ellemnope's Reviews (2.4k)

This is the most disturbing read I've read in a long time that wasn't either a horror or an intense thriller. If you're planning on reading, be prepared and know what you're getting into. I have to give the author a lot of credit. This story is incredibly believable and at the same time definitely was able to make my skin crawl. Although it is stated in the introduction that this is a work of fiction, the narrative reads as if it could easily be a memoir.

The investigation into the sexualization of females and the gaslighting that occurs in a lot of abusive relationships. It's very interesting to read through the justifications that Vanessa comes up with in her own head even as she is slowly recognizing that she was misused and abused by Strane. I absolutely felt that I could have put myself in her own shoes with these rationalizations...especially at the age of 15. And the fact that this grooming and manipulation undoubtedly occurs for girls this age just increased the cringe factor of the book, intensifying its impact and message.

While certainly not for the lighthearted, I still very much recommend this book. It is insightful and incredibly well-written. It is believable and slowly builds to illustrate to the reader how these relationships start slow and then can snowball into catastrophic circumstances.

Spoiler

The use of a "good guy" character later in the book to further demonstrate how subtly this manipulation and gaslighting can occur is masterfully done.

Tread lightly and be prepared, both to be disgusted and enlightened.

A both heartbreaking & heart-warming middle grade. Following a young transsexual female who is not "out" to her family or friends, this story was so gently told. It was incredibly well-written in terms of its angle toward the middle grade audience, but also reads in a way that can be highly impactful for adults. Viewing the struggle of gender identity in someone so young is something so unique in a novel and I am in awe of how well it was done. Being an OwnVoices story certainly makes it more authentic and believable.

This book goes a long way toward creating a good education for those who aren't understanding of the struggle of gender identity, or even identity in general. The flexibility and compassion of young individuals is demonstrated well and it goes a long way toward showing that it is adults who really need to examine their treatment of those who may be different than themselves. The lessons of understanding and acceptance are incredibly well told. It is disappointing that this book is currently among the most commonly banned books in the United States.

4.5 stars.

Alright. I give in to the hype. This was indeed a really good read. Though I was able to figure out the premise fairly easily and felt that Jason was maybe a bit naive as to his circumstances at first, the book was really well constructed and certainly pulled some serious punches in the last third. The writing is fun and scientific without being too far over my head, though I was lost in the physics a couple of times momentarily.

The beginning starts pretty normally and I was kind of like "What is everyone getting all wound up about? This feels pretty typical." And then I was smacked in the face by a pretty heavy twist near the late middle that took everything I thought I had figured out and tossed it in a blender. I could have done with more tension and suspense in the beginning and I could have done with more of the Amanda story line, but overall...quite gripping and enjoyable.

This baby crosses a PILE of genre lines and it is awesome. A little scifi, a little thriller, a little romance. It's just a good time, people. There are some who get gripey about it because they say there are too many cliches or that it is trope laden. I say bah. It's suspenseful, it's actiony, it's got some good gotcha moments. Enjoy the romp.

3.5 stars.

There is a lot of confusion in this initial issue. The graphics are very dark and gritty, as is the story. The reader isn't provided clear background, but rather it is given in small snippets throughout the issue in ways that don't always ring clear. Characters are thrown into the midst without a lot of introduction and I'm not sure I really understand half of what happened. Still, the premise is interesting and the plot packs a lot of intrigue. Be aware that there is a lot of sexualized and otherwise adult content. This is definitely for mature audiences only.

This is so cute and fun. I love that there is a female centered character cast and that the chosen age group is college, rather than high school I think it's an age that is often overlooked. I loved the art style and the color choices. It made the reading even more enjoyable.

There is a little bit of confusion in the beginning, as the reader is just dropped in midsituation, but overall the plot moves great and keeps things interesting. The characters are great and totally believable. I could totally envision people I've known in the past in their places.

Really enjoyed this and looking forward to continuation of the series.

4.5 stars.

I'm getting sucked in. I can feel it. I am loving these characters, particularly Esther. She's so much fun to follow. The banter between the characters is super fun and lively. The writing is clever, witty, and really enjoyable. I love the high energy of the plot and the fast pacing. Onward!

4.5 stars.

I get the hype. Sure, I've enjoyed King's writing before, but I've always shied away from The Shining. I blame it on Joey from Friends. And yes, it definitely brings the scare. But I will say that my shock and horror at this book was hurt by the fact that I've read it so far down the road from its heyday. I KNEW TOO MUCH. Dang it. Sucked the air out of it just a tad. Granted, the things I know about the movie (I haven't seen it) do tell me that there are differences between the book and the novel, but I already knew the crux. If I hadn't, this would've very likely been a 5-star read.

The atmosphere is great and the creep factor was majorly high. I was a particular fan of the topiaries. I don't know why. I just find them more intriguing than the rest of the story. A bit of horror-tinged whimsy perhaps? The character writing was really well done and the plot moved really well. I don't have a lot of sticking points.

The one thing I will say for this is the same thing I find in almost all of the older King books I've read. The use of the "n" word is excessive and offensive. It could have easily been left out. The use of sexual language when addressing Danny, a young child, is highly disturbing and...again...unnecessary to the plot. Besides these cringy moments, the rest of the profanity and body horror fit fine with the story.

If you're on the fence about reading this one, I say it's a good addition to your repertoire. The less you know about the plot, the better.

I have to admit that I am surprised at the accessibility of the writing in this novel. Classics are usually so stuffy and pretentious. Dracula, instead, read a bit more like a modern novel, with a less formal narrative style and believable dialogue. The parts from Dr. VanHelsing were a little more difficult to read through due to sentence structure, but I still made it through these okay. I liked the epistolary style and thought it worked really well for the story. The tale was still told in quite a well-encompassed way and the story felt full and atmospheric.

Some of the characters were better than others, but for the most part I felt like they were well constructed and believable. There was actually less of Count Dracula himself in this book than I expected, but I really didn't even think about that until I was writing this review, so I guess it didn't bother me.

This is a very long book, and I do think that there are some pieces that could have been easily excised, but there weren't any points that I found overly plodding. Things made sense, fit together really well, and the characters all seemed to make logical decisions. For a horror book, especially one of the very first of the genre, this is very believable and quite engaging. I enjoyed my read and was really pleased with how things went overall. The ending felt a bit rushed, so I could have used a little more conclusion, but otherwise a super solid read. It's the 1 in 5 situation where I solidly believe a classic was worth reading.

4.5 stars. I continue to love this series. This is my 5th volume in less than a month. That should tell you that I love it. I don't think I've read 5 volumes of any graphic novel series before!

Thank goodness there are a lot of volumes to this series, because I am just plowing through them! These characters are just adorable and I love them so much. I can tell you right now that I will be very sad when I finish this series. The perfect pick-me-up read and a great palate cleanser. Would be the perfect choice to get yourself out of a reading slump.