Beattz
I've read many books over the years that were love letters to books and libraries, but never one to the praise of language and words themselves. I learned tons of new words (not that I'll be able to use them in casual conversation), and it was fun to learn the origins of some commonplace phrases.
The mystery itself was fine, if a bit predictable. I'll probably pick up book 2 when it comes out next year.
I've been sitting here all day contemplating what to say about Bear.
It was and wasn't what I expected, I suppose. It *was*, at the very least, a one-sided love affair between a woman and a bear. I'm not sure if I was expecting more coercion, or training involved, but that wasn't there. There was really only on scene where I'd say the FMC actively tried to *make* the bear do what she wanted, and it was practically brushed over. It was well written. The entanglement was approached in such a way that almost made the intimacy between the two seem inevitable. At one point I found myself debating - who really made the first move here? Which is kind of a crazy thing to have thought, but here I am. It was a highly sensual novel, even without considering the seduction taking place on the main screen. Engel very consciously used words and phrases rarely heard outside of the bedroom to describe common place items and sights to keep the reader focused on what was to come. And it was, if not wholly believable, then certainly far more realistic than I initially presumed.
I don't really know what else to say, and quite frankly, my brain would like to move on now.
This was good. More dark than funny, it certainly packs a punch in its 229 pages. The book didn't come with a trigger warning page, and maybe it should have. I typically skip them, and I likely would have this one too, but many readers need that. While there's never much detail (it is after all, only 229 pages), *Evil Genius* brushes up against many a disturbing event in the few weeks we follow our protagonist, Celia Dent.
The story is well written and concise, leaving me sated at the end without either feeling bloated nor hungry for more. It's a decidedly feminine tale - I think fans of Emilia Hart, *Her Body and Other Parties*, or *The Crane Husband* would find *Evil Genius* to their liking.
Look. These people are not healthy. They have some serious issues they're (eventually) working through. Therefore the interactions in this book - also not healthy. But reading it for what it is, some good ol' smutty smut, I had a great time. Thought it was super hot. Still not up there with Lights Out, but better than Caught Up imo.
I don’t really drink soda. I’m sensitive to caffeine, and the tasty ones have calories and over the last however many years it’s gotten so expensive besides all that. There’s really only one soda that when offered I will say yes to, and that’s Fresca. One sip has me forgetting all the reasons I don’t buy soda. It’s so refreshing and delicious and I love it.
John Scalzi is my Fresca. Why don’t I read more Scalzi? It’s funny, it’s insightful, it’s entertaining. And for the most part, his novels are short and a wonderful way to change things up or get out of a slump.
Starter Villain was no exception. Filled with cat spies, profanity spewing dolphins, attempted murder and secret societies, I had a blast from beginning to end. The “science” of this sci-fi was actually business and economics, a nice departure from the standard technology driven stories, although there is some of that as well (how else would you get unionizing dolphins?).
Do yourself a favor and go pick up a Scalzi book. It’s *at least* as delightful as a cold soda on a hot day.
The Red Winter is a far reaching tale of love, terror, and the consequences of making deals with beings unknown. A retelling of the tale of the Beast of Gévaudan, one of the original werewolf myths, this book is so much more than just a rehashing of a familiar story.
Told in retrospective, there are 3 main storylines where you follow our MC, Professor Sebastian Graves, his own personal demon, Sarmodel, and a succubus contracted to serve him for more than a thousand years (and who tries to murder him every chance she gets), as they attempt to once and for all rid the world of The Beast, a being whose hunger knows no bounds.
This book was a work of art, truly. First, physically, the book itself and the illustration of The Beast are gorgeous. Secondly, for the different timelines in the book THEY USE DIFFERENT FONTS. I cannot even describe how much I love that treat of formatting. It's also really well written. If I hadn't known this was a debut author going in, I would have called you a liar when you told me. For the amount of *things* happening in this book to be woven together so flawlessly is really impressive. Each time a new element was added to the story, I thought to myself, surely, this is the straw that breaks the proverbial camel's back, but no. It just continued to deepen and enrich the story and its haunted setting. I laughed, I was moved, I was shocked, I was repulsed, I was enamored, and I was sorrowful, all in turn. Highly recommend.
Contains spoilers
This was my first Bridgerton book, chosen because there isn't a season on Netflix for it yet - and because Eloise is my favorite character from the show.
Overall, I had a great time, devoured the book in just two sittings. I liked the premise of the story, and the way the romance played out was very much in the character of Eloise that I've come to know through the show. My favorite part of the book is after Eloise and Phillip have an *intimate* moment, and then she proceeds to immediately go outside and beat 5 men in a shooting contest. That's my lady. My only real complaint is that for Eloise being the main character, I just didn't get as much of her as I wanted - the spotlight was shared a little too much, and the time spent in Phillips POV I didn't really enjoy. He was kind of the root of a lot of the issues presented that they as a couple had to overcome and listening to him think silly thinks as well as say them out loud was meh.
Look, there's nothing new here. But that's not why we read these books. We read them because they're familiar and comfortable and thrilling and scandalous and sweet and utterly predictable. And I'll likely read the rest of them because why not.
This was a quick read. Very good, heavy on the spice early in the story. Felt more than a little rushed tho. IMO would have benefitted from a few more pages of backstory/worldbuilding. Honestly, my fav thing about the book was that the author used the words penis and vagina, instead of some of that craziness we see these days. Kudos Ms Stephens.
For being an alternative POV to book 1, A Touch of Darkness, this did a more than decent job of being and feeling like it's own story, and not something recycled and regurgitated for more money. Our boi Hades is a busy, busy fella, and that made the story fly by. My only real complaint is the spicy scenes from his POV were very one dimensional and left a whole lot to be desired when compared to Persephone's. I know a male POV of sex in fiction can be done well, so I hope that later entries to the series will show some improvement.
I enjoyed this quite a bit! Probably would have enjoyed it more if I was reading it over listening to it. The NY accents that the narrator were more than a little distracting. But I liked the story overall, and I think the world created with all the magical creatures and their different origins was fun. I've got the next few downloaded bc they're in the audible plus catalogue (here's hoping they don't all take place in NY), so I'll def continue the series for now!
Contains spoilers
Overall, I liked it better than I thought I would. I have no complaints about the writing, even if I didn’t love the FMC. It’s one thing to look out for your little brother in a Hunger Games type situation, but to be going to those lengths to get a grown ass man out of a situation he got himself into willingly??? (I have the same complaint about the kid brother in Quicksilver). I will give her props tho for letting him sit in jail for a bit, even if it was to protect him as opposed to teaching him a fucking lesson. The chemistry w Cate and Lach def felt one sided for too long imo, and then when it did show up, I kept getting blue balled and that made me a lil angy. Who promises a fae orgy AND THEN LEAVES OUT ALL THE FUN BITS? But - for actual story- I give it a solid 3.5/4. Could have been a little bit shorter, but by the end I was covering up the right page so I wouldn’t accidentally spoil anything for myself w my wandering eyeballs. I wasn’t convinced I’d read book two until then, but yeah, I totally will.
Contains spoilers
I've read some real bangers this year so far. Emotionally tolling, for sure, but awesome nonetheless. Picked this up (by way of bullying my local librarian) after a couple of friends were raving about it, and it did not disappoint.
I was sucked into the story immediately. I think the two party magic system created for this world is unique and engaging. Honestly, my favorite thing about the book was how well it was fleshed out, and the focus (at least for the first half, when you really do need to be learning things about the world) was not on the romance.
BUT SPEAKING OF ROMANCE. Is it hot in here or am I sweatin? The yearning y'all. It's friggin nuclear. The devotion these two showed towards one another was astounding, to the point where some are calling it grossly codependent and a total result of trauma bonding, and I might have agreed if they had remained completely insular, but the fact that it grew to encompass their adventuring party, to me, says that's not the whole story. Besides, things grow and evolve. Just because maybe it started as one thing, doesn't mean it can only ever be that one thing.
The story had a great arc to it, with just the right number of pitfalls and triumphs along the way. I think the author did a great job of leading us to conclusions before confirming them in the text, so that when the reveal happened, you felt vindicated in your assumptions, not so overt that you were screaming "well, duh!" at the page.
Super sad this is a stand alone, I could eat this shit up all day. But glad we'll at least be back in the same world in Bovalino's next book. Maybe we'll get a lil cameo from the Lockes.
"...It's cause and effect. It's distress instigating poor judgment manifesting disaster. It's how all bad situations get worse."
This was my first Rachel Harrison book, and while it took me a while to connect with the story, I had a great time. Harrison's writing is hypnotic. I kept getting caught off guard by these bits of wisdom throughout the book, scattered like so many dead flies on window sills. And even things that weren't profound were still startling to me. There's a line about lightening and thunder that will stick with me for a long long time.
We read this book from a first person POV, FMC Clio, the youngest of three sisters who for a while were raised in what might have been a demon possessed house, by what might have been an abusive (but definitely alcoholic) mother. The story begins with the death of that mother, the inheritance of that house, and Clio's refusal to continue pretending that ignoring things is the best way to move past them. The most reliable unreliable narrator, Clio is extremely aware that her memories are being shaped, reshaped, and even broken by the recollections of others as she attempts to sort through the house and consequently finds an annotated copy of her mother's largely dismissed biography about living with a literal demon, addressed to her on the nightstand of her old bedroom. The book only raises more questions, more hurt, and more strength of will to finally uncover the truth of things. All of it. Every. Last. Bit.
Play Nice was fascinating to me. I've confessed before that I'm not huge into the horror genre besides some body and botanical horror. But if girlypop horror is a thing, I think I'll be back for more.
This book from the very first had me enthralled. Bewitched. Ensorcelled and ensnared. It grabbed my by the throat (in the best way possible)(you lil freaks). It was magical. It was brutal. It was, above all, breath-takingly, heart-breakingly beautiful.
Being inside the mind of the character of Lazlo Strange was a gift. A place of unfettered imagination to rival the greatest fairytale lands, filled with amazing flora and fauna and wing merchants and a magical fog that can transform you into a god. Or a monster.
This book contains all of the elements of a great story. We have our hero's journey - filled with growth, self discovery, and the learning and honing of new skills. We have the quintessential rivalry (however one sided it may be). There's true love and the heart break of learning that the one person you've idolized might not be worthy of your adoration. There's sacrifice, and a pact for vengeance. There's tenderness and hope and violence and catastrophe.
The writing style seemed tailored to me specifically. The prose was stunning and created such an immersive experience. If you liked The Night Circus, or Addie LaRue, or CG Drews' stories, find yourself a copy now. It will make you feral, and then we can have ourselves a lil club of rabid Lazlo fans.
Strange the Dreamer was, in short, perfection. I am both delighted and heartbroken that this is a finished duology - that I can get my hands on Muse of Nightmares immediately, and the knowledge that after just one more book this tale will be at its end. But regardless, it will not be the last time I fall headfirst into this world.
This was my second time through ToG as part of a Maasverse buddy read. I initially started the series over 10 years ago, and gave up after book 5. We'll see how far I make it this time.
I honestly didn't remember anything about the storyline, which tells you exactly how I feel about the book. It's fine. A decent first entry in what is to be a longer series. I think my biggest complaint is how the characters are written. First of all, once again, we have a 16 yo who's the best in the known world at something. That thing happens to be killing. But lest we think she's bloodthirsty, let's make her obsessed with clothes and jewelry and the theater. And then, bc that's not quite enough of a cliche for us, let's put her in a love triangle with her mortal enemy's seemingly self-obsessed (but secretly actually a fairly decent guy) son, and the son's best friend, the rigid and unyielding and unfeeling??? captain of the guard. All while (not even really thinly veiled) hints are being dropped that our heroine's long forgotten background will make her out to be much more than she seems!!
It's all just so tired. There's got to be a better way to tell a story like this. The premise is fine, but everything else just makes me sad. Maybe (hopefully) book 2 will show us some - character growth doesn't even seem to be the right phrase - maybe writer's growth? I'll let you know after Book 2 Round 2.