thatoneguyjm's reviews
148 reviews

Dead Lies Dreaming by Charles Stross

adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Folk by Zoe Gilbert

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Monster by A. Lee Martinez

3.0

Coup de Grâce by Sofia Ajram

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

The Possession by Michael Rutger, Michael Marshall

2.0

I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: a green haired 20something woman, an incel streamer, a disabled furry artist, and a middle aged FBI agent all get in a van to escort a black box that may - or may not - end the world as we know it.

If you are an Extremely Online person this book will, at times, trigger your fight or flight response. There were moments where I had to put the book down and walk away and stare blankly at the horizon. The book is hilarious but the central tenet/message of the book is one that is incredibly grim and, unfortunately, probably correct. 

Jason Pargin has an incredible ability to write about everyday almost lovable dipshits that get caught up in circumstance so far out of their control that their participation in the events is pretty much compulsory. No one really has any answers, we all just soldier on and do the best that we can do. It’s an accurate summarization of almost everyone’s life experience, and whether or not you find that message hopeful and freeing or terrifying and bleak depends entirely on your point of view. 

From Below by Darcy Coates

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler

4.25

The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler

adventurous dark funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0