Instagram story viewer> @kai_readsbooks> Posts

KAI

@kai_readsbooks

2K

followers

2554

following

I read whatever but whatever tends to be horror and fantasy - 2026: 📚 46/85 🎧39/65
📖 How To Survive Camping 2 🎧 The Mist
📍Cola

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Hungerstone | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

I LOVE ANGRY WOMENNNNNN

I’ve been eyeing this book for a while now and often see people post good things about it. I overall enjoyed it, but there were times I was getting kinda confused as to what was happening.

I’m not familiar with the original Carmila story so can’t touch on how this retelling was but I know I enjoyed the vampiric aspects. I did however get confused as to how/what Carmila was actually doing to the people of the village. I’m not sure if it just didn’t translate well audio wise for me but I needed a better or more indepth explanation of that.

I’ve seen some critics on Carmila’s character but I enjoyed it. While I had the confusion I mentioned above I like how her actual character was worked into the story and the relationship she interacted and built a relationship with Lenore.

Again, not sure if it was just listening to the audiobook but portions of Lenore’s backstory and time with Henry just felt kinda disjointed? Idk it didn’t always seem valid to me with some of her reasoning.

Also Henry? You suck and deserved everything you got. by @kai_readsbooks

69

6

2 days ago

Look at these stunners

Also less than 10 followers till my next giveaway 🥳 by @kai_readsbooks

188

19

8 days ago

Yea I’m totally about to crush this entire series this month

Book: How to Survive Camping | The Man with No Shadow
Author: @bonnie.k.quinn by @kai_readsbooks

83

5

9 days ago

@aardvarkbookclub DAY @aardvarkbookclub DAY

It’s also Aardvark’s Birthday 🥳🥳🥳

I am so unbelievable excited about this box!!!!

This month I chose What Feed Below by @thebuffwriter which is 100000000% my next physical read I have been chomping at the bit to get my hands on this book!

My second choice was Carrying by @samanthaloisjosephs I’ve been seeing so much about this novel and so for sure has to add it to the box as well! by @kai_readsbooks

122

6

9 days ago

Itch | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

I’ve sat on this review for about 12 hours and don’t really know where to start so this one might be a ramble. I can’t particularly figure out what I didn’t like in this, and why it isn’t rated higher.

I know I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending, idk, it felt a lil campy? Idk if I’m using the word right.
I also just don’t think I connected with any of the characters. They all kinda felt surface level for me outside of Josie, who even at times I felt like I needed more. Each character’s personality remained a constant, I felt like there wasn’t much fluctuation in their roles. I’m struggling to word my feelings on them so apologies.

I think I just had higher expectations? Honestly I think what I might’ve needed out of this was more than one POV? Like maybe Wilkes? Or even a non character POV.

I did enjoy the lore in this book though, of the march and everything that goes into it. I love stuff like that so I soaked up all of that. I do wish there was more preparation for the final March, but it seemed to go by very quickly. I know short on time and all that but I would’ve liked more details on the official preparations.
Spoilers below

Her dad being Emmet and the whole drugging, live queen, the way he killed and how he killed was all extremely interesting to me, I overall liked the handling of that. by @kai_readsbooks

114

7

10 days ago

Three post in one day because why tf not by @kai_readsbooks

107

4

12 days ago

Sunday scaries by @kai_readsbooks

110

2

12 days ago

The Exorcist | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5

Book Review:

The first book of October has been completed! Earlier this week I had turned to Reddit to help me figure out a horror audiobook and everyone said this one was great… they were right. Blatty did such a phenomenal job at narrating it as well, I love when the author narrates their own book because you get the most accurate portrayal of the characters.

I felt like Chris is such a well written character, Blatty did great at portraying the emotional turmoil that something like this would cause and we got to see and witness the slow devolve into absolute desperation. I felt so bad for her, no one was taking her seriously and not getting answers. The frustration, the fear, the helplessness was so hard to take in.

The way that Blatty wrote the possession was terrifying, as the same way we saw Chris’s delve into desperation, we saw Regan’s worsening decay both physically and mentally as the demon gained more control. While everything was happening, seeing the glimpses of the real Regan was heartwrenching, Blatty did so well at the voice switches.

More characters were involved in this than I had initially thought there would be, between the house staff, detective, and the Priests. I found it especially interesting that we caught quite a glimpse into Karass’ life, I felt that the proved very beneficial to the story.
Movie Review:

One of the most accurate book to move adaptions I have ever watched, even the dialogue matched up almost completely. Obviously the movie moved a little bit faster than the book but wow it did. The casting was also perfect for these characters, it’s like they just stepped out of the book.

If you’ve read the book and haven’t watched the movie (or vice versa) I definitely suggest watching it. by @kai_readsbooks

59

15

13 days ago

I am so ready for October by @kai_readsbooks

68

10

15 days ago

Kill the Beast | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5

This is a book that I had eyed for a longgggg time. The cover caught my eye and when it was compared to Howl’s Moving Castle it secured a spot on my tbr… where it has sat for way longer than it should’ve. It wasn’t until I had a lil chat with @serratheswift that the book officially worked its way to the top and I am so glad it did.

I loved this book and I read it in one day. I had fully planned on it being my last book before Horror October, but finishing it in a day left me with two more days of reading lol

I loved both of our main characters, Lyssa was an extremely complicated person and I love how we got to see her interact with people from different points in her life, I especially liked the Honoria timeline and how that played out.

Alderic was just fun and loveable from the get go and I loved everything we learned about him. We received the perfect amount of backstory and it really helped me bond with him as a character.

Spoilers Below

The only reason, and I mean the only reason that this lost .25 is because I figured Alderic was the beast pretty quickly but man did that stop the angst of the reveal from causing me to sob. Lyssa's internal mental battle regarding that entire situation was so hard to read in the best way, I honestly had no clue if we were gonna end up getting a happy ending or not.

Also, the reveal that all hounds have once been people????? That was not something that I had been prepared for and man did that add so much to the story especially in terms of Lyssa’s moral dilemma.

Nadia being a hound? Also a great reveal and man was her story so sad, my entire heart ached for her.

Loved this book and absolutely can’t wait to read Swift’s next one!!! by @kai_readsbooks

72

1

16 days ago

Shroud | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5

I have complex feelings about this book.

In the beginning I was very hooked and so excited to continue, the vibes were kinda like a mix of Into the Drowning Deep and Interstellar. It remained like that for a little while.

My qualms with this book aren’t with the story line itself, it actually extended far further than I had expected but in a way I really liked. My “problem” was with what the author focused on.

What I mean by this is that the Shroud as a planet and the inhabitants, The Shrouded, are ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING like truly terrifying by design. I was so excited for those high stake moments of human meets alien life but those didn’t hit the way I wanted. Tchaikovsky leaned very heavy into the science and data aspect instead of the emotional aspect. Establishing an emotional connection to this book was tough when so much read more textbook-ish than fiction.

Now, the book may not have hit in the emotional sense but man do I feel like it hit the nail on the head with how humans interact with their environment. Like you find THAT out about a planet and its species and that’s how you react????? Insane.

It just shows the uncontrollable need for growth we have for a species. Also shows how low class individuals are not being respected and treated fairly (very classist system), everything being about “how is this useful to me” or “how do I make this make me look good”. The Concerns and Opportunities SUCK they are so unbelievably corrupt and the way Mai and Juna were treated just enraged me. Literally the treatment of humans in this doesn’t even feel unrealistic AT ALL and this is a story that takes place in SPACE. Ughhhhhhhhhh

Anyways, my thoughts on the book itself went up and down. About 200 pages of this book was a battle. Great beginning and ending (mean cliffhanger though). I overall recommend and I will be checking out more of this author. by @kai_readsbooks

39

6

19 days ago

Twas a ✨week✨ by @kai_readsbooks

143

17

20 days ago