What a raw, emotional story. Eleanor Oliphant is hard to relate to, yet you can't help but love her. She's bold and funny, and her emotional scars and flaws cause you to become quickly invested in her. Such a unique story of the human experience.

My first alternative history, and I wasn't disappointed. I loved the empowering, believable, strong female lead. Her struggles were portrayed accurately for the time period, and she powered through and fought for equality in a way that had me rooting for her the entire time. This book won multiple sci-fi awards, including thr Nebula, and it is well-deserved. I can't wait to dive into the sequel.

I loved everything about this book. It's everything: poignant, strange, dark, hilarious, & heart-warming. A story about how three people, unloved and unwanted by their own families, find love and acceptance with each other. Kudos to the author for creating a main character that accurately represents what most people would say and do if placed in her situation: becoming the caretaker of two traumatized kids that spontaneously combust under stress.

This book had some beautiful moments with really poetic, deep prose, but overall, the story itself was really disappointing. The plot really dragged on, and the ending was so anticlimactic. The majority of the book was the main character's inner dialogue, which was the same stuff repeated over and over ad nauseam. Not a single character was likable. I almost DNF'd it because the main character and everyone else were *that* annoying.

This sequel was more mind-blowing than Scythe. The idea behind this series is so unique, and I'm just in awe right now. The intimate glimpses into the Thunderhead's conscience added a complex and emotional layer to the story. We got further character & plot development, & my heart is still beating out of my chest. I'll probably take a couple of weeks off before I read the final installment so I don't have an anxiety-induced aneurysm. 5 stars

We get an intimate view of a character not common in literature: a special-needs 21 year-old woman on the Fetal Alcohol Sprectrum. We're privy to her greatest challenges & fears, all while her unrelenting bravery carves out her own path in the world as she protects those she loves at all costs. Her coming-of-age story really pulls at your heartstrings, and you'll find yourself rooting for her throughout all the laughs and cries. 5 stars.

This is a new book (not yet on Litsy). It was everything I wanted the movie Prometheus to be. Where Prometheus fell flat, this book excelled. A team of scientists travel to the nearest Earth-like planet to look for the intelligent life they've been picking up signs of. Things get ominous and quite frankly, a little terrifying. Non-stop action the entire book. My anxiety was in overdrive. Best sci-fi I've read in a while (and it's my fave genre).

This is a new book (not yet on Litsy). It was everything I wanted the movie Prometheus to be. Where Prometheus fell flat, this book excelled. A team of scientists travel to the nearest Earth-like planet to look for the intelligent life they've been picking up signs of. Things get ominous and quite frankly, a little terrifying. Non-stop action the entire book. My anxiety was in overdrive. Best sci-fi I've read in a while (and it's my fave genre).

This may be the best story I've read all year. I'm in awe with what the author accomplished. The story was more than just scary. It was heart-breaking and gut-wrenching. It was a story of loss, mental illness, outcasts, family history, estrangement, sacrifice, and true love. There were so many layers to the story, and some of the writing was so good I'd re-read multiple pages at a time. The ending left me an emotional wreck. Wow. Just... wow.

I can't even put my thoughts together to review this one. My review on Goodreads is simply "Holy s#!&," and that's all I've got. If you haven't read this yet, what are you waiting for?

I'm a sucker for a great coming-of-age story, so I devoured this in less than 24 hours. I loved the characters, their interactions, and development. Although the writing was great and the dialogue well done, it was lacking the profound, beautiful prose that stops you in your tracks & makes you reread lines multiple times. I only highlighted one quote in the book. It was so well written, though, and I totally fell in love with Sam and his friends.

I've never read so many pages of absolutely nothing happening. I was hoping to be torn between not knowing whether the four were part of a delusional doomsday cult, or whether there really was a supernatural component to their claims. It was messy and all over the place. A lot of the events in the book made no sense at all and didn't support the plot in the slightest. It came across like the author had no idea what he was trying to get at.

I struggled between being really intrigued via morbid curiosity and disliking it due to frustrations with some plot holes.

I appreciated a lot of the character development, but I didn't like how literally every action of every chatacter was so improbable. However, self-reflecting on the fact that I've never been kidnapped, held captive, tortured, and raped by a family of men allowed me to keep an open mind and enjoy the story.

People describe this book as being a mind-f***k and totally twisted. Maybe I just read a lot of dark books, but I didn't think this book was nearly as crazy as everyone says it is. It was pretty entertaining, though. It was good enough to keep you engaged as you waited for the wtf moment, that sadly never came. The ending wasn't *quite* what I predicted, so bonus points for not being totally predictable. Not bad, but not great.

Too fantastical. I felt like the author was trying to one-up himself constantly, challenging himself to make the next event/character more over-the-top than the last. It was almost as if he had a thousand ideas for different books that he rolled together into one hot mess. Despite my negative feelings while reading, I found myself wishing it had been around when I was 10/11. I would have loved it and the entire crazy world the author created.

The apocalypse told from the POV of a human-loving, domesticated crow? Yes, please.

This is the funniest book I've ever read. I was literally laughing out loud every page. But it's more than just humorous. The prose was beautifully written (so poetic). There were so many brilliant, heart-wrenching parts. I even cried at one point. It was a story of overcoming your worst fears to save the ones you love, and it was wonderfully done.

My August reads! Still have some reviews to write. As a teacher, the start of the school year is kicking my butt and putting me behind!

3.75⭐ This book has so much potential, but was blandly executed. The author claims this is not a YA novel, yet nothing about it is more mature, complex, or dark than a typical YA fantasy novel. All PG-13 action and easy prose. The plot is good but not great, & the characters a tad underdeveloped & predictable (though likeable enough to root for them). I'm curious to see how the series ends, but I'm not dying to pick up the sequel anytime soon.

Eerie. Bizarre. Otherworldly. Reading this makes you extremely uncomfortable, yet awes you with the superb, simple prose. The characters are haunting & layered. I was left with a very unsettling, indescribable feeling when I finished reading this, perhaps because I was so drawn in to the mind of the main character. Her craziness slowly unfolds, drags you in, and makes you feel crazy, too. How haunting when the horror isn't paranormal, but human.

I would give this book zero stars if I could. It has a predictable plot and bland characters, not to mention being full of bad alien invasion cliches and a cringy, unconvincing "romance." I only finished it so I could write a review in good faith and warn everyone not to read it. It is honestly the worst book I've ever read. I would honestly rather gouge my eyes out than read its sequel. I'm off to mourn all my lost time I spent reading this book.

This was entirely done in letters from one character to the next, and I'm sad to say I was underwhelmed. All of the characters seemed to have the same personality and blend together. A lot of details were obviously thrown in for the reader's sake, too, so it was awkward reading them trying to be passed off as something that would have been written in a letter. The premise and context were good, but the execution was a little disappointing.

The synopsis of this book calls it poignant, and I can't think of a better adjective. The entire story evokes a deep sense of despair. His social anxiety and self-doubt were present from early childhood, and it's made clear how deeply internalized his depression and alienation became. The narrative did an excellent job highlighting the torment that comes with putting on a happy facade that's at odds with how you feel inside.

N.K. Jemisin can do no wrong. To quote another reviewer, Rana, on Goodreads, "Was there any doubt that this would be f***ing fantastic?" This is a collection of world-class speculative fantasy and sci-fi that eerily parallels modern society, highlighting the many race and class issues that still persist in the 21st century. If you haven't read anything by this author, you are seriously missing out on one of the best writers alive.

Although this is probably more of a solid 3-star read, I'm giving it 4 stars because it was a 4-star experience. Despite my frustrations with some of the characters and how they unrealistically handled situations (and other pitfalls), I was fully engrossed due to morbid curiosity. I've read books way more twisted and disturbing than this, but somehow, I was still on the edge of my seat 90% of the book. It was fun enough to earn the extra star.

This was a fast, fun read. Although I would have liked it more as a longer narrative, it was unique and had enough suspense to be entertaining. It's neither intellectual nor deep, but I think that was the author's intent. A beautiful serial killer and her enabling sister aren't as affected as they should be, so it makes sense the story was somewhat superficial. Bonus points for the ending going in a different direction than I expected.

There's times like this when I give five stars even when the story isn't my favorite, but I'm able to recognize and appreciate when the author pulls off a great literary work. I liked the story well enough, but I was more impressed by the many great aspects of the book. There was great, descriptive nature writing, emotionally-triggering events & characters, and the author's ability to transport the reader into every moment of the book. Beautiful.

A speculative sci-fi story about an alien invasion, alien-enabled psychic abilities, and (so much) more set in futuristic Nigeria? There wasn't a lot of room to go wrong. There were so many layers to this story, and it was so well written (and often hilarious). The plot was unique, the characters were great, and the science behind everything was so well researched that it made the crazy world seem plausible. My expectations were exceeded tenfold.

Evil, eating Earth! What a finale! It was slow-going for a while, but it was all worth it for the world building and that ending. We got backstories on Hoa and the obelisks, and everything else came together to finish the best series I've ever read. N.K. Jemisin is a goddess. What. A. Mind.

This story felt really raw and real. The characters' emotions and behaviors were all believable, making you fully invested in the story. This book has everything: issues of race, injustice (political and personal), love (parents and children, husband and wife, friend and friend), and life in general. All these elements are tied together with excellent prose for an excellent read.

What a letdown. The topic kept my interest enough to finish (the only female and youngest competitor to ever win the Mongol Derby). The race is physically grueling and nearly impossible, yet the only emotion the author gave off was boredom. It read like she was just passively trotting along, allowing her mind to wander and give us mini flashbacks of her life that were irrelevant and snooze-worthy. You will NOT experience what the race felt like.

This book is perfect if you're looking for mindless entertainment and to be transported somewhere unlike anything most of us are used to. There are enough dramatic, over-the-top characters, subplots, and scandals to keep you engaged the entire book. I felt like I was eavesdropping the entire ride, so it was pretty fun. Don't expect any depth or anything life-changing. It's a good, fun escape if you tend to read more serious novels.

Heavy is the perfect title for this memoir. That's the only word I can even think to describe it, for it was heavy in so many different ways. I was torn between feeling like I was supposed to read his story and feeling I didn't have the right to do so.

This book isn't one you can, or should, read quickly. It has to marinate in your mind as you slowly build up a tolerance to it, all the while questioning whether you can even stomach it or figure out what the hell is going on. With a non-linear, nested narration, you'll be frustrated until you realize how genius it all is when it starts making sense. The worldbuilding is unparalleled, and the story, setting, and characters are all unique. Badass.

This was a beautiful love story between Achilles and the exiled prince, Patroclus; a love story that did an excellent job painting the multi-layered human side of the demi-God Achilles. We see him through Patroclus' eyes for all he was: complicated and flawed, and worthy and capable of the greatest love. Regardless of how many times you've read Homer's original, you'll be pleasantly surprised, and emotionally destroyed, by this rendition.

This is a coming-of-age story, but unlike any I've read before. It's a story of lifetime trauma, and the main character deals with it in a relatable way: with a lot of humor and a lot of second-guessing yourself and your sanity. I loved every chapter of Eli Bell's quest to uncover what makes a person good or bad. With excellent writing, a unique plot, and gut-wrenching depth, this is easily a 5-star read. The hype is justified.

I'm still completely blown away and in awe of what I've just read. I've never experienced anything like this one. I have no criticism, for it is flawless. Anything I can say will just pale in comparison to how mesmerizing the whole experience was. I've never considered myself a mythology fan, but I am completely sold now. Sign me up for anything and everything this author puts on paper. I'm ready for another ride.

About a quarter of the way through. These short stories are excellent and eerie, like racially-charged Black Mirror episodes. I don't want to keep reading because I don't want them to end.

This book has become one of my all-time favorites. I was fully invested and engrossed in the story and all the characters, and I just couldn't get enough of it. Although much of the dialogue is humorous, you will find yourself either furious or crying throughout a lot of the book due to the injustices, torment, and heartbreak the main character suffers over his lifetime. I can't say enough good things about this one. Read it.