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youreadtoomuch's reviews
330 reviews
Psycho II by Robert Bloch
2.0
Can't decide if this book was creepy because it just genuinely is or because I had someone narrating it to me...
Norman Bates is now in a mental ward years after the horrific events of the first novel. He no longer believes he is his own mother but still breaks free. Horrific events follow and his psychiatrist Dr. Adam Claiborne goes after him paranoid and convinced Norman is still alive despite what the police say.
First, this book has many elements that fall under shock value rather than carefully thought out character nuisances including necrophilia, rape, violence as arousing, actual pornography. It kind of comes off as offensive and rather boring to be inundated by such trauma.
Second, this book is enjoyable in the sense that it completely goes off the rails in respect to it being an ordinary sequel following Norman again. It has the same type of narration as the first book but it really is all over the place and doesn't really tie it all in neatly at the end.
So yes, that is mostly why gave it a low rating.
Norman Bates is now in a mental ward years after the horrific events of the first novel. He no longer believes he is his own mother but still breaks free. Horrific events follow and his psychiatrist Dr. Adam Claiborne goes after him paranoid and convinced Norman is still alive despite what the police say.
First, this book has many elements that fall under shock value rather than carefully thought out character nuisances including necrophilia, rape, violence as arousing, actual pornography. It kind of comes off as offensive and rather boring to be inundated by such trauma.
Second, this book is enjoyable in the sense that it completely goes off the rails in respect to it being an ordinary sequel following Norman again. It has the same type of narration as the first book but it really is all over the place and doesn't really tie it all in neatly at the end.
So yes, that is mostly why gave it a low rating.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
5.0
What can I say??? Shirley Jackson has such a way of building up so much emotion within me. I yearn for these characters and their afflictions.
Dr. Montague invites Eleanor and Theodora to spend their summer at Hill House. Their past experiences with the supernatural/other side has placed them in favor of helping Dr. Montague conduct his study of Hill House. Luke, a relative of the current owner of Hill House, joins them as a chaperone. It's not long after their first few hours there that Hill House begins to show its peculiarities: doors that never stay open, a library that Eleanor refuses to enter, pounding of doors and walls in the hall at night, murmurings of a child, calling to a lost Eleanor, etc.
Will not lie, this book gave me chills
Absolutely loved this book, do recommend.
Dr. Montague invites Eleanor and Theodora to spend their summer at Hill House. Their past experiences with the supernatural/other side has placed them in favor of helping Dr. Montague conduct his study of Hill House. Luke, a relative of the current owner of Hill House, joins them as a chaperone. It's not long after their first few hours there that Hill House begins to show its peculiarities: doors that never stay open, a library that Eleanor refuses to enter, pounding of doors and walls in the hall at night, murmurings of a child, calling to a lost Eleanor, etc.
Will not lie, this book gave me chills
Spoiler
especially scenes where Eleanor hears everything that happens inside the house. But most notable the last scene that is the reason Eleanor is asked to leave. And that ending? I knew Eleanor wasn't going to leave Hill House but woooow didn't think she had it in her.Absolutely loved this book, do recommend.
How to F*ck a Woman by Ali Adler
2.0
Let me start: I first hated this book. The point seems to make genuinely useless, straight men actually care for their female partners but the advice was given in a very confusing manner. It borders the line of actually respect her or pretend enough to be guaranteed sex with her. And I think it was presented in a very graceful manner that men may think this is what I need to do before being able to fuck her while engraining in them the seed to actually understanding her, and wanting to make sex something that isn't only about him.
At first it seemed a very offensive way to "trick" women that a man cares about her but really it is quite genius. Men: you need to be connecting with her emotionally if you want to connect with her sexually. Wow, was that so hard?
The end gives a quick note to women on how to avoid such men who won't even give the minimum and only take, that was was very emotive and honest. Really enjoyed reading this section
But as a wlw, reading a book about this topic I'd expected a bit more finesse. There are genuinely beautiful moments where Ali Adler shares her own connections with women that provide a simple balance between what the men in her life are doing with women and what she's is doing with women. . . I guess I didn't hate this book as much as I thought.
At first it seemed a very offensive way to "trick" women that a man cares about her but really it is quite genius. Men: you need to be connecting with her emotionally if you want to connect with her sexually. Wow, was that so hard?
The end gives a quick note to women on how to avoid such men who won't even give the minimum and only take, that was was very emotive and honest. Really enjoyed reading this section
But as a wlw, reading a book about this topic I'd expected a bit more finesse. There are genuinely beautiful moments where Ali Adler shares her own connections with women that provide a simple balance between what the men in her life are doing with women and what she's is doing with women. . . I guess I didn't hate this book as much as I thought.
The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens
4.0
Wolf has recently lost his best friend and is prepared to take his own life at the mountain where his fondest memories of them together live. It is fate that brings him to the Devine women and leaves them stranded in a dangerous canyon for four days. While not everyone makes it out alive, those that do value those moments more than anything now that Wolf is finally able to share with his own son what actually happened in the mountain those 4 days.
Written as a letter to his son, the first half of this book felt so pretentious and very pick-me regarding Wolf's own childhood. The trauma felt excessive and not very believable but it gives the book a very subtle understanding to Wolf's intentions. The book doesn't really start to pick up until at least their third day of being lost and things just don't get better.
If any of you know me, I love reading the first page last but even this wasn't enough to prepare me for the heartbreak that this book would be. The book is a true testament of love and belief and, overall, courage.
I cried and it hurt so good. Still not a 5 star book but definitely recommend giving it a read.
Written as a letter to his son, the first half of this book felt so pretentious and very pick-me regarding Wolf's own childhood. The trauma felt excessive and not very believable but it gives the book a very subtle understanding to Wolf's intentions. The book doesn't really start to pick up until at least their third day of being lost and things just don't get better.
If any of you know me, I love reading the first page last but even this wasn't enough to prepare me for the heartbreak that this book would be. The book is a true testament of love and belief and, overall, courage.
I cried and it hurt so good. Still not a 5 star book but definitely recommend giving it a read.
Persuasion by Jane Austen
3.0
Was really slow on the uptake but Austen somehow always manages to reel me in with the love story. This one really had me pining and yearning along with Anne and Captain Wentworth! Whooooo-- that was a ride. And yes, I cried when I got to ~the letter~ which is the main reason I ever read this book. Thanks to Paul David Story.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
4.0
A terrible book. I kept reading and reading and it didn't ever really ever get good? The show is a very loose adaptation but it gives me that "everything will get better" feeling that this book does not have. Unless, you're hopeful in the ending that this book provided. Can't say I won't be reading the sequel though...
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
4.0
Mindy Kaling does it again! I think my favorite things abou her how she makes list of things she thinks should be done, or ridiculous things that will soon be produced because why not? Definitely loved that eulogy written about her at the end. Laughed like always.
The First Bad Man by Miranda July
4.0
As an audiobook, this was a trip. Been meaning to re-read for a while so it was easy to choose this as one of my first audiobooks to get back into audiobooks again. Still really like this book but it wasn't the same as that first read.
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
4.0
Painful and the need to speak up bubbled within me the more I read and the more I needed Melinda to say something. At the beginning of my copy, the author has constructed a poem from fragments of the letters, emails, conversations readers have shared with her and it really drove home the impact of telling these kinds of stories. Believe women, believe victims.