Natasha

Ugly sobbing inducing stuff! This was just devastating, poignant and oh so beautiful. I found it very triggering at times, and for such a short book it took me a while to get through. Totally worth it though - all the stars!

Underwhelming and unbelievable. I expected this to be way more creepy and gothic than it was.

D for disappointing I'm afraid. The premise sounded charming - all the D's disappear from our world and a brave girl enters a portal world to find out why and restore order. But alas - I was bored, and irritated.

I think if you go into this expecting a thriller you may be disappointed. It is really a family drama - and I think its almost essential that you read The Family Upstairs first. Having said that - I really enjoyed it.

Loved it! Probably the best mystery/ thriller I've read all year. The pictures were a creepy bonus.

Another magical adventure with the Widdershin sisters.

Heartbreaking and suspenseful.

As much as I love Emma Donoghue, I can't say I enjoyed this one at all. It read like a how-to manual on survival (or slow death) on a rocky, bird-infested, shit hole of an island with an obtuse, over zealous, infuriating monk. I really struggled with all the nature writing (it's not really my bag) and while I actually really liked the other main characters - it wasn't enough to keep me invested. Very disappointed - but I'm sure this book will find its audience with the more literary set. I just wasn't in the mood unfortunately.

What an inspirational, wise, gracious and articulate man. How can you not love him? The Father of a nation.

Not going to rate this. It is way too personal for every reader.

A beautifully tragic story with a remarkable sense of place and people.

3.5 stars

Very unusual and not at all what I was expecting. This is a dark fantasy or I'd even say a social horror about the dominance of one culture over the other, and the repercussions of past generations mistakes - told in a mind boggling way. The writing is excellent too.

For pure entertainment and page turning value = 5 stars.

3.5 stars. Rounded up for the immensely satisfying ending and going in a direction I didn't altogether expect.

4.5 stars. Slow burn mystery. Wonderfully written characters.

I've been sitting on this review for a little while and mulling over it. The first half of this book was a solid 4 (even 4.5) star. It was dark, disturbing, made me feel uncomfortable (like a good horror is supposed to do). But THAT ENDING! WTF?!? I still feel a little sore about it.

Vera comes back to the house her father built to take care of her dying mother. The house holds complicated feelings for her as it was a place of great joy, but also great, disturbing pain. But something in the house will not leave Vera undisturbed - could it be the slightly creepy lodger living in the shed? A dark, unnatural evil under her bed? Or all the bodies buried in the basement?

Love the cover! Love the premise! Love the writing! Not happy with the end reveal. Would love to know your thoughts on it.

I love MA - anything she writes is pure gold.

When truth is stranger and more tragic than fiction. Infuriating and devastating.

It was not at all what I expected, and I loved it!

The Path of Thorns is a story that weaves together a dysfunctional family, murder, witchcraft, wolves, a spooky country manor house, a little romance and some dark secrets. This is an atmospheric, gothic, modern fairytale. It has so many subtle layers that skilfully weave together and a delightfully morally grey heroine. The family dynamics and toxic friendships are so intriguing I could not look away. I loved the ride and highly recommend.

4.5 stars. After reading some very meh reviews, I went into this one with low expectations. But Grady Hendrix has yet to disappoint me. His books are always fun and manage to (sometimes subtly, sometimes overtly) turn the genre on its head. I like a book (and author) that doesn't take itself too seriously. Looking forward to ‘How to Sell a Haunted House' in 2023 - gimme!!!

3.5

When I started this I thought “not as good as Beartown” but by the end Backman made me care about the characters again, damn him!!

2.5 stars. I wasn't a massive fan of the first book in the series, but liked this one even less. The story itself is intriguing, but there are multiple ick factors that turned me off (the ending to say the least - yuck!) The female characters are very one dimensional and I didn't like any of them save for Isabella.
I will not continue with this series.