Alkaid

Heard about this story in several different podcasts, but it's so damn dry. I thought it would be worth reading more detailed accounts, but this was a chore I had no desire to finish.

I heard about this book through the author's interview on Depresh Mode, a mental health podcast. Despite knowing how it ends and the basis of the memoir, it still hit hard when I actually read it. As someone who also had a very rough childhood (abusive mother and stepfather with addictions and mental illnesses), I can relate to Liz. My father wasn't active in my life until I was 12, and I still regret not letting him take full custody of me when I had the chance.

But at least I can say I got to meet my father and still keep in contact with him today.

Very solid read, and not overly long. I had to break up my reading (I borrowed an audiobook from the library) so as not to get overwhelmed or too caught up in the author's life.

What a satisfying read and ending! Also appreciate that this story was partly inspired by an episode of Masters of Horrors, a show I grew up watching with family. I didn't get some of the basketball terminology but that didn't take away from the story whatsoever. It turned out to be a pretty big deal, actually.

This gave me serious Rosemary's Baby vibes until the latter half of the book. Just replace Satan with spooky ghosts. I'm interested in reading more from this author.

I wasn't sure what to make of this book at first. I loved Carmilla and the web series loosely based on it, so I was eager to give this a try. The poetry angle and dual POV threw me off however, but the latter wasn't too much of an issue. Nor the poetry, as that thankfully didn't take away from the story overall.

I did feel like the book dragged on in the first half, and was tempted to drop it after the sixth chapter. The whole "rivals to lovers" thing just isn't my thing, but I pushed on and I'm rather glad I did.

For me, the book greatly improved once Carmilla was turned, and the events around that really kicked things up a notch. It's just a shame it took so long.

Oh and uh...the sex scenes were very nice. 👍🏾

I wasn't wild about the addiction side plot, but I understand it was relevant overall and relatable to those who have struggled with addiction. My only experience with it involved being raised in a home with an alcoholic who dabbled in other drugs.

I was also a bit disappointed that we didn't get to see the POV of a character I loved from the previous book, but it makes sense in retrospect. That also fits well with the title.

Overall, I liked how the book wrapped up, and appreciated the less chaotic nature compared to the first book.

Very enlightening, and one of my favorite books about autism. It introduced me to a few topics I wasn't too versed in, such as addiction in the autistic community. I'm very fortunate to not be addicted to drugs (legal or otherwise), so it's not something I usually think about.

Long winded at times and a bit slow to get to the real meat of the story, but I'm glad I stuck with it!

I loved all the homoerotic subtext, but the book really drags in the latter half.

Read this one for the first time in years and it's as good as ever.

It felt very underwhelming, though I actually liked the MC. I just wasn't too impressed with the human characters or the plot, really.

Very morbid and fascinating read.

I wouldn't recommend to Sherlock Holmes fans. The depiction here really put me off.

Some good stories (The Mist, Nona, etc), but mostly a meh collection.

Read for a school assignment. It was a very rough piece, as it's based on the Native American experience. I wasn't sure how it would go at first, since there were multiple perspectives (too many imo because they start to blend together) but it had me crying by the end.

Also what was that ending?? I wanted to know the aftermath but was left with ambiguity.

I've had this on my to read list for years, and I'm glad I finally got around to reading it. While I feel for Caleb, this was a very solid read from the POV of Black people in the era of Jim Crow, with a Lovecraftian spin. A far more enjoyable read than some other period pieces.

Ah, sweet, sweet vindication!

What a great read...I don't usually read historical books set around or immediately after slavery, due to the ties to my heritage and ancestors, but it was a satisfying, albeit bittersweet read.

I read this book years ago, for a high school assignment. It left a lasting impression on me, and I appreciate it so much more as an adult. This book hits hard.

My one complaint is Cassie's big mouth getting herself in trouble. But she's like 8, so it fits.

Wasn't sure I'd like it, but this turned out to be a rather fun read! I'm curious enough to see if there's a follow up.

Took a while to really kick off, but was quite an enjoyable read! I figured out who the culprit was early on, though.

I was on the edge of my seat with most of these tales, and can now say I have an appreciation for Sherlock.

JAKE! YOU'RE AS COLD AS ICE.

What a long winded bore. I stopped caring about who committed the murder, as it just kept droning on and on...The Moonstone dragged on at times too, but it wasn't nearly as boring as this!

Another good one! The stakes continue to grow, and I'm rather pleased about how they recruited disabled kids. Ax wasn't as ableist in this book, which is even better. I'm glad they've gotten better allies, but these kids continue to take really bad risks.