Kelsey
The content of this book is interesting but the poor grammar and syntax gave me a headache. This man really needs a decent editor. Spotted two errors in the blurb and should have known the meat of the book would be just as bad.
As a lover of Lolita and Nabokov's prose I can enjoy The Enchanter but I'm very aware it is only the bones of a much greater creature. If I had read this first or without having enjoyed the subterfuge of Lolita I believe I would have thrown it away without finishing the short 58 pages.
The narration is omnipotent, meaning we see much less deviant attempts to convince the reader of his innocence, there is less of the seductive and unreliable narration we find with Humber Humbert which is interesting to see how Nabokov transformed him from a predator into a predator with a knack for grooming the audience too.
Very handy wee guide to herbal remedies for babies, kids and teens. I wish there had been more information on growing herbs, however, I know this can be found in the authors other books so I'll need to get the whole collection!
A great book with essential advice and beautiful recipes from Day 1 until toddlerhood and beyond! Definitely a Bible I'll return to throughout our BLW journey!
This novel is as if Starve Acre (2019) and Pine (2020) fell in love and had a chillingly fascination child.
God this book took a lot to finish. I enjoyed every second and I swear I read it faster than I planned too because I couldn't put it down.
It takes a bit of bravery to keep on reading and isn't for everyone.
I am confident to say that this may be one of the best books a misanthrope could read. Jackson has manipulated me into remembrance of just how horrible people can be. The horror and fear I expected from this tale, honestly expecting this to be a ghost story, wove its way, instead, into reminding the reader that the real evil and horror of the world is found amongst the living.
This is the first of Shirley Jackson's novels that I have read, previously having only read one short story from Dark Tales which I thoroughly enjoyed. I think enchanted may be the most appropriate word for my first experience with Jackson's writing, her style, her characters (specifically the feral and witchy Merricat) and the oozing tension of what is lurking around the corner for these young maidens so alone in the world.
I felt incredibly protective of Merricat, instantly I noted hints at her (potentially) neurodivergent habits and thoughts, and Constance's agoraphobia, and wanted to plunge my way into their world and slap Cousin Charles senseless, as well as half the village, but of course, the ladies didn't need my help and Jackson had been trying to tell me that from the very beginning. Merricat's disconnection from the reality of others, her black cat companion, her and her sister's botanical knowledge, her magical safeguards and Merricat's disdain of everyone outside her little ‘coven' scream witchcraft without the words, or acts, ever really being muttered. This novel is superb, glittering and dark at the same time, we are weaved into Merricat's unreliable narration and caught like the helpless fly cosied into our own little corner of this wicked tale.
Well, there's certainly some improvement in the second novel and the plot thickens to an extent, yet I feel that the majority of what we experience in Betrayed could be condensed and several matured. Again, my only complaints about the novel as a whole is the maturity of the writing and the often very insensitive material. Honestly, don't even get me started on the choice of “Nature's Jihad” for the name of their terrorist organisation...
First of all, I think we can all agree that Zoey is a Mary Sue, in fact I would go as far to say that Zoey is the biggest Mary Sue in YA that I've read so far (I've read my fair share). The two young men who are reported missing and then murdered are apparently missing as they were spending time around the HoN looking for Zoey because she's just that hot, wow. Her hotness is obviously a great source of comfort to Heath too as the trauma of being kidnapped, tortured and almost eaten by creatures not quite alive and not quite dead suddenly disappears as Heath stands in the rotten tunnels like ‘love you Zoey :) let's kiss Zoey :)' while even the undead watch on confused by the display of simp behaviour. I also really wish we could have seen more of the realisation that the blood drinking is mutually enjoyable so has Heath really given up on his drinking and smoking because he loves Zoey, or because he has found a new addiction? Isn't it also an allegory to SA and r*pe when Zoey repeatedly tells Heath ‘no' to drinking his blood but knowing she can't resist the urge does it anyway which then leads to the lust side of blood lust?
I think my biggest issue overall with the whole novel is the grooming. I can tolerate the idea of a woman being just so beautiful all men are attracted to her, I genuinely think it could be a clever plot point if it wasn't just to fuel teenage ego. Wouldn't it be much more interesting to watch the plot of men constantly chasing Zoey but with more than just love as their motive? What if we saw more of these men having true ulterior motive(s) and we have to follow a young girl becoming aware that not all male advances are genuine, like Loren's (which is reality considering many young girls would be reading these novels and picking up on potential red flags instead of being subconsciously told it's okay to be lusting over/groomed by poetry teachers).
Now I'm pretty sure I remember that we find out Loren is not a good guy (as if we haven't figured that out with his creepy grooming techniques) but Zoey's narration is so unreliable, which may be part of the maturing of the story, yet I can't remember enough of the other books to know if she does start to doubt that her beauty might not be the only reason men are chasing her. Especially grown adults in positions of power attempting to groom 16-year-old students.
Was this the best book I ever read? Absolutely not.
Was it fun, action packed and quick paced? Absolutely it was.
A few plot holes here and there and a it lacked in the believability department but it was just a nice, action packed novel.
I'm only rating this two stars because I DNF. I'm hoping I can pick it back up to finish it in the future and can rate it fairly on the whole story but I found it so difficult to read, it felt like it was in need of editing and breaking down, too cumbersome and too much detail that didn't help the world building but overcrowded it, I felt I was forcing myself to keep reading, maybe one day I'll get back into it and find myself enthralled, I'll update if I do.
I really love Jennifer Salt's retellings, after falling in love with Ariadne I was super excited for Elektra. It was a good book, not a great book. It lacked something for me, it fell flat of the sparkle of Ariadne and perhaps just over repetitive of each woman's desire.
Cassandra's story line felt so squashed in, Elektra's so one dimensional but Clytemnestra's did evoke emotion, I felt conflicted with her, she felt tangible and alive. Overall, I did enjoy but I don't think I will reread it quickly, or maybe at all.
She was born to be a queen.
Jennifer Saint never fails to inspire with her Greek myth retellings. Hera, in my opinion, has to be one of the hardest goddesses to reinvent, yet Saint finds a way. She breathes new life into Hera as Prometheus and Athena once breathed life into humanity. Hera's point of view opens a new door into Olympus, we see a goddess wronged, betrayed and silenced yet she does not become a victim to her suffering. Saint magically keeps Hera as fierce and as frightening as we have always known her to be, yet she also shows us a new perspective, one that, although, may seem harsh, becomes understandable.
Saint magically tells the entire timeline of the Olympians with Hera's interest at the forefront of the retelling. We watch as Titans fall, divine offspring rise, rebellions ascend the mountain and how feuds stir within. The connection between sisters, mothers and daughters is a beautiful point to focus on within the novel but what I felt was done best was the friction between the male and female divinities.
Hera is a stunning retelling which focuses on the ambition of women who aren't willing to be good girls, who are eager for more and who won't let anyone stand in the way of their power, or their birthright whilst also discovering the importance of family bonds and the human condition. Hera as a goddess and as Saint's protagonist now holds a place in my heart.
3.5 stars. I really want to give it four but if it had a few more chapters then maybe I'd be happier. I really enjoyed this, it was unsettling and saddening and horrifying. I might write a more in depth review on this when I'm not so tired because I do have a lot to say about this.
This was so much FUN. It was cosy, it was exciting, it was spicccy, it's so nice to read this kind of thing, it's low stakes, it's hilarious and it's super nice to fall into. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a super easy, super fun cosy/spicy romantasy!
3.5 stars. Honestly, I was a bit dissatisfied with this, I expected more, I felt Kaung often said so much when she needed to say so little and often she was too quiet in areas that maybe would have made this book all the more fantastical and heartfelt but in saying all of this I genuinely struggled to put it down every time I picked it up.
This was almost a two stars from me. I'm gonna say it's a 2.75 rounded up.
It's not what I want when I read a Greek myth retelling and to take one of the most interesting myths and turn it into this... is a disappointment. I have so many issues and gripes with it that it feels pointless to sit and complain because who wants to read a rant review? The only thing that was really enjoyable about this book was the spice, the rest was just a boring wattpad romance.
All the Lonely People gets 4.5 from me.
From the minute I picked this up I knew I was going to love it. It was such a bittersweet look into the human experience. I wasn't expecting the twists and turns Hubert's life took, especially around chapter 40.
I loved Gayle's writing, I felt like I knew Hubert and the jumping between timelines really helped expand on how he got to where he was while also making me love Hubert more and more, I loved that Gayle made Hubert so loveable but also gave him flaws and complications that deepened how complex a man he was but through it all love was kept him going and when the love was requited and he finally seen there was so much love from his new found family he could be at peace with all his previous loss.
A huge reminder that there's always love and friendship to find no matter the age or circumstance! I think Hubert felt he was lonely because he was old and alone but the whole story goes to show how loneliness doesn't discriminate and we all have a duty to each other to keep love and friendship alive.
I'm giving this 3.5! I really want to give it 4 but something about it just didn't quite excite me like the first two did but it was still really, really enjoyable.
I often felt certain characters were totally forgotten about in their own quests/uses until literally right before they reappeared which maybe is meant to be like a “omg forgot about them let's gooo” kind of moment but I never stopped thinking about anyone for a second. I won't give spoilers here either but just felt maybe things were just too... safe. Not that I want to be GRRM traumatised but ya know.
3/5 books down and I'm so excited to see where this goes, I found SJM through the first Crescent City novel and while reading this book I was constantly just wanting to finish so I could see what happens in the next CC, which made me realise that maybe I was more excited for the series than this one. Only time will tell when I've finished them all!
