Kevin
Rating: 4.0/5
Although apparently intended for young teens, The Giver is a short story that tackles some incredibly heavy subject matter. It gives off strong Animal Farm vibes by wrapping a potent political message in an idyllic setting that eventually reveals itself to be a dystopia. The population appears happy, but only because they lack the frame of reference to know what true happiness actually is. This emotional detachment becomes chillingly clear in the clinical scenes of "releasing" the elderly, the disobedient, or the very young when they no longer fit the community's rigid design.
My only real criticism is the ending. It concludes with very little resolved, leaving the author’s true intent up to interpretation. While I believe Lowry wanted readers to finish the narrative in their own minds, I personally wish we had been given a concrete, definitive conclusion.
Rating: 3.0 / 5
This Is How You Lose the Time War functions less like a traditional narrative and more like a collection of epistolary love poems. While a broader plot exists, it takes a back seat to the writing style; whether you love or hate this book will completely depend on your appreciation for highly stylized, flowery prose.
The premise follows a temporal war between two rival factions—one cybernetic and technological, the other organic and nature-based. Two elite female soldiers from opposing sides fall in love, exchanging secret, beautifully written messages across history using incredibly unique and creative mediums.
Unfortunately, the actual time-travel plot lacks depth and feels somewhat predictable. While the audiobook narration was excellent and the concept makes for a unique, standalone sci-fi novella, I ultimately found myself unable to truly connect with the characters or the world.
Score: 4.5/5
I cannot fathom how it has been 16 years since The Blade Itself was published, yet it hasn't been adapted into a major movie or TV series. Abercrombie assembles an incredible cast of characters in a gritty, sprawling city that feels completely alive. The book seamlessly balances sharp political intrigue, a subtle yet menacing magic system, blistering battle scenes, and visceral grimdark brutality against a backdrop of subtle but solid dark humour.
What really sets it apart is the character work; within a single book, you go from actively disliking these people to fiercely rooting for them. Plus, it features a romance that feels true to the world, not some filler sex scene but rather something that might be important later in the series. There are several massive, cinematic moments here that would have social media talking for weeks if this were on television. Finally, Steven Pacey’s audiobook narration is an absolute masterclass. I can’t wait to dive into the next installment.
4.5/5
I highly enjoyed this book, though "enjoyed" feels like a complicated word for such a heavy read. Kate Fagan does an incredible job of slowly bringing us into Maddy’s life, making you feel like you are truly getting to know her and understanding the deeply rooted dynamics within her family.
As I got closer to the end of the book, I found myself wanting to read less and less. It wasn't because the story was less enthralling; rather, I knew how the story was going to end and I simply wasn't ready to take on that emotional weight. Getting through those final chapters required me to carve out some time alone where I could just sit, read, and cry as the story wrapped up.
I highly recommend this to anyone with teenagers, or anyone wishing to gain a deeper understanding of the mental health struggles young adults face today. The book does a brilliant job highlighting the dangerous disconnect between a perfect social media presence and reality. It serves as a stark, necessary warning: much like a duck, everything can look perfectly calm above the water, but the legs are frantically kicking away just beneath the surface.
4/5 StarsThe Old Man and the Sea is a short but powerful classic that beautifully captures one man's ability to endure, no matter what obstacles stand in his way. In classic Hemingway style, the prose is lean and to the point. He doesn't waste a single word, yet every sentence hits hard. There are no massive plot twists here... just an old man who takes on a massive challenge, simultaneously winning and losing, and then making his journey home. If I have one critique, it's that I wished for a bit more depth regarding the young boy who cares for him, despite his brief time in the story. The ending is abrupt, leaving you to imagine the true conclusion for the old man. I'd like to think he lived out a few more years as a local legend.
Rating: 4.25 / 5
Going into this, I was curious if Matt Dinniman could pull off the same level of character development that made Dungeon Crawler Carl work so well. It turns out he can, but it takes a minute to get there.
The first hour or so had me worried. The opening setup and the tone felt a bit off-putting at the start, but if you stick with it, the book completely changes gears. Once you get past that initial hurdle, the character work really stands out, the pacing picks up, and the stakes feel real. I ended up heavily invested.
The second half of the book really reminded me of the Bobiverse series by Dennis E. Taylor. The overall vibe and style are similar enough that the two series could almost be related.
Despite the slow start, it is a great read and proves his writing style isn't a one-off success. I give it a 4.25 out of 5 and I am definitely interested to see if there is a follow-up.
Rating: 4.25 / 5
Before & Laughter is a highly engaging book that I can easily see myself returning to time and time again. Much like his stand-up routines, Jimmy Carr's writing is incredibly sharp, utilizing short, punchy deliveries that genuinely make you think. One of the book's greatest strengths is its accessibility; you can open it to almost any page and immediately uncover a fascinating insight into the man himself, alongside practical, thought-provoking advice for your own life. Furthermore, Carr's narration of the audiobook is excellent, adding a wonderful layer of personality and comedic timing to the experience. A thoroughly enjoyable listen!
3.5 / 5 This novella leaves you feeling like someone told a joke and you missed the punchline. It is well-written and establishes a fascinating concept, making you care about the journey only for it to end in an incredibly unsatisfactory way. Perhaps, in that sense, it succeeds as an allegory for life. I suspect this story will linger in my mind much longer than it took to read. I'll definitely be looking into more of the author's work.
I'd give The Bone Ships a solid 3.75/5 stars.
The worldbuilding is honestly the best part. The whole concept of a society built around ships made from the bones of extinct sea dragons is fascinating. The way their entire power structure and class system works is really unique and brutal too. It definitely makes you want to keep reading just to see more of the Hundred Isles.
I did the audiobook, and while the narrator was good, his accent was a bit of a trip. I spent the first half of the book legitimately thinking the main character's name was “Lucky Knees” before I realized it was actually Lucky Meas.
Story-wise, it has a “found family” or underdog sports movie vibe, but on a ship. You have this mess of a crew and officers finally coming together, and the main guy, Joron, really starts coming into his own. Even though it uses some familiar tropes, the setting is so weird and fresh that it does not feel cliché at all. Plus, the ship combat is super cinematic. It is really easy to picture the scale of the battles in your head.
It is a great intro to the series, though it feels like it is doing a lot of the heavy lifting to set things up. I am really hoping the second book picks up the pace and starts answering the mysteries they teased about Joron and Meas. Definitely worth a look if you want some nautical grit in your fantasy!
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness
This book delivers an important message for anyone who spends time with children, especially girls between the ages of 8 and 15. Its core argument about the “rewiring” of childhood and the rise in anxiety is clearly presented and backed by solid research. The author connects data to real‑world consequences in a way that feels grounded and genuinely useful.
My main issue came from choosing the audiobook. The book relies on charts and graphs that do not translate well to audio, and its intentional repetition becomes more noticeable when spoken aloud. What might feel like helpful reinforcement on the page starts to drag in this format.
Overall, I would rate it 3.75 out of 5. The content is valuable and the call to action is compelling, but I would recommend reading the print or ebook version to get the full impact.
4/5
The conclusion of the Greek Myths series by Stephen Fry was yet another solid entry and I'm left hoping Fry either jumps to another culture's myths (Norse, maybe?) or continues where Odyssey leaves off and starts a series on the rise of Rome.
I really enjoyed the afterword of the book as well where Fry connects the Odyssey and Homers writing in general with our modern world via AI/Film/TV/etc.
I somehow never read as a child although I wish I had. What an awesome little story, I listened to the audio book, then went back and read the ebook (there are illustrations that are important to the story), and then went and purchased a paperback version for my son.
At it's core it's the story of a man seeing the world through the eyes of a child and rediscovering what's really important.
If you've never read this book I highly recommend taking an hr or so and taking it in. If you don't smile, maybe have a little chuckle, and feel a bit moved by the end of it then I think you may need to make some changes - as the dedication in the book says “All grown-ups were children once (but most of them have forgotten)”
5/5
There Is No Antimemetics Division has one of the most unique sci-fi horror concepts I've ever encountered. It feels like a mix of Black Mirror and HP Lovecraft. The idea of “antimemes” (entities you forget the moment you see them) is a great concept, but I don't feel like the story did it justice. I'm giving it a 3/5 mostly for that core idea and the strong first half.
The format you choose makes a huge difference here. While the narrator was talented, the audiobook was a struggle. The story relies on many similar-sounding technical names that are hard to track by ear, so I eventually switched to the physical book just to keep everything straight.
While the first half is a gripping sci-fi mystery, the momentum shifts later on. The story starts to feel like a different genre, leaning more into Lovecraftian horror. The plot also felt fragmented with very little foreshadowing. Major plot devices just seemed to happen out of nowhere, which felt a bit like a deus ex machina ending.
Jade War by Fonda Lee is an absolute masterclass in high-stakes fantasy. The way the Kaul family's story expands to a global scale while keeping the emotional tension so personal is incredible. The character work is so strong that by the end, I actually hesitated to start the next chapter at times because I was genuinely worried about what might happen to people I have grown to care about.
One quick heads up for audiobook fans: there are a few graphic sexual scenes that make it a bit tough to listen to on speakers in a shared space. That said, I found myself sitting in my car long after arriving at my destination just because I could not bring myself to hit pause. This is world-building at its finest, and I am officially hooked.
Revisiting this book is a bit like encountering an old friend from university: you still love their jokes, but you're increasingly aware that they don't actually have a plan for the evening.
While the dry humor remains as sharp as a Nutrimatic Drinks Dispenser's misguided attempt at tea, I've realized that much of the joy is fueled by the high-octane engine of nostalgia. Stephen Fry's narration is, of course, nothing short of sublime; he manages to sound exactly like a man who understands the fundamental absurdity of the universe and finds it mildly inconvenient.
However, looking at it with a cold, adult eye, the structure is more “random collection of genius thoughts” than “cohesive novel.” Had I picked this up for the first time today, I suspect I might have hopped off the Vogon ship before the second chapter. It is brilliant, yes, but perhaps its greatest trick is making us remember it as being slightly more coherent than it actually is.
Still, it remains peerlessly quotable, and as the Guide itself might say, mostly harmless.
“A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.”
Rating: 4.5/5
Crouch has done it again. After loving Dark Matter, I found Recursion to be a true return to form. If anything, the first half is paced even faster, making it nearly impossible to put down.
I experienced this via audiobook, narrated by Jon Lindstrom and Abby Craden. While it took me about half the book to adjust to the alternating dual-POV narration, I eventually grew to appreciate how the distinct voices grounded the different perspectives.
More than just a sci-fi thriller, this book is a heavy meditation on the power of nostalgia and the fluidity of time. It forced me to reflect on my own past in ways I didn't expect. And as for that final line? Well played, Crouch. Well played
Coming off the massive hype from the “Booktube” community, my experience with The Sword of Kaigen was a bit of a mixed bag. While M.L. Wang crafts a vivid, Asian-inspired world, the “modern-traditional” blend struggled to stand out, particularly when compared to the gold standard of the genre, Fonda Lee's Jade City.
The Structure & Pacing
The novel feels like three distinct stories stitched together. It begins as a “magic school” coming-of-age tale, shifts into a brutal military thriller, and concludes as a somber domestic drama. While the middle section is a tour de force that I couldn't put down, the segments before and after often felt like a chore to get through. This uneven pacing is compounded by the author's use of invented terminology for time and distance, which creates unnecessary additional mental focus.
Character & Themes
The emotional stakes are undeniably high, though they occasionally veer into being “overdone.” I found the magic system and action sequences to be the book's strongest assets, well-choreographed and inventive. However, the social commentary on nationalism and race felt a bit heavy-handed, lacking the nuance found in the character-driven moments. Additionally, the late introduction of a primary POV character (arriving in the final 20%) made the ending feel disconnected from the journey of the first half.
Final Thoughts
Andrew Tell's performance on the audiobook is stellar and likely elevated the experience for me. While the story leaves several threads open for a larger world, I didn't leave this book with the “must-read” urgency that the hype suggested. It is a solid, ambitious fantasy, but one that occasionally gets in its own way.
It's a self help book and even though it's short it contains a lot of fluff and even some less than helpful items in it - however - there are nuggets of gold in there if you get through it. It came highly hyped to me and .. meh?
A couple of the non-obvious nuggets I enjoyed:
“trouble is a faux form of fame” (speaks a lot about online culture right now)
“the pro doesn't identify as their profession but the amateur does, the amateur makes it their identity and he is defined by it.” (also in some ways speaks much about our online culture right now).
If you are a person who needs a kick in the pants to get on with their passions- it'll tell you somethings you already know, it just might be able to tell it to you in a way you need to hear. It's short - can't hurt to give it a try.
“But Paris was not a good boy. [..] No, Paris was not a good boy.”
Yet another amazing entry into the world of ancient Greece by Stephen Fry. A wonderful telling of the fall of Troy, touching on all the classic beats that the story has (Achilles, Hector, the Trojan Horse, etc). You get humour, a deep connection to the characters, and a collection of sources that reach beyond just Homer's telling.
I had considered reading a proper translation of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, but I think I will hold off until I have completed the journey with Sir Fry.
