Each review I post includes a rating of 1 – 5 stars. You’ll also see these ratings if you follow me on Instagram or Goodreads. Here’s a breakdown of what each of those star ratings means:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Loved it, would read it again, absolutely recommend.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Liked it a lot, even with its flaws. Would probably recommend.

⭐⭐⭐ – I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. May or may not recommend.

⭐⭐ – This book wasn’t for me. Do not recommend.

⭐ – Hated it. No one should read this.

DNF – Did not finish, will not review.

Note on taste:

I tend to gravitate toward horror, though I enjoy a wide range of genres, subgenres and the occasional nonfiction. While I love suspense, mystery and macabre themes, I tend to stay away from stuff that’s gratuitously graphic or torture-y. I can suffer through quite a lot, though, if the writing is very good.

Things I love: complex relationships, natural-sounding dialogue, diverse POVs, hypnotic prose, good pacing, sustained tension, learning about a historical period or event, sympathetic villains, unlikeable protagonists, character-driven stories that don’t neglect plot

Things I dislike: clumsy exposition, one-dimensional characters, rushed endings, non-endings, character-driven stories that go nowhere, rigid plot rails, heavy passive voice

If you have a book that you think I’d like, or if you want me to read and review your book, fill out the form on my About Me page. I can’t wait to check it out.

Here is an example of a general template I use when organizing my thoughts for a book review:

Here follows a list of the books I have reviewed so far. Please note that anything in this list below the asterisks was written before I implemented my current five-star review standard.  If there are any books you would like me to review, please let me know in the comments or by sending me an e-mail!

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas
Holly by Stephen King
5 Mini Reviews: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher
6 Amazon Original Creature Feature Novellas
The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
The Burning (The Fear Street Saga #3) by R.L. Stine
The Secret (The Fear Street Saga #2) by R.L. Stine
The Betrayal (The Fear Street Saga #1) by R.L. Stine

***

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
The Outsider by Stephen King
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
The Tales of Dunk and Egg by George R. R. Martin
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
What She Saw… by Lucinda Rosenfeld
The Emperor’s Children by Claire Messud
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire
Paint it Black by Janet Fitch
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
In the Woods by Tana French
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya by Nagaru Tanigawa
Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach
Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk
Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
The Learners by Chip Kidd
The Wasp Factory by Iain M. Banks
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire
Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by Christopher Moore
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind