Josh Krysak
Such fun. Having read and thoroughly enjoyed The Winter People, I was hopeful and this paid off. Solid storytelling is a foundation that cannot be substituted.
This is a soft 4. Because it was so inventive and the writing so bizarre at times, it rose to the level of a 4. Creative but meandering. I would liken this to a new generation's iteration of Bloodroot, which is a fantastic novel and creates characters that are more significantly drawn. Still, there is enough with Mr. Splitfoot that I would recommend it and I will read more by Samantha Hunt.
I know many loved this debut and maybe my experience with it was skewed as I had the good fortune of coming to this novel after reading The Lager Queen of Minnesota, but this was just a touch above ok for me. Some of the quirkiness that made Lager so great is there and there are glimpses of character development, but there are too many vignettes of characters for me. I'm hoping the trajectory from Kitchens to Lager continues and I eagerly anticipate his next book to see if that holds true.
*3.5 stars. Perfect book for Christmas reading. Definitely on par with something from Christie. Lost it a bit toward the end, but fun and lighthearted dread outweighed any negatives.
*1.5 stars. This just wasn't for me. The inside joke isn't funny when the inside doesn't exist. It brought to mind the TV show Fargo, which is loaded with meta but plays it just right and builds real characters that you care about. This book did not. The best bits were the The Voice of Night Vale radio sessions with Cecil, descriptive and funny and fantastic, and that makes me wonder if remaining a podcast might have been the proper choice here. Again, just not for me.
*4.5 This book was just such a fun and twisted ride. Going to be thinking about the twists for quite a while and what exactly did happen.
Loved this book. It was surreal and moody and scary and the perfect ark read. As much as Beldame is horrific, I still found myself drawn to it and wish I could have been there. I will not soon forget the hot, languid days and long to have spent some time reading in a hammock.
*4.5 stars. Bursting with vivid imagery, fascinating character sketches, and bizarre and unique details. I enjoyed this very much. I wish I could have gone to the Colombian Exposition!
Another solid effort from Hendrix, who I trust to take me to interesting places with well-drawn characters and a nice dash of creepiness typically factoring in. The underlying, real-life horrors here far outweigh the witchiness, but Hendrix does important work bringing this forgotten story that faced so many young girls in our nation's history and weaves an intriguing tale around it.
*4.5 but nearly a 5. This book is so moving and simple and beautiful. I was wrapped in it and I can't stop thinking about it.
Pitch perfect. Sweet, life-affirming, and filled with low-stakes adventure underscored with kindness and heart. Exactly what I needed and what we all could use. This is on par for me with Legends and Lattes and has further cemented cozy fantasy as a feel-good palate cleanser whenever I need one. A charming and magical found-family debut.
*4.5 stars This wasn't quite as strong as the Bogeyman duology, but it was still loaded with Chizmar's signature style that is creepy, readable and exceptionally enjoyable.
*1.5 stars. This is not good. Not the thriller I had hoped for at all, but one riddled with poorly-conceived inner monologues from an unlikable protagonist with twists beyond ridiculous and a jumbled mess of an ultimate premise that proved truly unwieldy for Feeney. It is not a feminist manifesto disguised as a page-turner either, as I would posit may have been the overarching idea. I would love to visit the island of Amberly, the only thing in the book I cared even remotely for and which was wildly undiscovered by this author. Disappointed.
His best short story/novella collections since Four Past Midnight and Different Seasons. An incredibly robust lineup without a dud in the group and three or four that are vintage King in all the best ways.
This was a fun, thrilling, quick read. Even with a twist I was long suspecting, I enjoyed it and flew through it. A nice slump breaker of a book, along the lines of a Lisa Jewell or Catherine Ryan Howard offering.
*4.5 stars. This book is transporting. I loved the mystery and gentle undercurrent of suspense and the slow burn of it all. Cameron is a master.
*4.5 stars. Full review to come on this second, much more pleasant read through for me. So glad I came back to give Ove another opportunity.
There was beauty in the writing but I failed to connect with the characters. I also wanted more of the magical realism, more description of the prison and more fantastical elements would have engaged me more.