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librarymouse
funny
reflective
medium-paced
I really don't know what to think of this book. So much of what the author said about his extended family felt like foreshadowing for him exploring his eventual loss of religion because of the atrocities some of them committed, but as of the publication of this book the author is still actively Evangelical. The conflict between his fervent desire to live vicariously through his bank robber cousin or actually commit crimes for the thrill of it, versus his professed religious beliefs is so wild. Finishing off the postscript with an exploration of how his previously lovingly described cousin and uncle assaulted and abused their congregations was a whiplash moment.
This was an engaging read. The pacing was just weird.
This was an engaging read. The pacing was just weird.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Mental illness, Violence, Medical content, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Alcohol, Colonisation, War
Minor: Racism, Suicide, Cannibalism, Deportation
American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst
DID NOT FINISH: 15%
Didn't quite catch my attention as I was reading it. I had to go back and reread a few pages a few times. I may pick this up again later.
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
DID NOT FINISH: 50%
I was really enjoying this book as I was reading it. I just put it down for too long and lost track of all of the names and places of importance. I'll pick it up again eventually.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
These books and this universe are so incredibly cozy! I am bereft that this is fiction. I adore Orro, I love the phrases "battle buddies" and "combat friends", and I am so happy to see everyone healing from the trauma of almost losing Dina. Dina is a very good innkeeper, and an even better friend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
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adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is a great addition to the series. I was somewhat hesitant going into it, knowing that this would be a different narrator than the rest of the books, but I should have known better than to second guess Ilona Andrews.
I really enjoyed having the further insight into vampire culture, and getting to know the vampires we've already met in their own context, rather than fighting on Earth.
Maud is very badass, but not in an overpowered way. It's in a way that fits with her upbringing in an inn, and the ambiguous nature of her magic. It also makes her uniquely qualified to be the maven of her new house. She is perfectly suited for vampire diplomacy. Her mention of not being Gerard's biological daughter feels like foreshadowing for something, and I look forward to learning what it is in future books. I adore Helen and I also really enjoy that while vampires condone violence, lady Illumina was as horrified as a human would be that a child is young as hell and has had to kill before. Maud proving herself and Helen intervening with Illumina was fantastic, and her and her husband adopting Helen as their granddaughter made me grin like an idiot.
Also, Arlan referring to Helen as his daughter ♥️
Very fun, minimal references to 2010s pop culture we're also dotted through this book, especially harkening back to the sly reference to Twilight in one of the earlier books.
I really enjoyed having the further insight into vampire culture, and getting to know the vampires we've already met in their own context, rather than fighting on Earth.
Also, Arlan referring to Helen as his daughter ♥️
Very fun, minimal references to 2010s pop culture we're also dotted through this book, especially harkening back to the sly reference to Twilight in one of the earlier books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail
A Killer By Design: Murderers, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher the Criminal Mind
Steven Constantine, Ann Burgess
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
Having read some books on the integration of psychology and law enforcement in the past, it is surprising to me that this is the first time I'm hearing of Ann Burgess and her role. Do not take the warning at the beginning of the book lightly. She doesn't shy away from true description of the crimes she has studied and the work she has done with the FBI. Her focus on the victims and pursuit of understanding are admirable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really enjoy that these books have self-contained plots with a few overarching subplots that stretch across the books. One Fell Sweep was engaging the whole way through, and introduced a gorgeous and entertaining new cast of characters. I adore Helen. She is precious and mildly creepy. Maud is equally delightful, and I love that we're given a window into Dina's relationship with her sister, and their childhood. Orro continues to be delightful. This series is a gorgeous mix of found and biological family coming together as one.
Fuck. The Draziri were killing the beings they thought to be their gods the whole time. A faux holy war set up to disguise a flaw in their religion is a deeply upsetting and a fantastic twist ending.
The inn seed was so sad.
The sex at the end felt somewhat out of place for me, but I guess it's a sort of pay off for the building tension throughout the first few novels. In general , though, I'm glad Dina and Sean opened themselves up to communication and compromise to be able to be together.
The inn seed was so sad.
The sex at the end felt somewhat out of place for me, but I guess it's a sort of pay off for the building tension throughout the first few novels. In general , though, I'm glad Dina and Sean opened themselves up to communication and compromise to be able to be together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I love Orro! He's such a fun character! This addition to the series adds a collection of vibrant new characters and adds to what we already know about characters from the previous book. This was a video engaging, fun, and fast read. My only concern is that this book sets up a trend for Dina to be on deaths door once per book. Really great twist and red herrings.
There are some anachronistic feeling references to memes that are pretty funny just for the slight breaks in the suspension of disbelief. It adds to the story.
There are some anachronistic feeling references to memes that are pretty funny just for the slight breaks in the suspension of disbelief. It adds to the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death
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adventurous
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a really fun science fiction/fantasy romp. I love the blending of science into the unknown of magic. My only gripe is how obnoxious Sean is at the beginning of the book. I am not a fan of hypermasculine threatening as a precursor to a possible romance subplot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
This novel doesn't quite cross into police brutality, but there is a law enforcement officer who harasses the main character because he can sense something off about her and her house (the magic)
dark
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
This was an informative book about how the Marquis de Sade and one of his most infamous works have impacted history from the French revolution through modern day. I found much of the herocizing of the Marquis to be unsettling at the best of times. It feels as if the world chose to forget his reprehensible assaults in exchange for viewing his writing academically.
The association between the Marquis and the French surrealist movement has permanently tarnished my perception of the movement. Their taking his work for its artistic value, rather than receiving them in the context of the violent sexual assaults he perpetuated shows a fatal flaw in the foundations of the movement.
Much of this book, in setting the stage for the final act of destruction associated with the text 120 Days of Sodom, focuses in on the life, delusions of grandeur, and crimes of the founder of the rare book and historical document investment firm Aristophil. His artificial inflation of their worth single handedly destroyed the rare formerly thriving French rare books market. Though occasionally mentioned, and somewhat intuitable, the idea of a curse associated with the manuscript isn't kept up in the text of the book, but is rather ephemeral within the subtext, especially in association with the Aristophil narrative.
The association between the Marquis and the French surrealist movement has permanently tarnished my perception of the movement. Their taking his work for its artistic value, rather than receiving them in the context of the violent sexual assaults he perpetuated shows a fatal flaw in the foundations of the movement.
Much of this book, in setting the stage for the final act of destruction associated with the text 120 Days of Sodom, focuses in on the life, delusions of grandeur, and crimes of the founder of the rare book and historical document investment firm Aristophil. His artificial inflation of their worth single handedly destroyed the rare formerly thriving French rare books market. Though occasionally mentioned, and somewhat intuitable, the idea of a curse associated with the manuscript isn't kept up in the text of the book, but is rather ephemeral within the subtext, especially in association with the Aristophil narrative.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Excrement