Kiwiria's April reads
May. 1st, 2025 04:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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christianreaderProject Hail Mary - Andy Weir*, 5/5, Audiobook ~16hrs
Such an amazing book! I was hooked from the very start, and listened to it at every chance I got. The audiobook was narrated by Ray Porter who did an amazing job.
It's best not to know too much about the story going into it, so I'll just leave it at that I loved Grace, I loved Rocky and I wish the book had been much, much longer than it was. I couldn't put it down, but didn't want to see it end.
Awesome book!
Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green & David Levithan, 3.5/5, 308 pages
A 3.5 star review. Rounded up on goodreads, because most of the book was awesome, but the ending ... sigh ... the ending caused a huge eyeroll and definitely subtracted from my general enjoyment of the book.
That said, I'm glad that I knew going into the book that every second chapter was written from one Will Grayson's POV and every other second chapter was written from the other Will Grayson's POV, because I'm not gonna lie - that second POV took some getting used to. No caps, weird punctuation, short and jumping sentences. I get why it was written that way though, and it actually served a purpose, so after a few chapters I'd gotten so used to it that it stopped bothering me.
And unlike many other books that jump from viewpoint to viewpoint, I actually didn't prefer one over the other, once I got used to the writing style. The characters seemed realistic, and their issues believable. I'd love to see Tiny's musical!
Just a shame with the ending.
Nightwork - Nora Roberts, 4/5, Audiobook ~16hrs
Stereotypical Nora Roberts. You know what you're gonna get going into it, but it's always an enjoyable ride. This isn't the best of her works - mostly because the initial conflict with Miranda annoyed me (trying to stay as spoiler-free as possible), but I do get why it was necessary, and their way of making up again was a LOT more satisfying than I had expected it to be.
Also, I kinda love that the fact that she writes such formulaeric books meant that I knew the final confrontation would go well, and there wouldn't suddenly be yet another wrench thrown into the machine in the 11th hour. I get so impatient with that stuff, and would much rather have a long lead-in to the confrontation, and then have everything work out as planned.
Discount Armageddon - Seanan McGuire*, 3.5/4, 368 pages
Midnight Blue-Light Special - Seanan McGuire, 3.5/5, 338 pages
It took a bit to get going, but once it did, I really enjoyed it. I found the struggles against the covenant a lot more interesting than the hunt for the dragon in the first book, and appreciated Dominic's struggles between his upbringing and his new-found beliefs. I also really enjoyed that we got a few chapters from Sarah's POV :-D She's probably my favourite character next to Verity.
The books are fairly self-contained, so I don't know that I'll run out to get the next one, but I'll definitely read it if I come across it.
Drinking at the Movies - Julia Wertz*, 4/5, 220 pages
Julia's experiences moving from San Francisco to NYC, trying to "make it there" with all the shitty jobs and apartments that comes along with such a move. Obviously dark at times, but Julia manages to write it with humour and charm so that it never comes across as bleak or depressing. I laughed out loud more than once, and definitely want to check out more of her work now.
Sleeping Giants - Sylvain Neuvel*, 5/5, 322 pages
This hits all of my insta-loves. An epistolary sci-fi novel with a semi-unreliable narrator (mostly because you KNOW he's not telling you everything) and a totally fascinating concept.
I spent most of the book in a constant state of "What on earth is going on? And what on earth is going to happen next?" Those questions were only half-way answered, which for once didn't frustrate me, as it fit perfectly with the atmosphere of the book. I couldn't put it down and can't wait to read the sequel.
Nothing Lasts Forever - Sidney Sheldon*, 4/5, 298 pages
Sidney Sheldon writes ridiculously readable books, and I finished this in just a few hours - but I had forgotten how incredibly unrealistic it is in places. You definitely have to make huge allowances for it, or you'll read it with a permanent eye-roll - from the insta-love romances (from nothing to proposal in less than a month), through the doctor sleeping her way to an education to the extremely questionable medical and legal practices.
Fortunately I was prepared for all of these, and I love reading about life at a hospital (realistic or not), so greatly enjoyed the book regardless. Oh, and I love Dr. Barker on the witness stand!
Books Read: 32
Such an amazing book! I was hooked from the very start, and listened to it at every chance I got. The audiobook was narrated by Ray Porter who did an amazing job.
It's best not to know too much about the story going into it, so I'll just leave it at that I loved Grace, I loved Rocky and I wish the book had been much, much longer than it was. I couldn't put it down, but didn't want to see it end.
Awesome book!
Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green & David Levithan, 3.5/5, 308 pages
A 3.5 star review. Rounded up on goodreads, because most of the book was awesome, but the ending ... sigh ... the ending caused a huge eyeroll and definitely subtracted from my general enjoyment of the book.
That said, I'm glad that I knew going into the book that every second chapter was written from one Will Grayson's POV and every other second chapter was written from the other Will Grayson's POV, because I'm not gonna lie - that second POV took some getting used to. No caps, weird punctuation, short and jumping sentences. I get why it was written that way though, and it actually served a purpose, so after a few chapters I'd gotten so used to it that it stopped bothering me.
And unlike many other books that jump from viewpoint to viewpoint, I actually didn't prefer one over the other, once I got used to the writing style. The characters seemed realistic, and their issues believable. I'd love to see Tiny's musical!
Just a shame with the ending.
Nightwork - Nora Roberts, 4/5, Audiobook ~16hrs
Stereotypical Nora Roberts. You know what you're gonna get going into it, but it's always an enjoyable ride. This isn't the best of her works - mostly because the initial conflict with Miranda annoyed me (trying to stay as spoiler-free as possible), but I do get why it was necessary, and their way of making up again was a LOT more satisfying than I had expected it to be.
Also, I kinda love that the fact that she writes such formulaeric books meant that I knew the final confrontation would go well, and there wouldn't suddenly be yet another wrench thrown into the machine in the 11th hour. I get so impatient with that stuff, and would much rather have a long lead-in to the confrontation, and then have everything work out as planned.
Discount Armageddon - Seanan McGuire*, 3.5/4, 368 pages
Midnight Blue-Light Special - Seanan McGuire, 3.5/5, 338 pages
It took a bit to get going, but once it did, I really enjoyed it. I found the struggles against the covenant a lot more interesting than the hunt for the dragon in the first book, and appreciated Dominic's struggles between his upbringing and his new-found beliefs. I also really enjoyed that we got a few chapters from Sarah's POV :-D She's probably my favourite character next to Verity.
The books are fairly self-contained, so I don't know that I'll run out to get the next one, but I'll definitely read it if I come across it.
Drinking at the Movies - Julia Wertz*, 4/5, 220 pages
Julia's experiences moving from San Francisco to NYC, trying to "make it there" with all the shitty jobs and apartments that comes along with such a move. Obviously dark at times, but Julia manages to write it with humour and charm so that it never comes across as bleak or depressing. I laughed out loud more than once, and definitely want to check out more of her work now.
Sleeping Giants - Sylvain Neuvel*, 5/5, 322 pages
This hits all of my insta-loves. An epistolary sci-fi novel with a semi-unreliable narrator (mostly because you KNOW he's not telling you everything) and a totally fascinating concept.
I spent most of the book in a constant state of "What on earth is going on? And what on earth is going to happen next?" Those questions were only half-way answered, which for once didn't frustrate me, as it fit perfectly with the atmosphere of the book. I couldn't put it down and can't wait to read the sequel.
Nothing Lasts Forever - Sidney Sheldon*, 4/5, 298 pages
Sidney Sheldon writes ridiculously readable books, and I finished this in just a few hours - but I had forgotten how incredibly unrealistic it is in places. You definitely have to make huge allowances for it, or you'll read it with a permanent eye-roll - from the insta-love romances (from nothing to proposal in less than a month), through the doctor sleeping her way to an education to the extremely questionable medical and legal practices.
Fortunately I was prepared for all of these, and I love reading about life at a hospital (realistic or not), so greatly enjoyed the book regardless. Oh, and I love Dr. Barker on the witness stand!
Books Read: 32
