Amity
Audrain is two for two in my book. I didn't like this one quite as much as [b:The Push 52476830 The Push Ashley Audrain https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1609854219l/52476830.SY75.jpg 71867231] but it still kept me turning pages; no real surprises plot-wise, but I was so invested in seeing how the characters would react to the various reveals that I read it all in one sitting. Overall, 4 paper airplanes out of 5. Also, CWs for depictions of miscarriages, infidelity, harm to a minor
Satirical novels aren't really my thing, as they tend to be too on-the-nose, but I did like the exploration of female friendships and insight into the difficulties of the music industry, especially when you aren't straight and white. The social media aspect was interesting enough, but overall it was just okay to me. Absolutely lovely cover, though. 3 tweets out of 5.
Very whimsical and charming, with the sort of dreamy reality that you'd find in a Roald Dahl or Lemony Snicket novel...I'll admit I was not immune to the sweetness of the adorable kids, and I was tearing up at the end. I have a lot of complicated feelings about the inspiration and the author, but I will not tell anyone else how they should or should not feel about that.
Book-wise, I felt that the writing could get a little repetitive (and redundant) (and repetitive) (and redundant) at times and though the romance was nice enough, it felt a little insta-lovey and I wasn't quite sure I understood their connection. But overall I enjoyed the humor and gentle tone. 3.5 bellhops out of 5, rounded up.
After an accident and miscommunication leads surly CEO Jonathan Forest to believe his employee Sam has amnesia, Sam sees it as an opportunity: use their doctor-ordered time together to make Jonathan see Sam and his co-workers as people so they don't get fired. But as Sam discovers his boss has a gentler, more loveable side and the two of them grow closer, he has to decide if happily ever after is a possibility when built on a lie.
A very silly, very adorable story that fans of Hall's other works will surely enjoy. It never quite lived up to its premise, and I had some issues with the resolution. Still, it was a fast-paced and (mostly) light-hearted read that is a fun addition to the broader Boyfriend Material universe. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
Beautifully written even if you don't have a familiarity with [b:The Iliad 77265004 The Iliad Homer https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1681797700l/77265004.SY75.jpg 3293141], and it really hooked me from the beginning. I don't think I can say anything that hasn't already been said about this book. I think I'm going to go replay Hades for some catharsis. 4 prophecies from the Gods out of 5.
Ehh it was okay? I really loved the intriguing premise and some of the themes it touched upon, but the writing style didn't click for me. I think I will continue the series eventually because I am curious, but I won't be rushing out to finish it soon or anything. 3 vengeful murderous mollys out of 5.
Anna Alcott, an actress in her late thirties, would do anything to have a child. Her journey with IVF has been difficult, causing mounting frustration and anxiety that she and her husband won't be able to conceive. On top of this, her fame increases as Oscar buzz surrounds her latest movie, forcing her into the public eye and garnering negative attention on various social media platforms. Her husband and her doctors are quick to blame stress as the cause of her forgetfulness when she misses appointments or loses medications. Still, Anna, who begins to receive cryptic notes on her phone, is convinced someone is trying to sabotage her; when she finally becomes pregnant, a break-in at her home occurs and forces her to go into hiding. As her symptoms worsen and the messages she receives grow more threatening, Anna wonders: is her baby even human?
Filled with suspense, mystery, and the particular body horror that comes with pregnancy, Delicate Condition didn't necessarily hook me right away. Still, I was fully invested once I got a bit more into it. The frustration of not being heard by doctors is all too real; I have never been pregnant, nor do I plan on it (especially after reading this, sheesh), but I've been dismissed by doctors before. There was a lot to like about this book, and it keeps you reading, even if it is a little predictable. There's also a CW at the beginning, and I appreciate that! Overall, 3.5 honey and anise cookies out of 5. Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the review copies!
Also, just found out this will be the basis for the new season of AHS, but I won't hold that against the book.
First of all, thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for the review copy!
Four Found Dead starts with a group a teens on their last night at Riverview Theater, the last remaining business in the otherwise abandoned, dilapidated mall that is scheduled to be torn down. They plan on locking up and leaving their job - and their unstable supervisor, Clayton - behind them as they all move on to hopefully bigger and better things. But after an almost-violent encounter between Clayton and his angry wife and a major power outage, the group gets separated and finds that one of them has been murdered. What follows is a fight for survival, and as the title implies, not all of the remaining characters will make it out alive.
Hmm, so, okay...the good: I love the setting! A giant abandoned mall is a GREAT place for a slasher. Malls in general are great when utilized in the horror genre. I mean, look at Dawn of the Dead or the even more highly-rated classic, Chopping Mall:
Sadly, no killer robots to be found in this book.
The main problem with this is it's way too long, and the suspense is undercut by repetition. I took to annotating every time certain things were mentioned / phrases were repeated almost verbatim, but I was running low on sticky notes by the end and had to give up. It was also very tell tell tell, which is fine to an extent in YA books but teens aren't stupid, they can figure things out without holding their hand every step of the way.
I feel like I'm being overly negative! There were positives. Again, there was the fun, creepy setting, and I appreciated that it was pretty fast-paced (things start happening right at the 10% mark, which I think is perfect for a slasher) and the interspersed news clippings and such were fun. For me this was a two-star read, but I could see teens being entertained by it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to them if they are already fans of the genre.
basically a book version of this joke:
This was funny and a pretty realistic look at fandom / fan culture, which is always nice! Lots of flawed and realistic characters, as well as some poignant self-reflection:
It's been bothering me more and more that I can't ever see anything objectively, that every observation I make is filtered through my personal lens whether I like it or not. I mean, all my favorite novels are like that. F. Scott Fitzgerald basically is Gatsby, so obviously it's Gatsby's book, and Daisy comes off like a flake. But maybe in Daisy's unwritten book, Gatsby is a flashy, patronizing asshole who thinks he could win her with money and fancy stuff. And that might be an even better book.
She sighs, as if she thinks everything she's about to say is something that's going in one of my ears and out the other, and says “The best parts of life aren't clear-cut or obvious – they don't have neat endings. I know it's your inclination to skip to the end, but you can't just focus on how it's all gonna turn out.”
I think this was my favorite one since [b:In an Absent Dream 38244358 In an Absent Dream (Wayward Children, #4) Seanan McGuire https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1525436165l/38244358.SY75.jpg 59926216] because apparently I like to be miserable? But much like that book, I understood the world the Door led to much more than a lot of the others (do I secretly want to just live in a cluttered thrift store forever? signs point to yes), and Antsy was such a lovely character that I wanted to hug. It was very sad, and I appreciate the CW that McGuire included, but there was a whimsy and hope to it that I feel soothed some of the rough edges of the ending. Definitely take caution if grooming / gaslighting is triggering to you in any way, though! Overall, 4 life-sucking Doors out of 5.
Courtney Summers has a way of breaking your heart, enraging you at the injustices of the world...and making you continue to come back for more. I won't say I enjoyed this; I never “enjoy” her books so much as need to read them because they're so good, and so painful, and unfortunately so necessary and important. 5/5 stars
This was...fine? It felt so incomplete that I actually looked to see if I had accidentally checked out the second volume from the library. The concept is great and I liked the art but...meh? It was ultimately forgettable (so much so, in fact, that I forgot to log it after reading it). Overall, a low three evil supes out of 5.