kaykad's reviews
56 reviews

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

adventurous emotional inspiring sad fast-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

5.0

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.75

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.5

Black Hole by Charles Burns

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

Misery by Stephen King

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

dark emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

5.0

Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura

hopeful sad slow-paced

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

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

The Shining by Stephen King

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I never got around to reading this because I always thought the movie was a faithful adaptation. 

It's not. 

Many of the hauntings in the overlook are psychological; an internal monologue that's overtaken by an other, intrusive thoughts, daydreams and nightmares. We don't get any of that in the film. This is SCARY. So well paced. 

It's definitely a little misogynistic, racist and xenophobic here and there though, so, there's that. Which is also scary. 

Wanted to read a classic King beofre diving into his new book and this did not disappoint! Totally understand the friends episode where Joey puts his copy of the shining in the freezer.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

5.0