katyjean81's reviews
1318 reviews

Faithful Place by Tana French

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dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.5

Outstanding mystery novel. My only sadness is that unlike her other murder squad ones, I knew who the killer was about halfway through...it just took a while before i knew how and why. 

Fascinating. She's an incredible writer. 
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Shadow Life by Hiromi Goto

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Beautiful ❤️
The Slaughterman's Daughter by Yaniv Iczkovits

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adventurous funny slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

One of the jacket reviews called this "fresh, strange and original". I concur. One of the quirkiest books I've read in a long time. I'm a fan of the ending. These characters are fully themselves and it's hilarious. 
The Likeness by Tana French

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mysterious tense medium-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

4.25

Oooohhhh it's a good ride! Loved it. Twisty and mysterious and fantastic. Like that Donna what's her face one with the college latin students but less rambly 
In the Woods by Tana French

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

4.0

Twisty, maudlin, terrifyingly sad, slow burn mystery... Didn't see it coming. Heartbreaking shit. 
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You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Lovely HS romance. Underdog prom queen race story. Absolute delight. 
The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe

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

4.5

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova

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

3.25

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk

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mysterious sad 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

3.5

Mostly lovely. Perfectly pleasant, perhaps. 

The characters are flawed human beings, as we all are, and their secrets leaked out quietly over the first of the story. I disliked the main character...until the end. I enjoyed the sparse use of flashbacks the author interspersed to drop a clue squarely in your lap. As I told my mother, while this book is certainly a mystery, at it's core, it's really just about the challenge of being human and the nature of relationships. 

One of my favorites parts is at the end (not a spoiler) when you get a tour of them library in action. Delicious. 

I'll be excited to read whatever this author writes next, as I think her power as a writer will grow with time. 
11/22/63 by Stephen King

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mysterious reflective sad 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

4.75

Excellent. My local public library librarian complains about Stephen King post accident not being as good as Stephen King pre accident, but I think he's still outstanding. Frankly, I find him better in many ways as his writing is more complex. This was wonderfully written and fascinating. I was wrapt from the opening pages straight to the end. 

Recommended for people interested in a contemplative mystery with a sci-fi bent.