ravensandlace's reviews
519 reviews

Cults: Inside the World's Most Notorious Groups and Understanding the People Who Joined Them by Max Cutler

4.5

Title: Cults: Inside the World’s Most Notorious Groups and Understanding the People Who Join Them

Author: Max Cutler and Kevin Conley 

Genre: Nonfiction

Format: own hardback book

Series: NA

Star Rating: 4.5 stars

tw: murder, drug use, teen pregnancy, bullying, assault, neglect, guns, gun violence, rape, blood, violence, brainwashing, child death, cancer, parental death, suicide, arson, child abuse, mutilation, poison

It is no secret that I am fascinated with cults. But in case you didn’t know that, now you do. I think it’s so fascinating that normal people can get sucked into believing anything. When I had a commute of 30 minutes to work and 30 minutes back home, I decided to give podcasts a shot as I was tired of listening to music. I already pretty much use Youtube as a podcast so I figured I could focus on them pretty well. I stumbled across Cults from the Parcast network and was instantly hooked. In less than a year, I listened to the entire podcast. When they mentioned they were releasing a book, I had to get my hands on it. 

If I’m being honest, I got this book for the bibliography. I wanted to know what they were using for research so I could read those books. I’ve always been curious to know what books they used in their research as I imagine they use quite a bit of research in their podcast. 

Their book is laid out similarly to their podcast if you have listened to them before. It gives mostly detailed events of the cults, the background of their leader, and the terrible crimes the cult leader/cult committed. It’s not quite as detailed but they talk about multiple cults so I can understand why they only put in so much. 

Overall, I think this is a great starting book for those interested in learning about cults. It covers the ones everyone knows like Heaven’s Gate and Charles Manson’s Family but also a couple people may not know like the Narcosatanists and Raelism. It is pretty graphic; the crimes those cults perpetrated are pretty gruesome. But if you can stick through it, I promise this book is well worth it. 

All That Glitters by Danielle Steel

3.0

Title: All That Glitters

Author: Danielle Steel

Genre: Adult Fiction

Format: own hardback book

Series: NA

Star Rating: 3 stars

tw: poverty, terrorism, death, fried, infidelity, job loss, alcohol, murder, cancer in a child, postpartum depression

I have no idea how to start this review. This book was one of those book that would make a good reality TV show. You know the really trash ones, in which every single person makes one mistake after another and then wonders why their life is so messed up? Yeah, that was this book honestly. Coco, the main character, has got to be one of the most sheltered and truly just foolish girls I’ve ever read about. She made poor decision after poor decision. I didn't feel bad for her at all but I enjoyed reading about her being so ridiculous. I don’t know what she expected the outcome was going to be with half the things she was doing but I guess she expected something better. 

Most of my notes are just about how much of a train wreck this girl is. Between her picking horrible men and her best male friend, Sam, always complaining about his life, wife, and religion, the whole book was reality TV in the making. I love reality TV so that’s probably why I enjoyed this book as much as I did. I was just so floored that these two thought their life would get better if they just complained about what they were doing instead of actively trying to do something about it. 

So I know this review isn’t super descriptive and I barely talk about what the book is actually about. But I feel like this is one of those books you, just need to experience blind. It’s not groundbreaking or anything but it’s a good in-between book. One you don't have to pay attention to. You’ll finish it easily enough in a day or two. But as far as Danielle Steel books go, this one isn’t her worst but it’s certainly far from being her best. 

The Half Sister by Sandie Jones

4.5

Title: The Half Sister

Author: Sandie Jones

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Format: own hardback book (unhauled)

Series: NA

Star Rating: 4.5 stars

tw: infertility, parental death, misogyny, abusive relationship, job loss, mentions of drug use and eating disorder, infidelity, postpartum depression, abortion

I’ve only read one other book by this author, The Other Woman, and I was so obsessed with it. I picked this book randomly from my TBR jar as I needed a change of scenery from the two biographies I’m reading. But anyway, this book was amazing and I’ll even say that it was better than The Other Woman, which was exceptional. I couldn’t guess a single twist. Every time I thought I had it figured out, I was dead wrong. 

We get two POVs, Kate and Lauren, who are sisters and so different in every single way. Both POVs were so wild and I couldn’t trust them in the slightest. They both started to become seriously unhinged. It didn’t help that there was so much tension between them. It wasn’t the normal sister rivalry. It was something more. And it played into the drama of everything. They certainly didn’t help matters at all. Their relationship is the miscommunication done correctly. Each believed that something happened and they intercepted the situation differently. This is how the miscommunication trope should be done! 

As I mentioned above, every single time I thought I had something figured out, a new twist was thrown in and I was back to square one. I was living for it! I was glad to always be wrong because the twists were so much better than what I came up with. And no, I’m not going to tell you anything. You’ll have to read the book to find out. I know, I am a mean person.

Overall, as you might have guessed, I loved this book. So far Sandie Jones is two for two for me and  I will continue to seek out Sandie Jones’ books every chance I get. I need everyone else to read this book because I guarantee you all will love it. I can't wait to read more of Sandie Jones’ books.  

The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill

4.5

Title: The Crane Husband

Author: Kelly Barnhill

Genre: Adult Fiction

Format: hardback library book

Series: NA

Star Rating: 4.5 stars

tw: parental death, parentification, animal death (done humanely), illness, injury, blood, domestic abuse, gun violence, neglect

This was one of the weirdest books I’ve ever read in my life and I’ve read some pretty weird books. When I first heard about this book, I thought that oh the crane is a metaphor for something. Granted I didn’t know what that something was because I don’t know much about cranes but I figured that the book would explain it to me. But no, it’s an actual crane. My mind was so blown! I had to stare at the page for a couple of minutes and think about the choices I’ve made in life that led me to reading a book about a crane. 

Something about this book just kept me hooked. I had no idea where each page was going to go but I was obsessed. Everything about this book was just so interesting. Every single sentence was impactful. Nothing was out of place. The ending felt kind of rushed. I wish this had been a full-length novel but then I’m not sure if the impact would have been quite the same. 

Overall, this was a great book! I couldn’t tell you what exactly I loved about it but I did. Everything about it was amazing and I was kept hooked right until the very end. As for recommendations, I am not too sure. I suppose if you enjoy cranes then this might be the book for you. Just prepare for some weirdness. 

Snowglobe by Soyoung Park

4.0

Title: Snowglobe

Author: Soyoung Park

Genre: YA Dystopian

Format: own hardback book

Series: Snowglobe Duology (#1)

Star Rating: 4 stars

tw: dementia, extreme weather, murder, parental death, cancer, assault, alcoholism, drugging

This book haunted me on Facebook. I saw ads for it for at least two weeks until one day I had enough and picked myself up a copy because I knew it wasn’t going to go away until I did something about it. I didn’t feel like reading my other current reads at the time so I started it and I was just so impressed with this book. It was such a different take from other dystopian books I’ve read. 

The main character, Chobahm, was a great main character. I enjoyed her POV quite a bit. But one thing that kind of bothered me about her was how chill she was about murder. One of the TV shows shown from the Snowglobe was someone murdering men and this girl was just so chill with it. Like oh yeah, it’s totally cool they are watching someone kill others. It was kind of mind boggling how chill she was. 

While I enjoyed the book quite a bit, the pacing threw me off. It started a bit slow. We were getting a feel for the world and Snowglobe. Then the middle of the book hit and suddenly things were happening and happening quickly. I started to get a little lost. I think because the book was translated some things might have gotten lost. Some subtle transitions and things like that. 

Since I keep mentioning Snowglobe, I should probably explain what it is. Snowglobe is an area that is warm all year round. In Chobahm’s world, it is winter all year round with temperatures so cold, you will get frostbite in mere minutes. Snowglobe is warm and is powered by people on the outside. In exchange for the citizens keeping Snowglobe going, 24-hour reality TV shows are happening. There are a variety of shows and regular citizens can even try their luck at becoming actors and work in Snowglobe. As I mentioned, it’s an interesting concept for a dystopian. 

I think this book shows how damaging reality TV is for both the actor and the viewer. You saw the stress the actors went through in Snowglobe. You could feel the desperation. How hard they tried to stay relevant so they could stay in Snowglobe. I also felt the desperation of the viewers. They lived for those shows as a way to forget about the horrible cold. While it provided an escape, it was the only thing people lived for. It was truly sad.

Overall, I loved this book quite a bit and the concept was so interesting. It was a fresh and unique take on dystopia. It breathed new life into the genre. I can’t wait to read the sequel, especially since this book ends on a very interesting cliffhanger. 

Raven Wakes The Dawn by Laine Stambaugh

4.0

Title: Raven Wakes the Dawn

Author: Laine Stambaugh

Genre: Historical Fiction

Format: ebook

Series: The Heartstone Trilogy (#1)

Star Rating: 4 stars

A special thank you goes to Niche Reads for providing me with a copy of this book. Please know that this does not influence my rating or thoughts on the book itself.

tw: child abandonment, alcohol, toxic relationship, death, epilepsy, animal death, birthing scene, infant death, kidnapping, hanging, stabbing, alcoholism, bullying, child abuse, domestic abuse

I will be the first to admit. I have yet to learn about Scottish history. It’s not that I don’t want to learn anything about Scottland, it’s simply never come up. I have heard of Druids but that is because I have a boyfriend who plays World of Warcraft and I think a Druid is a class on there. So when I was emailed about this book, I said absolutely! I enjoyed this book quite a bit considering I do not know much about Scottish lore. 

There were two main characters: Marsaili and Davina. Marsaili is a Druid, so she worships in the old ways, she’s a healer and my lord, she was so incredibly naive. I know that she was raised by Druids and believed the best in everyone. But holy cow, she believed every single thing someone said to her without thinking about whether or not this person truly meant well or just wanted to hurt her. It drove me crazy that she couldn’t protect her heart. She did eventually grow a back bone but it took a minute. 

Davina was the other POV. She got some page time but honestly, she didn’t get enough. We learned about her mostly through the eyes of Marsaili. And she made Davina look like a spoiled brat. If we got her POV more, my thoughts about her would be different. I understand she had some trauma but it wasn’t truly explored as much as I wanted it to be.  

As for the plot, it was good but it didn’t blow me out of the water. I would honestly say it was more of a character driven story with some side quests. I felt like the book was more about Marsaili and her growth as a person. I am interested to see where the other books will go because this one did end pretty nicely and I’m not sure where else Marsaili’s story could go. 

Overall, this was a pretty enjoyable book. It was easy to read and despite it being over 400 pages, I breezed through it. Marsaili was an interesting character who did eventually grow on me, she just took her sweet time. I learned a bit more about Scottish history and I’m intrigued enough to want to learn more. Overall, I recommend this book especially if you are interested in Scottish history. 

Losers: Part I by Harley Laroux

5.0

Title: Losers Part 1

Author: Harley Laroux

Genre: Why Choose Romance

Format: own paperback book

Series: Losers (#1)

Star Rating: 5 stars

tw: located in the front of the book/ it’s a wonderfully extensive list!

My friend, the one who sends me books and recommendations, sent this book to me saying I would love this book since I loved Den of Vipers. And boy, was she right! This book filled the hole Den of Vipers left me. It wasn’t as extreme as Den of Vipers but this book was in a league all on its own. I loved everything in this book and everyone. 

One of the best things about this book was the consent. Jessica was given a list by the boys about things she wanted to try. They gave her safe words and stopped when they knew she had too much. It made me so happy to see that. It doesn’t always happen, especially in dark romance. It’s very prominent throughout the book as well. It doesn’t just happen once or twice. Jess can say no to anything and the boys will stop immediately and with no questioning or guilting.  

I just adored this book so much. All the characters, Jess, Manson, Lucas, Jason, and Vincent were so amazing in their way. The devotion they had to each other was admirable and I loved how fiercely protective of each other they all were. They all had their personalities and I loved them all so much. The connection they had to each other was just beautiful and when they all got together for a fun time, whoo boy! Those scenes were nice and spicy.

Overall, my friend has yet to recommend me a bad book. I know this isn’t a typical review but I just don’t know how to put into words how much I loved this book. I just loved this group so very much and I don’t know how to say it without sounding like such a fan girl. This is one of my absolute favorite books and I’m obsessed with the whole group. I am looking forward to finishing this duet and getting back to my wonderful group of losers. I miss them so much!  

But One Life: The Story of Nathan Hale by Samantha Wilcoxson

3.5

Title: But One Life: The Story of Nathan Hale

Author: Samantha Wilcoxson

Genre: Historical Fiction

Format: ebook

Series: NA

Star Rating: 3.5 stars

A special thank you goes to Coffee and Thorn for providing me with a copy of this book. Please know that this does not influence my rating or thoughts on the book itself.

tw: parental death, underage drinking (by today’s standard), vandalism, illness, death, war, misogyny, suicide, gun violence, hanging

So, as I have mentioned in previous reviews, I don’t know much about American history. It’s a time period that I don’t reach for often. I’ve read a lot of Clara Barton because when I was younger, I became pretty hyper-fixated on her. I was an odd kid. But when Coffee and Thorn offered this book, I decided to give this book a shot. I have read another book by this author and I enjoyed it so I knew I would enjoy this book too. And I did. I learned quite a bit too. Which is always a plus when you are reading.

When I started this book, I truly thought Nathan Hale was an author. I have a feeling I was getting him confused with another person. But I quickly realized that was not the case. Confusion aside, I truly enjoyed Nathan. It was so much fun watching Nathan grow up from a child to a brave young man. One of my favorite things about him was how he was for women being educated. That is such a rare thing for men of his time. I wanted to shout with joy! He immediately became my favorite. Another one of my favorite things about this book was the relationship between Nathan and his brother, Enoch. The bond they had with each other was so amazing. They weren’t afraid to get emotional with each other. They truly were each other's best friends. And it reminded me of my relationship with my sister. She is my best friend in the whole world. One way to get me to love a book is to give it sibling relationships as I have with my sister and like Nathan had with Enoch and I will be obsessed with it. 

I enjoyed the pacing of the book. It wasn’t too fast but it also wasn’t too slow. It took its time, letting you get to know Nathan and his struggles with patriotism and doing what his heart wants. I truly felt his pain and there were a couple of times I found myself tearing up. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be a young man, with your whole future ahead of you, trying to decide if you want to serve your country and follow your heart. The author lets us sit with the emotions Nathan felt. I appreciated that quite a bit. 

Overall, I was kind of surprised that I liked this book considering the time it takes place. Like I mentioned before, I don’t read a lot of American history but this one got me interested in the espionage side of the American Revolution. I have always been interested in spying and espionage so it’ll be interesting to read more about how it was used in the American Revolution since I know so much about espionage during World War II and I feel like it’s time for a change of scenery. Overall, though, if you enjoy learning about the American Revolution or just enjoy American history in general, this is the book for you!  

The United States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters by J.W. Ocker

4.0

Title: The United States of Cryptids

Author: J.W Ocker

Genre: Cryptozoology

Format: ebook

Series: NA

Star Rating: 4 stars

So I’m not sure how many people know this about me but I love cryptozoology. I fully believe in Bigfoot, Mothman, etc. I used to watch this one show where people would go out and hunt for whatever creature that attacked someone. I’m pretty sure it was about finding Bigfoot. It was amazing but also scared me half to death. Then, years later, I watched Buzzfeed Unsolved Supernatural and I’ve been fully hooked on cryptozoology ever since. 

So what exactly is a cryptid? For those who may not know, a cryptid is a creature or species whose existence is scientifically unproven. They can also be animals that once existed but don’t anymore such as the American lion. They can also be animals that thrive in places they shouldn't like alligators in the Manhattan sewers. The last two were a surprise to me. I always assumed that cryptids were things like the Mothman. I didn’t realize they also could be actual animals.

What I liked about this book was how organized it was. It was separated by regions: Northeast, South, Midwest, and West. Each cryptid had the following info: type, location, earliest sighting, and size. Sometimes there was a notable characteristic included, depending on the cryptid. I wish there were more pictures, like one for each cryptid. The descriptions were great but I felt like if we had pictures, we would have more of a sense of what each of these creatures looked like. 

I could tell there was a lot of research put into this book. Each cryptid has at least a couple of pages. There was also a healthy mix of ancient cryptids and recent ones. The author tried to make sure to include cryptids that aren’t widely known like Bigfoot. I appreciated that quite a bit. There was also a section dedicated to the history of cryptozoology and how it came to be. It was also mentioned how far cryptozoology has come. 

Overall, this was a fantastic book. I certainly need a physical copy so I can reference this book from time to time. This is an excellent starter book if you are interested in learning more about cryptozoology. The book was easy to read and was easy to understand. It read more like a novel, which I appreciated. Sometimes nonfiction books can be heavy and get bogged down with a ton of details but not this book. 

Grammy's Supper by R.M. Blakeley

4.0

Title: Grammy’s Supper

Author: R. M Blakeley

Genre: Horror Novella

Format: ebook from author

Series: NA

Star Rating: 4 stars

A special thank you goes to R. M Blakeley for providing me with a copy of this book. Please know that this does not influence my rating or thoughts on the book itself.

tw: imprisonment, infection and sickness, body gore, death, blood, gun violence, murder, cannibalism

As a horror girly, I surprisingly don’t read a lot of horror and I’m not sure why. So I am fixing that, starting with this book and this was such a good book to start my horror novel journey. It was short but it packed quite a punch. I found myself entranced with this book and when it was over, I was so sad. I didn’t want it to end at all.  

I won't say too much about this book because I don't want to spoil anything. This was a great book as I mentioned above. There was some body horror but nothing too bad, especially if you’ve seen Texas Chainsaw Massacre or a typical zombie movie. I do love the two POVs we got. I also appreciate we still have a backstory that was fully fleshed out, which I know is hard in a novella. I loved the graphic descriptions of the blood and gore but it wasn’t too much and it didn’t make me feel sick at all.

I’ll talk about the main character, Grammy. For some reason, I just enjoyed the heck out of her POV. She had some vibes that were a little off to me but I found myself loving her and her creepiness. While I enjoyed the other POV, I found myself wanting to go back to Grammy’s. There was just something about her. She was just the perfect character and I often think about her a lot.  

Overall, this is a great novella. I know this review is pretty short but since it’s a novella, I didn’t want to give too much away. I think a lot of people would enjoy this book, especially if they enjoy body horror books. It’s a great starter horror book. I know I will be seeking out more of this author's book and I can’t wait to see what else they do!