taelyr's reviews
548 reviews

Never Lie by Freida McFadden

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mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I read this in one sitting. A fast paced fun thriller with a fair amount of twists I did not see coming. 

This was my first Freida McFadden book and I will probably continue to read her books based on this one. The story flew by and was really fun. My only complaint is that one twist was hinted at SO MUCH, you quickly realize that's indeed not the twist. I wish it would have been more subtle, that way the payoff would have been bigger. 
Thrum by Meg Smitherman

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

5.0

Wow. I absolutely loved this book. It has me on the edge of my seat and wondering what the hell was coming next. 

Ami is on a ship bound for deep space to find alien life, and boy does she find it. You follow her as she questions her sanity, her memories, and what she knows. 

A very quick read and I highly reccomend. 
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

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dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This may be my favorite Sager book so far. The vibes in this story were immaculate, and with the dual stories running parallel through the book it really made it soooo hard to put this down. 

Your basically reading the novel from the book, House of Horrors, at the same time your watching Maggie experiance going back to the house to discover what was truth and what was fiction. There plenty of twists and turns, some predictable and some not. The eerie haunted house vibe was phenomenal though, it gave me the chills. 

Adored the writing, the story, and characters! 
Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke

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

5.0

I want you to go into this book blind. It's so worth it. I loved it. Short, sweet, freaky, and scary.
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 6%.
I do not think the writing style is for me and I cannot stand any of the characters so far. 
Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

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adventurous 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? No

4.0

I saw some twists coming, but not others. As it seems to be a theme with me and Riley Sager books. Overall I really enjoyed this one! I liked the twist and what it ended up being about, but I think the characters really carried this story. 
Stephen by Amy Cross

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

4.0

Sweet Moses... First I really like how this was written, basically Beryl is writing this book to us (the reader) and it worked so well. Second there were definitely some twists I did not see coming in this one. What a wild ride! This was brutal, sickening, unsettling, and good! 
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The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous dark funny 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? No

4.25

Alternate universes? Different worlds? Magical trees? Invisible Thems? A WILD ride to be honest, I really enjoyed it. And at no point did I know where this was going.
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

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adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.25

I'm still teetering on if I want it to be 4 of 5 stars. I really liked this book a lot! It flowed so smoothly and the pacing was perfect. I loved the recovery aspect of Mallorys character and she had a lot of depth with her flaws. 

The plot reveal was great! But I expected it to be... im not sure more? But that could just be because this books been hyped up a lot to me. I loved the concept and actions of Anya. And I love how Caroline's development really made me loathe her. I also just thought Ted was pathetic. Both really great to be honest. Enjoyed the read!!
But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo

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dark funny 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

5.0

This has everything I could ever want! A gothic setting, monsters, ancient magic, a Sapphic relationship, and a mystery to solve. 

I truly loved this Novella. Dalia is the new keeper of the keys for the Archaic One, Anatema. Together, they must solve who has stolen from Anatema. But Dalia must not be too bold, lest she end up like Anatemas brides. 

This was beautifully written and had such a well developed plot and characters for how short it was, which is not easy to do in my opinion. I thought the love story was heartfelt and I adored both Dalia and Anatema. Highly reccomend! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!