illtakethenightshiftx's reviews
194 reviews

The One True Me and You by Remi K. England

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This was the sweetest, most heartfelt book I’ve read in a long time!!! I cried, I kicked my feet, I yelled with joy, and felt every emotion the characters felt so deeply. This hit me a lot more than I anticipated and it was just so GOOD!!! YA, romance, and the intersection of those genres aren’t what I reach for, but Vico Ortiz reading sold it for me. 
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Burn the Negative by Josh Winning

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dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

The premise is very cool and it starts off strong, but slowly devolves into something borderline unbelievable. I could see the author trying to do something with trauma and its effects, but it didn’t quite work for me. The horror elements and ‘scares’ were strong and did freak me out a bit. This book wasn’t for me, but I can see why folks like it.

(Also - I haven’t read a book written by a man about women in a while and I wasn’t a big fan…)
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Network Effect by Martha Wells

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

5.0

I’ll write a coherent review when I’m able, but goddammit I love Murderbot. 

I laughed! I cried! I stared at the wall for 30 minutes after I finished it! While crying!

Minus some pacing issues towards the middle, this was a near-perfect novel. 
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The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim

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dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-ARC! (Out June 25, 2024)

If you like stories of women on a downward spiral, The Eyes Are the Best Part is for you! 

This novel was fast, punchy, and disturbing. I found Ji-won’s character to be a bit one-note, but following her internal monologue was a trip. I would’ve loved to see more interactions between her and her sister and Ji-won and Alexis. The Alexis plot line felt like it could’ve been fleshed out a bit more and I also wanted to see more of her! 

The dream sequences were engrossing (and gross!) and added to the feeling of uncertainty between what was real and what wasn’t. The body horror elements were well-placed and not overused for shock factor - every scene was there for a reason.

I’ve met many Geoffreys and Georges over the years and I know I’ll continue to meet them. As a woman who grew up in a post-“stranger danger” and Law & Order world, hyper-vigilance, fear, and heightened awareness of my surroundings was engrained in me from a young age. I can really emphasize with Ji-won’s experiences, specifically with Geoffrey, in that respect and it felt validating to see experiences similar to my own on the page.

I can definitely see this book blowing up when it comes out next year!!
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Bossypants by Tina Fey

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funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

5.0

I laughed so hard listening to this audiobook. Tina Fey is one of my favorite comedians/actors and she is just so damn funny. 
It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror by Joe Vallese

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emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Essay collections are usually hit or miss for me, and this collection was definitely a hit! Each piece was tender and honest and made me emotional - I definitely cried a few times while reading. This collection is essential for anyone who likes to think critically about the media they consume and for horror fans.

Reading these have changed the way I think about horror media and the lenses I use to make sense of it all. I loved the diversity of movies written about and have added several to my watchlist. 

There were 2 pieces that I found a little off-putting and they didn’t flow as well as the others, but they were still very thought-provoking pieces.
Yes Please by Amy Poehler

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced

4.0

Read the physical book when it came out and can confidently say the audiobook is the way to go with this!! Funny, poignant, and a great listen. The clips from past projects and inclusion of other voices besides Poehler’s for the reading adds layers of depth that are lost when reading a physical/e-book copy. 
Darling Days: A Memoir by iO Tillett Wright

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emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5

I remember reading this when it came out and absolutely eating it up. The audiobook is the best way to experience this memoir, imo. Tillett Wright tells his story in a way that brings you right into the fray of growing up in New York City. I felt like I was by his side as he tells stories of the Hungarians and trips across NYC and the world. He shares about his experience with gender and sexuality, his tumultuous relationship with his Ma, and so much more.

This memoir is heartbreaking and beautiful. I’ve followed iO’s work and on social media for almost a decade and he never fails to make me think differently and reflect on everything around me.

Rating memoirs always feels weird.
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Boy Parts by Eliza Clark

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

4.25

Where to begin?! Boy Parts isn’t a ‘typical’ read for me and felt like a whole lot of “minimal plot, all vibes” kind of book and I wasn’t totally mad at it. 

The characters? Awful (for the most part)
Irina? Unreliable, spiraling, and the funniest (but dark) narrator I’ve met in a long time. It’s gross, unrelenting, and (honestly) kind of sad in many ways.

I don’t know if I actually liked this book, but it was a really…fun? interesting? different?…read for me. 

Also, Eddie from Tesco deserved better
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Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories by Thomas Anguti Johnston, Cara Bryant, Gayle Kabloona, Ann R. Loverock, K.C. Carthew, Repo Kempt, Jay Bulckaert, Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley, Aviaq Johnston, Richard Van Camp, Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley

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dark tense

3.0

I was super excited when I read the back of this and grabbed it a few months ago - horror written by indigenous folks set in a remote place? Checks a LOT of boxes for me!!

As with most short story anthologies, the stories are a really hit or miss. For folks who like ‘winter/snow/Arctic horror’ (“winter” feels reductive because all of the stories are so different, but that’s the common thread between them), I definitely recommend this. All of these could be considered horror, save for “Lounge,” which is darker sci-fi with horror elements.

Overall, it was a strong collection and there are a few authors who I think I’ll read further, but the collection as a whole didn’t totally hit for me.
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