Allison
I absolutely LOVED the authors nonfiction titles, Divine Might and Pandora's Box. Unfortunately, this was a bit of a disappointment. I'm already not a huge fan of multi person POVs; if not done well they can kind of rip you out of the plot seemingly randomly. It also doesn't help if you don't like one of the characters and get stuck with their POV, meanwhile there's a character you love and haven't heard from them in a while. The first two-thirds of the book was guilty of doing both things I don't like. There were over 20 point of views that this book switched between, and at the beginning before it all came together it would switch at random and sometimes wasn't connected with the last chapter at all. What's worse is that this book has a lot of focus on Perseus, even though it's supposed to be more about Medusa. Ms. Haynes did a great job writing such a miserable creature because Perseus SUCKS and I hate I had to hear so much from him. But I adored everything about the gorgons!
That said, the book really did come well together at the end. So it saved itself a bit then, but I came very close to DNFing this at the beginning. I'm glad I didn't, because the book was very funny and had some nice moments. I do recommend brushing up on this myth before reading this though. If I didn't read her nonfiction titles before this, I would've been completely lost and this book would've been even less satisfying.
A cozy nonfiction title that tells the history of bookshops and their place in American history in a mostly linear way. Sometimes the subjects overlap with previous and upcoming chapters, but in that essence it perfectly describes how most bookstores exist in a way. Bookstores exist, and will always exist, in the past, present, and future. Maybe a little bit differently from time to time, but they'll always be there. And, like in bookstores, some of the subjects were more exciting than others. I wasn't too crazy on hearing about the bookstore during the revolutionary times, but I absolutely lit up reading about the Oscar Wilde and I'm so sad I never got to experience it.
Even though different bookstores are covered and you could probably read each chapter separately, I do recommend reading the whole book in one swoop. It's truly a wonderful experience.
Contains spoilers
I read this for two reasons, I'm doing a series of readings where I read the book first and then watch the film to compare. This book and the film were the easiest to access quickly for me so I chose to start with this first. I haven't watched the film yet, maybe I'll amend this review once I do. The other reason being that this was already on my to read list and so I figured this would be a good two-birds-in-one-stone situation.
The book though, to me, was mildly disappointing. The art style didn't click with me too well. Which, in this books defense, is following up with me reading Helen of Wyndhorn so it was a big act to follow in that regard. The most difficult thing for me to deal with though was that I had trouble reading Clementine's handwriting. I can read cursive so it may have been the eBook transfer, but it made it hard to connect with what's going on.
Probably the point that I struggled with the most was that this very quickly delved into gay trauma porn territory for me. It's not that gay couples can't have problems in their relationships and that shouldn't be presented in a book. I'd love to see normal relationships dynamics shown in media more! It's that this book got depressing really fast and really hard near the end while glossing over any happy moments. It's very jarring as I thought their relationship build up was doing great up until a certain point.
Overall I do think this is an important read for young adults grappling with their sexuality, especially in more prejudiced times like we are in now. However I hope those young adults know that they can be in happy relationships too, not all relationships are traumatic and end horribly like this one does.
I was completely awestruck with how stunning the art was in this. The expressiveness and delicacy sculpted in the characters faces, especially the women, added a speckle of beauty and matched with the luscious backgrounds depicted in this. The story itself was great as well. Even though the "modern" characters, the ones outside of the characters from the original Wyndhorn timeline, were pretty jerk-ish. Especially the supposed biographer. What was his problem anyway?
In any case, if you don't mind some time jumping and you are really in the mood to enjoy some art, then look no further.
It’s been a long while since I’ve enjoyed a non-graphic-novel piece of fiction. To be honest it seemed like no matter what I picked up, regardless of glowing reviews, nothing was tickling my fancy. Until I got a hold of this title. Turns out that I would love gothic, moody, Victorian-esque body horror in book form as much as I love it in film form. It’s sufficient to say that this rekindled not just my love for reading fiction, but reading in general.
If anyone has other similar titles of this to recommend, I’d love to hear it! I plan on reading one of the authors other work, My Darling Dreadful Thing, soon!
I read the traditional volume 1 (issues 1-4) before deciding to pick up the eBook edition of the Sundae Edition via Hoopla. I have to say, I was surprised at how...philosophical this gets? Especially by what would be the third volume of issues (issues 9-12). It's not necessarily a bad thing, nor was I not expecting to be bleak, however I was expecting it to be more emotionally shallower than it was. Which, again, it's great that it broke my expectation.
I wish I can say this analogy about this series is my own, but alas I found it on Reddit. "I feel like I have a 'woke up from a bad dream' feeling after reading this" one user states. It's honestly exactly how I feel; slightly confused and slightly unsettled, but relieved to know that it's all just static images.
At least for now, until I hear an unsettling Ice Cream Truck, rolling on by with its cold, mysterious treats.
An enjoyable read which highlights different bookstores, mainly in the American Midwest, that lead by example of what should be done to save bookstores according to the author Danny Caine. The actionable steps he lists after each anecdote, vary in how actionable they can be as the consumer. Many of the steps are repetitive as well, which a lot of them are about advocating for certain policies to pass. If you're a left leaning person like I am, a lot of the policy-based steps felt like preaching to the choir. But it's always nice to be reminded to be more politically active not just for your own morals and preservation, but for bookstores as well. For many booksellers, politics and books go hand in hand; this book highlights that idea. Now that kind of tone and message may put off some readers, but I believe if you at least read the bookstore owners stories, you will still get something wonderful out of this.
More importantly you'll take the first big step into saving bookstores, by reading.
Cute story and lovely art. I was very confused when I first started this since it started on chapter 20, but overtime I enjoyed reading this with the time of events going backwards. I think this would hit better if you read this back to front after finishing it front to back. I just don't know if I have the time to read this again though.
This started out as a spur of the moment reading after stumbling upon The Last Stop on Letterboxd. What ended up happening was me devouring this in spurts at work when I can and developing a fascination with everything about Elan. What a roller coaster of emotions that I went through during that time.
What stood out to me was how much time was spent on focusing on his life after Elan. Many forms of media about cult-like apparatuses, whether its a religious cult or a teen rehabilitation programs like Elan, usually focus on the victims time while they're in the group. They may mention if they're dead or alive or at most, what they're doing now. Yet they never truly show how much a victim and everyone around them is affected in the aftermath of it all; in big and small ways. Watching him struggle as a young adult as a reader was frustrating because I wanted to scream how obvious it was he was getting into terrible situations because of the unprocessed trauma, and that he was doing everything Elan said he would if he would've quit instead of graduated. This is obviously a very easy thing for me to say decades later and not even remotely experience anything like Elan. However it made me do some soul searching; I realized that I was struggling with the idea that Joe needed to be a "perfect victim." Even though I never out right thought of it that way, I truly grappled with how badly he was handling his life after Elan and that he was wasting all the luck and opportunities thrown at him. I knew this subconsciously, but I really needed to bring to the forefront of my mind that those that go through that kind of trauma where so much anger and violence is passed around at such a young age, of course he wasn't going to be as well-adjusted and react accordingly. This book truly challenged with not only how others deal with trauma, but also how I react to my own trauma. For that I am grateful. I'm also grateful for this realization while reading this as it made the ending that much more satisfying
If you are into media about cults like me, this is a must read. It will really change on how you view cults and give you a better understanding on how truly devious they are. Even after their dissolution.
When I started this I was worried it would be a bit dry, almost encyclopedic. That wasn't the case at all. Bill Bryson made learning about the body incredibly pleasurable as his stereotypical British humor shone through. The Body also had many pensive moments as well. The book does a wonderful job making you realize how much effort and homeostasis is truly needed to keep you running. As well as how much of the outside world around you truly has as much effect on your long-term health as you do. Much of it unchangeable on an individual level.
I want to add that the audiobook for this is fantastic! Mr. Bryson is a remarkable narrator.
Fly by Night is, while beautifully illustrated, a hodge-podge of two different ideas and themes put into a YA graphic novel. I love the idea about reading real environmental issues set to a graphic novel. Plus as always I love reading about supernatural/cryptid stories. However I found that these two ideas didn't really mesh well here, they felt more like they were butting heads with each other the whole time rather than feeling connected. To be honest I was much more interested in the missing person plotline so then that was resolved I really felt that I had to push through the rest of it. Even though as it turns out both ideas do come together in the end, and it was satisfactory enough that I was glad I pushed through. That said, I did get emotional at the end, it was nice for everyone to get closure and I'm just happy that there's finally a piece of media out there that ends with nothing being vague and no cliffhangers.
Normally I would give this a 3.5 stars, but I lowered it to 3 stars due to the separate plot lines not working for me originally and almost giving up on it because of that. Either way, a fine read.
The book wasn't very in-depth but I believe that was the intention. I didn't mind the writing style too much but there were definitely a lot of typos that I noticed (and I don't usually notice them). There was a lot of good stuff in here to think about and work on that I'm definitely willing to try with my fiance. Overall, a good read but I don't know if I want to read anymore in this series though.
“Florida is for amazement, wonder and delight, and refreshment for the soul. It may take a little more time to hunt out and enjoy the real Florida, but you will be repaid.”
A wonderful collection of essays and columns that illustrate Florida in its purest and idyllic essence. Truthfully, I hopped around to different essays as I had difficulty connecting to some of the pieces. That mostly attributes from me being a North East Florida native and the author is from the Stuart/Port St. Lucie area. While it's easy to paint all of Florida being the same, and there is some truth to that, each area has its own beauty and histories that are unique to them. Despite this, all of the essays create a wonderful picture of a time in Florida where remnants of the old ways still exist but are slowly being encroached on by land developers and eager transplants. This book was published over 50 years ago, but many of the truths and pieces Mr. Lyons speaks on unfortunately still applies today. This book is an excellent reminder that we need to slow down and appreciate the true beauty that Florida contains. It's also a great reminder to many transplants that while we love to have you down here, please be sure to plan your move well and be prepared for the true Florida realities. Also, respect your local Florida natives which include the people and all wonderful critters that live here.
Getting a hold of this book can be a bit of a hassle. Since it was published in 1969 and has had no reprintings, it's incredibly expensive to buy unless you luckily come across it in a bookshop. Through the power of Interlibrary loans (yay libraries!) I was able to snag it and enjoy it in my hand. If you are able to I highly recommend to hunt this book down. Especially if you are interested in Florida history.
“Some say people who join cults are ‘lost.' But all human beings are lost to some degree. Life is disorderly and confusing for absolutely everyone. A more thoughtful way to think about how people find themselves in precariously cultish scenarios is that these folks are actively searching to be found”
You'd think being in the library field that I would have no problems reading but with the advent of social media I find that getting through a book can be more of a challenge than it should be. However with Cultish by Amanda Montell I had no issues at all and found this to be a delight to read. What true crime documentaries and books are to some people is what cult docs and books are to me. I've always been fascinated by them since I was younger, and I'm always looking forward to the next big media about cults. However this book is more than that, it's a deep dive into how and why people join what we understand as “cults” and the author successfully asserts that it all comes down to language. The book doesn't just cover religious cults, it covers fitness, health/wellness, and “conspirituality” (conspiracy and spirituality) cults. They all use similar language styles to get converts, followers, and patrons. Whether they use this language style for good or bad is, in some parts, left up to you as a reader and makes you think about your relationship with language and some of the groups she mentions. Overall a great, easy read that I highly recommend!
This was my first audiobook that I finished of this year. Although I'm sure it's a bit odd that it took me five months to finish an audiobook, I wanted to really absorb as much as I can.
Boy, was this book a little too close to home. I absolutely struggle with a lot these obsessive tendencies, such as demand sensitivity and emotional guardedness, so hearing about what causes these tendencies and how other people deal with it really hit home with me. I'm okay with the book not having a lot of exercises or anything of the sort since I personally would rather go to a proper therapy session or get a workbook rather than get it from a normal book.
That said, I really do want to get a physical copy of the book so I can use it as a reminder. I think my life would be a lot easier if I didn't strive for perfection and control at all times. Maybe I can be a little too perfect.
I didn't really know what to think of this one at first. A chunk of the first part of the book is a lot of sulking between the two main protagonists and I thought the art/panels from the first book were a lot more fun to look at. However, as the book went on I ended up loving this book way more than the first one. This one is a lot more mature than the first one and easier to connect to. On top of this, the themes and overall message of the story are really poignant and really hit home for me. My one other complaint is that I wish you didn't need to read the first book to get the full effect of this book. While I did like Sheets I think I would recommend this one more to others but unfortunately I can't since you do need to read the first book for this one to work.
I will say I don't recommend reading this at work. I had to pause a few times reading near the end so I'm not boohoo crying at work.
When I try to decide how I feel about anthologies, whether in film or book form, I usually base my feelings about how many of the stories/segments I like out of the all the stories/segments. Because of this, the first two volumes in this book weren't working for me and made the book take a lot longer than it usually takes for me to finish a graphic novel. A lot of the comics, as some on here said, were "all style and no substance" and I have to agree with them. While some of the comics made me chuckle, much of it were just quick quips and weird dialogue and made it hard to connect with what I was reading. It didn't help that many of the comics themselves were very dense to look at and it almost felt like a chore to look at everything. Even though I admired the aesthetic Emily is going for, this book was very close to being a DNF.
However the last volume completely saved the book for me. The 13th Hour was very Wizard of Oz-esque and gave Emily so much more depth to her character which she was severely lacking in the first two volumes. She went from a shallow, Hot Topic graphic to a fun, teen character with crazy powers and a spooky aesthetic. The story was cohesive and all the other characters were fun and important to the story.
I think the book is fine for what it is. I would recommend maybe skimming around the first two volumes and reading the 13th hour in its entirety. However, I have a feeling Young Adults might tolerate the first two volumes better than I did so take with that for what you will.
With Junji Ito being one of my favorite authors and being a big cat lover, this book was a match made in heaven for me. It was really hard to read this at work because so many of the situations and how he drew his cats made me want to laugh out loud. I'd recommend this book to all cat lovers since so many of the situations were super relatable and heartwarming.
It's interesting for me that even though I can watch plenty of horror movies without any disturbance at all, but then something like this comes along and truly unsettles me. I think it's because with books a lot can be left with your imagination and the gruesome scenes depicted to all the characters in this book are made even worse inside your head.
That being said I did enjoy this book but I think I would truly rate this 3 1/2 instead of 4 stars if I could. The characters are really well constructed and the pacing really works with the book as it hops back and forth to show what happens to different characters at the same time. However, the hopping back and forth, while fun, got confusing in some parts and made it hard to follow. Plus the climax at the end went on for way too long (at least to me).
I don't know if I could recommend this to anyone, not in a bad way but this book is a lot to take in and not for the faint of heart. Also, the back of the book made this sound a bit more whimsy and supernatural and it definitely wasn't. It as all too real and painful, and that's what truly caught me off guard.
As someone who flies through graphic novels I loved reading this multi-volume collection. The book itself feels awesome to hold, and the the size of the book really shows how detailed and nice the illustration is.
For the story itself I did really enjoy it and as someone who loves horror I thought it delivered on that as well. The characters were interesting enough and I truly can't wait to see how the characters grow and where the story goes next!
As someone who is trying to get back into reading again by reading graphic novels, I thought what better graphic novel to read than one based on the literary classic The Handmaids Tale. Now I'll be honest that I haven't read the original novel and I've only seen one episode of the series, so there were definitely some parts that I got lost with or it truly didn't connect with me. For instance, the transition between chapter 13 and 14 seemed disconnected and threw me off, but I have a feeling the original story was able to connect these quite well. Overall the art was beautiful and despite the slight confusion on what was happening near the end, I really enjoyed the cautionary tale that was being told. I definitely want to read Atwood's original work now!
This book is good and fun if you are looking for something simple to read to get a little bit of the basics of astrology. However, this book only covers the sun sign aspects and nothing else so you can't learn too much from it. But for what it is I really enjoyed it, plus the art and the cover are really nice too!
Really enjoyed the graphics and illustrations that were throughout the book. The information was pretty basic and the only new thing I gained in this book was about Chiron (even then I didn't learn too much about it). I found the last two sections (Understanding Yourself and Life Events) confusing and a bit hard to understand, since it seemed none of the stuff it talked about applied to me and my chart. The book is pretty and easy to read, but if you want to truly understand astrology there are better books out there to read instead.