Caitlin

I'm not usually into mysteries, but Glass Onion influenced me to pick this one up and maybe I am into mysteries after all! The execution of concept and misdirection were masterful, even if the whodunit answer didn't especially floor me.

Masterful on so many levels. I knew the key story beats and twists from the show, but the story, battle descriptions, prose, world-building & characters still blew me away. I can only imagine how reading this first might have floored me.

This volume sidelined my fears from Volume 2 with a twist that wasn't deeply buried in soccer jargon. Side characters are also taking center field as the story beefs out their potential, making them ones I'm looking forward to rooting for. Onwards to Vol. 4!

Not as good as last issue - how could it be after THAT bombshell - and maybe tries to cover too much ground, but still solid. Totally learning through these reads I prefer binging comics since these build-up issues always have me restless for more.

Persuasion could be my favorite Austen (more investigation required to know for sure). BUT this was not the novel; this was the DRAMATIZATION, which I despise because prose is nixed in favor of inauthentic feeling dialogue and foley work. I also listened explicitly for Florence Pugh and she was JUST the narrator. WHY would you get Florence Pugh and then essentially bar her from delivering any of the meaningful, emotive dialogue that arguably gives Austen's novels their substance?

I'm really torn on this one. On the one hand, it definitely feels like a draft when you hold it up to the class act of To Kill a Mockingbird. Likewise, the elder abuse allegations paint a very troubling shadow over the entire book and the race discourse that is tackled make it really messy at its core. On the other hand, there are seeds here for some really interesting themes - including those about growing up without a mother and environment shaping your views - that I think would have especially been so powerful if Lee had maybe been able to optimally work on this book in her prime. I'm also probably a part of the minority who think that Atticus Finch turning out to be more racist than Scout's memory leads you to believe is a really smart take that forces the reader to examine what it means to see your idols as flawed humans. It's an especially interesting approach in a post-MeToo era where we often have to confront the fact that certain individuals we put up on pedestals are more fallible than we give them credit for.

I started reading The Walking Dead at the end of last year. The earlier arcs were chef's kiss investigations into sociology and psychology, but the end felt jarringly rushed. Rick and Carl also became annoyingly self-righteous in my honest opinion. I take issue with presenting any person as having all the answers when it comes to leadership and politics which seemed to be the case with the Grimes's by the end, which is a shame since it seemed to erase a lot of the grey that made the series initially so good.

Damn. And that's all she could say: damn.

Unfortunately, this was a Backman that didn't hit for me. The book swings between grounded meaning and syrup-y sweetness on a dime. The grandmother foils Elsa nicely at the start, but, without her, Elsa becomes too precocious. I did listen to the audiobook so that may have made a difference, but still had difficulty coming to grips with the book's eccentricity.

I'm a big Backman fan so this seemed like a nice quick read to pick up. Consists of heartwarming little anecdotes, though probably doesn't optimally resonate with me as a non-parent and especially as a non-dad.

So I read this after finishing Lord of the Rings and geez it's probably as far as you can possibly get from Tolkien vibe-wise. Don't misunderstand though: I loved every grim, gore-y detail. The writing style, humor and characters are standouts so despite the fact that I think the plot and world-building could do with some fleshing out, I can't wait to continue with Abercrombie's other works.

This wasn't an easy read, but it was definitely a meaningful one. Incredibly well researched and written. Considering the subject, I can only guess at the effort it took to report on such a dark time in Irish history, but this succeeds in bringing the Troubles into stark detail.

Based upon the little I've seen of the show, this series goes in a ... direction. Unfortunately, it looks like the comics are not quick on the upswing. The intro feels very basic so waiting for it to transcend into something unexpected.

Wow, what an intro! I'm not usually one for thrillers because the premise tends to supersede characters and themes. That said, this volume strikes the perfect balance between all of those elements. The analysis about what it means to do the “right thing” also really resonated with me for some reason and please let the record show that I used a Ted Lasso bookmark throughout my read that quoted, “Doing the right thing is never the wrong thing.” How positively ironic.

The feminist themes and prose are highlights of this retelling, but its strengths end there and those strengths honestly kind of clash. Perhaps a side effect of the audiobook narrator, but the characterization rings decently hollow for me and the pacing trends towards aimless. A dash of modernity just isn't enough and I just think that if you're going to retell a myth centuries old in today's day and age, it's got to add something more substantive from a modern lens beyond the feminist angle presented here.

I read the first one and thought it was fine, maybe a little underwhelming at best. That said, I wanted to see where the rest went. Well, I regret that curiosity now. This one is definitely too YA for me so there's that, but the romance is blah and the plot listlessly plods along to the bitter end when an unearned cliffhanger appears. Maybe it's a case of middle book syndrome, but I'm pass on the Renegades overall.

high-pitch screeching
Translation: MY FAVORITE COMIC SERIES IS FINALLY BACK FROM ITS BABY HIATUS TO SLAM ME WITH NEW PLOT THREADS I'VE BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY FOR SINCE I FIRST CAUGHT UP IN 2020. I FEEL SO ALIVE.

I regret to inform you that this book series was one of my favorites when I was younger. As I revisit these books as an adult, it's become clear that I can accredit this series to many of my longheld quirks, which here means a completely morbid sense of humor and attraction to meta-references. Regardless, it surprised me to re-discover how gory and cynical these books are at heart, and yet what could I expect from a series that labels itself so blatantly as “unfortunate events?” I should have more carefully listened to Lemony Snicket's warnings ...

In all truth, A Series of Unfortunate Events is a pretty genius series and that definitely includes “The Miserable Mill.” The mystery spun through each episode of the Baudelaire orphans' journey is engaging enough, but Lemony Snicket's irreverent and witty writing style elevate these books to classic status for me. It's also impressive that the books successfully explain higher-level vocabulary and literary devices in a subtle way that builds on top of that growing mystery rather than detracting from it. “The Miserable Mill” is also where (in my opinion) the book starts to deviate from the formula established in the first three installments by forcing the Baudelaires to take up each others' strengths rather than just relying on their own. It's dark, it's intriguing, it's ridiculous and you know what? I can't wait to continue to reacquaint myself with this series.

This one doesn't delve into any one topic or theme super extensively, which is a shame since there's so much to unpack here. Still, it did provide some solid history and analysis of the series that definitely gave me a deeper appreciation for Middle-earth and all that went into its creation. I suppose overall this is a good appetizer if you're looking to dip your toe into the wider Tolkien discourse.

I loved Michelle Obama's memoir “Becoming” by Michelle Obama (inside joke) so I was naturally worried about this one's sequel-y vibe. How do you follow perfection? But Michelle is so eloquent and her life advice HITS. Perfect balance of wisdom and realness. Straight fire and I think all ages will be able to take something away from this one. To quote Michelle herself, “Hey, Queen! Girl, you have done it again, constantly raising the bar for us all and doing it flawlessly. I'd say I'm surprised, but I know who you are. I've seen it up close and personal. Girl, you make me so proud and I love you.”

The book's title does a better job of describing my feelings towards this book than the dynamic going on between the lead couple. These two are cute with a capital Q and TOTALLY, UNQUESTIONABLY into each other. The fact that they're even unsure makes them seem dense af because I mean these signals could not be more obvious. I cannot believe that for the WHOLE plot they weren't clear on the fact that their fake dating was just them ... actually dating. Come on, people, wise up. Overall, sweet slice of life, but I will say that sweetness doesn't mix especially well when things get spicy, if you know what I mean.

Okay, what am I going to say about this book that hasn't been said before besides the fact that everything you've heard about it is true? I always had trouble reading through Fellowship, but I think it just wasn't the right time for me to touch Lord of the Rings in general. Plus, as everyone seems to indicate, Fellowship is the building blocks for the journey ahead and is also maybe the weakest link in the series.
Anyhow, that all seems really silly now because the collective whole of Lord of the Rings is absolutely incredible and this ending solidifies that. Tolkien meets every lofty expectation as a master of his craft, creating believable and alive characters that by the end truly feel like friends facing ridiculous odds who you feel stupidly attached to. I especially love the themes of hope and perseverance; they really resonated. It's worth noting that I listened to the Andy Serkis audiobook, too, and boy does that man make everything come all the more alive.

A guilty pleasure of mine that I feel not at all guilty for loving. This isn't perhaps a groundbreaking piece of media and the villain is certainly a choice but I'm a simple gal: I see a Peggy Carter thing and I love it.

I'm interested in Garou and his whole deal, but I can't say much else stood out about this volume. Maybe my fave OPM thing - the fight scenes and their use of space on the pages - are shortening the meat of each volume and dragging the pacing out a bit more than what I'm used to from other manga. Still - I'm entertained.

This volume got a bit more technical and soccer-focused than Volume 1 and it's hard to tell where the themes of individualism vs. teamwork are ultimately headed. I'll continue, but the current trajectory leads me to believe this is more than a hat trick series.