Scan barcode
bookswithlydscl's reviews
505 reviews
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
I love Bob!
I definitely wasn't the target audience for YA Cosy Fantasy but I really enjoyed it
I definitely wasn't the target audience for YA Cosy Fantasy but I really enjoyed it
Murder On The Cornish Coast by Helena Dixon
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
4.25*
Full review to follow
Always inventive
Another fun read
Love the characters and a hood cast of supporting characters - Archie a lovely addition
Full review to follow
Always inventive
Another fun read
Love the characters and a hood cast of supporting characters - Archie a lovely addition
Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? No
4.0
Really solid and enjoyed it overall, especially liked the word play and definitions/use of words
The Lamb by Lucy Rose
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.5* rounded up.
What a stunning, difficult and challenging read The Lamb is.
A coming of age tale, a story of love, obsession and insatiable hunger, it is an incredibly dark, disturbing, moving, and gory folk horror debut that hasn't left my brain since finishing it.
For a debut this is an unbelievably bold story to tell especially as it is a deeply uncomfortable read that will stretch your comfort zone to the max. It is both ethereal and grounded in reality with an unnerving sense of dread that pervades the narrative from page one.
Margot and her story that will likely stay with you and is one I highly recommend and I'm excited to see what Lucy Rose will share with us in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group | W&N for this digital review copy of "The Lamb" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
What a stunning, difficult and challenging read The Lamb is.
A coming of age tale, a story of love, obsession and insatiable hunger, it is an incredibly dark, disturbing, moving, and gory folk horror debut that hasn't left my brain since finishing it.
For a debut this is an unbelievably bold story to tell especially as it is a deeply uncomfortable read that will stretch your comfort zone to the max. It is both ethereal and grounded in reality with an unnerving sense of dread that pervades the narrative from page one.
Margot and her story that will likely stay with you and is one I highly recommend and I'm excited to see what Lucy Rose will share with us in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group | W&N for this digital review copy of "The Lamb" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Cannibalism
The Socialites by Caroline Lamond
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
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
3.75
Overall really enjoyed this. Didn't like Sonia's story, felt the weakest but also understand why she was included but i did knock it down a little for me. Fans of TJR will likely really enjoy this too.
The Angel Tree by Lucinda Riley
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Probably 3.25-3.5*
As always I read the heck out of this but just didn't love it. I didn't really buy into the power of Greta and Cheska was more comic book villain that truly believable. But I loved that it was set in Wales and it was highly readable as always.
As always I read the heck out of this but just didn't love it. I didn't really buy into the power of Greta and Cheska was more comic book villain that truly believable. But I loved that it was set in Wales and it was highly readable as always.
Hunted by Abir Mukherjee
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A very solid and timely politicalesque thriller. I saw mention of twists and sadly figured it out quite early on and the ending was very abrupt which I wasn't expecting at all and I kind of feel like I don't have proper closure in a way. But this was overall incredibly immersive, and action packed and felt like a movie in book form.
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
4.5
I loved this little sad, hopeful, funny, kind of dark story about the pressures of society to conform to expected norms and how it impacts those who dance around the edges.
I've seen versions of this story play out in everyday life but especially during my time in Japan.
It also made me desperate to get to a Lawsons or 7/11 konbini!
I've seen versions of this story play out in everyday life but especially during my time in Japan.
It also made me desperate to get to a Lawsons or 7/11 konbini!
The Least of My Scars by Stephen Graham Jones
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5*
I've decided that stream of consciousness narratives aren't my favourite writing style.
That said, it's absolutely vital for this story so was worth persevering with. As with a lot of SGJ there's unsaid things at the end that you have to infer, but when you realise - well, it's a great twist.
This is violent, gory, gross and messy in so many ways. As with a lot of SGJ's books it won't work for all and this one definitely took me up to the limits of what I'm OK reading especially from a body horror perspective.
I've decided that stream of consciousness narratives aren't my favourite writing style.
That said, it's absolutely vital for this story so was worth persevering with. As with a lot of SGJ there's unsaid things at the end that you have to infer, but when you realise - well, it's a great twist.
This is violent, gory, gross and messy in so many ways. As with a lot of SGJ's books it won't work for all and this one definitely took me up to the limits of what I'm OK reading especially from a body horror perspective.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Cannibalism
A Picture of Murder by T.E. Kinsey
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Took me a while to get into this one but overall it was fun and was definitely a pretty ingenious solution.