cassiecollins's reviews
241 reviews

The Angel of Indian Lake by Stephen Graham Jones

Go to review page

dark emotional tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

This was a doozy! My suspension of disbelief was tested, for sure. There were several points that I felt the narrative teetered a bit into a nonsensical place, but it always came back. And, I can't say I wasn't thoroughly entertained throughout. I absolutely adored the ending and how it finishes out Jade's character arc (plus I just love Jade in general). An over-the-top conclusion to an over-the-top trilogy.
Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones

Go to review page

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

4.0

Making the swap to multiple perspectives was a great choice for this sequel. It kept the pacing fast, since we're almost always where the action is, and it showed off an awesome ensemble cast. I do think it got a little convoluted toward the end—
mostly the Cinnamon/Ginger stuff, but also between Dark Mill South himself as well as the spirit elk
. Very very excited to read the last book though!
My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is another book where the pacing is kind of a drag. I loved Jade as a narrator, and the other characters added plenty of flavor to round both themselves and Jade out. It just took so long for things to get going, and then when they did—three-quarters of the way through the book, mind you—everything happens so quickly it's enough to give you whiplash. As I said, though, Jade's narration was just entertaining enough to keep me going through the slower parts. There's a lot left unsaid by the end, so it leaves plenty of wiggle room for the rest of the trilogy to play with. Looking forward to the next entry!
Reprieve by James Han Mattson

Go to review page

dark emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I think it's much better to approach this as pure literary fiction rather than genre/horror, as marketed. The pacing dragged at points for me, mostly because I wasn't a huge fan of the characters (outside of maybe Kendra). The frame narrative of the court case did help in keeping the tension building even during the slower first half, though. There are several points about race that are interwoven throughout the story, although I found them to lean a bit too far into soap-box territory more often than not over being well-incorporated into the narrative. In the end, I think this is an interesting if potentially controversial piece.
River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile by Candice Millard

Go to review page

adventurous informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

This was a fascinating read. At times, it was as adventurous as an Indiana Jones movie, at others, like a political drama, full of cutting words and personal machinations. From the blurb, I was hoping for a lot more information and inclusion of Sidi Mubarak Bombay, though I understand there's not nearly as much, if anything, written about him compared to Burton or Speke. This was both entertaining and informative—a wonderful combination for any non-fiction piece.
Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

Go to review page

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

4.0

The is one of those books where the plot really isn't too much to look at, but the characters and the prose and the atmosphere are so rich and engaging that you just sink into the world and coat yourself in it all the way until the very end. Though there are points that lean more style than substance, I really enjoyed this one.
Caged in Fire by Amy Thorn

Go to review page

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

2.5

Didn't enjoy this one as much as the first book. I just really don't like a previously capable character being turned into a damsel in distress for the sake of drama (adding to that multiple unnecessarily explicit
rape
scenes for shock value—blech!). A decent enough conclusion to Than and Isaac's story though.
Caged in Darkness by Amy Thorn

Go to review page

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

3.5

I got this for free as part of Stuff Your Kindle Day. This was fun—or at least as fun as a dark romance can be. It did lean into cringey edgelord territory more often than not, but I wasn't too bothered. The tension between Isaac and Than was well done, and the more action-heavy scenes were fast-paced and exciting.
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

Go to review page

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

2.5

So, I am not nor have ever been a fan of
neurodivergence and/or mental illness used as horror
. If I had known that that was what this book was before going into it, I probably wouldn't have picked it up at all. I appreciate that the author seems to have had good intentions going into it (and it definitely sounds like she did a good amount of research). However, that doesn't change the fact that this is a story couched in many thriller gimmicks and clichés, whose conflict relies entirely on creating distrust regarding
the narrator's DID
. The most frustrating part is I did genuinely enjoy the author's prose and writing style—I'm probably even going to check out her other books. I almost wish someone had just spoiled this for me. I could've saved myself the time and not gotten such a bad taste in my mouth.
Freaks of Honor by Holly Dunwall

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I got this for free as part of Stuff Your Kindle Day. In general, I liked this. The prose is rather basic, and the narrative feels like it may have been better suited for a video game. (It's not at all a LitRPG, but a combination of monster-of-the-day type encounters and more than a few fetch quests create that feeling for me.) The romance is sweet, though, and I think that's what mainly propelled my interest.