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akira_outofthegravity's reviews
173 reviews
Dawn of the Dead by Simon Pegg, George A. Romero, Susanna Sparrow
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Not great but not terrible. I had parts I loved and parts that dragged. But I liked the themes of hope.
Also I love the fact that the dog is okay.
Also I love the fact that the dog is okay.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Racism and Violence
Minor: Vomit
There is no sexual assault.
There is no major animal death.
An antagonist wears a swastika near the end of the book.
Feed by Mira Grant
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I think 3 1/2 is suitable. This book feels very 2014, it’s riddled with Not Like Other Girls Vibes from Georgia, and I don’t think there’s a single woman in the book she talks positively about. Whereas 90% of the men she’s fawning over. Because of this the emotional beats that concerned her didn’t hit as hard, and I enjoyed the book more when she wasn’t there…oops. Also the problem with the plot being stretched over such a long period of time (as it has to be) is that it feels very exposition-y and like Grant is just throwing words at you. Also I didn’t remember who the antagonist was when they revealed it.
That being said, I enjoyed the ride this took me on. I think Grant mixes comedy, word building and tragedy well together. I think George makes an interesting character (even if I don’t like her), and her dynamic with the group was a bit I liked a lot. That being said…her relationship with Shaun got a little too weird for me sometimes. As someone with step siblings galore I understand my situation is different but sometimes they gave me the ick. But I enjoyed their banter too. I loved the Masons. They seem like a very complicated family, and I love how they serve as secondary antagonists from the get-go! I hope they appear in the second and third novels.
More Buffy plz thank you!
I think I’ll enjoy the second book more.
That being said, I enjoyed the ride this took me on. I think Grant mixes comedy, word building and tragedy well together. I think George makes an interesting character (even if I don’t like her), and her dynamic with the group was a bit I liked a lot. That being said…her relationship with Shaun got a little too weird for me sometimes. As someone with step siblings galore I understand my situation is different but sometimes they gave me the ick. But I enjoyed their banter too. I loved the Masons. They seem like a very complicated family, and I love how they serve as secondary antagonists from the get-go! I hope they appear in the second and third novels.
More Buffy plz thank you!
I think I’ll enjoy the second book more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, and Medical content
Minor: Vomit and Murder
Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enríquez
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Unlike Dangers of Smoking in Bed, this collection is a lot more political- which is not a bad thing!! But I feel like I am missing context for the stories due to not understanding the political landscape they’re set in.
That being said, all of the stories have merit. There were none that I disliked- which is rare. I’ll add my top 3 later. Also unlike DOSIB the titular story is one of the best. Beautifully written, gloriously gory, a good time all round!!
That being said, all of the stories have merit. There were none that I disliked- which is rare. I’ll add my top 3 later. Also unlike DOSIB the titular story is one of the best. Beautifully written, gloriously gory, a good time all round!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Drug abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Blood, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, and Classism
Minor: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I feel like I should rate this higher, but I can’t do it just because it’s a classic, because I enjoyed this a medium amount. I can understand why it’s so influential, I imagine it was quite groundbreaking and I do like the concept- but it’s too much telling and not enough showing.
There’s just not enough meat on this book, there’s nothing to compel readers to keep going in my opinion. The concept is interesting and terrifying as someone who has a womb, and is slightly scared of pregnancy, but there’s never any stakes. When the action does happen it’s very detached and matter of fact, why should I care about any of these characters?
Disappointed but I may try his other books.
There’s just not enough meat on this book, there’s nothing to compel readers to keep going in my opinion. The concept is interesting and terrifying as someone who has a womb, and is slightly scared of pregnancy, but there’s never any stakes. When the action does happen it’s very detached and matter of fact, why should I care about any of these characters?
Disappointed but I may try his other books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Car accident
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Suicide
Fungi by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Orrin Grey
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Really good! Some stories were better than others but I loved the body horror. This quenched my thirst for gore and good times, and mushrooms of course.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Vomit
Minor: Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
Kokoro by Natsume Sōseki
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Thoughts to come
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Zombie Apocalypse! by Stephen Jones
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I’m unsure where to rate this. On one hand I really enjoyed the stories, all intertwined and connected. They felt human, the best were the diary entries by far. Unfortunately a lot of them were quite formulaic:
Oh what this can’t be happening?
Oh wait it is.
I’m going to die.
No wait I’m alive!
Big twist.
Downer ending/wham line.
So while i enjoyed them it felt like reading a lot of the same stuff over and over. Also I love the whole fleas thing- nightmare scenario I tell you- but the science wasn’t consistent on whether it was fleas or magic or a virus.
I’ll probably read it again, but the ending makes me wonder if I’m going to continue the series. I find the idea of sentient zombies actually ruling the world to be kind of plausible but also kind of stupid. To me, the horror is that they’re mindless, maybe slightly capable of making decisions- I like the idea that they have a homing instinct and that they can talk, but like, being the president? I don’t know how I feel about that
Overall I didn’t hate it, and I’ll probably read it again in due course, and it is a good zombie book, it’s not great, but if you’re looking for blood, guts, and gore this is the right novel.
Oh what this can’t be happening?
Oh wait it is.
I’m going to die.
No wait I’m alive!
Big twist.
Downer ending/wham line.
So while i enjoyed them it felt like reading a lot of the same stuff over and over. Also I love the whole fleas thing- nightmare scenario I tell you- but the science wasn’t consistent on whether it was fleas or magic or a virus.
I’ll probably read it again, but the ending makes me wonder if I’m going to continue the series. I find the idea of
Overall I didn’t hate it, and I’ll probably read it again in due course, and it is a good zombie book, it’s not great, but if you’re looking for blood, guts, and gore this is the right novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, Cannibalism, Car accident, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Confinement, Suicide, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Excrement
Ghost Virus by Graham Masterton
Did not finish book. Stopped at 28%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 28%.
Went abroad and couldn’t take it
Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
While I’d like to give it 4 stars, I can’t in good faith do that from the action alone.
The positives:
The story is good, the plot is well structured, and I like how all of the plot threads held together. Joe Ledger is a compelling protagonist and Echo Team were fun to read about. Rudy was a highlight, and I liked that the men cried.
The negatives:
This book is very 2009. Also very pro-government-pro-America/propaganda-y. It’s very macho, and very uhhhhhh maybe not racist but it borderlines it. Things like Doctor Hu (name aside) being this callous asshole while all the white guys are Stern and Serious. Idk it just doesn’t sit well with me.
As much as I like Joe, he was very good at his job. Too good. He’s got this split personality thing going on which is very cringy, but also he’s ridiculously strong and can kill people with no effort. Unrealistic and ruins his personality which I actually like.
Also the treatment of women. Grace Courtland is super cool, but she’s reduced to Church’s right hand woman and later Joe’s love interest. There was no chemistry between them. I did like that her character development didn’t come from sexual assault. But I felt she was wasted, especially since she’s made out to be this amazing fighter. It would have been cool to see more of her perspective and possibly even a novel where she’s the main character.
Also I didn’t like how she’s this stuck up bitch until Joe “wins her over” and suddenly they’re fucking lmfao.
Also Joe’s ex girlfriend being raped and killing herself for Joe’s character development. Ew.
Not a bad book, I’ll be picking up the sequel at somepoint but it has some very obvious flaws.
The positives:
The story is good, the plot is well structured, and I like how all of the plot threads held together. Joe Ledger is a compelling protagonist and Echo Team were fun to read about. Rudy was a highlight, and I liked that the men cried.
The negatives:
This book is very 2009. Also very pro-government-pro-America/propaganda-y. It’s very macho, and very uhhhhhh maybe not racist but it borderlines it. Things like Doctor Hu (name aside) being this callous asshole while all the white guys are Stern and Serious. Idk it just doesn’t sit well with me.
As much as I like Joe, he was very good at his job. Too good. He’s got this split personality thing going on which is very cringy, but also he’s ridiculously strong and can kill people with no effort. Unrealistic and ruins his personality which I actually like.
Also the treatment of women. Grace Courtland is super cool, but she’s reduced to Church’s right hand woman and later Joe’s love interest. There was no chemistry between them. I did like that her character development didn’t come from sexual assault. But I felt she was wasted, especially since she’s made out to be this amazing fighter. It would have been cool to see more of her perspective and possibly even a novel where she’s the main character.
Also I didn’t like how she’s this stuck up bitch until Joe “wins her over” and suddenly they’re fucking lmfao.
Also Joe’s ex girlfriend being raped and killing herself for Joe’s character development. Ew.
Not a bad book, I’ll be picking up the sequel at somepoint but it has some very obvious flaws.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Blood, Cannibalism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Medical content and Murder
Minor: Racial slurs, Rape, and Injury/Injury detail