Tag: Book Review

Book Review: Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Celebrity Memoir
Length: 272 pages
Author: Matthew Perry
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Release Date: November 1st, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In an extraordinary story that only he could tell, Matthew Perry takes readers onto the soundstage of the most successful sitcom of all time while opening up about his private struggles with addiction. Candid, self-aware, and told with his trademark humor, Perry vividly details his lifelong battle with the disease and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that shares the most intimate details of the love Perry lost, his darkest days, and his greatest friends.

Unflinchingly honest, moving, and hilarious: this is the book fans have been waiting for.

THOUGHTS.

I don’t really know how to go about a non-fiction review (because I rarely read this genre) but, Friends is my ultimate comfort show and I knew I had to listen to Matthew Perry’s memoir.

What I gathered most from this was the sheer complexity of addiction. And the power it can have over someone. I learned a lot and felt like I came out with a better understanding of this topic and more. I also liked hearing some of the behind the scenes stuff about Friends. It’s filled with Perry’s very highest moments and the lowest.

This book is dark, but with the added levity you’d expect from Perry. I listened to it on the audio (which he narrates) so I didn’t notice as many issues as I’ve seen from other reviewers. What I did notice was some repetitive thoughts and such, but I think that if that’s how he wants to write his book, let him?

It felt honest and raw. The ramblings of someone still hoping for love and connection while dealing with darkness on his shoulders. I do hope he continues to stay sober and content with who he is now.

Overall audience notes:

  • Memoir
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: some mentions of nights with others; innuendo
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: dark discussions of alcoholism and drug abuse, descriptions of medical procedures and other medical incidents

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Book Review: The Jasad Heir (The Scorched Throne #1) by Sara Hashem

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 523 pages
Author: Sara Hashem
Publisher: Orbit Books
Release Date: July 18th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Ten years ago, the kingdom of Jasad burned. Its magic outlawed; its royal family murdered down to the last child. At least, that’s what Sylvia wants people to believe.

The lost Heir of Jasad, Sylvia never wants to be found. She can’t think about how Nizahl’s armies laid waste to her kingdom and continue to hunt its people—not if she wants to stay alive. But when Arin, the Nizahl Heir, tracks a group of Jasadi rebels to her village, staying one step ahead of death gets trickier.

In a moment of anger Sylvia’s magic is exposed, capturing Arin’s attention. Now, to save her life, Sylvia will have to make a deal with her greatest enemy. If she helps him lure the rebels, she’ll escape persecution.

A deadly game begins. Sylvia can’t let Arin discover her identity even as hatred shifts into something more. Soon, Sylvia will have to choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind. The scorched kingdom is rising, and it needs a queen.

In this Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy, a fugitive queen strikes a deadly bargain with her greatest enemy and finds herself embroiled in a complex game that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever.

EVERYTHING I LOVE.

I loved this book. It sang to everything I love about adult fantasy books. An intricate plot with complicated world building. An interesting magic system with hidden identities. A super slow burn romance with the forbidden enemy. All things I will soak up every dang time.

The audiobook was really great and I think that helped with some reviews saying it’s a bit slow. I didn’t have that issue and I liked seeing Sylvia’s story. She is ANGRY (and it comes across that way in the narration), rightfully so, but she also doesn’t have all of the facts. I loved seeing this beginning character arc and the ending was exactly what I hoped for to set up for book two.

I’m a sucker for this kind of romance. It’s slow, it’s dangerous, and the characters don’t even see it coming. Working with the enemy in a forced proximity situation is my lifeblood.

A great first book for a new series I will absolutely be looking forward to the sequel.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: heated kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: battle themes, loss of loved ones, murder, weapons violence, near death experiences

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ARC Book Review: The Star and the Strange Moon by Constance Sayers

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Horror/Historical/Paranormal
Length: 480 pages
Author: Constance Sayers
Publisher: Redhook
Release Date: November 14th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the author of A Witch in Time comes a haunting tale of ambition, obsession, and the eternal mystery and magic of film.

1968: Actress Gemma Turner once dreamed of stardom. Unfortunately, she’s on the cusp of slipping into obscurity. When she’s offered the lead in a radical new horror film, Gemma believes her luck has finally changed. But L’Etrange Lune’s set is not what she expected. The director is eccentric, and the script doesn’t make sense.

Gemma is determined to make this work. It’s her last chance to achieve her dream—but that dream is about to derail her life. One night, between the shadows of an alleyway, Gemma disappears on set and is never seen again. Yet, Gemma is still alive. She’s been transported into the film and the script—and the monsters within it—are coming to life. She must play her role perfectly if she hopes to survive.

2015: Gemma Turner’s disappearance is one of film history’s greatest mysteries—one that’s haunted film student Christopher Kent ever since he saw his first screening of L’Etrange Lune. The screenings only happen once a decade and each time there is new, impossible footage of Gemma long after she vanished. Desperate to discover the truth, Christopher risks losing himself. He’ll have to outrun the cursed legacy of the film—or become trapped by it forever.

Thank you to Orbit Books for the gifted ARC.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS ONE.

I finally finished this and it was not what I was expecting. This weird combination of curses, demons, vampires, historical, movie stars, romance, and more. I wanted it to all work together and it just…didn’t.

For the initial 40-50% I felt pretty invested. I was rolling with the slow nature and curious how things were going to start connecting. And when they did is when this book lost me. It gave me the sense of things being added to solve the plot that’s been created rather than a natural movement through the story. The random romance did not fit and for a horror book I never once found myself creeped out.

Neither of the main characters were remarkably memorable. Everything was okay. That’s the best way I could describe it unfortunately. The ending worked out well enough (though I still have some questions??). This was my first book by the author and I was really excited for it and now I’m honestly not sure what to think.

Overall audience notes:

  • Horror/Historical/Paranormal
  • Language: a little strong
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: substance abuse, mentions of suicide, loss of a parent, multiple deaths

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Book Review: Cursed (Gilded #2) by Marissa Meyer

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 496 pages
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: November 8th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In Cursed, Marissa Meyer brings the fairytale-inspired Gilded duology to a conclusion..

Be still now, and I will tell you a tale.

Adalheid Castle is in chaos.

Following a shocking turn of events, Serilda finds herself ensnared in a deadly game of make-believe with the Erlking, who is determined to propel her deeper into the castle’s lies. Meanwhile, Serilda is determined to work with Gild to help him solve the mystery of his forgotten name and past.

But soon it becomes clear that the Erlking doesn’t only want to use Serilda to bring back his one true love. He also seeks vengeance against the seven gods who have long trapped the Dark Ones behind the veil. If the Erlking succeeds, it could change the mortal realm forever.

Can Serilda find a way to use her storytelling gifts for good—once and for all? And can Serilda and Gild break the spells that tether their spirits to the castle before the Endless Moon finds them truly cursed?

HMM.

Well. You see, I wanted to love this, buuut I can only put it in the like category and that’s the first time I’ve done that for a Marissa Meyer book.

I already wasn’t sure after the [big redacted spoiler] from the ending of the last book. And I don’t think it played super well here. There was an interesting magic workaround that gave the characters some movement but ultimately the miscommunication it led to, led me to struggle with it all.

Where was Gild? Frankly, not sure. He was missing for SO MUCH of this book and he was the whole love interest in the first!! It was one of those cases where the romance dropped off the map rather than holding steady when it was the original purpose of the retelling. The time spent with the Erlking did not do it for me.

There were some good action sequences and I remember liking different parts here and there. I wish Serilda had accomplished a bit more rather than letting things continually happen to her or just hanging out when battles were fought. I hoped for more in this conclusion but oh well.

I do love Marissa Meyer’s writing style and will still pick up whatever she writes next.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, loss of life, possession, physical and magical altercations, childbirth

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