kyriannaj's reviews
122 reviews

Survive the Night by Riley Sager

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Car accident, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.25

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.75

I think a lot was lost in translation when it comes to the emotional pull of this book. The plot beats were emotional, but the writing and words used were very blunt and to the point. The world building around time travel was incredibly well done and drew me in. Although this is commonly talked about like a short story collection, it’s much more a novel with recurring characters, a singular setting, and plot points building on one another throughout. Apparently the author first wrote this as a play, and thinking about it like that makes perfect sense.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia and Grief

Moderate: Chronic illness, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Minor: Death, Medical content, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Highland Promise by Alyson McLayne

funny fast-paced

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

3.0

Fun, easy read. Would pick up more by the author as the writing and pace were good. Caitlin’s personality varied too much, from shy innocent virgin to confident intelligent seductress and it definitely felt off. Disliked Darrach wanting her to remain innocent and amusing. The last 30 pages happened a bit too quick and could’ve been spaced out more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Kidnapping

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.

I’m not a fan of books that take place during COVID, and the narrator’s voice was incredibly annoying

Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry

dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Hate crime, Racism, Kidnapping, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Such a Good Wife by Seraphina Nova Glass

dark tense medium-paced

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

2.0

Odd start, took a while to get into it and catch up to where the book should’ve started. Honestly I didn’t care about most of the characters in this book as they all flat. It seemed both obvious and out of nowhere, who did it. The character from the beginning to the end just didn’t feel real. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Infidelity, Dementia, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Stalking, Death of parent, and Classism