djgroupi's reviews
127 reviews

Memorials by Richard Chizmar

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Three college school friends - Billy, Troy and Melody - go on a road trip to document roadside memorials in Appalachia for their American Studies class project. What starts out as a fun trip soon turns eerie and menacing when they begin getting weird and creepy vibes from all the folks they encounter and things just start to go wrong. Bad omens everywhere. To make matters worse, they start noticing a strange symbol at all of the memorial sites. Is it a coincidence? Or are they being targeted on purpose? As you get deeper into the story it becomes more unsettling and you become suspicious of everyone. I did not expect the story to go where it did. Complete page turner. Very well-written. Suspenseful and scary! Love everything this author writes! 

Don't Eat the Pie by Monique Asher

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Monique Asher's Don't Eat the Pie masterfully combines the eerie atmosphere of Rosemary’s Baby with the chilling isolation of a mysterious island inhabited by creepy elders and the mother/daughter duo that are trapped in their devilish machinations. The book’s finale, reminiscent of the shocking climax of The Devil’s Rain, delivers a truly unforgettable twist. A thoroughly gripping and atmospheric read that kept me turning the pages!

Hearts Strange and Dreadful by Tim McGregor

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

Great book. Kept me turning the pages. Loved Hester's character. The only thing I criticize is that there is no clear ending. You only suppose you know what happened. And I absolutely hated that Hester ended up with Henry and not Will.

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.0

"Incidents Around the House" is a chilling tale told from the perspective of an 8-year old girl named Bella, who is haunted by a demonic entity she calls “Other Mommy.” What begins as seemingly friendly visitations quickly takes a dark turn when the entity starts asking Bella if it can enter her heart. The story becomes deeply unsettling as Bella is basically left to face this nightmare entirely on her own.

Naturally, her parents don't believe her at first—until they witness the demon for themselves. Even then, they're completely unequipped, both emotionally and practically, to handle the situation. The solutions they attempt are ineffective. Where are the Warrens when you need them???

The only thing that really bothered me about this book was that it didn't provide any background as to the nature of the haunting and how it came to be. Why is the entity targeting Bella? And how was it invited into their home?

And that ending? Not at all what I expected—bleak, disturbing, and lingering long after the last page.  And if you read this book, don't read it at night.

Boy's Life by Robert R. McCammon

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Boy's Life is a captivating coming-of-age novel, beautifully narrated by Cory Mackenson as he reflects on his childhood growing up in the small town of Zephyr, Alabama. The story begins when Cory and his father witness the horrific murder of a young man, an event that haunts his father and forever changes their lives. Through Cory’s eyes, we experience the magic and mystery of childhood—his everyday adventures with his tight-knit group of friends, their moments of innocent wonder, and the darker, lurking dangers that surround their seemingly idyllic town.

McCammon’s writing is steeped in the nostalgia of youth, blending whimsy and darkness in a way that is deeply reminiscent of Ray Bradbury. Every page evokes a sense of wonder, and I found myself completely immersed in Cory’s world. This novel gives major fall vibes and is perfect for anyone who loves a mix of mystery and heartfelt storytelling. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment I spent in Zephyr with Cory and his friends.

On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

BEST BOOK I'VE READ ALL YEAR!!!

Based on the unsolved murders of six women in Chillicothe, Ohio known as the Chillicothe Six.

This book tore my heart to pieces. Such beautiful, haunting and poetic writing to describe the story of identical twins named Arc and Daffy who are born into a life of addiction and prostitution and suffer one tragedy after another amidst a small town where girls are being murdered and dumped in the local river. Despite their bleak lives Arc makes the most of it by looking at the world through rose colored glasses to make life bearable for her sister and friends despite their grim reality.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. While it's heartbreaking and sad with no good ending in sight, I loved every moment spent with Arc and Daffy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Rape, Death of parent, and Murder

The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte, Sonia Soto

adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I truly enjoyed this literary thriller about a rare book dealer named Lucas Corso who is hired to authenticate some pages from an original manuscript of Alexandre Dumas' "The Three Musketeers" as well as track down a copy of the Nine Doors, a book rumored to have the ability to summon Satan. Corso is involuntary mixed up with shady people and less than ideal situations in his efforts to track down this tome. Did Alexandre Dumas owe all is success to the Devil? Loved the descriptions of dusty European bookshops and the art of forgery and repairing rare books. Turns out it's quite the dangerous business. Plenty of adventure, intrigue and diabolical fun.

The Ninth Gate, starring Johnny Depp, was based on this book. 

Lost Man's Lane by Scott Carson

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book! 

Marshall Miller looks back on his life and recounts the time when he was sixteen years old and found himself in the middle of an abduction investigation which led him to intern with the PI working the case, and ultimately found himself facing the monster that was terrorizing his town. Although it's a horror story, I kept turning the pages because of the feelings of nostalgia reminiscent in Bradbury novels, and Marshall's unforgettable friendships with Kerri and Sean. Reads like vintage Stephen King. And of course, a book isn't successful in my eyes if it doesn't bring tears to my eyes, which this book definitely did. I highly recommend!!!

What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

 This was a suspenseful page-turner about a girl named Nina who is murdered by her boyfriend Simon, and the aftermath that follows the detectives investigating the case and both families - Simon's parents who are wealthy and will use all their resources to keep their arrogant son in the clear, and Nina's parents who are working class citizens that will stop at nothing to get to the truth of what really happened to their daughter, even if it means seeking their own personal justice. Told in alternating points of view. Solid story. Reminiscent of the Gabby Petito case. PERFECT ENDING. 

The Woman in the Dark by Vanessa Savage

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book was okay. Interesting enough for me to finish but the story didn't totally grab me.