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saiw's reviews
40 reviews
Our Shadows Have Claws: 15 Latin American Monster Stories by Amparo Ortiz, Yamile Saied Méndez
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.25
I enjoyed some of the stories more than others. Because of the shared theme of the anthology, some of the stories felt a bit repetitive, so it didn't hook me as much.
Read at Your Own Risk by Remy Lai
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
Loved this—inventive storytelling, enhanced by the illustration and font changes. Blazed through it on my breaks at work; I absolutely HAD to see what would happen. Genuinely spooky even as an adult.
Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Films You're Too Scared to Watch by Emily C. Hughes
funny
informative
4.0
I felt very seen as someone who reads the Wikipedia pages for horror movies, lol! Much more fun reading this, with cultural context and analysis included, than just reading Wikipedia summaries. Still not gonna watch the movies though!
Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
3.5
The Black Girl Survives in This One by Saraciea J. Fennell, Desiree S. Evans
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.75
La última noche by Rainbow Rowell
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-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? No
2.75
This was cute and I liked the fall vibes! A nice casual read, but as far as the ending, I did not feel like Josiah and Deja's relationship was headed towards romance, and was unpleasantly surprised when it did. It seemed much more friendship focused, and Josiah's crush speech seemed out of left field. I would've liked it better if either there was more foreshadowing of romance so it would have felt like it flowed with the story, or no romance at all.
Not Quite a Ghost by Anne Ursu
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
Couldn't stop reading—very good balance of the creepy elements with the struggles of middle school friendship drama, compounded by unexplained illness. Ursu does a good job drawing out a feeling of dread, whether it's from supernatural phenomena or social situations. I really liked, in the end, that the ghost was real but was not the cause of Violet's illness. I was skeptical at first that the book might take that direction, but her illness was real and explained in medical terms after she defeats the ghost. It's a much better message that she ends the story no longer haunted, but still sick, and hopeful for living with her illness. Great representation; I can see it being helpful for a kid going through something similar. I especially like seeing disability representation across different genres so kids with different tastes can find something they'd like, so it was good to find in horror.
Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0