This one just didn't do it for me. I didn't mind the characters or their relationship, but I definitely didn't love them. I wanted more of insight into Ryan's changing opinion on hockey, but it felt rushed and done with by the end.

I absolutely loved this story. I love Misaki and her characterization and how she learned and grew even in her 30s! If you want a story about battles and blood that ends on a wholesome note, I highly recommend The Sword of Kaigen. It's about family and learning how to love and forgiving yourself and others. UGH.

Huh? Did I read a different book from everyone else? I know this is YA and I'm not the target audience but... what?

Starting with what I liked: there were good intentions and good themes and the atmosphere really hit sometimes. I can see a lot of potential in the premise and characters. Unfortunately, the execution was really lacking for me. There was no distinction between character voices in the three different POVs and often in the middle of a chapter it felt like it would just switch for a line or two, which threw me off constantly. The first half really dragged because it felt like too much time was spent planning for the heist rather than executing it. And maybe this is an unpopular opinion but the twists at the end did not shock me at all. They actually seemed a little cheap because it felt like purposeful exclusion of important backstory elements for the sake of shock. I would have rather been less shocked and had more of that information earlier to be able to have a deeper connection with characters from the start. But that's just me. And the romances... no comment lol.

I went into this book already hating Facebook/Meta/Zuckerberg and this book only strengthened those feelings. It was interesting getting a peek behind the curtain and to see how things changed over the course of a few years, but I wish it went harder at points. I think the author was afraid of backlash (rightly so seeing how Facebook is trying to silence her) and really tried to avoid making herself look complicit in everything Facebook did. I don't really buy that at all. But I think the book is worth reading just to stick it to the company lol.

This book takes the concept of grief and shows it as the hungry monster it really is. It's appropriately heavy but also really weird in a way that kind of hides the impact until you step away and take the time to think about what's going on. I do think the tone was a little too samey for the four different perspectives, but overall it was just a moving and heartbreaking story about how far people will go for love.

Silver Nitrate had a pretty slow start, but once it's steady once it gets going. The atmosphere of Mexico City in the 90s was rich, and you can tell there was a ton of research done on horror films and the film-making process. At times, it almost felt infodumpy, but it didn't bother me because I found it interesting lol. There were a few moments in the writing where I found it weirdly repetitive, like the same information was revealed in back-to-back chapters, just from the other POV, which came to be a little annoying. I also had this nagging feeling that some aspects had been cut or shortened to keep the word count down, but this is more of a hunch guided by some convenient moments towards the end.

My favorite part of the story was definitely the characters. Monserrat and Tristan's friendship felt so real and natural with all the ups and downs that came with it. They were very fleshed out as individuals and I found myself really relating to Monserrat and her mindset and mannerisms. Tristan's arc of overcoming the memories that haunt him was very well done imo. They were a perfectly flawed team to overcome the horrors they accidentally unleashed.

It has been a really long time since I read a middle grade book, but this was a pleasant surprise! Very accessible, and I love how kind it was to the main cast. It was a little too long for my taste and I wasn't a big fan of the head hopping, but I think this would be a great choice for a middle grade reader.

I was interested in the first third, then it just kept going. The atmosphere was nice and gothic but I found everything else pretty mid. Maybe it's because mysteries aren't really my thing. I was able to guess the big reveal and found the main reasoning for the whole conflict to be... not my favorite. I also didn't like the main character and I have no idea why the guy fell for her when he did. Overall it just made it an okay experience for me.

The opening 50ish pages of this book was nearly perfect gothic horror imo. Cordelia's fear was palpable and the way she lived was so sad and terrifying to imagine. She was a great character to follow and I loved seeing her grow over the story. I liked Hester too and her relationship with Evermore was so sweet. Poor guy is so whipped.

In terms of the plot, it wasn't the most exciting thing you've ever read as the book is mostly sitting around and yapping, as most regency stories are. But there is a fair bit of excitement at the end (and some horrible imagery). I would have liked a few more details about how Evelyn's magic works and how she can make people obedient.

All this to say, while it's not my favorite T. Kingfisher, I still enjoyed reading it and soaking up the tension.

Thank you Atria/NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Oh how I wish I loved this book. I was so excited to read it after loving We Could Be Rats, but this one just didn't bring the same sauce for me. It's a character-driven story about a librarian named Darcy who returned to work after taking time off when she had a mental breakdown upon learning of the death of her ex-boyfriend. It's a mostly plotless, stream of consciousness story just about someone making effort to get back on her feet. Darcy's narration is dry and clear-cut, which usually wouldn't bother me too much. Unfortunately, that tone is paired with a lot of repetitive statements about the importance of libraries, the burden of compulsory heterosexuality, and a number of other important topics that I agree with and find important to be discussed!! But the way they were delivered just kind of bored me to be honest.

I think this book could really hit with the right reader, especially someone who is struggling with coming to terms with their sexuality. It was also incredibly easy to read, and despite my complaints, I did find myself getting a little emotional at a few points. I might have enjoyed it more as an audiobook as I can imagine the right narrator could have countered the dry tone a bit.