Tldr: I like horror, thriller, and mystery, my cousin likes books by Sarah J Maas. Can we find a book suited for both of us?
Recently my cousin has been reading all of the series from Sarah J Maas. She suggested I read Throne of Glass and I didn’t enjoy it. I ended up essentially hate-reading it in one day to get it over with. Thankfully for me, the next book has a couple months long wait at my library (I did say I would try to finish the series). If you enjoy these books, I would especially love recommendations from you to help me find something my cousin will also enjoy.
I enjoy horror, thriller, and mystery books, mostly. Some books I have enjoyed (in no particular order): The Haunting of Hill House, We Have Always Lived in The Castle, Rosemary’s Baby, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, The Last House On Needless Street (loved this one in particular), Night Film, and Salem’s Lot.
My cousin seems to enjoy the fantasy settings of the Sarah J Maas books, and said she likes reading things that keep her interest and keep her on her toes. She only recently started sharing with me what she enjoys reading so other than these books by SJM I’m not sure what she’s read.
What I didn’t like about Throne of Glass: the overwriting (except for with parts I actually found interest which seemed too short in contrast), I didn’t vibe with the main character, a lot of repetitive words and phrases in the writing, there was a lot of telling and not showing, and it was too slow at the start for me (probably could deal with this if I liked the main character more). I also found it a bit trope-y and cliche.
I did like: the fantasy setting, the premise of the book, and the fighting/action scenes (though they were too short and the main character was over powered in my opinion). My favorite character was Nehemia; I felt like I clearly understood her motivations as a character and liked her interactions with the main character.
In general, I’m not usually interested in romance but it’s fine as long as there are other interesting things going on (smut also doesn’t bother me. Same deal, just can’t be the only thing happening). My cousin and I both enjoyed the fantasy setting. Because she likes to be kept on her toes, we would probably both enjoy something with mystery elements. My cousin seems less picky than me, but based on vibes alone, I think some of my favorite books might be too “weird” for her.
Sorry for rambling! Can anyone help me find a book to bridge the gap between our tastes?
by erroneous_existence