I enjoyed Barbarian Alien before Liz started going ride-or-die for "her man," but I also don't know why I expected more from the continuation of a serI enjoyed Barbarian Alien before Liz started going ride-or-die for "her man," but I also don't know why I expected more from the continuation of a series where each book is just finding creative ways for the protagonists to have sex without too much repetition....more
Reading the first half of Ice Planet Barbarians was like snacking on a seemingly-endless supply of Cool Ranch Doritos (truly the superior chip) while Reading the first half of Ice Planet Barbarians was like snacking on a seemingly-endless supply of Cool Ranch Doritos (truly the superior chip) while completely basked in the glow of a corny-but-takes-itself-too-seriously 90s thriller.
Reading the second half was like trying to finish a manageable portion of Greek yogurt with granola and honey because you're quote "trying to eat more protein in the morning" and you can't help but wonder where your life went wrong.
I liked this book... kind of. It was exactly what it purported to be and incredibly entertaining but I'm not sure that makes it "good."...more
I never dislike a Hester Fox novel, but The Book of Thorns was just kind of... fine. There was an undercurrent of magic that I felt should have been wI never dislike a Hester Fox novel, but The Book of Thorns was just kind of... fine. There was an undercurrent of magic that I felt should have been woven more evenly throughout the story; instead it's briefly hinted at and then seemingly (literally) explodes during the book's climax. And, although this is a book about sisters, we (and they) don't realize their connection until more than half-way through, nor do we fully understand what happened to them as children until a long info-dump at the end. Not that this book needs to be more depressing that it could have been, but Fox massages the narrative in such a way that, while awful things do happen, everything also works out—which makes for a slightly unfulfilling reading experience....more
A meditation on fame, fandom, and aging under public scrutiny, with a nod to (view spoiler)[
Misery(hide spoiler)]. Parasocial was good, bA meditation on fame, fandom, and aging under public scrutiny, with a nod to (view spoiler)[
Misery(hide spoiler)]. Parasocial was good, but I enjoyed the author's note more than the actual story....more
A fantastic coming-of-age graphic novel about two queer dancers exploring their identities and relationships while studying contemporary dance in RomaA fantastic coming-of-age graphic novel about two queer dancers exploring their identities and relationships while studying contemporary dance in Romania. I loved the monochromatic palette (with slight pops of full color for emphasis) and how Popescu nailed movement in a 2d medium....more
I always find the acknowledgement of romance novel tropes within a romance novel a bit on the nose, but the main character of Unromanceis a romance aI always find the acknowledgement of romance novel tropes within a romance novel a bit on the nose, but the main character of Unromanceis a romance author, so maybe I expected too much. Erin Connor's debut wasn't bad, but the book just never grabbed me the way I wanted it to. The premise—a jaded romance author's one night stand with a hopeless romantic actor leads to a surprising friendship as they try to get her mojo back and ruin him of leaping-before-you-look� was fun and included some non-romantic emotional vulnerability, too, but I mostly found myself happy to finish so that I could finally move onto something else....more
This was a phenomenal look behind the curtain of Paris Hilton™️ that I'm afraid people won't read because they think they already know everything. I hThis was a phenomenal look behind the curtain of Paris Hilton™️ that I'm afraid people won't read because they think they already know everything. I had no interest in Paris: The Memoir before realizing it was a perfect fit for a reading challenge prompt, and I really wish I'd picked it up sooner. Hilton's life is fascinating, heartbreaking, and memorable in equal measure, and her story is fully brought to life by her own audiobook narration. The bulk of her memoir focuses on her experiences as a teenager in the public eye and imprisonment within the troubled teen industry (including instances of sexual assault and physical abuse that almost brought me to tears), while the last third or so is how she navigated and confronted her own fame in the early to mid 2000s.
Society as a whole is not always kind to conventionally attractive women, especially if they're born into wealth and privilege or seem to "have everything." This was a small peak behind the curtain and, after learning how much Paris puts into the idea we all have of her, I'm grateful for the glimpse....more
Loading...
