Scan barcode
abyissmal's reviews
130 reviews
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.5
entering this book with the love i've already harbored for the ghibli film and i was delighted to witness how sophie and howl's relationship develops throughout this book! dwj has such a way with writing characters that makes you want to be swept away into their journey. i fell in love with sophie's development from someone who's quite meek and lost to someone determined and strong-headed. despite how insufferable he is in this book, i love howl just as much (if not more). i feel like this book benefits plenty from a second read because there are definitely things that i'm missing out from this first read. we'll have to see in my second read later on because i'll definitely want to delve further into the world of ingary!
Museru Kurai no Ai wo Ageru by Keiko Iwashita
3.0
corny and absolutely BANANAS (in terms of how nonsensical these set of events are) but i'm a sucker for cheesy and corny shit like this. so hell yeah to kissing and dating after, like, a few chapters!
The Book of Repulsive Women: 8 Rhythms and 5 Drawings by Djuna Barnes
3.0
enjoyed this short collection of poems! the illustrations that came with some of the poems were also interesting to see. there's almost a voyeuristic quality to most of these poems where some of them are vivid descriptions of these different people living different lives. i love how they have a bigger than life quality to them too.
The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion by Margaret Killjoy
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
intriguing read that explores anarchism and community with elements of the supernatural! wish we could've spent more time with the characters and have them be more well-rounded. i really liked them based on the different interactions we got. overall, an enjoyable horror read!
Greener Pastures by Michael Wehunt
Did not finish book. Stopped at 53%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 53%.
listen, it's WELL-WRITTEN but i don't think it's for me. i do really love some of the stories! but it was kind of a slog to go through some of the stories.
The Long Walk by Stephen King, Richard Bachman
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
fuck this book (affectionate). this book is such a page turner the second i flick open that first page! i wasn't quite sure if i was invested initially, but the more i read it, the more the urge to put it down became difficult. this was the first time i finished a book this quick in almost two months! "the long walk" is a thrilling yet heart-wrenching story set in dystopian america where they hold an annual walking competition as the country's major source of entertainment. this book is grueling in some parts with an ending that i thought was quite underwhelming, but in a way that's disconcerting. because you don't get the sense of satisfaction of knowing who the victor. rather, you understand very well the journey had left the victor haunted and in turn, you're haunted as well. at least, i was.
despite the gore-y parts of the book, i didn't feel those parts to be the source of the horror. the horror lies in being aware just how much these kids are being treated as a spectacle. at some point even referred those who are watching the competition as 'watchers'. it's uneasy, really.
all in all, i really enjoyed this book! it was a great swift and thrilling read. despite the fact the ending left me SCREAMING because i wasn't really expecting certain things to happen in a certain way. keeping things as vague as possible just so people could read this book if you need a quick horror read!
despite the gore-y parts of the book, i didn't feel those parts to be the source of the horror. the horror lies in being aware just how much these kids are being treated as a spectacle. at some point even referred those who are watching the competition as 'watchers'. it's uneasy, really.
all in all, i really enjoyed this book! it was a great swift and thrilling read. despite the fact the ending left me SCREAMING because i wasn't really expecting certain things to happen in a certain way. keeping things as vague as possible just so people could read this book if you need a quick horror read!
Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti
dark
fast-paced
4.75
what can i say? i'm a sucker for bodies and food as an imagery for desire and consumption?