shellballenger's reviews
494 reviews

Type of read: Beach/Lunch Read.

What made me pick it up: I got 'The Answer is No' as part of Amazon First Reads (it was included as a short story).

Overall rating: I've tried to read some from Backman in the past (Beartown series), and I was never able to get fully sucked into the story. I'm not sure 'The Answer is No' was the best answer for that, but it did help me get a bit more of a glimpse into the cadence and style of Backman's writing. I'm not sure that I could do it for a full series, but after reading 'The Answer is No,' I'm willing to give it a try. Overall, this is a simple book about the importance of taking a break. It's meh.

Type of read: Commuter Read

What made me pick it up: I think the title and the cover caught my attention, along with one of my friends talking about Celine Saintclare's books.

Overall rating: I really liked the concept of 'Sugar, Baby.' I also liked that it wasn't focused primarily on the sexual part of sugaring (don't get me wrong, there's sex, but it's not the main thread of the book) but on the actual relationship-building and self-exploration of Agnes's journey into finding herself, her joy, and how she processed her experience in the sugaring world. This was another quick weekend read that caught my attention with the author's name recognition and the cover. I'm not mad at it, but honestly, it seems forgettable, and I don't think I'd recommend it. It didn't feel like there was a punch factor, and at the end of the book, it almost seemed like Saintclare was working too hard for a powerful, positive, woman-focused happy ending.

Type of read: Beach Read.

What made me pick it up: I got 'The Fall Risk' as part of Amazon First Reads for February (it was included as a short story).

Overall rating: This was cute. It is short, sweet, and a perfect beach read. I don't know if I would seek out any of Jimenez's longer-form books (the writing style wasn't completely my vibe), but I'm definitely not mad about this one. 

Type of read: Commuter Read

What made me pick it up: I believe I saw 'They All Had a Reason' on one of the wishlists of a fellow book club member. I'm also using it as my book for the TN R.E.A.D.s January prompt of 'read a book you received as a gift' since one of my wonderful book club friends sent this one to me!

Overall rating: Let's get something out of the way first, 'They All Had A Reason' reads extremely YA. And I'm not talking high school level YA; I'm talking middle school YA. I feel like 5th-grade me would have <i> absolutely </i> gotten this from the Scholastic Book Fair and purposely carried it around on the outside of my trapper keeper because it helped me look angsty and mysterious. 

I read this book as a tangible paperback, and my brain was screaming. Unless it's poetry or lyrical verse, I prefer a very traditionally published tangible book. I'm not talking about sprayed edges or paper choice; those are both things I can fully support to make your book different...I'm talking font, font size, and margin. There was something off about the printing of 'They All Had A Reason' that just gave me a headache and made it hard to stay focused and read comfortably for any extended period of time. Honestly, I'm going to blame the tiny margins and the fact that everything looked like it was smooshed on the page and bleeding through the other side.

On to the actual content of the book....oof. No bueno. No part of this book makes sense. The actions the characters take, the choices they make, and the progression of relationships. I just don't get it. These are supposedly sophomores to seniors in high school, and they're acting like grade schoolers. I feel like this book has potential, but it needs an editor, some assistance with the storyline, and overall, just a zhuzh to even get it remotely close to a successful book.

Type of read: Commuter Read

What made me pick it up: I used an Audible credit for 'Pucking Around,' and 'That One Night' came included as a prequel.

Overall rating: Let's be real...this isn't a book with a plot, it's literary porn. I'm not mad about it. Sometimes, you just need a good smutty book. 

Type of read: Commuter Read.

What made me pick it up: BookTok made me start the series, and Yarros' cliffhanger in 'Iron Flame' brought me back.

Overall rating: The Empyrean series continually reminds me that for every ten books recommended on BookTok, only one or two are going to be good. Did I like 'Onyx Storm'? Yes. Do I feel like it could have been...more/better/clearer/focused? Also yes. There's a lot of world-building (which I like) and character development (which I also like), but overall, it felt a bit drawn out. I'm struggling with the fact that this honker of a book said so much but also so little.

I also don't understand how bringing up the wards with the 7th dragon kind was such a thing in 'Iron Flame' and then all the sudden, 'Ope, we got it guys, no big deal!' in 'Onyx Storm.' An entire book was literally based around the wards, people died, but don't worry, the Irids got you. Argh!

Here's my biggest issue, editing. We saw it in 'Fourth Wing' and 'Iron Flame,' and I absolutely hate that it's continuing with 'Oynx Storm.' Yarros desperately needed another pass from an editor on Onyx Storm. There are a few times when the writing just doesn't make sense, is repetitive, or is absolutely giving too much*, and this is just what I was able to pick up from the audiobook. I have a feeling that if I had a tangible copy, I would have been going absolutely bonkers. I recently read 'And then? And then? What else?' and there's a part in there where Handler talks about how one of his mentors would simply write 'DB' in certain sections. DB meaning 'do better.' As in the writing just doesn't feel right and needs a tweak. I just wanted to scrawl DB throughout Onyx Storm. For example, in chapter 12 when Yarros writes, "his eyes sparkle and red veins pulse at the corner of his eyes." This type of phrasing happens frequently throughout the book and drives me bonkers. If his eyes are sparkling, and we're already focused on the eyes, I don't need to be told again that the red veins are pulsing...at the eyes.

All that aside, 'Onyx Storm' continued to sink me deeper into the crazy world of dragon riders and venin. There were times when I audibly gasped and couldn't believe the turns the story was taking. There were times when my heart hurt because of the emotion and intimacy Yarros was able to convey between characters. And there were times I wanted to scream into the void because the book made me so incredibly angry at how the story was progressing. Overall, I would say that all of that makes it a good read. And (as if I wasn't before), I'm fully invested and will be anxiously awaiting #4.

Reader's Note: 'Onyx Storm' includes themes of war, death, dying, torture, injury content including blood, and sex. I'll also add, as a copy-paste from my review of 'Fourth Wing' and 'Iron Flame' since it also applies to 'Onyx Storm:' There's not a lack of sex. Descriptive, steamy, wall shattering sex. And I think what makes it so good in 'Onyx Storm' is the intimacy, specifically between Violet and Xaden, that makes it more than just physical.

<i>*I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I don't want authors to tell me how to feel. I want authors to write in a way that automatically makes me feel what they want me to feel. </i>

Type of read: Weekend/Lunchtime Read.

What made me pick it up: The fastest way to get me to read a book is to tell me that you don't agree with the author or that the author owes someone an apology because a grown adult got their feelings hurt by one individual asking for common human decency.

Overall rating: I enjoyed Budde's perspective and thought process throughout 'How We Learn to Be Brave.' While obviously, the book contains religious content, including quotes from scriptures, I didn't feel like I was being beaten over the head with a bible. Budde's outlook on faith, our personal journey through that faith, and how we process and work through those decisive moments is realistic but something many of us may need to hear. Overall, I felt like I was sitting down with a friend for a cup of coffee and to talk about what was going on in my brain. Especially as an individual who grew up traditionally religious and has been finding their own faith after 18 (and what that looks like and means for me), I was appreciative of Budde's accepting, knowledgeable, and passionate point of view. 

Type of read: Evening relaxation

What made me pick it up: I'm a sucker for poetry. I also used it as my book for the TN R.E.A.D.'s January prompt of 'read a book you received as a gift.' Did I gift this to myself? Yes. Still counts. 

Overall rating: I think when people pick up poetry, especially poetry that has such a title as 'Things We Don't Talk About' that describes itself as a look into the personal side of depression and anxiety, they expect something grand and groundbreaking. Something that will pull you out of your darkness and make you not feel so alone. 'Things We Don't Talk About' is not that. It's a recollection, a personal telling, a baby glimpse into someone's life and what their personal thoughts and feelings were at the time they put pen to page. Is this the perfect book and example of publishing? No. But neither is life. I'm thankful to Owl for sharing their thoughts and feelings with us.

Type of read: Commuter/Daily Read

What made me pick it up: I originally found 'Hiddensee' during the Christmas season when I was looking for holiday/Christmas-themed books. I also used it as my book for the TN R.E.A.D.'s February prompt of 'read a book with a one-word title.'

Overall rating: If you're looking for a simple, happy retelling of a classic story, pick another book. Hiddensee has all of the dense, flourished storytelling that Maguire is known for. While the book may be loosely tied to the original story of the Nutcracker, you're not going into a tale about sugar plums and plies; rather, we hear Drosselmeyer's story from a defining accident as a young boy to a grown man.

As with other books by Maguire, I don't think this is one that you can passively listen to. Steven Crossley does a beautiful job with the narration of the audio version of Hiddensee; however, you do need to be actively listening and engaged in the story to keep following. I think it actually took me until about halfway through the book to actually figure out what was going on and what the story was. It's about Chapter 45ish that they get into why things are so topsy-turvy, and it helps you understand Dirk's situation a bit more.

Overall, Hiddensee is verbose and complicated, but if you can get past that, you might enjoy the story of Dirk and his journey through life. Personally, I'm still not sure what to make of 'Hiddensee,' I didn't hate it, but it wasn't something that I actively enjoyed while I was reading. Sometimes, I need a second chance at Maguire's books to catch all the intricacies. There were some beautiful passages, and we get to see a different possibility of the life of the Nutcracker and his creator, but dang, was this one a slog.

It's also probably only fair to add that 'Hiddensee' was the book that stood between me and Oynx Storm, but I don't think that totally impacted my enjoyment and review of it. I feel like any book would have felt like a roadblock before getting into one of the most talked about books of the year, and 'Hiddensee' just, unfortunately, drew the short straw. 

“You have a spark inside you. Let it go out or let it loose, one or the other. What is your life for? You chose to live, you chose this world! What is this half-living? Even a mouse has more intention.” 

Type of read: Commuter Read

What made me pick it up: I remember diving headfirst into the world of Lemony Snicket when I was a young reader and thoroughly enjoying those journeys through the page. I'm also a sucker for a good author memoir.

Overall rating: It was love at first sentence for 'And Then? And Then? What Else?' Handler shares their thoughts and musings on writing, reading, and life in general. If you get nothing else from this book, you will get a long list of books to add to your TBR. I blame Handler for the tumbling stack of books that were delivered to my house just in the short time between starting and finishing 'And Then? And Then? What Else?' I would highly encourage any writer or bibliophile to read this book. At the very least, you'll get a glimpse into the magical mind of Handler and how their life has been shaped by the pages they've devoured.