rachelsbusyreading's reviews
434 reviews

Final Offer by Lauren Asher

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emotional funny medium-paced

4.0

I really liked this one; I think Cal was my favorite Kane brother for sure. I won’t lie, sometimes Lana got on my nerves and I did think the book was way too long causing it to drag in the middle a bit. But overall I loved the growth of the characters, the glimpses of side characters/lake wisteria, and the love between Lana and Cal. 
Come Closer by Sara Gran

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dark sad tense medium-paced

4.5

Definitely don’t think this will be everyone’s taste but I really enjoyed this book! There are a few fleetingly eerie moments but for the most part this is less creepy and more bleak and grim. This was a quick read that kept me engaged throughout; even with the repetitive nature of the story I felt myself hanging on every word just hoping for a way out for Amanda. Definitely recommend the audiobook! 
At Home with the Horrors by Sammy Scott

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3.0

Hmmmmm, I have thoughts lol. The first few stories I thought were GREAT! I was feeling so good about it and happy to finally be enjoying a short story collection! I think I’ve discovered that horror is definitely fun in this format; reminds me of those two sentence horror stories from tumblr lol. But theeeeeeen it fell SO FLAT for me. I feel the second half was just downhill. So many of the stories felt pointless, slow, or just not horror? I don’t know but they weren’t really for me. 

Here are my ratings of all the individual stories:

What We Have Here 4.5/5
Theresa 4.5/5
Blackbird 3/5
The Sisters 4/5
Peeping Tommy: 4/5
Becca: 4/5
Sleeptalker: 2.5/5
Rebirth: 3.5/5
Katherine: 3.5/5
Scared Mary: 2.5/5
Something Else Entirely: 3/5
Nancy: 3.5/5
People you may know: 1/5
Emil Bones: 3/5 DNF
The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

This. Was. So. Good. Faster paced than the first book for sure, so if you read the first and felt it was slow I think its worth continuing. I love our main characters, and in this book we get more depth and understanding of each of them. So many twists and turns and new storylines that will keep you engaged and guessing. Loved it. 
A House at the Bottom of a Lake by Josh Malerman

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

I really liked this book and I can’t even explain why. Honestly I think most people would probably hate this because you don’t get answers to most of your questions, everything is very ambiguous, and it isn’t quite obvious what the “point” of the story is. But I found it atmospheric, strange, eerie, and just an overall intriguing and fun read. 
Cruel Seduction by Katee Robert

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medium-paced

3.75

I wish I bought into the romance a little bit more here. I loved everyone together but I was a little confused at how they just seemed to fall in love with each other feelingly out of nowhere lol. Really Enjoyed the plot of this one though and as always the spice was great 
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I absolutely LOVED this book. Not sure I can really form any deep thoughts but it was so powerful, fun, tense, and well written and I enjoyed every second of it. 
Mother's Day Inn by Lee Jacquot

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lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Okay up until this point Cupids Peak has been my favorite in this novella series but this one takes the cake!! The characters were all so lovable and sweet, the tension was 10/10 and the spice was immaculate as always! 
A Kingdom of Venom and Vows by Holly Renee

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adventurous emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

After the second book in this series I was worried that the series was just going to fizzle out for me after the first but this DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Loved the characters, spice, and plot. I’m so excited to see Sorin and Thalia’s story!! 
Thru-Hiking Will Break Your Heart: An Adventure on the Pacific Crest Trail by Carrot Quinn

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adventurous emotional funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

This was so raw and real and entertaining. As an unashamed nosy person I loved feeling like we were reading into Carrots journal and getting the daily play by play of life on the trail, conversations with other hikers, and her inner monologue. I will say this book is very repetitive which I didn’t necessarily mind too much but if that bothers you or you find it boring to hear about all the nitty gritty details of what someone ate when, where they stopped to dry their tent, etc then this might not be for you. But for me, I loved it.