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beccss's reviews
56 reviews
Capitana by Cassandra James
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
The author is not only a terrible writer but also a terrible human being.
The author's views are something else (to put it nicely). James has realized by now that freedom of speech is not freedom of consequence and that no one wants to financially support someone like her, so she tried to scrub her online image clean. If you want more info on her you can still find it -> e.g., discussions about her on other platforms that detail her views and what kind of people she supports.
Do yourself a favor and skip the February Illumicrate Book.
The author's views are something else (to put it nicely). James has realized by now that freedom of speech is not freedom of consequence and that no one wants to financially support someone like her, so she tried to scrub her online image clean. If you want more info on her you can still find it -> e.g., discussions about her on other platforms that detail her views and what kind of people she supports.
Do yourself a favor and skip the February Illumicrate Book.
Lore Olympus: Volume One by Rachel Smythe
Did not finish book. Stopped at 85%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 85%.
DNF
I read the webtoon version of it & decided to DNF this after 21 episodes.
The idea itself & art style are super fun but I did not vibe with the actual implementation of the story at all. I love mythology and my fav is Apollo. I didn't like the authors' interpretation of him. So after already not vibing with the very loose interpretation of deities and myths up to that point I decided to read some reviews and Reddit posts. Yeah no thanks I don't need that and will not force myself through that many episodes just to get such a poor and at points plain wrong myth retelling.
I read the webtoon version of it & decided to DNF this after 21 episodes.
The idea itself & art style are super fun but I did not vibe with the actual implementation of the story at all. I love mythology and my fav is Apollo. I didn't like the authors' interpretation of him. So after already not vibing with the very loose interpretation of deities and myths up to that point I decided to read some reviews and Reddit posts. Yeah no thanks I don't need that and will not force myself through that many episodes just to get such a poor and at points plain wrong myth retelling.
The Boys Volume 8: Highland Laddie by Garth Ennis
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
0.0
Rating: 0/5
At this point, you might be asking why I keep reading these comics. The only reason is that I like the show & want to understand the source material. Otherwise, I would've stopped if not long ago at the very latest with this volume or more like DNFd it.
This volume is not only so extremely boring it also continues handling SA so poorly it is wild. Besides that in this volume Ennis also tried his hand at writing a trans character, which is so insanely bad and offensive it is wow.. & this is not due to me being stuck up but seriously this is just downright bad writing. There is no glimpse of you could spin this somehow & see how it is supposed to be anything but bad, anything but blatant transphobia.
If you don't care about any of this might I interest you in the terrible handling of animal abuse? Because yes of course Ennis also incorporated this in his quest to show how there is not a single topic he handled in a good way - good in the sense that it's interesting, has depth.
All you get from the animal abuse scene is it immediately being excused because Hughie was a kid & so Annie literally says "Hughie, all little kids are psychos! You gave into it once, big deal!"
Ah how much I hate this series. Still going to power through the end & then blacklist everything that has Ennis's name on it. Life is too short to read boring and just plain bad stuff like his.
At this point, you might be asking why I keep reading these comics. The only reason is that I like the show & want to understand the source material. Otherwise, I would've stopped if not long ago at the very latest with this volume or more like DNFd it.
This volume is not only so extremely boring it also continues handling SA so poorly it is wild. Besides that in this volume Ennis also tried his hand at writing a trans character, which is so insanely bad and offensive it is wow.. & this is not due to me being stuck up but seriously this is just downright bad writing. There is no glimpse of you could spin this somehow & see how it is supposed to be anything but bad, anything but blatant transphobia.
If you don't care about any of this might I interest you in the terrible handling of animal abuse? Because yes of course Ennis also incorporated this in his quest to show how there is not a single topic he handled in a good way - good in the sense that it's interesting, has depth.
All you get from the animal abuse scene is it immediately being excused because Hughie was a kid & so Annie literally says "Hughie, all little kids are psychos! You gave into it once, big deal!"
Ah how much I hate this series. Still going to power through the end & then blacklist everything that has Ennis's name on it. Life is too short to read boring and just plain bad stuff like his.
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Rating: 3/5
I feel very conflicted about this book. I kind of liked it? Though I can't fully articulate why. Read on if you're interested in my rambles about this book (spoilers ahead).
I feel very conflicted about this book. I kind of liked it? Though I can't fully articulate why. Read on if you're interested in my rambles about this book (spoilers ahead).
Firstly, this was an easy read for me, and I brushed through it quickly. This surprised me, especially given the introduction's brief mention of Unit 731 — which if you don't know was a Japanese "research" unit infamous for committing horrendous crimes against Chinese and other East Asian populations during WWII.
With my historical knowledge of Unit 731 and the emotional impact I felt reading 'The Poppy War' by R. F. Kuang & how it was handled there, this book handled this topic a bit oddly. The topic wasn't really as delicately addressed as it could have been, considering the gravity of the subject. However, as an Austrian, I very much hesitate to police how someone should write about WWII in their story.
With my historical knowledge of Unit 731 and the emotional impact I felt reading 'The Poppy War' by R. F. Kuang & how it was handled there, this book handled this topic a bit oddly. The topic wasn't really as delicately addressed as it could have been, considering the gravity of the subject. However, as an Austrian, I very much hesitate to police how someone should write about WWII in their story.
Beyond this major issue, a common criticism I've seen is about the main character's (MC) actions, specifically her helping the enemies/colonizers. While I found the romance subplot awkward and off-putting, I disagree with the criticism of the MC helping the enemy in and of itself. Her choice adds complexity to the narrative. Rather than instantly aiding the rebels and doing the "right" thing, her fear-driven decision to ensure her family's safety, even at the expense of the bigger picture and probably what her family would have wanted, offers an intriguing perspective that I don't see much.
Writing from a morally ambiguous standpoint can be compelling. Just because something is right and moral doesn't mean a story can't explore the wrong or amoral viewpoint. Could the author have executed this better? Absolutely. But for a debut, they handled a challenging storyline reasonably well. I'm inclined to give them some grace and am curious to see where the story goes in the next installment.
Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Rating: 4.5/5
I remember hearing about Saga years ago & had it on my TBR ever since. Finally got around to it & read the first volume in one go. It was so fun to read & the creativity?? I had multiple moments in which that really blew me away.
Love the art style, love the story, very much looking forward to the next volume!
I remember hearing about Saga years ago & had it on my TBR ever since. Finally got around to it & read the first volume in one go. It was so fun to read & the creativity?? I had multiple moments in which that really blew me away.
Love the art style, love the story, very much looking forward to the next volume!
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Rating: 4/5
Super fun & fast read!
I listened to the dramatized audiobook of this & absolutely recommend listening to that.
Can't wait to hear more from murderbot & his adventures.
Super fun & fast read!
I listened to the dramatized audiobook of this & absolutely recommend listening to that.
Can't wait to hear more from murderbot & his adventures.
The Boys, Volume 7: The Innocents by Garth Ennis
0.0
All i have to say to this volume is that i'm left wondering if you could handle the topic of SA worse..
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Rating: 3.5/5
I just flew through this book in one day because of a reading challenge. That might not have been my brightest idea - definitely would not recommend doing that as my head is still spinning & I'm trying to make sense of what I just read. However, I would recommend the book itself as it is a very unique experience.
By now most people probably are aware of the peculiar way the book is written so no notes on that front from me besides that I absolutely loved that! Feeling that sense of being lost because of how you read the book really added to the experience of reading the story.
What mainly dragged down my enjoyment of this book were the many ramblings throughout the book that would go on for pages on end. I do not like that in my books, makes it a slog to get through but I also never can skip them just in case I miss something. Especially in a book like this where it will take me some time to pierce together some pieces of what was going on.
P.S. want to make clear here that depending on the person, seeking out content warnings might be a super important thing to do before diving into this book.
I just flew through this book in one day because of a reading challenge. That might not have been my brightest idea - definitely would not recommend doing that as my head is still spinning & I'm trying to make sense of what I just read. However, I would recommend the book itself as it is a very unique experience.
By now most people probably are aware of the peculiar way the book is written so no notes on that front from me besides that I absolutely loved that! Feeling that sense of being lost because of how you read the book really added to the experience of reading the story.
What mainly dragged down my enjoyment of this book were the many ramblings throughout the book that would go on for pages on end. I do not like that in my books, makes it a slog to get through but I also never can skip them just in case I miss something. Especially in a book like this where it will take me some time to pierce together some pieces of what was going on.
P.S. want to make clear here that depending on the person, seeking out content warnings might be a super important thing to do before diving into this book.
The Will of the Many by James Islington
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Rating: 5/5
i LOVED this
I was actually super skeptical going into this book because I've only heard positive things & people praising it into oblivion. But so so very glad to say that for me the book did not disappoint at all. It is definitely one of my favorite reads and as so many others I'm very much looking forward to the next one!
For people who get to read this for the first time, I think it's a good thing to note that this is one of the books where you will be very confused in the beginning because you just get dropped into a different world. However, I personally love that. I love figuring out how worlds work, and the rules and systems in place & I think Islington did a fantastic job in this book of pulling you into this world and has just created such a fascinating setup for this story.
i LOVED this
I was actually super skeptical going into this book because I've only heard positive things & people praising it into oblivion. But so so very glad to say that for me the book did not disappoint at all. It is definitely one of my favorite reads and as so many others I'm very much looking forward to the next one!
For people who get to read this for the first time, I think it's a good thing to note that this is one of the books where you will be very confused in the beginning because you just get dropped into a different world. However, I personally love that. I love figuring out how worlds work, and the rules and systems in place & I think Islington did a fantastic job in this book of pulling you into this world and has just created such a fascinating setup for this story.