The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣                      A spellbinding story of a mother with nothing left to lose who sets out on an all-consuming quest for justice after her daughter is murdered on the town playground.
Sometimes the answers are worse than the questions. Sometimes it’s better not to know.
Set in the poorest part of the Missouri Ozarks, in a small town with big secrets, The Familiar Dark opens with a murder. Eve Taggert, desperate with grief over losing her daughter, takes it upon herself to find out the truth about what happened. Eve is no stranger to the dark side of life, having been raised by a hard-edged mother whose lessons Eve tried not to pass on to her own daughter. But Eve may need her mother’s cruel brand of strength if she’s going to face the reality about her daughter’s death and about her own true nature. Her quest for justice takes her from the seedy underbelly of town to the quiet woods and, most frighteningly, back to her mother’s trailer for a final lesson.

A Bookish Obsession Favorite

THE KEY POINTS OF THE STORY⇣

⬥OZARK MOUNTAINS

⬥MURDER OF TWO TWELVE-YEAR-OLD GIRLS

⬥A MOTHER TRYING TO DO RIGHT BY HER DAUGHTERS MEMORY

⬥LIFE IN THE HOLLAR
⬥TWISTED & A LITTLE TWISTY

STATS⇣

BOOK COVER⇢ It doesn't do the book justice

SETTING⇢ Missouri Ozarks

SOURCE⇢ I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

eBOOK LENGTH⇢ 256 Pages

MY THOUGHTS⇣

What makes a murder mystery a favorite?  This is a question I've asked myself quite a few times since I started reading this genre.  Seriously, there's not a lot to love about murder. Near as I can come up with...is a book that really affects you in some way, whether it be fear, loathing or one you just can't get out of your head.  This book is kind of all three of those, and then some.  I also still think about the Roanoke Girls by this same Author.  I've rated both 5 stars and they both totally deserve it.  Deeply affecting.

I've read a couple other books that deal with the area of Central to the Eastern United States Mountainous ranges (Winters Bone & The Weight of This World).  But, The Familiar Dark has been the best one of all three so far.  This book hooked me from the start, I felt like I was on this quest with Eve to solve the murder of her daughter and her daughter's friend.  Experiencing everything she experiences, from the lows to the even lower's and even the few highs.  

The beginning of this gutted me and the middle had me transfixed and the end left me gasping and in tears...such a gutwrenching story. That is not just superbly written but is also perfectly plotted.  I highly recommend.

MY RATING⇢ 5 STARS | GRADE A+

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 5/5

Characters⇢ 5/5

The Feels⇢ 5/5

Pacing⇢ 5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5

Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 5/5

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 5/5

Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #3) by Holly Black

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
After being pronounced Queen of Faerie and then abruptly exiled by the Wicked King Cardan, Jude finds herself unmoored, the queen of nothing. She spends her time with Vivi and Oak, watches her fair share of reality television, and does the odd job or two, including trying to convince a cannibalistic faerie from hunting her down in the mortal world. When her twin sister Taryn shows up asking of a favor, Jude jumps at the chance to return to the Faerie world, even if it means facing Cardan. When a dark curse is unveiled, Jude must become the first mortal Queen of Faerie and uncover how to break the curse, or risk upsetting the balance of the whole Faerie world.

A Bookish Obsession Favorite

THE KEY POINTS OF THE STORY⇣

⬥BOOK #1(THE CRUEL PRINCE) RATING: 4.3
⬥BOOK #2 (THE WICKED KING) RATING:  4.7

⬥CONCLUSION OF THE FOLK OF THE AIR
⬥THE DECADENT, WICKED FAE

⬥COURT INTRIGUE, CURSES & PROPHECIES

⬥FANTASTIC FANTASTICAL CONCLUSION

STATS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ Caitlin Kelly
BOOK COVER⇢ Love it...oh the foreshadowing it beholds.

SETTING⇢ High Court of the Faerie and the Human World (Maine)

SOURCE⇢ Libby Audiobook (Library)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 9 hours, 41 minutes

MY THOUGHTS⇣

I think I love the way this ended...it was quite perfect.  A unique take on Fae...superbly written with kick-ass characters and a kick-ass storyline.  I still don't I like the Fae all that much...but if Holly Black writes about them, I can safely say that it will be totally worth my while.  It would be perfect if Holly Black could explore some more books in her vampire world since I really like her take on vampires too.

The Audio Narration performed by Caitlin Kelly is not perfect, but nearly perfect, especially for the voice of Jude.  She also has the kind of voice where she can step into different books and not sound forever like that one particular character from that one particular series.

MY RATING⇢ 5 STARS | GRADE A+

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 5/5

Characters⇢ 5/5

The Feels⇢ 4.7/5

Pacing⇢ 5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 4.7/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 4.7/5

Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 5/5

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 5+/5

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.
Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve Thaumas girls, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of their lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.
Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn’t sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?
When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next. House of Salt and Sorrows is a spellbinding novel filled with magic and the rustle of gossamer skirts down long, dark hallways. Get ready to be swept away.

THE KEY POINTS OF THE STORY⇣

⬥RETELLING OF TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES

⬥DARK & CREEPY STORYLINE
⬥GHOST-LIKE APPARITIONS

⬥FANTASY

⬥YA-ISH
⬥ROMANCE

STATS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ Emily Lawrence --she was pretty good, some of her male voices were kind of ruff sounding.
BOOK COVER⇢ The different colors all look like just one color...which makes it kind of blah.

SETTING⇢ Highmoor Estate, on an Island.

SOURCE⇢ Libby Audiobook (Library)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 12 hours, 50 minutes

MY THOUGHTS⇣

This started really slow...like I had to force myself to listen to it outside of when I was driving. It didn't really pick up until the last quarter of the book...and then all the boring parts of the story I sat and listened through started coming together and forming a rather darkly delicious retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses.

There's a murder(s) mystery to be solved, ghost-like apparitions, a secret door (kind of like Narnia) to tons of balls, where plenty of dancing is done and shoes are worn thin.  Plus darkly haunting deaths and even some sort of mythology to round out the tale.  Overall, if you can get through the slow parts the last quarter is a favorable payoff.

MY RATING⇢ 4 STARS | GRADE B+

BREAKDOWN⇣

Narration⇢ 4/5
Plot⇢ 4/5

Characters⇢ 4/5

The Feels⇢ 3.5/5

Pacing⇢ 3.7/5

Addictiveness⇢ 3.5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 4.3/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 4/5

Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 4/5

Originality⇢ 4.3/5

Ending⇢ 4.3/5

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
For the first eighteen years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was seriously ill. She was allergic to everything, used a wheelchair and practically lived at the hospital. Neighbors did all they could, holding fundraisers and offering shoulders to cry on, but no matter how many doctors, tests, or surgeries, no one could figure out what was wrong with Rose Gold.
Turns out her mom, Patty Watts, was just a really good liar.
After serving five years in prison, Patty gets out with nowhere to go and begs her daughter to take her in. The entire community is shocked when Rose Gold says yes.
Patty insists all she wants is to reconcile their differences. She says she's forgiven Rose Gold for turning her in and testifying against her. But Rose Gold knows her mother. Patty Watts always settles a score.
Unfortunately for Patty, Rose Gold is no longer her weak little darling...
And she's waited such a long time for her mother to come home.

THE KEY POINTS OF THE STORY⇣

⬥DYSFUNCTIONAL MOTHER/DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP
⬥ACTUALLY WAY BEYOND DYSFUNCTIONAL
⬥SLOW-BURN PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER
⬥MUNCHAUSEN SYNDROME BY PROXY

STATS⇣

BOOK COVER⇢ This cover is perfect for the story.

SETTING⇢ Deadwick, Illinois

SOURCE⇢ I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

eBOOK LENGTH⇢ 320 Pages

MY THOUGHTS⇣

A part of me loved the way this played out and another part of me was exceptionally bored...at least until the last 20%.   More of a slow-burn psychological thriller.  My feelings ranged from sad to disturbed to anger to huh, no shit...I can't believe she did that.

This book feels both well written and well researched.  The characters are fleshed out terrifically, the story feels horrifyingly real, even.  Some writers engage a reader right from the beginning and others not so much.  Maybe, though, this author will get there someday.  I feel she has the potential to do so.  

MY RATING⇢ 4 STARS | GRADE B+

BREAKDOWN⇣
Plot⇢ 4/5
Characters⇢ 4.3/5
The Feels⇢ 3.7/5
Pacing⇢ 3.5/5
Addictiveness⇢ 3.8/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 4/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 4.3/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 4/5
Originality⇢ 4.3/5
Ending⇢ 4/5

The End of Our Story by Meg Haston

FEATURING⇢

⬥Young Adult

⬥A Love Story

⬥Coming Of Age

⬥A Tragedy

⬥Domestic Violence

⬥Splash of Mystery

⬥Open-Ended Ending

⬥With Audio Smashingly Performed by Caitlin Kelly & James Fouhey

LINK TO SYNOPSIS 

(Goodreads)

MY RATING⇢ 3.5 STARS | GRADE B-

MY THOUGHTS⇢

The writing is exceptional and the plot has a lot going for it...Two kids who are directionless but likable (they are all mostly directionless, anyway).  A sweet love story with a dubious break-up but maybe they can get it back, or maybe they can find a way to at least be friends...especially when a tragedy hits them.   The tragedy even has a bit of a mystery to it.  With all that it feels like it should be a winner.  But sadly, it was missing something.  For me, that something was an actual ending.  By leaving it the way she (the author) did...with considerably more than an open-ended ending...I feel bereft without some kind of closure.

THE BREAKDOWN⇢  

Plot⇢ 3.7/5

Narration Performance⇢ 4/5

Characters⇢ 4/5

The Feels⇢ 4/5

Pacing⇢ 3.7/5

Addictiveness⇢ 4/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 3.8/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 3.2/5

Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 4/5

Originality⇢ 4/5

Ending⇢ 2.5/5 Cliffhanger⇢ Hmmm...

____

Book Cover⇢ It's all right...

Setting⇢ Florida...Atlantic coast

Source⇢ Libby Audiobook (Library)

Length⇢ 8 hours, 48 minutes

The Wicked King by Holly Black

The Folk of the Air #2

FEATURING⇢

⬥Book #1 Rating: 4.3 STARS

⬥Fairy High Court

⬥Intrigue & Betrayals

⬥Unforeseen Twists

⬥A Darkly Fantastical Fae World

⬥Sprinkled With Immoral Wantonness

⬥YA-ish

LINK TO SYNOPSIS 

(AUTHOR'S WEBSITE)

MY RATING⇢ 4.7 STARS | GRADE A

MY THOUGHTS⇢

My love for this series keeps growing...and I don't usually like Fae Stories.  This second book in The Folk of the Air Series, I liked even more than the first book, despite not understanding why Jude wants to live in the fairy world, to begin with.  I mean these fairies are evil, just because they can't lie doesn't mean they have to tell the truth.  They could just not say anything...after all...

Fair warning, this is said to be YA, but I think it's more like risque-YA (I love it when shit rhymes).  Holly Black's fairies are not only mean they are quite naughty, debaucherous, even..  I think this naughtiness is a part of its appeal, at least for me...possibly a few others.

Seriously, though, that ending was hella crazy...I thought I had it figured out, but no.  Such an interesting turn of events...I can't wait to see where she is taking this story next...

I'm starting Queen of Nothing posthaste.

THE BREAKDOWN⇢  

Plot⇢ 4.5/5

Narration Performance⇢ 4.5/5

Characters⇢ 5/5

The Feels⇢ 5/5

Pacing⇢ 5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 4.5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 4.3/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5

Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 5/5

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 5/5 Cliffhanger⇢ "To be continued"

_____

Book Cover⇢ Love it...

Setting⇢ Elfhame & the Mortal World

Source⇢ Libby Audiobook (Library)

Length⇢ 10 hours, 21 minutes.

Starsight by Brandon Sanderson

FEATURING

⬥Skyward #2 of 4--Book 1 Rating 5+ STARS

⬥ Deep Space Fantasy

⬥Science Fiction
⬥YA-ISH
⬥Alien Diversity
⬥Inter-Planetary Travel/Piloting
⬥Doomslug & M-Bot (AI)
⬥New Characters
⬥With Audio Performed A Tad High Pitchedly by Suzy Jackson

LINK TO SYNOPSIS 

(AUTHOR'S WEBSITE)

MY RATING⇢ 4.7 STARS | GRADE A

MY THOUGHTS⇢

A highly imaginative space adventure with a lot of heart.  I really loved Skyward, and Starsight was a solid follow-up to it...and while I didn't like it quite as much as Skyward, it has all the elements for me or anyone else to do so, and it was only by a smidge, anyhow.  The reason for that is I was missing the supporting characters from book one...at least we still got plenty of Doomslug and M-Bot, though.  I have to say that Brandon Sanderson is a stellar writer...even if his books are a tad on the long side...long books scare me for some reason.  It could have something to do with my short attention span.

Spensa wants to learn more about what or who she is, and why she hears the whispers and sees the "eyes".  When the opportunity to do so shows up she makes a quick decision and just like that the setting of the story takes an abrupt turn.  The story expands into so much more, there's not only intrigue but something beyond...in the words of Buzz Lightyear...to infinity and beyond.

The cliffhanger ending left me rather bereft.  Although...I do have a feeling where the next book is going, and I can't wait till the Spring of 2021 to see if I'm right.  It could be wise to wait to read/listen to this series for a little while longer what with that long wait for Book #3.

THE BREAKDOWN⇢  

Plot⇢ 5/5

Narration Performance⇢ 4.3/5

Characters⇢ 4.5/5

The Feels⇢ 4.5/5

Pacing⇢ 4.5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 4.5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5

Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 5/5

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 4.7/5 Cliffhanger⇢ Yup!!!

_____

Book Cover⇢ It's okay...I like it better than Skyward's cover.  I still like the UK covers best, though.  They go with the story so well...

Setting⇢ Detritus and Starsight

Source⇢ Audible Audiobook

Length⇢ 14 hours, 25 minutes

November Re-Cap

What a month November has been.  15 - 20 books total, depending on if you count the Forward Collection separately.  There were a few short (Novella length) ones, though.  None of my books were bad except maybe The Perfect Stranger...I didn't really care for that one.  I also DNF'd one book this month, Bid My Soul Farewell --Book 2 in the Give My Dark My Love series.  I just couldn't get into it, and I really tried, too.  Stand-outs were Star Wars Most Wanted, This is Our Story and The Unfortunates.  I also have really liked The Cruel Prince and Neverworld Wake.

BOOKISH RECAP FOR NOVEMBER 2019⇢

(Audiobook) The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

THE FOLK OF THE AIR #1

FEATURING⇢

Fairies

I Don't Feel That This Is YA

More Like YA-ish

Court Intrigue, Cruel Intentions,

Poisonings, Betrayals,

Decadence & Debauchery

A Few Splashes of Romance

Finish Date: 11/02

MY RATING⇢ 4.3 STARS | GRADE A-

(Audiobook) The Forward Collection

FEATURING⇢

Science Fiction

Thought-Provoking

End Of The World Shit

Blake Crouch

Veronica Roth

Amor Towles

Paul Tremblay

Andy Weir

N.K. Jemisin

Finish Date: 11/05

MY RATING⇢ 3.3  STARS | GRADE B-

(Audiobook) I'm Not Dying With You Tonight by Kimberly Jones & Gilly Segal

FEATURING⇢

Part of the Big Library Read in November

Racial Tension

Rioting & Looting

Bonding

Young Adult

Finish Date: 11/07

MY RATING⇢ 4 STARS | GRADE B+

(Audiobook) The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda

FEATURING⇢

Mystery

Crime Fiction

New Girl In A Small Town

Past & Present

The MC Has My Name

Finish Date: 11/11

MY RATING⇢ 2.3 STARS | GRADE D+

(Audiobook) Rolling In the Deep by Mira Grant

FEATURING⇢

Killer Mermaids

Cruise Ship Ride From Hell

They All Die In The End

Novella Prequel

For Into The Drowning Deep

Finish Date:  11/12

MY RATING⇢ 4 STARS | GRADE B+

(Audiobook) Star Wars Most Wanted by Rae Carson

FEATURING⇢

Han & Qi'ra's Story...Prequel to Solo

A Galaxy Far Far Away

My First Star Wars Read!

Droids, Wookies, Storm Troopers and Of Course, Han

Way Cool Sound Effects In The Narration

Finish Date: 11/13

MY RATING⇢ 5 STARS | GRADE A+

(Audiobook) The Weight of This World by David Joy

FEATURING⇢

Harsh Living

Drug Dependency

Meth-Amphetamines 

PTSD

Gritty Realistic Fiction

Poignant & Brutal

TW: Dog Violence

Finish Date: 11/15

MY RATING⇢ 4 STARS | GRADE B+

(Audiobook) Wilder Girls by Rory Power

FEATURING⇢

The Tox

Possibly Apocalyptic

Quarantined Island

Dark Academia - All-Girls School

A Splash of Girl 2 Girl Romance

Horror-if-ic Body Altering

Finish Date: 11/17

MY RATING⇢ 4 STARS | GRADE B+

(Kindle eBook) Echoes of Time by Calia Read

SURVIVING TIME #3

FEATURING⇢

Time-Travel

Romance

Mystery

Sex-Plicit

Quit Using Sex As Plot Filler...

Rating for Book #1 - 3 STARS

Rating for Book #2 - 4.3 STARS

Finished Series!!!

Finish Date: 11/18

MY RATING⇢ 4 STARS | GRADE B+

(Audiobook) Solo: A Star Wars Story by Mur Lafferty

FEATURING⇢

Star Wars Disney Canon

Movie Adaptation

Han Meets Chewy

L3 - One Of Coolest Droids Ever!

Lando and His Capes

Qi'Ra, I Loved You In Most Wanted...

...But Not So Much In This

How Han Acquired the Millennium Falcon

Finish Date: 11/20

MY RATING⇢ 4.2 STARS | GRADE B+

(Audiobook) Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra

FEATURING⤏

⬥Australia Setting

⬥Murder Mystery

⬥Thriller/Suspense

⬥Impostor Daughter

⬥You Got Me w/the Whodunit

⬥Needed A Second Narrator

Finish Date: 11/22

MY RATING⇢ 3.5 STARS | GRADE B-

(Audiobook) This Is Our Story by Ashley Elston

FEATURING⇢

⬥Small Town Louisiana

⬥Murder Mystery

⬥Suspense Thriller

⬥Young Adult (HS Seniors)

⬥Dual POV'S

⬥Twisty

⬥Splash of Romance

Finish Date: 11/26

MY RATING⇢ 4.7 STARS | GRADE A

(Audiobook) The New Hunger by Isaac Marion

FEATURING⇢

⬥Zombie Apocalypse

⬥The End of the World As We Know It

⬥Prequel to Warm Bodies

⬥A Glimpse of the Past and a Path to an Astonishing Future

Finish Date: 11/27

MY RATING⇢ 4 STARS | GRADE B+

(Audiobook) Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl

FEATURING⇢

⬥A Totally Original Premise

⬥Sort Of Like Groundhogs Day (the Movie)

⬥Reliving the Same Day Over & Over

⬥A Sort of Death Limbo

⬥Murder Mystery

⬥Science Fiction w/a Subtle Overlay of Supernatural

Finish Date: 11/29

MY RATING⇢ 4.3 STARS | GRADE A-

(Kindle eBook) The Unfortunates by Kim Liggett

FEATURING⇢

⬥Chilling Horror Elements

⬥Suspense Thriller

⬥Caving

⬥YA (High School Seniors)

⬥Atonement

⬥A Short Read That Packs A Punch

Finish Date: 11/30

MY RATING⇢ 4.5 STARS | GRADE A-

Plus one Audiobook that I DNF'd

That's 8 Novella length Audiobooks, 10 Audiobooks, and 2 Kindle eBooks.  So, 15 - 20 Total...with a page count (including Audio's) of 4,363.

Best Cover of the Month goes too...

I love this cover!

The Unfortunates by Kim Liggett

FEATURING⇢

⬥Chilling Horror Elements

⬥Suspense Thriller

⬥Caving

⬥YA (High School Seniors)

⬥Atonement

⬥A Short Read That Packs A Punch

LINK TO SYNOPSIS 

(AUTHOR'S WEBSITE)

MY RATING⇢ 4.5 STARS | GRADE A-

MY THOUGHTS⇢

Once, I got a third of the way through this, I couldn't put it down.  The caving elements are so very compelling.  And Freaky.  Being trapped in a cave with no light in small claustrophobic-like spots...worse-nightmare-ever kind of stuff.

This is my second Kim Liggett book, the first being The Grace Year, which is one of my favs of 2019.  Her writing ensnares you.  She takes these implausible ideas and makes them imaginable, tangible even.  I totally recommend this for a quick, freaky-scary kind of read.

THE BREAKDOWN⇢  

Plot⇢ 4.3/5

Characters⇢ 5/5

The Feels⇢ 4.5/5

Pacing⇢ 4.5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 4.5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5

Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 4.3/5

Originality⇢ 4.5/5

Ending⇢ 4.5/5

_____

Book Cover⇢ It's bloody fantastic.  Others have said that it doesn't go with the story...but I think it actually does.

Setting⇢ Crystal Falls Caves Near Richmond

Source⇢ Kindle eBook (Library)

eBook Length⇢ 224 Pages