graywild's reviews
682 reviews

Model Home by Rivers Solomon

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

1.0

In the end this book does not really meet my definition of horror.  More of a psychological thriller. It jumped around and at times was difficult for me to follow along.  Not a recommend from me.

Being Henry by Henry Winkler

emotional funny informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

Excellent memoir covering 50 years of acting/directing/producing.  Henry covers his struggle with dyslexia and his (sometimes) lack of confidence.  Lots of good stories from his shows.  I like how  in his not so great stories he doesn't mention any names.  No reason to shame out people to relate a story.  Overall recommend.

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? No

3.75

Retelling of the story of Achilles but through the eyes of Brieis.  She has become Achilles slave after her city fell to the Greeks.  The story covers her capture up to the defeat of Troy.  Camp life is described as hard and Achilles is a selfish manchild.  Good retelling of the classic tale.

Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

1.0

I received this as an ARC.  It is set up as a sci-fi but the reality is that it could be set anywhere. Edie has just been released from prison and is contacted by Angel for a job.  Angel is planning a big heist and is gathering a small group of people to complete the job.  The story moves kinda slow for me.  Even the big heist at the end is just ok.  Maybe I am not really into this type of story?  Not recommended for me. 

The Future by Naomi Alderman

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

1.0

The story was jumping around a little too much for me.  There is reference to this cult religion that is obsessed with the story of Lot and Sodom.  This is referenced a bunch of times, including a complete writing out of the story (I thought this was completely unnecessary.  3 billionaires have set up bunkers to escape any apocalypse that might occur. Just unsatisfying overall.  Not recommended.

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

adventurous challenging dark sad tense fast-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

4.0

Retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story but from the viewpoint of the magical creature that put her to sleep. This is a short book/novella.  Overall I like the twist in the story but the ending was a bit quick for me and slightly anticlimactic. Recommend for a short read.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Lauren is a teenager growing up in a walled community in California during harsh economic and climate times.  She decides to educate herself on survival skills just in case she is forced from her community.  These communities are under constant attack from roving gangs high on drugs or very poor and desperate. Eventually she is forced to travel North and her skills come into play but she is also very untrustworthy of anyone.  Underlying to this is she has developed her own religion, Earthseed to cope.  Overall the dystopian side is well written and difficult from a subject to read.  My issue comes with the long journey that ends at a possible new place to live and then the novel ends.  Just ok for me as it went on.  Doubt I will continue the series. 

Sign Here by Claudia Lux

adventurous challenging 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? No

3.5

Story involves 2 lines of plot that are interconnected.  Peyton works in Hell and his job is to collect souls for favors.  I appreciate that his section of Hell is filled with irritating things such as you need to have alot of pens because more than half don't work. The other part involves Silas, his wife Lily and their kids Sean and Mickey.  The story moves along well but toward the end it stalls just a bit for me.  I did enjoy it and would recommend. 

Audition: A Memoir By Barbara Walters by Barbara Walters, Barbara Walters

informative reflective slow-paced

2.0

I have read memoirs in the past and enjoyed them.  I really struggled with this one.  A few times I thought about DNF but powered through.  Barbara Walters certainly led a very interesting life and interviewed so many famous and infamous people.  She struggled with making those interviews interesting.  The memories came through as a list rather than interesting.  Not recommended unless you want to see how many people she really did meet and interact with throughout her career.

Little Big Man: A Novel by Brooks Landon, Thomas Berger

adventurous challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

2.0

At least 2x I thought about DNF this book.  The last section about General Custer picked up a bit.  The general story is about Jack Crabb telling his life with the Cheyenne tribe when he is an very old man.  When he was a young boy he was captured by the Cheyenne and grew to be accepted by the tribe as one of their own.  The book at times really drags for me.  Not a recommend from me.