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2 hours into the audio book and the story + characters have yet to be properly introduced. It's such a red flag...

4 hours in and finally the picture is clearer. This is a re-write of the author's previous book (Dead Silence). Same crew, same dynamic, same roles only now shifted around. Same premise I think but as mentioned it's too meandering so apparently asking "what's the plot?" is too much.

The book is just starting to lay down the foundations and I already feel confused. I think that's the purpose of this installment though.

Again we are exploring "the other" but with each book it's more alien and more removed. The first book hit the sweet spot, aliens with their own civilization & traditions. This one is literally about echoes.

Well, this was an embarrassing entry to read.

For some reason the author decided to geek out about her love for harry potter and which houses her characters would belong to.

Considering this was published in 2020 I'm guessing it came out only months before Rowling had her melt down. Stick to fangirling over dead author's works everyone. It's safer...

This is a 4.5 series entry rather an it's own thing. A collection of side stories that happened during the events of Book 4. The most obvious one so far is a retelling of (midsummer night's dream).

Like all short story collections it's a mixed bag. Here however the majority aren't great. It comes off as an contractual obligation book.

Book two is one long dark fantasy epic rather than a bunch of loosely connected short stories like book one.

It again uses a lot of ancient myths and some fairytales as the base of the stories. The story of Hermaphroditus & the water nymph being the most obvious one with Simmu though they ended up getting both roles.

It's well written but literally everyone is horrible just to for shock value.

This one is framed in the style of old fairytales.

The writing style is mesmerizing & very beautiful. I could believe I was reading actual folklore or something out for a grimm book.

Sadly the very first story is about grooming so it does leave a bitter after taste... Doesn't help that the author is glorifying their "love" but it is in-line with many greek myths I guess.

I'm not impressed. Imagine a fanfic of the A-team + James Bond but downgrade it with dated sitcom humor.

Also it really drags it's feet, because jokes are funnier when you stretch them out and attempt to milk each to increase your word count without actually saying anything.

This one reads like something from the mid 90s parodying the mid 80s. It was dated before it was even published!

Humor is subjective. While this one is meant to be silly I found that it just didn't work for me.

The world is ending and a bunch of people are stuck in a resort. They quickly divide themselves according to accommodation tier status.

The MC, who forever laminates his mediocrity, is appropriately in the middle tier building. He comes off as whiny & envious to me though.

The author had one joke and he ran it to the ground.

Aliens have come to earth to "save" us. Well, one alien.

They come with a sales pitch and single issue and that's it.
Then another comes along with a sales pitch regarding their single issue, and on, and on, and on.
Interestingly they're all modern day issues that don't translate even 100 years back let alone

Listening to the audiobook I wasn't ready for the line, in a high falsetto British voice "Bridge! Bridge! For the love of ALLAH Bridge!"

I was lukewarm about the MC that wasted away his family money and now works as a footman (with all the awkwardness of serving his old friends and schoolmates!) but the humor got me invested.

The characters in this one, are CHARACTERS!

Two men met on a train and exchange murder victims.
The trouble is one of them is insane and the other is... actually the other doesn't have a personality! 1st part was interesting as Bruno commits the deed and we get a glimpse inside his mind.

After that the whole book is just him negging Guy to do something. It's long winded and I'm pretty sure Bruno is gay at this point he's so fixated on this one dude!

Second on my Eight Perfect Murders list.

An inverse murder case that just drags on and on. The POV is a twat, the women around him are ew and the whole thing is very misogynistic... on purpose, you're supposed to hate him for thinking like that. I question this because I hate being in his head and I'm stuck there for the whole book!

At the mid-way point the idea & method of murder FINALLY is introduced.

Arrived today. The outer jacket has the oddest grimy texture that I unconsciously washed my hands immediately after unpacking it.

Beautiful art, lots of codes and fun secrets. The book is making me feel like a teen again!

We are back to following Miles, the MC from book 2 and my fav in the series so far.

This one however is a bit lame. Literally the joke trope of "the evil twin brother" in a serious plot. Also lots of delays to fill up the page until the plot actually begins around the midway point.

Overall a very weak entry sadly.

I'm uncomfortable.

This entry uses an allegory for slave labor + dehumanization. It's powerful but I wish the group wasn't portrayed as children mentally (and physically apparently!) It makes the sexualization.... bad.

It's obviously the point the author is trying to get across but it makes for an awkward & uncomfortable read.

Interesting premise.

Take the legend of the Amazonian women tribe, reverse everything. A planet of male farmers that are terrified of women and desperate for new immigrants.

Ethan, our MC, is on a special mission to precure female genetic material for the continuation of their civilization. The book pushes a positive LGBT message, in the 80s no less which is impressive.

A curveball of a book. While the first two established a world of gods & demons, an author that loved to give grounded explanations for the supernatural, this one takes a left turn at albukirky.

Animal spirits, shaman like rituals and all that are front & center. The only mystery is what role will the gods play in all of this if any. Half way through and they've just made a cameo!

The insane/god touched mother of the FL of book one is the MC of this one. Interesting perspective and it makes the world feel more real.

The supernatural element is more blatant but with this kind of MC that makes sense. The reveal of what's going on at the midway point though is bit tangled.

A VERY interesting read.

A slow start. The characters are interesting and the world (so far) is rich so I'm interested.

Oddly this fantasy book is, so far, rooted in the social discourse of the upper crust and how to navigate the landmine that is a teenage nobleman or lady.

The book itself is standard. Shabby Detective hired to figure out who killed a young model.

The writing style however is so pretentious and contrived. Down to using the bathroom being called "completing my bodily functions". Excuse me? Are you a robot or an alien?

Then I discovered this is JK Rowling under a pseudo name and it suddenly made sense. Ugh,,,

At the half way point and finding it very hard to read this.

Imaginative and beautiful art, odd plot lines and ok characters... but this is very clearly a kids book. Dark as some of the imagery is it still has a kiddy vibe to it.

Still, I watched the Netflix series so I'm committed to complete it now.

Suburbia, where every house comes with 1-3 kids and a dog & everyone puts up a perfect front.

4 wine moms decide to have a she shed to escape the pressure, when the building unearthed something else.

So far this is fun without the microaggressions aimed at female characters. My one issue is that all the characters are so interchangeable that I can't tell them apart. The horror element is on the lite side.

This is depressing and demoralizing.

It's also surprisingly narrow minded! Aliens came and now machines have taken away all jobs. I mean, sure, but a few hundred years ago the majority of the population were farmers, up to 10 years ago the word "influencer" wasn't invented yet let alone become the most coveted profession.

Stories are about change not just removing elements & replacing them with nothing.

This is hilarious. The fate of the world comes down to a fetch quest with some hermit's carpet being the last item.

The dry British humor here is so on point that it's just plain charming.

It does go for the low hanging... fruit... from time to time but again, the humor is on point so far so it still works.

Interesting idea but dives too deep into hard science to where I zone out.

Also the characters are rather... characterless. Why does nobody have a personality aside from the cartoonish policeman?

I get that some of their actions are because "plot" but they come off as unnatural & forced.

From the author of "the last unicorn".

This book has pacing issues. The story actually starts 3:30 hours into the audiobook. Up till then it's conflicting imagery & fluff.

There is an attempt to force whimsy but it doesn't really work with the overall tone of the moment.

Also it sorta paves the way early to what kind of story this is so rather predictable at times.

Some random guy down on his luck inherited his uncle business of "villain".

I'm at the 2 hour mark and this book has yet to start. Not the set up, characters or plot as been introduced yet. Just that Joe average is average. Brilliant...

Wil Wheaton's narration is smug and grating.