Scan barcode
cjeanne99's reviews
976 reviews
McGlue by Ottessa Moshfegh
Did not finish book. Stopped at 35%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 35%.
Just could not get interested in the story
Hell House by Richard Matheson
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This would make a very scary movie. As a book - it was entertaining - but it did not make my imagination go wild at the thought of the spirits inhabiting Hell House.
The book is a spin off on the "I'll pay you $100,000 to spend the night in this totally creepy Haunted House." Instead - in 1970 a wealthy man hires three people, two paranormalists and one parapsychologist, to spend one week at Hell House with the goal of confirming, or debunking, the presence of other spirits in the house - and - if they exist - clearing the house of their presence.
Florence Tanner, a spiritualist; Benjamin Franklin Fischer, the lone survivor of a 1940 visit to Hell House - where Fischer felt the presence of spirits; Lionel Barrett is the scientist, afflicted by Polio and accompanied on the trip by his wife Edith.
While they are there - Florence becomes a portal for other spirits that try to send messages to the group - including Daniel Bellasco - the son of the owner of the house who apparently died an angry young man. Each member of the quartet has their interaction with the spirit that inhabits Hell House - to varying results. Two die, two survive.
The book is a spin off on the "I'll pay you $100,000 to spend the night in this totally creepy Haunted House." Instead - in 1970 a wealthy man hires three people, two paranormalists and one parapsychologist, to spend one week at Hell House with the goal of confirming, or debunking, the presence of other spirits in the house - and - if they exist - clearing the house of their presence.
Florence Tanner, a spiritualist; Benjamin Franklin Fischer, the lone survivor of a 1940 visit to Hell House - where Fischer felt the presence of spirits; Lionel Barrett is the scientist, afflicted by Polio and accompanied on the trip by his wife Edith.
While they are there - Florence becomes a portal for other spirits that try to send messages to the group - including Daniel Bellasco - the son of the owner of the house who apparently died an angry young man. Each member of the quartet has their interaction with the spirit that inhabits Hell House - to varying results. Two die, two survive.
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
Butcher and Blackbird is exactly as advertised - a romance about two serial killers who stalk and kill serial killers. The concept hooked me. Too much romance for me - I fast forwarded through some parts so I could get back to the stalking, eyeball gouging, killing.
Believe the graphic warnings. And - the cannibalism was truly accidental.
Believe the graphic warnings. And - the cannibalism was truly accidental.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, and Murder
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
A group of friends from Oxford meet at a remote estate in the Scottish Highlands to ring in the new year and relax. And what a group they are. Now in their 30's, they are still struggling to define themselves and their relationships.
Five voices narrate the Hunting Party; Katie, Miranda and Emma - three of the friends. Doug and Heather - the employees of the estate where the group is staying. I despised Miranda, liked Katie until her secret was revealed, and Emma was odd - just like she's supposed to be. We don't get very much context on the other guests - other than Miranda's husband Lionel and Emma's boyfriend Mark.
The timeframe flips back and forth between the events before and after a dead body is found. Gets a little confusing at times.
The suspense was not very suspenseful - but that's partly because I didn't care for the characters involved in the tension. And the epilog fell a little flat, although Katie's explanation made sense.
Overall - not my favorite - but again - I'm not the target audience for this one.
Five voices narrate the Hunting Party; Katie, Miranda and Emma - three of the friends. Doug and Heather - the employees of the estate where the group is staying. I despised Miranda, liked Katie until her secret was revealed, and Emma was odd - just like she's supposed to be. We don't get very much context on the other guests - other than Miranda's husband Lionel and Emma's boyfriend Mark.
The timeframe flips back and forth between the events before and after a dead body is found. Gets a little confusing at times.
The suspense was not very suspenseful - but that's partly because I didn't care for the characters involved in the tension. And the epilog fell a little flat, although Katie's explanation made sense.
Overall - not my favorite - but again - I'm not the target audience for this one.
The Murder Stone: A Novel of Suspense by Charles Todd
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
The patriarch of a family of six orphans - five grandsons and one granddaughter - dies. It's 1916 - the Battle of Somme is raging - and the five grandsons have all died serving their country. Granddaughter Francesca is left to arrange for her grandfather's funeral and take over his estate; the place where she and her cousins grew up.
As the story unfolds, various people appear at the estate with different claims about Francesca's grandfather - and claims on Francesca's future.
As the story unfolds, various people appear at the estate with different claims about Francesca's grandfather - and claims on Francesca's future.
Nevertheless, We Persisted: 48 Voices of Defiance, Strength, and Courage by In This Together Media
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Sisterhood is Powerful for 2020. Well done.
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love her writing style. Her sentences are so full.
Lots of characters make appearances throughout the years - to the point where I found it helpful to create a character map of sorts.
Lots of characters make appearances throughout the years - to the point where I found it helpful to create a character map of sorts.
Nobody Move by Denis Johnson
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Not my style.
Finders Keepers by Stephen King
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Great follow up to Mr Mercedes. Book loving Morris Bellamy - obsessed with the trilogy of author John Rothstein most famous character - he hatches a plan to break into Rothstein’s house and steal any notebooks he sees - in hopes of learning if Rothstein has kept writing while in seclusion.
No One Will Miss Her by Kat Rosenfield
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes