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720 reviews
The Dark Between The Trees by Fiona Barnett
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
In 1647 a group of Parliamentarian soldiers are ambushed and flee into Moresby Woods. They're never seen again. Today five women enter the woods in search of their archaeological remains.
The most unbelievable part of this book is that Dr Christopher doesn't have at least 10 undergrads to do her grunt work and also the archaeologists care a lot about H&S and haven't brought any booze. I presume Fiona Barnett has never met archaeologists! If you've never been an archaeologist this aspect won't bother you!
The chapters alternate between the two groups, who follow roughly the same path into the wood. Both camp next to a big tree, both wake to find that big tree has disappeared in the night. Shit gets weird!
The book is all about atmosphere and panic and it's very readable. The alternating chapters mean you finish an army chapter, need to know what happens next, get a Dr Christopher chapter in between and also need to know what happens next there and then suddenly it's 2am and you've finished the book!
It's the perfect read for a dark night in spooky season.
.
Thanks very much to Rebellion for sending me a review copy. You can pick this one up on the 13th October (a suitably spooky date!).
The most unbelievable part of this book is that Dr Christopher doesn't have at least 10 undergrads to do her grunt work and also the archaeologists care a lot about H&S and haven't brought any booze. I presume Fiona Barnett has never met archaeologists! If you've never been an archaeologist this aspect won't bother you!
The chapters alternate between the two groups, who follow roughly the same path into the wood. Both camp next to a big tree, both wake to find that big tree has disappeared in the night. Shit gets weird!
The book is all about atmosphere and panic and it's very readable. The alternating chapters mean you finish an army chapter, need to know what happens next, get a Dr Christopher chapter in between and also need to know what happens next there and then suddenly it's 2am and you've finished the book!
It's the perfect read for a dark night in spooky season.
.
Thanks very much to Rebellion for sending me a review copy. You can pick this one up on the 13th October (a suitably spooky date!).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Vomit, War, and Injury/Injury detail
The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
These were fun, I particularly enjoyed the ghost dogs!
There were a few stories though where I read the ending and instead of being frightened or surprised I was just really confused as the writing was so ambiguous and the ending so sudden as to leave me with no idea what happened. I recommend the stories that make sense though, the writing is lovely and atmospheric, and if anyone wants to read the book and then explain the endings to me that would be useful!
There were a few stories though where I read the ending and instead of being frightened or surprised I was just really confused as the writing was so ambiguous and the ending so sudden as to leave me with no idea what happened. I recommend the stories that make sense though, the writing is lovely and atmospheric, and if anyone wants to read the book and then explain the endings to me that would be useful!
The Otter Who Wanted to Know by Jill Tomlinson
adventurous
informative
medium-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? It's complicated
2.5
The Book of Mother by Violaine Huisman
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
"The truth of a life is the fiction that sustains it."
.
At a mere 211 pages this somehow managed to feel like the longest book ever written. It was so incredibly repetitive and I was sick to death of hearing how rich daddy was! The characters despite being based on real people were incredibly one dimensional and impossible to care about. By the end I was skimming just to get it over with, if it had been any longer it would have been a DNF.
.
At a mere 211 pages this somehow managed to feel like the longest book ever written. It was so incredibly repetitive and I was sick to death of hearing how rich daddy was! The characters despite being based on real people were incredibly one dimensional and impossible to care about. By the end I was skimming just to get it over with, if it had been any longer it would have been a DNF.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Classism
The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I love reading this one aloud. I strongly recommend skipping 'The Wayfarer' chapter which is so long, so boring, so completely irrelevant! Everything else is a delight though.
Where the Seals Sing by Susan Richardson
informative
medium-paced
3.0
Susan Richardson travelled round the coast of Britain following the breeding season of the seals which oddly occurs at different times, being later as you go round clockwise. I really enjoyed the history and mythology of human interactions with seals and discovering how conservation and education about the species varies depending on the human land ownership of the seals different breeding, moulting and haul out sites.
.
The book unfortunately also follows Richardson's private life and her dad's health problems. Her writing could not make me care about her as much as I cared about seals and by the end I was skim reading the personal sections. When she started relating her and some other upper-middle class white women's shamanic rituals I decided she wasn't for me and should spend more time learning about cultural appropriation than seals!
.
If it was just a book about seals I'd really recommend it as the nature writing is excellent but the memoir aspect was dull and her constant comparison of her dad to a rehabilitated seal was weird and felt like she was trying too hard to make two very separate stories meld together.
.
The book unfortunately also follows Richardson's private life and her dad's health problems. Her writing could not make me care about her as much as I cared about seals and by the end I was skim reading the personal sections. When she started relating her and some other upper-middle class white women's shamanic rituals I decided she wasn't for me and should spend more time learning about cultural appropriation than seals!
.
If it was just a book about seals I'd really recommend it as the nature writing is excellent but the memoir aspect was dull and her constant comparison of her dad to a rehabilitated seal was weird and felt like she was trying too hard to make two very separate stories meld together.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Medical content
Collected Poems by Ted Hughes, Sylvia Plath
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
'A Scanner Darkly' is supposed to be set in the 1990's but apart from some fancy police equipment and some Planet of the Apes sequels it's just the 1960's and everyone speaks like they're in a Cheech and Chong movie.
Remember when you'd show up late to a party and all your friends were stoned or drunk and having what they thought was a very profound conversation but you were sober so it was just annoying nonsense. That's 98% of this book!
The plot doesn't really get going until about chapter twelve and then it ends just as it seems like something might actually happen. For most of the book there isn't really a plot, it's just some stoners talking crap and none of the characters have enough depth or character development for me to actually care what happens to them.
The big reveal at the end could be used to ask some interesting questions about society, but it's not because that's the end and I sat through a whole lot of boring nothing to get there!
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
'A Scanner Darkly' is supposed to be set in the 1990's but apart from some fancy police equipment and some Planet of the Apes sequels it's just the 1960's and everyone speaks like they're in a Cheech and Chong movie.
Remember when you'd show up late to a party and all your friends were stoned or drunk and having what they thought was a very profound conversation but you were sober so it was just annoying nonsense. That's 98% of this book!
The plot doesn't really get going until about chapter twelve and then it ends just as it seems like something might actually happen. For most of the book there isn't really a plot, it's just some stoners talking crap and none of the characters have enough depth or character development for me to actually care what happens to them.
The big reveal at the end could be used to ask some interesting questions about society, but it's not because that's the end and I sat through a whole lot of boring nothing to get there!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue by Paula Harrison
adventurous
mysterious
fast-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? Yes
4.0
Self-Control by Mary Brunton
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Stalking
Minor: Gun violence and Death of parent