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apollo0325's reviews
381 reviews
Cannonball by Kelsey Wroten
Did not finish book. Stopped at 54%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 54%.
Found Caroline to be a caricature of the starving millennial artist with Zero redeeming qualities and spiraling with everyone straight up ignoring her plight, even her best friend. Maybe that changes, but the exhausting format of this graphic novel made this too slow of a read with the panels not adding much to the general storytelling.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
A tense, sad, bleak, but hopeful look at the destruction humanity can wrought on both itself and the world. Octavia Butler sets the stage for us within the eyes of a young black girl with the hope that people can change because God is Change. The angle of Earthseed alongside the hyper-empathy angles gives us an unusual narrator for a dystopian story.
My only qualm with the story is mostly from a logistical standpoint, mainly the economic and government system in place. Like… why are people still using cash? Why not just barter? Why do people still go to jobs when it seems like the unemployment and houselessness rate is like 90% 😭 doesn’t make much sense to me but again, mostly a nitpick.
My only qualm with the story is mostly from a logistical standpoint, mainly the economic and government system in place. Like… why are people still using cash? Why not just barter? Why do people still go to jobs when it seems like the unemployment and houselessness rate is like 90% 😭 doesn’t make much sense to me but again, mostly a nitpick.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Cannibalism, Violence, Drug abuse, Animal death, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Sexual violence, and Child death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Slavery, Police brutality, and Grief
Minor: Vomit and Excrement
Dead Voices by Katherine Arden
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really like isolation/cold horror, so this one was just my cup of tea. Arden did a great job of creating this cold, haunting, and isolating atmosphere and of course, the trio is great. I was a little sad we didn’t get more of Brian, but I’m hoping the next book has more of a focus on Brian since he took a backseat in this one too. HOWEVER, it doesn’t diminish how badass and cool Coco and Ollie are, and this volume really highlighted Ollie’s naivety and desperation for her mom.
The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
An interesting examination of relationships, marriage, abuse, and personal ambition with a scifi twist. I really enjoyed the characters and I actually enjoyed the fact Evelyn continues to be a hornet with a soft spot. There wasn’t a ton of twists, but I think that last twist around the 70-80% mark was good. It really tied everything together, and it makes both women more sympathetic figures.
Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
THIS BOOK ABSOLUTELY FUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The plot, the characters, and the setting really took influence from folk and fairy tales with queer and morally grey bad bitch MCs who don’t take shit. I had SO MUCH FUN reading this book. Owen’s humor really shines but doesn’t overshadow or trivialize the struggles and trauma of characters. It was perfectly humorous, fun, and that final confrontation was bonkers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Murder, Abandonment, Misogyny, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Katherine Arden wrote a banger of a trilogy with Winternight, so when I learned she wrote a middle grade horror novel, I was absolutely intrigued and truthfully, INCREDIBLY impressed. In a short novel, she was able to breathe incredible life into this small Vermont town, its mythology, and a tight cast of characters with a fun, capable MC. I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did, but it really was amazing. I would absolutely recommend this to any middle school aged kid wanting to dabble in some light horror.
Goddamn, the power of friendship and love is SO GOOD!!!!
Goddamn, the power of friendship and love is SO GOOD!!!!
Gallant by V.E. Schwab
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.5
First venture into V.E. Schwab’s work, and I had hoped for a more haunted house, gothic horror. It definitely had the pacing of gothic horror, but the writing was a bit… boring? Simple? The imagery being used was overly repetitive and honestly, I found most of the writing to be very repetitive.
I also felt the big emotional moment at the last few chapters to be really lackluster because for all this time talking and interacting between characters, it didn’t feel like this sudden change of heart was warranted.
I also felt the big emotional moment at the last few chapters to be really lackluster because for all this time talking and interacting between characters, it didn’t feel like this sudden change of heart was warranted.
The Silence of Bones by June Hur 허주은
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.5
This book took forever and it wasn’t without trying. I kind of wanted to give up around the 60% mark but decided to chug along. Unfortunately, very meh overall.
Don't Go Without Me by Rosemary Valero-O'Connell
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
A really beautiful set of short stories focusing on love, loss, and life within the lens of this scifi and trippy world. Gorgeous artwork and poetic language, Valero-O’Connell creates stunning work with a unique visual language.
The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
A really solid introduction to the world of Clive Barker’s works and of course a stellar entry of one of horror’s most iconic characters: the Cenobites.
I’ve never read any of Barker’s works, but I enjoy the Hellraiser movies and wanted to read this novella since this was their introduction. It was gross, alarming, and fun (in the sense of watching a horror movie. This was not a fun experience for our characters lmao). Also a quick read! It really put you in this story fast and got the ball rolling almost immediately.
I’ve never read any of Barker’s works, but I enjoy the Hellraiser movies and wanted to read this novella since this was their introduction. It was gross, alarming, and fun (in the sense of watching a horror movie. This was not a fun experience for our characters lmao). Also a quick read! It really put you in this story fast and got the ball rolling almost immediately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Blood, Torture, Murder, Death, and Body horror
Moderate: Vomit and Sexual harassment