are dealing with religious trauma from their childhood. I feel like this book approached religion in such an interesting way. There were times that this book felt incredibly relevant to things that are happening in the world right now.
I found this book to be incredibly captivating. I was so engrossed in it every time I picked it up and I think that’s because of the great character work Leede is able to do in this story. The writing style has a certain snappiness to it that keeps the story moving and the way that it is told from Sophie’s perspective really allows the reader to learn with the character.
This book also has an almost episodic quality to it. Like while I was reading it, I kept thinking that it would make a perfect mini series because of the way it could be broken down. I think anyone who is a fan of things like The Walking Dead or The Last of Us would love this. Anything that has a zombie type vibe but is really more about human nature.
This book is very different from Maeve Fly but I feel like I loved it just as much in a different way. This is definitely one of my top books of the year and I will be recommending it to everyone who will listen.
Heiress Takes All by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka is a heist novel that follows Olivia, a seventeen year old with a grudge against her fHeiress Takes All by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka is a heist novel that follows Olivia, a seventeen year old with a grudge against her father. Determined to get her revenge, she pulls together an eclectic group to steal her father’s fortune while he is distracted getting married. What could go wrong?
I liked this novel, I didn’t love it. I am a huge fan of heist stories. It’s one of my favorite tropes but I never felt connected to the characters or felt like the stakes were high enough. There is a lot of inner monologue with the main character that bogs the pace down quite a bit and some of the writing was a little too over the top for me. But I still got through the book and I know there will be a big audience for this when it releases. If I would have read this as a teenager, I would have been obsessed.
I would recommend this to anyone who really enjoyed the entire Inheritance Games series. Just go in knowing that this feels very young adult. There are some young adult books that I think can be enjoyed by older readers but this is one that I think will mostly be enjoyed by just teen readers.
As far as my personal enjoyment, this would probably a 2.5 star but I’m rounding it up to a three because I know some of that is just a me thing. This is a book I would buy for my daughter so there isn’t anything problematic. It just wasn’t great for me.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ...more
Rouge by Mona Awad is a gothic, horror tinged tale following Belle after her mother passes away. When she returns to her mother’s home in Southern CalRouge by Mona Awad is a gothic, horror tinged tale following Belle after her mother passes away. When she returns to her mother’s home in Southern California with several questions, she meets a woman in red that gives her a clue about her mother and starts Belle’s journey to a beauty cult.
And that’s all you need to know and if it sounds confusing, it’s because it is. This book is pitched as Eyes Wide Shut meets Snow White and that is very accurate. Like Bunny and All’s Well before, Rouge is all about the vibes and the atmosphere. If you spend time trying to dissect every project of the prose to understand it, you won’t enjoy the journey. This author’s books are not for everyone due to the strange writing decisions and the stream of consciousness narrative you get from the main character.
There are several parts of this book that critique the beauty industry and the obsession with trying new products that is almost exhausting to read about, in a very purposeful way. The way women are expected to use all kinds of serums and creams to look more beautiful is a real life issue so seeing it in a book this way was really eye opening.
This book discusses mother/daughter relationships in such a unique way. Not overly positive or negative, it delves deeply into the envy that can exist between the two. The way this book handles grief is amazing. Everyone grieves differently so no two grief journeys will be the same. The fever dream esque was Belle moves through the world in the middle of this book is how it feels when you lose someone and don’t know what to do next.
This book had me tearing up by the end. As a reader, I felt like I was on this journey with Belle. The atmosphere in this book is top notch and I was absorbed the whole time.
A lot of people will pick this book up and not be able to get into it. But for the people that this will work for, it will really be a great read.
Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Merged review:
Rouge by Mona Awad is a gothic, horror tinged tale following Belle after her mother passes away. When she returns to her mother’s home in Southern California with several questions, she meets a woman in red that gives her a clue about her mother and starts Belle’s journey to a beauty cult.
And that’s all you need to know and if it sounds confusing, it’s because it is. This book is pitched as Eyes Wide Shut meets Snow White and that is very accurate. Like Bunny and All’s Well before, Rouge is all about the vibes and the atmosphere. If you spend time trying to dissect every project of the prose to understand it, you won’t enjoy the journey. This author’s books are not for everyone due to the strange writing decisions and the stream of consciousness narrative you get from the main character.
There are several parts of this book that critique the beauty industry and the obsession with trying new products that is almost exhausting to read about, in a very purposeful way. The way women are expected to use all kinds of serums and creams to look more beautiful is a real life issue so seeing it in a book this way was really eye opening.
This book discusses mother/daughter relationships in such a unique way. Not overly positive or negative, it delves deeply into the envy that can exist between the two. The way this book handles grief is amazing. Everyone grieves differently so no two grief journeys will be the same. The fever dream esque was Belle moves through the world in the middle of this book is how it feels when you lose someone and don’t know what to do next.
This book had me tearing up by the end. As a reader, I felt like I was on this journey with Belle. The atmosphere in this book is top notch and I was absorbed the whole time.
A lot of people will pick this book up and not be able to get into it. But for the people that this will work for, it will really be a great read.
Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Merged review:
Rouge by Mona Awad is a gothic, horror tinged tale following Belle after her mother passes away. When she returns to her mother’s home in Southern California with several questions, she meets a woman in red that gives her a clue about her mother and starts Belle’s journey to a beauty cult.
And that’s all you need to know and if it sounds confusing, it’s because it is. This book is pitched as Eyes Wide Shut meets Snow White and that is very accurate. Like Bunny and All’s Well before, Rouge is all about the vibes and the atmosphere. If you spend time trying to dissect every project of the prose to understand it, you won’t enjoy the journey. This author’s books are not for everyone due to the strange writing decisions and the stream of consciousness narrative you get from the main character.
There are several parts of this book that critique the beauty industry and the obsession with trying new products that is almost exhausting to read about, in a very purposeful way. The way women are expected to use all kinds of serums and creams to look more beautiful is a real life issue so seeing it in a book this way was really eye opening.
This book discusses mother/daughter relationships in such a unique way. Not overly positive or negative, it delves deeply into the envy that can exist between the two. The way this book handles grief is amazing. Everyone grieves differently so no two grief journeys will be the same. The fever dream esque was Belle moves through the world in the middle of this book is how it feels when you lose someone and don’t know what to do next.
This book had me tearing up by the end. As a reader, I felt like I was on this journey with Belle. The atmosphere in this book is top notch and I was absorbed the whole time.
A lot of people will pick this book up and not be able to get into it. But for the people that this will work for, it will really be a great read.
Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Merged review:
Rouge by Mona Awad is a gothic, horror tinged tale following Belle after her mother passes away. When she returns to her mother’s home in Southern California with several questions, she meets a woman in red that gives her a clue about her mother and starts Belle’s journey to a beauty cult.
And that’s all you need to know and if it sounds confusing, it’s because it is. This book is pitched as Eyes Wide Shut meets Snow White and that is very accurate. Like Bunny and All’s Well before, Rouge is all about the vibes and the atmosphere. If you spend time trying to dissect every project of the prose to understand it, you won’t enjoy the journey. This author’s books are not for everyone due to the strange writing decisions and the stream of consciousness narrative you get from the main character.
There are several parts of this book that critique the beauty industry and the obsession with trying new products that is almost exhausting to read about, in a very purposeful way. The way women are expected to use all kinds of serums and creams to look more beautiful is a real life issue so seeing it in a book this way was really eye opening.
This book discusses mother/daughter relationships in such a unique way. Not overly positive or negative, it delves deeply into the envy that can exist between the two. The way this book handles grief is amazing. Everyone grieves differently so no two grief journeys will be the same. The fever dream esque was Belle moves through the world in the middle of this book is how it feels when you lose someone and don’t know what to do next.
This book had me tearing up by the end. As a reader, I felt like I was on this journey with Belle. The atmosphere in this book is top notch and I was absorbed the whole time.
A lot of people will pick this book up and not be able to get into it. But for the people that this will work for, it will really be a great read.
Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own....more
Man’s Best Friend by Alana B. Lytle follows El, a failed actress who has had a taste of the rich life and has been chasing that high ever since. With Man’s Best Friend by Alana B. Lytle follows El, a failed actress who has had a taste of the rich life and has been chasing that high ever since. With two rich friends, she feels like an outsider. She eventually meets Bryce, a trust fund baby who just may be her ticket to a better life. But Bryce has secrets of his own that may be darker than El imagined.
If you go into this wanting a literary book with some thriller elements, I feel like you would enjoy this book. It’s pretty slow moving and the main character isn’t particularly likeable so it’s hard to feel attached to the story.
I feel like I enjoyed this well enough. After seeing it compared to The Talented Mr. Ripley, I was expecting a bit more twists and turns. This book ended up going in a way I wasn’t expecting. I think I would recommend this book to a few people but not a ton. I think the people that really love slower moving literary thrillers will enjoy this one.
I would check out more from this author because while this book is slow, I never felt like I was having a bad time or anything. The writing style was something that I really enjoyed. So I think my expectations for this story were a little high but I still had a good time.
Huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ...more
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