Georgia Shopper

My favorite so far

Revisado: 03-31-25

I loved Rhesus Chart, but this one is probably even better! The secondary, "non-Bob" characters get the focus in this book. I loved Alex as a bumbling and awkward reluctant vampire, and Cassie as a whole complicated bundle of weird in her own way. This book is very funny, though it also gets pretty violent, so be advised. Pete the vicar appears again, along with Pinky and Brains. Now, if we can only get Gideon Emery to stop pronouncing "chitin" like "chit-tin" and say "kite-in" instead...

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Cute

Revisado: 03-30-25

While this is a story about what happens when the moon turns to cheese, it's more a story of how various people are changed and impacted (or not) by the idea that the world is going to end. It is cute, but feels a little naive in 2025 considering the recent changes to the world. Considering how the world is teetering on the brink of total destruction at present, the doomsday scenario in the book feels like "the good old days." Wow, they had two whole years! I wonder how authors will write about the US going forward?

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Not the best of the series

Revisado: 03-25-25

This installment felt a little weak, mostly because we go back in time to the 1920s, and my interest in the series is the fey in modern times. It deals a lot with racism and homophobia in America at that time. Parts of the plot are a little murky and lacking in detail, but basically Nightingale goes to America and enlists a gay former student's assistance in solving a case. Eh. Some parts seemed like they should've been funnier than they were. I hated the snooty upperclass accent Kobna Holbrook-Smith put on to portray the main character. He sounded drunk part of the time, but maybe that was for effect. The relationship between Gussie and Lucien was touching, if a bit contrived. It comes off like a grittier (and homosexual) version of PG Wodehouse, with magic and crime.

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Better than it has a right to be!

Revisado: 03-25-25

These books are a silly D&D (sorry, ahem, LitRPG) series, but they're so good I am totally hooked. This one has laugh-out-loud moments, drama, bizarre battles, and fascinating characters. Just like all the others, it is excellent. Not what I usually listen to at all, but I bought the first one based on an Audible recommendation, and now I'm buying them before they're released! I'm sad that I finished this one so quickly and I have to wait a year until #8 comes out.

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Weakest so far

Revisado: 02-20-25

I'm over halfway through this one and it's been pretty consistent all the way through, so I feel like I can rate it even though I'm not finished yet. First, the narrator. Yikes. I understand getting someone Scottish and female to read a book from Mo's perspective, but I wish they'd gotten someone who could pronounce words correctly. It's not just British vs. American pronunciations, either. "Lichen" is pronounced "liken" and not "litchen" (to rhyme with kitchen). Just one example. She also puts the wrong emphasis on words and changes the meaning of whole sentences, so much so that I wince. Most narrators seem to read the chapters prior to reading them out loud. This narrator should have done that. The other thing about this book is that it reminds me of a "girl power" version of the series, like the all-female version of Ghostbusters or something. It's a very weak installment after killing off some major characters at the end of the last book. Finally, Ramona and Mary seem to have all of the interesting parts of their personalities removed, so they're bland and boring in this one. They were both so adept in past stories it is depressing to have them cast as handicapped characters here. Parts of the book are painful to get through. I'm hoping the next one gets back on track.

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Good for what it is

Revisado: 12-17-24

I enjoyed a book that focused on Wulfgar instead of Drizzt for a change. Drizzt gets annoying with his non-stop angst and his perfect behavior. It was a lot more interesting to hear the story of his flawed and troubled friend instead. It was nice to get a break from the non-stop fighting, too. These are definitely fluff books, guilty pleasures, but fun in small doses.

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Great story from the 1950s

Revisado: 11-10-24

This novel is a trip back to the Havana of the 1950s. I personally loved the story. Yes, it's dated, but you have to think of it as a trip back in time. You can't expect people in the 1950s to act the way they do now. I think of it as the culture of the time and don't judge. I didn't have any trouble with the narrator... not sure if there was a bad copy floating around initially or what. But, it's a cute story and it is very funny if you keep an open mind about it. Tip: don't read books written in other times if you want every book you read to be politically correct and have modern attitudes.

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Insightful AND fun!

Revisado: 10-17-24

As I've been reading Jason Pargin's novels, I've noticed an increasing tendency to include actual interesting facts woven in with all the madness. While I enjoy the madness, I've started looking forward to finding these nuggets of realworld info in each one. This book will definitely give you something to think about. I look at Reddit in a different way now (and really wish my username was skip_tutorial). So yes, this book is a crazy rollercoaster ride. You can expect the usual unexpected plot twists, violence, and laugh-outloud humor. No need for supernatural or extraterrestrial monsters here though. WE are the monsters. The cast is a different set of characters, which might be for the best. Give John and the gang a rest for one cycle. I'm sure we'll return to them soon enough.

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A weirdly beautiful story

Revisado: 05-19-24

I LOVED this book. I wanted to listen every moment I could because I wanted to know what was going to happen next! The only Brandon Sanderson I'd read prior to these Secret Project books were the Wheel of Time books. But these blow that work out of the water. Apparently, no one builds a world like Brandon Sanderson. I don't know how he manages to create such bizarre worlds and characters, so strange that they SHOULD be difficult to relate to, but he weaves in emotions and motivations common to all humans and makes you care about these otherwordly beings so deeply. In this book, Yumi stacks stones to draw spirits in order to make userful items. And Painter traps nightmares in paintings in his world to keep them from becoming dangerous. Her world is full of heat and light, his world is dark and cool. They intersect one day and it ALMOST becomes a body swap story. Yes, it's weird! But just go with it and you won't regret it.

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Worldbuilding with character development and humor

Revisado: 05-15-24

If you're going to write this kind of book, you have to do it well, or it will come out cloying, goofy, irritating, and/or childish. I'm not a diehard Sanderson fan (or at least I wasn't) so I went into this book with only the final Wheel of Time books to go by. But I was so impressed with this book that I find myself reading the third Secret Projects book in a row! Sanderson's imagination is completely delightful. He builds intricate worlds and then just tosses them away--he can always build another, equally as engaging! Tress and the band of quirky characters in this book are so alien to the human experience, and yet relatable on a deeper level. I still have trouble imagining the spore seas, but I could completely relate to Tress's desire to please everyone, to never make a fuss, and enjoyed watching her change. Anyone who enjoys character-driven novels, fantasy settings, and humor will enjoy this book. Genuinely clever, funny fantasy books are hard to come by, and this is one of them!

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