Katlyn

An interesting premise that disappoints at every turn. I tried to finish it, but the more I consider what I've read, I respect my time too much to attempt more. DNF @ 70%
• One-dimensional, unlikable characters
• Predictable “twists”
• Hamfisted handling of the “chosen one” trope
• A MC that doesn't seem to understand actions have consequences
• Lots of nosebleeds (I nearly had one trying to finish this dull mess)
• False marketing – the gothic vibes are there if you squint hard but be careful not to strain too much or you'll give yourself a nosebleed
• Meandering, cyclical plot
• Borrows elements from The Magicians, Inception, Remedy's Control, and X-Men but somehow still manages to underwhelm

Overwritten with bizarre character interactions and unbelievable dialogue.

Also, I understand setting a scene but the author spent so much time talking about how ostentatiously fancy the house is that I waffled between outrage (a la Eat the Rich) and falling asleep. Maybe it gets better, but my TBR is too long to entertain this nonsense. DNF at 20%.

Promising start but fizzles out at about 40%. The main character quickly becomes a tiresome brat. DNF at 70%.

Acceptable but not satisfying. There's nothing particularly negative to say about the story but nothing that really makes me want to keep reading. DNF @ 67%

DNF @ 65% out of boredom - Over 300 pages in, the story still seems like it's in its prologue, and anything of consequence happens very early on.

DNF at 50%. Plot was a slog and not worth the skin-crawling slimy feeling of reading the rest of the story.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5. I was hesitant to read this since I had tried Johnston's The Maleficent Seven during a book slump and couldn't seem to get into it, however, this was a fun and satisfying story - a bloody, grimdark ode to 80s action flicks that delivers in every aspect.

I enjoyed this more than I expected. I've read my fair share of urban fantasy PI mysteries, but this was less campy than most and had a more mature, blood-drenched take on the genre.

5/5 Stars. A murder-mystery with class conflicts and intrigue in a world populated by werewolves, vampires, and sorcerers. The blood system is intriguing and the cast of characters is interesting and varied.

I didn't enjoy this as much as the first book. While good, it lacked the “creep factor” of the first and I generally didn't feel as invested in the story.

An Agatha Christie/Sherlock Holmes-style mystery with all the expected set dressings: a group of guests, a dark, stormy night, murder most foul, and the paranormal with enough of the unexpected to keep it fresh.

I absolutely loved the tone of this and the world in which it is set is intriguing. Knocking off a star for a few minor logistical issues with some things that occur (I won't list them here because once you see them, you can't unsee them) but don't let it stop you from checking this out!

Fantastic dark fantasy with an evolving narrative. I'm reminded of the WH40K Eisenhorn trilogy (in a good way!)

This was excellent. Eagerly awaiting the second book.

This was unique and refreshing. A surreal SFF/horror road-trip with living and dead gods.

There were a few moments that I felt dragged on too much for my liking (I really had no patience for Haeki) and overall it could've been shorter but the ending was fantastic so I'm rounding up.

This started strong but fizzled out around midway. I think the author tried to go in too many different directions and nothing was properly fleshed out because of it.

This reminded me of a gorier and more horror-centric version of Welcome to Nightvale.

A fun Victorian Christmas ghost story/mystery.

This story marched confidently and unabashedly into absolute mess territory.

The tone of the initial chapters is done well, but this changes drastically as the book progresses as if the author just decided they could frontload all their effort and wing the rest. I have whiplash from the inconsistent and sloppy writing which featured characters fluctuating in personality between 16 and 40.

What little world-building is present is applied with no rhyme or reason, such as how the passage of time differs between the two realms, but suddenly doesn't matter so X plot point can happen. Lots of telling, not showing with various events. I don't even have the energy to get into all the forced plot points.

The love interest had the appeal of wearing 40-grit sandpaper socks and (shockingly) there was no real connection between him and the protagonist. Additionally, without giving away spoilers, the whole situation was a little ick.

Lots of side characters, but don't worry, they are all the La Croix version of one of two archetypes: annoyingly chipper/friendly or vaguely mysterious and not to be trusted.

I kept reading because I expected, at 560 pages, this would form a cohesive story but the characters are dumb, the writing gets worse and it just...ends. It's not even a cliffhanger - more like the literary equivalent of syncope.

Gender-swapped Batman with magic.

I'm a miser when it comes to 5-star ratings but this one earned it. Funny with witty banter and shenanigans and clearly defined, likable characters. The middle of the book dipped a little but was well-plotted overall, keeping me on my toes. A very satisfying read.

I haven't read any of Jodi Taylor's other works but of course, I am looking forward to checking them out now - I hope I didn't spoil anything major by reading this one first.

The best kind of dark fairytale that is unfortunately held back by pacing issues and a tacked-on ending.

This book gave me the creep factor and not in a good way. Ew.

Interesting premise that quickly lost its shine due to repetition and a reveal that happens shockingly early in the story.

✔️ Dreamlike, dark academia (seriously 10000/10 for the vibes)
✔️ Well-written characters
✔️ Trauma handled well
✔️ The house is a character

❌ Multiple grammatical errors and typos, occasional weird sentence structure
❌ Potentially engaging worldbuilding flawed by frequent loredumps
❌ Pacing issues in the second half of the book with a rushed ending; the main conflict felt inadequate