Ana

This book has a lot of problematic content and is very dated. A constant body shaming, slut-shaming, and misogyny tone weighs this story down, spoiling the already obvious twist halfway through. As a result, the entire book feels more like a waiting game than a thriller or horror.

Content Warnings: Death, Murder, Misogyny, Abuse, Mental Illness

To begin with, this book is a mess. The twist is easy to pick up on despite not being revealed until very early on. If someone is a killer, we must choose between a bad boy and a seemingly nice guy. There will always be the nice guy, and the bad boy will have more to offer than he appears. Is it an overused trope? It can work in some cases, for sure. Does it apply here? Not sure.

I believe this book has a lot of potential for being fun. Despite a quick read and an interesting premiere, this book is heavily dated. It is mind-blowing how much body shaming, slut-shaming, and misogyny there is in this book.

The book revolves around Chelsea, a band geek new to Shadyside who hasn't been out on a date (gasp!). Despite the book's emphasis on her being an outsider, I don't know many fifteen-year-olds being on actual dates, so the obsession seems odd to me. Aside from that, all guys seem to be itching to do just that - despite her mother's constant advice that she lose weight and wear makeup.

Let's introduce Will and Tim. Good boy, bad body. Both creeps and someone who refuses to accept no as an answer. Did I mention Will is twenty years older than Chelsea? The gag.

It's revealed about halfway through the book that Will is a serial killer who hates women because his mother left him with his abusive father. That's probably one of the more realistic and serious reasons someone would become a murderer in Fear Street, but as I said before, the twist early in the book ruins it.

Overall, while the book has some engaging elements, its dated and problematic tropes make it difficult to recommend.

I have a hard time describing my feelings about The White Queen.
When I first started reading the book, I didn't think it was good. The writing style felt a bit different at first, but I enjoyed the imagined scenes of Edward and Elizabeth's relationship. The romance was a bit fairytale, but I could look past that, and I could dismiss the reeling in of the ring as superstition.

Gregory then begins skipping ahead, providing us with only a few short pages before skipping ahead again. Though I understand there are fewer sources from this period than from the Tudor times, shouldn't a good writer fill in the gaps and develop their characters instead of rushing ahead to the subsequent dramatic development? It feels like Edward is just riding off to the subsequent rebellion all the time: Gregory covers the same ground repeatedly, cutting out huge chunks of what is happening.

It was also difficult for me to get into the whole witchcraft angle. You shouldn't call it historical fiction if you're going to include curses and supernatural events. That is pure fantasy. It wasn't even cleverly used.

There is also the problem of not being able to keep track of who is who with White Queen. Everyone is named Richard, Edward, or Elizabeth. It should be noted that Gregory introduces us to many characters with the same name; in fact, there were other names in the 16th century.

Also, there are many court dramas that don't exist. This would have been more enjoyable if it dealt with a shorter time period and we had more time to grow attached to the characters. There isn't much information about the people or how their lives are. There are vague descriptions of who is fighting whom, who is marrying whom, and the political implications. There was a lot of drama and action, but I was bored.

This book and its predecessor have lost my interest despite my fascination with this period of history. There was a lot more going on at the French court.

The book feels rushed and hasty, with big chunks missing from the story. A fairytale romance between Edward and Elizabeth quickly deteriorates into repetitive goodbyes. A lack of story plot and too many characters with the same name kills my interest in this book.

I have never read a Maya Banks book before, and if her other books are as good as this one, I won't read anymore. The storyline is rushed and full of plot holes, and the characters are predictable, annoying, and way too dramatic.

The novel is told from the perspectives of two characters: Caleb and Ramie. As a reader, I found these characters extremely problematic because they made the story even worse. Caleb is a very controlling and annoying individual.

On the other hand, Ramie is one of the characters the author works hard to vilify. She's supposed to be strong, independent, and brave. Instead, Ramie is allowing Caleb to continue smothering her and enabling him by acting like a damsel in distress despite being the one who caused certain situations in the first place.

There is no logic to the romance in Keep Me Safe. It's unclear why Caleb likes Ramie other than she is a martyr who needs protection. Caleb was more concerned with protecting Ramie than with liking her personally. An unbelievable love story unfolds without the reader understanding why he is obsessed with her.

I skimmed most of this book. As I kept skimming for the good parts, I finally realized none. The lack of genuine connection between the characters made it difficult to invest in their relationship. The story failed to provide a compelling reason for their supposed love, leaving me unsatisfied and disengaged.

I read Silver Spoon to see if it was better than Fullmetal Alchemist. Although it's about a different topic, I hope this manga moves me as much as Fullmetal Alchemist did.

The story of Silver Spoon is more casual than narrative-driven. Although it contains fiction, it contains interesting factual information (sadly, I am not an expert on farming and agriculture).

It's a cute manga about personal investment, but it's slow and lacks personal attachment. It doesn't have a memorable cast of characters or a compelling plot for them to engage with. This is more like a TV show about rural living with some manga tropes sprinkled throughout. FMA is definitely more my style, but I'm glad I tried something else by Arakawa, even if I didn't like it.

In conclusion, while Silver Spoon offers an interesting perspective on rural living, it lacks the compelling narrative and memorable characters that made Fullmetal Alchemist so impactful.

While this book began with promise and had many positive things to say, it fell hard at its finish line. I have to dock it to a two-star. I was disappointed because this book really raised my hopes.

Something was infuriating about the portrayal of Selene, aka Artemis. Using ancient Greek mythology's most potent female icon, the writer turned her into a sexually frustrated woman. She was constantly going between irrationally angry and shamefully horny emotions.

The writer turned mythology into a self-inflicted punishment by changing Artemis' chastity from being a punishment to an intentional decision. Artemis' virginity seemed to be more critical to the writer than her other attributes. A Greek god was transformed into a whiny friend who obsesses and complains about never having a boyfriend.

Another main character in this novel is a bit more likable than the overly irritable and sexually frustrated Selene. Soon, Theo became a caricature, spouting ancient mythology with unrealistic ease and declaring ride-or-die love for a woman he hadn't known for a week.

Even though I figured out the killer within the first five chapters, I enjoyed the sleuthing and learning about ancient Greek history. Characters and insta-love were what made me lose interest in the story. I dislike Insta-love, especially when it involves people who profess their love within a few days of meeting each other.

Would I continue the series? No, the lack of character development and the unrealistic portrayal of relationships overshadowed the otherwise intriguing plot. I prefer stories with more depth and authenticity.