triciab04's reviews
919 reviews

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

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challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon

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adventurous dark tense slow-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

How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent

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dark funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

3.5 stars 

It feels weird to say this but I thought this was a wickedly satisfying read. I wouldn't say it was light or highly plausible in the criming-and-getting-away-with-it aspect, but it wasn't really demanding of much brain power which made it feel light in a way when paired with Kitty's flighty 'It Girl' commentary. I can see why Dexter vibes are referenced here, very punish the guilty that escape consequences via brutal vigilante justice, but definitely missing the stark realism of the gross amount of effort that went into the whole not getting caught thing. I'm confident it will strike a cord with women that is all too familiar. It did for me, twofold because I'm a woman with a daughter. Kitty kinda embodies a fair amount of us women that are sick of feeling like prey for male entitlement. There's just something so devilishly satisfying about how she uses their wickedness against them. She gains her advantage from their misdeeds and it's hard not to champion that. Then, like Dexter, you get to feel a bit strange about applauding a murderer, even if the target is scum. This book is very of it's time with social media, influencers and the #metoo movement all coming into play. The inclusion of it, along with Kitty's wry sense of humor give a welcome balance to some of the previously mentioned heavier material. All in all a snappy little villainous read for fans of dark humor and vigilante-esq behavior. 

I received an ARC of this book from HQ Digital via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
Jacob by Victoria Jayne

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

2.0

Grave Peril by Jim Butcher

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Sundial by Catriona Ward

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

3.0

*Brain exploding face* <--- that one is for my girl Callie lol. There was a whole lot of twisted in this book. Not for the faint of heart. Some bits of slowness while leading up to an explosive ending.
A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones

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emotional mysterious 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? N/A

5.0

Ahhh endings are always bittersweet when you love a series! A Hard Day for a Hangover was exactly what I've come to expect out of the Sunshine books (and Jones' stories in general), action-packed excitment, barrels of laughs and fun, a dash of steamy romance and a solid plot that all results in compulsive read. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I just want more! Del Sol is an endless fount of entertainment and I'm left needing more! It's truly a testament to how great the town and characters are written, there's just so much more left I'm wanting to see come to fruition. I can only hold on to hope that even though Sun's story is concluded, there's still more stories to be told within Del Sol. 

I received an ARC of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
Little Eve by Catriona Ward

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

4.5

Little Eve was my first read by Catriona Ward but it most certainly will not be my last! This book truly swept me away. Not only did it have this chilling atmospheric element down pat, a banging plot and mystery that will keep you guessing till the end, but it was all told so experty. The writing was EXCELLENT. This tale drifted around the years to and fro, unraveling this twisted tale in bits and pieces with warring feelings and sometimes blurred realities that truly took this story to the next level. I'm in awe of that part especially. While I do get to give myself a little pat on the back for figuring out one twist fairly early, there was more to it around the corner that I didn't see coming and took me by surprise. So really kinda the best of both worlds there. It's no surprise Little Eve is an award-winner. I'm glad for it to have a timely US release date, it is a perfect haunting read to add to your must-read list for the Fall season. 


I received an ARC of this book from Tor Nightfire via NetGalley and this is my honest review.