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one4ale's reviews
78 reviews
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
5.0
so so so funny, the ending is exactly what i thought it’d be and i still enjoyed it. the writing feels very personal in a way that makes june kinda feel like a caricature, but it’s also exactly what this type of person is like. you probably know a june in real life.
Up Jumps the Devil by Michael Poore
3.0
3.5 stars.
One of the better interpretations of the Devil; usually books like this either don't give him powers or make him too sympathetic, so I was happy to see a better balance. The ending kind of fell flat for me, it feels like more should have happened or it should've ended the chapter before. The twist at the end did surprise me, and I found the main cast funny and interesting to read about.
One of the better interpretations of the Devil; usually books like this either don't give him powers or make him too sympathetic, so I was happy to see a better balance. The ending kind of fell flat for me, it feels like more should have happened or it should've ended the chapter before. The twist at the end did surprise me, and I found the main cast funny and interesting to read about.
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
5.0
EDIT: I reread this through an audiobook and, my god, it was even better. It was a cast recording so they all got their own voices and these actors can act. Towards the end, during the scene when . Double five stars.
one of the best stories I've ever read, and the way it was written is so fun and creative. I went to 7 different bookstores trying to find a physical copy and I ended up having to go out of state to finally find one; it's worth the effort and I'd gladly read it 100 times over
Always a go-to rec for me personally. The book is set up as letters b/w characters which I know might put some people off but IMO it's done really well. A lot of prose too, but I don't think it's unnecessary prose. If you think it's being "too clever" you'll wanna step back and think about it a bit.
Spoiler
Ella finds Amos' letter with the pangram and rereads it over and over, she had so much raw emotion I started tearing upone of the best stories I've ever read, and the way it was written is so fun and creative. I went to 7 different bookstores trying to find a physical copy and I ended up having to go out of state to finally find one; it's worth the effort and I'd gladly read it 100 times over
Always a go-to rec for me personally. The book is set up as letters b/w characters which I know might put some people off but IMO it's done really well. A lot of prose too, but I don't think it's unnecessary prose. If you think it's being "too clever" you'll wanna step back and think about it a bit.
The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
4.0
Same as before but no less enjoyable. I worried while reading that the plots were falling into a rut, and in some ways they are, but I that the plot was just interesting enough to not feel samey. As always, the character relationships are the strongest point for this book. I got kind of confused on what actually happened but it made sense in the end, and I'm intrigued by the setups it made for future stories.
The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett
5.0
it almost lost me because i do not like true crime, but the more i kept reading the more invested i got into it. of the books i’ve read of hers, this was the hardest for me to predict. i enjoyed it very much, the last third is impossible to put down.
Hotel Lucky Seven by Kōtarō Isaka
5.0
So good i stayed up and read almost the whole thing in a day.
I was a little iffy on the new translator; there were definitely places where the dialogue felt jarring or unnatural, and figuring out the pace of the dialogue and who was speaking when was also a bit of a challenge. Nonetheless, I think the book still had the original spirit and voice that makes it so fun to read.
The action was really good, I liked the plot a lot, and I especially loved the new professionals added to the story. I hope this isn't the last book in the series, since it just made me want more.
I was a little iffy on the new translator; there were definitely places where the dialogue felt jarring or unnatural, and figuring out the pace of the dialogue and who was speaking when was also a bit of a challenge. Nonetheless, I think the book still had the original spirit and voice that makes it so fun to read.
The action was really good, I liked the plot a lot, and I especially loved the new professionals added to the story. I hope this isn't the last book in the series, since it just made me want more.
Blackouts by Justin Torres
5.0
One part history, one part erotica.
I didn't know this was historical fiction when i started reading this book and then began to think it was real, but now that I've finished I only know it's real in a loose sense of the word. It's a very interesting read, and every time I picked it up it was like a wonderful vignette of gay lives that I did and didn't understand.
I am glad to have read this, to have the memories in present tense.
I didn't know this was historical fiction when i started reading this book and then began to think it was real, but now that I've finished I only know it's real in a loose sense of the word. It's a very interesting read, and every time I picked it up it was like a wonderful vignette of gay lives that I did and didn't understand.
I am glad to have read this, to have the memories in present tense.
LUPIN: The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin, Gentleman-Thief by Maurice Leblanc
5.0
Stories so good you almost wish Paris was real. Originally published in a 1905 French science magazine called "Je sais tout" (I Know All), my favorite ones are the first three (his arrest, his time in jail, his escape), his origin (The Queen's Necklace), and his first heist (Madame Imbert's Safe). They're all pretty short and fun, perfect for a quick read. I only read good books and if I talk about it I'll just give away the plots, so I'll just say that he's an engaging and charming character and I even gave it a 5/5 so just read it. It's like if you were reading a Holmes novel but Holmes was a criminal and also more interesting and also his author didn't want to kill himself.