Ryan Deschamp

Sophomore Slump

Revisado: 04-28-23

Outland is one of my favorite books I've read this year, and I was very excited to read the follow-up. Earthside, much like in the story, is just lacking material. Several characters from the first story seem to have been relegated to background characters that appear conveniently when they need to explain their particular science, then poof, unimportant again. I did not feel there was a cohesive story overall, and that the reader was left to fill in gaps on their own. I feel like a deeper dive into the Rivendell community and day-to-day life would have been more interesting, but instead I felt like I was being told why priorities kept changing and here's the science behind why. The most interesting parts were the interactions with the new communities and the creation of the governing system.

Contrary to many of the other reviews, I thoroughly enjoyed the political landscape that was central to a lot of the conflict. It was very realistic, and if trying to establish a new community, there are bound to be several political discussions and ideologies. Even more so, I thought the illustration of the older generation being stuck in the past and feeling they were entitled to power and respect simply because of their age and "experience" to be very apt. It felt like real life and how a situation of that magnitude would be approached. Still, the second installment lost a lot of the magic of Outland's story and many characters were simply plot devices with zero to little character development that left me wanting a lot more.

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We are large, we contain multitudes.

Revisado: 04-04-22

I did not want this book to end! I will admit, at first the delivery of the story took an adjustment, but I was quickly enamored with the correspondence between Jonathan and Kurl. These two guys could not be further from opposites, yet in their differences they find commonalities. With each passing letter, their voices created illustrations of wonder and hope, sadness and grief, happiness and contentment, there was nothing omitted between these two. It really felt like I was peeking in on a private world, but I wanted to be part of it for every second. For every triumph and heartbreak, I felt elated and devastated. I fell in love with so many of the characters seen through the eyes of Jonathan and Kurl. I could see them, hear them, I knew their thoughts and wants and goals! I'd been in there shoes before and still it seemed like I was learning something new for the first time. This story took me by surprise, and I'm so glad I stuck with it. I might even consider myself a Walt Whitman fan boy at this point. After all, I am large, I contain multitudes.

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A Satisfying Conclusion

Revisado: 02-14-22

This is my fifth book by author Devon McCormack that I've listened to, and needless to say, I am a fan! In the final installment of the BFF series, we get the conclusion of Eric and Jesse's story, experiencing the ups and downs of discovery, lust, pain, hurt, fear, passion, understanding, and growth. I absolutely loved the characters in this series and each of their respective journeys. I really appreciated that both Jesse and Eric struggled with different issues and were able to communicate and support each other throughout the series. There's great representation of mental health and how one is able to cope and/or work to overcome their issues. The conclusion of the story was very satisfying, and bittersweet as I knew I would be done with these characters. At times, I thought the couple was almost too perfect with their maturity and rationality. On paper, they should seem more dysfunctional with the age difference, the whole dating your best friend's father, the social stigma and/or awkwardness that would stem from that, etc., but they maintain a very consistent level of maturity and lovey-doveyness that could have used some more unpredictability.

For the performance, Michael Dean does a phenomenal job with his narration. He has distinct character differentiation and just has a great way at bringing a story to life! The combination of McCormack/Dean has been extremely successful and this story is no different. Dean's narration compliments McCormack's writing and really takes the experience to the next level! Overall, I rated 4 just because I think I would have liked a little bit more dysfunction between Eric and Jesse, just to normalize the relationship more. All-in-all, I thought this was a great series, and I'm excited to experience Ty's story that was set up towards the end. I'll eventually make my way through the rest of McCormack's works, as I haven't been disappointed yet!

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Fun, interesting read

Revisado: 02-10-22

The Final Six, at a glance, is about the story of how twenty-four teens from around the world were hand-selected to be drafted into an international space force, entrusting them with the survival of mankind from Earth’s now-catastrophic climate. The main focus is on Leo from Italy and Naomi from the United States. Right from the start, I thought the concept of the story and the plot throughout were compelling and gripping! In this dystopian future, the world is steadfastly headed for climate destruction and the fate of mankind will eventually rest in hands of six teenagers. That’s terrifying, but I was sold!

Overall, I really enjoyed the diverse cast of characters representing different countries, but I really wished all the characters would have been fleshed out a bit more. Even Leo and Naomi, though I understand their characters and motivations, could be more complex. Additionally, as I listened to the audiobook version, I felt like there could have been better distinctions of characters as most characters ended up sounding from the United States regardless of their country of origin.

Monir’s concept of a super top-secret space mission where everything is not what it seems stands very strong on its own. There is intrigue, mystery, political positioning, competition, and conspiracy! I dropped a star because I felt like the romantic aspect of this story was a bit forced, and was only really present to tick the “YA fated soulmates” trope if ever this was to be adapted for the screen. Overall, I thought this was a fun, quick listen and would recommend it to anyone that likes space, sci-fi, mystery and conspiracy theories. The narrators, author Alexandra Monir and James Fouhey, do a really great job overall. Again, my only critique on their performance is that most of the characters sounded as if they were from the United States regardless of their country of origin. I very much look forward to listening to the second installment, as I’m very curious on how things end up playing out!

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An Atmospheric Experience

Revisado: 02-07-22

This is the first horror book I've listened to, and I can say that the story and narrator hooked me in. Having grown up on the Gulf Coast, it wasn't a far stretch to imagine the sands and heat and breeze off the Gulf. McDowell builds his world phenomenally and immerses the reader within the setting. This is a slow-build with peaks and valleys of otherworldly activity.

The characters are all rich and distinct, creating strong impressions of their faults and their favorable qualities with strange happenings woven into the story. The Savages and McCrays are two of Mobile's finest and most influential families. As such, you get your dose of southern hospitality in the form of lies, secrets, and disagreements wrapped in pleasantries. Starting strong with the opening chapter, I wanted to know everything there was about the Savage family. I like backstory and mythos, and I want to consume all the information about topics that interest me. I would gobble up any morsel or crumb to further flesh out the Savage family history and I was still left wanting more. A deliberate choice by McDowell, I believe. The story itself builds slow, with peaks of paranormal happenings that are often explained away or ignored in the beginning. Rather, most of the story is focused on the complex and sometimes strange relationships of the Savage and McCray family members, which I argue is just as fascinating as the ever-looming presence of the Third House.

Overall, I rated this 3.5 (rounded up to 4) because of the atmospheric setting of this story and the characters. I was drawn in, there were often times I remained unsettled and tense. I always was wondering when or what may happen next. However, I wish McDowell had explained more of the "why" in this book with the Savage family. It seemed like the makings of the lore were there in the beginning, but there was never really an explanation as to why things came to be. It leaves the opportunity for the reader to speculate and create their reasoning off what happened and what came to be, but it did leave me a bit unsatisfied.

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Michael Crouch brings this story to life

Revisado: 12-12-20

To be up front in the beginning, I absolutely loved listening to this story. Michael Crouch did a stellar job immersing me in the middle of Podunk, Georgia in a world where magic is just another thing about person, like their dreams, wants, and desires. Eliopulos has three-fifths of the way there. Spoiler Warning going forward! At the start, I immediately related to Sam, I enjoyed the dynamics of the Fascinators, and was intrigued by the mess James had unwittingly got the group in. The further dynamics created with Denver and Amber are even more interesting with how the trio navigates friendships, personal agendas, and high school hormones. About midway through, I feel like the world and the plot really start to unravel. The big bang seems to come out of nowhere and eventually has an unsatisfying ending. The tangled and unyielding connection between James and Sam is never really resolved, which to me is the biggest flaw of the story. Time and time again we get a glimpse into their shared experiences as best friends and how it's shaped their current relationship, but we never get the payoff of Sam getting to talk to James. So much of Sam's character revolves around his internal thoughts and struggles on how to interpret his relationship with James, and it is something that needs closure. At the very least, provide the reader more of James' point of view, as we get to experience Deliah's during her troubles. Overall, because the story has strong parts that Michael Crouch really brings to life, I gave it 4 Stars.

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History, huh?

Revisado: 05-06-20

I was HOUNDED by several friends to read this book, and when I finally got around to it, I was SO MAD at myself for waiting so long. McQuiston captures you immediately with the characters and their depth. I felt like I knew every single character, their wants fears and desires. Alex and Henry are brilliant and you can’t help but root for them throughout the story. They’re emblematic, being in the public eye, but never faltering to hand on to what makes them human. Brilliant work!

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Captivating!

Revisado: 01-20-15

Shattered Glass is an exceptional listen. Though the chapters come off disjointed, the story and characters more than make up for it. The ending is a bit open ended to me, so possibly a sequel? The narration was excellent. I enjoyed both Peter and Austin's narrative in the story and found them very anti-hero, which I loved. Definitely worth the credit!!

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