sup_demons's reviews
36 reviews

The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

adventurous challenging dark funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I read it back in my teenage years and I read it again right now and there's a reason why it stuck with me all those years. I find the book fantastic with its mystery and horror and comedy beautifully intertwined. What a fantastic read that never fails to pull me from the reading slum. Back in my teenage years it was the only book of the series that I was aware of and now I'm excited to give the rest of the series a go. Enjoy your ghost hunting!

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

If you have a choice, listen to her reading her own book, its fantastic. The whole time it felt like I was there. So poignant and raw, vulnerable and funny. An amazing even if horrifying look at the industry. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Alcoholism, Vomit, Body shaming, Terminal illness, Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, and Cursing

Minor: Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Infidelity

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

What a tale. Excited to start the LOTR. 

Manazuru by Hiromi Kawakami

emotional mysterious relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

It's a very strange book, definitely the first one I've read of its kind. I enjoyed the detachment from the plot and the focus the book has on the character of the story and the way they dealt with the grief and the unknown. It felt like we gazed onto the window of passage in time of one person and their growth. Very insightful read with a deep reflection of what love, motherhood and grief is, or what it means to be human.

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

0.0

At best innocently ignorant and at worst dangerously provocative and manipulative subtext. The forefront is a cute haunting drama but at the back everything reeks of projection and caricatures filled with prejudice and false stereotypes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Body horror

Moderate: Child abuse and Alcoholism

Minor: Self harm, Vomit, and Excrement

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

adventurous challenging emotional informative lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Wonderful read that I feel like is extremely misrepresented by the reviews and praise spread all over the cover. I didn't find the book to be as hilarious and funny as all of them. I thought that the book was mostly reflective and at times even very sad. My heart felt for the woman and her need to belong. Even more so I felt so frustrated when everyone was putting her against her ideal of life. She found a thing that she loved most doing and was very good at, but still people were not satisfied as if it was their life. I think she has a wonderful little life where she feels at peace with her mission. We don't need bigger ambitions in life to be happy and all the characters projecting their ideals onto the poor woman made me extremely mad. I'm glad the woman chose her own path in the end and I can only imagine a happy ending for her.

Penpal by Dathan Auerbach

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

3.5

A very thrilling, decently scary, heartbreaking and at times disgusting story. I have to agree with some of the other reviews: it could be much better structured and well polished but I think it works well for what it is. Since it used to be a compilation of Reddit stories, I think it transpires through the "segmented recount of recalled memories" in chapters. Some of the chapters lacked transitions and connections to smooth the cuts between them. But the atmosphere was great in my opinion.

Fifty-Fifty by Steve Cavanagh

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Now I have no choice but to read all the other books in the series, what a fantastic thrilling read.

Harvest by Robert Pobi

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Very satisfying read. I also loved the strong female character, Hemi, she's really badass.