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the_midnight_librarian's reviews
302 reviews
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
3.0
7/28/19
Re-read
Three out of five stars. I didn't enjoy this Book as much as I did my first time around. The creepy portions weren't as creepy as I remember, and it read a bit slower.
It was a bit of a slow start, I've tried reading this before and was a bit disappointed due to having watched the Laika movie adaption. The adaption had added characters and things to be able to help move the story along and to make it more kid friendly (though still creepy). The so in that case it was a little disappointing as the movie made this story seem magical while the book was a bit dull, but the more I read the more I got into it, it was creepier and more thrilling and some of the details I wish were interpreted to the movie.
Re-read
Three out of five stars. I didn't enjoy this Book as much as I did my first time around. The creepy portions weren't as creepy as I remember, and it read a bit slower.
It was a bit of a slow start, I've tried reading this before and was a bit disappointed due to having watched the Laika movie adaption. The adaption had added characters and things to be able to help move the story along and to make it more kid friendly (though still creepy). The so in that case it was a little disappointing as the movie made this story seem magical while the book was a bit dull, but the more I read the more I got into it, it was creepier and more thrilling and some of the details I wish were interpreted to the movie.
The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
3.0
For the most part I didn't mind this book, I found it interesting to question if the narrator was trustworthy or not and it put me in this weird mindset of "is anything real?" which was a trip and I appreciated the book because it made me feel that. However, the main character bugged me for the most part. She knew she was doing the wrong things, ie -mixing medication with alcohol but continued to do so, which was infuriating as she told others to follow the recommended medications and to not drink alcohol with them, which to me made her unlikable. But then that twist. That trauma. I didn't blame her for drinking. This actually made me tear up, of dealing similarly to the trauma and finding out that that coping mechanism (not the drinking) was an unhealthy crutch, punched me in the gut. I was thinking the book was going to be a 4 stars or higher after that. No such luck. That ending....was not believable. You had me 'til the reveal. That was a let down and I had a hard time going along with it.
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
5.0
As weird is this is to say about a book about the horrors committed against the Osage, this was a really great book.
I listened to this on Audible and found it very enticing and interesting. Grann was able to weave resources together to produce a true crime mystery novel. I felt like I was being told a thrilling story that had twists and turns.
The narrators were great, I enjoyed their voices and the choice to put them in different sections of the book to get different perspectives. I thought it fit well with the timeline of events as well as the particular people that they followed through out the time frame.
This book had me ignoring my family to hear what more was going on in Osage County. Had me holding my breath waiting to hear the verdict of the jury and made my heard plummit as new evidence of continued murders surfaced, giving more light to an unjust and tragic period of history that everyone seems to think was a blip in US history but that the Osage are still healing from.
I enjoyed this book. But I'm heart broken that it is a book. Not that it shouldn't be, in fact I was thinking of actors who would be good in a movie adaptation. Spread the word and remember the Osage and US history and the corruption. But the fact that this even happened. The fact that this wasn't just someones creative mind. This happened. So many lives were affected and continue to be.
I listened to this on Audible and found it very enticing and interesting. Grann was able to weave resources together to produce a true crime mystery novel. I felt like I was being told a thrilling story that had twists and turns.
The narrators were great, I enjoyed their voices and the choice to put them in different sections of the book to get different perspectives. I thought it fit well with the timeline of events as well as the particular people that they followed through out the time frame.
This book had me ignoring my family to hear what more was going on in Osage County. Had me holding my breath waiting to hear the verdict of the jury and made my heard plummit as new evidence of continued murders surfaced, giving more light to an unjust and tragic period of history that everyone seems to think was a blip in US history but that the Osage are still healing from.
I enjoyed this book. But I'm heart broken that it is a book. Not that it shouldn't be, in fact I was thinking of actors who would be good in a movie adaptation. Spread the word and remember the Osage and US history and the corruption. But the fact that this even happened. The fact that this wasn't just someones creative mind. This happened. So many lives were affected and continue to be.
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
3.0
This had potential. I enjoyed the book theme, the wit and sass, and encouraging bookish and weird kids. But I found Nina frustrating and a little irritating and Tom was cute but I found that when it came to Nina's anxiety episode, I found him unreasonable and pushy. The relationship could have had a little more angst for my taste. But I loved the finding new family aspect.
The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
3.0
The concept of this book was fun, but when getting into it it wasn't going how I expected it to. I found Lee Lahn irksome at times as she did something someone told her not to then scold herself for doing it. Which I get it, it was done to move the plot forward, but it would have been better as quests and risks as opposed to poor decisions. I also found that the writing style Choo had decided on where she teases certain decisions to be mistakes distracting, as I then was waiting for the moment in which we learned this decision would be in fact a mistake. The ending wasn't as satisfying as I was hoping for. But over all and interesting read.