Qing
Plot 💭:
* High Concept, Low Execution
Writing Style✍️:
* Engaging & Easy to Read
Structure 🏗️:
* Third Person POV
* Predictable Twist
Setting 🌏:
* 19th Century Venice
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Steady & Consistent
Characters 👤:
* Unremarkable & Uninspired
Book Covers📚:
* Fits the Genre Expectations
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Thoughts 🗣:
More in love with the concept than the result
Rating: B+
Plot 💭:
* Batshit Insane
Writing Style✍️:
* Raw & Unfiltered
Structure 🏗️:
* Third Person POV
* Predictable but Satisfying Ending
Setting 🌏:
* Louisiana Bayou
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Fast-Paced
Characters 👤:
* One-Dimensional
* Beyond Evil
Book Covers📚:
* Fits the Genre Expectations
Triggers/Content Warnings ⚠️:
* Violence
* Murder
* Gore
* Sexual Assault
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Rating: B
Plot 💭:
* Suspenseful
Writing Style✍️:
* Clear & Functional
Structure 🏗️:
* Multiple Third Person POV
Setting 🌏:
* Isolated Island
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Steady & Consistent
Characters 👤:
* One-Dimensional & Predictable 😴
Book Covers📚:
* Fits the Genre Expectations
Triggers/Content Warnings ⚠️:
* Murder
* Gore
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Rating: B-
Plot 💭:
* Character Driven
* Engaging at Times, Occasionally Flat
Writing Style ✍️:
* Generally Solid With Occasional Gems
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Steady & Consistent
Structure 🏗️:
* Third Person POV of Two Main Characters
* Easy to Follow
Setting 🌏:
* Alternative Victorian New York City
Characters 🎭:
Likable but Unremarkable Book Cover 🖼️: Visually Appealing but Not Iconic
Triggers/Content Warnings ⚠️:
* Murder
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Thoughts 🗣:
* Make The World A Better Place: The story takes place in an alternate New York City with people walking around with superhuman abilities. It feels like a Victorian X-Men story but not very expanded on
* Sweet Romance: The relationship between Oliver and Felipe is cute. I found them pleasant enough but not very complex or interesting.
* He Would Hate Me If He Knew My Secret: The story has the typical “hiding secrets while falling in love” trope, where one or both characters have secrets that they are afraid to tell the other but eventually it will come out. This is a personal thing but I hate this trope majority of the time and this book did not help
* Mystery Romance - Emphasis on Romance: The murder-mystery was the weakest part of the book. The culprits are easy to spot and there isn't any suspense.
* Did Not Engage: This is a quick read but I actually read it so slowly because I got bored. The ending is predictable and the mystery weak. I think this is book is more for people interested in a character-driven queer romance with a dash of supernatural mystery. It is not a bad read, just not for me.
Rating: B-
Plot 💭:
* Intriguing Start, UnFun Everything Else
Writing Style ✍️:
* Easy but Dull to Read
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Unremarkable
Structure 🏗️:
* Multiple Third Person POVs
Setting 🌏:
* Contemporary Setting
* Isolated Tropical Getaway
Characters 🎭:
* Flat & Stereotypical
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Visually Represents the Story/Genre
Triggers/Content Warnings ⚠️:
* Murder
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Thoughts 🗣:
* Who Do I Root For?: The mystery drew me in but the terrible characters prevented me from engaging. These are the worst stereotypes of different groups of people. The sad part? They were not even hate-able enough for me to be satisfied when they each get bumped off
* Throwing Tomatoes: If the humor used in the book was intentional, it didn't hit. I didn't laugh, smirk, or think any line was clever. There is some crude, politically incorrect humor. I DO think politically incorrect humor can be done, it just wasn't done well.
* Missed The Mark: The mystery had a lot of potential but the characters undermined it
Rating: C
Plot 💭:
* Gripping & Unputdownable
Writing Style ✍️:
* Vivid, Descriptive Language
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Good Build Up
Structure 🏗️:
* Well-Organized
Setting 🌏:
* Victorian Era
Characters 🎭:
* Following A “Psycho”
* Intentionally Unlikable Characters
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Visually Represents the Story/Genre
Triggers/Content Warnings ⚠️:
* Murder
* Sex References
* Abuse
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Thoughts 🗣:
* Vivid Language: The writing in “Victorian Psycho” is wonderful, even when depicting disturbing acts or crass thoughts.
* Into the Mind of a Monster: We follow Winifred Notty, a governess who is unapologetically sociopathic. Her thoughts reveal her lack of empathy and her relationship with “The Darkness,” a personified evil that resides within her.
* Societal Critique: While exploring the depths of Winifred's madness, the novella also satirizes the absurdity of Victorian upper-class society. The reader is left wondering whether the true insanity lies within Winifred or within the cold, unfeeling world around her.
* WTF Did I Just Read?: I really enjoyed the book's snarky tone. By the end, I was questioning what I just read in the best possible way. This is probably going to be a love it or hate it book but I am in the love it camp.
Rating: A-
Plot 💭:
* Slow & Dragging at Times
* Strong Start, Boring Middle, Underwhelming Finish
Writing Style ✍️:
* Easy to Read
* Awkward Dialogue
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Too Slow & Draggy At Times 🐢
* Point of View Shifts Handled Well
* Overall Narrative Arc 👎
Structure 🏗️:
* Unnecessary Scenes or Subplots 😕
Setting 🌏:
* Melbourne, Australia
Characters 🎭:
* Likable Enough Main Character
* Other Characters Unlikable or Uninteresting
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Visually Represents the Story/Genre
Triggers/Content Warnings ⚠️:
* Murder
* Sex Scenes
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Thoughts 🗣:
* Tinsel: While Tinsel is likable enough lead, her dialogue occasionally veers into cringe territory. Phrases like “Initiate Break Up Critical” feel forced and detract from her otherwise relatable persona. When she's not saying such awkward lines, she comes across as empathetic (evident in her fundraiser for the victim's family), ambitious (allowing outdated on-air calls knowing it will give her more engagement and listeners) and passionate about horror movies (her horror themed radio show and knowledge of the genre).
* Where Is Randy Meeks When You Need Him: Despite being a horror movie buff, Tinsel makes the stupidest decisions that contradict her supposed knowledge of the genre. Her tendency to wander alone into dangerous situations when she knows someone is trying to kill her was fitting to the genre but frustrating to watch
* Pandora, The Worst Sister Ever: Pandora, Tinsel's sister, is the most frustrating character in the book. Her obsession with her crime blog overshadows any concern for her sister's safety and sanity. While she does help thanks to clues gleaned from the blog and her social connections, her self-serving actions and smug demeanor make it difficult to sympathize with her. I listened to the audio book version and even the narrator's portrayal was unlikable (she did a great job in general though)
* Who Need Romance?: The romance between Tinsel and Detective James feels unnecessary and insignificant to the overall story. While they have a cute dynamic, their relationship felt distracting and just a reward for the Tinsel's suffering for a previous (albeit shitty and should have ended sooner) relationship.
* Some Positives: The transitions between murder scenes and the main character's perspective are well-executed. The villain's hammy end speech was reminiscent of “Scream”.
* Le Sigh: Overall, “The Graveyard Shift” had potential but falls short due to inane character choices, frustrating side characters (PANDORA) , and a pointless romance subplot.
Rating: C+
Plot 💭:
* Simple
* Wholesome
Artwork 🖌️:
* Adorable
* Expressive Characters
Writing Style ✍️:
* Engaging & Easy to Read 👌
* Funny
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Perfect Pace 👍
Structure 🏗️:
* Well Organized
Setting 🌏:
* Alternative Earth With Anthropomorphized Animals
Characters 🎭:
* Sweet cat who just wants friends and less explosions
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Fits Book Themes/Story
* Eye-catching
Target Audience 🎯:
* Children
Thoughts:
* Follows a cat whose cuteness makes everyone explode
* Simple story about loneliness
* Artist succeeded in making the cutest cat in a book
* Would recommend for kids as a silly little read
* I am very biased as I love cats and not ashamed to say so
Rating: A+
Plot 💭:
* Intriguing Twists & Turns
* Engaging
* Predictable Ending
Writing Style ✍️:
* Engaging & Easy to Read 👌
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Some Starts And Stops Due to One Character
Structure 🏗️:
* Well Organized
* Third Person POV Following Main Character Samantha Harker
Setting 🌏:
* Fictional Universes of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes Combined
Characters 🎭:
* Compelling Main Characters
* Meaningful Main Character Growth
* Easy to Spot Main Villain
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Eye-catching
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Thoughts 🗣:
* Book follows Samantha Harker, Royal Society for the Study for Abnormal Phenomena researcher, as she embarks into fieldwork for the first time with mysterious and deadly field agent Helena Moriarty. They are the daughters of the famous heroes and villain respectively
* Sam is a channel, able to peer into the mind of monsters via visions(black ooze tears upon someone's face, bugs swarming someone's body, etc.). This ability also grants her glimpses into the final moments before a victim is killed. “Channeling a monster” supposedly can corrupt the user but Sam's purity seems to block that consequence
* Johnathan Van Helsing (son of famous vampire hunter) is the childhood friend of Sam and fellow agent. He is also Sam's unwanted shadow. His stalking, intimidation and sabotage doesn't feel necessary to a story with so much going on. Whenever he appeared, it felt like it halted the story
* The big bad was obvious after one meeting but the murder mystery itself remained gripping. The red herrings had unique, entertaining personalities but the antagonist knowledge left the finale underwhelming
* Despite the villain knowledge, Sam and Hel's relationship growth was a highlight. Sam's naivete and forthrightness clash with Helena's cool, gruff secrecy created a great dynamic
* Also satisfying: watching Sam grow from naive researcher to proactive worldly field agent
* I still enjoyed the book overall. It is a good female-led action mystery story with fantasy elements
Rating: A-
Plot 💭:
* Suspenseful & Engaging
* Satisfying Tension Escalation
* Serial Killer vs Serial Killer
Artwork 🖌️:
* Adorable even though it gets gruesome and visceral
* Expressive Characters
* Muted Colors (unless red)
* Detailed Backgrounds
Writing Style ✍️:
* Believable Dialogue
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Perfect Pace 👍
Structure 🏗️:
* Well Organized
Setting 🌏:
* Alternative Earth With Anthropomorphized Animals
* Sleepy, cozy small town
Characters 🎭:
* Following the villain who is technically the hero
* Everyone else is adorable fodder
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Fits Book Themes/Story
* Eye-catching
Target Audience 🎯:
* YA (Young Adult) and above?
* DO NOT GIVE THIS TO KIDS!!!
Triggers/Content Warnings ⚠️:
* Murder
* Blood
Thoughts:
* The story combines small town charm, dark humor and murder mystery with beautiful art and cute animals
* Sam is an anti-hero in that she is a serial killer trying to stop another serial killer in her hometown
* I'm mixed on if I wanted to know more about Sam's thought processes or if the mystique made Sam that much more intriguing. We get a little insight to her mind towards the end though
* Really enjoyed the story and artwork and want to read more by Horvath
Rating: A
Plot 💭:
* Clever & Original
* Predictable but Satisfying
Artwork 🖌️:
* Adorable
* Expressive
Writing Style ✍️:
* Clear & Concise
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Perfect Pace 👍
Structure 🏗️:
* Well Organized
Setting 🌏:
* Alternative Earth
* Modern Day With Cat People
Characters 🎭:
* Likable & Relatable
Theme & Message 💬:
* Lazy Loser Learns Life Lessons Character Arc
Book Cover 🎨🖼️:
* Fits Book Themes/Story
Target Audience 🎯:
* YA (Young Adult) and above?
Thoughts:
* Just a really cute story that anthropomorphizes cats and does the reverse to humans.
Rating: A
Plot 💭:
* Thought-Provoking
* Predictable Ending
Artwork 🖌️:
* Expressive Characters
* Beautiful Coloring
* Unique Style
Writing Style ✍️:
* Believable Dialogue
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Rushed but Resolved
Structure 🏗️:
* Goes Through the Expected Paces
Setting 🌏:
* Modern Times
Characters 🎭:
* Relatable but Uninteresting
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Beautiful Artwork & Typography
Target Audience 🎯:
* YA (Young Adult) and above
Thoughts 🗣:
* A “Guess Who's Coming To Dinner” plot set in a contemporary setting that explores the complexities of interracial dating
* The story moves quickly to get to main conflict so the leads' romantic connection isn't strongly established
* The artwork is beautiful and expressive - the artist is very good at using colors for mood
Rating: B+
Plot 💭:
* Engaging
Writing 🖌️:
* Clear & Concise
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Perfect Pace
Structure 🏗️:
* Well organized
* Too short
Setting 🌏:
* Contemporary
* Domestic abode to hot desert
* Fits the story
Characters 🎭:
* Unlikable & Unreliable
Theme & Message 💬:
* “No honor among thieves”
Book Cover 🎨:
* Beautiful imagery
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adults
Thoughts 🗣:
* The main character was a bit sympathetic
* The unlikable/unreliable critique stands for everyone else but you aren't supposed to like them
* This is an Amazon Original so it should be short. However, I wonder if the story could have been longer in order to add more suspense between the protagonist + antagonists. Or, could go beyond the ending to see the protagonist dealing with the aftermath and the authorities.
* Scorpions don't really represent backstabbers like snakes do so doesn't really fit theme wise to me (they did see one in the desert though)
Rating: B-
Plot 💭:
* Suspenseful
Writing 🖌️:
* Clear
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Varying paces
* Abrupt ending
Structure 🏗️:
* Multiple POV
Setting 🌏:
* Modern
* College
* Graveyard
Characters 🎭:
* Distinct personalities yet uninteresting
Book Cover 🎨:
* Creepy
* Fits horror theme
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adults
Thoughts 🗣:
* This book would have been better if it was a novel rather than novella
Rating: B
Plot 💭:
* Predictable
Writing 🖌️:
* Clear
* Repetitive at points
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Slow then ramps up
Structure 🏗️:
* Found footage structure
* At times repetitive
Setting 🌏:
* Contemporary
* Haunted house
Characters 🎭:
* Unlikable & Unreliable
* One dimensional & Flat
Theme & Message 💬:
* No meaningful message
Book Cover 🎨:
* Creepy
* Fits horror theme
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adults
Thoughts 🗣:
* I either felt neutral or disliked all of the characters (I wonder if that's the usual feeling towards showbiz people?)
* Claire didn't have any redeeming qualities in my eyes. She is presented as standoffish because she's a scientist but loving to her affectionate husband. Disliked her beginning to end
* Wasn't Jake married? I felt like it was mentioned once and never brought up again
* Obvious Keith heel turn was obvious. Too heavily foreshadowed. I'm not going to touch the fact that he was a cop previously with a ten foot pole
* I liked the progression of nothing going (like normal ghost hunting) to ghosts ramping up
* Some chapters rehashed a previous chapter but from a different POV. It didn't add anything to the story
* Overall the book grabbed my attention in the first few pages but left me underwhelmed by the last few pages
Rating: C+
Overall: B-
First off, I want to say how much I appreciated that we are immediately thrown into the horror right in the first chapter. The first few chapters show each of the four characters having an interaction with a ghostly apparition of - or related to - their presumed dead friend Ian.
As for the horror, there a few nicely done disturbing moments. There is mutilation and monsters abound. At times the antagonists of the book felt a bit campy but the passable if not good campy. The Japanese folklore used as the background was done pretty well. I initially was mixed on the method of some kids from Cincinnati (Cleveland?) messing with a Japanese card game ending up in up in a mythical creepy plane of existence but on reflection, it was done decently (WAY better than how Americans end up with mystical Japanese forces in the Grudge movies).
Unfortunately, none of the characters were very likable. Their growth throughout the novel was noticeable but didn't change how I felt about them by the end. The hostility that they all had at the beginning does cool off but some of the comments made to each other made me question how they were friends (flashbacks to their earlier years did not change this). At times, the book can be too preachy. Madeline and Emerson having some struggle Olympics in one scene was annoying. However, I appreciated the representation here, particularly for ace characters which is not always common in YA novels.
Overall, “Find Him Where I Left Him Dead” is an interesting concept for a story but unfortunately, the characters were not likable enough for me to be willing to check out the sequel. If you enjoy YA horror with some LGBT+ representation and Japanese folklore, then this may be worth checking out.