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woodsybookworm's reviews
126 reviews
Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Yuval Noah Harari
challenging
informative
slow-paced
3.5
I knew what I was getting into with Nexus, this book is absolutely MASSIVE. I had to pull myself together and go back into college philosophy student mode, switching into that open mindset to let this overload of information (and philosophy references) into my brain. If you aren't familiar with Yuval Noah Harari's other works, this isn't the one to jump into to experience his writing - go grab Sapiens instead (especially the graphic novel version of you're a visual learner like me).
YNH's overarching question in Nexus seems to be: If AI is learning from us (humanity, homo sapiens) and we are fallible, prone to believing and spreading misinformation, then are we not setting up an information network built on our own prejudices and unreliable network?
Well...yeah. AI isn't perfect and it's definitely fallible. Will it reach a point in our lifetime where it will be at a Terminator level of intelligence, I don't think so, but I understand why YNH is asking folks to really take a look at how AI is being used and how it learns. It's important to think about the future even if we won't be living in it.
This was a dense read and while I probably won't be picking it up for a reread anytime soon, I'll definitely be passing it off to a friend.
YNH's overarching question in Nexus seems to be: If AI is learning from us (humanity, homo sapiens) and we are fallible, prone to believing and spreading misinformation, then are we not setting up an information network built on our own prejudices and unreliable network?
Well...yeah. AI isn't perfect and it's definitely fallible. Will it reach a point in our lifetime where it will be at a Terminator level of intelligence, I don't think so, but I understand why YNH is asking folks to really take a look at how AI is being used and how it learns. It's important to think about the future even if we won't be living in it.
This was a dense read and while I probably won't be picking it up for a reread anytime soon, I'll definitely be passing it off to a friend.
The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn Kiste
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book really surprised me!
I'd seen the cover around yet kept putting off picking it up. Once I finally cracked it open I finished it in a single sitting! I could NOT put this book down.
The Twilight Zone meets Silent Hill (just the vibes not the monsters) in The Haunting of Velkwood. The story follows a group of women - Talitha, Grace, and Brett - as they are pulled back to Velkwood Street, the suburban neighborhood they grew up in which is now home to the ghosts of its former residents...their families.
Surrounded by an impenetrable barrier of fog that refuses entry to all outsiders - except the three girls who escaped it - Velkwood Street is a hotspot for occultists, scientific researchers, government agencies, and crackpot conspiracy theorists.
Down on her luck and with no hopes for the future, Talitha accepts an offer she can't refuse - return to Velkwood, reunite with the ghosts of her family, and report back on the condition of the town in exchange for a hefty sum of money. Seems easy enough right? Or is it?
This wasn't really a horror book per say as much as it was an emotional one. The ghosts of the novel weren't the scary haunting type, they were sad reflections of regret, the specters of a life not truly lived. It was sad more than scary and yet I actually still really enjoyed reading this!
I'd seen the cover around yet kept putting off picking it up. Once I finally cracked it open I finished it in a single sitting! I could NOT put this book down.
The Twilight Zone meets Silent Hill (just the vibes not the monsters) in The Haunting of Velkwood. The story follows a group of women - Talitha, Grace, and Brett - as they are pulled back to Velkwood Street, the suburban neighborhood they grew up in which is now home to the ghosts of its former residents...their families.
Surrounded by an impenetrable barrier of fog that refuses entry to all outsiders - except the three girls who escaped it - Velkwood Street is a hotspot for occultists, scientific researchers, government agencies, and crackpot conspiracy theorists.
Down on her luck and with no hopes for the future, Talitha accepts an offer she can't refuse - return to Velkwood, reunite with the ghosts of her family, and report back on the condition of the town in exchange for a hefty sum of money. Seems easy enough right? Or is it?
This wasn't really a horror book per say as much as it was an emotional one. The ghosts of the novel weren't the scary haunting type, they were sad reflections of regret, the specters of a life not truly lived. It was sad more than scary and yet I actually still really enjoyed reading this!
Sleep Tight by J.H. Markert
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A thriller set in my home state of Montana, count me in!
Sleep Tight follows detective Tess as a mysterious serial killer known as the Outsider murders her parents then stalks and kidnaps her daughter. Silence of the Lambs meets Taken as she begins to unravel the case before her to hunt the killer/kidnapper down.
It took me a while to finally pry this book open but once I got reading I couldn't stop! It had gore, suspense, intrigue and a relatable setting to boot (Lolo/Missoula, MT - only a few hours away from my town and I've got a good bunch of friends who live there).
It reminded me a lot of Jeffrey Deaver's writing style, in a similar vein to his Lincoln Rhyme (Bone Collector) series. Heavy on the police procedural drama, which I actually really enjoy.
Sleep Tight follows detective Tess as a mysterious serial killer known as the Outsider murders her parents then stalks and kidnaps her daughter. Silence of the Lambs meets Taken as she begins to unravel the case before her to hunt the killer/kidnapper down.
It took me a while to finally pry this book open but once I got reading I couldn't stop! It had gore, suspense, intrigue and a relatable setting to boot (Lolo/Missoula, MT - only a few hours away from my town and I've got a good bunch of friends who live there).
It reminded me a lot of Jeffrey Deaver's writing style, in a similar vein to his Lincoln Rhyme (Bone Collector) series. Heavy on the police procedural drama, which I actually really enjoy.
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
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
5.0
Shock Induction by Chuck Palahniuk
challenging
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"Want to know another way to induce a hypnotic trance? Shock induction."
Chuck Palahniuk is a master at writing unhinged, bizarre, uncanny works of fiction and his latest work, Shock Induction, is an absolute fever dream.
I was dazed, I was confused, I was absolutely hooked! Shock Induction is odd, to say the least. I wouldn't recommend it to a first time reader of Palahniuk - I'd say start with Dairy or Fight Club instead - but for the avid fan, this will be easy enough to jump into.
Short chapters, random musings, and off the wall tangents fill up the pages of Shock Induction, but for all its chaos I found myself reading it rather quickly. It was short, not too difficult to read, and just quirky enough to keep me invested even when I had absolutely no idea what was going on! All in all, it was a Chuck Palahniuk book - do with that knowledge what you will!
Chuck Palahniuk is a master at writing unhinged, bizarre, uncanny works of fiction and his latest work, Shock Induction, is an absolute fever dream.
I was dazed, I was confused, I was absolutely hooked! Shock Induction is odd, to say the least. I wouldn't recommend it to a first time reader of Palahniuk - I'd say start with Dairy or Fight Club instead - but for the avid fan, this will be easy enough to jump into.
Short chapters, random musings, and off the wall tangents fill up the pages of Shock Induction, but for all its chaos I found myself reading it rather quickly. It was short, not too difficult to read, and just quirky enough to keep me invested even when I had absolutely no idea what was going on! All in all, it was a Chuck Palahniuk book - do with that knowledge what you will!
The Lightning Bottles by Marissa Stapley
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Space Oddity by Catherynne M. Valente
adventurous
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy meets Eurovision meets The Fifth Element in this wild sequel to one of my most recent favorite novels.
Space Opera was a wild Eurovision acid trip and Space Oddity keeps the party rolling with it's unhinged banter, epic sci-fi adventures, and enough musical pop culture references to stump any trivia night aficionado.
The first book wrapped itself up quite nicely with a few unanswered questions involving some side characters so I didn't expect a sequel but I'm not mad we got one!
Continuing where book one left off, Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeros saved the Earth from absolute annihilation. Did they break a few intergalactic laws to survive? Maybe, but so did every other alien who tried to stop them from winning in the first place!
Will everyone read this book and absolutely adore it as much as I do? Probably, not, but it's still a wild good time. Space Oddity is an eccentric, eclectic, and an all around epic romp!
Space Opera was a wild Eurovision acid trip and Space Oddity keeps the party rolling with it's unhinged banter, epic sci-fi adventures, and enough musical pop culture references to stump any trivia night aficionado.
The first book wrapped itself up quite nicely with a few unanswered questions involving some side characters so I didn't expect a sequel but I'm not mad we got one!
Continuing where book one left off, Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeros saved the Earth from absolute annihilation. Did they break a few intergalactic laws to survive? Maybe, but so did every other alien who tried to stop them from winning in the first place!
Will everyone read this book and absolutely adore it as much as I do? Probably, not, but it's still a wild good time. Space Oddity is an eccentric, eclectic, and an all around epic romp!
Evil in Me by Brom
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I'm torn because I absolutely love Brom's writing style, his artwork, and his books but Evil In Me is probably my least favorite - not that it's bad! - I just found myself less invested than I was reading some of his other works.
Evil In Me started off STRONG with stomach turning gore that had me cringing and screaming right off the bat. Brom is a master at sarcastic comedic horror and he continues that trend with Evil In Me but despite the gore this read very much like a YA novel. I semi- expected that based of the blurb and the main character but I still found myself a little thrown off.
I think I'll re-read this and adjust my rating at a later time when I can reevaluate my thoughts.
Evil In Me started off STRONG with stomach turning gore that had me cringing and screaming right off the bat. Brom is a master at sarcastic comedic horror and he continues that trend with Evil In Me but despite the gore this read very much like a YA novel. I semi- expected that based of the blurb and the main character but I still found myself a little thrown off.
I think I'll re-read this and adjust my rating at a later time when I can reevaluate my thoughts.
I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was kind of a surprise for me! I had seen the cover bopping around booksta and the title definitely stood out to me but I jumped in without reading the blurb in advance.
I Was A Teenage Slasher follows Tolly, a teenager who recently lost his father and is consistently bullied by his fellow classmates. When tragedy strikes at a house party the aftermath creates a ripple effect changing the lives of Tolly, his best friend Amber, and the entire town. Suddenly Tolly and his community are thrown into a real life slasher movie experience with the guarantee of blood, gore, and all the best slasher tropes.
This book started slow with a ton of exposition then threw a hard curve ball and suddenly I was 60% in looking around like wait I'm almost done and things are just starting to get absolutely bonkers! That being said, I still found the book to be a fun read, but it wasn't the all out horror fest I thought it would be based on the cover and title.
If you like a comedic spin of horror movie tropes with a touch of gore you'll probably have a fun time with this book!
I Was A Teenage Slasher follows Tolly, a teenager who recently lost his father and is consistently bullied by his fellow classmates. When tragedy strikes at a house party the aftermath creates a ripple effect changing the lives of Tolly, his best friend Amber, and the entire town. Suddenly Tolly and his community are thrown into a real life slasher movie experience with the guarantee of blood, gore, and all the best slasher tropes.
This book started slow with a ton of exposition then threw a hard curve ball and suddenly I was 60% in looking around like wait I'm almost done and things are just starting to get absolutely bonkers! That being said, I still found the book to be a fun read, but it wasn't the all out horror fest I thought it would be based on the cover and title.
If you like a comedic spin of horror movie tropes with a touch of gore you'll probably have a fun time with this book!
I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I Feed Her To The Beast And The Beast Is Me was a wonderful debut for author, Jamison Shea - mixing fantasy, the supernatural, a bit of romance (subplot), and a tinge of horror while keeping it in the realm of YA fiction.
My first thought when I saw the blurb for this book was "oh! This is a young adult version of Suspiria" with its setting and themes surrounding a hardcore ballet school and the girls who fight tooth and nail to succeed there all while spooky stuff keeps happening to all of them.
What I didn't suspect, and I think a lot of other readers will feel the same, is the romance subplot. I expected this to be a suspenseful horror book but it's genre really leans more towards a YA romantasy with horror elements thrown in. There's nothing wrong with that but based on the cover and the blurb I expected the book to be 100% horror with no fluff.
While it wasn't everything I expected it was a solid debut, and knowing what I know now about the genre/plot, I do look forward to the sequel.
My first thought when I saw the blurb for this book was "oh! This is a young adult version of Suspiria" with its setting and themes surrounding a hardcore ballet school and the girls who fight tooth and nail to succeed there all while spooky stuff keeps happening to all of them.
What I didn't suspect, and I think a lot of other readers will feel the same, is the romance subplot. I expected this to be a suspenseful horror book but it's genre really leans more towards a YA romantasy with horror elements thrown in. There's nothing wrong with that but based on the cover and the blurb I expected the book to be 100% horror with no fluff.
While it wasn't everything I expected it was a solid debut, and knowing what I know now about the genre/plot, I do look forward to the sequel.