drakaina16's reviews
2116 reviews

The Morningstar Confession by Matthew Lutton

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challenging dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.

What an interesting book this is. Even though I've been a non-believer for almost as long as I can remember, I always dig religious horror. As a non-believer, I've always had a bit of sympathy for the devil, so to speak. Lucifer's confession brought up many of the questions I've asked myself and others, but the way his hatred of humanity is portrayed here is very unique. Faithful or not, there are a ton of reasons to read The Morningstar Confession. 4.5 stars
Elfquest: Stargazer's Hunt by Richard Pini, Wendy Pini

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adventurous emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Dead Eleven by Jimmy Juliano

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dark mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

While I felt the book ran a little long, I enjoyed it quite a bit. I'm a big fan of found footage-style horror books, and it worked quite well with this story. 
The Wetlands Society by Kelvin V.A. Allison, Kelvin V.A. Allison

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challenging dark mysterious sad 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? No

5.0

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy. 

This book may be the author's best yet. I adore Kelvin's books, and I find them compulsively readable. I'll pick it up, and before I know, I've blown through 100 pages. I'm always a sucker for a paranormal investigation book, and The Wetlands Society is one of the best I've read. It broke my heart a little, but I still loved it. 5 stars 
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You Can't Save What Isn't There by Paul Michael Anderson

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Thank you to Cemetery Dance for providing a review copy. 

This is a book that will punch you right in the emotions. It's about a subject I hope to never experience - the loss of a child. Following along with Calvin as he sinks deeper and deeper is not an experience for the faint of heart. You Can't Save What Isn't There is a gut-wrenching meditation on the choices we make, and how grief can make monsters of us. 4.75 stars
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With A Blighted Touch by J. Todd Kingrea

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy. 

I'm always a sucker for the evil in a small town trope, and this book was a pretty fun example of that. There were times I felt the story didn't move quickly enough, and I never connected with any of the characters, so I wasn't terribly invested in what happened to them. But I found the story very interesting and always found myself reading a big chunk of it at a time. It doesn't rewrite the trope, but it is well-written. 3.5 stars
Anybody Home? by Michael J. Seidlinger

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challenging dark sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This seems to be a fairly divisive book. It's written in the present tense, with a narrator, and not all of the action is "seen" on screen. (And that might be a good thing for some, because there are some heavy triggers here.) I found the whole thing fascinating, and the narration made the book even more tense and frantic. I found the entire concept of the book unique and interesting. 4.25 stars
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Freddie Mercury: An Illustrated Life by Ned Sublette, Alfonso Casas

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informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

Breeding Ground by S.C. Mendes

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and Blood Bound Books for providing a review copy. 

This is a quick, nasty novella that can be read in a single sitting. If you enjoy the body horror of David Cronenberg, this will be right up your alley. S.C. Mendes continues to impress me. 4 stars
The Haunting Of Chavez Ravine by Debra Castaneda

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dark 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? No

4.25

The Haunting of Chavez Ravine is a short read with a lot of story packed into it. I would have happily read a longer version of the story. I find La Llorona fascinating, and I think Castaneda's take on the legend is really interesting. She also did a great job of making me care for the characters in the short time we spent together. 4.25 stars