A cool, creepy story, but the narrator/protagonist didn't do much for me, so it was hard to stay invested. And while I appreciate that the 3ish stars.
A cool, creepy story, but the narrator/protagonist didn't do much for me, so it was hard to stay invested. And while I appreciate that the audiobook narrator is also gender nonconforming like the protagonist, I strongly disliked their work. Audiobook not recommended....more
Read while waiting for library hold to come in. Kept my attention way better than the first Dresden book and the main character didn’t bug4ish stars.
Read while waiting for library hold to come in. Kept my attention way better than the first Dresden book and the main character didn’t bug me as much, although it has its share of cringe-worthy moments. Willing to give #2 a try....more
My vote for the Goodreads Choice Horror Award. I love the voice of the author, both in his prose and characterizations, and I love the cul4ish stars.
My vote for the Goodreads Choice Horror Award. I love the voice of the author, both in his prose and characterizations, and I love the cultural commentary. Each of the titular Indians is genuine and recognizable, both sympathetic and unsympathetic. They're just regular guys that made a stupid decision, but one that anyone could have made, and many probably have. But in some ways they're also kind of doofuses and it's hard to feel bad for them when they get what's coming to them.
Lewis's story was the best and he was the most relatable (especially as a fellow SFF reader), as someone with an ambition to rise above his circumstances and/or perceived nature and make the life he wants for himself. The shocking climax to his story caught me off guard.
Then things got bogged down. Lewis's story was pretty self-contained, so starting over with Cassidy and Gabe in the middle was a struggle, especially because they just weren't Lewis. It's hard to pinpoint what made this final section so dense and clunky, because the writing continued to be great, but it got to the point where I had to take a break for a few weeks before switching to the audiobook to finish up. That said, I really liked the ending and it was worth the effort.
Unexpectedly enjoyable. Wasn't prepared for it to hold so much weight, and maybe that's the point for a book that introduces us to house4.25ish stars.
Unexpectedly enjoyable. Wasn't prepared for it to hold so much weight, and maybe that's the point for a book that introduces us to housewives as being "light, worthless wom[en] or girl[s]." It's been a long time since a book has infuriated me so deeply, then satisfied me so completely.
I grew up in North Carolina in the '90s, albeit in a much less affluent area, so I recognized a lot of elements in the setting and characters, which was fun. Hendrix does a great job playing on our frustrations related to the abuse that was experienced by women and in Black communities back then (which, of course, parallels the abuse that continues to take place today). He creates characters that are stock, traditional Southerners, then proceeds to subvert those tropes little by little.
It started out slow, shifted to fifth gear at about 40%, made me want to rage-quit several times, then climaxed and resolved in a way that made it all worth it.
Confession: I've never really read King before this year. I started reading The Dead Zone in 6th grade and got too freaked out. At one p4.25ish stars.
Confession: I've never really read King before this year. I started reading The Dead Zone in 6th grade and got too freaked out. At one point in junior high I checked out Pet Sematary from the library but never got around to reading it. So I've only ever ready his very recent stuff, but if it's any indication of his talent and imagination, I understand why his classics are so celebrated.
This book is just so captivating. It's consistently tense and flows quickly which is impressive since it's a fairly hefty book. I love how after however many years of writing, he still has such great, creative ideas, and writes in such a natural way.
My only pet peeve is that I have an issue with the way children are written in the vast majority of novels. It's often hard for me to reconcile the voices bestowed upon children in literature by adult authors, and this book was no exception. There were several times I thought to myself "there's no way a 14-year-old born after the '70s would ever say anything like that," etc. which is unfortunate when the bulk of the story focuses on children. Maybe it was intentional to show how the kids had to grow up quickly in the institute. Anyway, it didn't detract too much from the story itself which was consistently engaging. The character I liked the most was Luke, probably because he has the most adult mind/vocabulary which jibes with the adult way he speaks and thinks in the book.
I think I can officially call myself a Stephen King fan, meaning I'll probably devour whatever he comes out with next, and try to put a dent in some of his older catalog as well.
This is a fun, well-written, well-drawn graphic novel that deserved more recognition than it's gotten so far. Westerfeld is the popular3.75ish stars.
This is a fun, well-written, well-drawn graphic novel that deserved more recognition than it's gotten so far. Westerfeld is the popular author of the Uglies and Leviathan series so it's surprising that this title seems to have fallen between the cracks.
A mysterious "event" has turned Poughkeepsie (isn't that just the best city name?), NY into a deserted creep zone full of supernatural phenomena, including the zombified forms of its former residents. Addison, our heroine, is a BA biker chick who rides into the city and risks her life taking photos of the city to sell for beaucoup bucks so she can take care of her little sister, one of the mysteriously changed survivors of the event.
It sets up some potential for a really cool series. It's quick paced and mysterious. Alex Puvilland represents the Spill Zone itself really well in all of its creepiness. I'll be following this as it comes out.
This is a solid book. If not mind-blowing or epic, it's written well, it's paced well, and the mystery is well-crafted. On the basis of tho4ish stars.
This is a solid book. If not mind-blowing or epic, it's written well, it's paced well, and the mystery is well-crafted. On the basis of those characteristics alone, it couldn't not be a good book. What sets it apart is a great main character and a unique premise.
It's historical fantasy / murder mystery / paranormal ghost story / romance and it works to some degree in just about every one of those areas. It's a tough balance but MRK takes it on with aplomb. It has the classiness of a WWI love story, the tension of a suspense novel, and incorporates the fantasy elements without seeming cheesy or forced.
This is all without mentioning Ginger, the appropriately ginger heroine of the story. She has pluck and savvy, not to mention the supernatural ability to communicate with ghosts. She is entertaining, authentic, and no-nonsense. I went in a little skeptical, and this book isn’t exactly a fantasy masterpiece, but I was surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this.
I love this book. It's smart, exciting, silly, nostalgic, but mostly IT IS REALLY FUNNY. Cantero obviously knows how to tickle my funny 4.5ish stars.
I love this book. It's smart, exciting, silly, nostalgic, but mostly IT IS REALLY FUNNY. Cantero obviously knows how to tickle my funny bone, because I was laughing continuously throughout. It's a sort-of-parody of Scooby Doo and other teen detective agencies, and I was nervous that it was going to be adult Scooby Doo fanfic, but it's more than a parody, it's a great book in its own right. (Are we even sure the original Scooby Doo crew were teenagers!? The voice actors of the original cast were all in their 20s or late 30s at the time and did 16-year-olds really wear ascots in the '70s?!)
The writing style is a little "extra" as the kids these days might say. There are some quirky narrative conceits that are understandably divisive:
1) Breaking the fourth wall: -The novel begins: "It starts when you pull the lamp chain and light doesn't come. Then you know you will never wake up in time, you will not make it to the end of this paragraph alive." - ""What?" The italics just flew out past the alcohol's guard.”
2) Neologisms: - "The new hill two blocks from there howlretched, for lack of a real word."
3) Jarring POV shifts, often in the middle of paragraphs.
4) Jarring format shifts, from novel to screenplay (including stage directions) and back, often in the middle of paragraphs: - "On the left, standing, Andrea "Andy" Rodriguez, 25, in big military boots and a white tank top turns to camera as she lifts a squirming old man two inches off the floor"
5) Ridiculous (and ridiculously hilarious) metaphors and similes: - “Tim curled up in a corner of the backseat, sheltering his penguin from the storm, all tensed up in “scandalized Maggie Smith” pose.” - “The night was cold but gentle like an X-rated metaphor.”
6) Self-aware, self-deprecating humor on the author's part: - "This thing, Thtaggoa, and the lake creatures; they exist. I mean, they exist in literature." “Flying monkeys exist in literature, Nate,” Kerri said. “Horror writers who get laid exist in literature.”
If you can embrace all the extra, the story itself is pretty great as well. The mystery is well-plotted and tense, the characters are nuanced and entertaining, the set pieces are cool and exciting. The dog, 'ruff said. There's action and horror and it's very cinematic; I'd love to see a screen adaptation. It's not going to be for everyone, and reviews have been mixed, but if you're up for something "rompy" (as Cantero might self-describe), give it a read.
A great series even if it’s kind of a mess. Is it too much to hope that this isn't the end?
I love Millie Roper. To be clear, though, it’s 4ish stars.
A great series even if it’s kind of a mess. Is it too much to hope that this isn't the end?
I love Millie Roper. To be clear, though, it’s kind of the same way I love Quentin Clearwater, so fair warning. She's wacky, outspoken, selfish, brilliant?, manipulative, passionate, frustrating, and has a heart of gold. Sometimes. I don’t meet many characters like her. In this book, more than either of the previous ones, Baker really lets her come into her own and let loose. As a result, not only is this book funnier than the previous ones, we also get a deeper look into Millie's soul and emotionally connect with her. Baker gets creative and even throws in a couple (awesome) chapters in screenplay format so that we can see the action through the eyes of Millie the movie director.
“Creative” in this case also means that the plotting goes all to hell. It's so convoluted, I couldn't make heads or tails of what was happening 80% of the time. I couldn't keep track of which heist was for what, who was doing favors for whom, which side the Seelie/Unseelie were on at any given moment and why it all mattered in the first place. Not to mention the myriad fey whose names all sound the same. Dawnrowan, Shiverlash, Winterglass, Pumpkinbreath, Wigglesnap, Rainbowcrotch, Smellycat. Almost like one of those quizzes where you get your stripper name by inserting your high school mascot and your favorite flavor of ice cream or whatever. I gave up after a little while and decided it wasn't critical.
For those wondering about this series, know that the first book is tight and coherent, and it kind of goes downhill from there, but it’s still worth it to keep reading because it’s so fun. And because Millie.
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