Tag: gothic books

Reviews

A Study in Drowning Review

by amyleighreads2 Comments on A Study in Drowning Review

Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. Haunted by visions of the Fairy King since childhood, she’s had no choice. Her tattered copy of Angharad—Emrys Myrddin’s epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, then destroys him—is the only thing keeping her afloat. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to redesign the late author’s estate, Effy feels certain it’s her destiny. But musty, decrepit Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task, and its residents are far from welcoming. Including Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar determined to expose Myrddin as a fraud. As the two rivals piece together clues about Myrddin’s legacy, dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspire against them—and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

I didn’t really form any sort of connection with Effy. I was just a bit ambivalent towards her and wasn’t really all that invested in her as a character. She definitely undergoes a bit of an evolution over the course of the plotline, growing in strength and coming out of her shell.

Preston was a nice contrast to Effy however he also didn’t really do much for me. He didn’t have that feeling of complexity or seemed very interesting at all. I think what really bothered me was how insta lovey the relationship was between these two. The go from hate to indifference to love so quickly it just kind of bugged me as I read. It doesn’t feel genuine to me and even though this is a fantasy I want to see the relationship play out somewhat realistically still.

I did very much enjoy the setting and the overall atmosphere as well as the mystery. Wondering whether or not this was actually going to be fantastical or if Effy was just hallucinating the Fairy King and it was all just a symptom of her medication after being abandoned and victimized. The misogyny was frustrating and the fact that had Preston not gone along with her to present the findings nothing would of changed.

⭐️2/5 stars didn’t hate but wasn’t a fan

Reviews

A House with Good Bones Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on A House with Good Bones Review

*BEWARE OF SPOILERS*

“Mom seems off.” Her brother’s words echo in Sam Montgomery’s ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone. She brushes the thought away as she climbs the front steps. Sam’s excited for this rare extended visit, and looking forward to nights with just the two of them, drinking boxed wine, watching murder mystery shows, and guessing who the killer is long before the characters figure it out. But stepping inside, she quickly realizes home isn’t what it used to be. Gone is the warm, cluttered charm her mom is known for; now the walls are painted a sterile white. Her mom jumps at the smallest noises and looks over her shoulder even when she’s the only person in the room. And when Sam steps out back to clear her head, she finds a jar of teeth hidden beneath the magazine-worthy rose bushes, and vultures are circling the garden from above. To find out what’s got her mom so frightened in her own home, Sam will go digging for the truth. But some secrets are better left buried.

Sam seems to err on the side of caution when it comes to her mother and the weird things that are going on inside the house. Normally her and her mum have such an open and honest relationship from what she tells us so the fact that she didn’t outright say wtf is going on here mum kind of bugged me a little. I get that she is a scientist and is looking for the most logical explanation but there comes a point where you just have to believe what you are seeing.

I loved Gail’s character and Phil seemed to be an interesting love interest but I want to know more about them! How did Gail become a witch and what happened with Hermes that he decided to stay with her? How did the feud with Granmae start and how did she know how when to come when Granmae was resurrected by the roses? I’m just left with so many questions about these characters that I’m left feeling a unsatisfied.

I’m a little bit hit and miss with T. Kingfisher so far. I just feel as though her books don’t have enough substance. I’m not sure if this is considered a short story and not an actual novel but overall this felt a tad rushed to me and didn’t delve as far into these characters and the plot as I wanted it too. The concept is fantastic and I love all of the witchy elements and the familiars attached to them but I didn’t get enough time to form a connection.

⭐️2/5 stars liked the concept but I want more!

Reviews

The Hacienda Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on The Hacienda Review

*KIND OF SPOILERY*

In the overthrow of the Mexican government, Beatriz’s father is executed and her home destroyed. When handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, Beatriz ignores the rumors surrounding his first wife’s sudden demise, choosing instead to seize the security his estate in the countryside provides. She will have her own home again, no matter the cost. But Hacienda San Isidro is not the sanctuary she imagined. When Rodolfo returns to work in the capital, visions and voices invade Beatriz’s sleep. The weight of invisible eyes follows her every move. Rodolfo’s sister, Juana, scoffs at Beatriz’s fears—but why does she refuse to enter the house at night? Why does the cook burn copal incense at the edge of the kitchen and mark its doorway with strange symbols? What really happened to the first Doña Solórzano?

Beatriz has had a lot to deal with since her father was executed and I think she jumped at the chance to step out from the shadows of her aunt and cousins even though Don Solórzano might not have been the right match for her. Definitely naïve and stubborn when she first comes to her husband’s estate. She wanted to come straight in and make all of these demands and changes and didn’t get off on the right foot with the staff. I think if she maybe would of had a bit more humility they would of warmed up to her a lot faster and explained the history of the hacienda and what happened in there.

Andrés I thought was an interesting character for sure; being from this long line of witches in his family while still being a priest and helping out his community. I’m not a religious person so all of the talk about faith and religion didn’t really do anything for me, but I can appreciate how it impacts all of his decisions and adds that layer of conflict for him in regards to letting his powers come forth. I also appreciated how slow the relationship between him and Beatriz developed. It wasn’t rushed or insta-lovey at all and they both really tried to maintain their morals but circumstance kept bringing them together and their feelings grew naturally.

The pacing in this book was on the slower side but I appreciate how the the dread and horror really creeps into the story. I was very much invested in the finding out what this spirit that resides in the Hacienda is and how it got there. I’m still not sure why it chose to target, torture and try and kill Beatriz when Juana and Rodolfo are the one’s at fault here. All of the twists and turns were very entertaining and I was pretty much invested from the start.

⭐️4/5 stars I just wish we could of got a little more of a satisfying ending

Reviews

House of Hunger Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on House of Hunger Review

Marion Shaw has been raised in the slums, where want and deprivation is all she knows. Despite longing to leave the city and its miseries, she has no real hope of escape until the day she spots a peculiar listing in the newspaper, seeking a bloodmaid. Though she knows little about the far north–where wealthy nobles live in luxury and drink the blood of those in their service–Marion applies to the position. In a matter of days, she finds herself the newest bloodmaid at the notorious House of Hunger. There, Marion is swept into a world of dark debauchery–and at the center of it all is her.

I really liked Marion as our main protagonist. I thought she was quite strong and resilient and doesn’t back down despite the situations she finds herself in. Although in that same vein I thought she pushed the boundaries a little too much and thought she was above all the rules and didn’t have to adhere to them like the other blood maids. I liked the evolution of Marion’s character throughout the course of the book and even though she succumbs to Lisavet and gives herself wholly to her I liked that she regained some sense to investigate when things felt off.

I just kind of wish we got to explore more of the court and debauchery that takes place, I just feel like we were always just adjacent to that side of the house and I wanted to see more of Lisavet in her element as the Countess. I also wish we get to know the other blood maids a little more, we do get introductions to them and a little bit of a back story but not enough for me to feel a connection to them.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this book, the setting was wonderful and the pacing was fast and consistent. I was pulled into this world right from the start and the intrigue continued to build as we progressed through the plot with all of the twists and turns.

⭐️4/5 stars This was a ‘bloody’ good time!