Review: Compass and Blade

Compass and Blade by Rachel Greenlaw
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

An interesting idea weighed down by every YA trope ever.

This one actually started out okay - Mira and her island fellows wreck ships so they can survive on the spoils, but Mira is determined to save as many lives as possible when they do. She feels at home in the sea, and it's clear she's a little bit different to those she calls friends.

Nothing new in a YA protagonist being 'a little bit different' and feeling a 'calling' that pulls them away from tradition. There's also a strange boy who is ridiculously attractive that is the obvious love interest, and a bunch of teenagers running around doing things that are not usually done by teens.

From the get-go, this was far too predictable while trying far too hard to pretend it wasn't. I wish we didn't have to pretend we didn't know what was going on, because it just became awkward. I wanted Mira to see the obvious clues and work it out but she was super thick, refusing to see what was right in front of her face.

Even the romance was full of stars and heat and all the other common YA tropes that make scenes more cringe-y than heartwarming. The love is instant and all about appearances and kisses of fire and it just made me sad that it couldn't come up with something fresh and new. Definitely reminded me of the Court series by Sarah J. Maas but in a 'pale copy' sense rather than 'respectful nod of similarity'.

Ultimately, it was a frustrating read that I really wanted to like more than I did. If it wasn't trying so hard to be like every other YA book out there, this could have been so much more satisfying.

With thanks to Harper Collins for an ARC

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Review: Kill Your Husbands

Kill Your Husbands by Jack Heath
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wasn't this a bundle of fun!

Three couples take a getaway to an isolated cabin in the bush. They decide to swap partners ofor a night - anonymously, in the dark - but one of them ends up dead.

This was a quick thriller that kept me hooked, though it did start a little slow for me. I didn't know this book connected to the main character from Kill Your Brother but, in hindsight, it IS right there in the title. I wasn't expecting so much about Elise and Kiara but I didn't mind. It bothered me more that Kiara's colleagues were so incompetent.

The kink factor was actually pretty low, and I enjoyed the contemplation of these couples and what would drive them to do such a thing. It kept me interested.

Some of the rest did seem a bit cliche, but at the same time this book leans into that a little and recognises its own stereotypes.

Most of the characters are horrible, yet there's still enough of them to feel some empathy when things go down.

Really enjoyed the tension and the switching tenses to keep it fresh. I read it over a couple days and it was great fun to pick up every time.



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Review: The Daylight War

The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bruhhhh what just happened!!

Reeling, I am REELING.

Firstly, I really enjoyed the backtracking to see Inevera's past. I thought it was quite fascinating, and a great way to create sympathy for a character that has, thus far, kind of been a trouble-making antagonist. It was great to learn a little more about her and how she came to be the snake she is in the present.

Lots of political manoeuvrings in this one, and less demons. I find myself feeling less for the Hollowers and more for the Krasians. Leesha is driving me insane with her fickleness and the whole plot her mum comes up with and she decides to execute?! WHY. So I find myself really starting to dislike her. Same with Rojer - his shenanigans and hot temper really kinda annoy me. They seem to act very high and mighty which is the opposite of what Arlen has ever wanted.

Tell you what, though - I really love Renna. I wasn't sure how I felt about her at first, and her mood swings are wild, but I like how fierce she's become and how hard she stands by Arlen.

Meanwhile, the bloodthirsty Krasians are slowly winning me over. They have some brutal methods and take killing very lightly and also treat most of their women terribly, but somehow I find myself really admiring them and the organisation they have.

That final chapter of course had me reading with my mouth hanging open and anxious for everyone involved - I'll have to pick up the next book sooner than I anticipated now!

All in all, I really loved this installment. The series is building to a point where I have no clue what's going to happen and that really excites me.

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Review: Tomie

Tomie by Junji Ito
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first experience of Junji Ito's work and it was as weird and wonderful as everyone suggested.

Creepy and awful, Tomie likes to inspire love in men and jealousy in women, and it often ends with her being chopped up and/or murdered in other fantastically gory ways, only for her to regenerate from her wounds.

Some of the chapters connect, others stand on their own, but all have the same kinda vibe.

Tomie's an awful character, and this collection truly inspires sympathy and pity for those unfortunate to come across her.

Some of the artwork is fantastic; some is lost in the amount of black-and-white gore splattered on the page. Overall, there's an eerie quality to it all that drives the story onwards.

I liked it a lot, but don't think I could read this level of torment again.

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Review: After the Forest

After the Forest by Kell Woods
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An excellent debut from this Aussie author, full of forest friends, magic, witches, and gingerbread.

I enjoyed the mix of old and new with this one. There are some familiar themes with new twists and the whole thing felt very dark and foreboding. Really enjoying sinking into it.

Some of the characters were a bit cliche - like beat down Greta and her gambling brother - but they had enough spirit of their own to overcome the sameness and carve a story of their own. Greta was a fierce spirit and I liked that she kicked back a bit.

There were a lot of different ideas here so it did seem to go for a long time, but it wasn't a deal breaker for me as I was always entertained.

For a debut, this was a fun read and a great twisted fairy tale. I'll look for more by this author.

With thanks to the publisher for a copy

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Review: Clown in a Cornfield

Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A classic slasher flick featuring a homicidal clown killing of bratty teens - what's not to love?

Don't go into this expecting a marvellous work of literature, but if you have expectations of running, screaming and gruesome deaths, this should tick the box for you.

I mostly hated all these characters, which made for a lot of fun when they started dying. There's a little preamble at the start, setting the scene with new girl Quinn meeting everyone at school and being freaked out by overbearing adults. Then it jumps into its first murder and the rest come hard and fast after that.

There's nothing particularly fresh here, but it warms the Halloween heart with its familiar formula. I was happy to just disappear into the cornstalks for a bit and watch the chaos.

The perfect Halloween read, really.

Not one for those looking for fresh ideas and novel execution, but perfect for fans of 90s slashers trying to get a nostalgia hit.

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Review: I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A well-written delve into the activities of the Golden State Killer. Thoroughly addictive!

This unpacks the many, MANY crimes of the serial killer who was active from roughly 1975-1986 in the Sacramento area and surrounds. This dude was so prolific he was known by several different monikers - it took a while for detectives to connect the crime sprees in the different areas to the same person.

I have a bit of a morbid fascination with serial killers (and true crime books would hardly sell if I was alone in that) so it was amazing to see the details laid out here as they were. There's something about puzzling over clues and trying to solve the unsolved that stirs the blood, and there were so many red herrings in this case.

There's an abundance of detail here, and the author treats the victims with such compassion. It's a testament to her character that she became close with many of the authorities that worked on the case throughout her many years of research.

I did get a little confused by the time jumping, since this opened with his later, most heinous crimes then tracked back a little haphazardly through other crimes attributed to the same man. I wanted a tidier timeline to help me make sense of things. Fortunately, now that the killer has been unmasked, these details are readily available online.

This is an updated edition that includes news articles pertaining to the killer's arrest, though I wanted more than just the bare bones of his being arrested. Still, their inclusion is a satisfying end to a book that details such bald-faced atrocities.

Well written, insightful and interesting, this is a great true crime novel that will lead you down a rabbit hole. Highly recommend.

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Review: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Definitely a pointless money grab, but it's been on my shelf since 2010 so it's nice to finally tick it off!

This lil story follows Bree, a young vampire that pops up briefly in the Twilight saga. Here she's running with a vamp pack and getting close to Diego while they try and work out what their secret leader, 'her', is up to.

Now it's a novella so only 175 pages or so, but there are no breaks at all. It's quite a breathless (haha) sort of narrative, with run-on action that isn't even really that interesting. It doesn't have any big reveals or shocking moments so while it just keeps going there's not really a lot of excitement in it.

The biggest focus seems to be on the whole 'sunlight doesn't actually kill us' thing which honestly just seems more like Stephanie Meyer patting herself on the back for coming up with something so clever.

There's the gratuitous appearance of the Cullen fam through the eyes of a stranger that will have fans getting excited, but ultimately there's just not a lot of substance to this story.

Even the romance was pathetic - easy come, easy go.

Very much a pointless addition to the Twilight fam - you're not missing anything if you skip it.


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Review: Do Not Disturb

Do Not Disturb by Freida McFadden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another Audible win!

Apparently I enjoy thrillers more in audio format. I actually listen properly! How fun.

This one starts with a murder, and that's not even the focus of the plot! How cool is that! The story is about Quinn running after murdering her husband and ending up in this dingy motel that has a lot of secrets. Ooooh.

I really enjoyed the narration, and am impressed at how easily I told the characters apart. Nice work with the differentiation. The characters each have their own secrets and it's fun to guess at who is hiding what.

The pace is helped along by big revelations followed by changing viewpoints, which is equal parts frustrating and fun. The different perspectives round out the story really well and help to fill in the blanks slowly so that the tension stays tight throughout.

Some great twists, here, too, as well as great character development.

Really enjoyed this one! These last two audiobooks have given me greater respect for audiobooks in general so I'll definitely be dabbling more.

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Review: The Wolf Den

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fantastic read!

There was actually such a wonderful lack of smut for a book set in a brothel. I appreciated that so much!

The story follows Amara, a brothel slave who works for Felix. She and her fellow whores work for the Wolf Den, with their sole role being the pleasing of men. However Amara wasn't always a slave, and she'll do whatever it takes to win her freedom back.

I really, really loved Amara's character. She does some morally questionable things that really drive home that she will honestly do WHATEVER IT TAKES and I think it was really important to the story. She's a fierce heroine, yet she's still loyal to her friends. She fights, but she makes smart calls, too. There's more to her than just whoring, but that's also a huge part of who she is.

The themes are quite dark, with slavery and prostitution obviously sitting at the forefront. Agency and self-worth, basic human rights. It was quite fascinating to me to read all about it, and it was interesting to see how all the different men Amara interacted with treated her and the other working girls.

There was certainly a lot in this story to unpack, but the writing helped everything flow so well, dancing around different ideas at different times. I found it to be an easy, addictive read and could easily have read it all in one sitting if I'd had the time.

An excellent read, and I'll definitely read the next one. Thanks Juliette for the recommendation!

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Review: Stiletto

Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A chunky read and yet still ridiculously addictive.

WARNING: this review contains spoilers for The Rook

This book is so much bigger in scope than The Rook and adds a couple more protagonists to share the load.

Felicity is a Rook, and Odette is a Grafter. Negotiations are underway to have the two organisations work together, but things are not going smoothly. Added to that, people are dying all over the place and supernatural happenings are keeping everything tense.

This book tells a lot of back stories, and it likes to include plenty of absurd details. I'm not usually one with patience for absurd but in this story it works really well. I enjoyed how bizarre things got and appreciated the long-winded explanations of strange things. It was actually such a fun part of the story.

Added to that, there's plenty of non-stop action. The sheer number of outfits that were destroyed throughout this book is ridiculous. Poor Odette just could not stay clean.

Myfawny is there, too, keeping everything in order. She's really come a long way since her amnesia of the first book and it's great to see how her character has developed.

Once again, this book was just buckets of fun. It's definitely a long one, so some patience is required, but I found it to be an addictive, fun thriller with some fantastically horrific moments. It's such an interesting mix of fantasy, sci fi, horror and comedy.

Highly recommend this series for those looking for a unique supernatural thriller that will keep you guessing.

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Review: Fat Girl Dancing

Fat Girl Dancing by Kris Kneen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fattastic, insightful read that will particularly resonate if you've ever lived in a bigger body.

I really enjoyed this, but at times it was really f*king depressing and it got to me. I appreciate the frankness, but it also broke me a bit.

It's a memoir, and it winds around with the thread of the story being a self-portrait the author wishes to create.

It explores a love of the water and adventures in diving; it explores art and eventually brings us to the dancing hinted at by the title. As someone who loves dance I wanted more of the latter, and felt a little cheated by the title since there wasn't more.

Still, the approach to each facet of her story with such brutal honesty was something I loved and could relate to in quite a few places.

There are plenty of awful moments here that had me feeling second-hand shame, and it was that feeling that repeatedly had me setting down the book in favour of something cheerier. At the same time, it was addictive to read about experiences similar to my own so I never stayed away long.

This is a candid account of a person in a fat body trying to find acceptance in a world that is not designed for fat bodies. It's raw and upfront and I really enjoyed it.

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Review: The Return of the Knights

The Return of the Knights by Gregory Kontaxis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think describing this book as 'Game of Thrones meets Greek mythology' is far too generous, but it was still a decent read.

The story begins with Elliot, a kid from a village who seems to have been tasked with saving the world from a tyrant. Said tyrant, Walter, is travelling the place sacking cities, murdering, raping and pillaging as he goes. Elliot rushes to the aid of Sophie, a new queen whose forces are much diminished after all the fighting. Elliot has a plan to save them all.

Firstly, I hated Elliot. He's just some random kid from the 'burbs who shows up and starts ordering everyone around. And when they don't go along with him, he gets all smarmy and like, 'yes good call it is just as it should be even though you should believe me' which just irritated me to no end. I wanted to know him as a person with flaws and feelings, but he's bossy and angsty and not much else. I couldn't see him as a hero at all.

Somehow he becomes the leader of a little band of misfits who love and adore him and I just was not buying it one bit. I LOVE a good group of misfits but I wanted MORE from these characters. I wanted to know them better and share adventures with them. But it's just always about Elliot and what he thinks and does and how these people relate to him. They never got the chance to show their own personalities. For example, I was ready to fall in love with Long Arm but was never given the proper opportunity to.

Added to that, there is SO MUCH WAR TALK. I know some people will LOVE this aspect of it - those interested in military history and the wars of the ages will enjoy the strategy sessions and planning etc but I went into this expecting a fantasy adventure so it really took the fun out of the story for me.

Fantasy levels are minimal and there's also very little adventuring. I was curious about the lore and history and myths etc but there was so much of it that I got a little lost and found it hard to follow. I could tell there was a substantial story, but I felt too distanced from it to become invested in the world. The fantasy elements that were included felt cliché and unoriginal; it was easy to predict things and there wasn't nearly enough done with it to stand out.

On the surface, it's an entertaining story. The writing is decent enough that I was never really bored by it, but it does feel very much like the depth is missing. There's variety in the characters and some colourful scenes, with some great moments. However I felt the disconnect and was never able to truly immerse myself in this world.

I'd say this will definitely appeal more to those more interested in politics and war strategy. Fantasy lovers may be a little disappointed like I was, but it does seem there's potential for things to really open up in the sequel.


With thanks to the author for a copy

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Review: Breasts and Eggs

Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Quirky and somewhat pointless, yet somehow intriguing from start to finish.

The story is broken into two parts, with the second containing two-thirds of the novel. The first part discusses the breast enhancement surgery Natsu's sister is considering, and is honestly kind of a mess. It's more about the relationship between Natsu's sister, Makiko and Makiko's daughter, Midoriko, which is fraught with tension. Midoriko's stopped speaking, so we get her journal entries instead and it actually took me way too long to realise it was Midoriko's journal and not that of a younger Natsu. I was very confused.

Part two is about Natsu's contemplation of single parenthood and the artificial methods involved. I found the moral questions quite interesting, though it was hard to tell where Natsu stood.

It wasn't until about 100 pages from the end that I realised what my major issue with - Natsu's complete lack of personality. It took her actually getting fired up about something for me to realise that she's so complacent and dull throughout the entire novel. It's hard to get any sense of personality from her, and being told in first person really didn't help her case.

There are a lot of feminist issues here, which I found quite captivating, but there's also that insight into Japanese culture to give it an angle I don't experience often. The role of caregiving is much more prominent in Japanese culture, so it was interesting to read this with that in mind.

There's no real plot to drive it, and there are a lot of ramblings and nonsensical moments that shouldn't have worked but somehow still did. I can't tell you WHY I kept reading, only that I did; almost compulsively as the novel drew towards its conclusion.

I think those more inclined to take their time with books and mull over the themes will receive this quite well. There's a merit to the writing style that it could entertain me with a story I otherwise would have found quite dull, so those intrigued by this kind of story should be happily entertained.


With thanks to Macmillan Aus for a copy

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Review: My Last Empress

My Last Empress by Da Chen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

There's no denying the author can write lyrical prose, but the content is awful.

I'd talk about the plot, but it doesn't involve much more than a pathetic white man with a Lolita complex.

Obviously, I hated him. He's a loathsome protagonist who sees himself doing no wrong because he's led by the ghost of a lost love. He sinks into depravity very quickly and it's nauseating reading his justifications.

Honestly, he's just a terrible human being which made this story awful to read. There's an obsession with sex and fetishising any young female that appears, and there's zero talk of his lack of morality. Any other plot was easily overshadowed by his single-minded focus on getting his rocks off.

This book is a major ICK and will leave you desperate for a hot, cleansing shower.

Not for me, friends.

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Review: The Partner

The Partner by Grisham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Never thought I'd be entertained by a 'legal' thriller, but here we are. Another addictive read!

The plot begins with the capture of 'Danilo' - an ex-lawyer who stole 90 million bucks from his partners and fled.

First and foremost, I LOVE that I spent this entire book rooting for the crafty lawyer who stole a ridiculously excessive amount of money. That's great writing, right there. Patrick was a fantastic protagonist and I wanted so badly for him to get away with everything.

This book really plays on that fantasy we've all had of running away from all our problems; of having more money than we can dream of; of pulling off the perfect crime. It banks on our sympathy for Patrick, who only did what we all have wished we could do at some time in our lives. It succeeded.

The story of Patrick's perfect crime unravels over the course of the book, and it's the slow leak of details that keeps the tension taught throughout. We're dying to know how he pulled it off, but we're also secretly waiting to find out why we're totally okay with it.

A cleverly composed story with fantastic character development to tie everything together. Highly recommend.

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Review: Abaddon's Gate

Abaddon's Gate by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another fantastically addictive book in the series!

I never have any idea where these books are going, and things got pretty wild here. I love being able to just sit back and let everything happen with absolutely zero predictions.

Here we're met with yet another evolution of the protomolecule, and the stakes are getting higher. Holden and his crew naturally find themselves in the centre of things, but there's a larger involvement from some new players, too. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about all these new people, but they inevitably grew on me.

I really enjoy the unpredictability of this series, and how it's so character driven but keeps the story moving at quite a fun pace. There's plenty of action, and a lot of scenes that left me absolutely gobsmacked.

The addiction is real, and its the kind of book that I avoided picking back up unless I had a decent chunk of time to read it because it was so hard to put down.

Perhaps a little slow getting to know all the new people at the start, but that's about my only complaint. Keen to get to the next one soon!

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Review: Big Beautiful Female Theory

Big Beautiful Female Theory by Eloise Grills
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's going to be difficult to put into words how greatly this affected me and why, but I'll do my best!

This is part poetry, part comic, part picture book ... but mostly 'word-blurt'. Just a random assortment of words thrown together and labelled as art.

Now, normally that's the kind of 'literary' work that does my head in completely and frustrates me to tears but somehow there was such a profound meaning to these thrown together words that I suspect maybe they were thrown together with intentional exactness. A logic to the nonsense that hid so cleverly I felt it more deeply once I understood. This was, in my humble opinion, actually art.

Accompanied by an assault of naked portraits from a self-proclaimed fat woman this should have greatly offended me and yet I absolutely delighted in the raw honesty of it all. I adored this brutal self-reflection that almost brought me to tears. I languished over the words and enjoyed teasing out the meaning. And the meaning I was able to draw from these words and images made such an impact on me that I spent almost the entirety wanting to hug this woman or high five her or just nod and say, 'I understand.'

This is absolutely not what I was expecting from this book and I'm thrilled by it. More than a 'feminist manifesto', this spoke to me most because of the accounting of a fat woman. For the detailed experiences caused by a woman's body and society's negative connotations with the idea of 'fat'. SO MANY of the experiences she details are ones I've experienced myself and for that alone I was moved. I felt so much compassion, yet was somehow also inspired. Something about the way she relates her experiences speaks to me of a willingness to heal; a secret positivity that lurks behind even the most self-deprecating words.

With the personal reflections, an accompaniment of women and feminism from many angles - many of which I had to Google. I actually learned a lot reading this, and I enjoyed the delivery immensely. It scratched the surface of an awareness I've only recently felt springing to life so I enjoyed chasing all the leads and learning more about these other women and their stories.

Raw, brutal and utterly captivating.

It shouldn't have worked for me, but it absolutely won me over wholeheartedly.

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Review: Eyes of the Void

Eyes of the Void by Adrian Tchaikovsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Going into this, I wasn't sure it would grab me. I figured I wouldn't need the next book - I thought I didn't need to know how this would all end.

Now I'm desperate for it!

What a fantastic read this was!! Thrilling, intriguing, tense ... I flew through it, actually. Couldn't wait to get back to it, every time I ran out of reading time.

The characters stole my heart in the last book, so it was great to hang out with them again. Olli's hostility towards everyone and everything just makes her so endearing to me and it somehow adds a gritty reality to everything that occurs.

This book really delves into Idris's Intermediary skills and it's so satisfying. We're starting to crack open some of the mysteries of this universe and it is a lot of FUN.

Some new players coming in to mess things up, and some really interesting turns that should make the next book pretty epic.

Of course most of the science goes a bit over my head but it's easy enough to get the bigger picture.

Such a great series and I'm firmly on board now! Need the next one soon!

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: Difficult People

Difficult People by Rebecca Ray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A compassionate, insightful read on how to deal with the difficult people in your life.

Brilliant.

I found a really great paragraph towards the end of the book that sums it up perfectly:

...this is not about fixing you so the difficult person can get away with whatever they want. Instead, it's about helping you develop resilience in the face of a person who is unlikely to change (or who hasn't shown signs of improvement in your dealings with them).

The book explores different types of difficult people and provides insight into how they may have become so. It then outlines ways to protect yourself and your boundaries while empowering you to take control of your own reactions and feelings towards them. It will give you a peek into the inner workings of the minds of difficult people, but it may also surprisingly show you elements of your own behaviour that might be considered difficult.

It's a comprehensive guide that takes the time to explore different personality types and emphasises compassion when dealing not just with difficult people, but also yourself. There's a perfect balance of respecting others while setting clear boundaries, and it's nurturing but firm.

I am fortunate to not have too many truly difficult people in my life, but even still there were moments when the truth hit close to home and it became quite tough to push through. That's about the only thing that slowed me down, and even then it wasn't for long. I was fascinated learning about the different elements that contribute to difficult behaviours and appreciated the examples that made clear any lingering confusion of meanings. There are plenty of tables, bullet point lists and diagrams that make everything easily digestible, as well as a summary at the end of each chapter. I found some parts a little long, but I also know I'll appreciate the thoroughness when I need to return to those particular explanations.

A truly thoughtful, empathetic guide to protecting yourself from difficult people whilst also understanding why they might behave as they do. I really appreciated the kindness and honesty behind these words and I know this is a book I'll return to often.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: Sixteen Horses

Sixteen Horses by Greg Buchanan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you can get past the cruelty to animals, this is a cracker of a thriller.

In a small English town, sixteen horses heads are found buried on a nearby farm. Local detective Alec is on the case, but they call in forensic vet (who even knew that was a thing?) Cooper to help out.

Now, if you don't anticipate animal cruelty from that blurb, you're a little naïve. We're starting with decapitated horses right off the bat and we want to know what happened to them. So if you're a bit squeamish, maybe give this one a miss. I WILL say that I am not a huge fan of animal cruelty myself but I found it bearable here. It mostly made sense within the story and it wasn't ever dwelled on in a particularly gruesome manner, so to me it made a point of difference in a world of same/same crime.

Alec is not a particularly good detective, so I was more and more fascinated to see his side of the story play out. Cooper is the big-hearted vet with an eye for crime so she was much more switched on. That being said, there never seemed to be a huge amount of progress made in the case. A lot of the secrets just came out all at once at the end.

This being a 'literary' crime, I found the writing quite refreshing. I'm not usually one to enjoy flouncy writing but it really worked for me in this one. At times I was frustrated to not be getting any answers, but there was also enough between the lines for me to work with.

I feel like there were quite a few things not quite tied up properly, which was a bit disappointing, and I wish there were more explanations about why things were necessary to the story. But for the most part I really enjoyed this novel and found it to be a quick read. The style was quite different for a crime/thriller novel so I found that aspect of it quite refreshing.

If you're looking for a new take on the crime genre, this a great place to start. Be wary: dead animals lie in this direction. But if you can appreciate their place in the story, you should enjoy this as much as I did.

With thanks to Macmillan for a copy

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Review: The Confession

The Confession by John Grisham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My god this stupid book did a number on me.

Brilliant, but goddamn what a rollercoaster of frustration.

The story begins with the titular Confession - a man named Travis rocks up to a church and confesses to a murder in another state. He's recently got out of prison and realised the man accused of his crime is about to be executed. So begins the race to save an innocent man.

The intensity of rage I felt at the legal process while reading this book is almost unparalleled. Everything was so drawn out, the loopholes and paperwork and arguing and technicalities and bad police work, corruption ... it was absolutely endless. You're given a murder, a man who was set up and imprisoned for the murder, and now a man coming forward to confess to the crime. So it should have been so goddamn SIMPLE but instead we have to read through 300-odd pages of this drawn out BEUROCRACY that sits like an impossible mountain between an innocent man and his freedom.

Hence the frustration.

The worst part of this 'thriller' is that this is the reality of the justice system. A little corruption goes a long way and all of the little details that impede justice being done are just a friggin JOKE when you look at it from a logical standpoint. People covering their own asses and considering that more important than saving an innocent man. It really sickened me.

I'll make my own confession - I nearly gave up on this book, because it was breaking my heart.

This is just not in any way a satisfying story, but it IS insanely captivating and highlights so many issues with the American justice system. It definitely kept me on the edge.

I can't recommend it genuinely because it honestly was a traumatising read, but if you're after a thriller that will fully immerse you then maybe you'll love it. It's a brilliantly written story, but GOD IT HURTS.

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Review: Dark Knights of Steel, Vol. 1

Dark Knights of Steel, Vol. 1 by Tom Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

SO GOOD.

This was so much fun. DC goes medieval, and Kal-El is a prince. Batman is a bastard son and Wonder Woman hails from Amazonia. I AM HERE FOR IT.

This series is notoriously slow to release, so it's going to be a painful wait til Vol 2. This one was pretty epic, with some great twists and moments that left me gaping. I loved seeing all the familiar heroes turning up in unexpected ways and the medieval setting really worked for my fantasy-loving heart. The artwork is fantastic and the artwork on the actual hardcover is stunning.

Could not find a fault in this, and I'm happy to have found a series that rivals DCeased for me. This one would be a great entry for fantasy lovers looking to branch into comics and graphic novels.

Really loved it, so I'll be waiting impatiently for the next volume!

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Review: Miss Austen

Miss Austen by Gill Hornby
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A sweet novel that I really enjoyed, despite the mysterious contents of Jane's letters being rather underwhelming.

The story follows Cassy, sister to Jane Austen - yes, THAT Jane Austen. It's a couple decades after Jane's death, and Cassy is on the hunt for letters written by her sister. We get a glimpse at some of these, which takes us back into the past and allows us a look at the lives of the sisters.

Firstly, I wasn't actually aware of 'the great mystery' of Cassandra burning a bunch of Jane's letters. But this novel talks about Cassy's fear of the letters causing a scandal and besmirching Jane's name, so I was very keen to hear more.

Present day Cassy is a bit of an old fuddy-duddy, to be honest. She's still obsessed with honour and good name and doesn't like dogs (!!!) so I actually didn't like her all that much. But I really enjoyed seeing her soften as the novel progressed, and I really felt for her as I learned about her past. Was also severely frustrated.

Jane is such a delightful character, and so very much like Lizzy Bennet (of Pride and Prejudice fame). She fights convention and resists all things men and marriage to the point that I suspect she was perhaps in the closet at a time when being out of the closet no doubt would have caused all kinds of drama. But that's pure speculation on my part. On the whole, I just loved her rebellious spirit and I'm even more curious about the REAL contents of the letters.

I suppose there wasn't a huge driver for the action, which is where it lost stars for me. So much is built up about how scandalous the letters are but there's really not all that much in them to get excited about. I enjoyed the way the letters led the way into scenes from the past but the past wasn't all that dramatic.

On the whole, though, it was still a really enjoyable read. Nothing too demanding, and the setting feels very realistic and well done for the era. I loved sinking back into this 'English Countryside' vibe that Austen's novels have. I thought it was done really well.

Plus, bonus marks for the gorgeous cover art!

A lovely, low-key story that will warm the heart of anyone who has enjoyed Jane Austen's work. Don't look to solve any grand mystery, but instead soak up the atmosphere and enjoy your time with it.

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Review: Wonder Woman, Vol. 2: Through a Glass Darkly

Wonder Woman, Vol. 2: Through a Glass Darkly by Becky Cloonan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not as good as Afterworlds but still fun.

I really enjoyed the return of Wonder Woman, and how the world rejoiced. It was really cool to see the support for her.

The story after that, though, fizzled a little. There's a thread with Dr Cizko doing nefarious things and causing a bit of trouble, but ultimately there wasn't really a huge threat here to raise the stakes.

Added to that, I've read more recent issues so one of the big reveals that would likely have delighted me was already kinda spoiled.

The artwork wasn't anything particularly spectacular, but I did still appreciate it and it was easy enough to follow.

Overall, kinda average all around but building towards something bigger.

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Review: The Rook

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A unique supernatural thriller that kept me invested the whole way through.

In one of the greatest opening scenes I've read in a while, our protagonist wakes in the rain, surrounded by dead bodies, with no knowledge of who she is and the only clue a letter that begins, 'Dear You ...'

Hook, line and sinker, my friends.

What follows is an introduction to a secret supernatural organisation where our mind-wiped protagonist, Myfawny is charged with keeping things orderly and making sure that inconvenient supernatural disturbances are followed up with all the appropriate forms - all while trying to figure out who is responsible for her current state. Oh, she also has superpowers. As do most of her colleagues.

A comparison to X-Men comes to mind, but there's no dramatic heroics here - saving the day is just a regular Monday. In fact, a lot of the humour comes from how calmly these crazy situations are dealt with. I loved how Myfawny 2.0 just had no patience - it was so refreshing for there to be more anger than fear and have her just go OFF at these psychotic supernatural beings for messing up her day. I support the new model wholeheartedly.

There's the consistent, nagging mystery of how she ended up mind-wiped, which is enough to keep you reading, but then there's also one crazy happening after another and let me just say, these are things that 14 seasons of Supernatural still did not prepare me for.

So the pacing is fantastic, with the main storyline intersected by the 'mundane' day to day business of Myfawny's position. Plenty of action, plenty of humour, and some really unique powers on display.

The characters are a lot of fun, though I did get a couple mixed up. A little more depth on some would have been nice, but there were a lot to introduce in this novel so I'm looking forward to getting to know people better in the next one. As it stands, there's still enough info to give you an idea of the personalities hanging around the office and an understanding of what drives each.

The whole thing was honestly just a lot of fun and I flew through it. It's a refreshing take on super-powered humans dealing with supernatural things, with a nice side of comedy to lighten the mood.

Keen to read the sequel!

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Review: It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth

It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This is the most emo, self-absorbed, pretentious piece of crap I've read in a while.

If you consider yourself a misunderstood emo kid, this will knock your socks off.

If you're looking for logical progression or just any kind of meaningful story in general, this is not for you, my friends.

There is basically no plot - it's just the author drawing random pictures and talking about how art is everything even though her life is a mess and trying to make sense of her misery by inflicting on the page and, as a consequence, the reader.

There's no humility to aid feelings of sympathy; in fact, she comes across as obnoxiously obsessed with her depression and how 'not like other people' she is because of it, which also makes her super relatable. What a conundrum.

I'm not big on self-pity so this really rubbed me the wrong way. I understand how debilitating mental illnesses can be but I think wallowing in it to the extent of inviting others to wallow with you is problematic.

The artwork is a messy jumble of styles; very little colour, and Goodnight Punpun-style simplistic heads on detailed bodies; full page spreads of crap and detailed panels interspersed with narration. There's no consistency to the artwork and while this does a decent job of reflecting the muddled mind, it had a rather nonsensical feel.

So many times I found myself wondering what it was trying to say. It's an unfiltered expression of emotion and while I respect the author's choice to publish it I don't think it's polished enough for general consumption. I felt no empathy reading it - rather, I wanted her to take control those times she realised she was enjoying her misery. Ultimately, it was an incredibly frustrating read.

It's an excellent visual representation of depression and self-pity because there's no logic to it and it's incredibly self-absorbed. She was awful to the people around her and seemed comfortable admitting so with no shame. Honesty is fine but it really didn't work in her favour.

Guh.

Look, I probably sound like an insensitive jerk criticising an autobiographical account of depression. I'm not completely heartless - I do feel for her and I hope she finds a way to her own light. This was distressing to read because she's really embracing her illness instead of seeking help, and that's concerning to me. The people that will really love this comic are the ones that will relate to the messiness of mental illness and this comic does nothing to encourage seeking help - instead it seems to share the message that it's okay to wallow and stay blinded by your own misery. I HATE that.

At the same time, I do believe creative expression is really helpful, so maybe people will read this and channel their own negative emotions into art.

Personally, this didn't work for me at all, but I'm glad the lonely are finding a kindred spirit in its pages.

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Review: The Diviners

The Diviners by Libba Bray
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Look.

This was okay to start with, then really interesting, then kinda slow ... and by the end of it I was just eager for it to be over! It dragged on for SO LONG!

It's a YA horror story about strange occult rituals, paranormal occurrences and sadistic murder. It's set in the 1920s and is obnoxious with this detail. And the lead protagonist, Evie, is ANNOYING AF.

I had to Google what a 'flapper' was, to be honest. That should be telling of how little I care about the 1920s.

The short version: the horror aspect was cool but the pacing was off, Evie was a frustrating protagonist and the 1920s references drove me up the wall.

Evie, Evie, Evie.

She's a drama queen, essentially. Selfish and spoiled, and very #notlikeothergirls because she wants to party and be famous. She's rebellious and inserts herself into everyone's lives because she's convinced she's the only one that can handle anything. I got frustrated with her quickly and that sense of annoyance continued throughout the entire book. She has some suggestion of character growth but the reality is, by the end of the story she hasn't really changed.

I didn't understand the point of Sam, but I did really like Memphis and Theta. In fact, their stories were more interesting to me than the main plot, I think.

I realise now that so much of this book was setting up for sequels, and I think that's why it began to drag so much. There was so much extra detail that wasn't necessary and I couldn't really see the point to it. I don't see myself reading a sequel so it was mostly wasted on me.

The murder/occult storyline was premium, but again there was too much extra running around to help it flow cohesively. I was really fascinated by it but had to wade through all the extra drama to get to the good stuff until finally I just wanted it to all be over. The finale was pretty predictable and then afterwards we're given MORE to help set up the next book. ENOUGH ALREADY.

So yep the last 200-odd pages were a frustrating drag.

Now, the setting.

Controversial, but I hated it. I thought it was brilliantly done, sure. The writing did a great job of transporting you to that time. The language, the behaviours, the outdated concepts ... it was all very on trend for the '20s. But sweet cheeses did that lingo do my head in. The discrimination was awful, too. Predictable, again, in how people would be treated. I was just really not feeling it. But again, this time period just does not interest me. So this is more a me complaint than any actual criticism of the book itself. Those with an interest in 1920s USA should actually get a kick out of it.

It wasn't a bad read at all, and I was actually quite captivated at one stage, but once that wore off the book just seemed to take forever to finish. It was all over the place. I liked it, but I won't be looking for the sequel any time soon.

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Review: The Last Dragonslayer

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Full disclosure: This is just not my kind of book. The humour is the blunt, obvious kind and I prefer more subtle. Absurd English Humour is one of my least fave genres, and Today Me would never have bought this but 2018 Me thought this was a bargain at Salvos for $3 so it's been sitting around on my shelf waiting to be read.

Anyway.

This is a middle grade read for fans of authors like Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and Douglas Adams. It's an absurd tale of failing magic and the death of the last dragon. Expect the unexpected and, if you're familiar with absurd British humour, expect all the same kind of jokes you've heard before.

I just don't find it laugh-out-loud funny like some people. This book has amusing moments and I loved some of the characters (particularly the Quarkbeast) but in general it just didn't do much for me. It wasn't bad, it's just not my kind of laughs.

The story runs at a nice fast pace and doesn't get bogged down with details. The magic is creatively bland with a few moments of delight thrown in, seemingly just to keep people happy. The characters are, for the most part, fantastic. The names are typically silly, but I didn't mind that so much.

*sigh*

Look, it's a bit hard to rate because I can see that a lot of people will have great fun with this one. Particularly kids. But it just wasn't really my cup of tea. That's more my taste preferences than any fault of the book.

So I'd recommend this for young ones easily, and for older fans of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and books with a similar immature streak in which the imagination knows no bounds.

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Review: Game

Game by Anders de la Motte
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

So this was kinda terrible with a side of lost in translation.

The plot is nothing particularly new - dude finds a phone and it offers him the chance to play a game, which mostly involves real world pranks. Things are unsurprisingly not what they seem.

I've read this trope before and much better, to be honest. Firstly, HP is one of the most annoying protagonists I've read in this kind of situation. He's very much a loser - no job, living off welfare, drug problem, and thinks he's way cooler than he actually is - and there's really no reason you feel any sympathy for him. He doesn't seem to grow at all over the course of the book, and he's a jerk to the two people in this book who actually seem to care about him.

The Game itself is interesting at first but he's out after only a few events so the whole setup seems really pointless. Why go to the trouble? From the halfway point it's all about him digging into the Game and also some side story about his sister and her own trauma. But it drags on for so long and you can see where it's all going from a mile away. I got so bored with it.

The side story with the sister and the ex and that whole thing was so painfully obvious but at the same time made no sense. Like, how could that possibly have been a predicted outcome. HOW.

It's also clearly a terrible translation, with strange words and basic spelling errors.

There's just so very little action for a book that's supposed to be about a game. Normally this kinda story is fast paces but it was so dull. I was glad to be done with it.

Not even slightly interested in the sequel - I'm actually shocked they got a trilogy out of it!

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Review: Dead Connection: An Ellie Hatcher Novel

Dead Connection: An Ellie Hatcher Novel by Alafair Burke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another crime novel that was surprisingly good!

Maybe taking some time off from crime was a really good call, because the last two crime novels I've read have been excellent.

This story follows a serial killer that's somehow connected to online dating. Rookie Ellie is partnered up with a quirky detective to bring the killer to justice.

I actually really appreciated how many threads there were to this story. It kept me guessing and this story did a great job of pointing the finger in all kinds of directions. I had no idea how this was all going to go down.

Ellie is a great lead character - she's not perfect but she's not a pariah, either. She's just trying to get the job done. This felt like a really good sample of who she is, and I can see this being a strong foundation for further character building as the series goes on.

The writing was fantastic - you never got a breath to figure things out for yourself because there was something new happening at every turn. Every time you think you might be on the right track, something else happens to put you on another track entirely. It was an addictive read because there's no place you can comfortably put it down without needing to know what comes next.

The story was multi-layered so I really enjoyed delving into this one. Another read that lingered on my shelf longer than it should have.

Highly recommend for crime lovers!

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Blogger Growing Pains

 If you're a regular follower of my blog (do I even have those?) then you'll know that the majority of the content is just book reviews copied over from Goodreads.

This is mostly because I'm lazy - I'm nothing if not honest - but I've also found Blogger becoming increasingly pointless as a hosting site. I don't get stats, so I don't actually know if anyone is reading my blog and, if they are, what actually interests them.

I love to talk books, and promote the ones that really get to me, but I get plenty of that satisfaction through Goodreads. I wanted to build my own platform but Blogger has made it too hard to manage any point of difference.

So mostly this is a post to complain (haha) and explain why my posting is so erratic. I'd like to create my own website eventually, but until time and money allows I've got to stick with this one.

So if you are someone who reads my words, please throw a like or comment my way some time, just so I know its not all for nothing.

And if you're really not a fan, come find me on Goodreads, and we'll talk there. :)

Review: Until You're Mine

Until You're Mine by Samantha Hayes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay, you got me.

It took me like, five attempts to read this book. How did I end up so hooked?!

The premise: Claudia has a baby on the way, and is relieved to have new nanny Zoe there to help her out. Only, there's something ... strange ... about Zoe. Why is she snooping around Claudia's home, and why does she stare so longingly at Claudia's pregnant belly?

This is another book I bought years ago but never got around to. I do like a good thriller but this one being so baby-centric kinda put me off. I'm not really entertained reading all about motherhood, so I wasn't quite sure how much I was going to enjoy this.

I think it shows the strength of this book, though, to admit I was extra-critical while reading and yet still found myself hooked and almost unable to stop from about the halfway mark. I was still a little uninterested in the detective's home life but the secret tension between Claudia and Zoe had me hooked. I knew everything wasn't what it seemed, but I didn't see the big hits coming at all.

This really took me by surprise. The twists were unpredictable and I was so satisfied at being completely oblivious to the truth of things. The final confrontation was fantastic, and this was one of those rare books that had an ending that lived up to the suspense of the book.

This is a truly excellent thriller. Once again, I put a book off for longer than it deserved.

Highly recommend for lovers of crime and thrillers, even if you're not into the motherhood side of things. This was a fantastic, addictive read.

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Review: The Golden Age

The Golden Age by Joan London
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Another completely pointless, bland book. Literary fiction will never stop being a mysterious puzzle to me.

Here's a book that goes into minute detail about EVERY. SINGLE. CHARACTER'S. APPEARANCE. Learn about freckles, stretchmarks, tans, scars, shapes, sizes, sags, clothing, adornments, ETC. Wow. Sheer literary brilliance obviously. Forgive me for being the dullard that spent most of this book thinking, 'but what is the point??!'

There's also something about two kids, in a hospital for polio patients, who fall in love. Apparently. Considering how much detail went into describing how people look, there was very sparse detail of anything else, including any kind of meaningful story.

The kid, Frank, considers himself a poet (and of course at 13/14 everything he thinks, feels and believes is absolutely true and shall remain so even as he grows, because no one ever develops and grows from who they were as a child) so there are a few random lines thrown in here and there, but nothing ever really amounts from it? It's important to him, but it still doesn't seem like a particularly strong part of the story?

Also a strange not-affair with Frank's father which somehow relates to his feelings towards Australia, and his wife.

I think this book must be so steeped in metaphor that it completely forgets to tell an actual story. There's really just no reason to read it. There's a little insight into polio in the early 50s but even that is kind of limited.

Also, I'm still mad that the author inserted a throwaway line about boys reading Spider-Man comics when Spidey didn't hit the scene til a decade later. The devil is in the details, my friends.

So I guess if you like seeing all the characters vividly but having to untangle what they're actually doing, this will be a winner for you. There are some feels here about immigration, and isolation, and weird, twisted love, but it's too 'literary' for my tastes, I'm afraid.

I'd rather rot my braincells with things that are actually fun.


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Review: Clockwork Angel

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Not even the nerdiest of the nerds recites this much goddamn poetry and literature.

There was not a single thing in this book that came as a surprise.

The story goes back in time to the earlier days of the Shadowhunter society you may know of from The Mortal Instruments series. Here we meet perfectly ordinary - oh no wait she has a power no one can explain WOW so powerful - Tessa Gray. She meets the mysterious, arrogant, drop-ya-knickers STUD Will Herondale who saves her and brings her back to the Shadowhunters lair. Things happen involving Vampires, Warlocks, Angels, Metal Men (and women) and other creatures of the Otherworld. There is a love triangle. OBVIOUSLY.

So much of this book wasted time talking about the attractiveness levels of every single character. This is a huge turnoff for me with YA stories and part of why I am so over them. Tessa sees Will and is like, 'oh my god he's so chiselled I just want to run my hands all over his body and make him mine' and that's it - BAM! she's in love. Doesn't matter that he's an arrogant d*ck, treats her like crap half the time and is rude to everyone around him. He's hot. So. That's all that matters. Oh! Also, he recites poetry and literary references back at her. *gags* NO ONE ACTUALLY RECITES POETRY FFS. Also, how has she possibly had enough time to be so widely read but to also have memorised so much?! We all know it's one or the other.

But don't forget Will's opposite best friend, the strong silent type that suddenly becomes his own kind of hot when Tessa stops looking at Will for five seconds.

So much of this story was about the love triangles and who was into who and the action was so mundane in contrast. The fight scenes are either drawn out to the point of monotony or skipped over quickly to get back to the feelings.

It travels along at a decent pace, and there's a story there to keep you invested, but it's also highly predictable so all the twists fall a little flat. That could also be though because I've read a lot of YA fantasy that have all the same tropes though so take that into account when considering my harsh criticisms. I'm aware this series has a cult following (and they just released a manga version!) so if you're less jaded than I you'll probably have a good time with it.

I think I'm getting old, guys.

Those who enjoyed the original series should get a lot of fun out of travelling back to the earlier days, and there might just be some familiar faces to get you excited. There's enough to be curious about to take you into the second book, but personally I'm happy to park it here and just google the rest if the curiosity becomes too much.

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Review: Flowers in the Attic

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I can see how this would have hit harder before all the Covid lockdowns.

The story: After the sudden death of their father, four children are forced to live in the attic home of their maternal grandparents. Mum is hoping to get back into the good graces of her old man, so that when he dies (soon, probably) he'll leave her and the kids his vast fortune.

I am not kidding - the similarities to lockdown were eerie. Remember how grateful we were to have that single hour outside? Actually, maybe this hits harder now because most of us understand a little of what those kids must have been feeling: endless days stretching ahead to fill as creatively as possible, the waves of potential alternating with the waves of despair. The longing to connect with anyone outside of your own family; the endless, 'you'll be free any day now!' Brutal, man.

This story really sucked me in, and I was enraptured with how the kids would go about things. I did expect more horror, and more twisted happenings, but there were still some real disturbing ideas floated that will leave you feeling a little uncomfortable.

The mother is quite a fascinating character, and while I hated her for the most part I think her part in the story was so critical, and made this story what it is. Such an intriguing character study there. The children frustrated me at times but they are also so clearly children, and I liked that it wasn't all perfect positivity.

It's quite an addictive read, and I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next even though nothing terribly dramatic was happening. I was expecting all kinds of things but this is a slow, lurking kind of horror with disgusted faces and uncomfortable shudders.

I raced through it pretty quickly, and I do recommend it if you're looking for something memorable. Not for the faint of heart, but definitely worth knowing about as something of a classic.

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Review: Gideon Falls, Vol.1: The Black Barn

Gideon Falls, Vol.1: The Black Barn by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

All kinds of wild, this one.

The artwork here didn't work for me at all - I'm not a fan of gritty and grainy - and the stylised stuff really did my head in. It's very clever, but my head really struggled to put some of the pieces together. Literal pieces, in some cases. But others may appreciate this style and its incredible contrasts.

Story wise, though, this was pretty out there. There's a mysterious 'Black Barn' that is haunting people and causing multiple deaths ... somehow. Totally bizarre.

I was hooked on the story, though, with its dual protagonists - the new priest investigating with the locals, and the crazy man who is maybe not so crazy. It's an intriguing, dark mystery and things travelled along at a decent pace, with a cliffhanger at the end of each issue. Kept me invested, that's for sure.

This is quite a unique graphic novel, so if you're looking for something a little more out there, this could be a fun place to start.

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Review: Super-Dimensional Love Gun

Super-Dimensional Love Gun by Shintarō Kago
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is BEYOND MESSED UP and I don't know how to feel other than disgusted.

How do I even describe how disturbing this was?

Body horror, sexual depravity, mutilations and murder, twisted entities ... the whole collection was batsh*t insane.

Some of the stories were cleverly disturbing, like the one where a girl is obsessed with scratching herself.

Some were hilarious, like the monster-girl whose head pops off every time she orgasms.

Then some were just straight up nonsensical and bizarre, like the one with some god-slug thing sucking the life from buildings.

That's just a small example - honestly, I tried to burn most of these out of my brain immediately after reading.

There is a plethora of naked bodies in all kinds of messy detail; one story even focuses on (view spoiler)[the application of penises with foreskin in new and unconventional settings. (hide spoiler)] There is an abundance of rape and mutilation and everything seems to come with its own depraved sexual angle. There's one panel showing (view spoiler)[a girl being penetrated from behind by a horse (hide spoiler)] which I'm still trying to wrap my head around.

And somehow there's still a dark, purposeful humour to it all.

This is next level Japanese horror. It goes to all kinds of extreme lengths to gross you out and succeeds almost too well. It's bizarre and twisted and will take you in unexpected directions that will more often than not make you want to scream/cry/puke.

I hated reading it, and it made me think longingly of getting into a hot shower fully clothed and sobbing til I had nothing left.

So like, mixed feelings I guess.

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Review: The Painted Man

The Painted Man by Peter V. Brett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ooooh good yes very good!

My favourite part of this book is how it skips the boring bits and goes straight into the action. Sometimes it skips important scenes in favour of talking about the aftermath and I appreciated that, too. I guess I just really love what the author chose to keep and chose to evict.

We have three main protagonists, but the main chunk of the story follows Arlen. Only 11 at the beginning of the story, he shows us the plague of demons that haunt this world and how wards are the only defence against them. The people are ruled by fear, and Arlen learns very quickly that he's not really a fan of that.

There's also Leesha and, later, Rojar. Each has their own story to tell.

I found the story quite fascinating. At first I thought I would be bored if it was just the same kinda thing again and again but somehow it kept my interest and I became so invested. I felt a lot of feelings, and I really loved the characters. Arlen has some real growth and I enjoyed reading about it.

I wanted a little more wilderness adventure, I think, but I can see that wouldn't have really fit the story. I wanted a bigger world, I suppose, but this small one was excellently done so I can't complain about that.

I'm super curious to know more about the demons, and learn more about this world in general. I want epic-ness to start creeping in, I think. Like, this was a fantastic origin story but I'm ready for things to take off and the stakes to get higher. BRING IT ON.

Keen to read the next one soon!

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Review: Revival

Revival by Stephen King
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Disappointingly dull, I'm afraid.

This is the most disappointing King book I've read so far. The first 100-odd pages had me entertained, but then it just drifted into dull and I couldn't finish it fast enough. There was so very little to invest in.

The story is Jamie Morton's, and begins when he's six years old and meets Charles Jacobs for the first time. The two have intertwined destinies, and none of it is too pretty. Jacobs is obsessed with electricity, Jamie is a muso nomad, and I am already bored.

There was so little point to this story. Jacobs goes on the carny circuit with his electrical experimentation, and Jamie gets hooked on drugs. Even the experiments just did nothing for me. There are some troubling visions and after effects, but for the most part there was very little horror to this story. (view spoiler)[(Giant ants? REALLY???) (hide spoiler)]

King writes well, so the pace travels well enough and you do get to know the characters quite well. But because this is a book called Revival, it naturally is balanced by a LOT of deaths. People around Jamie are just ridiculously unlucky for some plot-convenient reason. Hmm. This book really just reeks of, 'my publishers needed another book from me and this is the best I could do with the time they gave me.'

There was just nothing about this story that I really cared for. It raises some interesting questions about death and the like but nothing new that hasn't been raised before. Plus, King just loves to sh*t all over religion, and while I'm not religious myself I'm honestly finding it a bit old.

Definitely not his best work, and a bit of a chore to get through by the end. Pet Sematary did it better.

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Review: Batman: Hush

Batman: Hush by Jeph Loeb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Was really drawn to the artwork of this one, and it carried me through.

The story involves all of Batman's villainous enemies coming out of the woodwork at once, clearly manipulated by a mastermind behind the scenes. Said mastermind appears to be a figure with a bandage-wrapped head and a brown trench coat.

I did really enjoy seeing so many bad guys in one place. There are also plenty of hero guest appearances, and a lot of allusions to events that have come before in the general Batman canon so I'm glad I had a little background knowledge. It's the first time I've met Bruce's 'best friend', Tommy Elliott, though. I was very suspicious of him haha. Still, he introduced that more human element that Bruce so desperately needs - helped him stand out as a man instead of just his vigilante persona.

The pacing worked for me, with plenty of action cushioned by story and character exploration. There's a bit of focus on the Batman/Catwoman relationship and it was actually kind of nice to see them working together here instead of just constantly annoying one another.

The twists as to the identity of the man in bandages really confused me, to be honest. I could not keep the story straight and so instead of it being a clever plot move, it just muddled things for me. I'm still not sure what the conclusion was or why everything went the way it did. So in terms of the actual story I liked the journey but not so much the conclusion.

Overall, I most enjoyed the artwork and the inclusion of so many familiar characters. I enjoyed reading it, and there are notes in the back regarding all the hidden details in the artwork so that will be especially fun for collectors, art nerds and the curious.

A decent addition to Batman's legacy and a worthy inclusion as one of the more popular Batman titles.

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Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin—The Lost Years #1

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin—The Lost Years #1 by Kevin B. Eastman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I only just read Last Ronin and I'm already glad to be back in this world.

In The Last Ronin, we heard the tale of the last remaining Turtle and how he became the Last. There's a reference to his journey to Japan where he intended to let himself die and this new series covers that period of time. I am here for it.

At the same time, in the present, there's a new generation under construction so we get a little info on that, too.

I wasn't too endeared to the next gen here, but I really loved the look back at Ronin's* journey. (*nickname used to protect his identity) He's a bit broken when the story starts, so it's quite heart breaking to jump into the story at this point. Still, there's that glimmer of hope in knowing how these Turtles operate. We know Ronin will pick himself up eventually, but how??

Once again the artwork perfectly complements the story, and I was equally as invested in this single as I was reading the collected edition of The Last Ronin. This is a story that has been brilliantly planned and crafted, and there is a real emotional investment from the very first page.

Really enjoyed the look back, though I'm still waiting for more from the next gen.

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Review: Lies

Lies by Enrique de Hériz
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Gonna go ahead and DNF @ Pg 123 (30%)

The truth is, I just don't care. I've actually been reading this on and off since December and it has no hold over me at all. It's about a woman who inadvertently fakes her own death so she can live wild, researching anthropology, while her children back home have to learn to go on without her. Her daughter is obsessed with discovering the truth of the past, so there's also a bunch of stuff about her mysterious grandfather? But it's so, 'oooh but maybe that part is a lie?!' that there's kind of no point to any of it? Except for maybe the whole point of the story being that everyone lies all the time. YAWN.

It's told in a rather confusing manner, and I think that's a big reason why this just wasn't working for me. It's clearly a translated novel so maybe it's a 'lost in translation' issue but there are so many words and just not enough substance. Timelines dance all over the place, so one minute you think you're reading about the present and the next you're reliving something from the past or someone else's story entirely. Bit of a headache in that.

There is something of an interesting story here and I'm assuming there'll be a twist later on but there's too much effort required. I'm getting harsher with what I spend my time reading these days and after 100-odd pages and some random skimming of the rest I feel like this just isn't worth the effort.

Maybe one for the literature lovers but too convoluted for me. Pass.

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