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dmackreads's reviews
84 reviews
Hunt on Dark Waters by Katee Robert
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
This book has an insane amount of potential. It could’ve been so much longer with in depth world building. I could’ve even seen it being written as an enemies to lovers or at least some groveling or something that drew out the start of the relationship between Bowen & Evelyn. The writing was very amateur in my opinion, it was giving young adult more than anything. HOWEVER, I STILL LOVED IT. I wanted more for sure. But the story is good, and the plot is there. It’s a very quick, easy read and truthfully the most original concept I’ve read in long time. I was able to get invested in the characters which is important to me. I also too often find the romance or “smut” in a lot of books to be overbearing or annoying and I end up skimming it because truthfully I feel like it’s too much of a focus but this was just the right amount and I didn’t find myself skimming anything. I’m excited to continue onto the second book!
Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The writing style of this book threw me a little because third person is hard for me to follow or enjoy sometimes but I got so sucked into this I finished it in less than 24 hours.
I was NOT expecting the way this unraveled or how the people connected. Please check the trigger warnings because it’s fucked up.
If you’re looking for a thriller that you could read in one sitting if you had the time because you just need to know how it’s going to end, this is it.
I was NOT expecting the way this unraveled or how the people connected. Please check the trigger warnings because it’s fucked up.
If you’re looking for a thriller that you could read in one sitting if you had the time because you just need to know how it’s going to end, this is it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.5
This book wasn’t life changing by any means and I didn’t get super connected to the characters but I still enjoyed it and it was a quick read. The synopsis is pretty straight forward. Two people who made the choice to start killing other serial killers because of some things they’ve gone through cross paths and become friends and more later. They go through some scary experiences together. Grotesque in some parts but honestly not in too much detail that it’s overwhelming, as well as some in depth smut scenes. To me it’s a good palette cleanser.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
4.5
I won’t lie, the beginning of this book was very overwhelming at first to follow and understand but I think it’s because we’ve gotten spoiled with a lower quality vocabulary in so many of the books we read these days. Truthfully this was so painfully beautiful and well written. It made me ACHE all over. I haven’t felt physical, deep in my bones emotion from a book in quite awhile. Plus, when an author gives you both his/her perspectives, it makes you feel more because it’s like you’re in both of their minds. I definitely recommend giving this a chance even if the writing style and vocabulary can seem overwhelming.
The World Deserves My Children by Natasha Leggero
Did not finish book. Stopped at 68%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 68%.
I have no interest in reading about politics or your opinions on gender identity or your weird fucking husband who grew up going to nude hot tubs with his mother as a CHILD, or how you normalize men who don’t do shit. You’re a “celebrity” who cannot be related to by the majority of the population, I don’t see the humor in this at all
The Bell Jar by
1.0
Frances McCullough’s Foreword at the beginning of this book is the most interesting part of it. Personally I think he should have left it where he found it.
The reason I didn’t dnf this is because the author is dead (actually by suicide) and I thought it quite rude to do so. Now some may say my rating is rude but I suffered through 244 pages of something that I should have, in fact, marked off as a dnf because this is my first ever 1★ rating. Of course I also was trying to see what everyone else was seeing, that maybe I wasn’t, to warrant over a million reviews, over 3 million copies sold since it was released, and an average rating of over 4★s. I just didn’t find it.
The writing is subpar at best. The synopsis says, “Sylvia Plath masterfully draws the readers in” I’m sorry, who and how? I felt zero connection to the characters or the story. I understand it follows a very dark, heavy, sad, emotional topic and that’s about the only thing that kept any ounce of my interest.
I read 154 pages of what felt like “fluff” to me. There is far too much unnecessary information and I say that because it either tells me absolutely nothing of importance or doesn’t do its job to draw you in or connect you to the characters. This book is only 244 pages long and it took me until I was 65% of the way in for something to trip me up into feeling anything at all. Personally I feel if you are going to write a book like this and it’s a short book, you need to captivate a reader within 20 pages or less. Not only that but the last 50 or so pages where there was the most happening at once, is what needed to be drawn out the most. Something would happen or be said and then 2 pages later it was like I missed a step because we jumped from point A to point B so quickly that it was a missed opportunity to really get us feeling something and deeply attached.
I’ve come to the conclusion that you can be manipulated by an author to believe a book is good if it’s about certain topics. This is one of those books. Because of course the topic is sad and you feel compelled to think it’s good.
The reason I didn’t dnf this is because the author is dead (actually by suicide) and I thought it quite rude to do so. Now some may say my rating is rude but I suffered through 244 pages of something that I should have, in fact, marked off as a dnf because this is my first ever 1★ rating. Of course I also was trying to see what everyone else was seeing, that maybe I wasn’t, to warrant over a million reviews, over 3 million copies sold since it was released, and an average rating of over 4★s. I just didn’t find it.
The writing is subpar at best. The synopsis says, “Sylvia Plath masterfully draws the readers in” I’m sorry, who and how? I felt zero connection to the characters or the story. I understand it follows a very dark, heavy, sad, emotional topic and that’s about the only thing that kept any ounce of my interest.
I read 154 pages of what felt like “fluff” to me. There is far too much unnecessary information and I say that because it either tells me absolutely nothing of importance or doesn’t do its job to draw you in or connect you to the characters. This book is only 244 pages long and it took me until I was 65% of the way in for something to trip me up into feeling anything at all. Personally I feel if you are going to write a book like this and it’s a short book, you need to captivate a reader within 20 pages or less. Not only that but the last 50 or so pages where there was the most happening at once, is what needed to be drawn out the most. Something would happen or be said and then 2 pages later it was like I missed a step because we jumped from point A to point B so quickly that it was a missed opportunity to really get us feeling something and deeply attached.
I’ve come to the conclusion that you can be manipulated by an author to believe a book is good if it’s about certain topics. This is one of those books. Because of course the topic is sad and you feel compelled to think it’s good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Into the Dark by Jessa Hastings
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I cannot believe this series is over. This one is very centered around loss and grief as well as Magnolia and BJ’s relationship. It could be extremely triggering for some people so I would keep that in mind before reading. So many TW’s honestly like ED, mental abuse, sibling loss, grief, cheating etc. I actually cried while reading more than once. It’s been a ride watching this relationship unfold, fall apart, come back together, and grow over this series. I’m sad that it’s come to end but I’m also very happy with how it was wrapped up in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Car accident, and Pregnancy
Daisy Haites: The Great Undoing by Jessa Hastings
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Ugh, the miscommunication or really “lack of communication” trope is the most frustrating one to me and it’s starting to really irk me but like, I also get it to an extent.
Also I’m usually all for a rekindled flame, working through your shit and making it work but at this point I’m kinda team Julian & Magnolia. Is that delusional to try to manifest into reality? But I still love her & BJ, send help I’m just as confused as her.
AND WHAT THE FUCK?? The end of the last book and the end of this one both leaving me on a cliff hanger makes me wanna bash my head off a wall 😩
Also I’m usually all for a rekindled flame, working through your shit and making it work but at this point I’m kinda team Julian & Magnolia. Is that delusional to try to manifest into reality? But I still love her & BJ, send help I’m just as confused as her.
AND WHAT THE FUCK?? The end of the last book and the end of this one both leaving me on a cliff hanger makes me wanna bash my head off a wall 😩
Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home by Jessa Hastings
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
5.0
EXCUSE ME?! THE ENDING?! WHAT THE FUCK.
I genuinely do not even know what to say or think right now. This book made me angry, annoyed, stressed out, excited, hopeful, happy, laugh, almost cry, and then just completely shocked and physically ill at the end. Clearly a 5 star rating considering all of the emotions brought forward and how fast I read through it due to simply not wanting to put it down but I’m unsure what else to say. This series has me in a chokehold at this point.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Car accident, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Daisy Haites by Jessa Hastings
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Okay so, it was definitely a hard transition from the first book reading from Magnolia & BJ’s POV to this book reading from Daisy, Christian, & Julian’s POV. I usually struggle with reading two books in a row that follow the same timeline but luckily the author didn’t incorporate too much of the same verbiage from the first book in the second so it didn’t feel like I was rereading the same stuff over and over again. There’s been so many characters introduced between the first two books that I’ve had a hard time trying to keep track of them all, especially because a lot of the characters also have nicknames and it’s like “wait who is this again” ugh, it’s frustrating to me. But I do finally feel like I’m getting a grip on the series and who everyone is now that I’m at the end of the second book so I think it’ll be easier to enjoy moving forward now. One other thing that really bothers me is, there are text conversations throughout these books and it shows who one of the texters is, you’d assume who the other is by being within that chapters POV but a lot of times it isn’t and I’m genuinely having to guess who it is. I think the overall execution could’ve been a little better. A 5 book series with this type of chaos can be a little overwhelming but I love the story and that’s why I’ve stuck with it.
Aside from that, these characters are so incredibly frustrating. Literally every single one of them is so toxic, it’s just a spectrum. But I suppose if I watched family die, had shit parents, been shot, watched people die or almost die, been attacked, cheated on, came from more money than I know what to do with, or idk.. came from a crime lord family, (not to say I don’t have any of these but it’s a crazy combination) I’d probably be a little entitled myself lol. Even still, some of these issues the characters within this world have hit a little close to home and can be applied to real life. You definitely get sucked in, attached to the characters, and experience a lot of emotions.
Aside from that, these characters are so incredibly frustrating. Literally every single one of them is so toxic, it’s just a spectrum. But I suppose if I watched family die, had shit parents, been shot, watched people die or almost die, been attacked, cheated on, came from more money than I know what to do with, or idk.. came from a crime lord family, (not to say I don’t have any of these but it’s a crazy combination) I’d probably be a little entitled myself lol. Even still, some of these issues the characters within this world have hit a little close to home and can be applied to real life. You definitely get sucked in, attached to the characters, and experience a lot of emotions.