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Juli wrote: "#46 Hope Never Dies

3.5/5 stars

This was so deliciously corny!"

This book intrigues me. I may have to add it! :-)

Juli wrote: "Sometimes I Lie#48

3/5 stars

Fast read with mostly unlikable characters. It started off strong but then fell flat. Maybe too many plot twists..."

I bought this for my mom, but I do not see her reading it ever, so I will probably read it! ;-)

Dawn Michelle wrote: "Juli wrote: "#46 Hope Never Dies

3.5/5 stars

This was so deliciously corny!"

This book intrigues me. I may have to add it! :-)"

Worth it!

#49 Legion

3.5/5 stars

The writing was definitely not as great as The Exorcist but the story was compelling. It started off a little slow, mostly filled with philosophical musings about life and the brain, which I quite enjoyed pondering along. The plot twist toward the end was unexpected and pushed the storyline into high gear. I'm glad I read this second Blatty book

Juli wrote: "#49 Legion

3.5/5 stars

The writing was definitely not as great as The Exorcist but the story was compelling. It started off a little slow, mostly filled wi..."

I feel the same way...

#50 Pet Sematary

4/5 stars

Very engaging writing. The story felt fast. There was a lot of plot, which is not always true for King novels.

#51 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

5/5 stars

Honestly?! Pure perfection!

#52 Little Darlings

2/5 stars

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Little Darlings is a suspenseful narrative weaving in folklore and the paranormal. It is for sure a page-turner that keeps you guessing what is really going on. Lauren is a brand new mom of twin boys. She is convinced someone is trying to kidnap them, even trying to exchange them for some sinister changlings. The premise of this novel is immediately capturing, unfortunately, it falls flat in many aspects. Despite its intimate ties to some grimmer fairytales, the author struggles with seamlessly integrating their content. In fact, I thought on many occasions that the whole story could've worked without any mentions of river fairies or their attempts to swap out newborns. The protagonist, Lauren, is plenty unreliable on her own. We never know if she is delusional or if someone truly tried to take her babies. Another disappointment for me was the ending - it just left me feeling deflated. It was so anticlimactic that I was confused about whether or not I had missed a huge plot point somewhere along the way. I kept thinking "there has to be more, right?". I also failed to care about most of the characters. Detective Harper had several of her own issues that should've been explored more. Her "relationship" with Amy, the journalist, was like an afterthought and added very little to the story. Lauren's husband was sleazy and disgusting at the very least and hugely manipulative on his worst days. There was also NO solution to any of his indiscretions. Lauren herself was an ok protagonist but her personal struggles were incredibly relatable and earnest. And this is really where the author did her best work.

Golding tackled a very important issue - postpartum depression (PPD) - in a unique and smart way. Channeling it through an unreliable narrator in a setting of potential dark paranormal forces gave the novel some depth and made PPD accessible to a reader without any personal experience, like me. At times, I too had very visceral sensations as Lauren was going through her "breakdown". I could understand her thought processes and I really felt for her. I am so glad we are starting to address some of our mental health issues in creative ways. I'd say this book could be a trigger for someone suffering from PPD but is definitely an interesting resource nonetheless. It sure allows bringing awareness to a topic that we often treat as hush-hush. I hope Golding will continue her writing journey along those lines and I will check out her next book.

#53 Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World

4/5 stars

This was an inspiring, quick introduction to many women in science. I listened to it at work, where I am a scientist, and felt inspired. I also promptly ordered this book for my nieces, who are probably, the more age-appropriate target for this. :)

#54 The Dark Game

3/5 stars

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Dark Game is a complex paranormal thriller that at times pays homage to classics like Stoker's Dracula and at others invents completely novel and unique characters. It is a feast of backstories, books within books, and whodunit themes. A wealthy author holds a secret contest for aspiring writers at his estate. The catch: nothing is as it seems. We encounter imaginary foes, real-life killers, and ruthless competitors. We read developing drafts of various stories interwoven into the main plot line. We get to know each contestant's dark past as it unfolds in the present.

Jonathan Janz shows great creativity and ambition in this novel. Sadly, the execution falls a bit flat. It was strenuous to follow the present plotline while sorting through the past side stories. It was difficult to remember who is who. But most importantly, it was too hard to care about any of the characters. This led to me slugging my way through the book as it dredged on. This should've been a suspenseful and fast-paced horror mystery but I was rarely scared or uncomfortable and I never felt my heart beat quicken. This book just felt perfectly average. It was a decent read. It just didn't have the little something extra that makes a novel super special or great.

#55 Pachinko

3/5 stars

I enjoyed listening to this and cared about the characters. The women showed great strength in this generation-spanning epic. Historical fiction can be hit or miss for me. I am not too familiar with Korean history and found this novel quite educational. I just didn't get sucked into the story as much as I was hoping to.

#56 King of Scars

5/5 stars

I really enjoyed this story. Nikolai wasn't my favorite character in the Grishaverse trilogy but I found him entertaining. I quite loved him here. Zoya intrigued me already before this book but now I AM HERE FOR HER. Yes, the plot developed slowly at times and there might've been some lul moments but Bardugo made more than up for it with her character development. I loved learning about characters I've met in other books of hers (i.e. Nina) and I loved getting to know new characters. Hanne, for example, became quickly a favorite of mine. I cannot wait for the sequel as this cliffhanger is killing me slowly.

Juli wrote: "#53 Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World

4/5 stars

This was an inspiring,..."

Woot! Love these kinds of books!

#57 Anne of Green Gables

5/5 stars

OMG I loved this. I just have to read the other books in this series now.

#58 Sorry I Wrote So Many Sad Poems Today

4.5 stars

These are depressing if you're a 20 or 30 something. Too real. Much too real.

It took me a bit to get into her style. But in the end, I wished there were more poems in this collection.

#59 The Haunting of Hill House

3.5/5 stars

This was delightfully weird. But I was hoping for more descriptions of the paranormal events. I needed more horror.

#60 The Turn of the Screw

4/5 stars

So Gothic. So proper and pious. So selfish. Henry James' characters are quintessential 19th-century perfection. This ghost story is a great social comment commentary while still bring frightening. I can't wait to see what Netflix will do with The Haunting of Bly Manor!

Juli wrote: "#59 The Haunting of Hill House

3.5/5 stars

This was delightfully weird. But I was hoping for more descriptions of the paranormal events. ..."

Hell House is very similar but much more graphic/violent and more paranormal. I actually liked it better than Hill House. *gasp* lol. I still haven't watched the Netflix Hill House.

Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "#59 The Haunting of Hill House

3.5/5 stars

This was delightfully weird. But I was hoping for more descriptions of the parano..."

The Netflix Hill House was better than the book, I think :/

I will see if Hell House is available right away in my library. I was thinking of reading We Have Always Lived in the Castle next.

Juli wrote: "Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "#59 The Haunting of Hill House

3.5/5 stars

This was delightfully weird. But I was hoping for more descriptions..."

I loved We Have Always Lived in the Castle!

Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "#59 The Haunting of Hill House

3.5/5 stars

This was delightfully weird. But I was hoping for more..."

I got it right away from the library as it had been on my TBR for a while. I was amazingly strange!!!!!

#61 On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

4/5 stars

I love listening to Stephen King speak. I like his honesty and potty mouth. This was an enjoyable listen. I repeated a few sections multiple times.

#62 We Have Always Lived in the Castle

4/5 stars

This was so deliciously strange! I'd love to see a graphic novel adaptation.

#63 Every Heart a Doorway

3/5 stars

I listened to parts and read some others. The main concept is unusual and fascinating. I love the idea of "what happens when Alice returns from Wonderland?", "how does she feel about home?", and "is she changed?". The actual plot about the murders felt less intriguing and read like a clumsy children's book. I'm giving this 3 stars solely because of the creativity and richness of the other worlds the kids have visited. I will most likely continue on with the series though. I am too curious to see where it goes.

Juli wrote: "#62 We Have Always Lived in the Castle

4/5 stars

This was so deliciously strange! I'd love to see a graphic novel adaptation."

Not a graphic novel, but a movie has happened/will happen!

Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "#62 We Have Always Lived in the Castle

4/5 stars

This was so deliciously strange! I'd love to see a graphic novel ad..."

Yes, please!!!!! Love it.

#64 Hell House

5/5 stars

This was really, really good. I was scared more than once. I loved the hauntings, the visions, the cruelty the spirits displayed. I liked the main characters. They were flawed and perfect at the same time. I feel satisfied with the conclusion of the plot. I kind wait to watch the movie and see how it compares.

#65 The Overdue Life of Amy Byler

3/5 stars

Cute. Relatable in ways and not in others. No matter if we have kids, who doesn't want to escape their life for a bit?!

Juli wrote: "Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "#62 We Have Always Lived in the Castle

4/5 stars

This was so deliciously strange! I'd love to see a gr..."

The new trailer!
Taissa Farmiga MAKES this movie!!! She's creepy as hell!

Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "#62 We Have Always Lived in the Castle

4/5 stars

This was so deliciously strange! I'd lov..."

Yassssss!

#66 Down Among the Sticks and Bones

2/5 stars

I really liked Jack and Jill in the first book and enjoyed the glimpse of their back story. I definitely was intrigued by it. We all know I love vampires and dark creatures but to be honest I was more amazed by and more excited about the creative and imaginative other worlds briefly described in book 1. Thus, I feel that book 2 should've been one of those worlds - a new kind - one we haven't experienced yet. There is a plethora of Frankenstein and Dracula inspired tales so I was disappointed to see that the author chose to do just that in this sequel. The story was predictable, the world was as expected, and the characters didn't seem very complex. I don't mind that Jack and Jill's stories are covered in this series, I just think it should've been at a much later point or it should've picked up where it left off in book 1 with them returning to it.

Juli wrote: "#66 Down Among the Sticks and Bones

2/5 stars

I really liked Jack and Jill in the first book and enjoyed the glimpse of their ..."

There's not much continuity between each book. I was disappointed by that. It gets even less so as the series goes on.

Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "#66 Down Among the Sticks and Bones

2/5 stars

I really liked Jack and Jill in the first book and enjoyed the glim..."

I will read the next one as it can fulfill one of the popsugar categories. I hope it'll be a more unusual setting!

#67 Beneath the Sugar Sky

1/5 stars

I thought this one would be better than the last because the candy nonsense world sounded so fun. Yet, it turned out to be predictable. I didn't really care for Cora or Rini. Nancy's world was the most interesting and we only spent a few moments there. The plot again read like a lazy attempt at a children's book.

#68 The Stand

5/5 stars

This is a mammoth of a book. It's intimidating. My paperback copy is 1141 pages with the smallest font known to mankind. I had to switch to a Kindle copy once in a while when my eyes got too strained. Yet despite it being so long, once I found the time to really sit down with the book, it read super fast. It's quite plot-driven, which I can't say for that many King books. Of course, his character development is as usual superb. And again the characters make this novel what it is - amazing! Naturally, I had some favorites, Stu and Frannie, for example. Kojak for sure! But I also loved The Walking Dude and Trashcan Man. M-O-O-N spells everything that is right with this story. I fully understand why this is widely considered King's best book. It's not my all-time favorite but it has made it into the top 5!

"M-O-O-N spells everything that is right with this story." hahaha oh Tom!! I've made it to page 600!

Elyse wrote: ""M-O-O-N spells everything that is right with this story." hahaha oh Tom!! I've made it to page 600!"

I am glad!!!!!! I hope you'll walk away from this book loving it!

#69 The Poet X

5/5 stars

I recently read The Crossover and On the Come Up, which both highlight language and poetry in different ways and both deal with growing up and being different. I love that literature is now turning toward heavy topics such as racism and discrimination. I love that our society is beginning to work its way through these with literature. I feel both books are important and open new avenues. And so does The Poet X but it ads another layer for me - it felt so personal. I identified with X. Much of her high school experience resembled mine. I too express myself often through the written word. I too hide at times in my journals. I too take a long time to open up to people and new experiences. Poetry is the perfect medium for this story. I hope to see this book in every middle or high school library. I hope people of all ages will discuss its merits. I hope someone like me will come across it and find themselves in these pages.

Juli wrote: "#69 The Poet X

5/5 stars

I recently read The Crossover and On the Come Up, which both highlight language and poetry..."

This one is in my TBR but I don't know when I will get to it.

Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "#69 The Poet X

5/5 stars

I recently read The Crossover and On the Come Up, which both highlight langua..."


It's definitely a quick read. I heard really good things about the audiobook, too.

#70 The Wife Between Us

2.5/5 stars

I was really looking forward to this novel. It had been on my TBR for a while and our very own Elyse had just flown through it and loved it, so I moved it up on my reading list. Unfortunately, it didn't blow me away as I had expected. I suspected the first plot twist right from the beginning (view spoiler)[ (maybe because I recently read The Silent Patient where the author utilized a similar plot device) (hide spoiler)]. I coulnd't really care for the main protagonist (view spoiler)[ Vanessa/Nellie (hide spoiler)] even after my perception of her shifted with the plot twist. I did enjoy the "almost" ending as it felt justified but then the epilogue ruined it all for me. Why???? That was unnecessary. I know it added another sort of plot twist but it added nothing really to the story. Again, this is a book that I believe was written in hopes of getting a movie deal. It will make for an entertaining thriller to watch. (less)

#71 The Ghost Bride

4/5 stars

This book grew on me. It started off slow but by about 1/4 into the book the plot developed into an unsuspected direction and it just took off for me there. I loved the dark themes. I loved the Chinese folktales that permeate the story. I loved the historical setting. Er Lang and Li Lan were by far my favorites but even the villainous other characters or Li Lan's Amah connected with me. All around this was a great story. If I were to re-read it I might even enjoy the first 25% of the book but for now, it is a 4 star read because it took so much time to get into the novel.

#72 Wuthering Heights

5/5 stars

Lovely. Just lovely. I would've devoured this were it not for Joseph's (and others) incomprehensible dialect slowing me down. I ended up having to take out a kindle library copy that showed the "translated" text. Honestly, none of the characters were really likable but that darkness and despair and the icky feeling I had about the characters made this novel lovable! It truly is a Gothic masterpiece!

Juli wrote: "#70 The Wife Between Us

2.5/5 stars

I was really looking forward to this novel. It had been on my TBR for a while and our very own Elyse ..."

Oh that's disappointing! Sorry you didn't like it!

Juli wrote: "#71 The Ghost Bride

4/5 stars

This book grew on me. It started off slow but by about 1/4 into the book the plot developed into an unsuspected ..."

I was supposed to read this for a Popsugar challenge a couple of years ago. Bought it specifically for that. I still haven't read it. lol. It's going to be a Netflix movie. Or show. Movie, I think.

Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "#71 The Ghost Bride

4/5 stars

This book grew on me. It started off slow but by about 1/4 into the book the plot developed into an..."

Oh good to know. I will probably watch this.

#73 In an Absent Dream

5/5 stars

By so very, very far my favorite in the series. This was everything none of the others were. I didn't want it to end. This was the first world that truly felt novel, that truly appeared unique. Lundy, Moon, and the Archivist were wonderful and twisted. I loved everything about this story.

#74 Stoker's Wilde

2/5 stars

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book is an homage to some of our most beloved Gothic writers and their contemporaries. We obviously have Stoker and Wilde, but we also hear about an aunt named Agatha, Walt Whitman is mentioned on several occasions, Henry Irving and Ellen Terry play (see what I did there?) major parts, and Robert Rosevelt wields his Gatlinburg cannon just to name a few. The story of Stoker and Wilde spans many years. They battle paranormal beings such as werewolves and vampires. Their adventure comes to a crescendo when they encounter a dark cult trying to take over London and the world. What can they do to save the day?

The book gave me two things I will remember: nostalgia for great books like Stoker's Dracula (one of my all-time favorites) and hilarious banter between Stoker and Wilde. Their love-hate relationship is portrayed wonderfully and gave me a few good chuckles. I also enjoyed discovering the many nods to writers, book titles, story plots, and historical events. I am sure I did not recognize them all. This novel was filled to the brim with them. The actual tale is put together from various diary entries, letters between friends, and annotations by a fictional fellowship called The White Worm Society, which is a secret organization to keep dark and sinister forces at bay. I thought this medium is quite smart as we could get insights from distinct viewpoints and get to know many different characters on a more intimate basis.

Sadly, this is the limit of what I liked about this book. First of all, for some reason, it felt very long. I am not sure why, but it seemed I was reading a 100o-page tome rather than a 250-page novel. I kept thinking I surely must be done soon and then looked down to where I was in the book and it still would say 20%! The only reason I can think of is that banter between Stoker and Wilde, letters from Ellen/Henry/Florence/Roosevelt/you name it to their friends, and diary entries eventually just become quite repetitive and made me lose all sense of direction where I was in the novel. Secondly, the plot quickly crossed from a sarcastic take of 19th century England to cheesy. I found myself bored and annoyed quite often. (view spoiler)[ Yes, we get it, this or that vampire or werewolf is bad but then Stoker and Wilde (through barely any cunning doing of their own) finish the job. (hide spoiler)] Thirdly, why and how is it possible that the two main protagonists remain so dense after all their dark encounters with paranormal creatures?! Do they not learn? Do they really think this last kill was ending the thread to society when NO SIGNS pointed that way other than the death of yet another vampire minion of the Black Bishop? (view spoiler)[ Do you think the Black Bishop, this elusive foe, would be so easily defeated the first time you encounter him? (hide spoiler)] And that brings me to my last point. I don't think it was meant to be so easy for me to figure out who the Black Bishop actually is, but I had my suspicions instantly when I encountered him/her for the first time. It would've been a much more suspenseful read had I not known this part. Solely Stoker and Wilde were surprised by the reveal of this villain. And that was only possible because they both remained naive and blind throughout their journey.

All in all, this is nostalgic read to pass the time but I doubt it will make an impact other than that.

#75 The Family

2/5 stars

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fast psychological thriller about the only survivor of a gruesome ritual killing and her struggle with this memory and the fact that they have never found the guy who did it. When Becky begins to make some serious connections with similar crimes across Europe her hunt for the killer begins and we're along for that ride.

I struggled with this book for many reasons. Were it not for Black's, as I said, fast-paced writing, I might've DNF'ed this novel. I didn't enjoy any of the characters. They were either bland or not relatable. The killer was probably my favorite because at least he had a real agenda and an interesting personality. The premise of the book sounded intriguing but ended up being nothing novel or unique. (view spoiler)[ We've seen ritualistic killings. We've seen secret societies that enjoy said killings. And most of all, we've seen the "I trusted you but then you turned out to be the killer" tropes a million times in this genre. (hide spoiler)] The only thing I believe the author did well (and the reason why this book earned any stars) was how he portrayed the cascading effects of such a murder: the frustration of the police officers for not being able to crack this case, the emotional turmoil of the boy who found Becky back then when she escaped the killer, and of course, Becky's struggles to fit into society and have a normal day-to-day life. If Black would've expanded on that and left out many of the unnecessary plot events, this would've been a far better book. And that brings me to the actual plot line. Jeez, were there too many unbelievable plot revelations. How can so many things happen and it be real? I just could not get into that plotline. I could not suspend disbelief. Most of all though, the ending was such a letdown. That plot twist could not be more overdone.

Juli wrote: "#73 In an Absent Dream

5/5 stars

By so very, very far my favorite in the series. This was everything none of the others were. I didn't wan..."


I read the first book when it was the only one out. I keep meaning to come back to the series, but we all know how that goes... too many books, not enough time.