tiedyedude's reviews
1070 reviews

Primer by Thomas Krajewski, Jennifer Muro

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

Heartfelt story. Fun and colorful art. A unique character with a lot of potential for future adventures.

When the Wind Blows by Raymond Briggs

4.75

A middle-aged couple face the horrors of nuclear war in this sweet, but devastating adult picture book. A mis/under informed husband tries to man-splain away his worries while his caring but oblivious wife absent-mindedly goes along with his plans. Feels freshly relevant in our age of misinformation, as this couple could only operate with the information they had available, while so many today operate only with the info they choose to accept.

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire

4.25

I feel like this is the first book that is a direct continuation of a previous entry. Antsy's story is very profound, though, and her character development is some of the best in the series. We also visit several worlds in this book, which is a lot of fun. I'm feeling like a re-read of the series is due since the story is starting to get more complex.

Carrie by Stephen King

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

I enjoyed this. I see what King was going for with the excerpts from news reports and hearings, but I don't think it was very effective, since it didn't really add much to the story and the subplot of Authorities trying to bury the story didn't really lead anywhere. I also didn't love the choppy editing to insert these asides. The story was solid, though, and the buildup was very tense. 

Lady Mechanika Vol. 2: The Tablet of Destinies by Mike Garcia, Martin Montiel, Michael Heisler, Joe Benítez, M.M. Chen

4.0

 An excellent continuation of this steampunk saga. A cool twist on the atomic bomb. 

Aquaman: Andromeda by Ram V

3.25

Overall, I like the story and the art, but both were just confusing enough to have soured my reading experience. 

Garlic & the Witch by Bree Paulsen

4.25

 Super cute, though I didn't like it as much as the first, mostly because the plot point about Garlic's hands was not explained and took me half the book to figure it out. 

Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong by Brian Buccellato

3.75

This is just about as chaotic and bonkers as it sounds. The Legion of Doom has a plan to take out Superman, but their maniacal egos causes them to break ranks, and the Dreamstone is eventually used to transport the Monsterverse creatures to the DC universe. This is obviously not canon, so the deaths land flat (the final plot point death is even used for comedic purposes) and the stakes are muted. While completely ridiculous, the writers to a good job of keeping things pretty coherent, and the artists wrangle all the characters into some solid, exciting brawls.  Excellent execution.

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

4.75

This is my first read by Grady Hendrix, and he lives up to the hype! This is such a beautiful portrayal of a friendship; the simplicity of the intro, the confusion, betrayal, and determination of the plot, and the heartache of the conclusion. And between all that is a really effective possession story just oozing '80s vibes.

I just wish they hadn't thrown in the dog death at the end and made such a big deal about it. Seemed gratuitous.

Witcher by Bill Fry

3.25

 A decent thriller set in Alaska. A couple in Alaska hire a water witcher to help them determine a spot to dig for their well. The witcher has a strange reaction at the spot they've chosen; could it have something to do with the ancient Indian caves below their property?
Though it led to a fun plot twist, I was hoping for more of a supernatural element with the flashbacks to the shaman's story. I thought the author did an excellent job describing both the ancient culture and Alaskan life in the 1980's, which made the inclusion of a glossary an odd choice, especially since the first entry is "bumping uglies." Still, it is an enjoyable read.