graywild's reviews
575 reviews

Small Angels by Lauren Owen

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

3.0

Small village with an enchanted woods nearby.  There is an evil spirit that lives in the woods and a local family is tasked with keeping it in the woods.  A local decides to get married in a chapel near the woods that has been closed up for years.  What could go wrong?  Premise is okay and pacing decent.  Lots of red flags in the beginning that keep the story going only if the person chooses to ignore the weird things going on.  Ending is just okay for me.  Slight recommend.
A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power

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

3.5

Book is a series of short stories covering 3 generations of Native Americans.  In the late 1800s Cora talks about living through the death of Sitting Bull and enduring trauma of being sent to the Carlisle Indian School in PA.  Her doll is Winona.  In the 1930s Lillian is sent to a Catholic "indian school" with her sister and also alot of trauma from being abused by the nuns.  Her doll is Mae. In the late 1960s Sissy (Lillian) has trauma from her abusive mother (possibly mental illness).  Her doll is Ethel.  A note that each doll is like a trusted friend to the girls and there is some spiritualism associated with the dolls.  Recommend
The Ferryman by Justin Cronin

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

3.5

I don't want to give away any spoilers.  Procter works as a Ferryman in Prospera.  Basically when someone's health goes below 15 (they have an implant) they are designated for retirement.  Procter's job is to get them on the ferry so they can go to the Nursery and be renewed.  The population of Prospera seem well off and well fed.  There are support staff from the Annex that are basically the blue color workers who work for them.  They are poor and often starving.  Something seems off and Procter is starting to wonder what is going on.  I don't want to give any plot points beyond this.  Story is decent.  There are some dream sequences that get confusing (but there is a reason).  Perhaps rambling in parts but overall recommend.
Oh God, The Sun Goes by David Connor

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

1.0

Not sure what I just read.  Listed as sci-fi so I thought I was reading a book about the sun disappearing.  Well sort of in the beginning but most of the book is dream-like, hallucinatory, and I couldn't figure out what was going on.  Would have been a DNF but it was pretty short and I powered through.  Don't recommend.
Masters of Death by Olivie Blake

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

3.0

I enjoyed the 1st part of the book.  We are introduced to Fox, a mortal, who is the godson to Death.  There are other immortal characters such as a vampire, a thief, a ghost, a siren, etc.  I liked the humor in the interactions and the general story....about halfway through the book there is a plot device of a game that needs to be played against Death - the only rule is don't lose.  This is where the book goes sideways for me and I didn't really like the last half.  Only a slight recommend from me.
When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

3.0

Story of Alex who is a young girl in the 1950s.  It is during this time a large number of women turn into dragons including people she knows.  Clearly the dragons are a strong symbol throughout the book.  Alex has a tough life and unexpected responsibilities but she is strong and overcomes them.  At times I really liked the story and at times it rambled a bit.  Slight recommendation.
More Perfect by Temi Oh

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

3.5

Story revolves around Moremi and Orpheus in the near future.  The majority of the population are getting brain implants, a Pulse, that connects them to their world (kinda like a smartphone in your head).  There is a resistance movement not to get a Pulse as these people feel like the government is using that collective connection to control the population.  At times the story got jumbled but overall decent flow.  Recommend.
Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro

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

4.0

Story is set in the late 1800s.  There are orphans who have special talents (mutants??) that are tracked down and taken to a school in England where they are taught to use their talents. There is portal to the world of the dead that is closed only by ancient being with a talent to keep it closed.  Twists throughout on who is good and who is evil.  Many times there is a corruption of morality due to thirst for power or misdirection/misinformation by those seeking power.  Recommend.
Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty

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challenging dark sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.0

Series of short stories about life on the Reservation.  I didn't think the stories really were horror.  They were just ok for me.
The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

3.5

Memoir of Reyna Grande whose father and then mother go to the US to seek a better life.  Reyna and her sister Mago and brother Carlos live with 2 different grandmothers in a very poor town in Mexico.  Eventually the family goes to the US.  Reyna has a very tough life in poverty in both Mexico and the US (though the US is less pure poverty). Not an easy read as both parents have issues and are not exactly role models.