goody_reads's reviews
270 reviews

Better Days: 180 Creative Practices and Daily Connections for Teachers and Students by Lisa J. Lucas

3.0

I wouldn’t consider this groundbreaking but it’s ok. Whenever I had some downtime during student work I read a few pages. 

The practice and student connection were usually too “touchy feely” for me with high school. 

I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

fast-paced

5.0

This was detailed and confused and gory. 

I loved it. 

Eventually the twists reminded me of other stories I read but I won’t put them here cuz spoilers. Go into this blind and you’ll enjoy it. 

Arran's Obsession by Jolie Vines

4.5

The smut was fine in this one but what was really shocking was that the story is actually really good. 

The characters are all various gang members, sex workers, or politicians and the way they weave themselves in and out of trouble is actually really interesting and kept my attention. 

Looking forward to reading the rest. 

Foe by Iain Reid

• 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

4.0

I liked this one. It’s about this husband and wife who live on a farm in the future. The husband is selected to go on a mission to see if we can survive long term in space. 

It reminds me of Interstellar but I don’t actually remember that movie well enough to note how similar they actually are. 

The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher

4.0

This took me too long. I liked the story overall but it didn’t hold my interest. The chapters were too long. 

Bongo is the goodest boy. 

A granddaughter goes to clean out her hoarder grandmas house.  Bongo disappears for awhile and everyone worries. 

When he comes back he has a Help! note on him so they go on an adventure to a magical place where everyone is horrible and weird. 

I felt like that was a lot of build up to very little time in that place. 

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

2.0

I don’t have any idea what this was. 

How is it so acclaimed? 

I don’t know what is even happening. It’s like the stories don’t really end? They are not developed and too short. The middle is the most complete of the 3. The last is just weird. 

The House of My Mother by Shari Franke

dark emotional inspiring sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This is incredibly well written. 

I did not ever watch 8 passengers and did not know this story until I came upon some doc on whatever streaming service I was on at the moment. It was a horrendous story and I just couldn’t believe it. 

Then I saw this book and remembered watching it. This book differs in that it does not exploit the pain of the children. It tells the story of one daughter and her struggles. Of her abuse. Of her perspective. There is no voyeurism of the trauma of the others. In fact, Shari makes it a point to not even name or describe them. I commend her for that. 

I know there is legislation to start at least paying children portrayed in vlogs but I would love to see the end of “mommy vloggers” knowing what we know about people like the Frankes and Ballingers, among others.  

Seven Sins by Miguel Estrada

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

I really liked this one. It’s Saw mixed with Se7en, with a little tech thrown in. 

I like the POV shifts and most of the characters. I wish there was more detail for some of them though. 

Overall it was gory, fast paced, and had a satisfying ending. 

54 Sleepless Nights by Tobias Wade

fast-paced

2.0

Let me start by saying I have read every book in this series. I have liked some of them so much I teach them in class. 

But this one is terrible. 

Firstly, it is so poorly edited you have to decipher what is being said before you can enjoy the story. 

Secondly, many of the stories lack the twists and excitement of the previous books. 

Overall disappointing. 

The Creeper by A.M. Shine

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This is written by the same author as The  Watchers so you kind of know what you are getting into. 

Essentially, this weird rich dude sends scientists on a journey every couple of years to see if he is still cursed. Chloe and Ben are chosen. She’s tiny and bubbly but he’s a loser in every sense of the word. Like, I dislike him as much as Holden Caulfield (IYKYK). 

So eventually those two end up cursed and they try to figure out how to get out of it. And that’s the story.  

It reminds me of No Exit by Sartre with the main themes.