It’s always fun to read a scary book around Halloween, so I was so excited when this book arrived in time at my library after adding it to my wait lisIt’s always fun to read a scary book around Halloween, so I was so excited when this book arrived in time at my library after adding it to my wait list. And the excitement was well worth it. Simply put, this is the best horror novel I’ve ever read! It has all the scare you could possibly fit into a haunted house story—bleeding walls, ghost children, a strong protagonist, an exorcist priest, a serial killer, and of course, a creepy house with a long, sordid history! And yet it still manages to be more than just an epic haunting tale. It also craftily shines a spotlight on the true horrors of life by the clever comparisons between surviving a haunted house and the struggle to survive an abusive marriage. Hugely impressive and wildly entertaining!...more
This is the most creative concept I've seen in a very long time. A school to study the art of murder? Sign me up! I was hooked by the premise alone. AThis is the most creative concept I've seen in a very long time. A school to study the art of murder? Sign me up! I was hooked by the premise alone. All the different characters, motives, and story lines, if sometimes a bit too detailed, kept me guessing until the end. I also loved the ending page. Even though I saw it coming, it was exactly how this book needed to end. I'm curious to see if this will become a series or not....more
I was in this one right up until the end. I just didn't get the ending scene on the mountain. Maybe it was me looking making it more complicated than I was in this one right up until the end. I just didn't get the ending scene on the mountain. Maybe it was me looking making it more complicated than it was, but I just didn't understand it. What a shame!...more
This book is getting rave reviews all over Booktok, and Carissa Broadbent is being haralded as the next SJM. Even though I don't read SJM(not into faeThis book is getting rave reviews all over Booktok, and Carissa Broadbent is being haralded as the next SJM. Even though I don't read SJM(not into faeries), I picked this up since it's been awhile since I've read a good vampire book, and what I can say is that the characters are definitely interesting. I really liked the interactions and relationships of the three main characters--Oraya, Raihn, and Vincent. The vampire factions were also unique. However, the Kejari tournament felt like a cheap Hunger Games knockoff. Ultimately, I just didn't find myself invested in the external conflict which left this book not quite living up to the hype. I get that the romance/smut is the main selling point of a series like this, but a damn good plot outside the relationship is just an important. Unfortunately, I just didn't think the book delivered on that front....more
What an intriguing story about the aftermath of WWII. Although I figured out the mystery of the 3 identities immediately, I still really enjoyed this What an intriguing story about the aftermath of WWII. Although I figured out the mystery of the 3 identities immediately, I still really enjoyed this one. Also, even though this isn’t the first I’ve heard of the experiments done at concentration camps, it was still horrifying and fascinating to read about....more
My mom passed along this book and although it was never on my radar, I ended up liking it. It’s a good thing I didn’t need to read the first in the seMy mom passed along this book and although it was never on my radar, I ended up liking it. It’s a good thing I didn’t need to read the first in the series to understand this one. All the characters were interesting and had great backgrounds, and the setting of the national park was a perfect place for suspense. I especially loved Daisy the rescue dog—no surprise there....more
I love the idea of a woman as a vigilante serial killer, but I just didn’t like the main character. Also, I found it a bit unbalanced that nearly everI love the idea of a woman as a vigilante serial killer, but I just didn’t like the main character. Also, I found it a bit unbalanced that nearly every man was a pile of shit. It seemed very much like a “us vs them” theme when the issue is far more complicated than that....more
A lady serial killer? Of course I had to pick this up! I had never heard of Belle Guinness before, but her story was definitely an interesting one. AlA lady serial killer? Of course I had to pick this up! I had never heard of Belle Guinness before, but her story was definitely an interesting one. Although I expected this to be more about the gruesome deaths of her victims, the nuanced story about how she survived and thrived captured me and had me hooked. I know the author took many liberties with the story because there is a lot of speculation surrounding the true story, but she did it in such a unusually quaint way that it just worked. Had it not been for the killings, Belle might be seen as a strong women that didn’t answer to any man, and that’s what’s so fascinating about this story. Don’t get me wrong, she’s nuts, but she reads like an everyday woman ahead of her times....more
With all the buzz around this one and its winning of a Goodread Award, I guess I expected more. I mostly finished it to figure out why the husband ranWith all the buzz around this one and its winning of a Goodread Award, I guess I expected more. I mostly finished it to figure out why the husband ran, but I found the answer to be a bit absurd. I personally just couldn't get behind his choice and would be beyond hysterical if my husband ever kept a secret like this from me and ultimately put me in a situation like this....more
I’m of the anxious mind that if we don’t change our ways, we will sadly destroy ourselves and this world, and this book certainly mirrors those feelinI’m of the anxious mind that if we don’t change our ways, we will sadly destroy ourselves and this world, and this book certainly mirrors those feelings. What I loved about it is how it goes about solving this problem. Is intelligence and technology the answer or could it be something else, far simpler?...more
When I was going through my romance spree a few years back, I read a couple Colleen Hoover books, but I haven't picked one up in a long while. Of courWhen I was going through my romance spree a few years back, I read a couple Colleen Hoover books, but I haven't picked one up in a long while. Of course, after hearing all the buzz about this one, I decided to pick her back up, and boy, this one was certainly a departure from her typical angsty romances. The suspense and creep factor in this book is done really well and leaves you guessing the whole time. It feels as if all the characters are a bit unreliable, so I was left suspecting them all at one point or another and ultimately, did not see the ending coming. I especially love that you are left wondering what to believe or not at the end. I'm sure that will drive some readers nuts, but I felt like it added really well to the overall ominous tone of the story....more
This book will definitely make you pause if you're thinking about becoming a mother. We all know that being a parent isn't an easy job and that there'This book will definitely make you pause if you're thinking about becoming a mother. We all know that being a parent isn't an easy job and that there's always that fear about messing your child up, but what if the child is born wrong...or I shudder to say it, evil? What's even more trippy about this book is how unreliable the narrator is based on her own maternal history. You are kept guessing throughout the book if her accusations about her daughter are accurate or not. It's not until the last line that you finally get the answer to that question and, boy, is it a satisfying, yet terrifying answer. In short, I completely understand why this book is flying off the shelves. It's a quick read that definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat....more
The spot-on voice of the mother in the first few pages drew me into this one right away, but that quickly ran it's course after a few chapters, and whThe spot-on voice of the mother in the first few pages drew me into this one right away, but that quickly ran it's course after a few chapters, and what I was left with was one hot mess of a story. I expected this to be Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets book club, but the empowering women theme was utterly destroyed by the blatant sexism and racism in this book. Other than the female protagonist, most of the other women were spineless and cold. To make matters worse, they were all married to awful men! Every single husband in this book was a despicable control-freak. I had a hard time not throwing the book across the room with the way the husbands treated their wives and how the wives just collapsed under them. Also, what the hell is up with the way people of color were treated in this book? I get that this book was set in the early 90s in the South, but this author made sure to pack every stereotype into it's pages including everything from the blacks living in trailers to the menacing, hoodlum b-ballers. Even the vampire only attacks people of color! Also, the son is weirdly obsessed with the Nazi regime which is never explained. Finally, at the end, when the women do get their shit together, the destruction of the vampire is proceeded by an extremely uncomfortable, sexually charged rape-like scene that the main character describes as the best feeling in the world. It was beyond disgusting and annoying! Ugh! I simply can't believe this book is so widely popular....more
This girl had so many chances to get herself out of this awful situation, but she repeatedly chose the worst option every time in some misguided attemThis girl had so many chances to get herself out of this awful situation, but she repeatedly chose the worst option every time in some misguided attempt to redeem herself for something that wasn't even her fault to begin with. Therefore, I had a very hard time rooting for her. Not to mention, about 2/3 of the way through, I figured out the whole ending of the book, and it felt more like the author was going for shock value than a well-planned, plausible ending. Not to mention, the serial killer's motive is pretty anti-climatic as well. I had such high hopes after loving Riley Sager's last book, Home After Dark, but this one just never managed to creep me out the way that one did and ultimately fell flat....more
The protagonist of this book was an arrogant, self-serving ass that almost had me closing the book after the first few chapters, but I'm so glad I didThe protagonist of this book was an arrogant, self-serving ass that almost had me closing the book after the first few chapters, but I'm so glad I didn't because this ended up being one incredibly twisty read. Seriously! If you're able to look past the pompous thoughts and total lack of ownership on the protagonist's part, what you're left with is an awesome and complex dual mystery. The first mystery being what plot could possibly be so astounding that it leads an author to steal it from a dead man? The second being what's going to happen to said author after he has the audacity to actually steal it? These two questions had me racing through the book in a matter of 3 days, and I was so satisfied with the answers to both. Although I did figure out who the mysterious blackmailer was early on, the duplicity of that character and the way in which they deal with our protagonist, the thief, was so deliciously brilliant and satisfyingly succinct that I was smiling at the end! I won't say anything else because the less you know the better, but I will end with saying this: sometimes you just can't help but root for the madness in a fictional character!...more
I can't believe it took me this long to pick up this series considering how much people have been raving about it. I was hesitant because I didn't knoI can't believe it took me this long to pick up this series considering how much people have been raving about it. I was hesitant because I didn't know if I was in the mood for a long romance fantasy series, but I guess I was wrong because I was quickly sucked in. I loved how strong and independent the protagonist was, and while the romance was your typical insta-love with many beaten to death tropes, I was still able to quite enjoy it because let's be honest, sometimes we're not looking for the next great American novel but something just trashy and fun. This book definitely fit that bill. Also, I found J. Armentrout's take on vampires and werewolves to be new and interesting. She builds a really unique and unheard of take on it which I really appreciated. With that said, I've already bought the next two books in the series....more
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