Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Small Favors by Erin A. Craig

22 reviews

krispy_reading's review against another edition

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

4.0

Intended Age Demographic: 12 - 18 (source: Kirkus Reviews)

I enjoyed this book, but the ending was definitely YA. I need to track down a similiar book but in adult. 
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andromeda_1998's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Small favors took me by surprise. I really enjoyed myself while reading it and I’m not sure if I will ever be able to find something like that again. I hope that the writer will someday decide to write a second book because some things are left unanswered but I like it as a stand-alone. The books has some dark and tense elements that I loved but I would have enjoyed it more if we had seen even more of this. 
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nrogers_1030's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

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ireadinbed's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved the entire experience of reading this book. 

It gave me the same feelings I often had reading books as a child. I cannot remember the last time I felt so well immersed. It did a good job of dropping red herrings do I couldn't quite figure things out whilst also giving me enough crumbs that my fairy story loving brain was a buzzing!

I found parts of it quite dread inducing but in a fun way. Like it was surprisingly scary, I didn't expect it!

I connected a lot with the characters and some over arching themes about what desperation and bad luck can do to us.

Just genuinely very well done. 
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willowmae's review against another edition

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

4.75

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oglopfabool's review against another edition

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

3.0

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reading_ali's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I came into this book with very different expectations of what the world building would look like. But was not disappointed with what the actual story is about. This is historical with a touch of creepy/fantastical creatures. Not a fantasy world with some historical setting. 
The characters were fine, but there was absolutely no diversity, and quite a lot of patriarchal ideas that were supposedly being challenged. But again, I came in thinking this would be a very different world, not an actually somewhat accurate depiction of 1800s americana life. So beware some misogyny
There were also aspects that frustrated me, simply because clues about the 
romantic interest being one of the forest creatures  were quite obvious. I understand that a love struck teenage girl wouldnt want to think of the worst, but still it was weird to me she wouldnt see certain obvious clues as to Whitaker not being all that he claims to be. Specially form day number 1, he would refuse to tell his name, which quite frankly is such an obvious clue to something being wrong. Also the fact that she trusted a stranger so easily felt unrealistic. And the ending was simply flat and :-/ like ok… too fast, too good to be true.
Also still don't see how she knew that Lyra was the Queen’s name, because  Whitaker never hinted that that was her name….just wish thr author wouldve dived in a bit deeper into that and developed the name bit so it wouldnt seem so out of nowhere

Overall I enjoyed having so many characters and things happening. Read the book in two sittings and it was creepy and wonderfully rural and atmospheric. Super fun.Just wish the romance was also developed a bit more, it also felt :/ flat and a tad too normal.






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zahraa_aj's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

<b><i>
“Others see me as a means to an end…but to you, I was only ever a man.”
</i></b>

I'm in love with this book and have no words for the excitement I felt reading it.
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britni_library's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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whatellisreadnext's review against another edition

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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? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦. 

Life for Ellerie in isolated Amity Falls, is pretty uneventful. It's surrounded by an impenetrable forest, and life has a predictable sameness to it. Until a bunch of townsfolk go missing on a trip to fetch supplies, sending waves of unease, and betrayal through the whole town. 

I really bloody enjoyed this book, and bloody is the perfect way to describe it. For a YA horror I was pleasantly surprised at how gross this was, I'm talking skin hanging off, skulls being crushed,  freaky hybrid animal creatures and a whole load of blood 🤣 

Ellerie Downing was just the kind of character I love to root for; she was so caring, and strong. She goes through hell and back, but still has the kindest heart. I even enjoyed her romantic arc, which isn't something I say often when it comes to YA. It felt believable, plus I also have a soft spot for weird men that live in the woods 💁🏻‍♀️ 

If you like your horror gory and supernatural with great characters, you need to add this to your spooky season TBR. Don't let the page count of just under 500 pages put you off, there isn't a dull moment in this book. The way Craig builds on the sense of unease and isolation throughout Small Favors was just so fun to read. 
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