stephanieronco's reviews
51 reviews

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

5.0

The fact that [a:Barbara Kingsolver|3541|Barbara Kingsolver|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1714173629p2/3541.jpg] is a brilliant writer isn’t any type of revelation, but man, her latest is a masterpiece. [b:Demon Copperhead|60194162|Demon Copperhead|Barbara Kingsolver|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1660050779l/60194162._SY75_.jpg|94935539] sheds unflinching light on the joys and horrors of life in Appalachia, especially as informed by the opioid crisis and the insidious legacy of predation by basically everyone but especially lumber conglomerates and mining companies. I am so grateful Barbara Kingsolver put her skills to this task

A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by KJ Charles

5.0

[a:K.J. Charles|7123498|K.J. Charles|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1418032373p2/7123498.jpg] is one of my very favorite authors, and [b:A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel|75505273|A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (The Doomsday Books, #2)|K.J. Charles|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1677601132l/75505273._SY75_.jpg|100794063] is full of all the best kinds of intrigue, pining, and charm. I can’t wait to reread it 800 more times.

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

5.0

I am SO late to the party, but [b:Nora Goes Off Script|58988426|Nora Goes Off Script|Annabel Monaghan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1647259860l/58988426._SY75_.jpg|92995064] by [a:Annabel Monaghan|645867|Annabel Monaghan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1699223937p2/645867.jpg] was a delight from start to finish, and another one with entire sections that were so fun to read a second time with fresh knowledge. Only my book budget is stopping me from buying everything else she's ever written immediately.

Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks

5.0

[b:Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre|52454426|Devolution A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre|Max Brooks|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566875204l/52454426._SX50_SY75_.jpg|71282717] by [a:Max Brooks|5791|Max Brooks|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1334340170p2/5791.jpg] is one of my favorite scary stories. This latest time through was a re-read, and I STILL found myself reading way too late into the night, more freaked out than I wanted to admit, even though I'd ALREADY READ the book. I KNEW what happened next, I REMEMBERED, and yet the atmosphere was so engrossing, the voice so compelling, that I was scared all over again in a way that still managed to feel brand new.

John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness and Shadow by Mimi Matthews

5.0

A spooky reread of my favorite [b:Jane Eyre|10210|Jane Eyre|Charlotte Brontë|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1557343311l/10210._SY75_.jpg|2977639] reimagining, [b:John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness and Shadow|56036070|John Eyre A Tale of Darkness and Shadow|Mimi Matthews|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1616612968l/56036070._SY75_.jpg|87059832] by [a:Mimi Matthews|16948224|Mimi Matthews|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1635012734p2/16948224.jpg] flips the genders of many (but not all) of Jane Eyre’s characters and twines [a:Charlotte Brontë|1036615|Charlotte Brontë|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1335001351p2/1036615.jpg]'s story with [a:Bram Stoker|6988|Bram Stoker|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1202438456p2/6988.jpg]'s [b:Dracula|17245|Dracula|Bram Stoker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387151694l/17245._SY75_.jpg|3165724] to create something amazingly unique. And the lines from each of the original works are the best little Easter eggs.

The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman

5.0

I read some pretty uneven books this week, but [b:The Last Devil to Die|62226126|The Last Devil to Die (Thursday Murder Club, #4)|Richard Osman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1680740298l/62226126._SY75_.jpg|98346098] by [a:Richard Osman|6173710|Richard Osman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1635981852p2/6173710.jpg] was a balm. What a masterclass in charm and soul.

Sleep No More by Seanan McGuire

5.0

Seventeen books in and I’m still as much of a fan of October Daye as ever. [b:Sleep No More|45434033|Sleep No More (October Daye, #17)|Seanan McGuire|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1684819187l/45434033._SY75_.jpg|70185794] is a creative and nuanced exploration of willful ignorance and privilege, It’s also an entertaining thought experiment with fresh takes on beloved characters. And [a:Seanan McGuire|2860219|Seanan McGuire|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1245623198p2/2860219.jpg] sure can PLOT.

10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall

5.0

Nothing, but nothing, makes me grin like an [a:Alexis Hall|7032108|Alexis Hall|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1684697572p2/7032108.jpg] book. [b:10 Things That Never Happened|83137176|10 Things That Never Happened (Material World, #1)|Alexis Hall|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1681506443l/83137176._SY75_.jpg|89517110] was a delight from start to finish.

The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by KJ Charles

5.0

This was a delight of a reread, with lovely characters who were full of heart.

Babel by R.F. Kuang

5.0

Even though I’m late to the party, I just have to yelp about how much I enjoyed [b:Babel|57945316|Babel|R.F. Kuang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1677361825l/57945316._SY75_.jpg|90789229] by [a:R.F. Kuang|16820001|R.F. Kuang|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1663158288p2/16820001.jpg]. I’m a sucker for speculative fiction, ESPECIALLY when it involves magical schools, and Kuang layers insight and villainy and guilt in a way that makes her story feel fresh and new and MORE in so many different ways. I adored it.