aceofknaves88's reviews
541 reviews

Santa Claus: The Book of Secrets by Russell Ince

lighthearted

4.0

Best Defense by David Mack

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Zoey Is Too Drunk for This Dystopia by Jason Pargin

funny mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Holly by Stephen King

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Racial slurs, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Gun violence, Racism, Torture, Medical content, Dementia, and Death of parent

Alice by Christina Henry

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

What a weird, weird book.

First off, and this is a minor thing, I couldn't settle into the setting. It was a blend of the real world and Wonderland. Like, there was no Wonderland that Alice went to, just...the world of the book was kinda real kinda fantasy.

Secondly, this book is FULL of CHOICES! Making Alice start out in an insane asylum because her parents thought she was imagining the horrible things that happened to her? Interesting place to start and I dig that.

Making this book SO rapey? Don't love that. Most of the original Wonderland citizens that show up in this book are violent gang bosses who deal in sex trafficking. Except Cheshire. He doesn't deal in women.

But The Rabbit? A violent sex trafficker who held Alice captive and raped her. The Caterpillar? Violent sex trafficker. The Walrus? Not only a violent sex trafficker but a cannibal. And they are all humans. And Cheshire and The Caterpillar are magicians. The Walrus and Mr. Carpenter are just humans.

And Alice is a magician, too.

Oh, and the Mad Hatter is now Nicholas, "The Mad Hatcher of Heathtown", so called because he loves to hack people up with a hatchet. He is Alice's partner. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Trafficking, and Cannibalism

Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick by David Wong

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong

adventurous funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Broken Room by Peter Clines

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

How to Find Zodiac by Jarett Kobek

informative medium-paced

2.0

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5