Fans of urban fantasy and psychological fiction are going to enjoy these.
Welcome!
Today, thanks to my being a bit behind, I’ll be sharing three short reviews with you.
Each one is interesting in it’s own way and pretty short, making them perfect if you’re looking to get in a few more books before the end of the year
Take a look, maybe you’ll find something that stands out to you.
Sneak one in between tasks or add it to your TBR, either way, they’re worth checking out.
Happy Reading!
(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Any purchases made through my links may earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you.)
A Fate Unknown by Sinclair Kelly
First line: What. In. The. Ever-Loving. Fuck.
Characters: Amusing. Charming. Interesting.
Storyline: Absorbing and entertaining.. but a bit cliche.
Pace: Moves quickly.
Writing: Quotable.
Cover: 3.5/5
POVs
Five: Fate, Knox, Macklin, Levi, Cole
Four Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Review:
Okay. I got super addicted to this.
It’s a bit like a ripoff of Kristy Cunning’s ‘The Dark Side‘ series, but since I loved that, it’s no surprise that this book sucked me in as well.
The characters are amusing, if a bit cliche, and they work really well with one another. The relationship dynamics between Fate and each of the guys, which is also a bit cliche, is a large part of the storyline, but that didn’t bother me—Maybe because it wasn’t your typical insta-love but a more entertaining insta-lust kind of thing.
The mystery of the character’s shared past, their unique gifts, and the strong, unexplainable connection between the five of them had me completely invested. Plus, the humor and completely quotable writing had me turning pages as well.
This will absolutely be a series I revisit in the future.
If you’re looking for a quick, laugh-out-loud read that grabs your attention from page one and holds your attention to the very end, this is one to check out.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
First line: My name is Mary Katherine Blackwood.
Characters: Odd. Unsettling.
Storyline: Curious. Absorbing.
Pace: Even throughout.
Writing: Intense and Intelligent.
Cover: 3.5/5
POVs
One: Mary Katherine
Three and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐•⭐
My Review:
This book has been on my TBR for years so I figured it was finally time to pick it up.
Two sisters, Mary Katherine (Merricat) and Constance, and their forgetful Uncle Julian, live in seclusion on the outskirts of a town, survivors of a poisoning that took the lives of their once-great family.
Constance will not leave the grounds.
Uncle Julian can’t.
Only Merricat wanders into town on the occasion they need groceries and such, and she’s treated with contempt by the townsfolk..
and the feeling is mutual.
It’s an interesting read and, although it was repetitive and predictable, I couldn’t put it down. There’s something almost sinister under the everyday lives of these three, a tension that practically crawls off the page.
While most of the characters didn’t hold my interest .. Merricat fascinated me. Though she was eighteen, my mind conjured the image of this small, slip of a thing and yet, this young girl, so devoted to her sister and uncle, was full of hostility and a barely restrained violence that I had to know her story.
The end wasn’t particularly satisfying, felt like a bit of a cliffhanger that didn’t need to happen, but altogether it was a good read.
So if you’re looking for something quick that you can sneak in between work, family, and/or chores—this is one to consider.
Strain of Resistance by Michelle Bryan
First line: I was twelve years old when the world ended.
Characters: Real. Flawed. Human.
Storyline: Intense.
Pace: Hard and fast.
Writing: Well done.
Cover: 3/5
POVs
One: Bixby
Four Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Reviews:
I don’t even like zombies and still, I enjoyed this.
Eight years ago, the world ended. A shimmering mist fell over the planet, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Bixby was twelve.
Now, with too little water and food, she and a band of others barely survive from one day to the next while humanity, now changed into bloodthirsty creatures, picks them off one by one.
The author took an old idea, a dystopian world full of infected, hungry creatures, and twisted it on its head just enough to make it fresh. It’s not new, but it’s still interesting. And the hard and fast pace keeps you locked into the story and the creatures? The stuff of nightmares to begin with but leveled up they’re a freaking horror show.
The characters aren’t all that deep, though the group dynamics work and their interactions with each other are entertaining. They’re human. Flawed and just trying to survive. Each one could be any of us under the same circumstances.
I’ll admit it.. If I had the second book, I’d be buried in it already.
This is definitely a series I’ll be itching to get more of.
That’s all for now, my friends.
Thank you so much for stopping by, I hope I’ve piqued your curiosity and given you something to add to your TBR.
What are you reading right now?
Stay safe, stay warm, and have a wonderful week ahead!
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I’m not a zombie fan, but the first book in the list sounds interesting.
I like these mini reviews. I’ve read only one of these books – Shirley Jackson’s – and like you I found Merricat fascinating.
Lynn 😀