hnin's reviews
24 reviews

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

wowwwwww. gillian flynn does such an incredible job at writing twisted and troubled characters, and the last few chapters had me on the edge, and that final reveal is still so chilling even though i had an inkling about who the murderer was. i read some reviews that were disappointed that it was not as much of a mystery/thriller as they’d thought it would be, but i honestly really enjoyed reading about the sick and twisted dynamic between mother and daughter and generational trauma (which i feel is the main point of focus anyway); how actions of one generation influenced another (joya -> adora -> camille/amma). i cant wait to check out the series after this, and i’m looking forward to reading more of flynn’s books (i’m thinking gone girl???)

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

wow. this was the first book of rf kuang's that i picked up and i have to say i'm thoroughly impressed with her writing and storytelling. june is probably the most unreliable narrator i've ever come across so far. i love me a good unreliable narrator, but my god, she was so infuriating at times (which ik is intentional) !!! she does exactly what she promises to do at the end of the book--twist the narrative and manipulate the audience into believing that she was the victim all along. (i hate to admit, i was swayed by her words a couple of times.. and then she would annoy me with her ignorance and self-absorption lol its a cycle) that's the genius of kuang employing an unreliable narrator. we'll never know what athena's true feelings towards june are, or what the relationship between the two actually was like.

yellowface is basically her own exposé where she victimizes herself in response to candice's book.

i also enjoyed the commentary on social media, cancel culture, and the loneliness of the publishing industry. the pacing was really nice and kuang really kept me on my toes until the very last page. would def read again and check out more of her books.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

haven’t picked up a supernatural/paranormal book in a while and this was the perfect book to get back into that genre. secret societies, occult activities, dark academia vibes… chef’s kiss. the beginning was a little slow, but once things start to get going, it all snowballs very quickly, and i enjoyed the reveal very much! once again, bardugo does a very good job with the world-building and expounding on what is already real and adding those supernatural elements to it in a way that makes sense. onto the second book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

emotional 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

loved loved loooved the writing in this book. i was utterly devastated by the end and patroclus and achilles’ story was just so beautifully written. i’m so mad at myself for not picking up this book sooner. 

Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

wow. i have never been this unnerved or disturbed by a book in a long while. although the pacing is moderate, i was hooked, from beginning to end. i think the brilliance of this book is how it’s written to normalize the atrocious acts committed by the characters, exploring the lines of morality and hypocrisy. the imagery is dark and gruesome and it really raises the question of how much one is willing to go to in order to survive. however, as much as i appreciated the commentary and message? i still feel like there were some scenes that were not necessary (maybe i’m just reading it wrong idk!)

tw rape, animal death: i just didn’t find the scenes where he assaults spanel and where the teenagers killed those puppies necessary. like i feel like they didn’t really contribute to the plot/overarching theme, and i was the most uncomfortable when i was reading those scenes idk /

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

lighthearted 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

3.0

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

dark emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

i honestly found most of the characters infuriating at times, especially billy and daisy. i wish they had fleshed camila’s character out more considering the ending (good ending btw!). aside from that i really enjoyed the interview/oral history format, it allowed for a fast-paced story and showed how the members interacted with one another. 

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.0

Almond by Won-pyung Sohn

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.0