sueread2030's reviews
626 reviews

 If you are familiar with Stephen King, then you probably know his doctrine on "the influence of OTHER"
King believes that outer circumstances have a deep sway on how a human turns out to be. That a person is neither good nor bad, but a culmination of outside effects turn one into Good or Evil.

He has written such characters many times
But in my humble opinion, none is as chilling example as Todd Bowen

Todd Bowden, the central character of "Apt Pupil," is a scary portrayal of a young sociopath's descent into darkness.
Initially presented as an all-American boy, with his white skin and blond hair, Todd's true nature is gradually revealed as he becomes obsessed with the atrocities of the Holocaust. His encounter with Arthur Denker, a Nazi war criminal in hiding, ignites a perverse mentorship, with Todd forcing Denker to recount his horrific past.
Todd and Denker become the notion of the Arian Race.

This relationship corrupts Todd, leading him to commit heinous acts, reflecting his inner depravity. Todd's character is a study in the banality of evil, showing how a seemingly normal teenager can harbor a monstrous identity beneath a veneer of innocence.

Todd's journey is not just a personal descent but a broader commentary on the seductive nature of power and the ease with which one can be swayed by it, especially when hidden under the guise of curiosity and knowledge-seeking.

What would have happened if Todd hadn't met Denker? would he still continued on this path? 

 

The 100XXXXX times reading this masterpiece after 10XXXX watching the movie

If someone asked me what is the PERFECT book, The Green Mile by Stephen King it would be.
Don't care what anyone says.

I always roll my eyes when King is referred to as "King of Horror" because, eventhough he does write gruesome horrors, his psychological thrillers are way wayyyyyyy more superb.

The Green Mile is perfect not just for its masterful storytelling, complex character building, intense plot, and unique paranormal aspect but also because of the realistic symbolism of the characters.

From the Gentle Giant, John Coffey, to the vulnerable mouse, Mr Jingles, The Green Mile is a literary powerful tool that invites us to ponder deeper philosophical questions. It challenges us to consider the nature of justice, the possibility of miracles, and the complexities of the human soul.

John Coffey, with his miraculous healing abilities, stands as a Christ-like figure, his initials 'J.C.' echoing Jesus Christ. Coffey's wrongful conviction and the supernatural elements surrounding his character invite reflections on themes of sacrifice and salvation. His ability to absorb others' sufferings, to heal, and to empathize with the pain of the world, positions him as a beacon of light in the dark confines of the prison. The character of Coffey transforms the Green Mile into a space where miracles can occur, suggesting that even in the darkest corners of human existence, there is a possibility for redemption and goodness.

He also represents the prejudice of human beings towards the different and what they cannot control. People see Coffey and immediately associate him with violence because of his size, color, and slow speech. He is not like them therefore he is a threat and a definite transgressor.

the story has many side villains, however, its two main antagonists, William "Wild Bill" Wharton and Percy Wetmore embody chaos and malevolence, a stark contrast to Coffey's character. Wharton's presence in the story amplifies the definite presence of evil. His actions, demeanor, and race reflect the darker aspects of humanity, serving as a reminder of the potential for evil that exists alongside the potential for good.
Just as bad, is Percy. He is an authority figure yet capable of the same evils as Wild Bill. The turn of events towards the end and how these two got what they deserved was both satisfying and shocking.


Mr. Jingles, the mouse transcending its small existence by becoming part of the lives of the death row inmates, symbolizes endurance and the significance of life in all forms. The mouse's relationship with Eduard Delacroix adds a layer of innocence and companionship, contrasting sharply with the harsh environment of the prison. It became the representation of joy even during the darkest hours.

King's Magical Realism style in the Green Mile is a testament of his greatness.

 

 

2 stars🌟🌟

I did not like this one for the same reasons that made me love the first book

in book 1, the setting was unique
a prison full of hardship and our h trying to survive while hiding her identity

book 2, we are back to the boring setting of a palace and kingdom and royal life

In Book 1, Kiva's character was what held the book. She had to be cunning, discreet, calculating, observant, smart, and resourceful in every move in order to go through day by day.

in book 2, all that character build-up was gone. Kiva was so desperate for the love of her family that she allowed them to walk over her. Everyone was 10 steps ahead of her. It felt that she was there just to be there as a narrator of what was happening.

in book 1, the plot was surprising. You were kept on your toes anticipating what is next to happen.

in Book 2, everything was predictable. If you are a fantasy reader, you can pin point exactly how the story will unfold.

** There was this desperate need to present the Royal family as the good guys and the rightful rulers it was an eye-role. Jaren is this Gary-Sue character. Nothing he does is wrong. Everything is perfect with him. He is the outstanding prince whom everyone love.
On the other hand, her family and rebels are the evil ones. Rebeling for nothing other than taking on the throne killing innocent people in the process
All this, so Kiva could be justified to switch sides

But, if these Royals were good, how come they allowed the awful things to happen in Zalindove for so long????

This book is what I like to call "a filler"
it is the result of an author getting a trilogy deal and asked to prolongue the story
let's hope that book 3 is better

PS: I will never consider a one-sided POV fantasy a Romance

 

 4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟 🔅

This is the most fucked up, dysfunctional mother/daughter relationship and I'm here for it 😅😅😅

Why do parents think that hiding the truth from their kids (their teenage kids at that) is protecting them?! 🤔

Anyways, I won't say much because it is best to go in blind
But what I will say, is that you will not like any of the characters
You will feel rage for the wrong reasons
the Twists will hit you, especially towards the end

the only thing that I would criticize is the plotholes by the end of the book.

Finally, I wish people like Maggie and Nina were only fictional
Sadly, they are not 

 

4.25 stars but I'll round it up to 5 stars cause this deserves more hype
Oh! My Heart ❤️
This is absolutely beautiful
Why doesn't it have more ratings???????

It's been a long, loooong, loooooong time since I've read a decent Contemporary Romance that focuses on the plot, story, and characters more than the smut and spice and cliched tropes.

⚜ rating: 4.25 🌟🌟🌟🌟 🔅
⚜Genre: Contemporary Romance
⚜Theme: Second-Chance Rock Star Romance
⚜Targeted audience: Adults
⚜Characters: Hawk, Wren
⚜Representation: non
⚜Pace: medium
⚜TW: abandonment, talk of abortion, drugging for rape
⚜ tropes: secret baby, manipulation, second chance, OW drama
⚜ POV: mostly Hawk then Wren - first person
⚜ spice 🌶🌶 🌶
⚜standalone: yes
⚜Ending: HEA
⚜Book read: KU

The story itself is not something new. A rockstar meets one of his fans who truly understands him. They have a passionate night. She disappears on him and turns out pregnant. Outer forces keep them apart. Fast forward 15 years later, he is going through a mental crisis, discovers he has a daughter and wants back in.

But it was the way that it was written and the delivery of the plot that captured me.

1- Let's talk names
Hawk, weird name usually given to MC characters. However, it works beautifully here considering the band is called Black Kite which is a type of hawks


Wren, the FMC, has a name that is related to another bird


2- Their first meeting was so full of chemistry it was explosive. They talk and share and eventhough Hawk was under the influence, you could feel that these two were meant to each other.

3- Wren did not keep her pregnancy (which you learn how it came to be through a plot twist at the end) hidden from Hawk. She tries everything. But Victoria, the OW, stands in the way.

4- Their daughter, Cooper, is smart and perceptive

5- I loved that Hawk stayed mostly celibate for 15 years after that night while Wren explored and tried.

6- I do not think Hawk had any reason to grovel since the betrayal was from a third party that affected both him and Wren. Nevertheless, the minute he found about Wren and Cooper he was all about them.

What I did not like, and this did not take much from the enjoyment, is how easy Wren's choices. Why would you go back to work and raise your kid in a town that clearly hates you? you are putting your child for bullying.
As much as Wren pushed herself to fight for her kid, she was spineless to fight for herself and accepted all the bullying from Denise.
She was so fast to fall back into Hawk's arms, it showed desperation.

As much as I liked Cooper, I do not like the "use of a child to push the absent father's presence in their life". Cooper taking out her anger on her mother for Hawk leaving is unjustifiable. I would have slapped the shit out of my kid if they talked to me like that.

I have to say one more thing though that if this is really what happens behind the scenes of the Rich and Famous, then I am happy with my mediocre life. It is vile, and immoral, and everyone is selfish.
I do not understand the concept of "Free speech press" in the West. How can you give the paparazzi free rein to stalk, harass, lie, manipulate, and provoke all in the name of nailing a hit news!!!
That scene where a reporter purposely provokes Hawk by bringing up his mother's condition so Hawk would punch him then the reporter sues to send HIS KID TO COLLEGE!!! this is not fiction people, it happens in real life. DISGUSTING.

Reading Progress 

 This was much better than book 1
The characters are more complex and the storyline is somehow more believable (some parts)

⚜ rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟
⚜Genre: Contemporary Romance
⚜Theme: Single Dad Romance
⚜Targeted audience: Adults
⚜Characters: Mason, Piper
⚜Representation: mental health
⚜Pace: medium
⚜TW: BIG ONE for on-page rape, DUI,
⚜ tropes: single dad, dislike to love (although it is promoted as Enemies to Lovers!!! really???!!), OW drama
⚜ POV: multiple first-person
⚜ spice 🌶🌶
⚜standalone: yes
⚜Ending: HEA
⚜Book read: KU

Piper and Mason are perfect for each other
each hail from a broken past
each tried to cope with how it suited them

their story is heartbreaking
their understanding of each other is something every couple aspires for

I especially loved Mason's perseverance in convincing Piper that they were meant for each other even after knowing that he, somehow, played a part in what happened to her.
"We all see ourselves differently from others." he says/"We see the worst. In my eyes, I'm a murderer. I don't yet know what you think is the worst version of yourself. But this I'm sure of - nobody else sees you that way. Least of all me."

Here are the things I did not like

1- I do not like how many books show that the Man prevailed after his ordeal and made something out of his life while the woman shuts down and achieves nothing.

2- I DO NOT LIKE family interference in "we know better and thus we are doing it for your own good"

3- I did not understand why both had to be 22. So young!

4- The child replacement trope. She lost a child? here! he has one you could take.

5- I did not like how non of the rapist were brought to justice. Mason knew some of them. He could have confronted them at least.


PS: I did not read book 2 and do not plan on, just from the blurb I knew exactly where it was heading and hated the plot.
 

 I might have enjoyed this more had I read it back in the 2015

This is a miscommunication/ redemption/ grovel Second Chance Romance
and non of the elements worked

The only thing I liked is the styling of the book
it is divided into 3 parts
two parts are told solely from Gavin's POV. It is very rare to find a Romance told mainly or mostly from the Male lead POV, so this was interesting

Gavin and Baylor met in College
For some reason, Gavin falls hard and fast for Baylor because "she is different" and "not like other girls"
she is innocent, a virgin, and giggles a lot

Gavin has a female best friend, Karen.... yeah Karen hehehe. Repeatedly Gavin tells us that she is annoying and a bitch but he believes everything she says. While he repeatedly says that he likes Baylor because she is honest with him, yet he is quick to believe the worst of her.
Fast forward, Gavin discovers that Baylor had his son and they were both manipulated by Karen

The groveling lasted two pages before Baylor gave in to her BBS.

Baylor is one of the most annoying Female Leads I have ever read.
she cries a lot
I mean a looooot
the word "cry" appears 36 times
"cries" 11 times
"tears" 57 

 

this was the first appearance of Miss Marple, the charming witty elderly.

"At Bertram's Hotel" intricately weaves a tale of mystery and deception against the backdrop of a seemingly respectable London hotel. The story unfolds with Miss Jane Marple, one of Christie's most beloved characters, taking a holiday at Bertram's Hotel, a place that prides itself on its traditional Edwardian decor and its impeccable service, offering a slice of bygone elegance to its guests. However, beneath this veneer of respectability, Miss Marple begins to sense that not all is as it seems.

The narrative quickly becomes entangled with a series of daring robberies and the mysterious disappearance of Canon Pennyfather, a forgetful clergyman who is one of the hotel's guests. As the plot thickens, the reader is introduced to an array of characters, each with their own secrets and connections to the hotel. Among them are the adventurous Bess Sedgwick, her estranged daughter Elvira Blake, and the charming but enigmatic racing driver Ladislaus Malinowski.

Miss Marple's keen observations and quiet inquiries reveal that Bertram's Hotel serves as a front for a criminal syndicate, orchestrating a series of robberies across the country. The hotel's staff and select guests are implicated in this elaborate scheme, with the commissionaire, Michael Gorman, playing a pivotal role due to his past relationship with Bess Sedgwick. The plot reaches its climax when Elvira, driven by greed and the prospect of a vast inheritance, attempts to murder her mother to claim her fortune. Her plan, however, is foiled, and the truth behind the robberies and the disappearance of Canon Pennyfather is brought to light.

Chief Inspector Fred Davy, along with Miss Marple, unravels the web of deceit spun within the walls of Bertram's Hotel. The resolution of the mystery sees justice served, with the criminal elements being apprehended. The novel concludes with Miss Marple reflecting on the nature of crime and the facade that institutions like Bertram's Hotel can present, masking the darker elements of human nature.

Christie's "At Bertram's Hotel" is a testament to her mastery of the detective genre, providing a compelling narrative that keeps the reader guessing until the very end. The novel's exploration of themes such as the illusion of respectability, the corrupting influence of wealth, and the complexities of familial relationships, all contribute to its enduring appeal as a classic of mystery literature.

The thing that I didn't quite like was the reliance on coincidences within the plot. Whenever a dead end is reached, suddenly a new character or finding appears.
other than that, you are definitely into a ride with a Christie book.

 

 Read The Will of the Many
Found it repetitive and redundant
Reading this one....it is so much better
I should have started with this series

All right, all done
and just WOW!!
I have enjoyed this book so much more than Brandon's Mistborn or Islington's own The Will of the Many.

If you want to read a book that focuses solely on true fantasy with an intricate, well-developed magic system and characters that are relatable, then this book is definitely what you are looking for.

The only thing that jarred me was the continuous introduction of new characters and events. Everytime I felt I settled and now I can get a hold of what is happening, someone new pops out with a side-plot

Nevertheless, highly enjoyable 

 Would have been 4 stars if not for the Acknowledgment

This was written from the perspective of a deeply depressed, deeply psychotic, deeply obsessed unreliable Main Lead
and it works

Jane is telling someone, at first we think it is us the readers but wait for the twist, about the seven times she told her best bestest friend, Marnie, seven lies that changed their lives.

I have understood most of the reasons Jane told those lies untill the very end, which made zero reason to me to why she would do what she did. Maybe she reached so far in her delusional and obsessive state that it felt natural for her.

It is very hard to write a review for a psychological thriller without spoilers
So, all I will say is "that was disturbingly enjoyable"

and I was planning to give it a four stars
but one line in the author's acknowledgment disturbed me more than the book

Kay said " This book is in many ways about female friendship"

I'd rather sit on a hot grill than have a Jane/Marnie kind of friendship