Tag: The Boys

November 2021 Reads

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Trejo was an amazing memoir. I really enjoyed learning about what Danny Trejo was like before he was famous. I think the most impressive thing I learned about him was his role in the recovery community in L.A. Danny Trejo is really who you would hope he would be based on his social media and public persona.

4 Stars

This book was so good. I went into it thinking I wasn’t going to like it, and ended up absolutely loving it. The characters were so well written, and the plot was such an original idea. And I absolutely adored the summer camp setting. The book made me laugh and it made me cry. This was our book club pick and it is hands down my favorite book we read this year.

5 Stars

Now, this was a thriller. The entire book really kept me guessing. The most difficult part was keeping track of the dates at the beginning of each chapter. But I thought I had figured out what had happened and I was so proud of myself, but I was very wrong, and I was very happy. I really didn’t expect the ending. (BOTM)

4 Stars

Easily the best memoir I’ve ever read. If you get the chance, listen to it. Ron Howard’s life is just as wholesome as you would expect Opie and Richie Cunningham’s life to be. And I loved hearing about the relationship he had with his dad growing up in Hollywood. I learned a lot about Clint I didn’t know. I had no idea he was a child actor in his own right. This book was though provoking and lovingly told.

5 stars

Reading this book set in 2026 in the year 2021 was a bit unsettling. The world building was very realistic, and had the desired effect on me. I really enjoyed the slow build of events. It was a hard read, outside of my comfort zone. I really enjoyed the characters and the abrupt ending has made me want to read the next book.

4 Stars

A quick , but interesting read, I learned a lot about pioneers in Queer history. There were some I learned about I didn’t even know were queer, like Lincoln, and some I had never even heard of at all. Geared toward the YA crowd, this book was very educational. It comes with a glossary at the end defining all the terms used in the book.

5 Stars

I can’t believe I had never read this book before. I read this aloud with my son, and I absolutely loved this book. It is full of my favorite humor: Puns. This was such a fun read

4 Stars

I really enjoy reading holiday books around the holidays. This year I was so excited to see a Rom Com around Diwali. The book was a really cute romance set around Diwali. However, the plot just didn’t suck me in as much as I would have liked, and it took me a very long time to finish it. It felt like a lot of the romance elements were a bit forced.

3 stars

Following my expanded holiday reading, I found this new release debut novel about Hanukah. It was so. good. I really loved the dual points of view, and the representation of a chronic illness in such a positive light. I laughed, I cried, this book was everything I love in a romance book.

4 Stars

October Reads

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Lovecraft Country

I was watching the show, and really enjoying it, but very confused, so I decided to pick up the book, hoping it would make the show make some more sense. Spoiler Alert: it did not.

The book is vastly different than the show, and just as good. I couldn’t put the book down. If you want a good sci fi fantasy that also deals with race relations in the US, this is definitely a book for you. Especially if you enjoyed the show.

Night Swim

As a lover of the True Crime genre, and a listener of True Crime podcasts, the premise of this book appealed to me greatly. And I was not disappointed. This is easily my favorite book of the month. I couldn’t put it down. The best part was, by the end of the book, I hadn’t solved the “who did it” mystery of the past crime told throughout the book. I was honestly completely shocked. And that says a lot, because usually I can figure it out.

The book does deal with sexual assault, so please be aware of that if you prefer not to read books with that. There is a case where it’s just mentioned, and then there is one where the situation is not super graphic, but it’s not implied either. (BOTM)

Rebecca

This was our book club pick for the month. And I did not enjoy it. At all. It wasn’t the writing or the plot, per say, it was specifically the character of Mrs. de Winter. I couldn’t get past the fact that she didn’t stand up for herself, and she let herself be treated like garbage. I prefer books where the female protagonist is a lot stronger and can hold her own. And before you state it was written this way because of “the time,” remember that Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice are things, and their female leads wouldn’t take any crap from anybody.

The Boys Volume 2: Get Some

This book mostly was a lesson on the different factions of Supes around the world, and more lessons for Wee Huey. I really enjoy these comics because they’re fun, and a quick read.

Baptism of Fire

I prefer to listen to these books, so I took a break while there was no school for six months. But now that school is back in, I can listen to books in the car again, the toddler doesn’t have an opinion…yet.

This book furthered the action of the previous two. We are well and truly entrenched in the war with Nilfgaard. But Geralt is finally prominently featured in a book as he goes in search of Ciri. In fact, most of the action takes place around Geralt. Ciri and Yennefer making brief appearances. There is a huge section where they explain the genetics around Ciri and her powers, which is probably one of the most fascinating things I’ve read. The book ends with a cliffhanger, for the first time giving me a sense of urgency to read the next one.

No Judgments

I have loved Meg Cabot since The Princess Diaries series, so the fact that she has branched into adult romances thrills me to no end. Was this the best book I’ve ever read? No. Was it fun, romantic and an easy read? Yes. That’s why I gave it five stars. I love a book where I can devour it in one sitting, and walk away feeling a warmth in my chest. If you like Hallmark movies, you will love this one. Also, there’s a whole plot point about rescuing animals. If you’re an animal lover, you will feel your heart warm.

No Offense

Another quick, fluffy read from Meg Cabot. This is the second book in her Little Bridge Island series. I devoured the book in a day, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one. But, still, it was a fun romance between a librarian and the sheriff. The plot was just a little messy with a few loose ends that don’t really get tied up at the end.

September Reads

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The Guest List

I’d seen a lot of buzz surrounding The Guest List, especially after Reese Witherspoon chose it for her book club, so I put myself on the list at the library. It finally came in, and I read it over the course of two days. I could not put it down.

The book is told through four different points of view, and is really good at spreading out the murder mystery throughout the book. By the end I was shouting at the book because I honestly had no idea 1) who was dead and 2) who had done it. I had thought for sure I knew both, but Lucy Foley did an amazing job at throwing you off the scent.

I highly recommend this book, and I am probably going to read more Lucy Foley books now. (BOTM)

Head Over Heels

This was one of my Book of the Month Club picks, and I found it a nice fluffy romance to help cleanse my pallet from a lot of heavier books I’ve been reading lately.

Head Over Heels tells a love story between two former Olympic level gymnasts who fall in love while coaching a young gymnast for the 2020 Olympics, which go on as planned because in this world, there is no pandemic.

The book is fun, and follows the romance formula, and I read the whole thing in 24 hours. If you’re looking for a fun, easy read, I highly recommend this book. I’ll even lend you my copy! (BOTM)

Home Before Dark

Home Before Dark is a haunted house story in the vain of Amityville Horror. The book tells of a family who fled their house to save their lives and then profited from the story. Years later, the daughter moves back into the house, and finds out whether the story her father wrote about was true or not.

The book was pretty good. It alternated chapters between current time and chapters from her dad’s book. I felt there were parts of the book definitely lacking, but it kept me interested enough to keep reading. I was honestly surprised with the way the author chose to end the book.

While this is the book I would rate lowest this month, I still recommend it, and will gladly loan you my copy. (BOTM)

The Picture of Dorian Gray

After several months of choosing new releases to read, our book club decided to choose a classic for September. We chose The Picture of Dorian Gray. At first I had a really hard time getting into the book, and then I found it at my library on audio, and I could not stop listening to it.

Earlier this year I listened to Oscar Wilde’s Importance of Being Earnest and fell in love. This book was no different. There’s just something about the way Wilde tells a story. Yes, there was a whole section that dragged, but it really didn’t deter the story too badly.

I went into the book knowing this was what got Wilde arrested and imprisoned for homosexuality, and boy, could you really see it. He was not trying to hide it. The book was a good commentary on sin, and society, and had a good amount of suspense. I really wanted to know what was going to happen to Dorian. I highly recommend, and if you don’t think you can get through the text, get the audio!

The Boys, Volume 1: The Name of the Game

My husband and I started watching the show on Amazon Prime, and I immediately put myself on the list for the first set of comics. And after reading this I came away with a few takes.

  1. Casting Simon Pegg as Hughie’s Dad makes A LOT of sense
  2. They changed quite a bit between book and screen.
  3. Homelander is still a giant ass.

If you’re like me, and you’re enjoying the show, definitely check out the comics. Don’t be surprised if you see more on my list before the year is out.