Ali The Hag
Reading this was like watching No Reservations, a show I’ve watched through over & over & over again. In my head, Anthony’s voice read to me. It felt so good to hear his voice again, even if it was just to me.
I think the most interesting part of this book was just how many people gave Bourdain a helping hand. Countless people, good, bad, & ugly, helped this wiry junkie navigate the restaurant world. And for what? They must have seen *something* in him to help him while he was still a shithead.
The biggest thing I’ll take away from this book is: Passion. In order to be good at something, you have to have passion. I’ve always known this (being a very, very, passionate person), but to have it written so graphically, so true, was very validating.
The first book is my favorite, but all 3 are great. In middle school, Shiver was my favorite book. I go back and read it from time to time just to reminisce.
Did you like Coraline? How about the movie Monster House? This book is a creepy weird awkward heartbreaking hopeful realistic fiction masterpiece. Such an endearing read. While the buildup is slow & can sometimes seem arduous, the whimsy that Harrell spreads throughout her novel keep you hooked & hoping.
This is a great book about self-discovery. Would recommend it to anyone trying to find themselves.
It kinda hurts to write this, because The Atlas Complex was one of my most anticipated reads of this year. Unfortunately, the end to Olivie Blake's trilogy is a long, overly preachy, repetitive, albeit beautifully written conclusion to the six magical lives first introduced to us in 2020.
For the first 3/4 of this book, literally nothing happens. We jump from character to character, listening to their condescending inner monologue as they trudge around in circles...waiting. Waiting for what, exactly? Waiting for their shitty mentor to turn up & tell them what to do, to come home? Waiting for someone else to break their moody, pretentious silence between one another?
I love these characters. I still do. They are what Blake got so, so right in The Atlas Six, & they're still here in the Atlas Complex. Still the fucked up dysfunctional toxic little guys we all grew to love, but they're just NOT DOING ANYTHING.
I did finish this book (although I considered DNFing at least 7 times), & even the ending was preachy & boring. I don't know what else to say, except this book made me want to read the first one again, & then stop myself from waiting & pining over this book's release.
Ah well, onto the next!
This is the first book of Oliver's that I've read, and I want to read more of her! Great summer beach book.
Clytemnestra really said “Are you tired of being nice? Don't you just wanna go apeshit?”
Weyward is an intriguing story of 3 women spread throughout time & their discoveries of the connection between nature, womanhood, & each other.
Although the plot & characters seem a little rushed & two dimensional in the beginning, Weyward surprised me with how the events that unfolded within these pages captured my attention. I finished this book in about a day, eager to get from one chapter to the next to see what was in store for the Weyward women.
The descriptions of the world around these characters brightly outshine the characters themselves, & the plot compels you through the chapters like bait on a fish hook. I thoroughly enjoyed the read & recommend it to anyone who's looking for a entry into feminist, witchy fiction.
This is one of my favorite books. Very grounding and touching. I read it whenever I'm having a rough time in life, and it puts everything in perspective for me.
One For My Enemy is a dramatic, convoluted web of a story about intense love & aimless, shallow animosity. And I had so much fun reading it. Olivia Blake knows exactly how to keep you hooked, despite the plot becoming undefined & nonsensical at times.
Reading this book reminded me a lot of If We Were Villains - another story that leans into its shakespearean tendencies & takes itself perhaps a bit too seriously. Romance, lust, lies, wrath, violence; it was all hands on deck for this Urban Fantasy.
I would recommend this book if you're looking for a wild ride through a mafia-like, witchy romance. It's fun, quick, & exciting.
This book has so much potential. The world Reid paints is haunting & beautiful, but ultimately seems rushed & unfinished. The culture of Llyria seems to be rich with lore & fictional history, but Reid doesn't bother to tell us about most of it.
Reading this book is like catching up in a race you didn't know you were running in. I found it hard to care about high stakes because i didn't know they were high until the moment had already past.
Absolutely ridiculous and fun with a mysterious edge to keep you reading! I loved reading this book.
Another favorite of mine. Great story with great characters that I can read over and over and over again.