I found this book to be quite an easy and quick read however the main character did annoy me a bit, She was very, woe is me, type. Willing to throw anyone under the bus, nothing was ever her fault.

I struggled with the first few chapters of this one, debated putting it down but the idea of this book did intrigue me enough the see it through plus I was able to get through it in a couple of sittings.

It seems like with the ending there could be a sequel but if there is I'm not sure I'd be interested. I thought the title of this one didn't seem to have much to do with the story either but that's just my opinion.

This really gripped me, from the word go I normally try to space my books out but I couldn't with this I read it in one sitting couldn't put it down, loved the story line and loved the characters, I will definitely be looking for more books by this author, this is a must read but I warn you get comfy because you will not want to move or put it down

Pirate witches?! Um, yes please!
The story takes place on Halloween night, and involves a haunted house. But it’s not your normal haunted house - if you make it through this one you win $10,000 and Lisette desperately needs the money. This book was intense in all the right ways, and the world building was fantastic! It did have a slow start, but once it picked up it didn’t slow down! The ending left me wanting more, and I’m HOPING this is being turned into a series. I have questions.

DNF @ 10%

It really tells me something about a book when I wake up forgetting I started it the night before.

Mind Like a Diamond wasn’t horribly written; in fact, it had better writing than most first-person POV I’ve read lately. But there just wasn’t anything interesting enough to keep my attention.

By the time Lisette and her mom were introduced, I didn’t really care what happened after. I didn’t care about Lisette. I didn’t care about her mom. I didn’t care about what happened to Miss Opal or who Xavier was. I just didn’t care.

I did, however, laugh at Lisette’s hilariously bad decision to spontaneously jump off a balcony several floors up and break her back. That made it worthwhile.

I really didn’t know what to expect when starting this book but it really shocked me, the plot was absolutely amazing. So so thrilling. The whole concept was genius. Witches, magic , pirates you cant go wrong with that in my head. It was slow at times but the characters and their story really make up for it. Such an interesting read!

I was so excited to see the journey this novel would take us on but I have to say.....I was just bored. I was intriqued by the premise, and that cover is just gorgeous, but I couldn't get a handle on the main character and her 'tough as nails' persona for her age. The backstory just was not gripping enough to understand these characters and their motivations. So everything else just got worse for me as the story went on. I can completely understand why many love this novel though!

"""Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

I REALLY wanted to like this book, as I thought it had an interesting premise and quite an original mix of suspense and fantasy.

But....

I couldn't finish it. It might have gotten really good if I had kept going, but about 25% in, I couldn't find anything I liked enough to push through. The main character Lisette was so unlikeable that I couldn't stand her, and there weren't any redeeming qualities to offset that (at least by the point I finally decided to stop wasting my time reading). Her inner narrative and the dialogue was just *so* on the nose *so* much of the time that, coupled with the fact that she had no redeeming qualities, I couldn't make myself keep reading.

I was pulled in by the gorgeous cover but the description is what ultimately pulled me in- it was a very good read, the balance in the writing was good. It kept me turning the page over and over again. I won't spoil much of this book but I guarantee that this book will be satisfying and thrilling to read! The characters, setting, climax- amazing. I would read again.

Thank you Netgally for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Witches? Love! Pirates? Yes! Put them together and.. well, you wouldn’t normally thing these two go together but somehow it all made sense. When I first read the premise of this book I was immediately intrigued, I was for sure expecting something out of Peter Pan & Hocus Pocus somehow mixed together though.

What I didn’t expect was this insane world where a haunted house ends up being a place to fight for your very life. In Mind Like A Diamond by Amanda Pavlov, we meet Lisette, a young girl forced to grow up too quickly due to the life of poverty that she and her mother led. Underneath the surface though, there is the mystery of just what Lis’s mom is hiding about who she truly is. When one monetary problem after another strikes and Lisette is left feeling so much anger and helplessness it almost seems like it’s too coincidental when someone comes up to her telling her about this haunted house where getting through the entirety of it would leave the victor with a great cash price.

Going into this haunted house you truly don’t know if what Lisette is experiencing is a mirage fabricated from some very rich groups of peoples or if it was something more sinister underneath the surface. As Lisette goes through each and every level of this hellish haunted house, as readers we started to realize that something was horribly wrong & this haunted house was the real deal.

Through the end of this book, it’s for sure one surprise after another with even the ending letting us think it would go one way when it in fact goes another. This was such a great read & I couldn’t have been more entertained throughout it.

Thirteen realms of Hell with a touch of pirate witches!

I enjoyed trying to piece together if the realms were real or if it was just one massive trip!
Each realm bought its own sacrifices and fears to overcome, while Lisette tried to work out who was there to help her or harm her.

I love all the early seeds that were planted that grew throughout the journey, to bloom right at the end.

Until we reached the haunted house this book really struggled to draw me in.
The ending gave you enough for this to be a standalone but also left it open enough for book 2, which I would love.
I would love to learn more about the ships and what goes on in the year they are away.
Also the different covens and their beliefs, with the opportunity to dive more into the magic/healer side of things.
This book could take you anywhere and I really hope it does!

Special thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review

CONTENT WARNING: murder, bullying, violence, drug use, attempted sexual assault, blood

This was an interesting and fast-paced read that I finished in a single sitting. I wasn’t sure I’d like this story, since I’m such a wuss and tend to avoid anything remotely scary, but to my surprise, I enjoyed this far more than I expected to.

Although Lisette is a morally gray character, she isn’t necessarily an unlikable character. She’s a young woman who grows up extremely poor and facing difficult circumstances. In addition, her mother keeps a lot of secrets from her. Despite trying to learn more, her mother is incredibly stubborn and refuses to answer any of her questions.

When they get an eviction notice, it seems like an unimaginable stroke of luck to come upon a contest that offers a $10,000 prize to the winner. And Lisette is determined to win, no matter what. But she has no idea what she’s in for. Or what it might cost her if she does win.

The action starts early and stays pretty consistent throughout the story, making this a difficult book to put down. It’s a huge part of why I read this in one sitting. Lisette isn’t just facing huge, dangerous obstacles, but she’s racing against the clock and other people as well. And while she’s street smart, she also has to face her own doubts and fears at the same time. I liked seeing not just the challenges she faces as she races through the realms, but also her own internal struggles. She’s forced to ask important questions about who she is, but more importantly, who she wants to be.

This challenge also winds up revealing more answers than Lisette ever expected. I loved how the story wound up coming together — it’s more than simply a challenge, and while the magic system wasn’t ever clearly explained, it did seem pretty cool. I’m curious to see what’s next from Amanda Pavlov!

📖BOOK REVIEW:
Mind Like A Diamond by Amanda Pavlov💎
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4/5 stars

First of all, let me just say PIRATE WITCHES!!! 😮🤯 That concept is just so creative and fun. It had me sold right then and there.

GUYS. This book was such a fun and wild ride. Our main character, Lisette, is like an onion. She has so many layers. At the beginning of the book, I didn’t really enjoy her character much, but as the story progresses I found myself liking her more and more. She’s tenacious, smart, sort of rude, but stands her ground and pushes through all obstacles.

My favorite part of the story was going through the 13 realms and it was exciting seeing what the next one holds. It felt VERY Dante’s Inferno and I LOVED that!!

I didn’t really love the end of the story, as it had a few plot holes, but overall I really enjoyed this read! 🥰

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for the opportunity and providing this ARC!

Oh wow, this book was a wild ride! For the second half, I couldn't put it down and read it in one go. A great blend of fantasy & horror elements. The realms Lisette had to get through were very imaginative and they were well described, I could really imagine being there as well. The book is well written, the story flows well, especially the second half of the book. The end leaves a lot of things open, so I hope there will be a follow up! I think the end role of Xavier, Desmond & the money needed some more closure and attention. Other than that, definitely recommended.

Lisette is a 'real' heroine, she isn't perfect, and neither is her relationship with her mother. I think one of the things that really made me like this book is the fact that Lisette isn't your typical heroine, and her life isn't perfect, it makes her feel more human and relatable. I have to say, since I am a huge fan of anything mysterious, the escape room concept was what caught me in this book, even though the first few chapters were a little slow, it was fast-paced and kind of everywhere. I felt like there was a lot going on in this book, but I liked it all the same. It was a good read.

Thank you Netgalley and Sword and Silk Books for the chance to read Mind like a diamond by Amanda Pavlov. I totally enjoyed this creepy, action packed "Can you make through the 13 realms of Hell haunted house to win $10,000" YA story! This line says it all...“You don't have to believe in magic for it to kill you.” Lisette thought she was just an average teen...a gymnast that was told she is too tall, with a thief for a Mother. When she discover her Mom and her are about to be evicted she decides to entire a haunted house contest to win the $10,000 with her best friend Xavier, but they get more than they bargained for. Will Lisette be able to make it through to the end to collect the prize or will she become a victim of the Haunted House!

You had me at pirate witches.

It definitely helped that this book took place on Halloween and the book’s characters were tasked with making it through a series of elaborate haunted house escape rooms. But, pirate witches, people!

There’s a $10,000 prize if you make it through all thirteen realms, something Lisette desperately needs. It sounds too good to be true and when Lisette begins her journey through the realms she begins to wonder if they are as real as they seem.

It’s a shame I found Lisette so deplorable; she’ll happily throw anyone under the bus if she thinks it will benefit her, even the person she claims is her best friend. As such, I wasn’t exactly cheering her on. I probably would have felt an evil laugh trying to escape if she’d met an appropriately grisly end.

However, someone who had even some of the qualities I’d hope to find in this underdog would likely have failed one of the early levels and this would have been a much shorter book. Lisette’s catchphrase (“Holy tamales”) irritated me no end but, in hindsight, it probably wouldn’t have bothered me at all if I’d liked her.

“This place has a way of making monsters out of ordinary people.”

Although I was originally mostly here for the pirate witches, that part of the story wasn’t as developed as I would have liked. I’m pretty certain it could have been removed entirely and I wouldn’t have enjoyed the book any less. The four covens and most of the things that happened after the final realm seemed unnecessary, as though those elements belonged in a different story.

The realms, though? They were so much fun. I loved exploring each one and anticipating how the people who failed each realm would exit the story. It was easy to visualise the dangers the characters were facing and I kept thinking I’d love to see a movie adaptation of this book.

While the cover was what originally drew my attention to this book (I still really like the design), it didn’t really fit the story. I thought the cover had a fantasy feel, maybe with a dash of romance thrown in. Sure, there were some fantasy elements here, but with its characters trying to survive hellish landscapes with creepy dolls, animals eager to devour them and a floor that literally is lava, this book had more of a horror vibe.

Readers who enjoy this book may also like Kate Alice Marshall’s Rules for Vanishing and M.C. Atwood’s The Devils You Know.

I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for the author’s next book.

“You’ll never finish the final realm! No one does!”

Content warnings include sexual assault. Readers with emetophobia may have some trouble. A derogatory term for physical disability is used by one of the characters (a comeuppance does come their way).

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sword and Silk Books for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.

This was unfortunately a "did not finish" book despite how much I wanted to love it due to its beautiful cover. Yet the main character is SO not likeable. She is very selfish and ungrateful of her life. It made me not want to read but also I have to give props for the author for being able to write such an annoying character and proving her point? Good writing overall. Like VERY good writing that made me almost want to finish the book but the main character is such a turn off. It was very unfortunate. I will still read other books by this author because I genuinely enjoy their voice.

Thirteen Realms of Hell, make it through the haunted house and win $10,000, but you have to make it through, alive.

After Lisette falls from a balcony her mom takes her to a creepy 'doctor' where he does what seems to be some sort of magic on her stuffed bear to take the pain away. She soon after discovers that they are about to be evicted from their apartment. Luckily she hears about a haunted house where you have to go through a sort of obstacle course known as the Thirteen Realms of Hell. If you make it to the end you receive $10,000 in prize money. Money Lisette desperately needs. But she soon discovers that the real prize is making it out alive.

So first off, let's talk about that cover. Absolutely gorgeous, definitely the first thing that caught my attention. I absolutely loved the whole obstacle course from hell thing. It was so much fun finding out what each of the thirteen realms held. Some were super scary, while others were about facing personal demons. The book has a lot of twists and turns that keep you guessing throughout the book.

I didn't like the MC at all though. She was seriously selfish, entitled, and very ungrateful. I just didn't like her as a person, daughter, or friend. I think that was the point. I think she was meant to be unlikeable, but for me, it made it hard to relate to her and to really root for her.

I thought the book to be a bit scattered. I feel like the thing with the bear, the realms, and the pirate thing, all could have been split into three separate books, but as one book, it feels a bit out of place. The beginning part with the bear I found unnecessary. Everything that we needed it for could have been tweaked for the ring to do. Then the pages spent on that could have been used for more detail into the realms, which is the best part of the book. Same with the ending. It just feels so out of place.

I just think the author tried to do too much with this book. There is a lot of untapped potential with it. The beginning with the bear could have turned into a seriously creepy horror, and the ending would have been a fun adventure. That would have left the room to expand on the already awesomeness of the haunted house story.

I would recommend that readers for this book be 16+ with a love of horror, fantasy, and adventure.

*Content Warnings*
Mild drug use, swearing, and some violence.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for this chance to read and review this book. This does not in any way influence my honest opinion or review.

Thanks, Netgalley, and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.
First person narrative isn't my favourite thing, but the writing skills of the author made it less irritating and the reading process went smoothly. I admit I'm not a fan of horror at all, but at least this book provided a lot of typical horror tropes as well as some new ones. There is a nicely developed character growth through the horrors that the story takes our main character. The intensity while reading was held through the very end and the conclusion felt satisfying. Definitely a must-read, especially for those readers who love horror as a genre.

This book had an interesting, eerie plot. An all too real haunted house in New Orleans on Halloween night. What could be spookier.

My main problem is that the MC isn't really likeable. I realize she's only 17 which explains some of her angst, but overall she was self centered in a negative way. She was horrible to the one friend always there for her. Maybe younger readers will find her more sympathetic.

It's an interesting read, but not one of my favorites.

I received a free ARC from Netgalley. This is my honest review.