Brittanie

I got through this by listening to Benedict Cumberbach read it to me and it was probably a lot better that way.

This was a surprising and highly entertaining read. I grabbed it on my way to a 16 hour flight from Finland back to the US and didn't see anything else worthwhile in English. First off, this book is HILARIOUS and, though I couldn't relate to any of the situations or characters, it was easy to go from cover to cover in no time. I finished the book on that plane.

This is such a sweet book that will also slowly break you as you yell, “Don't fucking do it!” at these characters. However, there are a few issues that I couldn't overlook.

The entire book is written in epistolary format (the letters are written between the two main characters) which isn't going to be for everyone. When I first opened it, I was a little disappointed at that and didn't think I'd be able to finish it. However, I started to really like the character voice(s), even with the total unrealistic writing “of” 16 and 18 year old high school boys. Looking past the prose and sweetness between them, their voices started to become one-in-the-same which the author tries to explain away by saying how much Kurt as grown/matured which seemed like a cheap cop-out. That's why one author writing a book solely from the inner-voices of two very different characters - one is a soft and out and one is a sort-of-ex-meathead and questioning - is really hard to execute and Henstra was no exception. No amount of bluegrass and poetry is going to give this sort of voice to a 16 year old boy.
Also, I've lived in the same city as these characters for the last 5 years and there were some odd choices. Looking up the author, she's from Canada and I didn't see that she at any time lived in Minneapolis. Why she chose to place the book here is beyond me. A major location in the book, The Ace (Club), was a real place that would have worked perfectly with what the author wrote it as - if it hadn't closed in the mid-90s and was now called The Dubliner. There was no mention of The Current or Prairie Home Companion/Live from Here that Jo and Lyle would have certainly listened to, there was no mention of The Turf Club, The Cedar, or even First Ave (despite the Paisley Palace being entered by the characters TWICE?? by some sort of Facebook magic) which are all currently still open and classic music venues, and would have worked just as well as The Ace. It just seemed that the author didn't speak to someone who actually lives here or research it beyond what they may know from being a fan of Prince. I ended up having to think of this as some sort of alternate-Minneapolis or a completely fictional city.
The drug addiction and prostitution leading to the death of their mother when Jo and Shayla were kids was also a major plot point that wasn't actually well-executed and never really had the impact I think that the author wanted, it just gave Shayla a complex that made her more and more unlikeable as it developed over the year this book takes place. It just seemed like some side commentary about the opioid crisis, especially since we're really only getting one side of the story. I just felt really bad for Lyle who seemed like he really was doing the best he could as a single, widowed dad and Shayla just comes across as an out-and-out piece of shit child that doesn't deserve a dad like that.

Despite these issues, I actually really did enjoy this book and would read a “the college years” sequel.

Lots of great, interesting facts about all sorts of things related to travel and culture. Facts, figures, quotes, funny stories, and helpful advice no matter where you've got your bags packed for.

This book just fuelled my desire to see London for myself and helped me mark a few places on my to-see list. Very interesting facts, both historical and modern-ish (my copy was published in ‘04).

Very informative and, while a bit outdated (written before the latest economical crises), changed a few of my views of Ireland and it's culture that would do me well when I finally visit. I'd recommend this to any American going there on holiday.

Bought this used more as an idea inspiration source than an actual usable guide, since it's nearly 10 years old already. However, a lot of its itineraries are the same you read over and over in all other guidebooks. I was hoping for more unique sights or ideas that I hadn't seen (the Frommer's 2014 guide is way better at this).
Stop telling all tourists to go to the same 5 places - there's much more interesting things that are ignored by so many guides in this ancient city.

A great resource for people who not only want a pint but are interested in the long and sordid history of the London pub. Includes detailed walking maps and routes in every area of London, with full colour photos and brief descriptions and history of each pub plus any notable or unique beers on tap. It's also sized for easy carry (though is a little heavy because of the high quality of paper and ink). It helped me find the right pubs to spend my very limited time in London with but I would love to have the time to follow more than a few of these routes.

I only know of Dara O'Briain from his appearances on QI and a few other UK panel shows, but I thought that this would be a funny book about an Irish man's view of the English. It's actually more like a tour diary. There were some pretty funny moments but overall, not really what I was looking for. It had a lot of references and jokes that you definitely have to be from the UK, Ireland, or a fan of football to understand and since I'm none of these things, there were more than a few moments I wanted to skip ahead. If you're a fan of Dara's stand-up you'll of course love this book, but for the casual observer, it was just a quick diversion.

This is one of the best guides I've picked up in preparation for my trip to London. It's separated by type (pubs, memorials, historic buildings, etc. as well as themed chapters like James Bond) and includes photos of or relating to each item. Each entry also has the tube line stop, price bracket, and hours. It includes several things I haven't heard about in any of my other guides and, while it's a little too heavy to carry around London with me, it helped me add some unmissable things to my itinerary. Recommended for anyone who doesn't want to see the same 10 things every tourist does but things even native Londonders might not know about.

I got really into the story and even didn't loathe the main character but it's a slight butchering of my favourite book of all time. I really enjoyed the hatter and jester characters and would love a prequel about them more than this story tbh.

A light fantasy with a bit of romance. Aramin Decourcey (Min) is a young thief-for-hire who grew up in a brothel and now looks after a street urchin he rescued named Harry. Harry gets himself into trouble courting a nobleman's daughter and ends up with a curse - a curse that will only be removed once Min brings back the nobleman's grandson who is refusing to come home from a nearby town, Anhaga. The only problem is Anhaga is thought to be cursed itself, overtaken nightly by the king of the fae. Because Min is so fond of Harry he agrees and they both set off for Anhaga. Once they get there, however, both the grandson and Anhaga aren't what they seem.

The plot itself isn't as planned out as it could be but it was a fun read with both romance and action. Min and Harry are likeable characters in that they are both loveable rogues. There isn't as much sex as expected being from a gay romance publisher and it takes a backseat to the fantasy element. A large chunk of the book is explaining the different classes and powers of magicians (hedgewitch < Wizard < Sorcerers, etc.), what's with all the iron, and how Anhaga became believed to be cursed, visited by a fae lord every night. The dialogue is well written and heavy on the snark and the characters don't feel flat, though the relationships (and random incest) don't fit as well as they should in a book categorized as romance. If you're into the onslaught of YA romance fantasy that's been hitting the shelves, you're sure to enjoy this one just as much.

Honestly, I'm pretty against fanfiction (at least without an ISBN) being listed on Goodreads. There are plenty of sites to catalogue your read fic (I recommend Pinboard.in) that a book website doesn't need to be clogged up with it.
With that said, this is one of the best fics I read in the MCU and I came across the listing here and thought I might as well write a quick review. Fic author ‘goddamnhella' is one of my favourite writers and tends to write sprawling epics with very well-developed plot and believable characterisations. If you're a fan of Loki and Thor in the MCU and their interactions with the other canon characters, definitely look up their other works on A03.

And then rate it and write a review there rather than here.

The book was enjoyable for the action but Gwendolyn's thirst for two boys who she barely knows (and her constant description of how their undoubtedly unwashed bodies smell good to her) was distracting. Of course she's a Special Snowflake who can save the world with the power of her lust for that d. It reads like a cheesy paperback romance novel without the payoff of a sex scene - there's a little kissing but it's so wrapped up in flowery metaphorical nonsense that it hardly constitutes as anything remotely awakening. There are also some extremely cliche phrasing and physically impossible metaphors (“Every inch of him was wrapped around every inch of me” for example). While you can enjoy the read for a darker take on the Pan legend without straying outside of the YA genre, the writing is just Not Good. It was hard to get through some chapters for all the rolling my eyes were doing.

This is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to lore. If you're a purist when it comes to vampires, this book might annoy you, but I thought it was interesting how the author combined Biblical lore, vampires, witches, and ghosts with rules I haven't seen in other books before. The romance/sex takes a bit of a backseat in the plot which was surprising and a bit disappointing but it ends with a (somewhat) satisfying and happy ending (not that kind) so this could be enjoyed by people who don't usually enjoy m/m romance. Overall, a fun read but not one I'd revisit.

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first. This is set years after the first book and is from the POV of their children, now grown. It had a lot of sub-plots that, while more or less resolved in the climax, still got a bit much in the main body of the book. The ghost portion didn't really fit where it was the main plot in the first book; it felt a little forced or thrown in and was mostly unnecessary. It was still classic Edwardian romance (early 1900s and set right before the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904) with more tease and struggling with personal morals and reputations than any actual sex but there is a bit of that too. Overall, a fun read and can be read as a standalone, but not nearly as compelling as it could have been.

All this is is some girl whining about how she can't stop cutting herself when life throws her curve balls. I guess it would mean more to someone who's gone through that problem, but I personally find it to be very whiny and teen angst ridden. I couldn't finish it.

This had such an interesting and promising premise, but ended up being quite preachy and also a lot of the mythology was altered only to fit the plot. You can't completely rewrite a redcaps' mythology without a few raised eyebrows. I found Delilah incorrigible and childish, with such a lack of self-preservation it made her seem stupid despite the reader being told over and over how smart and strong she is. Eyes rolled.
The author wrote that this book was intended for adults but I cannot see any adult seriously enjoying it when some ideas and characterisations are too childish - despite the violence and gore elements presented. It's a solid typical YA read.

Solid four stars. Great for people who love Victorian romance with a bit of pulp - add a ghost story and a murder mystery and you've got a fun, exciting read.

Couldn't finish. I got through the first few chapters and Stephen, the main character, was obnoxious to the point where I just didn't care. This is definitely a book for younger adults or juveniles.
The prologue was promising and seemed like something I'd really enjoy, but the writing wasn't that well done (though this is an early digital ARC so that could change in the final edition after editor comb-through) and the character's observations and feelings were of a spoiled child. Just not for me.

DNF at 38 pages. I just couldn't get into Andrew's voice and what he was doing. It was like reading someone's diary but their life is boring so what's the point. The comics in the book were also too small to read on my device so they didn't add anything for me.

I didn't technically read all of this because it's just a collection of ghost tales around London, much like any ghost show you could watch but in written form. It's also very dated, so a lot of these places aren't at all like how they're described here any more. I read it hopeing to add things to my to-do list when visiting London this year but didn't realise it was written so long ago, so it was unhelpful in that aspect. Also, the writer seems to be even more of a sceptic than I am, so some of the people they interview or the stories they told are re-told here with a very sarcastic air or, as in one notable case, completely debunked by the author in the last few pages. This is definitely not a book to read for those looking for a good scary story, but is almost academic. It would definitely have had more impact in the early 1970s when originally published.

DNF. The story started out delightfully weird but the first few chapters were 95% quoted dialog and I wasn't feeling it.

DNF. The writing in this is quite juvenile. I can only imagine that the 4 - 5 star reviewers are as well. The voice would be believable if she were the age that Wendy was written originally, but not a 17 year old.

DNF. As many other reviewers said, it focuses almost entirely on the human's and their drama with very little about the goblins themselves. It starts out promising but but 1/4 of the book in, I just can't stand any of these characters and what the author is building between the pairs.