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rjsetserauthor's reviews
859 reviews
The Sylvia Plath in Me by Madelyn Fischer
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
3.5
"Autumn is for poets, as nighttime is for the lonely."
I've only read a few of Sylvia Plath's poems over the years and I starkly remember that Plath's poetry was rather depressing and difficult for me to read. So, I anticipated this collection, which is an ode to Plath, to follow the same vein of darker poems and I was correct to assume such.
Poetry is incredibly emotional to both read and write, so I generally try to read collections that focus on showing the light through the darkness, or attempt to capture the beauty of nature in unique and memorable ways. This collection, therefore, was a bit out of my comfort zone with its deeply introspective thoughts on pain, depression, and struggling to be loved. I often finished the poems wishing there was a light to counteract the dark thoughts, but this is not that type of collection; though I did enjoy the few poems towards the end where there was a slight perspective change.
I've read Madelyn Fischer's poetry before and I have to say, I prefer her first collection, Thoughts in Water, Feelings on Sand, just because it fit my preference for poetry better. However, if you're a fan of Plath and relish the more introspective thoughts, this collection might be something for you.
No vulgar content in the poems and only a couple of minor curse words used.
I've only read a few of Sylvia Plath's poems over the years and I starkly remember that Plath's poetry was rather depressing and difficult for me to read. So, I anticipated this collection, which is an ode to Plath, to follow the same vein of darker poems and I was correct to assume such.
Poetry is incredibly emotional to both read and write, so I generally try to read collections that focus on showing the light through the darkness, or attempt to capture the beauty of nature in unique and memorable ways. This collection, therefore, was a bit out of my comfort zone with its deeply introspective thoughts on pain, depression, and struggling to be loved. I often finished the poems wishing there was a light to counteract the dark thoughts, but this is not that type of collection; though I did enjoy the few poems towards the end where there was a slight perspective change.
I've read Madelyn Fischer's poetry before and I have to say, I prefer her first collection, Thoughts in Water, Feelings on Sand, just because it fit my preference for poetry better. However, if you're a fan of Plath and relish the more introspective thoughts, this collection might be something for you.
No vulgar content in the poems and only a couple of minor curse words used.
Grandma Marjorie and the Feathered Pirate by Melissa Robinson
adventurous
lighthearted
5.0
Beautifully illustrated and full of memories, Grandma Marjorie and the Feathered Pirate captures the magic of a childhood spent with a grandmother.
I've always been very close to both of my grandmothers, so this book made me smile. It's so fun to read aloud and the pictures are incredibly colorful and engaging. There's a picture search at the end of the book that will keep you and your young reader entertained long after the story is over.
I loved that the book is inspired by the author's grandmother, and there's a very sweet picture of the real life Grandma Marjorie and her grey parrot, Misty, at the back of the book. For educational purposes, there are even some interesting facts about grey parrots, so this book would make a fun classroom resource, as well.
Swiftie Side-note: This book reminded me of the song Marjorie, and even mentioned how much Grandma Marjorie loves wearing cardigans, so I felt an even deeper emotional undertone to this story, since that particular Taylor Swift song is about losing her grandmother named Marjorie. Obviously the two aren't connected at all, but if you love the song Marjorie, this book will take on an entirely new meaning to you.
Honestly, I think adults who had close relationships with their grandmothers will love this book just as much as kids and grandmas.
I've always been very close to both of my grandmothers, so this book made me smile. It's so fun to read aloud and the pictures are incredibly colorful and engaging. There's a picture search at the end of the book that will keep you and your young reader entertained long after the story is over.
I loved that the book is inspired by the author's grandmother, and there's a very sweet picture of the real life Grandma Marjorie and her grey parrot, Misty, at the back of the book. For educational purposes, there are even some interesting facts about grey parrots, so this book would make a fun classroom resource, as well.
Swiftie Side-note: This book reminded me of the song Marjorie, and even mentioned how much Grandma Marjorie loves wearing cardigans, so I felt an even deeper emotional undertone to this story, since that particular Taylor Swift song is about losing her grandmother named Marjorie. Obviously the two aren't connected at all, but if you love the song Marjorie, this book will take on an entirely new meaning to you.
Honestly, I think adults who had close relationships with their grandmothers will love this book just as much as kids and grandmas.
Shadows of the Dark Realm by Tyler Edwards
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
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? No
5.0
"Here lies Caelan--couldn't count. Got eaten by a dragon. Ralked it up just like Kade said not to. Well, I showed him, Caelan thought to himself."
You may wonder what flavor of fantasy Shadows of the Dark Realm is. Is it an Arthurian Quest? Portal Fantasy? Monster Hunter? Political Intrigue? You name it, the answer is simply, "Yes".
The tagline of the second book, Reapers of the Dark Realm, is "If Lord of the Rings, The Witcher, Mistborn, and Dungeons & Dragons were mixed together into a cake, it would be a Dark Realm cake." That tagline 100% sums up this series (yes, I've already started the second book).
I started and finished this book in 3 days, which is strange for me to do with a 500+ page book. I usually savor my thick, epic fantasies and spread them out over months, because I don't want them to be over, but I couldn't stop reading this. Part of that is owed to the non-stop action and the fact that there was no safe place for me stop reading. If I had left the book alone for too long, the characters might've actually died before I got back and I couldn't risk losing Caelan, Vale, and Kade.
As a big fan of The Witcher, there are several aspects of this book that I believe will appeal to other Witcher fans, the biggest being Disgraced Knight Vale Lox. He has "Geralt-inspired" written all over him, but he is definitely still his own character with his own quirks and backstory. Vale and Caelan have a "Geralt and Dandelion (Jaskier for those who have only seen the show)" type of friendship that had me laughing out loud.
Fans of epic fantasy filled with monster attacks, incredible battle scenes, and a plot that thickens around every curve, will not be disappointed by this book!
Just as with the previous book that I read by this author, The Outlands, cursing is book unique, which means the characters do curse (often) but they use substitute words that only exist in this story world. There's a glossary in the back of the book that made me laugh because it's almost exclusively a "Curse Word Glossary", though there are some other phrases you need to know. The battle scenes are intense and there is non-stop action, however, the descriptions aren't overly gory or horrific. There's no romance plot in this book, unless you count Caelan's love for antagonizing the others, in which case, the book is filled with it.
You may wonder what flavor of fantasy Shadows of the Dark Realm is. Is it an Arthurian Quest? Portal Fantasy? Monster Hunter? Political Intrigue? You name it, the answer is simply, "Yes".
The tagline of the second book, Reapers of the Dark Realm, is "If Lord of the Rings, The Witcher, Mistborn, and Dungeons & Dragons were mixed together into a cake, it would be a Dark Realm cake." That tagline 100% sums up this series (yes, I've already started the second book).
I started and finished this book in 3 days, which is strange for me to do with a 500+ page book. I usually savor my thick, epic fantasies and spread them out over months, because I don't want them to be over, but I couldn't stop reading this. Part of that is owed to the non-stop action and the fact that there was no safe place for me stop reading. If I had left the book alone for too long, the characters might've actually died before I got back and I couldn't risk losing Caelan, Vale, and Kade.
As a big fan of The Witcher, there are several aspects of this book that I believe will appeal to other Witcher fans, the biggest being Disgraced Knight Vale Lox. He has "Geralt-inspired" written all over him, but he is definitely still his own character with his own quirks and backstory. Vale and Caelan have a "Geralt and Dandelion (Jaskier for those who have only seen the show)" type of friendship that had me laughing out loud.
Fans of epic fantasy filled with monster attacks, incredible battle scenes, and a plot that thickens around every curve, will not be disappointed by this book!
Just as with the previous book that I read by this author, The Outlands, cursing is book unique, which means the characters do curse (often) but they use substitute words that only exist in this story world. There's a glossary in the back of the book that made me laugh because it's almost exclusively a "Curse Word Glossary", though there are some other phrases you need to know. The battle scenes are intense and there is non-stop action, however, the descriptions aren't overly gory or horrific. There's no romance plot in this book, unless you count Caelan's love for antagonizing the others, in which case, the book is filled with it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Blood
Other Trigger/Content Notices:
There are several tragic backstories that would require trigger warnings, though they aren’t graphicly described. The major ones include: loss of a child, loss of a spouse, loss of a parent, slavery, dark magic, mass slaughter, and humans being turned into monsters.
Horde by Ian Thomas Healy
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
Humor is just too vulgar for my taste.
Adventures of a Pangopup by Terri Tatchell
adventurous
informative
5.0
I love a good educational kids' book and Adventures of a Pangopup takes you to the world of endangered animals!
A baby pangolin befriends a dik dik deer and they end up in some trouble. The adventure excellently ties in facts about the pangolin and dik dik so that young readers can walk away from story-time with knowledge. This would be a great classroom lesson resource, too, because at the back of the book, there are additional facts about the animals, why they're endangered, and a step-by-step guide to draw both a pangolin and a dik dik.
Overall, this is a well-illustrated, well-written, and just a fun book to add to a kids' library!
A baby pangolin befriends a dik dik deer and they end up in some trouble. The adventure excellently ties in facts about the pangolin and dik dik so that young readers can walk away from story-time with knowledge. This would be a great classroom lesson resource, too, because at the back of the book, there are additional facts about the animals, why they're endangered, and a step-by-step guide to draw both a pangolin and a dik dik.
Overall, this is a well-illustrated, well-written, and just a fun book to add to a kids' library!
Ty Scarlet by Joe Camborne
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
Ty Scarlet caused me to throw my "responsible reader" persona to the wind as I chose to forsake sleep on a work night in order to binge this book in almost one sitting. Even now, I need sleep about as much as Ty does, but you're going to get a sleep-deprived, caffeinated review instead.
Everything about this book was just plain fun! I gut-laughed at the tongue-in-cheek humor. I gasped in shock at every plot twist and, on multiple occasions, concerned my husband with passionate outbursts. I lived this story with Ty and will now have delusions of having a friend named "Ty Scarlet".
This book ("book": a generic reference that just doesn't seem to describe my recent experience) is about as far from what I expected as Pluto (which IS a planet, by the way. I learned the song in grade school) is from the sun. I expected a Perry Mason type of plot going into it, and what I got was a (younger) Walt Longmire-ish character thrown into a convoluted Perry Mason case with astronomical twists. Bordering on the ridiculous, I couldn't guess where anything was going, yet it was so brilliantly executed that I questioned my own sleuthing logic on so many occasions. Especially when Ty broke the 4th wall and addressed my concerns as if he'd seen my eye-roll or heard my exclamation of "Wait. What?".
One of my favorite parts of reading is getting to know the author through their writing and when I tell you that this is so excellently written that I forgot that Ty, himself, wasn't the author (though I'm not entirely convinced that they aren't the same person), I'm not exaggerating. The many (many, many) pop culture and literary references made this book feel so incredibly real (I dang near passed away when Ty made a Carmen Sandiego reference; those games had me in a CHOKE-HOLD as a kid and the greatest thief of all time is probably to blame for my obsession with noir). I didn't want to miss a single line of this book; so much so that I often back-tracked and re-read lines, highlighting them and even reading them aloud to my husband.
All that said, this book fluidly weaves in and out of the genres of Mystery and Science Fiction so seamlessly that when you're reading about the case, you forget that there are hints of science fiction until Ty reminds you. If you're a fan of classic case-cracking mysteries and the Avengers, this book should pique your interest. I had way too much fun with this book and I sincerely hope Ty Scarlet will become a series that will have as many books as Perry Mason so that I can forever binge them.
Content disclaimers: No on-page romantic scenes (only implied "good nights"), though there are plenty of out-of-pocket comments and extremely brief descriptions of blackmail photos and videos. Action/Gore: several descriptions of the crime, albeit brief, and nothing I haven't come to expect from mysteries. Cursing/Vulgarity: Lots of cursing and f-bombs would make this a rated R movie. The heated conversations, regarding infidelity, lead to some vulgar lines and insults.
Everything about this book was just plain fun! I gut-laughed at the tongue-in-cheek humor. I gasped in shock at every plot twist and, on multiple occasions, concerned my husband with passionate outbursts. I lived this story with Ty and will now have delusions of having a friend named "Ty Scarlet".
This book ("book": a generic reference that just doesn't seem to describe my recent experience) is about as far from what I expected as Pluto (which IS a planet, by the way. I learned the song in grade school) is from the sun. I expected a Perry Mason type of plot going into it, and what I got was a (younger) Walt Longmire-ish character thrown into a convoluted Perry Mason case with astronomical twists. Bordering on the ridiculous, I couldn't guess where anything was going, yet it was so brilliantly executed that I questioned my own sleuthing logic on so many occasions. Especially when Ty broke the 4th wall and addressed my concerns as if he'd seen my eye-roll or heard my exclamation of "Wait. What?".
One of my favorite parts of reading is getting to know the author through their writing and when I tell you that this is so excellently written that I forgot that Ty, himself, wasn't the author (though I'm not entirely convinced that they aren't the same person), I'm not exaggerating. The many (many, many) pop culture and literary references made this book feel so incredibly real (I dang near passed away when Ty made a Carmen Sandiego reference; those games had me in a CHOKE-HOLD as a kid and the greatest thief of all time is probably to blame for my obsession with noir). I didn't want to miss a single line of this book; so much so that I often back-tracked and re-read lines, highlighting them and even reading them aloud to my husband.
All that said, this book fluidly weaves in and out of the genres of Mystery and Science Fiction so seamlessly that when you're reading about the case, you forget that there are hints of science fiction until Ty reminds you. If you're a fan of classic case-cracking mysteries and the Avengers, this book should pique your interest. I had way too much fun with this book and I sincerely hope Ty Scarlet will become a series that will have as many books as Perry Mason so that I can forever binge them.
Content disclaimers: No on-page romantic scenes (only implied "good nights"), though there are plenty of out-of-pocket comments and extremely brief descriptions of blackmail photos and videos. Action/Gore: several descriptions of the crime, albeit brief, and nothing I haven't come to expect from mysteries. Cursing/Vulgarity: Lots of cursing and f-bombs would make this a rated R movie. The heated conversations, regarding infidelity, lead to some vulgar lines and insults.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, Racism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, and Cultural appropriation
Strange Winds by T.E. Harkins
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Another Man's Moccasins by Craig Johnson
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Review to come!
Atom Bomb Baby by Brandon Gillespie
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
"Welcome to Fen, where everything wants to eat you."
Atom Bomb Baby is everything you expect of a "retro-future dystopian". The themes of the book are edgy, sarcastic, and full of action-packed encounters with rebels, monsters, and robots! It feels a bit like a cyber-punk novel mixed with dystopian and a dash of sci-fi. If I had to compare it to other forms of media, I'd say that it reminded me of The Maze Runner by James Dashner and, as far as how the story was told (keeping the reader in the dark, etc), I thought about the movie A Quiet Place a few times, too.
Ashe is nothing less than a "spunky" main character and her attitude of disdain and reluctance towards her crumbling world is easily what drives this book forward. She encounters every obstacle with a roll of her eyes and an adolescent attitude of "whatever, not my problem", even though she's going to act anyway, against her better judgement. She is definitely an anti-hero. I didn't like her in the beginning of the book, and even towards the end she still annoyed me with her attitude towards others, but you learn so much about her that it's difficult to not at least sympathize with her plight. This book would not be the same story without her attitude, so I wouldn't want her to be any other way. It's also a bit refreshing to see a young woman in fiction allowed to be angry throughout most of the book instead of falsely positive for the sake of having a likeable female. And if anyone had reason to be angry, it was definitely her.
My reasoning for 3.75 stars, instead of 5, is hinged mostly on details of the story world. There are little to no descriptions about what the monsters are, so they are left almost entirely up to your imagination. I mentioned earlier that this book reminded me of The Maze Runner, and I actually found myself mentally plugging scenes in this book with clips from The Maze Runner movie, just because I didn't know what the monsters were or what the Kraal is. Upon finishing the book, there are a lot of open-endings and few conclusions, which left me baffled as to what the government's objective was, what controlled the robots, etc. etc. Which, if I recall correctly, was the same issue that I had with finishing The Maze Runner the first time, so perhaps this style is intentional and all will be revealed in the last book of this series?
Overall, I enjoyed the adrenaline rush of the storyline, the tender moments with Jade, and the subtle themes of how trauma can affect memories, especially when said trauma happens at a young age. I do wish I could've immersed myself more fully into the story world, but I'd read the sequel and additional work by this author!
Content disclaimers: Cursing: infrequent, mild language (though mentions of crude hand gestures). No romantic content. Gore: I'd say roughly PG-13 rating, depending on the readers imagination. There aren't detailed descriptions, but some fight scenes are pretty intense.
Trigger Warnings: many themes of death and loss. Trauma-induced memory loss. Survival in an apocalyptic setting.
Atom Bomb Baby is everything you expect of a "retro-future dystopian". The themes of the book are edgy, sarcastic, and full of action-packed encounters with rebels, monsters, and robots! It feels a bit like a cyber-punk novel mixed with dystopian and a dash of sci-fi. If I had to compare it to other forms of media, I'd say that it reminded me of The Maze Runner by James Dashner and, as far as how the story was told (keeping the reader in the dark, etc), I thought about the movie A Quiet Place a few times, too.
Ashe is nothing less than a "spunky" main character and her attitude of disdain and reluctance towards her crumbling world is easily what drives this book forward. She encounters every obstacle with a roll of her eyes and an adolescent attitude of "whatever, not my problem", even though she's going to act anyway, against her better judgement. She is definitely an anti-hero. I didn't like her in the beginning of the book, and even towards the end she still annoyed me with her attitude towards others, but you learn so much about her that it's difficult to not at least sympathize with her plight. This book would not be the same story without her attitude, so I wouldn't want her to be any other way. It's also a bit refreshing to see a young woman in fiction allowed to be angry throughout most of the book instead of falsely positive for the sake of having a likeable female. And if anyone had reason to be angry, it was definitely her.
My reasoning for 3.75 stars, instead of 5, is hinged mostly on details of the story world. There are little to no descriptions about what the monsters are, so they are left almost entirely up to your imagination. I mentioned earlier that this book reminded me of The Maze Runner, and I actually found myself mentally plugging scenes in this book with clips from The Maze Runner movie, just because I didn't know what the monsters were or what the Kraal is. Upon finishing the book, there are a lot of open-endings and few conclusions, which left me baffled as to what the government's objective was, what controlled the robots, etc. etc. Which, if I recall correctly, was the same issue that I had with finishing The Maze Runner the first time, so perhaps this style is intentional and all will be revealed in the last book of this series?
Overall, I enjoyed the adrenaline rush of the storyline, the tender moments with Jade, and the subtle themes of how trauma can affect memories, especially when said trauma happens at a young age. I do wish I could've immersed myself more fully into the story world, but I'd read the sequel and additional work by this author!
Content disclaimers: Cursing: infrequent, mild language (though mentions of crude hand gestures). No romantic content. Gore: I'd say roughly PG-13 rating, depending on the readers imagination. There aren't detailed descriptions, but some fight scenes are pretty intense.
Trigger Warnings: many themes of death and loss. Trauma-induced memory loss. Survival in an apocalyptic setting.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Death of parent