the_pale_woman's Reviews (542)

I should have immediately written this review because now that I've completed this trilogy, I'm finding it hard to look at this read favorably. I did like this book initially. It produced an average level of reading enjoyment. However, I didn't like the trilogy as a whole. Unsurprisingly, that taint of hate oozes back and colors the whole story with shit. Endings matter to me, and this story doesn't go anywhere good. I personally prefer science fiction stories that have a plan and actually explore their themes. This felt like it belonged more in the romantasy space. For people who are into role reversal and can easily overlook plot holes. 

I wasn't expecting much from this story, and I still ended up disappointed. I have read seven of Crouch's books now, and this is by far the worst. It was painfully obvious that this was written earlier in his career. The characters were underdeveloped and one-sided. The pacing was consistently fast, but every obstacle felt too artificially manufactured.

Why did they need to climb that mountain? It is illogical that they would even be physically capable of doing such a thing. Then, when the man threw the backpack full of all their supplies off the side of that mountain, why was that necessary? It couldn't fit in the crevice—seriously?

The explanations of these dire situations were flimsy at best. Additionally, the reveals and ending explanations were simply silly. This sounds mean, but I would never recommend a book like this one.

I was watching The Bear, so I thought this would be a good book to read as a companion piece, and it really did enhance both experiences. I was able to catch easter eggs and understand more of the nuances of the show by learning more about the grunt work of the restaurant business. Yes, chef! Unfortunately, by the middle of season two, I was done with the show. It devolved into a purely depressing melodrama, in my opinion. But this book was the real highlight of that culinary diversion. 

I recommend listening to the audiobook because Bourdain has a really distinct voice that properly delivers his own brand of narcissistic sarcasm. While the pacing is not flawless, the writing maintains a consistently engaging tone. I do wish there had been more descriptions of food and cooking techniques. But I understood that this was focusing more on the job of being a chef, the pitfalls of running a restaurant, and the types of characters you can find in the industry. The latter of which was my main source of fascination.

My thoughts were mixed on this read. On one hand, I was intrigued the entire time, partially due to the entertaining audiobook narration and also due to the gossip-filled, train-wreck-like nature of the plot. 

I enjoyed the true crime podcast angle at first, but unfortunately, by the end, that aspect felt forced and more like a gimmick.  It felt as though it wasn't fully explored, so I was ultimately unsatisfied. Ironically or intentionally, that fits the true crime podcast plot and narrative device, as most of those things end incompletely or unsatisfactorily. 

Additionally, there were too many frustrating scenes with illogical characters. So many conflicts and issues would have been avoided if some of these people had used rational reasoning. 

So, in the end, I found elements of the read entertaining, but ultimately it wasn't that great. Just meh.

I did not enjoy reading this. I'm not a fan of books that have heavy religious themes, and I know that's my bad for not reading the synopsis. It explicitly mentions fallen angels, Lucifer, and a second war on heaven. So I'll admit it's my own fault for reading this book and not liking it. 

However, my dislike of this story went beyond a strange and disgusting journey through the seven deadly sins. The pacing lacked rhythm, in my opinion. It would let the tension just dissipate half the time. I found myself bored more than once. Then, I would be horrified by what is happening or by what is casually mentioned on a consistent basis. Now, this may be the draw for some horror readers, but I found the whole thing to be revolting. 

If you liked this book, I think you would like Empire of the Vampire. It's similar, but better, in my opinion.

I was initially intrigued by this dystopian story. The abolishing of human rights and the rise of corporate greed feel particularly poignant now, in 2025. However, the writing style grated on my nerves. By the end of the book, I just wanted a complete thought or sentence to connect to. I'm going to assume this style was a homage to 1984, like the title? Instead of "doublethink," you have "halfthink," where every character thinks and speaks in fragments, never fully expressing their ideas or thoughts. While I found it interesting that these characters couldn't say the worst of the situation out loud, it made it difficult for me to connect to any of them or care about their fates. For that reason alone, I wouldn't recommend this read. 

This book literally has the worst cover design. Whoever did the art direction on this in the US should be fired. They either didn't read the book or they did read the book and were too dense or too idiotic to get the message. And I'm sure I'm not the only reader to feel this way. Why hasn't the publisher given it a better treatment yet? It's a best seller. I'm sure they'd make money off it. This is a literary foul, and doubleday should be ashamed. 

Despite the cringe cover, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was pleasantly surprised to learn it was a debut novel.  The writing was excellent and engaging, and I appreciated the inclusion of the dog's perspective without sacrificing the story's quality.  It was a delightful and effortless read. Highly recommend.

This was my first Emily Henry book. I haven't read many romance novels, but I'd say this was one of the best I've read. The writing was actually decent. Plus, it wasn't problematic or weird. I had been in the mood for an easy read, and this really hit the mark. 

My only complaint is a gripe I'd have with any novel entitled "Book Lovers." I expected it to be more about books, like numerous specific mentions and references to specific books. Instead, it's more about editing and the publishing industry, which fits the title but doesn't deliver proper satisfaction.

Why does no one ever mention how funny this book is? This schlock was, at times, quite hilarious. I mean, she can't read! No seriously, it's a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and Belle can't read. She even gets into a life-or-death situation where she has to read and she can't! Comedy gold. Can't wait to see that scene adapted one day.

Objectively, I appreciate this unique style of storytelling. Unfortunately, it is not something I am interested in deciphering at the moment.