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You’re the wind. You’re the stars. You are all endless things: Reviewing The Lost Metal (Book 7 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well since I last posted. I am very excited to (kind of) wrap up this series. I highly suggest that you check out my reviews of the other books in the Mistborn series. More than likely, this will be my last review of a Brandon Sanderson novel for a bit. Good news, though: it looks like this series will be adapted into a TV series in the near future. Needless to say, I’m very excited for that. Now, without further preamble, let’s talk about the last book in the Wax and Wayne saga.

Content Warning: Violence, Some Disturbing Imagery

In the years since the Bands of Mourning had been discovered, tensions have slowly grown in Elendel. Waxillium Ladrian has shifted his focus to politics, but finds himself being met with resistance at every turn. Detective Marasi Colms and Wayne are investigating the mysterious stockpiles of food and weapons being sent to the Outer City of Bilming. All the while, the Set continue to spread their corruption throughout the city, even influencing the Elendel Senate. The Set, though, have a greater and more destructive plan. Wax and his wife Steris discover a new type of explosive that the Set already have access to. They soon learn that the Set plan on destroying Elendel for their god, Trell. With everything they have ever cared about at stake, Wax and his crew must fight against forces beyond their comprehension to save the world as they know it.

The final book in this era of the Mistborn saga is a satisfying, albeit bittersweet, ending to an interesting and action-packed story arc. As always, Brandon Sanderson delivers an exciting plot and plenty of tense, well-written fight scenes. When you get to the last 40% of a Sanderson novel, you have no choice but to lock in and lose yourself to the ebb and flow of the relentless plot. With that being said, this novel is a bit of a slow burn in the beginning. While there are plenty of great character moments, it does take a bit for all of the built-up plot points to come together. When it did come together, it was incredibly satisfying. Sanderson has always demonstrated attention to detail, and The Last Metal has plenty of those moments. The book, though, is not without emotional weight. A lot of the intense action scenes could have easily just been that- cool action scenes. Sanderson, however, uses those moments as important character development. There are certainly some emotional moments in this book, but I will not talk about those because I don’t want to spoil anything. I think it goes without saying that I was satisfied with the Wax and Wayne saga. I will continue to highly recommend the Mistborn saga to anyone looking for a compelling fantasy series.

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To love is to devour: Reviewing House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I’m coming back with yet another horror novel. I know I should save these for fall, but I’m in the mood for something a little spooky. It has been a while, but I have reviewed a different novel by Alexis Henderson. If you want to, feel free to check out my review of The Year of the Witching. But now, let’s talk about House of Hunger

Content Warning: Violence, Disturbing Imagery, Sexual Content, Explicit Language, Substance Abuse, Abusive Relationships

Marion Shaw has spent her entire life struggling to survive. Her menial job as a housemaid pays next to nothing, and her brother spends what little he earns on drugs. One day, Marion spots the opportunity to change her life. She decides she will become a bloodmaid, a young woman whose only purpose is to provide her blood to nobles. In exchange, a bloodmaid gets to live a life of luxury. Marion seizes the offer and travels to the North. When she arrives, she meets the mysterious Lizavet, the Countess of the House of Hunger. Underneath the glamor and riches, a dark secret lurks in the walls. Marion must discover what’s truly happening in the House of Hunger before she and her fellow bloodmaids are consumed by something far more dangerous than they could have ever imagined.

House of Hunger is tense, Gothic horror with plenty of intrigue and thrills. If you know me, you know I love a classic Gothic horror that takes place in a mysterious manor. Alexis Henderson perfectly captures the best parts of Gothic horror, while incorporating plenty of steamy scenes and interesting twists. While this book is not about vampires, it is certainly vampire-adjacent and could easily appeal to any fans of classics like Dracula and Carmilla. Speaking of Carmilla, this novel is undeniably sapphic and presents a whole host of compelling female characters. I had such a hard time putting down this book and devoured it (pun intended). I don’t want to say too much more because I don’t want to give away anything else. Go read House of Hunger ASAP!

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The world was not made for ones like you: Reviewing You Weren’t Meant To Be Human by Andrew Joseph White

Hi everyone! I hope you are doing alright. It feels like it has been too long since I last posted. With summer starting to wind down, I’m trying to finish up some of my reading. I’m going to be fairly busy soon. In some exciting news, a little book cafe opened up close to my home. This has proven to be dangerous for me because I can’t resist a cheap, secondhand book. My TBR isn’t going to shrink any time soon. If nothing else, I can at least take one book off of my never-ending pile. With all of that being said, let’s talk about You Weren’t Mean To Be Human.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Strong Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Dubious Consent, Discussions and Depictions of Self-Harm, Attempted Suicide, Discussions of Transphobia, Graphic Scenes of Childbirth, Forced Pregnancy, Domestic Violence, Child Death, Disturbing Imagery

Several years ago, festering hives of worms and flies took root in various corners of America. These hives weren’t just clusters of bugs. They were aliens, intelligent ones at that. They promised salvation to those who served them faithfully. Soon, desperate people welcomed the influence of the hive. Crane is one of those people. After struggling with his identity, Crane decided to join the hive’s followers. He is living the life he wants. He can transition in peace, and he can be nonverbal without fear of judgment. He even got a boyfriend, who sucks, but at least he treats Crane like a man. Everything is going alright until Crane finds out that he’s pregnant. The hive demands that Crane bring this child into the world. His boyfriend, a loyal member of the hive, will ensure that the hive’s demands are met. Desperate and scared, Crane decides he will bring an end to the hive’s influence even if it means destroying everything he has ever wanted.

You Weren’t Meant To Be Human is a raw, visceral, and scathing horror novel about the fears and anxieties of those living in a world where their bodies and rights are constantly monitored. Andrew Joseph White doesn’t refrain from exploring overtly political themes surrounding trans rights and LGBTQIA+ issues. His prose is blunt, gross, and powerful. I don’t want anyone to think I am using “gross” as an insult towards this novel. On the contrary, I think the best thing that White did when writing this book was delve into body horror and the unpleasant parts of human life, specifically human reproduction. That is not to say that the book is without sympathy. The protagonist, Crane, is an incredibly sympathetic character, and I wanted him to survive this horrific situation. Speaking of the horrific situation, the aliens in this book were disgusting, and I had a hard time getting through some of the descriptions. That, however, is also meant as a compliment. You Weren’t Meant To Be Human is a difficult, yet necessary novel that serves a powerful political statement and stomach-churning body horror novel. This book will resonate with readers, in the best and worst ways.

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…But poison is everywhere, even in the places you least expect it: Reviewing The Eyes Are The Best Part by Monika Kim

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Yesterday, I went to a local book festival and had a wonderful time. Obviously, I did not walk away empty-handed. I got The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook (Book 3 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series) by Matt Dinniman, Our Share of the Night by Mariana Enriquez, Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito, and The Looking Glass Theory by Vivian Cafield. Ms. Catfield is an indie author whom I had the pleasure of meeting and her books sound immensely interesting to me. I will talk about all of those in the future. In the meantime, let’s talk about The Eyes Are The Best Part.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Discussions and Depictions of Misogyny, Disturbing Imagery, Strong Language, Discussions of Racism

Ji-won’s life is falling apart. Her father abruptly leaves after revealing that he was having an affair. This revelation leaves her mother in shambles and barely able to function. Between trying to mend her broken family and the pressures of college, Ji-won feels like a shell of who she once was. She begins having strange and disturbing dreams about rooms full of blue eyes. She tries to reason with herself that these dreams are a result of all the stress she is experiencing and tries to move past them. Ji-won’s life only gets exponentially more difficult when her mother starts dating a white man named George. He is obnoxious and self-important. He also clearly has a fetish for Asian women. Ji-won is disgusted with him, but finds herself captivated by his eyes. His eyes look just like the ones that she had seen in her dreams. She realizes then that maybe her dreams do mean something. Ji-won will finally satisfy her hunger for revenge…among other things.

It’s been a little bit since I’ve read a “good for her” horror novel, and The Eyes Are The Best Part is one of the best “good for her” books I have read in a while. Monika Kim’s award-winning horror thriller novel is a tense, exciting, and nauseating tale of rage and revenge. This book tackles plenty of issues, like the power imbalance between men and women, the dangers of “nice men,” and the insidiousness of racism. All of this is told through a fast-paced and visceral narrative. The highlight of the book, though, is its protagonist. Kim created a perfectly complex character in Ji-won Lim, who is a perfect balance of relatable and unhinged. I would be lying if I said I found the character to be unlikable. If anything, I found her to be a very sympathetic character (disregarding some of her more disturbing actions). It’s hard to find well-written, complex female characters, but Monika Kim delivers on this aspect of the novel as well as everything else. It is safe for you to assume that I loved The Eyes Are The Best Part and I truly think that you will too.

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For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me…: Reviewing If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant For You by Leigh Stein

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well in this heat wave. In some recent news, I turned 30! It feels a bit weird to say out loud, but it’s exciting. I thought about doing a post about 30 books everyone must read, or something like that. I, however, decided to simply enjoy the day. With all of that being said, I have another review for you. Let’s talk about If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant For You.

Content Warning: Some Strong Language, Sexual Content, Substance Use, Mental Health Crisis

Dayna Lev is having the worst day. Her entire life is turned upside down when she finds out her boyfriend wants to break up with her via a Reddit post. With nothing to lose, she decides to take up an offer with an old friend. She would become a content manager for young influencers at an up-and-coming hype house that was formerly a Hollywood landmark. Dayna sees the potential to turn this crumbling manor full of twenty-somethings into a spectacle. The house, though, is missing one key component. Becca Chambers, a tarot influencer, disappeared after posting a cryptic message. Dayna is not the only one interested in finding Becca. Nineteen-year-old Olivia is a burgeoning influencer and one of Becca’s biggest fans. Dayna and Olivia dig through the secrets of the house and its occupants (past and present) to find out what happened to Becca.

Typically, I am hesitant to read books that heavily feature social media in the narrative. Books like those tend to feel dated before you even finish reading them. If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant For You is not like that at all. It feels refreshing in a time when everyone is trying to make their novels as specific to the modern age as possible. Leigh Stein brilliantly explores the dangers of making one’s life available to the public, whether that be through traditional media or social media. While platforms like TikTok and Instagram play a role in the novel, those don’t distract from the atmosphere that Stein has created. The Gothic influences are undeniably present. I saw glimpses of Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, and Perkins-Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper, among other notable works. Everything from the past and present blended together seamlessly in this endlessly interesting depiction of the state of social media. I was genuinely surprised and satisfied by this novel. I am certainly going to recommend If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant For You.

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Sometimes when people hurt for a long time, they start to think that hurting is part of who they are: Reviewing What Stalks the Deep (Book 3 of the Sworn Soldier Series) by T. Kingfisher

Hi everyone! I hope you are all surviving the intense summer heat. I can barely focus most days. Anyways, I wanted to give a nice short review while I put off the longer books that I am reading currently. I promise that I’ll get there eventually. Before I begin this review, I recommend that you check out my review of the previous two books in this series, as well as the rest of my T. Kingfisher reviews. Now, let’s talk about What Stalks the Deep.

Content Warning: Distrubing Imagery, Animal Death, Violence, Gore

Former soldier Alex Easton has seen enough for a lifetime. They have no desire to venture into any more strange and mysterious places where God-only-knows-what lurks in the dark. It seems that fate has a sick sense of humor. When a good friend asks for Alex’s help finding his lost cousin, they can’t bring themself to say no. Unfortunately, that means having to go to America, of all places. Even worse, his friend’s cousin went missing deep in the mines of West Virginia. Alex is a soldier, though, and will find this missing man, even if it means facing the otherworldly once again.

T. Kingfisher’s newest entry in this horror novella series is an utterly fascinating and thrilling read in a rather quirky way. I personally think that eco-horror is an underrated genre, so getting a book like this feels like a breath of fresh air in the current literary scene. Kingfisher is great at creating distinctive character voices that feel close enough to realistic to make the characters relatable. As the narrative voice, Alex Easton is a bemusing main character with actual survival instincts (which is kind of rare in horror novels). What I love about Kingfisher’s horror novels is just how creative the actual horror is. At no point in the novel did I figure out what the twist was, which made it all the more enjoyable. With that being said, if you need a quick chilling read during these hot summer days then definitely read The Sworn Soldier series.

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If it used to be okay, but it’s not okay anymore, then maybe you should do something about it: Reviewing Carl’s Doomsday Scenario (Book 2 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl Series) by Matt Dinniman

Hello everyone! I promised I would be back, didn’t I? If you want, you can check out my review of the first book in this series, Dungeon Crawler Carl. After this, I’m planning to finish the Mistborn Saga, and then I’ll be reading more standalone books for a bit. I’m holding off on getting any new books for a little bit because I need to finish what I have. I have no self-control when it comes to buying books. You all understand. Now, it’s time to talk about Carl’s Doomsday Scenario.

Content Warning: Violence, Gore, Crude Humor, Strong Language, Disturbing Imagery

Aliens have taken over Earth and have turned it into their own personal TV show: Dungeon Crawler World. Carl, an ex-Coast Guard engineer, and Princess Donut, his ex-girlfriend’s cat (the cat talks now), have quickly become the fan favorites across the galaxy. Now on dungeon level three, they face a whole host of new challenges and quests. This level, known as the Over City, is a cesspit for all kinds of dark magic. A cursed circus lies on the outside of the border. Dead women have been falling from the sky. All the while, a curse of unimaginable power is slowly growing stronger. Carl and Donut are the unlucky crawlers tasked with solving these mysteries. Only (a very limited) amount of time will tell if they can save the city and if Carl will finally get pants.

Carl’s Doomsday Scenario was a pleasant surprise as far as this series goes. I know it’s only book two, but I quickly saw a major difference between this book and its predecessor. The best compliment I can give this book is that it is more subversive than I thought it would be. Most of the book was a fun and energetic adventure that involved a bunch of weird creatures and shenanigans. The last third of the book, though, was surprisingly gruesome. Despite all of the strangeness of the book and the crude humor, there is heart to it and a message about not letting oppressive systems destroy one’s hope. It’s not cheesy, which I appreciate. Matt Dinniman clearly has a vision and a strong narrative voice throughout these books, which makes me appreciate them. There’s a good balance between the absurdity of the plot and the self-awareness of the prose itself. In conclusion, this series has quickly grown on me and I look forward to reading more of Dungeon Crawler Carl.

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All I want is more. Even if it burns me at the end: Reviewing Tender Cruely (Book 9 of the Dark Olympus Series) by Katee Robert

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. In my previous post, I promised I would post something on Substack, but I am feeling creatively bankrupt at the moment. More than likely, I’ll start with a book review and go from there. For now, I’m sticking with this blog because I have been posting about this series for a bit now. Before you read this review, feel free to read all of my other reviews for this series. I’m unnecessarily committed to seeing the Dark Olympus series through. I figured that I’m in this deep, so I might as well talk about it. Dark romance and/or erotica is a tricky genre to navigate in general. I, however, believe in exploring all genres. I hope that this post resonates to someone in some capacity. It’s important to read for fun, even if its spicy. With that being said, let’s talk about the latest entry in this ongoing series.

Content Warning: Explicit Sexual Content, Violence, Strong Language

Olympus’ barrier has finally fallen. Circe’s people have breached the city and forced the citizens to evacuate their homes. The Thirteen are struggling to protect themselves and, in doing so, are tearing each other apart. Hera knows that she must kill her husband, Zeus, if she wants to survive this war. Zeus, however, finds himself drawn to Hera’s fiery personality. The two are forced to set aside their differences if they want to defeat their mutual enemies. As the city begins to crumble, Zeus and Hera find unlikely allies in each other. There might be something real in their arranged marriage after all. This might be the beginning of something new, or it could be the end of everything they have ever known.

After nine books, we are finally getting to the “war” part that Katee Robert has promised us. With that being said, Tender Cruelty has been one of the more engaging entries in this ongoing series. As for the romance aspect of this novel, I found Zeus and Hera to be much more compelling than I had initially thought. While the plot went where I thought it would, I appreciated that there was a slight element of uncertainty sprinkled throughout the novel. This book was significantly more tense than its predecessors in more ways than one, which made it all the more entertaining. As for the erotica elements, it was a tiny bit more on the tame side, but still immensely enjoyable. I liked the “will they, won’t they” element that Katee Robert adds to this particular relationship. Overall, I am happy to say that Tender Cruelty is one of the stronger novels in the Dark Olympus series. I hopelessly hooked to this series and have no intention of quitting any time soon.

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It’s time to try something new

Hi everyone. I hope you are all doing well. This is a quick little post about my future on WordPress. I’ve made the spontaneous decision to create a SubStack account. I wanted to expand my horizons when it comes to social media. I want to start publishing short stories and essays, and I feel that Substack might be a bit more conducive to my interests.

I don’t plan to abandon this blog, but I am slowly migrating over to Substack. I will leave my link below and plan to do my first “real” post in the near future. If you are on Substack, I will be happy to follow you back. Feel free to share your link with me in the comments.

Thanks for reading this little post! I’m looking forward to seeing where this will go.

https://open.substack.com/pub/n0velideas/p/welcome-to-my-substack?r=43r5h7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true