rickjones's Reviews (1.66k)

It's difficult for me to not have mixed emotions about the content of this story, and it's impossible to discuss them without spoilers, so only read the read of this review if you don't mind knowing what the book is truly about before starting it.

While it's arguable that Ward approached this story with the intention of depicting dissociative identity disorder accurately and with empathy, the fact remains that she further played into stereotypes by presenting Ted as a repulsive and monsterous threat until the very end of the novel. Subverting a trope isn't exactly revolutionary if you're still using it to frighten and digust people, the way the trope was originally intended. Giving Ted an ending where he is finally welcomed into another's life and able to speak about his inner world seems like an afterthought shoved into the book to make the reader feel less icky having read a dissection of his trauma after being tricked to think he was a child abductor. However, Ted's goodness shines throughout the book even in the darkest moments. It is rewarding to read a story about a rejected person who is innately kind towards other living creatures, especially when even his own mother treats him as if he is fated to hurt them. Additionally, I respect that Ward included resources to learn more about dissociative identity disorder in the print edition of the book. I don't think those resources or her author's note made it into the audiobook edition.

In its favor, the book is written to keep the reader glued to each page, or in my case, audiobook, which I listened to throughout my entire day until it was finished. The twists are jolting, but feel somewhat dirty to learn after they're all laid out. Ward is a talented writer, and thought I'm still not sure whether I relish this book or detest it, I do look forward to reading more of her work. 

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife is most rewarding in its final moments, as the murderer is revealed in a flashback rich with horrific imagery. However, before this scene the book felt weighed down by its nonlinear reveals and Jessica's melodramatic insecurities and romances. Winstead attempts to explain why her characters are so stuck in their worst traits, yet never reaches depth with them. This resulted in a repetitive, immature narrative and leading woman that I quickly grew tired of listening to. The other leading characters didn't grow on me the way they were intended to either. The only characters I really liked and rooted for and wanted to know more about were Frankie and Jack, who are shoved to the sidelines. The mystery itself did keep me engaged with the book, but I would only reccomend this title to those that love shallowly dramatic thrillers. 

This is a gorgerously lyrical book about a family searching for home while met with insurmountable indifference by both the governments they fled from and towards, as seen through the eyes of their young daughter. Firuzeh is a wonderful narrator whose innocence and stubborness demand attention and empathy, and I was gripped by her story from beginning to end. Yu's language is precise, dreamlike and haunting. She ties the fates of her characters together to joyful and tragic effect, and weaves a story of relentless hope that holds power even in the family's grimmest moments. One of the greatest magical realism novels I have encountered so far. 

This is an adorable guide to learning more about cat behavior and health. I loved the illustrations that complimented each page, and gained some insight into behaviors I've noticed with my own cat. I do wish that more behavioral quirks were talked about, as there are some things our cat does that I'm still not sure I understand. However, this was a lovely and informative book by an expert who truly cares about the wellbeing of cats and encourages us as cat owners to pay attention to how they communicate to better support their needs. Highly reccomended to other cat lovers. 

Unsettled Ground is a beautifully written book about two middle-aged siblings coming to terms with the fragile falsehoods their stagnant life has been dependent on. Additionally, it's a story about a subborn and immature woman taking responsibility for her life and wrangling the means to survive despite immense unfairness and lack of knowledge. I appreciated that while each of the characters does terrible things to one another throughout the course of the novel, Fuller writes them with enough depth to comprehend the choices they've made, even though it may feel wrong to forgive them. From the outside this story may not seem very engaging, but I devoured it and was glued to every page. Fuller has earned her place as one of my favorite writers and I would definitely reccomend this book to other realistic fiction readers. 

The Deep is a lyrical and heart-wrenching story about generational trauma and grief that overwhelms when not shared. It was sometimes difficult to read such intense and familiar descriptions of trauma, but the story washed over me with its rich language and persistent wisdom and became impossible to put down. I look forward to reading more of Solomon's work, and was impressed and awed by this one. 

Bound in Flesh contains the most grossly creative horror stories I've ever read. These authors did not hold back exploring digust, transformation, and dread, and the horror world is all the richer due to their efforts. My favorite stories in the anthology were "Coming Out", "Mama is a Butcher", "A Scream Lights Up the Sky", "A Brief History of the Santa Carcossa Archipelago", and "Man of the House". I don't think I could describe these stories in a sentence without diluting their impact and uniqueness so I'll allow readers to discover them freshly for themselves. This book is definitely not for the squeamish, but for the rest of us, its a gem. 

Retro Horror is an anthology that summons the feeling of surfing through horror comedies on Tubi to find the one that seems the most monsterous and unhinged. While most of the stories weren't intensely gross or terrifying, they were each entertaining and varied in tone and themes. My favorites were "Mothsquito", "Dippel's Monkey", "Pirantulas", "The Mouth of the Deep" and "Crypto Cage Match". I most enjoyed reading the descriptions of monsters, and would reccomend the anthology to others who appreciate ridiculous creature feature horror stories. 

This was one of my favorite books when I was young, and I definitely feel it earned that honor now that I've read it again as an adult. Henry's descriptions of nature are lush and awesome, in the original meaning of the term. The children's longing for a pony is so urgent that every word in the novel feels rushed and weighted. The illustrations in my library copy of the book were gorgeous, and I hope to find the same edition somewhere for myself to read it again and again. This book is a classic for a reason. 

This book was a great primer to read before visiting Corolla's wild horses. It provided important information that tourists must know before and during their travels to the 4x4, and expert advice on how to improve your wild horse photography if you aim to take stunning photos. Though the text in the book is minimal, I was inspired by Fisher's story and awed by the photographs. I would reccomend this book for others who appreciate wild horses.