#i know if i dnfed more i could get to more books in general

[bookishfreedom]

Hello! Any book you read recently that you didn't like but finished anyway? 😅

oh gosh, unfortunately I do this quite often because I really struggle to dnf 🥲 most recently I did this with King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St Claire and All the Feels by Olivia Dade.

Even if I’m not enjoying it I will wait it out in case it gets better / to see how it ends. i feel like i can’t really say i didn’t enjoy a book if i didn’t see it all the way through

thanks sm for the ask!!!! heartbreakingly a relevant question

[veliseraptor]

August Reading Recap

Godkiller and Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner. I enjoyed these both (I mean, clearly, I read the sequel), though the first probably more than the second. The author is doing some interesting things with her world-building, though I have a little bit of a time figuring out what's going on with her naming conventions (which isn't that important, except in the ways it is). I'm definitely curious to see where it goes and will be reading the third one, but ultimately my verdict on this series is more "solid" than "good." Positive! But not, like, enthusiastically recommending to all and sundry.

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. This book had the seeds of a good book in it, and it almost lived up to that when it wasn't being unbearably didactic in the most heavy-handed way possible, footnotes and all. When the author focused on the characters and the dynamics between them, I could see a good story there, but it kept getting spoiled for me by being hit over the head with a message that I (admittedly) already agree with. I liked the collection of short stories by the same author much better.

Messalina: Empress, Adulteress, Libertine: The Story of the Most Notorious Woman of the Roman World by Honor Cargill-Martin. This was a solid book but felt like it could've been an article rather than a full-length book. It was a little stretched for what it was, though I appreciated the way the author analyzed primary sources. As always, I am here for an author who recognizes the specific angles of unreliability of Roman histories and works with that to inform their analysis (not just throwing their hands up in defeat but also not taking things at face value). But yeah. Would've been, in my opinion, a better article than a book.

Remnants of Filth vol. 4 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou. This book just keeps getting better in a lot of ways. The revelation about Gu Mang's betrayal was a little bit disappointing in some ways but also fun and crunchy in others, and the general storyline is still compelling me. I think I like Meatbun's writing and narrative interests. I have come to this conclusion based on 1.5 novels, though, which is a relatively small sample size. I continue to feel like this is one worth recommending.

The Children of Red Peak by Craig DiLouie. I feel like Craig DiLouie wants his books to be complex and deep horror and falls short of the "complex" part in particular. The funniest part of this book was the part where the sound of a shofar was the ~scary, foreign, sound of unimaginable power~ when I was like. I hear this every year. A guy named Marty blows one.

As you might be able to tell, I was unimpressed.

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun vol. 6 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou. One thing I can definitively say for 2ha is that it has the hottest sex of any danmei I've read so far, and this volume definitely delivered on that. We're also moving into the arc that really gets me going so I'm very excited for the next volume and its Revelations; Mo Ran's increasing anxiety is very good for me, even above and beyond the sex.

The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow. I was so ready to be annoyed by this book, and I was still annoyed by this book in places, but overall I ended up appreciating it far more than I expected to. The counter-narrative it provides feels grounded in evidence and certainly is refreshing in its emphasis on a non-teleological look at history; I think they still fell a little bit into the trap of a glorious past and a fall that they're critiquing but certainly less so than the prevailing story. I want more people I know to read it so I can talk about it, which is also a (generally) positive thing for me to feel about a book; it may not mean I liked it but it does mean it provoked thought.

In the Shadow of the Gods: The Emperor in World History by Dominic Lieven. It's actually been a while since I DNFed a book, but I didn't finish this one. The sentence structure was already bothering me and then there were a couple (relatively) insignificant errors that pushed me the rest of the way over the edge. It seemed like it was going to end up being a relatively basic chronological overview of a number of emperors, however, rather than being more about the emperor as concept or idea, which I would've been more interested in. The fact that he kept comparing emperors to modern CEOs didn't exactly endear me to the book, either.

I'm currently reading To Shape a Dragon's Breath, with The Ratline and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (I promise, @ameliarating!) on the docket next. I wanted to reread The Last Unicorn but then I discovered that my copy has a big ol' chunk taken out of one of the pages, so that was a bummer.

We'll see what else turns up - I have The Spear Cuts Through Water and Dreadful out from the library, so those will probably be proximate reads as well.

[embookreviews]

Rivers of London

by Ben Aaronovich

⭐️(1/5)

so excited to share the worst book i’ve ever tried to read!! dnfed at about 45% and i’m shocked i even made it that far

now, i’ve said before that i’m not a fantasy fan, i generally don’t love magic, but i can usually get behind some simple magical realism, magic in the underbelly of society, that sort of thing. all this to say i was already unsure going into the book.

but, my aunt recommended it to me, said it was sort of an adult harry potter (man finds out about magic, learns about the magical world living under his nose, etc etc). and i fcking love harry potter. hate jkr, love hp. part nostalgia and part…also nostalgia.

anyway, this book SUCKED. it sucked so bad. i didn’t even want to give it a chance to get better. that’s how much it sucked. i rarely fully DNF a book, i’ll usually start reading it, get bored, put it down for a year, and then try again when i’m in a book-devouring mood. but not finishing and intentionally saying ‘i will never pick this up again’? rare.

now, i think the plot as a whole had potential. a policeman meets a ghost at a crime scene and is thrown into a world of magic, including a section of the policeforce dedicated to magical happenings that he didn’t know existed? like sign me the fuck up

but unfortunately it just fell flat. i know i only read ~half so you can take it with a grain of salt. but it all felt so 2-dimensional. i was never gripped by the story, my pulse never pounded, i never felt a single emotion from the story. it felt as though we weren’t allowed to get close to any part of the plot or to any character or know really anything at all.

which brings me to the one emotion i did feel while reading: rage. feminist rage. i hate peter with the passion of a million suns. i could not stand him. he is misogynistic, he views women as objects, he really just is awful.

there’s a scene, when he is meeting the literal GODDESS of the river thames and he IMMEDIATELY notices her boobs and this is the line “I was fighting the urge to fling myself to my knees before her and put my face between her breasts and go blubby blubby blubby. when she offered me a seat, i was so hard it was painful to sit down” (ch4). like talk about unnecessary sexualization of a character. this is a GODDESS who should have been written as powerful, and mostly was, but the author decided that rather than having peter realize that power, he would want to motorboat her. because she’s a beautiful woman and he’s simply a Man.

so. yeah. one star BARELY just because i liked leslie and would like to see more of her, but far far away from peter

[vesper-roux]

3, 4 and 8 for the book meme? :)

Thank you for the ask! <3

3: What’s something you read recently and wanted to argue with (either with the book or the author or the fans)?

It's not recent, but the most prominent read I DNFed because of a rant I had planned in my head is Dreamcatcher by Stephen King. I tried to read it when I was 16, but I don't think I even broke 100 pages in it. I was going through the high of liking Mr. Mercedes. Jonesy's out hunting, and he finds the guy in the woods (the one who sets off the plot for the main cast), and he spends the next, like, 5 pages going through the psychology of why he shouldn't, why he wants to, and how he recognizes why this is happening... of shooting the guy he knows is not an animal... just because the guy isn't wearing bright orange or red forest clothing so hunters don't get confused and shoot.

I could forgive it if this was coming from Henry, who's a psychiatrist. But Jonesy is a professor, I think for literature or history. I could be getting this wrong, but either way, five pages to explain why someone wants to, shouldn't, and finally decides not to shoot a person isn't exactly the most thrilling read, especially from someone whose characterization doesn't make sense to know this psychology stuff. Unless Jonesy and Henry spend a lot of time talking about their professions to each other. King might argue this makes sense because Jonesy heard it from his father's friend, but the damage was done for me. I didn't DNF right after that 5 page inner monologue because I distinctly remember Jonesy's fondness for Beaver instantly smiling when he meets new people (Beaver met the guy), but it was pretty soon after that.

4: What are your top 3 comfort reads?

I haven't re-read it yet, but if I felt really low but like I wanted to feel something through a book, I'd re-read "Nona the Ninth." It's a terribly sad book, but something about it skyrocketed it to my favorite of the series.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a good one, despite also being terribly sad. I cried during my read of it, and it's engaging and resonant.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet deals with heavy subjects, but it's balanced with, well, sweet moments, and the ending and main goal for the MC is heart-warming.

A lot of the books I like are kinda depressing, so this is difficult question.

8: What series has most pleased you?

Okay, so I'm going to sound like such a fake reader, but it's difficult to get me into new things, for me to finish a book, and much more to continue a series. I still have to finish "Words of Radiance." I still have to finish "The Savior's Sister," which is more than difficult when it's a retelling of the first book from a different perspective, I'm not much for re-reads, and the first book took me two years to get through. I still have to finish "The Girl Who Played with Fire." I DNFed a bunch of series and need to read more in general. So... Hmm... based on my limited reading experience, I would say it's a toss up between The Stormlight Archives and The Locked Tomb for how much I love the characters and worlds, but I'm actually up to date on The Locked Tomb, so I have to say that one. (Are we surprised?)

[sitpwgs]

Hi! Sorry for the weird question but is the Starless Sea good

hello!! it's not a weird question at all! i always love talking about books!

the starless sea is one of my favorite books — i know i say a lot of books are my favorites (and they are), but if i had to really sit down and think about what book i could reread forever and never get tired of it, it'd be this one.

i think it is just told very brilliantly, and i'd call it a masterclass in itself. i've always loved erin morgenstern's writing, and she outdoes herself in this one. i'm currently slowly rereading + annotating / analyzing it, actually, just for fun, and i'm having a truly great time.

i would also say that it doesn't particularly make sense up until maybe 70-80% the first time you read it, but once things start falling into place... ! i know i say a lot that i notice new things in every reread, but this book really is one where every. single. time. i reread, i notice more foreshadowing, more interconnectedness, more things.

i also understand if it isn't someone's cup of tea, though! it is very prosey, and can be a bit much to muddle through — and if it was any other author, i probably (personally) would've DNFed. but i personally think it is worth the confusion!!

if you have any questions (about the starless sea or in general), feel free to ask! i'd love to hear your thoughts on it as well, if you decide to pick it up 🤍

adding some trigger warnings for the starless sea, in case you don't know about them! happy to clarify / explain anything if you need to as well.

trigger warnings for the starless sea: multiple deaths, death themes, reference to animal death, abduction, forced drug use, mention of suicidality, mild blood and gore, reference to removal of tongue, skin branding, non-fatal drowning, harry potter references

[sobstoriesandshitposts]

2019 has already ended but here’s a list (+ my unasked for opinions) of all the books I’ve read in 2019 in chronological order, Part 2.

((Disclaimer: this is a shitpost for myself and highly overrun by my emotions — I shall not be held accountable if my opinion is taken seriously. And I know it’s 2020 already, but procrastination is prevalent.))

By the way, here’s part 1, if you’d like.

8. The Dragon Republic

Rin was an absolute mess the entire book and god knows how frustrated I got with the dumb decisions™ she made every step of the way. But the poor girl was going through some shit and she picked it all up at the end, so I’m ready for the third installment, and to finally, see the end of the poppy war. Also, THE THIRD BOOK HAS BEEN NAMED “THE BURNING GOD” and I stan. But generally, book 2 wasn’t very memorable to me, and I don’t remember it very well anymore so it was eh.

Characters: 3/5

Plot: 3.5/5

General feel things factor: 3.5/5

9. An Ember in the Ashes

God, I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED BY THIS BOOK. I almost hate it. I might actually. It’s definitely the book I dislike most of 2019. Ok listen, I’m pretty sure I dislike it because I hadn’t been in the right mindset to read it, and it just ended up not being the kind of book I was looking for in terms of plot and mood. Maybe it was intentional, but everything ended up being really dreary and boring and so underwhelming to me. I didn’t feel anything for the story nor for the characters (whose names I no longer remember). I mostly wanted to follow the first girl’s story rather than the other two characters (even though honestly, I didn’t care for what was happening to her either) so I ended up skimming half of the book and then forcing myself to finish the rest of it. Why didn’t I just DNF it? I don’t know too. I was probably going through some kinda mood.

Characters: 1/5

Plot: 1.5/5

General feel things factor: 1/5

10. To Kill a Kingdom

NOW. I’ve seen some reviews on this, and boy, were they mixed — but let’s ignore them, because here is my significant opinion: it was cute. I think tkak is just a simple, short fantasy-romance that got out a cute couple and was done with it. I loved Lira’s character, idk there was just something about her dryness (hah, even though she’s a siren-) that I really enjoyed. Although I have to say, the main guy character had been rather bland, and I don’t remember his name anymore. But anyway, I liked the first-meeting-girl-slaps-boy-scene. I liked the pirates. I liked the romance. I liked the straight-forwardness. I liked the happy ending. (And after AEITA, this was exactly what I needed.) So 10 points to Alexandra Christo.

Characters: 3.5/5

Plot: 3.5/5

General feel things factor: 3.5/5

11. An Enchantment of Ravens

SO. DAMN. ADORABLE. Some people hate enchantment, some people don’t. I personally absolutely loved it. I found Isobel and Rook so cute together, and everything was just really soft and fluffy. Like tkak, it’s just a short and sweet romance, but it leans more towards the fairytale vibes — and I was vibing. I found both the main characters so whimsical and dramatic and ridiculous and they were just so ENJOYABLE to read about. The plot was simple and to the point and it didn’t meander when it didn’t have to — so I don’t care what anyone has to say, an enchantment of ravens is probably one of my favorite reads in 2019 and I adore it. (And the line “Now stop making me feel things.” is just iconic to me. I mean, please, Rook.)

Characters: 4.5/5

Plot: 4/5

General feel things factor: 4.5/5

12. Graceling

Alright, so this is the book I ended on before I stopped reading, aka stopped ignoring the reality of my exams, to start studying for my exams. I found Po and Katsa cute together and I enjoyed their dynamics, but they got a little boring towards the end. I think their relationship got too mature and serious for me (or maybe exams looming over my head just made me really depressed) so they lost the childish charm about them that had drawn me in in the first place. But that doesn’t change the fact that Katsa is an absolute badass, that the entire scene in the courtyard where they fought is iconic, and that the truth behind Po’s sight at the end made me cry. Wasn’t my favourite, but graceling was enjoyable, which was exactly what I needed to feel satisfied to end on, and not too drawn into a world that I needed another one to replace it after it ended. Thank you Graceling, for saving whatever had been left of my grades.

Characters: 2.5/5

Plot: 3/5

General feel things factor: 3/5

13. The Cruel Prince (& The Wicked King & The Queen Of Nothing)

This is definitely my favourite book (and series) of 2019 and I was ruined by it. I actually had to reread the cruel prince, because the first time I did, I didn’t enjoy it and that didn’t sit right with me — I mean, come on, Holly Black is my queen and there’s no way I’d dislike a 4.2 star book of hers. And boy, was that one of the best decisions I’ve made in 2019. I was so immersed in Jude’s world and everything she was about to face; I rooted for her the whole way. I loved her character so, so much (for once, we get an mc that is actually smart). I loved Cardan so, so much. Honestly, I truly liked all of the characters. And Jurdan? I live for that sh*t. I was completely floored by this trilogy and I. Still. Want. More. (+ The quotes from this series??? Just freaking iconic.)

Characters: 5/5

Plot: 5/5

General feel things factor: 5/5

14. Sorcery of Thorns

Ah, yes, another one of the books I was disappointed by. After An Enchantment of Ravens, I had been so excited to read the second work of Margaret Rogerson, but it wasn’t what I thought it’d be. I really enjoyed it at first, but around the half way point I started to get bored and almost DNFed it. And yes, I am aware that Sorcery is meant to be an epic fantasy and is different from Enchantment, but I just thought that the characters would still have that whimsical, ridiculous flair that had been done so well in Enchantment — but the character building here kind of just fell flat for me. Although there were moments I did enjoy reading about Elisabeth and Nathaniel, I just didn’t really see the chemistry between them and I couldn’t appreciate their interactions and banter much. I felt like Silas was just a cookie-cutter “cold on the outside but warm on the inside” character as well. Okay, I’m being extra harsh on this book because of my crushing disappointment from great expectations, but actually, Sorcery had been a pretty good read that started off well. Although the middle got a little dry, i think it picked itself up again at the end and I felt compelled to finish it. Plus, Silas’ moment made me tear up even when I hadn’t expected myself to, so, that’s always a bonus.

Characters: 3/5

Plot: 3/5

General feel things factor: 3/5

15. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue

So whimsical. So funny. So light-hearted — yet it had the surprise punch-you-in-the-gut feels. I spent a good deal of time laughing over Henry’s antics (when he ran naked around Versailles???? Oh my god, what are you doing, Henry?) and his efforts at trying to be a decent human-being. It was honestly, a very heart-felt and romantic story, which really has me torn up because how does Mackenzi Lee weave in so many heavy, important themes like abuse, trauma, racial and sexual discrimination and mental illness, and still make it such a light-hearted story — that was done well? (And lets not forget how she’s also managed to include some serious Fullmetal Alchemist vibes in there complete with murders and violins and pirates. Geez.) She’s a genius that’s how. The number of times I’ve almost cried, but was saved by Henry’s comments is just- ugh. If there’s any book I’d recommend just for being a damn good book, it’d be this one because, wow, was it good.

Characters: 4.5/5

Plot: 4/5

General feel things factor: 4.5/5

16. Carry On

We have now reached my final book of 2019: it was an absolute delight and one of my favourites. I just loved the characters, like they were so enjoyable to read about. I mean, I felt like Simon had a stick up his ass for a good portion of the beginning, but he softened up later on and my god, Baz. I loved his character so much. And the pining? HELL YES. And then, of course, his refusal to admit that he was pining to anyone else but himself. Simon and Baz were just extremely shippable, and I was ready to gobble up whatever I could of their romance. So fluffy, so ridiculous. Rainbow Rowell also made good use of the switching POVs. I normally dislike it when author’s switch the perspectives because it tells a side of the story that I really don’t care for (ahem, an ember in the ashes...) but Rowell did it so damn well. Even Agatha’s pov was enjoyable. She provided a different perspective on things compared to the other characters and I actually really liked her “I don’t want to have anything to do with this bullshit” take on things. It was fresh, and funny, even if she was being an ass half the time. So, Carry On? It’s a yes from me.

Characters: 4/5

Plot: 3/5

General feel things factor: 4/5

And finally, my 3 DNFs, in which I will rant about them just a little:

1) Wicked Fox

Didn’t like the writing style. Normally I don’t notice writing styles much because I’m just not that good with the technicalities, but Wicked Fox’s bothered me and I just couldn’t enjoy it. Also, I wasn’t in the mood to be patient, so I just decided to drop it.

2) Serpent & Dove

I actually really liked the beginning, but I think I wasn’t in the right headspace and I started to get bored by it, so I stopped reading. I’ll probably pick it up again in the future when I’m in the mood for it though :)

3) Throne or Glass

My god. I picked this up purely as tribute for Feysand — which, I guiltily admit, I really enjoyed — but- I- I couldn’t get past the first five chapters of tog. Putting aside the writing style (Why! Are! There! So! Many! Exclamation! Marks!), I didn’t feel anything for any of the characters, and any of the scenes. I don’t know what it is, but everything just felt so disconnected from me, and I had an inkling that I wasn’t going to care about what happened to the mc, or what happened with her and the other two (who I presume are) love interests because even on first impression, and a little past that, both seemed so bland to me. Sigh.

That’s it for the list; if you’re still here, good on you.

[neverlearnedtoread]

[review format]

thought i’d start off by explaining how my reviews work! the title of the book is always the header :)

⭐5-star-rating-system⭐; “quote summarizing my feelings about the book / my latest attempt to be funny”

in general:

5-star read = highly personal fave; the author shot me in between the eyes with one of my own specific interests

4-star read = immaculate vibes+all around fun time but did not make me hyperfixate

3-star read = the most varied rating - no rose-coloured glasses, i can pick it apart even though i think its a solid read overall. im most likely to recommend 3-star books to someone based on their own preferences! 5-star recs are for people with the same taste as me, or they specifically asked for my personal faves

2-star read = :/ hmm. hmmmmmmm. the bad stuff far outweighs the good, i can barely muster the energy to give it the benefit of the doubt because there’s too much doubt. im spamming that (x) button for doubt

1-star read = should have dnfed, but by some inexplicable force of will, i didnt, and thats on me

Oh?? 👌😉😏

reasons to pick up the book!

can include tropes/trope subversions, diverse rep, or anything else i really wanted to shout out as the selling points of the book

maximum 5

No... ❌🤢🤮

reasons to say nah to the book..

could be personal preferences, things that bugged me

or trigger warnings/insensitive aspects you should probably know about beforehand

maximum 5

Summary: Pretty self-explanatory! Sometimes I try to make it funny, sometimes I stick with a recap of the Goodreads blurb. It depends on how much I vibed with the story. Sometimes includes vague spoilers, but if it doesn’t, I’ll leave it above the [read more].

Concept: 💭5-star-rating-system💭

Why did I pick up the book? What did I think I was going to get going in? Am I really a shallow person who uses her monkey brain to judge books? ...yes. huhuhu shiny cover

--usually the [read more] will be added here, or slightly higher, depending on the level of spoilers I include at the summary and concept sections---

Execution: 💥5-star-rating-system💥

Did I get what I came for? Did the book pull through on its premise? Were there any twists that slapped me in the face, or did the trope subversion I was chasing turn out to be a mirage in a desert? Are we all doomed to suffer? More at 11

Personal Enjoyment: ❤5-star-rating-system❤

Art is subjective and I have a lot of hills I’ve decided to die on, so this section was added in an attempt to acknowledge my aggressive bias! I can accept liking a book for dumb reasons, but having to like a book for logical reasons? That is going way too far, get out of my house

Favourite Moment: *my longest yea boi ever*

Favourite Character: *my longest yea boi ever but in character archetype*

[adorhauer]

🦇 Goth Book Challenge 🦇

As requested by fellow gother @roselinproductions! These are my responses, both to the book questions as well as little snippets about me and my taking part in the subculture. If you see this and want to join in, you’re more than welcome!

⚰️ Black Nail Polish: What is a book that you couldn’t put down?

I read The Lord of the Flies in one sitting. Knowing the background for why he wrote that book and the social commentary about society and the psychology of the “strapping English boys stranded on their own” and how they slowly descend into chaos and murder fascinates me.

[I only wear nail polish when I go see my cousin who likes to practice on family while she makes a career out of it- it’s usually black with sparkles. Other than that, I keep the nails plain.]

⚰️ Black Lipstick: What is a book you could talk about non-stop?

Gone With the Wind, but not in a good way. (“And they want to free the slaves,” Scarlet condescends at least ten times in a chapter.)

[I love black lipstick. It’s my biggest go-to when I really want to amp up my look. My best tip is to get a cheap lace choker and some black lipstick and bam- instant macabre.]

⚰️ Victorian Goth: What is one “classic” that you enjoy?

Only one? If I had to, I’d say The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Seriously, the character description for Ichabod Crane is the best literary description I have ever read.

[I don’t fall into any one category of “goth types”. To me, it’s either you’re goth or you’re not. But if playing around with style suits you, go for it!]

⚰️ Graveyard Picnic: What is a book you sent to an early grave (DNFed)

I tried reading the Twilight series again, just to see if I could get through it. I can’t. I understand that people like it while also knowing how toxic it is, I have no problem with that, but I can’t get past all the issues that permeates the series.

[I take frequent trips to graveyards because of how relaxing and peaceful it is in those places. There’s one where I live that is kind of a tourist attraction because it’s so big/historic. Hopefully I can go back while all the trees are changing color.]

⚰️ Bauhaus & The Cure: Do you have a go-to series or book that you always enjoy reading/recommend?

The Princess Bride and the Emily of New Moon series were always my favorites. Fair warning: if you read the latter and you’re a writer, don’t be surprised if you start getting that itch to put words to paper. It’s really good when you need some inspiration.

[I tend to resonate most with goth rock, though I’ve always been a jack of all trades when it comes to music. The first goth song I ever heard was Sisters’ This Corrosion and it was the final nail in the coffin. After that I was never the same.]

⚰️ Corsets & Boots: Is there a book that you picked up just because of the cover?

I snuck off with copies of Peter Pan and a collection of works by Hans Christian Anderson because the Barnes & Noble editions look fantastic (I think I posted one of them on Twitter).

[I wear a corset- but not for that reason. Writing at home for work gives me back problems like you wouldn’t believe, and the steel boning of a corset does wonders for my posture. In general, I construct my style based on what I like, which has etheral, noir, and deathrock influences, among others.]

⚰️ Why Do You Dress Like That?: Are there any books you’ve been embarrassed to read in public?

Romance books- you open to the scene where the time-traveling girl is alone with a shirtless gladiator and they start doing the do and then you’re paranoid that everyone can see what you’re reading.

[I’m usually a minimalist/toned down with my look, but this has happened every once in while. If someone asks this, I usually ask them “Well why do you dress like that?” The usual responses are “It’s comfortable” or “It makes me feel good.” Well, there you go.]

⚰️ Evanescence & Marilyn Manson: What is one unpopular bookish opinion you have?

As much as I love the series, Heroes of Olympus felt a little rushed. It was still a great series, but there were things that could have been better.

[Never liked Manson. I listened to some Evanescence during my emo/metal stage when I was transitioning to the alternative scene. Other bands include Black Sabbath, Avenged Sevenfold, and Within Temptation.]

⚰️ Pastel Goth: Are there any books you were apprehensive about at first, but ended up liking?

While everyone read Harry Potter, I happened upon a book in my school library called The Hobbit. My thinking was that all my bullies liked HP, so therefore I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t read Harry Potter until 2000 or so, and it always brings me back to that summer break when I and my brothers played in our basement and pretended our bikes were motorcycles.

[I have nothing against pastel goths. I do think there is a small divide, mostly because the subculture is centered around music where as that is a fashion-based identity but hey, there’s nothing wrong with either of those things.]

⚰️ Halloween: What is a book that you unapologetically love no matter how good or bad it is?

Apparently people don’t like the way Charles Dickens wrote, because he was paid by the word so that became his biggest motivator. Some people have told me it sounds wordy and listless, but I’ll always love A Christmas Carol- the opening line alone is great.

[Elvira is amazing, but in my circle I am the one they call Queen of Halloween. I guess that’s what happens when you unironically look like the undead every day of the year.]

[kbrown78]

Monthly Wrap Up: December

Last month of the year! This was the month where I tried to tackle all the books that I had set aside that I wanted to read before the end of the year, and I actually managed to read all but one of them, so that was good. Unfortunately it wasn't a great reading month. There was one book that I really loved, but the rest of the books were just mediocre or bad. 2 of those books I gave 1 stars to and 1 of them was the last full length novel I read this year, which was a huge disappointment. The very last book I read this year was a collection of short stories that I had already read and while it wasn't bad, it wasn't as good as I remember it being. So it's sad that I ended this reading year not with a bang but with a fizzle. I do plan on posting a yearly wrap up and some best and worst of the year lists, but I can't say when that will come out because I imagine they will take awhile. Happy New Years to everyone and I hope you have a good 2019.  

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant: I was intrigued by the premise of The Red Tent, with it being biblical fiction novel that focuses on the females, specifically Jacob's wives and his daughter who is only mentioned once in the Bible. I was in the mood for a historical fiction and for a female driven narrative, so I picked this one up. I would recommend this book if your looking for a light historical fiction novel, with little action, and don't mind the fact that the story is based on stories from the Bible. The first half was decent when it focused on Jacob's four wives: Leah, Rachel, Zilaph, and Bilah. I liked reading about their stories and I thought their relationships were well done, with it's ups and down. Then when things shifted to Dinah, I started to lose interest in the story. I was never attached to Dinah like I was her mothers, and I felt she and all relationships she was in were fairly underdeveloped. By the end of the book I was just skimming through the story because nothing changed or progressed. In general I would say this book has pacing issues because everything felt fairly quick but nothing was really happening. I didn't feel like this was the female driven narrative I was looking for because Dinah was underdeveloped even though it was her story and for the a book titled the red tent, which was strictly a woman's domain, the story spent very little time in the red tent. The book was mediocre, with the only really bad aspect of it being Dinah's romances, but as both as historical fiction novel and one that focuses on the women, I found this book to be a little disappointing.

Daughters of the Storm by Kim Wilkins: This was a book I was so eagerly anticipating, like I went out and got it the day it finally came out in paperback. I understood that it would focus on 5 sisters going on a quest to save their father from a curse, so I thought I was getting a good sisterly narrative. I also went into this book thinking it was a standalone, and I've really been in the mood for some good adult fantasy standalones. Whatever expectations I had going into this book were quickly ruined. The plot was simple, find the cure for a dying king, but it was too simple of a plot for a book that just dragged on. Maybe it picks up more in the second half, I wouldn't know because I DNFed this book half way in (because of that this will be my full spoiler review). I was bored with the story and the world building had very little development. In fact the only thing the only piece of world building that had any development was the new religion gaining popularity, which is both clearly based on Christianity and will clearly be used against the sisters because it doesn't want women in charge. While those aspects were bad, they weren't what caused me to quit the book. Despite this being an epic fantasy, plot is pushed aside to make the story more character driven, and that was the problem. I really hated the characters, with a burning passion. I admit I struggle with unlikeable characters, but if you're going to write unlikeable characters I at least want them to be sympathetic the majority of the time. I don't have to like what they're doing but I do believe they are doing it for good reasons. Of all the POV characters there was only one that I found sympathetic, even though she had her faults, and that was Rose. She's trapped in a loveless marriage to broker peace and had a child with her husband's nephew. My only issue with her is that she doesn't try to be sneaky with her romance when no one wants it to happen and she doesn't see her husband as a threat because he doesn't like women in power, even though he clearly is. All other characters were horrendous. Will is a prince who turns into a crazy killer once he gets the notion of power inside his head. I could say he was sympathetic because he did want to protect his mother, but I just get crazy vibes from him. He does get killed in this book, so I'm not sure if he was even that relevant of a character. Willow is a zealot of the new faith (whose name I cannot remember, tri-something), who does shady things just cause angels are telling her to (my guess is that she's got a mental disorder which is causing that). Ivy is a brat who complains about doing any work and is only interest in men, who she thinks she's in love based on one glance. Her maturity level doesn't improve and I think she's the one that tells Rose's husband about the affair in the hopes that her and the king's nephew will end up together (which all backfires in the worst way possible). I think she's also killed in this one, but I'm not sure. Ash was the one I was hoping to like, but she was just brooding (which I hate) and really wishy-washy, not having much of a spine. She tries to talk to people about her magic, but no one will take her seriously because of how young she is, and in the end she goes into self exile because she doesn't want to hurt her sisters, which I didn't really like because it solidified me not caring about her. Now we get to the worst one, the sister that I actively wanted to die in this book and honestly the main reason I put this book down. Bluebell was the absolute worst. She had no redeeming qualities whatsoever.  Where do I even begin the her. She's the oldest sister and heir to the throne, but she absolutely abuses her power. In fact I'll just copy everything I wrote about her in a recent Top 5 Wednesday post explaining why I hated her.  She only likes people if they are blindly obedient to her and is very mean and insulting to her sister Rose because Rose won't do this (in fact she makes it clear that she only views Rose as whore to be sold off), seems to think she's a great leader but shows very few qualities of being a great leader, sees everyone as either an underling that must follow her without question or an enemy that must be slaughtered with no in between. Her worst offense is that she thinks everything she does is the absolute right thing and won't entertain the possibility of being wrong. She is very cruel to her step mother, despite everyone telling her to stop, and as a result the step mother accidentally curses the father because she is terrified of what Bluebell will do to her when she comes into power. When Bluebell discovers this, she doesn't see the error of her ways, she's determined to kill the woman and only stops because her father (the only person I believe she cares about) told her to stop because it would look bad. I hated her with a passion throughout the first half of the entire book and hoped that she would change in some way by the end but nope. She is just as self righteous as she was at the start and is unsympathetic of Rose's suffering. She's just a stupid bully who wants an army of sycophants. Yeah, I hated her, she might be my least favorite female character of the year. At halfway into this book I skipped ahead to see if anything gets redeemed or solved, and nothing does, so needless to say I won't be reading the next book. I almost thought this was a debut novel because of how poorly it was written, but turns out it wasn't. I do applaud any one able to successful produce a non toxic novel, because it's a long challenge, but as an author with multiple novels already out these basic storytelling mistakes shouldn't be happening (this was the same problem I had with V.E Schwab). This book was one of the biggest disappointments of the year and I'm glad I waited to get it in paperback because I will probably be unhauling it.

The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine: This was an interesting case because I thought I would be saving this book for January but I ended up deciding to read this book and see if it was as good as I remember and I am so glad I did. It's a Snow White retelling that has a more modern feel to it. If you liked Snow White's back story in the first season of Once Upon a Time you will probably like this one. It has several nods to the original story but adds it's own twist to them, and I really loved that. Lorelai is a great protagonist because she's very mature and takes her responsibilities seriously and wants the best for everyone. She also has magic which is really cool and makes her a worthy opponent to Irina, the evil queen. Irina was a fantastic villain, like she would arguably make my top 5 list of best villains for this year. You get that shred of humanity within her and bits of her back story which makes it clear why she is the way she is. Unlike the original version, Irina isn't obsessed with beauty, she's obsessed with power and loyalty, which makes her both dangerous and a little crazy. Kol is the prince who was made king at the beginning of the book, and I also really liked him. He's similar to Lorelai in many ways because he's willing to make some significant sacrifices to ensure the safety of his people and loves his friends and family. Lorelai and Kol's relationship was so good because they talk and push themselves to be better for the other. There's a bit of Insta Love but because the time length it took for them to get serious and the fact that it's contained within just this story makes it easy to forgive. All in all I thought the story was great, the characters were great, the relationships were great, and even the magic was great and I'm so glad this book was as good as I remember it being. The only reason it's not 5 stars is because of some miscommunication stuff and stupid character choices. The Shadow Queen received 4.5 out of 5 stars.  

The Registry by Shannon Stoker: I got the next book in the trilogy this year, and for awhile I was debating if I should reread this book or not. I didn't need to reread it but there was a part of me that wanted to, so I did and I'm glad I did. This is a fairly underrated dystopian, about a future America where women are married off to the highest bidder in a system called the registry. The protagonist, Mia, has an awakening shortly before she's has her debut, and she makes a quick decision to run for Mexico with her best friend and a farm hand, as her psychopathic fiance works to prevent her from crossing the border. One reason I liked this one was because it's not like a stereotypical YA dystopian. It isn't about one girl trying to take down a system, or about romance (although that does come up), it was a display of frighteningly realistic dystopian environment and a straight forward chase narrative that is definitely suspenseful. I liked Mia, I thought she was a fairly well rounded individual, and while Grant (Mia's fiance) was a disgusting character and was pretty realistic and served his purpose well. The rest of the characters I didn't like so much: Andrew (the farm hand) was a bit flat and brooding, Carter was a bit entitled, and Whitney (Mia's best friend) was so whiny and naive. I get that she serves as a bit of foil for Mia, but I would have liked them to have a stronger relationship. The only thing I really disliked about this book was the romance. This book does have a love triangle in it, and unfortunately it's not one of the better done ones. Andrew and Mia's romance felt a bit forced and Andrew wasn't nice to Mia the majority of the trip. Carter, on the other hand, is more positive and outgoing with Mia, but there's a scene where he just kisses her and only afterwards asks for her consent. Both seem to struggle with grasping the severity of her situation and treating her like and normal person, but for different reasons. If this book didn't have any romance in it, it would have had a much higher rating but because of the romance and a few other things I couldn't give it over 4 stars. The Registry received 3.5 out of 5 stars.  

The Collection by Shannon Stoker: After finishing the Registry I moved right on to the Collection, which takes place immediately after the end of the previous book. Mia, Andrew, and Carter crash land in Mexico where Carter and Andrew are taken and forced to become a part of this militia group and Mia has to save them. That is what the first half of the book is, and I definitely preferred the first half to the second half of this book. It had a clear story line and conflict and made room for character growth. Mia is a good protagonist who has evolved from sheltered girl to determined survivor to trained operative who is willing to put her self at risk to protect those she cares about. It was great to watch her transformation, but it was too rushed in this book and she succeeded too easily. Like all of her training takes place over just a few chapters which has a 3 week time period, and when she single handedly goes on her mission to save the boys from this militia group, she succeeds on the first try with no consequences. That felt both unrealistic and very rushed because I think if proper time and been given this could have been a really good story. I still don't really care about Andrew. I don't know what it is, maybe it's because I find him boring and a bit stupid at times. I think his experience with the militia was a frightening one that could have been an interesting narrative, but I think he was the wrong character to show that through and again it was just to little for me to work with. I won't say what happens in the second half, since the synopsis didn't really go into that, but the narrative takes a completely different turn. It becomes much more of stereotypical YA dystopian and there's a lot of filler and things that didn't make sense, which I didn't like. I will say that I love the headers that are put at the beginning of each chapter because it really gives insight about how the world few America and how America censors itself. I do think Mia and Andrew's relationship did develop, especially with them wanting to be open with each other and talking about their future together, but I still don't feel any pull for them and I don't really get why they are so attached to each other. The one thing I've saved til the end is Grant because his story stays the same throughout the whole novel, and I really like reading from his POV. While I still think he's a horrible, horrible person it's interesting getting into his mind. He is such a snob and considers everyone beneath him and violence is his solution to everything. We also learn a little bit about his past, which doesn't do anything to make him more sympathetic but it puts somethings into perspective. I like that his fatal flaw is definitely showing in this book and you know it's going to come back and bite him in the end. While there were parts of this book that I thought were good, I had a lot more issues with this book than I did the previous one and definitely felt like it had a bit of a slump going on. The Collection, sadly, received 2.5 out 5 stars.  

The Legend of Holly Claus by Brittney Ryan: Oh what a disappoint this one was. Not as bad as Daughters of the Storm, but it was definitely one of the worst books I read this year. I used to read this one around Christmas, since it's about Santa Claus' daughter, but then I stopped doing that for a few years. With doing all the rereads this year I thought this one would be great to save for Christmas, so I did and while it definitely delivers on all the Christmas feels, it fails as a story. Basic premise is Santa has a daughter with “the most pure heart” but then this evil wizard, Herrikan, seals her heart in ice so that he can posses her heart one day and be free and sets a curse upon the Land of Immortals. Eventually Holly grows up and goes to New York to defeat Herrikan. The plot of this book makes little sense honestly. I liked the start with a child giving Santa a wish which allows him to have Holly, but it was fast downhill from there. I don't understand why Holly's heart was frozen. Was it to preserve it's purity? Was it to make it easier for her to die? I honestly don't know. Then there's the curse upon the Land of Immortals, where Santa rules, that prevents anyone from leaving. I've stated that I struggle with unlikeable characters, but here you have the exact opposite with a character that is just so perfectly pure that she comes off as annoying and stupid. I can't say I disliked Holly because she was put in a sympathetic situation, being isolated from everyone, but there were times I just wanted to smack her on the head she was being so obnoxious. Also during Holly's childhood she isolated because everyone was afraid of her even though they were explicitly told several times the curse lingers because of their fear. For immortal beings I can't say anyone was smart or even wise. Herrikan sucked as a villain, he was just so flat. The romance was one of the worst cases of Insta Love I have ever seen because it literally happens over one night. The ending was a total cop out, like everything is just magically perfect again. And this book made me dislike Santa Claus because he was such a smothering parent! Like how dare you make me dislike Santa! I think the ultimate message of the book was a good one and there were pretty picture in the book, but those were the only positive thing I can say about this book. The Legend of Holly Claus gets the dishonorable title of being one of the few books this year that I gave a 1 star to without DNFing.  

The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo:

I'll be slowly rereading all of the Grishaverse books to get ready for reading King of Scars, and I decided to start with this one since it's a cute filler book that has fairy tales set in the world of the grisha. All of the stories in this book are clearly inspired by several fairy tales that many people would be familiar with. I have to admit I didn't love this as much as I had when I first read it. Part of it was because there were stories that I didn't like, but part of it was also because I had a bad experience at a book signing I went to and I couldn't shake that feeling off. My favorite story was When Water Sang Fire, which is also the longest, but I also liked Little Knife, which is the shortest, because both display that Bardugo can produce a good complete story and have the pretty writing. My least favorites were the Solider Prince and the Witch of Duva. The Solider Prince was inspired by 2 great stories, but they just didn't mesh together well in this case. I'll get into more of the reasons I didn't like the Witch of Duva in my full review because there's a lot I have to say about that one. There's also a constant theme through out all of these stories, which is make the original villain sympathetic and make the typically most innocent person in the story the villain. That worked but only to an extent. I know Bardugo likes writing morally gray characters and sympathetic villains, but that doesn't always have to be the case. You can have a well written villain who is just bad. The Language of Thorns received 3.5 out 5 stars.  

Thank You Everyone

Keep Calm and Keep Reading