Tears. Just destroyed me.

The snowball scene was inspired, like I am in awe of Fujimoto's ability to mesh the art and writing to depict something so gut wrenchingly abstract. 

I can see why this book is so popular, and had I read it when I was in my early to mid teens I would have loved it. Reading it now through the eyes of a grown woman, I can appreciate it for what it is but have trouble looking past it's flaws. Pros: Well written prose wise, engaging and easy to read. I found the plot engaging and didn't have any trouble finishing this book within one day. Cons: To frame this story about the isolation of a group of young women through the eyes of neighborhood boys was a choice that I didn't particularly enjoy. It limited the girls to props with very little agency or character to call their own. Perhaps this was the author's intent, to show that these girls were constantly perceived as objects or non-human. Whatever the case, it left them feeling hallow and undefined as characters. At best they are manic-pixie-dreamesque and at worst they are completely void of all personality or humanness. Their motivation to end their lives is not fleshed out well because we don't see them as fully realized people. This makes the ending less impactful in my opinion. 

The long and short of it is, I did not hate this book, I thought there was definetly merit to it's premise and ideas. However, the framing of it through the eyes of male characters severely limited it's potential. 

Junji Ito brings a combination of incredible writing and art to create a masterpiece of horror fiction. This collection was brilliant. The character and lore of Tomie could have been made redundant by the third or fourth story, but somehow Ito breathes fresh life into each and every chapter. When you think it can't get any worse, it does. When you think you can predict how Tomie will find her end, you can't. I was in constant awe from chapter to chapter. 

I am not sure if these stories would work in any other medium but Manga. A novelization would lack the impact the illustrations bring, a film or tv adaptation would lack the intricate detail in every panel... Just a perfect storm. Couldn't recommend more. 

Quick paced and some plot twists that I definitely didn't see coming. I thought I had this book figured out a few times only to be proven wrong, this is the first time in a McFadden book I found the red-herrings to be truly effective.

I really thought either "Real Kevin" or Randy would end up being Slug grown up, and I never expected Gretchen to be Daisy - that twist took me totally by surprise

All in all, a very twisty story with a good pace - an easy read for sure. 

McFadden books remind of episodes of procedural TV or mystery/thrillers you put on to turn your brain off. The writing is not spectacular but good enough that it doesn't pull you out of the story. They are quick reads and decently paced. The predictable template of set up, plot twist, second plot twist, teetering resolution is easy to digest and gets the job of a thriller done. 

The Coworker, of course, follows this same structure. I enjoyed the plot twists but wished for a more satisfactory ending - found the

Murder of Tara by Natalie to be interesting but wished there was some sort of comeuppance for Natalie, that she didn't just get away with everything I think I would have found the ending much more satisfactory if we waited a bit longer for the reveal of Dawn being alive and behind the whole thing and ended with Natalie in jail

Overall, good but not my favourite of McFadden's works. 

Potentially my favourite of the series. I really loved the ending and found the whole thing to be a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. 

I am happy to say that this series did not disappoint. A solid start, middle and end. I understand why some people find Holly Black's writing juvenile, because objectively it is juvenile. However, seeing as this is a young adult series I did not find it unwarrantedly juvenile. It was written in the punchy, fast paced and simple way that the young adult books I grew up on were. It's no Hunger Games and it definitely shouldn't be added to any middle school reading lists but for a fun little fantasy trilogy, I really enjoyed myself.  

I read this as a part of a "reading books from every country" challenge for Laos. I find with this challenge reading short story or essay collections to be an excellent way to sample writing from different countries. Although written by the same author, these stories showed the perspectives of people in differing stages of life or in different socio-economical places. I loved the raw depiction of acclimatizing to a new country after immigration as told from the eyes of a child and an adult, a parent and a single person. There was a real joy in the love of Lao culture but also a sadness in the alienation the characters feel as they are forced further from it. 

I would highly recommend this collection, beautifully written and easy to digest. This will pull at your heartstrings, make you laugh and keep you thinking long after it is completed. 

What can I say about Bride by Ali Hazelwood?

This is my first Hazelwood novel, and I understand it is quite different from her other works - at least in concept. I enjoyed the cheesy paranormal romance to a degree but overall this book was lacking in my opinion. It felt very fan-ficish, especially the last quarter of the book. The prose was fan-ficish but also the structure and plot felt very "authors note: I am making this up as I go along" Don't get me wrong, it is a passable book, I didn't want to claw my eyes out and I didn't consider DNFing. However, I do not think I will be seeking out any more Ali Hazelwood books any time soon. They don't seem to be my taste. 

If you enjoy thought-provoking and philosophical books that challenge social norms and mores, you will love this short and snappy book. I loved the way the author decided to frame this discussion. It was so engaging and impossible to put down. I know I will be thinking about this book long after I finished it.