glecharles's reviews
107 reviews

Pragmatism by William James
Did not finish book. Stopped at 38%.

Way too dense and academic, I kept re-reading sentences and paragraphs multiple times, and finally gave up.

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

adventurous dark funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A delightfully wicked satire of modern publishing that leaves no one unscathed, with an absolutely perfect ending. Avoid spoilers and just read it cold.

Fear and Loathing in La Liga by Sid Lowe

funny informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Part oral history, part deep dive into the storied history of sport's greatest rivalry: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid. Lowe does a great job establishing historical context during and after the Spanish Civil War, connecting the dots to the modern era — ending just before I got into soccer for the first time in 2014. It added important nuance to my persistent dislike of Madrid, and my vague appreciation for Barca.

The Library Mule of Cordoba by Wilfrid Lupano

dark funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A modern (and timely) fable and love letter to the importance of books and education that doesn't forget to also tell an engaging and inspiring story, deftly balancing humor and tragedy. The Spike Lee-esque epilogue hammers its underlying theme home, the only time it explicitly tips its hand that it's written to be accessible to younger teens, too.

Daemonifuge: Heretic Saint (Daemonifuge) by Kev Walker

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Tracked down the full collection on eBay and, while entertaining, it wasn't as cohesive as I hoped. Books 2 and 3 are a series of loosely connected vignettes and set pieces hinting at a larger story, vs. the first book's tighter narrative.

Nevertheless, Ephrael Stern remains a fave, and I want more!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin - Lost Years by Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Solid prequel to the unexpectedly great Last Ronin, which was the first time I'd read any TMNT in decades. Michelangelo's journey is surprisingly intense, balanced by the more light-hearted tale of his pre-teen successors.

Saints and Martyrs by Danie Ware, David Annandale, Andy Clark

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

An uneven mix that requires some familiarity with the overall lore, but meeting Ephrael Stern was worth it, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her adventures. Celestine was solid; Katherine was underwhelming.

Daemonifuge, Book I: The Screaming Cage by Kev Walker

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

An entertaining intro to Ephrael Stern that holds up pretty well 25 years later. Now I have to track down the full collection!

Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 3 by Naoya Matsumoto

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The plot thickens, but the core story and characters remain fun and engaging.

DARK PR: How Corporate Disinformation Harms Our Health and the Environment by Grant Ennis

dark informative inspiring sad medium-paced

4.0

Ennis does an excellent job of breaking down and illustrating the various ways corporations successfully manipulate and misdirect us, no matter how savvy we might individually think we are. His call for collective action is inspiring and pragmatic, but it's honestly hard not to think it might be too late.