curiouslykatt's reviews
1087 reviews

Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear by Margee Kerr

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informative lighthearted medium-paced

3.25

Night of the Witch by Chris Harrison

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dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

All roads lead to Crooked House. 

This is the second instalment in the crooked tales series, and book two picks up right where book one left off. 

I appreciate the little reminder opener at the start of this because book one had a lot going on towards the end and felt rushed to finish so it was good to have a little mini overview. Harrison has such a strong talent for writing prologues that get me super excited to read his books. Book two felt more focused than book one but I do feel it needed a heavier hand in editing. You can see where Harrison has experience in the film industry and has an eye for setting the scene, but in writing that ultimately leads to books being a bit too long and feeling drawn out without delivering enough substance for readers to sink their teeth into. I think some editing could reel in some of the excess and allow Harrison to shine in creating more opportunities to connect with the characters. 

I appreciated the deeper dive in Peter’s story here and found him to be my favourite character, the addition of the Father as well was a nice touch and inevitably made me think of the exorcist. I also loved the use of Crooked House as an anchor to bring all the characters together. 

Much like book one where a lot of Easter eggs are thrown throughout for movie fans, Harrison delivered here again for the horror fans. 
The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware

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

3.0

After You by Jojo Moyes

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson

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dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men by Harold Schechter

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dark informative medium-paced

3.5

A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea by Masaji Ishikawa

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

No Credit River by Zoe Whittall

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emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25

“If you feel your feelings physically in your body, you can release them. “

My first book by Zoe Whittall but certainly not my last. 

This a memoir told over a collection of prose poetry that oscillate between past and present over a six year period, before the pandemic and during the lockdowns. 

The anxiety that Zoe feels is palpable in these 74 pages, you can’t help but feel her pain, her loss, her indecision. For many of us we have been in the same space, being an adult woman in your 30s and 40s is really weird and can be unnerving and unsettling. Zoe bares all here, sharing deeply intimate vulnerable moments and in the end you’ll feel like she is your friend and you let out a sigh of relief that someone else knows how it feels. 

Some of my favourite pieces (that I have a vision to turn into a bit of an art project):

Tell Me How You Know, What You Know. 
I’d Like a Double Espresso & The National on Repeat. 
Stolen Daylight
The Somatic Craze

Thank you bookhug press and zgreads for my copy. No Credit River will be available October 29th and I can’t think of a better time to read this. When the weather starts to change and a new season is on the horizon. 
The Caretakers by Eliza Maxwell

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3.0

Follow Me to Ground by Sue Rainsford

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challenging dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0