theelliad's reviews
259 reviews

These Days by Lucy Caldwell

2.5

This is a sweet Austen-esq simple story which follows two sisters in mid-war Dublin! I liked the character development and the Irish accents and it was the perfect little read for this time! It’s nothing overly special but definitely enjoyable if you like a simple story with strong female characters! 

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

3.5

I have finally reached the end of this mammoth and it’s safe to say I am not a big book girlie yet! 

This was insanely difficult to rate as on the one hand I really liked the plot and a lot of the writing style, but it was just too long. Had this book been half or even a third of the size I feel like it would have been a 5* read but there was simply too many passages I zoned out of to overlook! 

That said I am glad I read this and I would definitely be interested in some other Dumas books (hopefully shorter ones) as he writes brilliantly! 

Bonus points as well for the cuntified voices on the audiobook I very much enjoyed those! 

Watership Down by Richard Adams

4.0

Many years and much knowledge later and this book is still as painful as the first time i read it…

Youngman: Selected Diaries of Lou Sullivan by Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma, Lou Sullivan

3.5

This book alongside being *very* overtly sexual, was such a heartbreaking exploration of gender and identity, gaining a sense of comfortability and joy in your body, queerness, transformation and disintegration. I saw so much of myself and my own complicated relationship with gender/sexuality in Lou and this was genuinely entertaining and heartbreaking to read! 

Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder

2.5

If i had a nickle for every book with shameless cat slaughter i’ve read this year, i’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice… 

This is a powered exploration of female and maternal rage, and certainly hits all the major elements of absurdist or dark mythical fiction! Overall it was enjoyable but nothing too special

Coriolanus by William Shakespeare

2.5

Never been the hugest fan of the overly war/political tragedies of shakespeare- coriolanus has some interesting moments and explores nicely power, isolation, public favour and betrayal, there are just many better plays in my opinion 

The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan

4.5

A beautiful and emotional end to this series! I truly didn’t realise how much i loved this series until this book- you can really see that these aren’t just written for children anymore and there were messages within this that genuinely resonated more now than i think they would of 10 years ago! I LOVED how this book is so conclusive and yet still leaves enough space for future stuff (the sun and the star im looking at you with eager eyes). I LOVED the queer joy, the found family, the independence and the growth of this series- this universe has carried me through all walks of life and still has me laughing out loud and crying for fictional demigods! 

A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs

3.0

It’s always difficult to write a continuation of a story which has been concluded, and it’s no surprise this one didn’t quite match Library of Souls in my opinion. Jacob has quite frankly never felt as annoying as he did here, the bipolar narrative voice literally made me want to pull my hair out at times and i was so aware that Riggs is trying to address more adult issues; complex family life, relationship struggles, fame and the desire to achieve more, heroism and misunderstandings, in a way that is palletable for children. That said, this is a super fun adventure with characters i know and love and sets up nicely for a second trilogy! It’s a lot of fun to see the wards in a vastly different context and grappling with their own needs for independence!

Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth by Natalie Haynes

4.0

This is what Stephen Fry wanted to do, but slightly missed the mark on. Natalie Haynes brain is so completely iconic and this book in particular reflects that entirely in its disjointed and rambled structure. While the information revealed was far from revolutionary, I particularly enjoyed the pop culture references and nuanced, heavily researched approaches made palletable! 

Dracula by Bram Stoker

4.5

This book is genuinely one of the most vibey, interesting and absorbing texts that has ever been created. From the very form and it’s intertwined perspectives and timelines to the overarching textbook gothic of it! Immaculate vibes