Stuart James

Update: Goodreads Reading Challenge 2023 (9/20/23)

September 20, 2023 — Leave a comment

I actually completed my goal for 2023 and have since changed it twice. Haha. My new goal is 50 books! (It could rise again, as I’m already at 44.)

I last posted August 10th, and I have read ten books following that update, though one of them was a novella. Still counts. Here is a list of those books and my personal rating of each.

Ink and Bone (Rachel Caine)

Rating: 4.5/5

I love Rachel Caine. I love her writing style, her characters, her stories. If you’ve read her Morganville Vampires series, then you should know that Ink and Bone, and its successors, are worth checking out.

Going Dark (Melissa de la Cruz)

Rating: 4/5

I enjoyed this book a lot. I devoured it in maybe two days. The twist was…not quite believable, in a way, which is why I couldn’t give this a 5/5 rating, but Going Dark is still a great read.

The Things She’s Seen (Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina)

Rating: 4/5

This was another book I finished in 3-4 days. It was a quick read, and very emotional. The Things She’s Seen is a must-add for your to-be-read pile.

The Watchers (AM Shine)

Rating: 4.5/5

A coworker bought this book for me as a birthday gift. The summary didn’t give anything away, which I appreciate, but it still intrigued me enough to want to read it. I wanted answers, so I tore through The Watchers fairly quickly, and while I liked the explanation, I thought Shine could have ended it a bit sooner and not lost anything. I would highly recommend this book.

Late as a Rabbit (Kendra Moreno)

Rating: 3.5/5

Okay, I like the general idea around this series: a darker Wonderland where Alice is evil. But…I’m not a huge fan of the love stories developing, nor the unnecessary smut. These books feel like something that may have started on Wattpad.

Selfie (Stuart James)

Rating: 3/5

I don’t know how I feel about this book. The premise seemed interesting, but the execution wasn’t really for me, I guess. I can’t even say whether or not I’d recommend it. Just read the summary and decide. Lol.

Enter the Dark House (Laurie Faria Stolarz)

Rating: 4/5

This was a double feature, both Welcome to the Dark House and its sequel Return to the Dark House all in one. I enjoyed these books. They were right up my alley. I mean, trapping contest winners in an amusement park and picking them off based on their biggest fears? I’m such a sucker for that stuff. And, even better, Stolarz didn’t get sidetracked with the romantic relationship, even though her main characters were around the age of eighteen.

Sour Candy (Kealan Patrick Burke)

Rating: 2/5

I did not love this. I’m not even sure Burke knew what his own idea was, or if he just wrote some vague nonsense with no real plot in an attempt to seem deep or weird. The explanation at the end still didn’t clear things up. I don’t know. This wasn’t my cup of tea.

The Dark Room (Lisa Gray)

Rating: 4/5

This book disappointed me so much! It started out okay, seeming like my type of story, but then… It turned into a tale of men being evil, a theme I’m heartily sick of at this point. Even worse than that, the female protagonists were stupid and made all the same mistakes that piss me off in horror movies, with the result that if one of the men hadn’t helped them, they likely wouldn’t have survived. In case you couldn’t tell, Run on Red really annoyed me. And that sucks, because I loved the other books by Ihli that I’ve read (The Thicket and Ask for Andrea).

I read this on a whim. I had a $3 credit through Kindle, but it only applied to a handful of books. This one seemed the most like my type of story, so I bought it. And I’m glad I did! I won’t say too much here, but this is a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end.

Run on Red (Noelle W. Ihli)

Rating: 2/5

***

I am currently reading Nightseer by Laurell K. Hamilton and The Nightmare by Lars Kepler.

Update: Goodreads Reading Challenge 2023 (7/5/23)

July 5, 2023 — Leave a comment

I can’t believe it’s been almost 2 months since I last posted about the reading challenge! Time really got away from me, but rest assured I am still progressing towards my goal.

When I updated y’all in May, I had just finished Harrow Faire book one, The Contortionist (Kathryn Ann Kingsley) and was about to check out Room Service by Maren Stoffels, as well as book two in the Harrow Faire series, The Puppeteer. I read both of those, along with a few others, so here are my thoughts on each.

1/2. Room Service and Fright Night – Maren Stoffels

Rating: 3.5/5 for both

I enjoyed both books, don’t get me wrong, but the stories feel almost as if you’ve missed something from the very beginning. There’s not a lot of background, nor is there any character development, and while I don’t want to be overwhelmed with details (as Stephen King is prone to doing), I do need a little more in regard to the characters and their relationships. Still, if you’re looking for a fairly fast-paced read that is easily digestible, definitely check out this pair of books.

3. Cirque Berserk – Jessica Guess

Rating: 4/5

This was a fun read with a good twist. I think I finished it in two days. My complaints were minor, so I won’t bore you with them. If you like slashers and amusement parks, this is a must-read!

4. The App – Stuart James

Rating: 4.5/5

Stuart James delved into one of my new favorite subgenres of horror: using the internet to find victims. It’s not unheard of in this day and age, which creates a sense of reality (though the complexity of the app in this book still seems…not quite doable yet). I loved this novel, even if the characters frustrated me at times.

5. Hidden Bodies – Caroline Kepnes

Rating: 4/5

It’s odd that I’m just now reading this, as I have watched every season of “You” the instant they were available and read the first book over a year ago. This was a quick read for me, because Kepnes’ style of writing is easy to follow and keeps you wanting to see what’s next. I could have done with less of Joe’s snide opinions on certain topics that had very little to do with the story, but overall, I really liked this book.

6. The Puppeteer – Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Rating: 3.5/5

I’m still not sold on this series and these characters, though I do like Cora’s sass and determination. I still have the remainder of the series on my To-Be-Read list, but I think they will be read when I don’t have any “must-reads” to get to.

7. Wonderland – Jennifer Hillier

Rating: 4/5

Wonderland was certainly readable, but I wasn’t necessarily absorbed in the story or attached to any of the characters. I will admit, the labyrinthine twists and turns kept me turning the pages and earned the book its 4/5 rating.

8. The Last House on Needless Street – Catriona Ward

Rating: 5/5

I have saved the best for last. I feel like I could do an entire blog on Catriona Ward’s The Last House on Needless Street, but I’ll keep it short and sweet. This novel is so beautifully crafted. I was almost put off by the beginning, because it seemed to dive straight into the middle of something and I was momentarily lost. That was done intentionally, however, as the reader soon discovers. I loved the characters, the story itself, the twists, the overall sense of melancholy throughout. I actually cried at the end. There was hope in those final pages, but Ted was such a likable, tragic character. If you’re reading this mini-review, let me tell you that this book has to be on your list and should be read ASAP!!!!!

**

Next up on my list is Any Witch Way You Can by Amanda M. Lee, which is book one of the Wicked Witches of the Midwest series. I have read 28 books, and my goal is 35. Feel free to drop in and tell me what you’re reading, or about any good finds you’ve come across this year!