curiouslykatt's reviews
1041 reviews

Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne

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dark funny tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

“There is a darkness in you.” 

No arguments, this cover is everything. 

This book came recommended to me by a few booksta friends, so I snagged a copy in the Lit Love build a box. And I mean, this cover, she’s gorgeous and intriguing. 

An approachable horror novel for the summer. Anna is on a family vacation in Tuscany. The venue a gorgeous remote villa, the company an absolute nightmare. Anna is the black sheep of her family, and her family is truly the worst. I’ll be honest you won’t find one likeable character in this book, except a goat. An actual goat. On that note, there is something relatable about Anna. She’s snarky, sarcastic, headstrong and noticeably independent. Same girl. We are the same.

This is definitely a slow burn horror and I wish more chapters would have been devoted to the scaries at the villa. I felt like once we started to get the horror it was over so fast and we flew back to home, which did cause a bit of a pacing issue for me because at that point you’re only half way through the story. There’s so many chapters thereafter where nothing worthy really happens and I was getting a bit bored. 

I was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable the ending was. Anna’s character did not sway one iota from the start right down the end. 

It was a fine read overall and truly my only worry the whole time was the well being of the goat. 🐐
Walk Me to the Corner by Anneli Furmark

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

“Walk me to the corner, our steps will always rhyme.”

Elise is in her mid fifties and happy. She enjoys her job, she’s been married for many years to a wonderful man, has two adult children, she is uncommonly happy. A chance meeting with a captivating woman named Dagmar, changes everything. 

The heart can be an illogical demanding force. Which path do you choose? The steady known course? The new adventure? Both? Neither? Can you keep the stable and true while being entangled in the new? 

What a beautiful and sad exploration of the complexities that can come with mature love. It’s a wonderful thing to experience the type of love that comes with decades spent together, but that’s not to dismiss the type of love you experience when it’s new and fresh, which can be mourned. 

On top of a reflective story, the accompanying artwork is wonderful and the use of colours translates the time and feelings of Elise beautifully. 

If you’re hesitant to try a graphic novel, I would recommend you try this.
Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle

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funny lighthearted reflective slow-paced

3.0