marina_michelle's reviews
17 reviews

Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

2.75

Great premise that could have used a lot more polish

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

The North Water by Ian McGuire

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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

3.0

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

dark emotional funny tense fast-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Vomit, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Stalking and Classism

Minor: Colonisation and War

The Terror by Dan Simmons
Did not finish book. Stopped at 27%.

The descriptions of every woman’s breasts and pubic hair was already a red flag. Platypus Pond was just too much…

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.

I was struggling to pay attention listening to it. I’ll probably get it in print and pick up where I left off

Epidemic: Ebola and the Global Scramble to Prevent the Next Killer Outbreak by Reid Wilson

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic

A Season of Monstrous Conceptions by Lina Rather

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Blood, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Racism, Sexism, and Car accident

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0