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faerieoftheforest's reviews
222 reviews
Thrum by Meg Smitherman
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
3.75
➵ 3.75 stars ✩
A woman on a deep space mission wakes up from stasis only to find her ship damaged and the rest of her crew dead. Her distress call is answered by a mysterious being who calls himself Dorian and welcomes her onto his ship.
This horror novella was a total mind f*ck. It was hallucinatory and unsettling — a total descent into madness. I saw all the twists coming but I'm still left with all these unanswered questions. I would recommend this to those who like psychological and/or romantic horror.
A woman on a deep space mission wakes up from stasis only to find her ship damaged and the rest of her crew dead. Her distress call is answered by a mysterious being who calls himself Dorian and welcomes her onto his ship.
This horror novella was a total mind f*ck. It was hallucinatory and unsettling — a total descent into madness. I saw all the twists coming but I'm still left with all these unanswered questions. I would recommend this to those who like psychological and/or romantic horror.
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
mysterious
tense
3.75
➵ 3.75 stars ⋆⭒˚.⋆
Once you let them in, they’ll never leave…
Bizarre and inexplicable things start to occur when Eve and her girlfriend Charlie are unexpectedly visited by the previous owners of their house.
We Used to Live Here is an intriguing and mind-bending cosmic horror that will have you questioning your own reality. The story is told in a mixed media format. In between chapters are documents and transcripts that tangentially relate to the main storyline. The book incorporates all these cool elements such as the Mandela effect, morse code and other secret messages.
It was a very compelling horror but I’m not giving it 5 stars because it really wasn’t all that scary for me and I never fully connected with the main characters. However, I’m really excited to see how they’ll portray the story in the upcoming movie!
Once you let them in, they’ll never leave…
Bizarre and inexplicable things start to occur when Eve and her girlfriend Charlie are unexpectedly visited by the previous owners of their house.
We Used to Live Here is an intriguing and mind-bending cosmic horror that will have you questioning your own reality. The story is told in a mixed media format. In between chapters are documents and transcripts that tangentially relate to the main storyline. The book incorporates all these cool elements such as the Mandela effect, morse code and other secret messages.
It was a very compelling horror but I’m not giving it 5 stars because it really wasn’t all that scary for me and I never fully connected with the main characters. However, I’m really excited to see how they’ll portray the story in the upcoming movie!
A Dawn of Gods & Fury by K.A. Tucker
4.5
➵ 4.5 stars ✩
Thank you so much to Valentine PR and K.A. Tucker for the arc!
A breathtaking conclusion to an incredible series ❤️
The story expands even more in the final book as we’re introduced to new characters, history, and unexplored lands. This book is definitely the most action-packed and gripping of the four. We are fed with yet another new and steamy romance. Although I loved the majority of the book, the way in which it ended was quite bittersweet for me. I expected the confrontation between our protagonists and Malachi and Sophie to be a little more explosive. So many new elements of the world were introduced that I wish had been explored more as well. This can easily be remedied, however if the author continues to write more books in this world *fingers crossed* Overall, I absolutely loved this series and I already miss the characters and their antics.
Thank you so much to Valentine PR and K.A. Tucker for the arc!
A breathtaking conclusion to an incredible series ❤️
The story expands even more in the final book as we’re introduced to new characters, history, and unexplored lands. This book is definitely the most action-packed and gripping of the four. We are fed with yet another new and steamy romance. Although I loved the majority of the book, the way in which it ended was quite bittersweet for me. I expected the confrontation between our protagonists and Malachi and Sophie to be a little more explosive. So many new elements of the world were introduced that I wish had been explored more as well. This can easily be remedied, however if the author continues to write more books in this world *fingers crossed* Overall, I absolutely loved this series and I already miss the characters and their antics.
Rising Dawn by Beck Michaels
➵ 5 stars ⋆.˚✰
Beck Michaels, the woman you are 👏👏. This is a masterpiece. Her most emotional read thus far. This book will break you and then heal you just to break you again. That ending was absolutely illegal!! The gang can never catch a break, huh 😩
Anyway, I'm sat and ready for the next book!
5.0
Beck Michaels, the woman you are 👏👏. This is a masterpiece. Her most emotional read thus far. This book will break you and then heal you just to break you again. That ending was absolutely illegal!! The gang can never catch a break, huh 😩
Anyway, I'm sat and ready for the next book!
The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood
4.5
➵ 4.5 stars ⋆.˚✰
A lonely, antisocial woman chokes to death on a burger and wakes up in an afterlife waiting room reminiscient of The Good Place. She is given 10 days to secure a kiss from her soulmate to earn a second-chance at life.
She unexpectedly recruits, and ultimately befriends, an eclectic array of people along the way.
Super sweet, funny and emotional. It features the age-old message of living life to the fullest and highlights the importance of community and forming meaningful relationships. It's a story that has been done many times before but it was still a good time!
ᯓ✿
A lonely, antisocial woman chokes to death on a burger and wakes up in an afterlife waiting room reminiscient of The Good Place. She is given 10 days to secure a kiss from her soulmate to earn a second-chance at life.
She unexpectedly recruits, and ultimately befriends, an eclectic array of people along the way.
Super sweet, funny and emotional. It features the age-old message of living life to the fullest and highlights the importance of community and forming meaningful relationships. It's a story that has been done many times before but it was still a good time!
ᯓ✿
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
4.5
➵ 4.5 stars ✩
finishing this book at 1 a.m. was a big mistake. i couldn’t sleep after that tear-jerker of an ending but I also *could not* put the book down.
╰⪼ 𝓼𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓽 𝓼𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂
a song to drown rivers is based on the legend of xishi, one of the four beauties of ancient china, who was said to have lived in a small Yue village during the spring and autumn period. xishi is discovered by the famed military advisor Fanli who fashions her beauty into a blade. she is sent on a mission to seduce the king of the enemy Wu kingdom and topple them from within.
╰⪼ 𝓶𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼
this is such a lyrical and heartrending read that will linger and haunt you long after you finish it. that being said, it’s not a perfect book by any means.
there is a great deal of plot armor and unrealistic, contrived plot points. the forbidden romance that was heavily marketed was actually very underdeveloped (dare I say it was the blasphemous insta-love).
despite the book’s flaws, I could not help but be absolutely captivated by the story and hypnotized by its lush prose. everything from the setting, to the food, and the scents described were so vivid and immersive. it really did feel like I was transported into a historical drama! i truly sensed the high stakes and found myself on the edge of my seat throughout the whole story. the book also makes powerful and necessary commentary on the devastating consequences of war for both sides.
would highly recommend this book! so lovely but be prepared to cry. the book releases oct 1.
i really hope that ann liang continues to write more books in this genre. now if you’ll excuse me, im going to go read something happy to recover from the trauma.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
finishing this book at 1 a.m. was a big mistake. i couldn’t sleep after that tear-jerker of an ending but I also *could not* put the book down.
╰⪼ 𝓼𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓽 𝓼𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂
a song to drown rivers is based on the legend of xishi, one of the four beauties of ancient china, who was said to have lived in a small Yue village during the spring and autumn period. xishi is discovered by the famed military advisor Fanli who fashions her beauty into a blade. she is sent on a mission to seduce the king of the enemy Wu kingdom and topple them from within.
╰⪼ 𝓶𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼
this is such a lyrical and heartrending read that will linger and haunt you long after you finish it. that being said, it’s not a perfect book by any means.
there is a great deal of plot armor and unrealistic, contrived plot points. the forbidden romance that was heavily marketed was actually very underdeveloped (dare I say it was the blasphemous insta-love).
despite the book’s flaws, I could not help but be absolutely captivated by the story and hypnotized by its lush prose. everything from the setting, to the food, and the scents described were so vivid and immersive. it really did feel like I was transported into a historical drama! i truly sensed the high stakes and found myself on the edge of my seat throughout the whole story. the book also makes powerful and necessary commentary on the devastating consequences of war for both sides.
would highly recommend this book! so lovely but be prepared to cry. the book releases oct 1.
i really hope that ann liang continues to write more books in this genre. now if you’ll excuse me, im going to go read something happy to recover from the trauma.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur
3.5
"There are over a thousand women here who wish to return home but cannot. This is the way of life for us. We are born to be devoured."
First June Hur book!! 🥳 This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024. Unfortunately, it didn't completely live up to my expectations. One of the strongest points of the story was Iseul's character growth. She starts off very petulant and reckless because of her noble background but eventually matures and becomes more thoughtful. The historical period that this story covers is also very important and I appreciated getting to know more about this dark period in Korea's history.
Besides Iseul, the other characters felt far more bland and underdeveloped. The romance was sweet but I think the author missed an opportunity to focus more on the political plots and Iseul's strained relationship with her sister. The ending was also a bit contrived and underwhelming. Overall, the historical facts will stay with me, but everything else was forgettable. The writing was very beautiful, however, so it's likely I will pick up another book by this author in the future.
Besides Iseul, the other characters felt far more bland and underdeveloped. The romance was sweet but I think the author missed an opportunity to focus more on the political plots and Iseul's strained relationship with her sister. The ending was also a bit contrived and underwhelming. Overall, the historical facts will stay with me, but everything else was forgettable. The writing was very beautiful, however, so it's likely I will pick up another book by this author in the future.
To Carve a Fae Heart by Tessonja Odette
Did not finish book. Stopped at 68%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 68%.
DNF at 68%
the writing is very juvenile and the protagonist is annoying. don't care for the romance between the main characters. they hardly have enough interactions to form any relationship at all. maybe i'll finish it at a later date.
the writing is very juvenile and the protagonist is annoying. don't care for the romance between the main characters. they hardly have enough interactions to form any relationship at all. maybe i'll finish it at a later date.
Evil in Me by Brom
3.5
Evil in Me is set during the Satanic Panic of the 80s. Ruby Tucker, our protagonist, is an aspiring punk musician. When helping her neighbor organize his religious artifacts, she ends up getting possessed by a "demon" enslaved to an ancient ring. The only way to free herself is by getting hundreds of people to chant a spell.
The book was gory and fun. I loved Beel, the being who possesses Ruby. He is actually a very sympathetic character. Ruby, on the other hand, was insufferable for most of the story. She does eventually gain character development but not until the very end which ultimately felt unsatisfying. The story does start off very strong, however. You really care about Ruby in the first quarter of the book because of the way she is treated. The people in her life are so annoyingly self-righteous. Her stepfather, stepbrother, her ex-boyfriend, etc. everyone treated her like she was crazy or dangerous because she is mentally ill. The people in her small town had my blood boiling. The ending just felt sort of anti-climatic. Everything is resolved too conveniently. I wish there had been more growth in the characters and their relationships. The pacing is fast and yet it takes forever for the events in the synopsis to happen. Evil in Me had the potential to be really great. The premise is so interesting and unique but it fell short of my expectations.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The book was gory and fun. I loved Beel, the being who possesses Ruby. He is actually a very sympathetic character. Ruby, on the other hand, was insufferable for most of the story. She does eventually gain character development but not until the very end which ultimately felt unsatisfying. The story does start off very strong, however. You really care about Ruby in the first quarter of the book because of the way she is treated. The people in her life are so annoyingly self-righteous. Her stepfather, stepbrother, her ex-boyfriend, etc. everyone treated her like she was crazy or dangerous because she is mentally ill. The people in her small town had my blood boiling. The ending just felt sort of anti-climatic. Everything is resolved too conveniently. I wish there had been more growth in the characters and their relationships. The pacing is fast and yet it takes forever for the events in the synopsis to happen. Evil in Me had the potential to be really great. The premise is so interesting and unique but it fell short of my expectations.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!