aceofknaves88's reviews
525 reviews
Zoey Is Too Drunk for This Dystopia by Jason Pargin
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Holly by Stephen King
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Kidnapping, Blood, Cannibalism, Confinement, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Murder, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Torture, Death of parent, Cancer, Child death, Racism, Dementia, Medical content, and Gun violence
Alice by Christina Henry
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
What a weird, weird book.
First off, and this is a minor thing, I couldn't settle into the setting. It was a blend of the real world and Wonderland. Like, there was no Wonderland that Alice went to, just...the world of the book was kinda real kinda fantasy.
Secondly, this book is FULL of CHOICES! Making Alice start out in an insane asylum because her parents thought she was imagining the horrible things that happened to her? Interesting place to start and I dig that.
Making this book SO rapey? Don't love that. Most of the original Wonderland citizens that show up in this book are violent gang bosses who deal in sex trafficking. Except Cheshire. He doesn't deal in women.
But The Rabbit? A violent sex trafficker who held Alice captive and raped her. The Caterpillar? Violent sex trafficker. The Walrus? Not only a violent sex trafficker but a cannibal. And they are all humans. And Cheshire and The Caterpillar are magicians. The Walrus and Mr. Carpenter are just humans.
And Alice is a magician, too.
Oh, and the Mad Hatter is now Nicholas, "The Mad Hatcher of Heathtown", so called because he loves to hack people up with a hatchet. He is Alice's partner.
First off, and this is a minor thing, I couldn't settle into the setting. It was a blend of the real world and Wonderland. Like, there was no Wonderland that Alice went to, just...the world of the book was kinda real kinda fantasy.
Secondly, this book is FULL of CHOICES! Making Alice start out in an insane asylum because her parents thought she was imagining the horrible things that happened to her? Interesting place to start and I dig that.
Making this book SO rapey? Don't love that. Most of the original Wonderland citizens that show up in this book are violent gang bosses who deal in sex trafficking. Except Cheshire. He doesn't deal in women.
But The Rabbit? A violent sex trafficker who held Alice captive and raped her. The Caterpillar? Violent sex trafficker. The Walrus? Not only a violent sex trafficker but a cannibal. And they are all humans. And Cheshire and The Caterpillar are magicians. The Walrus and Mr. Carpenter are just humans.
And Alice is a magician, too.
Oh, and the Mad Hatter is now Nicholas, "The Mad Hatcher of Heathtown", so called because he loves to hack people up with a hatchet. He is Alice's partner.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, and Trafficking
Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick by David Wong
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Broken Room by Peter Clines
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
dark
mysterious
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
4.5
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Drug use, Animal cruelty, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Mental illness, and Sexual content
Moderate: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization