Graveyard Shift the highly anticipated new book by the author of the BookTok sensation If We Were Villains

I didn't know anything about the story before starting the book except that it's dark academia and I was definitely not disappointed in that regard. The atmosphere was perfectly eery, a bit melancholic and relatable at times. Rio depicts the feeling of being tired to the bone, all its downsides so profoundly in her characters and not without making everything seem a little nostalgic. The characters are definitely what kept my attention while reading, the different POV's, their habits or little fragments to get to know them better over a short time frame. The story itself is not revolutionary or full of plot twists but I don't think it needs to be. It highlights topics as old as time like escaping reality, loneliness, obsession, connection and many other things that are commonly associated with and often romanticised in dark academia. Rio's writing style lulls you in and doesn't let you go until you reach the last page. Though I didn't like how abrupt the ending felt - perhaps I just wanted it to progress a little further than it did but that's just personal preference. What catched me off-guard in a good way was the BTS behind the novella and the real life experiences of the author that influenced and made it what it is. It felt like a really honest book with a hint of sci-fi that a whole lot of people will be able to relate to and enjoy. ...weiterlesen

After reading If we were villains and loving it, I bought this book without even reading the synopsis and I am happy to say that this was a great blind buy. The story is fairly short and the plot is somewhat predictable, but the true treasure is the friends we made along the way. The characters are memorable and have great chemistry, and it was just a joy to read about their little investigation. The author managed to achieve with few words what others cannot in a bible-length novel. It was also gripping to read about the author's personal life and her take on dark academia. Overall, I loved this book. It was a nice little breather and got me out of a temporary reading slump. Rio is shaping up to become one of my favorite authors and I am eager to see what she comes up with next. ...weiterlesen