DNF

Yeah, I'm not going through Covid again and I'm too tired of American politics. Interesting experience of dnfing King for the first time ever, but it's just not for me.

This book was a very unusual experience. Sometimes it was excellent and interesting, but other times it was so boring that I wanted to stop reading. This happened over and over until the end. The book was also too long, and the middle part was very hard to get through. Everything could have been told with 400 fewer pages.

The writing style was interesting and reminded me of Stephen King. Halfway through, I learned the author is King’s son, so the similarity made sense. However, while the style was familiar, it felt more fragmented and confusing. The characters weren't so well-developed and by the end I didn’t care about any of them, which made the boring parts even harder to read.

That said, the ending was excellent, redeeming the story a little. I’m glad I persevered to finish it, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to others. It’s a book that shines in parts but ultimately struggles to hold itself together as a cohesive whole. In the end I'm glad it's finally over and I'm not sure I'll go for this author again.

As a standalone, this novel is excellent. It’s thrilling, fast-paced, and constantly challenges the reader with moral dilemmas. I read it as the first book in the series, knowing a bit about the character Hannibal Lecter from the movies. Interestingly, it’s hard to see the connection between the Hannibal portrayed here and the character he evolves into in subsequent books. The link between the two feels almost forced, as though it was tacked on at the end of the novel.

Since I haven’t yet read the other books in the series, I’m reviewing this one independently of them. Taken on its own, it deserves a solid rating for its gripping narrative and ability to keep readers engaged. It’s a great start for those diving into Harris’s chilling world, but it might not be so great for those already familiar with Lecter’s future persona.

I was dancing from 4 to 5 stars the whole book, but the ending solidified it to 4. I feel like the twist was a little bit cheap, we were following the bad guy the whole time, but conviniently didn't see the twist. And that philosophical ending did not work for me. Other than that, the story was awesome, pacing fast and exciting, characters alive and believable.

I understand why many found this story controversial and agree that it’s not true that the lives of quadriplegics aren't worth living, and also fundamentally disagree with Will’s decision. However, I found it incredibly engaging to read a story that delves into such a perspective. For those who have read the book in its entirety, it’s clear to me that the author isn’t advocating this choice as the only valid option but rather presenting the viewpoint of a character who made that decision. In my opinion, the author handled this exceptionally well.

Not knowing the book existed, I first watched the movie, so I was aware of what to expect. Still, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the novel. It does have its flaws—I feel it could have been shorter, the POVs of other characters were unnecessary, and a few parts felt dull or overly drawn out. Those lists in particular. That said, everything else was fantastic, from the well-developed characters to the compelling story. I loved how the narrator of Lou acted her parts, she brought her to life!

Overall, this is a book that challenges the reader to explore complex, uncomfortable perspectives, and despite some shortcomings, it left a strong impression on me.

As someone who isn't new to fasting, this book still managed to provide me with a lot of new insights on how to tailor this practice to the cyclical nature of the female body. The author did an excellent job of converting years of research and scientific discoveries into a simple and accessible format. I now have a much clearer understanding of what's happening in my body, which feels incredibly empowering and motivating.

While much of the information was familiar to me, I’m excited to try all the new strategies I’ve learned. One of the standout features of this book is the inclusion of so many interesting recipes. They offer a clear vision of which ingredients can help me feel my best, and I can’t wait to test them out.

However, I did notice that certain food categories were overly demonized, often approached from a perspective of fear, which I didn’t like. That said, these opinions are personal choice and don’t detract significantly from the book’s overall value.

Despite this minor critique, I wholeheartedly recommend this book! It’s a great and practical resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of how fasting can align with the female body.

The sequel had everything like the first part, but it was even better. Clean, concise writing I really enjoyed. It was fun to meet Crawford and Lecter more, and I like that we were again chasing another bad guy while Lecter plot was in the background, but present through the whole story. Great ending, excited to see will Clarice and Lecter have the final showdown in the book three.

Simple, cute and heartwarming holiday story, but maybe a little too much of those things because it ended up being pretty boring. I like how the author writes about Hanukkah, and it was interesting touch that the main story had the same elements like the story they were writing, but it all seemed a little too unrealistic.

Interesting premise and a lot of stomach churning horror scenes, but I kinda wish Stephen King wrote it, so we get longer story with developed characters. Most of the time I had no idea who are the people mentioned so I didn't care what's happening to them. It bother me we never got the explanation what was the creature, and why all that was happening happened, the ending was too rushed. Also, red herrings were so badly written, it annoyed me. I liked Jill was under the influence, that resolution was a great choice. Also, what's with the author's obsession with buttholes?? The narrator was great, I liked his intonation.

This was so good; I absolutely loved the drama! One of my favorite aspects was how Fanny, despite being a textbook people-pleaser, boldly stood up to everyone when they tried to force her into marriage. That contrast in her character made her incredibly compelling.

The humor and wit in the story were brilliant, and Jane Austen’s sharp observations on societal expectations never fail to impress. This is definitely one of Austen's stronger novels in my opinion. However, I still find it incredibly difficult to accept a marriage between first cousins—unless, of course, they're Targaryens!