TROUBLED BLOOD - Robert Galbraith

First I want to mention that I debated not writing a review due to the negativity expressed in the other reviews I had seen, but ultimately I decided to write one anyway because there were just so many things that I wanted to personally mention.
I will NOT, however, be discussing any controversy, either related to the author or the book. And if you aren't sure what controversy I'm referring to, there are other reviews that mention it, and you can also google it.

Anyway, with that being said, onto the review.

TW: Numerous mentions of/references to rape and sexual assault/harassment.

Where to begin? I'll say right off the bat that I can't totally hate this book because it HAS just gotten me out of a reading slump that I've been in for over a year. However, that doesn't let this book off the hook for anything.

First of all, the characters were... something. Pretty much any character that wasn't Robin or Cormoran was described in an unflattering way, and if they were described in what could traditionally be described as "flattering" there were airs about it that left a foul taste. But it seemed like Robin and Cormoran could do no wrong. (And don't even get me started on this half-assed "will they/won't they" story-line. It's bullshit. We all know they'll end up together so this back and forth is just annoying filler for the already hefty book.) The whole book reeked of misogyny and it was very grating to read, especially when a good portion of that came from our protagonists themselves, more-so Cormoran but Robin wasn't immune either.

Most of the book could have been cut and it wouldn't have affected the main story-line at all. Too much focus was given to the side jobs that the characters were doing. I understand why they were included, I suppose, but it felt like most of the time the main plot was getting lost in the fog that was apparently "character development". (Is that what was going on? I'm honestly not really sure what the purpose of about 80% of this book was.)

I kept reading solely for desire to find out what happened to Margot Bamborough, the resolution to which came about very abruptly considering the meandering mess that was the previous 900 pages. I don't know if I'm thick or what, but the killer seemed to come from left field. Like they were chosen for the sole purpose of a shock factor. It's hard to really tell if there were cohesive hints to the killers identity, given how stretched the story-line was. Like it was stretched out as much as it was to prevent anyone from being able to correctly guess, without relying on red herrings or any such device which feels quite underhanded, in my opinion.

It felt like this book was trying to be incredibly clever, which didn't exactly feel poorly executed, but it certainly didn't stick the landing. Like when the killer was confessing at the end, it really felt as though it came out of left field as stated above, even as we were being led back through the reasons they were suspected in the end. I didn't end up feeling the kind of surprise you'd expect from the killer not being the person you suspected, but just general confusion at the choice.

There was also a lot of statements being made throughout the book, mostly through Robin and they were just... incredibly heavy handed. You could tell EXACTLY what kind of social commentary was being made and it was quite jarring whenever it happened.

MONUMENT 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Rating: 🌟 

CW: Sexualizing of minors; underage drinking; teen pregnancy; sizism; homphobia; drug use; attempted rape.

Where do I begin?

I hate to be harsh, but I didn't find anything redeemable about this book, unfortunately. 

From constant thoughts on the appearance of certain characters, to the many awkward sentences and phrasings, this book was a hot mess.
Literally nothing was spared. From rampant inconsistencies, poor word choices, the 'development' of the characters, and the so called plot. WHAT PLOT? It's literally just a bunch of stereotypes masquerading as people stuck in a department store during an apocalyptic event.

The characters were extremely one-dimensional, the dialogue was flat, the descriptions were all over the place, I could go on and on.
Not to mention the countless instances of misogyny and sexism, there were also a multitude of descriptions that I found appalling. The characters (particularly the main character) felt the need to comment on the weight of several of the other characters (at one point a character late in the novel felt the need to comment on the weight of a woman he had helped, when it was completely unnecessary).


I went into this novel with the notion that it would be a thrilling novel about a group of teenagers forced to survive in a Walmart-esque department store during an apocalypse.
Instead, I was forced to endure a novel revolving around the angst of teenagers set against the backdrop of an apocalyptic event.

The entirety of the book I FELT like I was reading a book, you know? There was no immersion that took place. Nothing felt real, and this book was a chore to get through. Literally the only thing this book had going for it was that once you started reading it, it was relatively quick to get through, but I had to fight my instincts to roll my eyes every two sentences!


The main character, Dean, was a creep, and at times appeared to display sociopathic tendencies. He is the most disturbing main character I think I've ever read. He literally STALKS his crush, Astrid, and is obsessed to the point that whenever she shows him the slightest bit of attention he goes on about how they're meant for one another.


                                  "It was like we were magnets, meant to be fitted together." 

and at another, comments:

 "What I wanted was Astrid. She looked so good to me I wanted to take her, in a dark and terrible way."

UMMMMM???? EXCUSE ME?!! He literally thought about RAPING her, and it is never mentioned again! I do not care that he had been exposed to the dangerous chemicals. That is no excuse!

He spied on her without her knowledge, as well as numerous other offenses. And this was the character we were supposed to root for? I found myself wishing a meteor would crash into the store to end my suffering!

There were constant thoughts on how provocative Sahalia is dressed, numerous mentions to the weight of the smaller children, and a lot of mentions of wanting to strangle said children. So many of these comments were incredibly creepy! There was one instance where Sahalia was dressed in short shorts and a white t-shirt and it got wet, and the teenage boys just STARE at her! She is 13!!!

Getting back to the sexism for a moment, the female characters (Josie, Astrid, and Sahalia) were the only ones who seemed capable of taking care of the younger characters at any given time. Our MC had one kid help him prepare meals, but that was literally the extent of it, and he made it clear his disdain for them early on.
Astrid was immediately forced into the role of babysitter when they become stuck in the store, and then disappears when something happens (I'm still debating whether or not to actually write spoilers on this review so we'll just leave it at that), and then Josie takes over. She is even referred to as "Mother Josie"!
Yet none, and I mean NONE of the male characters do much of anything besides "protect" the others. It was horribly imbalanced and sexist.

For instance, there is a scene where they have to take the children to the restroom and Astrid (naturally -.-) is volunteered to do this. Alone.

"Astrid got the kids organized. She told Henry that they were all going to stick together and go in the ladies' room, which was good psychology, even if it elicited a round of groans from the boys."

Why didn't the males step up and take the boys to the men's room, you ask? Because that would have been the LOGICAL thing to do, and this book has shown that logic is definitely not in its wheelhouse.
The female characters were CONSTANTLY relegated to the role of babysitter, while the male characters did whatever DIDN'T involve them. There is another instance, where they force Josie to go take care of the kids when they encounter an issue, rather than having her input on it, despite the children being asleep! And on and on it went.
No female was spared, towards the end, it was Sahalia who was forced to be the babysitter, and just... WHY?!

And to briefly touch upon the attempted rape, of which Sahalia was the victim. I'll keep this brief because I am not familiar with this topic, but I do believe that this was handled poorly. It was mentioned very briefly and then it appeared to be glossed over, with our main character even describing Sahalia as "more grown up" towards the end of the novel, once the event had passed.
I was so enraged after I read that, because no one listened to the ONLY character who had common sense throughout the novel, when you could see the red flags IMMEDIATELY.




Overall, flat writing, unrealistic characters, rampant sexism... I could go on and on, but I think my review has gone on long enough.
My friend has written a review of her own, which I will link here > https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3355129738?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1 so please go and check it out, she was much more thorough than I was.


Do yourself a favor and skip this book, you're not missing anything exciting.

THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone

 (this review was originally post to my Goodreads account in March 2020)

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟

It was... alright. I can't really think of anything that stood out in particular.
The writing style was compelling, but I couldn't connect with the characters, and while I understand that the world wasn't the focus, I think I would have been a little bit more invested to understand how they traveled and left their letters.

CHALLENGER DEEP by Neal Shusterman

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟

This was a bit of an intense read. 

It was very interesting to see Caden's descent into his illness, and knowing that this was inspired by Shusterman's son's own experiences makes it even more intense. 

I do have to say that I didn't like the parts that took place on the ship, though I did love at the end when Caden's two worlds began to blur together. It was interesting finding out who was whom in both worlds. 

There were a few phrases that gave me pause, but overall it was a good read.

YOKAI by Dave Ferraro

(This review was originally posted to my Goodreads account in September.)

(It also contains a spoiler, but I am unsure how to properly mark spoilers on here so it will have a slash through it so that it can be spotted easily, though I do NOT recommend this book at all)

DNF Where to begin... there were awkward sentences, unrealistic characters, repeated words within the same paragraph, and the list just goes on and on. I read 7 chapters and then skimmed the last few and they did not improve. None of the characters acted like people, they seemed more like cardboard cutouts who were playacting as people. Poorly. Most of the actions of the characters were extremely unbelievable. There was one point where Shou put his hand on Yumiko's chest and SHE DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO HIM! I just could not get passed this. He GROPED HER, and it was never mentioned again. And then when she finds out Mori accepted him as an apprentice, she doesn't even mention it. I don't care what his intentions were, or whatever excuse a person can come up with. He touched her inappropriately and there were no consequences.  I hesitate to rate it since I didn't actually finish it, but it would not be a high rating regardless. There are more things I could say about it, but they would not be positive so I will just stop it here. The premise sounded so promising, yet I was sorely disappointed.

RELICS by Tim Lebbon

Rating: 🌟🌟

DNFing at page 210

I may pick this up at a later date, but for right now I just can't. I have tried so hard to get into this book and I just can't bring myself to care about the characters.

The world was so interesting and had a lot of promise, but I'm just not impressed with the execution. So many things were bothering me, from the characters (mostly the characters), to the slow pace. Only a few pages before I DNF'd did things actually start to get interesting. Unfortunately, they weren't interesting enough to keep my interest.
Again, I may try this again at a later date, but for right now, I'm going to try and find a book I will actually enjoy.

The characters were SO 2-dimensional, they were all just focused on one thing, and while granted I can kind of understand given certain circumstances, the thoughts that would run through their heads just.. *sigh* I find it difficult to believe would ACTUALLY occur to an actual human being all things considered. 
The characters were self-centered at odd moments, and no one and I mean NOT A SOUL felt like a real person. And again, the world showed so much promise! 

COLD SUMMER by Gwen Cole

Rating: 🌟🌟

Trigger warning: PTSD (including flashbacks) This review will contain spoilers. You have been warned. First things first, the only positive thing I can think of for this book: The author's writing style. It was honestly the only thing that kept me reading, because it was very easy to read. And the only reason this book is not getting 1 star. And now onto the rest of the review: I'll just get right to it: this was one of the most frustratingly disappointing reads I've ever read. Now, I'll admit that I wasn't expecting a whole lot from this book, but I was still hoping to be pleasantly surprised. I was not. It started out alright, but just kept getting cringier and cringier as it wore on. Everything was SO melodramatic (remember that word, it comes up a lot in this review) and cliched, it's unbelievable. And quite frankly the whole book felt like shadow-puppets on a wall. The characters especially were melodramatic, bland shells of people, with only like 2 "personality" traits. And those were just the MAIN CHARACTERS! The side characters weren't as lucky, acting more like placeholders for characters than actual PEOPLE. Speaking of our protagonists though, they both annoyed me SO MUCH. The main female was just so quirky and perfect. The only person more perfect would be our "incredibly hot" male protagonist who goes by the attractive moniker Kale. (Yes, that is his actual name) There was a great deal of TELLING and not SHOWING in this novel (don't even get me started on the amount of conveniences that were stacked on top of one another), and I do think it suffered because of that. Because while we were in Harper and Kale's heads, we didn't really get much of a sense of who they were as people beyond the cliche's they embodied. And honestly, the characters were just passive, wet-blankets, just waiting for something to happen so they could react to it. And I pretty much just want to punch them all in the face and move on with my life, but first I need to finish this review lol (Also, a side-note: there is legitimately one instance where the name Harper is compared to Kale in terms of weirdness. Just let that sink in for a moment) And can we just talk about how this important plot point which is mentioned IN THE SYNOPSIS isn't even a thing until about 85% of the way through the book?! I was expecting the WWII scenes to be... more, I guess. As well as thinking that we would be trying harder to figure out WHY he's traveling to that point in the past but literally all the characters just accept it as a fact of life, and basically the entire book just felt like it was simply a way for the author to write about PTSD, by way of Kale, which I swear was his whole raison d'être. And as for the representation itself, as I don't have PTSD I can't comment on whether or not it was accurate or harmful. It certainly seemed like the author put more effort into describing the PTSD than anything else in the novel if that tells you anything. There were also several instances of missing words, and it was obvious where certain edits had occurred. One instances of this is on page 314 "I pull my shirt quick". [And another on page 295 "Perkins is already crouched into front of me, pressing his hands over the right side of my chest".  These just kept happening REPEATEDLY throughout the novel, and these moments really served to take me completely out of the story. And let me just say that I was also having an incredibly difficult time suspending my disbelief with this story. Not only can he randomly time-travel, but he can also heal incredibly fast. For some reason. Which is also not explained. Does it factor in with his time-traveling? Does traveling in time change your body or something? I mean a bullet wound heals in 3 days for crying out loud! As well as Jasper was able to steal the bullet he was shot with, stuff like that. Things that would just NOT happen in the real world.  We're just supposed to accept this but I'm not falling for your tricks, book. I'm onto you! Anyway, it's then established that Perkins was the one who wrote this important plot-related article detailing how Kale "died" saving his life. And then nothing else is mentioned about him. What was so important about Perkins that warranted sending a 17 year old to save his ass in the past? Was it just so his bloodline would endure? Who did Perkins go on to become if he was so important that Kale was forced to return to the past repeatedly for MONTHS? I thought that they were leading up to this reveal about Perkins, or his grandchildren, that perhaps they proved to be instrumental in some capacity. But that didn't happen, and it just feels like one of many missed opportunities in this book. Also, side-note, how come when Kale goes to the past he appears always in the same moment he left, but for the present he's gone for days at a time?? There were just weird time-traveling rules. As well as the fact that Kale can't control his time-traveling, knows zero to nothing about it, yet he is able to explain it to people? If I found myself randomly traveling back in time, I would NOT be able to explain logistics, yet Kale is able to explain it to Harper. [I want to put a bit of a disclaimer in here for this mention as I could have just misinterpreted this, but this sentence rubbed me the wrong way. At the end of the novel, Kale and his dad are driving home from the hospital, and they pull over and have a heart to heart. Nothing wrong with that, except that Kale's father says this: "I don't think there's anyone in the world who could have been through what you have and came out stronger in the end." It just came across as insensitive to me. And while I admit it could have just been that I took it wrong, it just didn't sit well. Overall, it was a very melodramatic, disappointing read and let's just say I am glad I'm done.