My madcap descent into Deadpool (in which I grab whatever's available on hold for me at the library and don't worry too much about correct reading order) continues!

The Deadpool on display here is a kinder, gentler Deadpool than I've come to know and love through the movie and through Cullen Bunn's writing of the character. This Deadpool has a kid, works with a couple of Hawkeyes to protect the personal information of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and leaves the fourth wall pretty much intact. The more vulgar, gimmicky Deadpool is close to my heart, but I also enjoyed what Gerry Duggan did with him here, smoothing out some edges while maintaining the characteristic humor and puckishness that makes Deadpool, Deadpool.

I'm a Marvel n00b, so I occasionally consulted wikis for some backstory I was missing or when I didn't quite understand that reference. But the story is straightforward enough that you don't need vast Marvel knowledge to follow and enjoy it.

This was also my first encounter with non-movie Hawkeye. I found movie Clint Barton sort of boring, but I really liked this version of the character. And I loved Kate Bishop! Even though her costume is ridiculous.

I didn't dislike this as much as some other readers, but I agree that the pace feels rushed and that it is not altogether what I might have hoped for in terms of satisfying conclusions. I rolled my eyes when I was supposed to tear up.

Sort of a 2.5 star read for me. Deadpool gets married, there follows a series of one-offs about his other "marriages," and then there's a flashback featuring Hitler and an annual featuring Madcap. Definitely a mixed bag, some parts of which work more effectively than others. (Gail Simone's Eulogy for a Winkie is a ridiculous standout.) It's not the best, but it's Deadpool, so... *shrugs*

Oh, this book. I listened to it driving to and from work, and I cried and smiled the entire time. Of course, I listened to it from the perspective of someone who has recently fallen in love with a person I'm crazy about, so your reaction might vary depending on your situation. But I thought this was a perfectly charming, heartwarming, funny, and powerful collection of stories.

Gaaaahhhhhh. I have lots of inarticulate feelings.

Quick, factual, unbiased, relatively without frill but containing a few moments that made me wonder how wild the first draft might have been. Kirk finger-wags about getting wrapped up in the sensationalism of Plath's life, then concludes her chapters with foreboding cliffhangers. Surprisingly engaging.

A cleverly written future noir in which the Internet no longer exists and privacy is of such importance that people wear literal masks to hide their identities. Four stars because I wanted more and felt as though I was only skimming across the surface of a vast, detailed world.

This was a standing-at-the-circ-desk, I-can't-resist, sorry-not-sorry read. It was delightful and adorable, and it immediately became part of my list of books to buy for when I have a baby someday.

This is one of those books that lingered on the periphery of my mental to-be-read list, but it took a friend recommending it to make it personal and motivate me to finally read it.

In some ways, this novel did not live up to the hype surrounding it. I had only heard glowing reviews, so it was sort of impossible for it to live up to the reputation of perfection it carried.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is, reduced to its most essential elements, the story of how two boys become a couple. However, this doesn't happen until the next to last page. The other 300-odd pages are about growing up, family, identity, and avoidance.

SO MUCH AVOIDANCE. Designating Ari as the narrator is a really interesting choice because he is so reticent to speak about truths he recognizes, even to himself. As a result, most of the important action in the book happens off the page, or is relayed to the reader in a highly simplified, obscured manner. It's impressive, and makes this novel unique in the world of gay YA narratives, where voices like Dante's are (in my reading experience) more common. However, I can see how this might frustrate readers. Because this is so character-driven and the plot focuses on slow, subtle changes, it sometimes feels like almost nothing is happening.

But I kept reading! I couldn't stop reading! For the first third of the book I kept thinking that the narration felt stilted, that the dialogue was unrealistic, that I didn't know where it was going... And then a thing happens, and I couldn't stop reading! Even when I continued to have reservations about it, I couldn't stop!

So I suppose this book wins, which is why I gave it four stars. I couldn't settle for three, for whatever reason, but I wasn't as blown away as everyone else I know who has read it, wasn't blown away enough to give it five stars. For whatever reason. It's probably for same reason why I would look back at my progress after a reading session and realize I had devoured huge chunks of pages.

To steal a word from Ari and Dante, the appeal is sort of inscrutable. But it's there.