Isabell > Recent Status Updates

This is giving Mexican Gothic and that is scaring me a bit because I didn’t love that book. I’m in for the ride though and I’m interested so here’s to hoping I like it!

Laal Andhi: 2/5 stars. This was written very well but not for me. I am hoping the next story is really my vibe because I am STRUGGLING to get through this collection at this point

I’m genuinely terrified by all of the diseases a dog can get. Maybe ignorance is bliss.

Crepuscular: The only good thing about this was that by finishing it I also got closer to finishing this collection. I am intrigued by the general story premise, but everything else was a no for m3. 1/5 stars

The Saint in the Mountain: The way this story just…ended. No warning. No resolution of the climax. Nothing. And yet I am kind of obsessed with that. This certainly left me wanting more. 4/5

Juracàn: 3/5 This was fine. Not incredibly good but also not bad.

I’m loving this cute little volume. It kind of feels like a slight deviation from the main story line and I’m having a good time with that.

One Of Those Girls: 4/5 I quite liked this. I loved the little fleck of fantasy/mythology that was woven throughout the story. I also did NOT expect the climax scene to unfold in the way it did.

In Silence, In Dying, In Dark: 5/5! THIS is what I want from a horror short story. Perfectly paced, not too long, heartfelt. In such a short period of time you come to feel for the characters. Sadness at the situation, fear for Netta who is left behind.

The Faces at Pine Dunes: 1/5 stars. I'm not a fan of the original Cthulhu story and this was sadly no different. I felt like this story was so looooong and there was nothing about the main character that made me want to continue reading.

The House That Gabriel Built - 4/5
This story unfortunately suffered from me being interrupted multiple times during the reading experience. I think that if I had read it all the way though, this could have been a full 5 for me. The author has some full length stuff out that I am interested to read!

Lamb Had A Little Mary - 4/5
Quite a sad story about children getting neglected and abused by their parental figure. I did enjoy the way the story was shrouded by the classical story of Mary and her lamb. I think this was the perfect length and anything longer would have lost its magic and yet I am left wanting more.

Starting off with a reference to your house in Martha’s Vineyard automatically sets the tone for the type of narrative I think we are going to get. I went to Martha’s Vineyard once and HATED it. The people were rude, stuck up, and richhhhhh.

I have clearly given up. I’m enjoying this but just not enough to devote the time and mental space to writing about every single essay in this. Feeling like a 3 star collection (as I usually feel with collections) but we persist!

I LOVE MY PUPPPPYYY

Air Conditioning: 5/5 stars. I LOVE the invention of air conditions but I fear it is making the global warming crisis worse. I also know that people WAY overuse this valuable invention and I agree that it is making us soft.
Staph: 4/5. I had no idea Staph was such an insidious and dangerous disease. I suppose I am very lucky for not having to be hyper aware of Staph and the potential harm it could do to me.

Velociraptors: 3/5 stars.Fun but not super memorable
Canada Geese: 4/5 stars. I too am not a huge fan of the Canadian Goose BUT it was interesting to learn more about them. I never would have guessed they were once endangered.
Teddy Bears: 5/5 stars. I never knew the history of the teddy bear but after learning the origins of the name it makes sense.
The Hall of Presidents: 2/5 stars. A bit of a snooze fest for me

The way this character was a dog in my memory and he is very clearly not astounds me.

Can you tell I’m about to get a cavalier?

The narration has NOT gotten better. If anything, the further into this book I go the more I hate it.

I’m enjoying the actual story but HOLY SHIT do I hate the audiobook. The narrator can’t do a brooklyn accent to save his life and every time he tries it makes me want to give up on the book altogether.

Diet Dr Pepper: as a non-Dr Pepper drinker I never knew any of these things about the beverage. Also never knew how OLD it is! The more you know. 3/5 stars

Scratch and sniff stickers: Don’t like the stickers and didn’t particularly love the essay but it was interesting to learn about encapsulated scents. The more you know. 3/5 stars

Lascaux Cave Paintings: With a topic so inherently interesting it is hard to write an essay that isn’t also interesting. Also, I briefly studied these caves in college and really enjoyed it so this was set up to be a smashing success. 5/5 stars