Overall, I enjoyed this. A budding romance between serial killers, complete with eye-gouging and cannibalism? Count me in! It was heavier on the romanOverall, I enjoyed this. A budding romance between serial killers, complete with eye-gouging and cannibalism? Count me in! It was heavier on the romance than I expected (more on that later), which is not my usual fare.
Things I liked:
1. The whole dark premise--two serial killers who, a la Dexter, only seek out and kill human monsters. 2. They have the weirdest meet-cute EVER! 3. Rowan's character reminded me of Cassidy from Preacher, whom I LOVE!! Their whole vibe, the casual acceptance of each other's gory proclivities, had a Preachery feel to me. I love that show, so that was definitely a plus! 4. The humor and dialogue really worked for me, with one exception (I'm getting to that).
Things I didn't like:
1. Weirdo that I am, I was fine with the eye-gouging and cannibalism. What grossed me out were the sex scenes! Sorry, but popping an eyeball out is one thing--(view spoiler)[having to read about their . . . juices . . . being smeared all over their faces is a whole different thing. Am I a Puritan? Maybe, but I still think that I'm not the only woman who read those passages and thought, not no, but hell no! *barf emoji* 2. The narration of their sexcapades didn't help AT ALL! Listening to Rowan (still enjoying the Irish accent) detail what he was going to do, complete with descriptions of body parts was just . . . TMI. I mean, I've read a million bodice-rippers in my day, but those were mostly historical, so maybe I'm just not up with the times. To me, listening to him make her "spread herself open" for him and then tell her "I'm going to do this, and this is going to go here, and then that will go there," all in the crudest language imaginable, just had me thinking, this is romance? I get that their characters are about as far from traditional as it is possible to be, but still, it just seemed like a mood-killer. This started at about 65% in. Once they got going, they didn't want to stop! It finally ended at about the 80% mark. So not much of the book, but I confess that I did hit the fast forward a few times because I was just over it. 3. This is minor, but the whole night of seduction was over the top (in oh so many ways!) but also in believability. I mean, this guy Rowan is apparently the energizer bunny in the bedroom! They seemed to have gone at it for literally seven or eight hours straight, all while Sloane has a dislocated shoulder! Then, after countless orgasms, with Rowan passed out on her, she tries to masturbate? Like, what the hell?? Apparently, Rowan is secretly superhuman in the sex department to be able to perform that many times, and I think Sloane may have some sort of sex addiction if she still needs to pleasure herself after a night like that. She should be trying to figure out how she's going to walk the next day instead of adding to the problem! (hide spoiler)]
Anyway, that's it! I liked everything but the sex. I would like to read the next book since this one ends with a teaser that leads into it. Hopefully, it will be like Outlander where they were going at it like rabbits in the first book (honeymoon period) but calmed down a little after that. I don't mind romances in books, but I stopped being interested in books that read more like sex manuals once I left my teens. That's just me, though. Everyone is different, and that's okay....more
This has been moved to my favorites list! It is hilarious and weird in the best possible way. It is a post-apocalyptic tale from the point of view of This has been moved to my favorites list! It is hilarious and weird in the best possible way. It is a post-apocalyptic tale from the point of view of a domesticated crow named Shit Turd (S. T. for short). When his owner, a MoFo (as the humans are known) named Big Jim goes crazy, S. T. leaves with his dog companion, Dennis, in search of medicine to heal Big Jim. Out on the road, he realizes that the illness is widespread and affecting all MoFos.
S. T. and Dennis have a lot of adventures and the humor is crazy clever and sharp. The writing is beautiful, as well. Warning: for those of you who cannot endure the deaths of animals, you should steer clear. This post-apocalyptic world has become very dog-eat-dog, and a lot of dogs get eaten (and a few other animals, as well). The truth is that when zombies are roaming at free will, shit is going to get real and people and animals are going to die. Zombies are not very selective in their dietary choices, and the cuteness of a little floofer ball of fur doesn't really affect them so much. If you have a solid grasp on the harsh realities of life in the zombie apocalypse, then you will enjoy the humor of this! Highly recommended!!...more
This, unfortunately, did not pan out for me. The cover is, of course, awesome, and the premise is intriguing, but its potential was not realized. The This, unfortunately, did not pan out for me. The cover is, of course, awesome, and the premise is intriguing, but its potential was not realized. The plot consists of a large group of privileged young people left stranded on an island that was supposed to be the site of a huge music festival. The main character is a podcaster determined to get to the truth of the situation. I think it is supposed to be a satire of our dependence on technology and the power of social media. I think if the plot had been more focused and not all over the place (it seems like everything but the kitchen sink was thrown in), then it might have been more successful. I think, though, that a younger audience might be more caught up in all the pop-culture references and be more forgiving of plot holes.
I gave it three stars because I did actually laugh a few times....more
I struggled with my thoughts on this book. A lot of my friends really love this book and the premise is so intriguing that I wanted to love it, too. II struggled with my thoughts on this book. A lot of my friends really love this book and the premise is so intriguing that I wanted to love it, too. It starts off with such promise! But then, for me, it just got SO silly. I know it is satire, and there were still genuinely funny lines from time to time, but it was just so heavy-handed and over the top.
I was weighing what I wanted to say about the book and found that my friend Amanda expressed it perfectly in her review:
Bray vacillates between slapstick humor and serious messages. While I did enjoy the first few chapters and there were some lines that made me laugh, most of the humor was predictable and inspired only an eye-roll as I turned the page. Unfortunately, the smart stuff, the stuff that needs to be recognized and addressed, becomes lost in the fluff. The novel's own inane silliness ultimately downplays what could have been a more powerful exploration of being a girl in today's society. Or it could have been just a fun powder puff of a novel. Either way, it would have been better than what it ultimately turned out to be. I suppose I could be accused of taking this more seriously than I should have, but I think the same argument could be made of Bray.
That captures my feelings about it to a T. The author raises some important issues about feminism, misogyny, societal expectations for women's beauty, corporate greed, and gender identity. But the delivery of them, encased in the ridiculous story of the corporation with their secret volcano lair is just too much. My friend Madeline makes some great points in her review:
It's All So Very, Very Satirical. This book is a satire, I get that. But the satire is all so broad, so winkingly obvious, that after the second "commercial break" I was tired of it. Bray goes for the obvious jokes and stereotypes (a religious, gun-loving Texan character? How innovative!) without delving deeper into who these girls are and why they do pageants (short answer, according to this book: either to make a social statement, or childhood trauma). All the satire is so heavy-handed that it practically bruises, and the story gets too bogged down in its own jokes. The book seems to be begging us to applaud its cleverness as it hits us with a barrage of made-up pop culture references and fake TV show titles and jokes that have no business being there at all, except to get another laugh out of us.
She also makes the point (which I also agree with) that the most interesting character is Taylor, the Texan who starts off as the antagonist. According to Madeline, Taylor "seems like the bad guy, but when she finds out that the rescue has been called off and the girls have been abandoned, she snaps. We learn about her traumatic childhood, her need to be perfect and accepted and loved, and then Taylor goes full Rambo and starts living by herself in the jungle, taking out the bad guys one by one like a crazy ninja armed with hairspray. This story is awesome, but it has to take a backseat to all the other girls and the stupid, stupid pirate romance bullshit that really should have been left out completely."
Although these more critical reviews are in the minority, I was glad to find them and realize that I wasn't alone in my opinion....more
I absolutely loved this concept!! The author married a YA retelling of one of my favorites--Jane Eyre--and infused it with ghosts AND actual Brontes! I absolutely loved this concept!! The author married a YA retelling of one of my favorites--Jane Eyre--and infused it with ghosts AND actual Brontes! That's right--Charlotte and her brother Branwell were major characters in the story. The only thing that kept me from giving it 5 stars is that the humor is, to me, pretty sophomoric at times. Other than that--bravo!
I loved how the plot strands from Jane Eyre, Charlotte and Branwell's real-life story, the Duke of Wellington, and a healthy helping of ghosts were woven together in such a clever way. We even get Helen Burns back! She is still hanging around with Jane, just as a ghost. There are quite a few references to Princess Bride in the book, which also makes me very happy! All in all, a fun YA historical ghost-busting read! I am definitely interested in reading the first book, My Lady Jane, which is reportedly very good.
I read this as a result of the book being challenged in my high-school library. It's unbelievable that some parents will just not give up trying to coI read this as a result of the book being challenged in my high-school library. It's unbelievable that some parents will just not give up trying to control not only what their kids read, which is their right as a parent, but what EVERY kid reads, which is decidedly NOT their right! Please stay in your lane and save your attentions for your own child. Believe it or not, there are parents out there who are fine with their kids choosing their own YA books without your input. Okay, rant over!
I thought this was a humorous, heart-warming book that a lot of kids would find engaging. Mike Munoz has more than his share of challenges: poverty, no future prospects, a difficult-to-handle disabled brother, and relationship problems. The tale of his struggle to find himself and a future while dealing with a lot of uncertainty and situations beyond his control is something that most kids could identify with. It doesn't hurt that he does this with a healthy dose of humor. Most kids will enjoy this book. (P.S. We voted to keep the book on the shelves)!...more
I read this to prepare for our memoir unit in my classroom. It's pretty entertaining. I'm a big fan of The Office, and Mindy Kaling, as a writer on thI read this to prepare for our memoir unit in my classroom. It's pretty entertaining. I'm a big fan of The Office, and Mindy Kaling, as a writer on the show, has some serious comedic chops, in my opinion. Great if you're in the market for a humorous memoir! ...more
I heard a lot about the craziness of this book and it certainly lives up to the hype! There are times when it is laugh out loud funny, and other timesI heard a lot about the craziness of this book and it certainly lives up to the hype! There are times when it is laugh out loud funny, and other times when its juvenalia becomes tiresome. I listened to the audio version, so I'm not sure how much that factored in to my feeling, at times, of being confused by the chaos of what is going on. The action is fast-forward and non-stop.
I really like Carol.'s review comparing The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to this book, so check it out! She only gives it two stars, but the comparisons are awesome even if you love John Dies at the End. ...more
This was a fun read. I've heard this described as a horror comedy, but it's definitely heavier on the comedy than the horror. Some of the situations dThis was a fun read. I've heard this described as a horror comedy, but it's definitely heavier on the comedy than the horror. Some of the situations demand that you suspend reality a bit, but nothing that is a deal-breaker, as far as I'm concerned. The protagonist--an up-and-coming cartoonist with a knack for landing in awkward situations--is extremely likable. I mean, I would love to be friends with this guy! He's sharp and funny, and I'm on board with his sense of humor. Unlike his agent, I found the chainsaw incident hilarious.
There's a lot of humor to be found in this book, and Strand has a deft touch for dialogue. The pacing is excellent. I found Rachel's reaction to the news that her father was not quite as altruistic as she thought unrealistic, as well as Jason's reaction to it. It wasn't enough to spoil the story, though. There are a few graphic scenes, but they are pretty quick. The only true horror I felt was when Jason was at the mercy of the villain and I thought I was going to have to endure a blow-by-blow (no pun intended!) account of what the villain had planned for him.
Strand created some truly hilarious minor characters--I think Holly and her fiancé are my favorites. The non-barfight scene is epic! I can't wait to read more by this author. I see that he has quite a few to choose from, so that should keep me busy for awhile!...more
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