fantasy.betareader commented on a post
Post from the The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1) forum
Post from the None of This Is True forum
fantasy.betareader wrote a review...
Some stories cling to us, and The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith might be one such tale. Set in a quiet town, where Caitlin Arden, overshadowed for eighteen years by her sister Olivia's kidnapping, this psychological thriller hurtles down the rabbit hole of buried secrets and guilt. The book builds slowly into a shattering end that left my heart in my mouth. It is a book about sisters, about the love that clings even when that, in turn, is a burning hurt. Smith's writing has a quiet intensity, and the pacing is cautious, occasionally staying too long on Caitlin's inner difficulties. But it shows her grief so well that it didn't bother me. The mix of Caitlin's present with a darker history, create a sense of dread that builds slowly, like the tension in What Lies Between Us. The core of the book is the beautiful and heartfelt examination of sisterhood. The relationship of Olivia and Caitlin, preserved in fine flashes of sunflower fields and shared laughter, hit me deeply, stirring memories of my own family moments. It’s raw, more gripping than the family ties in A Flicker in the Dark, which feel less central. Smith captures how sisters can reflect and contrast each other, their love a kind of magic that outlasts pain. That emotional pull carried me through, even when some twists, especially around Olivia, felt a bit too staged, almost too dramatic for the story’s truth. Compared to None of This Is True, which keeps its surprises more grounded, this novel sometimes leans too far into theatrics. Not only that, but I wished the supporting characters, like Caitlin’s friend Florence, had some depth. They felt like sketches next to Caitlin’s vivid grief. Not imperfect, but compelling and strong. If you love psychological thrillers with emotional weight, like All the Dangerous Things, but with a darker, more intimate edge, this will speak to you. This book is for those shaken to the core by the power of family, the sharp pang of loss, or the need to venture out into the darkness in the name of discovery.
fantasy.betareader finished a book
The Wrong Daughter
Dandy Smith
fantasy.betareader started reading...
The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1)
Scott Lynch
fantasy.betareader commented on a post
I’m obviously not very far in yet lol but I can say that I like the writing!
Post from the I Let You Go forum
I don't mean to sound rude, but the lady reading the audiobook is ruining this for me 🥴 she's so twangy, I'm considering DNFing the book...
fantasy.betareader started reading...
I Let You Go
Clare Mackintosh
fantasy.betareader commented on a post
I admire her drive to be the first female highmage, but her flaws, like her arrogance and blind spots, make her such a complex character. Anyone else torn about how they feel about her? I’m rooting for her but also want to shake her sometimes!
fantasy.betareader commented on a post from the Pagebound Club forum
Like...are y'all also feeling paranoid listening to audiobooks these days and thinking they used AI? I had to stop listening to The Book of Love audiobook recently after my husband said "you know that's AI" right and I realized then that I'd had this creeping feeling already but ignored it.... IDK....anyone else feeling this? It's ruined the audiobook experience for me so that now I just listen to classics in that format
fantasy.betareader set their yearly reading goal to 60
fantasy.betareader finished a book
Blood Over Bright Haven
M.L. Wang
Post from the Blood Over Bright Haven forum
Sciona’s decisions have Alba so mad, and I get why! The tension’s insaneeee. 🔥
Post from the Blood Over Bright Haven forum
I admire her drive to be the first female highmage, but her flaws, like her arrogance and blind spots, make her such a complex character. Anyone else torn about how they feel about her? I’m rooting for her but also want to shake her sometimes!
Post from the Blood Over Bright Haven forum
The way spells are crafted like coding on a typewriter is so unique and feels like a fresh take on magical academia. Does anyone else find themselves geeking out over how detailed and logical it is? I’m curious how it evolves in the last third of the book without giving too much away!
fantasy.betareader commented on a post
fantasy.betareader commented on a post