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I like the lore and story of Annihilation, but I'm not sure I understand the hype. It reads like a literature text and I hate the syntax of it, where the exposition doesn't really mirror personal thought or even a journal. I find it to be lonely and somewhat boring. But for some reason I am actually compelled to read more of the series just to see where it goes. The world of Area X is fascinating to me. I just wish the book did a lot less world building and a lot more to make me care about the main character.
Also, I don't remember much of the movie but it wasn't anything like this.
Seriously life changing. Super short and changed the way I think about chores (“care tasks”) without being too condescending or trite. KC takes disabilities and functioning into account and that's what I needed, more than Kondomari teaching me to throw shit away to spark joy. I recommend this to anyone who lives in a home, fr.
This is one of my fav debut novels I've read. Hoooly shit. The lore, the tone, the stories. It enraptures you from beginning to end. A fun read and compelling plot. Characters you don't necessarily love, moral gray area abound, but you can't help but care. Purposeful exposition and decent pacing. I definitely recommend it.
Damn. This was so good. It subverts any expectations I had and fulfills exactly what I wanted. I enjoyed reading and listening to the audiobook too. The plot is a wild ride, well-written, and the exposition is purposeful, which is a must for a first person novel.
Thankfully, I know Spanish, so I didn't have to translate as much as others did, but keep your Google translate open! While it may be annoying to some, I really loved the author's choice to keep parts of it in Spanish to mirror the confusion & frustration that Spanish-only speakers may feel.
Horror reflects the cultural climate, and in ways this illustrates privilege and racism without being too preachy. This is also one of the most violent things I've ever read haha. I read this in two days (which never happens for me) and I highly recommend it.
Hollow smut/romance. I felt like the spice wasn't spicy enough, the scenes were barely a page long and emotional tension never had time to really build up. I love a Hades/Persephone story, but modernizing Olympus and taking away some of the cool mythology and abilities honestly makes it boring with a lot of “I understood that reference.”
Two stars for being readable and making consent clear and attractive.
I haven't read a book in under 24 hours in a LONG time and this was a really gripping thriller! I basically asked the bookseller for the best book they have read recently and they pulled out some Malfi! I couldn't stop reading and I actually didn't hate the narrator which is big for me. I enjoyed this a lot and I'm definitely gonna check out more from this author!
For some reason I underestimated how this would be a tough read. I feel like it tackles a lot of issues and skims the surface of what I wanted to learn about each character without giving me any sense of finality or conclusion. It feels a little rushed and gut-wrenching in a lot of parts. I wanted so much more from it. Writing nonlinear is always a feat, writing analogies to intergenerational trauma is also a feat, but I just felt a lot of pain and not much satisfaction that I wanted.
This novella was fun. The title and cover roped me in, and it was a ride from start to finish. Some of the characterizations were predictable, but the novella focuses more on plot and symbolism than the characters themselves. The progression to the end is engaging and thrilling. Definitely worth the read, especially for horror fans.
I received a free copy of this book and am leaving a voluntary, honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! The very reason I chose it (and many, many others) was because of its cover. I've always been fascinated with graphic design and what makes something attractive to our eye. Bell succinctly and clearly describes both design advice and collaboration advice. She writes in an enjoyable, accessible manner.
However, my biggest criticism is the lack of captions of Figures. The use of images is the most important part of a book about cover design. Sometimes I wasn't sure if a cover was hers or another artist's, and that is a HUGE issue when talking about art and ownership. It definitely needs to be clear who designed each cover, even when citing the “bad” covers, because they aren't captioned or labeled. Adding captions and sources throughout the book would allow people to easily flip through and learn from captions as well as seeing which covers are Bell's.
Honestly, many self-publishers and ebook publishers could take some advice from this book! I've overlooked several ebooks, ARCs, and paper books based solely on the attractiveness of the cover. And I know I'm not the only one who does that! The information is well-thought, easy to understand, and has images to accompany each example. It helps you notice the “stories” book covers tell when shopping in a store and gives ideas on how to design a cover. As I have considered self-publishing my poetry, it has been really helpful!
I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
How much does a homicide detective need to see for him decide he is done?
“The Ghosts that Haunt Me” is an honest account of six homicide cases from a former detective, Steve Ryan. Recounting his experiences in the Toronto PD, Ryan reflects on the cases that interlocked and ultimately led to his decision to leave. Ryan's memoir is incredibly well-written, reading like a novel in some points and a news article in others. He fluctuates between true sadness and factual reporting, which effectively mimics his increasingly weary state of mind.
Ryan begins with his regret that once the police are called, it's already too late. Preventing crimes is a systemic issue, police response is a reaction. Investigating could never stop the crime from happening, and Ryan discusses this regret with each case. In addition to interesting cases, Ryan gives a clear look into the impact of his career on his mental health.
I was grateful to see this reflection from a police officer's perspective. It humanizes his experience working in homicide and removes some romanticization we see in true crime media. Ryan admits the faults of the system he worked in and that immediately gave credit to what he was about to say.
I really enjoyed reading this memoir and I recommend it to any true crime fan.
One of my best friends has an eating disorder. I hear her voice when I read. I see how difficult recovery is in many facets of my life. Jennette McCurdy understates the trauma in her life which makes it feel all the more painful as a reader. The audiobook was so good and she literally chokes up in the middle of a chapter. I've never heard that before during an audiobook. Also her voice for Miranda Cosgrove sounds exactly like her lmao.
