clacksee's reviews
1114 reviews

What a Way to Go by Bella Mackie

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dark funny mysterious medium-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

4.75

Characters you love to hate!

Andrew’s a self-important prick who can’t remember how he died. Olivia’s a status-obsessed woman who can’t believe her husband had the audacity to ruin  her party by dying. Jade’s a true-crime obsessive who can’t believe her good luck when a rich man dies in her village. 

Horrible things happen to horrible people!
Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

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adventurous funny mysterious 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

Murderbot solves a murder! This might be my favourite one yet.
The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves

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mysterious 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? Yes

4.75

Rich, complex characters. The gentle pace serves as a foil to the taut storyline.
Jezero City: Colony Four Mars by Gerald M. Kilby

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adventurous mysterious 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

4.75

Fun, fast-paced murder mystery/conspiracy thriller set on a newly independent Mars. 
The Loneliness of the Deep Space Cargoist by J.S. Carter Gilson

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

5.0

Five enthusiastic thumbs up. 

I’ll be honest: I judge a book by its cover. And this book has a terrible cover. I wasn’t expecting much in terms of story. But I was wrong. 

This is fast-faced, tightly plotted, novel almost entirely focused on one person stranded alone in deep space. Well written, well edited, highly enjoyable!
Masters of Death by Olivie Blake

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challenging mysterious
The book description makes this  one sound like a fun, fluffy paranormal adventure involving a vampire, a ghost, and a fraudulent medium. 

In reality, this is a complex, deeply layered story with a cast of thousands and a plot complex enough for Tolkien. It’s very good for what it is … it’s just that that’s not what I was expecting (or in the mood for).
Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

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mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

High-energy thriller revolving around a woman dealing with trauma-induced memory lapses and the cops pursuing her as the primary suspect in a murder investigation. 

But also what happened to Shauna and why does no one in this book care? For that matter, there are a number of questions left unanswered. 

All in all, an un-putdownable thrill-ride of a book that’s very slightly let down by a lacklustre ending. 
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The Flesh of the Sea by Lor Gislason, Shelley Lavigne

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This inclusive and  heartwarming tale was billed as a horror, but didn’t feel like one. There was plenty of death, but most of it was sort of hazy and over swiftly. Reminded me of OFMD, which I adore.

There was too much focus on romance for my tastes … but I’m weird like that. 
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We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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

5.0

A  woman who likes to punch things. A man whose grief has shrunk his world. A woman who finds the fun side of every situation. 

Together, they solve murders. 

This book is SO MUCH FUN. If you need a nice, light book-snack to restore your sense of hope, here you go. 
Black Thorn by Sarah Hilary

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

4.75

I want to read about Agnes and Errol’s adventures once they finally escape her horrible family! With Odie and Bette, too, of course. 
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