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elenap's reviews
488 reviews
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
4.75
This was so good! A completely unique worldbuilding, loveable characters, nice banter, and pretty imagery. I was gripped from the very beginning and my only complaint is that it was too short and I wanted to know more about so many fleetingly mentioned things.
I absolutely loved the new perspective of needing to protect the world from the ocean where terrifying and destructive creatures reside. A female Sherlock Holmes along with her enhanced assistant go on a quest to solve a series of murders done with spores that once ingested, tear your body apart by growing trees inside of you. I mean how cool is that? The entire world just seems flush with greenery (and not all of it is friendly, lol).
I guessed the final piece of the puzzle along with Ana and was literally screaming in my head “but what about…???” in the final pages, lol.
I won’t be saying too much about it because I went in blindly and so should you, it was so much fun discovering every little tidbit and trope while reading!
By the way, I had no idea going into this that it will be a series and I’m really glad it is, I can’t wait to see more of this world and spend time with our characters.
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
3.5
My third Grady Hendrix book because I really seem to vibe with him and my last spooky read of the season.
The story follows our main character Louise that has to go back home to Charleston to deal with the loss of her parents and navigate her dysfunctional relationship with her brother. Oh, and we also get possessed puppets and dolls.
First of all, my main gripe with this book is that it was too long. And I love long books, if a book is good, I want it to last forever. Unfortunately, it didn’t work here, and I felt like it dragged in the second half, so it would have used some editing (just like most of Stephen King’s books).
It gets 10 points out of 10 for the unsettling atmosphere, for sure. If puppets and dolls creep you out, boy are you in for a ride. At the same time, at times it got so ridiculous that it took me out of the book and I could only laugh or shake my head in disbelief.
The most horror thing about this book though? The sibling relationship. It physically pains me to see a brother and a sister hating each other in literature or on screen. So yeah, I had a pretty shitty time with that part.
All in all, not my favourite Hendrix book, but it was still enjoyable and I would recommend it if you’re a horror fan.
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
2.75
It took me a really long time to finish this book, I almost DNF-ed it a few times these past two months. Finally managed to force myself to read it and it went a bit better in the second half.
It’s basically about an unfulfilled mother, ex-artist that gave up her career for the family, and how she slowly starts turning into a dog. I understand the attempt, but I don’t think this is for me. I do like magical realism, but I tend to gravitate towards the more whimsical side of it. This had too much killing of animals for my taste, it definitely dampened my experience while reading, and seemed so self-indulgent and unnecessary, just there for the shock value.
It had relatable themes in the second part of the book, such as loss of potential and feeling like you wasted your life, how taking care of the home is your lot in life and you can’t change it and time absolutely flew away.
It’s so funny how willing we are as readers to give nightbitch the benefit of the doubt because we are in her head, but imagine seeing this person out and about. Batshit crazy would be the verdict. Is this how it is to be in the head of those mentally ill?
Anyway, I didn’t hate it, but I won’t go out of my way to recommend it. The cover I have though (the one with the smiling mouth) is one of the coolest ones.
It’s basically about an unfulfilled mother, ex-artist that gave up her career for the family, and how she slowly starts turning into a dog. I understand the attempt, but I don’t think this is for me. I do like magical realism, but I tend to gravitate towards the more whimsical side of it. This had too much killing of animals for my taste, it definitely dampened my experience while reading, and seemed so self-indulgent and unnecessary, just there for the shock value.
It had relatable themes in the second part of the book, such as loss of potential and feeling like you wasted your life, how taking care of the home is your lot in life and you can’t change it and time absolutely flew away.
It’s so funny how willing we are as readers to give nightbitch the benefit of the doubt because we are in her head, but imagine seeing this person out and about. Batshit crazy would be the verdict. Is this how it is to be in the head of those mentally ill?
Anyway, I didn’t hate it, but I won’t go out of my way to recommend it. The cover I have though (the one with the smiling mouth) is one of the coolest ones.
The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland
3.75
I really enjoyed House of Hollow. Well, this one has the same vibe but somehow, it’s even more disgusting, lol.
It basically focuses on three completely different teenage girls that band together to find a witch-killing Jack the Ripper in London.
If you’re squeamish about death and corpses (as I am), this book will make you feel very uncomfortable. The imagery is very vivid, the author can definitely paint a scene, and unfortunately my imagination can hold it in enough that I couldn’t fall asleep afterwards.
It’s at times very Succession-inspired, including paraphrases and the show is even mentioned.
The book is very physical, any physical pain and injury you can imagine, it’s here. There is a lot of decay, blood, puss, and all sorts of bodily fluids (fresh and not so fresh), so be prepared. These are not the cute cottagecore herbs and cauldrons witches, these are cut your arm, tether demons, and bring back the dead kind of witches.
The characters were different and interesting, although I hated that all of them had four-letter names, I kept forgetting which one is which almost the entire book.
I guessed the twist probably halfway through, which was not an issue, it is YA after all, it's not supposed to be very intricate. So if you’re looking for a gruesome seasonal read, you should pick this up. I know I can count on Sutherland to deliver a disgustingly gory and eerie women-centered novel, so I’m definitely getting the next one she puts out. I would also love to see this adapted on screen.
It basically focuses on three completely different teenage girls that band together to find a witch-killing Jack the Ripper in London.
If you’re squeamish about death and corpses (as I am), this book will make you feel very uncomfortable. The imagery is very vivid, the author can definitely paint a scene, and unfortunately my imagination can hold it in enough that I couldn’t fall asleep afterwards.
It’s at times very Succession-inspired, including paraphrases and the show is even mentioned.
The book is very physical, any physical pain and injury you can imagine, it’s here. There is a lot of decay, blood, puss, and all sorts of bodily fluids (fresh and not so fresh), so be prepared. These are not the cute cottagecore herbs and cauldrons witches, these are cut your arm, tether demons, and bring back the dead kind of witches.
The characters were different and interesting, although I hated that all of them had four-letter names, I kept forgetting which one is which almost the entire book.
I guessed the twist probably halfway through, which was not an issue, it is YA after all, it's not supposed to be very intricate. So if you’re looking for a gruesome seasonal read, you should pick this up. I know I can count on Sutherland to deliver a disgustingly gory and eerie women-centered novel, so I’m definitely getting the next one she puts out. I would also love to see this adapted on screen.
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
medium-paced
4.5
Oh, how I dreaded to read this one! Mostly because I have seen completely polarizing reviews. Well, I’m glad I did because it was actually good. I’m not a huge vampire fiction fan, but this convinced me to give it another go. The novel follows Gabriel, the last silversaint (aka a vampire fighter) as he narrates his life to a historian vampire while he is imprisoned by the vampire queen. The setup with the sun being permanently covered which allows vampires to roam during the day was really cool.
The book is a combination of The Name of the Wind (as in it has captivating prose and the main character tells his life story to someone), Witcher (with all the little bombs, potions, and silver swords), The Lies of Locke Lamora (non-linear storytelling), and the gore and grittiness of Abercrombie and Martin.
It’s beautifully written which adds a not easily found richness to the story. As previously mentioned, the storytelling is non-linear and every time we switched, I wanted to go back to the previous story, which kept the good pacing. Wish we got more of the magical school shenanigans, but this is not that type of story.
I don’t know if it was intended, but the book held almost no surprises because almost all plot twists were very easy to guess (not the one we find out about 30 pages before the end, but that’s because it makes no sense yet) so it felt a little bit anticlimactic. I do love antiheroes, so the main character is pretty compelling to me, but most of the side characters didn’t hit at all, and it was hard to get invested.
Of course, there is no talking about this book without mentioning the amazing art work. This is, along with The Stormlight Archive, the best standard edition I have ever seen. You get around 30 illustrations to guide you while reading, and let me tell you, it really enhances the experience.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised, and I definitely took my time reading it, I don’t feel that it’s a book that can be rushed or glossed over, and it's very immersive.
The book is a combination of The Name of the Wind (as in it has captivating prose and the main character tells his life story to someone), Witcher (with all the little bombs, potions, and silver swords), The Lies of Locke Lamora (non-linear storytelling), and the gore and grittiness of Abercrombie and Martin.
It’s beautifully written which adds a not easily found richness to the story. As previously mentioned, the storytelling is non-linear and every time we switched, I wanted to go back to the previous story, which kept the good pacing. Wish we got more of the magical school shenanigans, but this is not that type of story.
I don’t know if it was intended, but the book held almost no surprises because almost all plot twists were very easy to guess (not the one we find out about 30 pages before the end, but that’s because it makes no sense yet) so it felt a little bit anticlimactic. I do love antiheroes, so the main character is pretty compelling to me, but most of the side characters didn’t hit at all, and it was hard to get invested.
Of course, there is no talking about this book without mentioning the amazing art work. This is, along with The Stormlight Archive, the best standard edition I have ever seen. You get around 30 illustrations to guide you while reading, and let me tell you, it really enhances the experience.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised, and I definitely took my time reading it, I don’t feel that it’s a book that can be rushed or glossed over, and it's very immersive.
Welcome to the O. C.: The Oral History by Stephanie Savage, Josh Schwartz, Alan Sepinwall
4.0
I've had so much fun listening to this, it's definitely a must-read for any The OC fan out there.
There's really not much I can tell you about it, it's a vignette, a time-capsule for the early to mid-2000s period which gathers accounts from the OC creators and actors. It will definitely explain what the hell happened to the show post-season 2 and will cement the cultural impact of the show.
My favourite chapter was the one about the music, of course. This show absolutely shaped my music tastes for the rest of my life, and it was such a joy to find out how they chose each important piece of the puzzle.
Not giving it a full 5-star rating because some of the things talked about I did not care one bit and I would have liked a bit more tea and inside drama, most of it was too tame and a little bit superficial in my opinion.
There's really not much I can tell you about it, it's a vignette, a time-capsule for the early to mid-2000s period which gathers accounts from the OC creators and actors. It will definitely explain what the hell happened to the show post-season 2 and will cement the cultural impact of the show.
My favourite chapter was the one about the music, of course. This show absolutely shaped my music tastes for the rest of my life, and it was such a joy to find out how they chose each important piece of the puzzle.
Not giving it a full 5-star rating because some of the things talked about I did not care one bit and I would have liked a bit more tea and inside drama, most of it was too tame and a little bit superficial in my opinion.
The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality by Amanda Montell
2.25
My least favourite Amanda Montell book so far. A lot of ramblings, to be honest.
Some of the information was fine of course, it had a lot of personal anecdotes, but I don't feel like I learned anything from it. I feel like I listened to it very quickly, it's easily digestible, but it's also like fast food, with absolutely no substance. I have finished it more than a week ago and I'm struggling to remember anything from it. Backpack boyfriend? Influencers with cancer? Her mother wouldn't hug her? I dunno, that's about all I can manage.
Some of the information was fine of course, it had a lot of personal anecdotes, but I don't feel like I learned anything from it. I feel like I listened to it very quickly, it's easily digestible, but it's also like fast food, with absolutely no substance. I have finished it more than a week ago and I'm struggling to remember anything from it. Backpack boyfriend? Influencers with cancer? Her mother wouldn't hug her? I dunno, that's about all I can manage.
Tigana: Anniversary Edition by Guy Gavriel Kay
3.5
You know how some novels are plot or character based? This one seems more writing/vibes based, which is not the biggest problem, but I prefer when my books are character-based, which is why my favourite chapters were Dianora’s. I absolutely loved Dianora and her entire arc up until one point, but even that one I came to understand afterwards. Is it Stockholm syndrome? Is it true love? Is it a little bit of both? Her ending and the female arcs overall felt like a tribute to all the invisible women that shaped our world, although I don’t think that’s what the author intended.
This entire book was weirdly smutty and sexual, which was very weird in the context. You have a war to fight, to reclaim your land, you went through all of these horrors, and all you think about is boinking? We have incest, an older sex addict rich woman teaching young men the art of intercourse, we have post-battle sex while still having blood and everything on you, and out-of-the-blue pairings. It was weird and felt like a wish fulfillment for the author.
Once I got used to it, the writing was actually beautiful. But it was torture through the first chapter, I had to push myself through it. Also, everyone is morally grey, which is one of my favourite things to read about (not Dianora though, she did nothing wrong).
The magic system is not explained at all. Not every book has to have hard magic, I do love soft magic, but it’s a bit annoying when you only get certain magic gimmicks when it’s convenient to the plot, it’s too out of nowhere.
The goal of these people does not ring true to me, probably because I have never been a patriotic person. For me, it’s all about the people, the places, the nature. I don’t give a single funk about names or flags, or derive some sort of pride from living in a place. It’s all the same to me. And seeing all these people trip themselves over to get these back and tearing up every 5 minutes at the mention of Tigana was pretty dull and boring tbh.
I was not happy with the ending at all. The author was too chicken to not give any of the main good guys a happy ending (a sign of classic fantasy), but at the same time had no problem writing a smutty book. Also, it had one too many fake deaths for my own personal enjoyment.
This entire book was weirdly smutty and sexual, which was very weird in the context. You have a war to fight, to reclaim your land, you went through all of these horrors, and all you think about is boinking? We have incest, an older sex addict rich woman teaching young men the art of intercourse, we have post-battle sex while still having blood and everything on you, and out-of-the-blue pairings. It was weird and felt like a wish fulfillment for the author.
Once I got used to it, the writing was actually beautiful. But it was torture through the first chapter, I had to push myself through it. Also, everyone is morally grey, which is one of my favourite things to read about (not Dianora though, she did nothing wrong).
The magic system is not explained at all. Not every book has to have hard magic, I do love soft magic, but it’s a bit annoying when you only get certain magic gimmicks when it’s convenient to the plot, it’s too out of nowhere.
The goal of these people does not ring true to me, probably because I have never been a patriotic person. For me, it’s all about the people, the places, the nature. I don’t give a single funk about names or flags, or derive some sort of pride from living in a place. It’s all the same to me. And seeing all these people trip themselves over to get these back and tearing up every 5 minutes at the mention of Tigana was pretty dull and boring tbh.
I was not happy with the ending at all. The author was too chicken to not give any of the main good guys a happy ending (a sign of classic fantasy), but at the same time had no problem writing a smutty book. Also, it had one too many fake deaths for my own personal enjoyment.
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
3.5
This is my second Hendrix book and I must say it’s my second favorite as well. It tells the story of a housewife living in a nice residential area who decides to start a crime/thriller book club with her friends while a mysterious newcomer moves across the street and weird things start happening.
This was scary, but honestly it wasn’t that scary because of the vampire, but more because of the domestic abuse. The rage I felt with each passing page at the insane misogyny that oozed from every single man in this book was killing me bit by bit. That behavior was and is just too prevalent in our world, and it’s way scarier than anything else.
How many women have been estranged from their children or put in mental hospitals because their husbands gaslighted them and everyone of course believed the husband?
It was only one vampire if you’re curious, and it was a bit different from all the ones I’ve read about so far. An interesting concept, and there were moments of gore and scariness to keep you on your toes.
A bit less funny than My Best Friend’s Exorcism, but still had a few moments of humor. Overall, it’s worth reading during the spooky season and a very readable book, I finished it in two sittings.
This was scary, but honestly it wasn’t that scary because of the vampire, but more because of the domestic abuse. The rage I felt with each passing page at the insane misogyny that oozed from every single man in this book was killing me bit by bit. That behavior was and is just too prevalent in our world, and it’s way scarier than anything else.
How many women have been estranged from their children or put in mental hospitals because their husbands gaslighted them and everyone of course believed the husband?
It was only one vampire if you’re curious, and it was a bit different from all the ones I’ve read about so far. An interesting concept, and there were moments of gore and scariness to keep you on your toes.
A bit less funny than My Best Friend’s Exorcism, but still had a few moments of humor. Overall, it’s worth reading during the spooky season and a very readable book, I finished it in two sittings.
Milk Fed by Melissa Broder
fast-paced
3.5
An absolutely unhinged and unexpected book, at least for me. It starts with our main 20-something character with mommy issues that counts calories and continues with an out-of-the-blue sapphic “relationship” that borders on fetishization.
I liked the first part of the book a lot. As a person that went through different stages of an ED, it was at the same time triggering (as in I actually felt like she was giving great tips and admired her strength) and so SO relatable. The second part was at the same time morbidly fascinating, disgusting, weird, and funny, with a few boring parts in between.
I also liked the inclusion of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as a topic of discussion considering that our protagonist and her love interest are Jewish, and the novel came out in 2021.
It’s a super readable book, you can finish it pretty much in one sitting on a Saturday. It’s hard to say more without getting into spoilers, although this book is more vibes-based than anything. Basically, it was an interesting read, not an all-time favorite though for sure as it had enough flaws, and I feel like it didn’t explore the themes it was set out to explore enough.
A fair warning though, it has very detailed sex scenes and fantasies, and I haven’t read the word p*ssy so often in my entire life, lol.
I liked the first part of the book a lot. As a person that went through different stages of an ED, it was at the same time triggering (as in I actually felt like she was giving great tips and admired her strength) and so SO relatable. The second part was at the same time morbidly fascinating, disgusting, weird, and funny, with a few boring parts in between.
I also liked the inclusion of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as a topic of discussion considering that our protagonist and her love interest are Jewish, and the novel came out in 2021.
It’s a super readable book, you can finish it pretty much in one sitting on a Saturday. It’s hard to say more without getting into spoilers, although this book is more vibes-based than anything. Basically, it was an interesting read, not an all-time favorite though for sure as it had enough flaws, and I feel like it didn’t explore the themes it was set out to explore enough.
A fair warning though, it has very detailed sex scenes and fantasies, and I haven’t read the word p*ssy so often in my entire life, lol.