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The amount of pain we can endure is spectacular: Reviewing Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Thank you so much for your likes for my last couple of posts. I love to see that you are all still enjoying my little hobby after all this time. It makes me happy. Don’t worry because I still have plenty of books to review. I’m also going to be starting a couple of series in the near future, so I’m looking forward to seeing if I like any of those. I have plenty of standalone books if that is something you are interested in. With that being said, let’s talk about Ripe.

Content Warning: Substance Abuse, Sexual Content, Disturbing Imagery, Self-harm, Abortion, Emotional Abuse

After spending years at a prominent tech company in San Francisco, Cassie has had enough. She is exhausted, lonely, and frightened but does her best to mask her feelings. Cassie’s life takes a turn when she suspects she might be pregnant. On top of that, her boss asks her to take part in a sketchy plan to take down a rival company. With the pressure growing, Cassie must make a choice that will change her life forever.

I haven’t read any “messy girl literature” in a while and Ripe sits comfortably in that category. I do not label something as “messy girl literature” dismissively. Ripe uses a combination of magical realism and eloquent prose to highlight Cassie’s struggles that most peope relate to. Sarah Rose Etter tackles heavy topics like the endless and torturous cycle of capitalism, depression, emotional abuse from a parent, and substance abuse with brutal honesty and sympathy. The novel was just ambiguous enough and just specific enough to keep me locked in. It is uncomfortable to read at times but those uncomfortable truths are worth confronting. If you want something provocative and harsh, then Ripe is exactly the book for you.

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Day or night, dead was dead: Reviewing Brother by Ania Ahlborn

Hey everyone! I’m back again! I’m on a bit of a roll with finishing books and I intend to keep the momentum. I’ll get to my longer books sooner than later, but I have a couple of shorter ones I want to finish. Ania Ahlborn is an author I have been wanting to read for a while now. I have a soft spot for female horror authors so I want to discover as many as I can so I can then pass along recommendations to all of you. With that being said, it’s time to talk about Brother.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Strong Language (including slurs), Sexual Assault, Child Abuse, Incest, Distrubing Imagery

The Morrows live deep in the Applachian mountains, tucked away from civilization where they can carry out their crimes. Girls go missing and no one thinks to look where the Morrows live. While the rest of the family takes sick joy in hunting these girls, Michael wants nothing more than to live a normal life. He fantasizes about seeing the rest of the world, far away from the suffocating landscape of West Virginia. One day, Michael meets Alice who also has hopes of seeing the world. Just as Michael dares to hope that his dreams might come true, his old brother plots to show Michael where he truly belongs.

This was one of the nastier books I have read in a bit, and I have read plenty of gross books in my life. That statement, though, is a compliment in this case. Ania Ahlborn creates a violent and hauting tale of a twisted family of serial killers in the 1970s. Every character felt more human than I expected, but they all still creeped me out in every sense. Ahlborn does an excellent job balancing the humanity of the characters and gruesome, stomach-churning violence. There was a bit of a twist towards the end that, while a tiny bit predictable, made this all the more tragic. I am glad that this was my first foray into Ania Ahlborn’s novels. Once I recover from this one, I will definitely check out another book by her. If you are a fan of gruesome family dramas, then this certainly the novel for you.

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You hate. We love. I devour you whole: Reviewing The Archive Undying by Emma Meiko Candon

Hi everyone! I’m back! It feels like I have been away for too long. Some exciting life changes happened recently so my attention has been elsewhere. I just didn’t have the attention span to buckle down and finish anything. Until now, that is. Let me not ramble for any longer. Let’s talk about The Archive Undying.

Content Warning: Strong Language, Some Sexual Content, Disturbing Imagery, Intense Battle Scenes

The world has been ruled by AI gods for eons and, when a god falls, the city it rules dies with it. The city of Khuon Mo was one of these doomed cities. Its god, though, didn’t destroy everything. It left behind one survivor: a child named Sunai. In the seventeen years since the city was destroyed, Sunai has wandered from city to city, unable to die and haunted by the destruction he witnessed. He copes by throwing himself into work, drugs, and the beds of strangers. One of these strangers, an eccentric and guarded archivist, suspects that Sunai hides a secret. The two soon find themselves with a ragtag group of merchants who are tasked with finding a valuable artifact before a dangerous entity finds it. Sunai finds himself thrust back into the world of gods and machines where the stakes are higher than ever.

As I was reading this book, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to Gideon the Ninth. Funny enough, the quote on the cover is from Tamsyn Muir herself. With that being said, The Archive Undying is a standout science fiction novel with a vivid setting and compelling world-building. Emma Meiko Candon seamlessly blends a wry sense of humor with a kaleidoscopic, multifaceted narrative. Everything in this book was so vivid, from the massive mechs to the AI gods. It jumps between trippy visuals with existential questions about existence and religion, to intense battle sequences and great interpersonal drama. I desperately needed a good sci-fi novel and I am so glad I found this one. You should absolutely read The Archive Undying if you want a book that feels like a breath of fresh air in the sci-fi landscape.

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Fun Is Guaranteed!: Reviewing FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven

Hi everyone! I’m back yet again with yet another review! I know, I know; hold the applause and surprise. I’m glad, though, that you are all still enjoying these and engaging with my posts. Thank you all to my new followers and my long-time followers! I appreciate every single one of you and am happy to keep you entertained. Now, let me entertain you with my review of FantasticLand.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Strong Language, Disturbing Imagery, Discussions of Sexual Assault

In September 2017, FantasticLand, a beloved theme park, was struck by the enormous power of Hurricane Sadie. The hurricane laid waste to the Florida coast and left about 200 employees stranded in the park for five weeks. During that time, chaos reigned and once-civil theme park workers turned to murder. When they were rescued, the media circus that followed left a gruesome imprint on America’s imagination. Now, nearly ten years later, reporter Adam Jakes is determined to find out what really happened by asking the survivors. What he finds out is more horrifying than anything than he had imagined.

FantasticLand spends most of its narrative dancing between semi-believable and pretty unbelievable. The overall setup is interesting and I like how the novel is told through different testimonials. Each character’s voice is unique and there were a lot of interesting connections made throughout the novel. Where it sort of lost me was close to the end where the book has some weirdly convenient plot points, like the park having a stockpile of guns or a real working cannon. There were some other unnecessarily gruesome points that kind of took away from the initial premise of people stuck in a theme park trying to survive. That alone would have been interesting, but the book veered too much into “creepypasta” territory for me and took me out of the interesting parts that dealt with survival and bonding. With all of that being said, I am not going to not recommend FantasticLand. It had enough thrills to keep me entertained. I will say that this book is the most ideal for any fans of survival horror.

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After a while, though, things will fall into place: Reviewing Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Hey everyone! I’m back again! I love being able to give you all back-to-back reviews. I have been sitting on this particular book for a while now. I know most people read Kindred in high school or undergrad, but I hadn’t read any books by Octavia E. Butler before so I had been looking forward to this one for a while. I won’t ramble on much longer. Let’s talk about Kindred.

Content Warning: Violence, Disturbing Imagery, Self-Harm and Suicide, Harsh Language and Slurs, Historically Accurate Depictions of Slavery, Sexual Assault

Dana was living her ordinary life in 1976 with her husband. Suddenly, she is pulled through time from her home in California to the antebellum South. She ends up saving the life of Rufus, the white son of a wealthy plantation owner. Soon, Dana finds herself repeatedly drawn back in time to save Rufus. In the past, Dana took it upon herself to save as many of the slaves as she could while trying to convince Rufus to break the cycle of violence on his father’s plantation. As each stay grows longer and more dangerous, Dana begins to worry that she might not make it out alive.

I can’t believe it took me so long to finally read an Octavia Butler book. I have been missing out. This was such an intense and exceptional story that was far ahead of its time. Butler takes an unflinching look at the realities of slavery in the antebellum South and the undeniable impact that history has had on the present day. It was a difficult read, but only in the sense that the prose is visceral and can be hard to confront, but that is Butler’s purpose. Not many historical novels confront that brutality of the past in such an eloquent way, but Butler does so. There is so much to be about this book, but I think you are better off experiencing it for yourself. If you haven’t read this one in school, then read Kindred because you need to.

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So I should compose my own history, should I? Or it will be lost forever: Reviewing The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I have some exciting life changes coming up soon. I also have a never-ending TBR pile to finish so that is my fault. Before I begin this review, I encourage you to read my other reviews of Natalie Haynes’ books. She has quickly become one of my favorites in the Greek myth – retelling genre. With that being said, let’s talk about The Children of Jocasta.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Self-Harm and Suicide, Disturbing Imagery, Death of a Child/Stillbirth

When Jocasta was fifteen, her parents forced her to marry the king of Thebes. She spent years praying that she might outlive her largely absent husband. When a handsome young man named Oedipus appears at her palace with news of her husband’s death, Jocasta is relieved. She, however, realizes she has a much greater challenge to face. Fifteen years later, Jocasta’s youngest daughter Ismene is nearly killed in the palace. She thought that she had finally found peace after her parents’ deaths, but now she must deal with a conspiracy against her family. Despite decades apart, mother and daughter must face the inevitable tragic fall of the house of Oedipus.

Natalie Haynes continues to impress me with her clever re-telling of myths that most people know by heart at this point. While she doesn’t entirely dismiss the classic tragedy of Oedipus, she puts a twist on it that has more logic but is nonetheless a sad story of a family torn apart by rumors. Haynes does not just take on Oedipus’ story, but Antigone’s as well. These two stories told from different perspectives provide a unique and engaging experience. While the novel embraces the classic tropes that surround Greek tragedies, it offers just a bit of hope that most of the stories sorely lack. Natalie Haynes has delivered yet another compelling narrative and I cannot recommend her novels enough to anyone interested in Greek mythology.

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When you’ve been set up to lose everything, what is there left to fight for?: Reviewing Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Hello everyone! Holy cow! I’m so excited to review this book. I swear I will get to my other books but I had to drop everything for this one! For those of you who don’t know, I have been a longtime Hunger Games fan. I was obsessed with the books in middle school and high school. My first ever midnight movie premiere was the first Hunger Games movie. Needless to say, I was so excited when Suzanne Collins announced that she was going to write another book about Haymitch’s Games. Anyways, I’m going to stop yapping and get to reviewing. Let’s talk about Sunrise on the Reaping.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Harm Towards Children, Animal Death, Substance Abuse

It’s the morning of the Reaping for the 50th Hunger Games. This game is a Quarter Quell, which means four tributes will be chosen from each District. It is also Haymitch Abernathy’s sixteenth birthday. He tries to push aside his fears by focusing on what he loves the most: his family and his girl, Lenore Dove. His fears are realized when his name is called during the Reaping. He and three other tributes are ripped from their beloved homes and forced to be the Capitol’s entertainment. Along the way, Haymitch meets other people who want to bring an end to the Hunger Games and he takes a chance on these secretive rebels. Once he’s in the arena, though, all bets are off and Haymitch what’s worth fighting for.

Suzanne Collins has done it again. She has delivered her most poignant, heartbreaking, and remarkable entry to her franchise yet. Before I even begin talking about this, I urge all of you to read the quotes that Collins included at the beginning of the book. Everything about Sunrise on the Reaping is so deliberate and topical. I love the themes of this book. On top of that, we also get some really interesting bits of lore that all Hunger Games fans have been dying to know. Haymitch is a great main character as his personality shines with equal parts charm and reliability. This book, though… This book is brutal. No punches are pulled before, during, or after the Games. I had to set this one aside a few times just to process what had happened. I was in genuine shock, but that was the best part. If this book doesn’t make you uncomfortable, then you aren’t truly reading this book. I could write a twenty-five to thirty-page essay on this book, but I will refrain from doing so. I will leave you with this: go pick it up immediately because it needs to be experienced, especially in the current political climate.

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There’s only so much searching you can do: Reviewing Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin, Translated by Megan McDowell

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I guess I don’t have much to say before getting into this review. I’ve been branching out into some lit fic books. If you have any suggestions for me, feel free to leave them in the comments. Many of the books I read are recommendations, and I’m always looking for more. Now, let’s talk about Fever Dream.

Content Warning: Grief and Mourning, Animal Death

Something is happening to Amanda. She thinks she’s dying. As she struggles in a rural hospital clinic, she talks with a young boy named David. David is not her son, and Amanda is not his mother, but the two share an inexplicable bond. As Amanda spirals, she must confront her guilt and figure out what happened to her.

Fever Dream certainly lives up to its name. This book is one continuous narrative that plunges you headlong into the mind of a woman struggling with a mysterious illness and never-ending guilt. I was double-guessing myself throughout this novel, and that is what made it so impactful. It is part psychological thriller, part horror novel, and part contemplative narrative about grief. With all of this being said, this style of narrative might not resonate with everyone. It is tricky to read a book that has no real breaks. I can see this being a good book to get you out of a reading slump or if you want something you can read in a day. Fever Dream is a narrative unlike any other and is a standout in its genre.

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I long for the day when I awake and live from dawn to sleep without one moment of fear: Reviewing The Fury of the Gods (Book 3 of the Bloodsworn Trilogy) by John Gwynne

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Before you read this review, I highly recommend you check out my reviews for the first two books in this trilogy, The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods. I have a couple of other fantasy books on my TBR pile, so stick around for those. I want to thank you all for your continued support. Now, let’s talk about The Fury of the Gods.

Content Warning: Intense Violence and Gore, Intense Battle Scenes, Graphic Depictions of Injuries

The war between the gods has finally begun. Blood will be shed, and the world will change forever. The Bloodsworn, which includes Orka and Varg, must face off against a dragon. Elvar struggles with her newfound authority as she tries to unite her people and negotiate with the wolf god. Biorr and his warband head north, leaving a trail of blood in their wake. Gudvarr goes on a dangerous mission to gain the favor of Lil-Rifa, the dragon goddess. All of their paths will intertwine and lead to the bloodiest battle ever known to man and god.

Out of the entire trilogy, this book is the most fast-paced and action-packed. John Gwynne is great at writing battles, but there is a balance between the action and the resolution of the story. There were several times I exclaimed aloud in my bedroom because of the shocking things that happened in this book. I didn’t want to put this book down for the last third of it. Not a single character was safe at a certain point, and it stressed me out, so I took points from this book because it made me upset at one point but added points for the satisfying resolutions. This book also reminded me of a video game with all of the action scenes and the way the dialogue was written. I also mean that as a compliment. Overall, The Bloodsworn Trilogy was such a fun and action-packed series with plenty of great fantasy elements and cool mythology references. I cannot recommend this trilogy enough to all of you. Go start reading it if you haven’t yet.

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