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kibernick's reviews
134 reviews
The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
3.5
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
I don't get the low ratings, it was an awesome book that delivered on its premise. I admit I initially cringed at the creepy dolls but I think that author handled it well. What I did dislike were a chapter or two that were almost fully combat sequences, that IMHO belonged more in a movie or TV show.
The protagonists may not be likeable but they are very sympathetic. The book tackles the topic of generational trauma both explicitly and symbolically. The author is so successful in rousing all kinds of emotions in their reader, including getting really angry at a character that makes a snide remark that gets under one's skin. Will check out their other books.
The protagonists may not be likeable but they are very sympathetic. The book tackles the topic of generational trauma both explicitly and symbolically. The author is so successful in rousing all kinds of emotions in their reader, including getting really angry at a character that makes a snide remark that gets under one's skin. Will check out their other books.
No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.5
Good if you really want to dive into the madness of trying to write a whole book (slash-first-draft) in a single month. Cute tips writing otherwise, sometimes too "american".
Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Extreme body horror that’s beautifully written. A queer giallo movie of a book. Glad that I’ve read it and hope to not look at it ever again. CW: everything
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, Murder, Gaslighting
Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Chokepoint Capitalism: How Big Tech and Big Content Captured Creative Labor Markets and How We'll Win Them Back by Rebecca Giblin, Cory Doctorow
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Sluts by Dennis Cooper
challenging
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A very interesting medium for storytelling - the story is told through reviews on a gay escort site in the early 2000s. It gets very dark, very quickly. The book is extremely transgressive, please check a long list of content warnings.
Certain passages reminded me of stumbling across disturbing blogs and websites back in the day, that left me scarred for days. I had trouble remembering who was who or who was real, but I think that was what the author was going for (maybe profile photos would’ve helped :) ).
Overall the book is an interesting read, if only to see how transgressive and innovative writers can be (which can be refreshing). Would be curious to check out the author's other works.
Certain passages reminded me of stumbling across disturbing blogs and websites back in the day, that left me scarred for days. I had trouble remembering who was who or who was real, but I think that was what the author was going for (maybe profile photos would’ve helped :) ).
Overall the book is an interesting read, if only to see how transgressive and innovative writers can be (which can be refreshing). Would be curious to check out the author's other works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Panorama of Hell by Hideshi Hino
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Maeve Fly by CJ Leede
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0