Matthew Samuels > Recent Status Updates

Just not getting into this one, despite the great reviews.

I'm really enjoying this... but sometimes the signposting is a bit like being slapped in the face 😂 Also - if you're in a war, surely it's quite short-sighted to create an academy where so many students die? Couldn't they just be relegated to the infantry rather than horribly killed?

Willing to give this a chance but I'm not loving it straight away - it seems very heavily influenced by neverwhere and China mieville's railsea, but not as immersive or compelling yet.

Wait - this is an attack on generative AI, isn't it? 😂

I'm pretty certain they have regular toilet paper in sandpaper factories, Brandon

Having a mixed experience with this - started off really enjoying it, but recently the quality has dipped. Something that doesn't explode on its own, exploded, and the 'enemies to lovers' trope fell quite flat, and gave this more of a YA feel. I'm still enjoying it, but it's not quite the five star read it began as.

This might be the best strike novel yet - totally gripping. The pages are flying!

I'm still confused by this book. All the characters still seem to hate and mistrust each other and I've got less than a hundred pages to go 😢 I'm not sure it's for me.

I'm struggling with this a bit at the moment. It's got a lovely, fascinating setting, but the relationship realism is straining my belief! The mcs are married and claim everything's fine, but haven't spoken or seen each other in seven months. And then something big and dramatic happens when they're together, and they don't check in on each other for a week. It just doesn't seem realistic.

I can see now why I parked this all those years ago.

Very much enjoying this so far!

It honestly feels like Eddings is getting a bit tired. The time dedicated to each event is getting less, and it's more cursory. But I'm tired too. 12 books in - and it's a lot of the same!

Sad to say that this one is even more problematic than the others, particularly about women. I'm much less fond of the mallorean than the belgariad in general - the series also just seems to drag.

It's a huge book, but I really don't mind - just enjoying being in the world.

Very excited and privileged to have a copy of this gorgeous book.

"have the only two people you truly trust turn against you"

You literally just met Marcus and went on a first date. If that's your benchmark for "truly trusting"....

I'm tempted to dnf. I'm not sure if Jay Asher has ever been a teenage girl but I doubt that they're this irrational.

If someone didn't speak to you for a while, maybe your first reaction when they invite you to a party should be "sure - have you been OK?" rather than "beeotch just wants me for my car". I'm not sure I like this book.

This is a pretty unpleasant premise for a book and it doesn't seem to be hugely sensitively handled. People are savage but still...