phoebebird's reviews
59 reviews

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

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dark mysterious slow-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

2.0

I had high hopes for this book but it was disappointing. Gothic literature with a touch of academia is my sweet spot, and this book fit the bill. In fact, the setting and aesthetic were the books greatest strengths. I thought the workings of magic were well thought out, if convoluted, and the novel was atmospheric. My main issues were with the weak plot and writing. Nothing felt important enough to set off the chain of events. The fact that Augustine didn’t have any reason (good or bad) to marry Jane bothered me so much. Was he so desperate for a nurse that he married her? Why didn’t he just hire one and not risk anyone coming to Lindredge Hall? Was Jane, a complete stranger, so attractive that he needed to risk everything to be with her after one hour together? It felt weak, but not fitting with the weakness of Augustine’s character; weak in the sense that it was an easy way to jump start the story without thinking too hard of an adequate explanation. The ending confused me (like other reviewers) beyond belief. I’m a big fan of authors blurring the lines between madness and reality, but this felt like a cheap and overdone imitation of Jane Eyre and not the complex and powerful ending the author was going for. The repetitiveness of the writing did not make up for the plot’s weakness. Jane “squared her shoulders” every five seconds and everything was chalked up to “logic,” “rationality,” “chalk and salt,” and “the smell of blood.” It was a drag to get through, and I felt like Jane in the corridor; trapped in circles of mediocre writing and constant internal monologues. It needed far less showing and much more telling. More characterization, and less of Jane’s constant second-guesses and fearfulness. And much more dialogue to break up the enormous chunks of self-introspection. I didn’t hate this book; after all, I did finish it quickly. But it needed better editing, a more straightforward vision, and a stronger heroine. Also, I know it was a barely fleshed out alternate dimension but what period was this supposed to be set in?? The anachronisms were driving me insane. 
The September House by Carissa Orlando

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dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

Wow did I enjoy this. Margaret was such a likeable character and so damn entertaining to read. Her sense of humor injected some much needed levity into the dark subject matter of this book. The balance between comedy and horror was expertly done, with neither feeling out of place or overdone. The mystery kept me turning pages long after I should have been asleep. I won’t pull an all nighter for all books but I will many more times for this one. A refreshingly different and well written take on haunted houses. I loved it. 
The Favorites by Rosemary Hennigan

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

2.0

I am a sucker for dark academia, so it’s no wonder I picked this up. It is a wonder that I finished it. The plot was just plain ridiculous.
Who on God’s green earth thinks that seducing a rapist so you can trick him into getting arrested is a good idea? And it drove me crazy that Jessica wore the same unique dresses as her sister and Jay, this brilliant professor who was supposedly the smartest man alive  didn’t notice??
Besides the plot holes and general silliness, it lacked the eerie, intimate, and nuanced relationships and group dynamics that make this sub genre so enticing. You can’t just make up a Law and Literature class, slap a mediocre mystery in a small college, throw in some “literary” discussions that do nothing but prove you’ve read the SparkNotes summary of To Kill a Mockingbird, and call it dark academia. And
the fact that the whole time Jessica is addressing her life story at great personal risk to someone with  no connection to the plot whatsoever
  proved how poorly planned this book was. I do appreciate Hennigan trying to take a feminist angle, but it felt cliched, overdone, and dated.  Do not expect a big reveal. In fact, do not expect much of anything from this book. This is not for fans of TSH, or even IWWV. This is baby’s first dark academia. 
One Woman Show by Christine Coulson

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

5.0

The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper

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emotional sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister

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

5.0

A beautiful, spell-binding read. I was entranced by the beautiful writing. Not much happens plot wise, yet the book is still so impactful. The story was strange and quietly disturbing,  but it was so intriguing I could not put it down. Each character has such a unique voice and though I’m usually against multiple POV as I feel it leads to underdeveloped or unlikable characters, this was one book where I was excited to hear everyone’s voice. A beautiful read  
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

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emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I know a lot of people loved this book but it didn’t do it for me. The author’s knowledge of occupied France and WWII seemed shallow and her descriptions of Paris lapsed into  cliches. If I had a nickel for every time one of her French characters said c’est la vie or ate baguette I’d have enough money to take a trip to France. The writing is weak and repetitive, the timeline is inconsistent, and there are several grammar mistakes and misused words. But what bothered me most was Vianne’s plotline. She was the character I loved most, but her interactions with Beck changed my mind quickly. I’m not sure how Hannah thought having her strong and dedicated heroine
fall in love (or at least lust) with a German soldier occupying her house would be appropriate, even if he is not *technically* a Nazi.
However, I did make it through the book, and Isabelle’s character arc was fantastic. I also grew to love Ari, his little moments were some of the best and I wish there were more. Overall, it I wouldn’t recommend it but I’m not sorry I read it. 
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Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson

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adventurous informative sad tense slow-paced

3.5

Never have I been so fascinated by a book about the weather. Never have I been intrigued enough to even read a book about the weather. It took a little too long to get to the storm itself (there’s only so much one can read about the development of the federal Weather Bureau) but once it’s there you really feel as if you’re in the middle of it. I could not stop reading. I didn’t love how much of it seemed like conjecture though (confirmed by some of Larson’s endnotes as well). Overall, a surprisingly interesting read. 
Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

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dark sad medium-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? Yes

4.0

The Most by Jessica Anthony

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reflective sad fast-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

3.0