ridleyreadsthings's Reviews (789)

An excellent follow up to last year's ACT 1. The cast was incredible and it was so easy to fall into the world of The Sandman. James McAvoy is perfect as Morpheus. It's a bit slower paced than graphic novels but it paints and weaves a perfect background for the cast to bring the characters to life. I especially loved the introduction of witches, seeing more of Lucifer as he sets off on his own path/spin off and in the inclusion of a transgender character 

Okay let me first start off by saying I loved this book. The story was insane and gritty and the worldbuilding was to die for. Kind of like if castlevania and the witcher had a baby. 

You can tell Kristoff really took his time with the worldbuilding and character building. It's a incredibly dark, dangerous world that is far from boring and every chapter brought more depth and lore. No two characters were really the same either. He's blended vampire horror and mystery and fantasy to create something truly epic. Definitely not for kids this book. It's visceral and brutal and will leave you bleeding for more. 

It's not your typical vampire story either. While they are beautiful, elegant eternal creatures, they still are monstrous and act as monsters. They aren't climbing through your bedroom window to read you poetry, they are evil - but even that evil had layers. Full of characters you love to hate, and hate to love, I can't wait to see where this epic journey ends up. 

On the downside though it was what I expected of Kristoff - arrogant "woke" MC with the mouth of a sailor. All the swearing and childish playground insults kind off took me out of the story, and I found myself rolling my eyes alot. 

But in the same breath I was incredibly suprised by this book. It's different from anything he's ever written, and I enjoyed the back and forth of the story into two points in the past, and I liked the narritive of that it's Gabriel telling his story, but we are still building up to something greater in the present day. 

I think everyone can find something they love about this book, whether it's the worldbuilding, the cast of diverse characters, the brutal horror aspects, the tattoo worthy tattoos or the twists and twists and twists. 

Gay love triumphs over all! Including the zombie apocalypse. 

This was different from any zombie novel I've read. I loved the setting and the atmosphere, and that although they were an ever present threat, the Zombies didn't dominate the story. I actually read this in one sitting. 

Pete and Cooper are too cute together, and I enjoyed reading about them and coming out their shells together. The plot also felt different to your typical zombie horror with a few nice twists along the way. 

This series continues to blow my mind. What started as one of the best mysteries I've read has come full circle, and it was an exhilarating ride. 

I don't really know what to say without spoiling anything so I'll just say the things I liked. 

I loved that the events of the last two books have built up and had an effect on pip, and we see her struggle with PTSD which is something that's usually glossed over; and that Ravi remains the most supportive and loving boyfriend ever.

The narrative and story were quick paced and easy to follow, each turn of the page bringing something new while making callbacks to the first book and that the characters continued to grow and change instead of being stuck on one note. 

I'm sad this is over now, but I feel full and complete, with nothing left open and everything wrapped up. 

This was okay. It wasn't fantastic and was still fun, but it had a different feel completely to the other instalments and just felt a little messy. It was packed full of info and all these characters stories and histories colliding, only to end, and leave me feeling this was all just a set up for a future instalment with nothing really being resolved. 

The artwork was on point, as usual and I did enjoy the backstory of veronicas vampiric ancestors, but that was really the highlight for me. 

A thrilling crossover event that continues on from Fresh Blood and sets up New Blood - Vampironica and  Werewolf Jugs worlds collide with Sabrina acting as a sort of catalyst, dropping bombshell revelations that will change both worlds. 


The Archie horror comics really have a way of using colour to really set the tone and they are far from predictable, and this throwaway crossover was no different.

3.5

While I still enjoyed this "final" instalment, I did feel it lost something and spiralled out of control. I would have liked it if the story was more fleshed out  in the last two issues instead of being wrapped up, leaving this one in a weird sort of limbo with new story arcs thrown in at the eleventh hour. 

The story continues with Reggie and his pack, and the Cooper Hunter clan closing in. 

Again the art was incredible - reminiscent of Francavillas work on Afterlife. The story was moved fast, from one point to the next. There was some nice history involved as well relating to werewolves and their history with Riverdale. 

Such a fun read and perfect for October. 

I've always enjoyed the Archie Horror comhics, and Jughead the Hunger was no disappointment.

This had an almost buffy feel to it, with Jughead discovering he is the "ripper" rampaging around Riverdale, and how this panic plays out with his friends discovering his secret and the consequences. 

The art was gorgeous - typical of what I expected - in the same vein as Chilling Adventures and Afterlife with Archie, with plenty of gore and violence; so far removed from the typical Archie comics. 

TW FOR BULLYING 

4.5

I'm a big fan of true crime podcasts so when I came across this on booktube I was instantly intrigued. 

Told in the form of a podcast, with each episode an interview with someone with a different insight into events, investigative Scott King attempts to shine light onto the disappearance and death of teenager Tom Jeffries, almost two decades before. 

Filled with tension, conspiracies, folk ledgends - each episode brings a new revelation while Mr.King leaves it up to us to work out who is lying, and who is telling the truth. 

This was so fast paced i could hardly put it down. It is split between the Interveiw between King and his guest, the pov of one of the boys who discovered the body as he deals with the ramifications of the podcast in present day, and the events that led him and his mates to discover the boy of Tom back in 1997. 

Part murder mystery, part character study, each page brings up more questions that answers as the past and present, fact and myth collide. To me this was a really unique way of telling a story. It kept me guessing throughout as I had no way of telling which way the hammer was going to fall. 

It wasn't chock full of facts and evidence either which sometimes bogs down podcasts for me. It was just simply six different versions of events of how those people experienced them and as you gain more insight, you start to draw your own conclusions of who killed Tom Jeffries; was it his fellow campers? The adults looking over them? The local "oddball?" Or some sinister urban ledgend lurking in the woods. 

It didn't shy away from the real life horror of bullying and how the consequences of actions can ripple out and touch many lives in many different ways. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this and fans of Serial, My favourite murder and a good girls guide to murder will love this. I fully intend to pick up the rest of the series later this year.