T. KingFisher
1/11-1/15
3/5 overall
Cover 5/5
The cover depicting a rabbit torn apart and coated in fungi is appealing because it’s so disturbing. I also like that it gets right to the point. We aren’t completely sure that the rabbit is dead despite its wounds and infestation
I read this book because it was recommended to me, and I have been trying to read more horror books. I might read What Feasts in the Night, but I don’t think I would pay for it I enjoyed the funny bits that sprouted from the horror writing. when Denton laughed when they discovered Maddy was in the house. Laughed because, of course, she was. Of course, there’s a line of cannons, and we’re out of bullets. I feel like the reader would react in a similar way. Some things are too horrible to acknowledge and destitute that they’re funny. It kept me in the story. I learned a lot about mushrooms in this book. It also made me. want to read The Fall of House Usher. The sickly way some things were described, I don’t think
writing style: I didn't enjoy understanding and enjoyed the incorporation of different pronouns, except that each time Kan was mentioned, I had to pause and remember what that meant. It interrupted the flow of the story for me, but it was easy to move past, and I think if the novel were longer and I had more opportunities to get used to it, I would. I do think it added something unique and refreshing to the story, though. The combination of old English words and modern words pushed and pulled me. I had to re-read a few sentences sometimes. And skipped others altogether, hoping they weren’t important because there were. things that I didn’t automatically understand given the context. I’m also not English, so it was difficult to follow why certain things happened. I enjoyed the flow of the story I think it was quick and to the point, which was nice. I always wish the ending to horror pieces were longer, though. We got 100 pages of setup and less than 30 of horror. Nothing was scary in between. Creepy, yes, but I just wish there was more.
Message: just okay. I really liked the dynamic of a person who didn’t identify as a male or female in the book. It was something more to think about, even though it was a little difficult to get used to. I appreciated the character more. Poe uses the house to symbolize a decay in the mental wellness of the family structure. But it’s not really a mental illness that’s impacting the family it’s the fungus, and so the house decaying symbolizes the growing strength of the fungus. Also, it’s mentioned that the ushers have been dealing with this for a while. And this leaves a lot of unanswered questions. Why were the servants so chill and unbothered? It also killed their great-grandfather. Did he “drown” in the lake? Does Miss Porter drink from the well, too? Poe’s message is that one can’t escape from their environment's influence, and this is a physical manifestation of that rather than a mental illness. I appreciate that. It feels like a more respectful take to people with mental illness who aren’t “mad” and live in a good environment that benefits them.
Reading experience: I liked it was funny creepy, and gross. I had to pause and think about what things meant for a second, but the story flowed otherwise. It was easy to picture the scenery.
I would recommend this book if you’re looking for a quick read and you aren’t trying to analyze anything.
Sarah J. Maas
12/18-1/22
3/5
The cover
4/5
They spent a lot of time on a ship, I guess. The cover does look like an exciting epic. It has a lot to do with the book. I like that it's simple but fun
I chose this book because
It was the next book in the TOG series that I am reading.
The feelings this book evoked in me
Boredom. impatience. So many things happened that I just did not care about. however, towards the end of the book I was a little emotional. I loved the Lorchan and Elide scenes. the ending was very upsetting. I thought that Lorchan would be able to fight against the queen. that he would want to. but finding out it was untrue was sad. I think his relationship with Meave is obviously complicated, and I can appreciate that, unlike many books, true love or whatever doesn't automatically equal an opponent to evil.
favorite passages or quotes
" i am grateful" - Aelin
Did this book change me in any way?
No, I don't think it did.
Who should read this book and what do i hope they take away from it.
This book feels like a difficult mountain I must climb before I'm able to read the next book in the series. to appreciate the full scope of the series, I think it should be read. I hope people who read this book can find it more entertaining than I did. I've been told it is fast-paced, but I disagree. I would say fast-paced means things are constantly happening I'm always sucked in. There was so much space in between the fast-paced parts. I will admit the battle scenes are great. I think people who call this novel fast-paced forget the build-up to the fun scenes because the fun scenes are good.
Do I recommend it?
So far, I would recommend this series, but this part of the series has a lot of problems for me.
Writing style
Didn't enjoy it. In my opinion, it is lazy to just have a character that makes huge life-altering plans and not tell anyone. so, therefore, the reader doesn't know, and the solutions to problems are just convenient surprises. Maybe to a person who has a better ability to find clues or think critically, or if I were to re-read this book again, I would be able to see where Maas left clues for me to piece together to predict what's going to happen. Were I just to listen better, I would be a part of the planning. But I don't think so. How could I have known that the horde of ships waiting for the group after they found the lock was friendly? I cannot accept that Aelin has such an advanced concept of planning for war, gathering allies, exactly where she's going to be at all times to plan these types of schemes. What could make her think that not sharing these ideas for fun is great? It's lazy to me.
Message
Just okay. Good will find a way against evil. No one is morally gray the people that are killed in this book are killed for good reasons/ they are evil. just because you have killed in the past and now kill because you are in a war doesn't make you morally gray.
Reading Experience
Just okay.
Overall review
This book should have been titled "Waiting for Something to Happen." If the readers would have known plans in advance, there would be something to look forward to. The plan is to boost Aelins power so the valg senses her and force the pirate king into siding with Aelin. I would have been nervous as they walked to meet the pirate king, excited when she released her power. laughed when they made the excuse for it and were happy when the plan was successful. instead, I just kind of watched as silly things happened, didn't laugh at parts that were supposed to be funny, and rolled my eyes when Aelin's big plan worked out. I didn't care about what was happening because I was an outsider in the novel. each time this happened, it took me out of the story. I'm sure Maas loves this troupe because she knows what's going to happen, so the build-up is great and makes perfect sense. I hate it.
Besides this, I enjoyed the ending. ( partially because the book was over) and then because action scenes were happening in succession of each other. The good guys didn't win in this one, and I thought that was unique.
Freida McFadden
1/2/25-1/16/25
3/5
The cover
1/5
I do not like the cover of this book at all. It looks more like a porno couch than a therapy couch. It is also so boring and does not portray anything about the story or its specialness. I feel bad for rating it this low because it was designed. by Freida herself, but it is just a bad cover. After reading the book, I can see why it's on the cover. Still, as a tool to draw people into reading the book, it fails. Additionally, the title is loosely related to the book. Everyone in this book lies so much, it's encouraged. No one is ever punished for lying and for the most part don't face negative consequences. It would make more sense if the book was called always lie.
by Why I chose this book
I chose to read this book because it was the book that was randomly decided upon for the month. Otherwise, I feel I probably would have read the book because of my background in psychology.
The feelings this book evoked in me
This book made me feel gross and icky. It was easy to become entrenched in the book, and so the awful people that you're reading about feel real to your brain. Just not a fan of the whole situation the book put me in. Especially Adrianne's solutions to her big problem. Kind of irritated me.
favorite passages or quotes:
" A psychological study demonstrated that cheating or breaking the rules results in an unexpected good mood afterward. as well as a brief sense of freedom from rules. so perhaps we should all bend the rules sometimes." pg. 88
" I'm not eating homemade goods prepared by psychiatric patients." Pg. 261
Did this book change me in any way?
It made me want to always think critically about my decisions. Adrianne was my favorite character. she was funny and smart but the way she solved her problems made me need to count backwards from 10.
who should read this book and what do I hope they take away from it?
Someone who is looking for a novel that is creepy the whole time. Lots of times, horror or thriller novels are lame until the last 30 pages, then that's when it is a little scary. McFadden did a good job keeping it consistent from the first page to the very last. I hope readers learn from the character's mistakes. It's a fun read and I think anyone who picks up this book will have a good time.
I recommend it.
Yes, but not enthusiastically.
Writing style I
Didn't enjoy; this book was so cheesy. it didn't feel like a satisfying read. It was as if watching reality TV was a book. I love reality TV, It's fun and engaging. I was just expecting more, considering the hype.
Message
Just okay. I'm unsure what the underlying message was. It wasn't "never lie." Maybe, never trust anyone because everyone lies. How did so many psychopath-crazy people converge in the same place at the same time?
Reading Experience
Just okay. I hate when books intentionally keep information from us so that it's impossible to see a plot twist. I like it when we can go back and see the things we missed and then everything seems obvious. The experience wasn't intricate. For me, it's not what I was looking for but it was fun.
Overall review
Felt really convenient. This person just happens to do this because they just happen to have this skill and happens to be in this place. Characters are so incredibly smart until they happen not to be at the perfect time to further another character's agenda.
spoilers------------------------
I did like that when we discovered who Tricia was her point of view changed like she was a completely different person. One person was clueless and vapid, the other was clever and bold. She was able to combine the two towards the end. It might have been a show she put on but I think she switched between two people. one that killed and one that had no personality besides her new husband.