Casey’s Comments (group member since Jun 10, 2023)

Casey’s comments from the Gaston Library group.

Circe
I'd heard a lot about this book. Most of it was positive and many people seemed deeply moved by it. It was okay. I wouldn't say it was profound. It's good if you find the mythology genre interesting.

Writers & Lovers
This book was so sad for SO long. I wanted good things for the MC and it took until the very end for anything positive to happen it seemed like. But it was a very poignant look at what most people's lives are.

Starling House
Another book with what seems like a cult following. I waited a long time before reading this. So long that I forgot anything anyone had said about it. I went in blind and boy am I glad I did. This was a fantastic book. I'll definitely be reading it again.

The Clinic
This had been on my TBR since it was announced. I loved the concept of an author who had been in rehab being inspired to write a fictionalized account of things that happen inside. It kept me guessing until the very end.

Caraval
While it was excellent, some very glaring holes in the magic system pulled me out of my immersion at times. I think that this book does deserve all the hype that it gets, but don't go into it expecting that it's going to be a perfect masterpiece.

She's Not Sorry
I had absolutely no idea the twist this book was going to take at the end. I started reading because Ruth Ware had good things to say about it. It's worth a read and lives rent-free in my head.

The Liar's Crown
I honestly can't remember much about this book. Which says something about the plot of it.

Nestlings
Another book that is living rent-free in my mind. It's a great dive into the horror/thriller genre for anyone who is gore-averse (I hate it!). The pacing was perfect and I found myself unable to put this book down once I had started it.

A Gathering of Shadows
The first book in this series was super! It was an interesting magic system that kept me hooked. However, this book's buildup was excessively long for fight sequences that fell flat. Any real action or story telling didn't appear until nearly 70% of the way through.

When We're Thirty
A cute and short romance about a marriage pact. Nothing more to say here :)

Our Hideous Progeny
It was a fun exploration of what happened after Frankenstein. I really enjoyed it.

The Weight of Blood
I wholeheartedly recommend listening to the audiobook production of this book. It was masterfully crafted and I got lost in it so easily. It felt like I was watching a movie.

House of Earth and Blood
I did a buddy read on this one and it was one of the first times I've done that. It was super fun sharing reactions with each other in real-time.

Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery
There were times that this one lost me. I really enjoyed it by the end. The only regret I have was that I listened to the audiobook and missed out on the illustrations that were included in the print version. I looked them up afterwards, though.

Ariadne
I wasn't super impressed with this one. It was okay. I think I expected more from the story than the mysteriousness of Ariadne's life on the island and her not really seeking anything more than being a mother. Don't get me wrong, that's a completely noble pursuit and I myself would love to simply be a mom and work the land, but the premise of the book made me think that she'd be doing more than that.

Episode Thirteen
It went from being something paranormal to exploring otherworldly beings and astral ascension. It lost me at the end. I was expecting ghosts and this was not ghosts.

House of Sky and Breath
This was also a buddy read. Not really anything remarkable to say here. It was good haha!

The Dead Take the A Train
I had really high hopes for this. I did not like it. I gave it three stars at the end because I think if I tried again I may like it better.

House of Flame and Shadow
The ending of this book felt like a Marvel movie. It was all over the place. I loved it, but goodness it feels like this series should be broken up into more than just three books.

Belladonna
I liked this one. It was a fun mix of romance, fantasy, and mystery. i'll probably read the next one too.

Stolen Tongues
I like the sort of folklore meets modern day feeling of this book. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes cryptids.

I read a lot this month, but it's because I was on a reading challenge. Our team ended up winning. My mind needs a break for a bit.

When the Reckoning Comes
I would've liked more ghost story out of this one than there was. I also think I would've enjoyed it more if the author utilized the "show don't tell" mindset a little more. It's frustrating to me to read the descriptions of people and/or actions and then have them immediately analyzed in an internal monologue.

Graveyard of Lost Children
So spooky! As someone who struggled with a lot of post-partum anxiety after the birth of my daughter, I could relate to the MC on some of the issues she was facing. I worried that I wouldn't like this one since I tend to shy away from body horror (especially involving children/babies) but there really wasn't much here to upset me.

Hopefully I can get back in the swing of things to read more this month!

Mister Magic is all I read this month. I was/am in a reading slump. I think my brain needs a break LOL!
I would've read it faster if I hadn't been in such a slump. I've heard others compare it to creepypasta which is generally a good description. The story combines the elements of internet urban legends with traditional themes of cult horror. The ending was not what I was expecting and I'm still not sure how I feel about it.

I have been hesitant to start Fourth Wing. It's been hyped up so much that I'm afraid that I have too many expectations for it. I have been having somewhat of a letdown on a lot of books lately because of BookTok hype.

Seven Faceless Saints
I loved this one! It took me a little bit to get the hang of the world they're in but once I did, I couldn't put it back down.

Night Will Find You
I listened to this one. It was okay. I can't really remember everything that happened. The romance ending was a bit abrupt.

The Quiet Tenant
A good read. I was stressed the whole time from wanting to scream at the MC to RUN AWAY!!

The Wife Upstairs
I listened to this one as well. Very weird ending if you ask me. It wasn't super logical.

Head Like a Hole
I loved this one! If you're a fan of Junji Ito, this is a good read. It gave me Tomie vibes throughout.

You Shouldn't Have Come Here
Another listen. I'll be honest, I didn't like this one very much. The ending was way out there and was disconnected from the rest of the novel.

Divine Rivals
I'm usually hesitant to read series that aren't finished yet. This book is a primary example of why. I got to the end and hated that I'll have to wait for the sequel! It was fantastic

The Bad Beginning
I was looking for an easier read with this one. I started reading this again as a cleanser from all the other stuff (haha).

(I posted these all in the challenges section but thought I would share with everyone too)
1. Weyward
2. Gild
3. Maybe Someday
4-9. Naruto vol. 1-6
10. Maeve Fly
11. Electric Idol
12. Ink Blood Sister Scribe
13. Mr. Nightmare
14. Tower of Dawn
15. Seven Faceless Saints
16. Night Will Find You
17. The Quiet Tenant
18. The Wife Upstairs
19. You Shouldn't Have Come Here
20. Head Like a Hole
21. Divine Rivals
22. The Bad Beginning
23. Empire of Storms
24. The Reptile Room

I've been super excited for Mister Magic ! The description and reviews make it sound like it's similar to a creepypasta. I love the feel of internet urban legends so I've got high hopes for this book.

If you didn't like the romance plots in ACOFAS then ACOSF may be rough for you too. It really changed my opinion of Nesta, though! What I read in June:

Weyward
I loved this book. It's one of the few that I actually give 5 stars to! Lots of strong FMCs.

Gild
I thought Gild was okay, but I don't like it the way the BookTok does. I don't think I'll be finishing the series any time soon.

Maybe Someday
I didn't like this one very much. The ending really bothered me.

Maeve Fly
I REALLY didn't like this one. It was dark and I should've known it would be from everyone comparing it to American Psycho. It didn't feel like there was much in the way of plot until about 80% of the way through. Even then, it wasn't much. Definitely only suitable for adult audiences.

Electric Idol
I love a good plus sized main character. I loved reading Psyche's story and I'm excited to finish the rest of these stories. (another adult romance)

Ink Blood Sister Scribe
Another 5 star book! I love this one. If it's any indication, I usually take notes while I'm reading and this book had me so engrossed that I forgot to write anything down. It reminded me of The Book Eaters even though the plots are really different.

Mr. Nightmare
This book read like a reddit r/nosleep series. It was good, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it because I didn't like the ending.

Empire of Storms
I did the tandem read of Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn. I highly recommend reading them this way. It made the whole experience so much better. It made all the little plot twists really exaggerated because I would often finish a chapter on a cliffhanger and then switch to the other book!

Tower of Dawn
Same thoughts as above about the tandem read. I forgot to mark this as read until yesterday (oops, haha)

When I started listening ACOTAR was the only series I had read. They usually try to keep the information about other series in a section they call "breadcrumbs". It's at the end of every episode so you could skip it if you wanted to.

You should check out the Book Talk for Book Tok podcast. They examine the ACOTAR series from different perspectives. There is a ton of symbolism and hints towards her other works that I didn't catch onto until I listened to them!