archaicrobin's reviews
625 reviews

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

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emotional inspiring relaxing sad fast-paced

3.0

Poetry honestly isn’t my genre of choice and I chose this audiobook because it was short, totaling at about 1hr 19mins. I gave it a 3 because it was well narrated and the poems were well written I just wasn’t into it. I’m not a well versed in what makes good or bad poetry but this was ok. 
Sisters by Lily Tuck

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emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A second wife describing her husband his kids form a previous marriage and her obsession with his first wife. Short, and easy this one wasn’t anything amazing in my opinion but it was interesting enough to listen too. If you’re looking for a break between books or to boost your book count this one was ok. 
The Art of Super Mario Odyssey by Nintendo

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adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

5.0

A beautifully detailed art book for Mario and Nintendo fans that gives an inside look into Mario Odyssey! 
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

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challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A heartbreaking lyrical story about gun violence and breaking the cycle told in verse. I highly recommend the audiobook read by the author, his narration brings the characters to life and brings the terror of living in gang ridden areas to life. 
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Of Cattle and Men by Ana Paula Maia

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

A dark and visceral look at the meat industry through the perspective of a man working in a slaughterhouse as the stun operator. Edgar has compassion for the animals he slaughters and shines a light on the inhumanity of slaughtering animals so the masses can ingest it guilt free with little to no understanding of what must be done to make that burger. As we’ve become more civilized we’ve become more barbaric, and that is shown here in this novel. I’ve been a vegetarian for 20 years and this novel touched on a lot of issues with the meat industry and our current society that I feel everyone should be aware of. Edgar was an excellent narrator for this tale because you see a man that’s good at his job despite his compassion towards the animals and goes above and beyond to ensure they’re treated respectfully even in the stun box.  There is so much to say about this novel and its themes and I think it’s one definitely worth a read. 
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Mary Ventura and The Ninth Kingdom: A Story by Sylvia Plath

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Bell Jar is one of my favorite novels so I was excited to read one of Plath’s earlier short stories. This one is very short so I don’t want to give anything away. A girl is bought a train ticket by her parents with a destination unknown to her. She meets a kind woman on her journey who offers her some assistance. Mary Ventura and the Ninth Kingdom gave me serious Twilight Zone vibes and I loved it. 
Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A beautifully written literary horror novella tackling grief, depression, and trauma through the tale of an indigenous artist’s haunting experience at a secluded cabin near a large pond near her recently deceased father’s former land. 

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this one but was pleasantly surprised by the depth of this novella. If you’re looking for a literary horror novella with eerie imagery and psychological horror elements blended with creatures and malevolent nature then you’ll love this one! 
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Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Before the Coffee gets cold is a sweet magical book about a seat in a cafe that lets its patrons time travel. The book is split into chapters, each focusing on a different characters’ journey. While I did enjoy this short but sweet novel, it wasn’t as phenomenal as everyone has been saying. It is translated so the writing does come off as strange at points but not enough to ruin the story. I enjoyed this as a palate cleanser between darker reads and will be looking forward to continuing the series whenever I need a break from horror. 
Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Stephen Graham Jones is one of those horror authors I always come back to because his stories are dark and heart wrenching.  His horror melds supernatural with real human evil in a way that’s truly terrifying. 

This novella is often described as a house of leaves situation, but it is not that at all! The house is not the focus here, it’s just where the events happen. Junior is 12 years old and begins seeing his dead father roaming the halls of his ramshackle home. With a disabled brother, a single mother, bullying at school, a deputy making night visits, and  an aggressive neighbor with vicious dogs, Junior first sees his dad’s apparition as a good thing. But soon he starts to see the apparitions true intentions. 

While this book is short I found myself needing to put it down at times just to have a break from the sheer bleakness. I highly recommend this or any other Stephen Graham Jones novel. 


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Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes by Eric LaRocca

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dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is the first book I’ve read by LaRocca and I am intrigued. The first novella in this collection was my favorite and definitely the one that stands out the most. Each story has characters desperate for connection with others in anyway they can get it, all three are dark and pretty disturbing. I gave this a 3.5 stars because while I did enjoy the novella the other three stories weren’t as memorable in my opinion. I look forward to reading more by LaRocca. 
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