Alkaid

Still good, but I liked it more in my youth. I think I might actually prefer the movie now.

I was already a fan of the podcast, so this was a delightful edition to the series.

The colorism and self-hatred knocked me sideways. Sadly, it is not a thing of the past. I do like that Emma Lou grew by the end.

Glad to call this my last read of the year. Short, bittersweet, but ended on a strong note of hope and renewal.

The format was fun, but I hated how the actual book was written. I had more fun reading the bits between Martyr Black and his partner. The writing felt more fluid there. The halting style in the story was so annoying.

On the fence about giving it a star rating, but ultimately found this book better for beginners. I was hoping to find some good tips, but I was already familiar with them. I already use Anki and other apps, though I don't have any good physical dictionaries on hand. No current editions, anyway.

I only really knew this book for shining a light on the meat industry, so I was surprised when it focused on an immigrant family. This was actually my second (and full) attempt at reading this book. I stopped last time a few chapters after the wedding. I'm kinda glad I gave it another shot, but damn, was it a dense read.

It was an engaging tragedy, though the constant struggles and deaths did start to wear on me. Things really slowed down near the latter half, which was also when Sinclair reminded you that this was a post slavery society, and just had to sprinkle in some anti-Black racism (Japanese women got a dash of it, too), which was frustrating cause there was some overlap between how poor and immigrant whites are treated in this country.

So much wasted potential! But anyway, the book gets really heavy into pro-socialism (makes sense, considering the book was originally serialized in a socialist magazine), but by then I just wanted it to be over.

I didn't know much about this book going into it, but heard about it on a podcast I like (Ghosted by Roz Hernandez). I honestly wasn't expecting so much history, a subject I love. Some names were unfamiliar to me (like the Quaker), so I had fun learning about them. Almost finished the book in one sitting; it was hard to step away.

Highly recommend this to folx who aren't as well versed in Black history, though Darnell's story is just as enthralling. And I felt so frustrated for him, learning about his struggles.

Rose Madder was one of my earliest King reads, after Carrie, but before It. I was 12-14 at the time, and my mom, also a King fan (Pet Semetary was a family favorite), but I recall Rose Madder being the only King book on her shelf. It was a battered copy with the ‘96 Signet cover. Ugly, but oddly poignant.

Even though it's been well over 20 years since I've read it, I was surprised by how much I'd forgotten. I just remember it being a heavy and traumatic read, since my mom had a bad track record with men. Most of her boyfriends back then were abusive, and she married the worse of the lot, who was her own personal Norman.

It all hit pretty close to home, and I can see why she held onto her copy for so long. The one complaint I have about it are some of the more fantasy elements, but that final reveal of Rose Madder’s true form was perfect horror.

I'm also glad I experienced the second read in audiobook format, as the contrasting narrators added more to the experience. And I'm not good at making suitable voices in my head. My inner voice sounds like Jason Mantzoukas, which doesn't suit the vibe at all.

I'd forgotten the author's habit of explaining words. That was charming when I was a child, but kinda annoying as an adult. Still one of my favorite series. I'd also forgotten how delightfully morbid this series was. Looking forward to rereading it!

This one took me awhile, mostly due to the political shift. I wasn't prepared for that, nor am I particularly fond of this narrative. It was a rather dry read at times, but the cast made up for it. I also liked learning more about their world and what uploading is like, and what led people to even consider it as a viable option.

I think I preordered this years ago, but only recently got around to reading it. So I'm very disappointed to admit that I just...can't get into it. Frankly, it bored me to tears.

Great premise, but the writing was like reading nails on a chalkboard. Might revisit in the future.

My first and probably last splatterpunk. I might've liked it more when I was younger, before my preferences changed to prefer psychological horror above all else. I didn't mind the gore and even some of the grosser scenes.

The characters and writing as a whole was "meh".

I had a good idea of what the plot twist was going to be early on, but wasn't a fan of the execution at all. I almost put the book down soon after Doug was introduced. The guy was bad news from the start.

And while it's technically not a YA book (it's definitely too mature for that), it reminds me why I typically avoid young protagonists. Stand up, Liv! Stand up!

I think it would be better as a movie, tbh. Usually I prefer the source material, but the book just didn't grab me like I hoped

This book was a chore. Hands down my least favorite of the bunch. Here's hoping Chapterhouse is much better.

I only read this after watching Kennie JD's video. It's...it's so interesting. And nasty (ugh!) but I really got sucked in by the psychological aspect.

This was my favorite book in the series. Still got mad love for the elves, despite their flaws. Paolini's writing is stronger here, too.

While I didn't agree with everything, it really made me question a few things. Not equating autism to a disability is the biggest hurdle for me to cross.

It's been a few years since I last read the series, but I don't remember liking this one as much as the first. But after reading it again, I really like it. Mostly due to the subversion of the heroes journey we got in the first book. That warning about charismatic leaders shines brightly here.

Rereading books from my childhood, and came back to Eragon to relive my love for dragons. Eldest will always be my fave, but this was a decent start to the series. Also forgot how bad Broke was. Murtagh is a cool dude, tho.

What a fascinating read...also disturbing in multiple ways.

This book took some surprisingly dark turns. Hit a little too close to home. Not my favorite of the series so far, but good nonetheless.

This was a book I read as a teen, and recall enjoying enough to read several times. Unfortunately, I don't have as much love for it now as I did then. Most of the stories were mid at best, and this really was such a...mismatched collection.

There are a few stories I enjoyed, notably Chattery Teeth, Rainy Season, The Moving Finger, Popsy, and Suffer The Little Children. The rest were either just okay or...just downright bad.

I'd only recommend reading this one for a select few stories, but otherwise it's a miss.