ryinwonderland's reviews
618 reviews

The September House by Carissa Orlando

dark emotional funny sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

Humans really can normalize anything, regardless of whether or not it’s healthy for them to do so. The September House is a masterpiece in Horror, and you know that I do not say that lightly.

Margaret has found her dream home, and it’s absolutely perfect. Okay, sure, every September the walls start bleeding and the ghost children return, but it’s her dream home, and it’s not so bad, really. You see, Margaret has learned the rules, and so long as you follow the rules, everything will be fine… (Reader, everything will not be fine). 

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. There were moments where I sat frozen in fear simply from the anticipation of what might happen next in the novel (and it is incredibly difficult to scare me). There were other moments where I was laughing so hard, tears were running down my face. And then there were the moments where my heart truly broke as I grappled with the horrors of humanity that haunt these pages. The September House was a blistering journey of emotion that I was wholly unprepared for, and of which I loved every second.

Carissa Orlando has taken the haunted house trope, flipped it on its head and given us a brilliantly clever novel about so much more than ghosts. This is one of the best horror books of the year.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

emotional lighthearted slow-paced

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

2.75

Spoiler

Every miscommunication in this book could be solved with “hi, I’m Sadie and I have trouble with facial recognition after a recent brain surgery, have we met before?”

I guessed the “twist” in the beginning of the book, but there was still enough sweetness to make listening enjoyable. No spice, only smooches, and the entire thing is full of the miscommunication trope, so if you hate that trope, stay away from this one. Otherwise, pretty cute and a decent concept for a novel (

Spoiler

though the MC treats her sudden facial blindness as something to be ashamed of, which is really annoying and potentially offensive to people who actually have it, idk

). 

Wild Spaces by S. L. Coney

dark 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

3.75

Good dog. Bad grandpa. Good for fans of Our Wives Under the Sea. 

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

5.0

A glorious prequel to Legends & Lattes. We meet Viv in the middle of her battle days, where a stab wound in her leg has forced her into a sort of vacation in a small town. From there, bookshops and scones and a threat of a necromancer and a gentleman skeleton and so much reading and romance and blind dates with books and oh, so so much love in its many forms. This book was filled with adventure and also the relaxing coziness of an independent bookshop. A love letter to indie booksellers. 

Revenge by Yōko Ogawa

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

5.0

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I don’t often cave to BookTok hype, but when bookseller after bookseller told me they’d read this book and loved it, I knew I had to read it for myself. I almost regret to inform you that this book absolutely lives up to the hype. It’s awesome.
Strong Female Character? Check. Disability Rep? Check. Dragons? Check. Enemies to Lovers Subplot? Check. Revenge? Check. Family Tension? Check. Sacred Bonds? Check. Murder? Check. Dark Academia? Check.
All of that, plus it is compulsively readable. A total “devour it in one sitting and then yell about the ending and immediately preorder the sequel” kind of book.
This is perfect for folks who want to dip a toe into the Fantasy genre because they like dragons, but they’re intimidated by giants like Tolkien and Martin. Fourth Wing is widely accessible, settling perfectly into that “New Adult” genre between Young Adult and Adult.
(Plus, not only are there dragons, but the dragons can talk to their riders and they’re sometimes grumpy, sometimes funny, sometimes adorable, and all the time epic…I would absolutely lay down my life for Andarna).
I really, truly loved Fourth Wing, and I’m here to tell you that in this case…you should listen to the hype. 

Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson

dark tense fast-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

5.0

Ash is perfect. Maybe too perfect? She bakes the most delicious cupcakes you’ve ever tasted. She makes her own soap. She lives in a farm that’s out of a fairy tale. But there’s more to Ash than meets the eye. 

Spoiler

She’s also full of red flags that Ro keeps trying to ignore in the name of love. Like how Ash is controlling and has boundaries that are more like huge brick walls and she’s manipulative and can be kind of scary…but then she smiles and says something sweet and her kisses are so tender and…well, Ro can be good for Ash right?

Spoiler

help trapped by serial killer

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.75

As with all Catriona Ward books, I never knew if I actually had my footing. I trusted no one’s perspective, rightfully so, and when the magic was introduced I knew that any slight grip I had on understanding was lost. That being said, I really enjoyed this book. I don’t think I fully get how it ended, but if what I think happened did happen, it’s awesome. It’s sort of like a book within a book (within a book? I lost count) and all of the characters are deeply traumatized and fucked up and everyone needs therapy. 

Spoiler

bitches will literally trap their friends and enemies in books rather than go to therapy

If you like Catriona’s other books, this is more of that. Slightly fewer horrible things happening to children, at least! 

Spin a Black Yarn by Josh Malerman

dark slow-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

Final review to come. 
A book of novellas in Samhattan. A serial Killer who never acted on his impulses, a man who free falls from Jupiter to escape his guilt, a horrible couple confronted by their past while stuck in a cleaning machine, and two brothers haunting the despicable hateful old man who murdered their third brother - that one has Christmas Carol vibes of Scrooge was a murderer. 

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

SEQUEL NOW PLEASE
Modern day Arthurian tale with zombies and magic and death and found family and so many emotions and enemies to lovers and heartbreak and a cliff hanger