vampiricprose: (reading snoopy)

Vampire Kisses (Vampire Kisses, #1)Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

dates read: 5/15/25 - 5/17/25

corny, silly, and inane. reads as if this women wanted to have a goth character after browsing r/goth for 30 whole seconds. awful.

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Women Without Men: A Novel of Modern IranWomen Without Men: A Novel of Modern Iran by Shahrnush Parsipur

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

dates read: 5/7/25 - 5/13/25

i really wanted to like this, but it was just so aimless until about 65% of the way through, and very quickly lost it's intrigue. The only thing driving me to continue to read was its political status in Iran, and if the only thing making your book interesting is the fact that it was banned in your home countries, there's an issue.


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The LambThe Lamb by Lucy Rose

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dates Read: 4/27/25 - 5/7/25

if you ever feel like you're fundamentally unlovable, just know that even evil, murderous, cannibalistic, abusive, conniving lesbians can find someone who just gets them.

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Sanctum (Asylum, #2)Sanctum by Madeleine Roux

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


madeleine roux's mystery gang continue to stir shit up in this second volume of the asylum series proving the famous proverb of my heart, "if they shenaned once, they shen again."

dan, abby, and jordan return to brookline after dan is accosted by felix's mother, asking dan to visit felix
spoilers for asylum, the first book of the series, under the following cut
((view spoiler) ). when dan visits felix in the mental hospital, felix gives dan a list of coordinates and implores him very psychotically to look into it. dan informs his scooby gang of his conversation with felix, and off they go to another completely unrealistic college tour event that has probably never once happened or existed in the real world, #InvestigatingTheCoordinatesAMentalHospitalPatientGaveThem!

once again, we have a problem of university Not Working Like That, reducing my enjoyment of a book within the asylum series. i don't know why we feel like we have to make up things that happen in college, just because you know that your reader base probably doesn't have enough knowledge on the topic to know better.

however, i found the plot points beyond the setting to be very interesting and it drew me in very well, and it held onto me, which is always a plus.

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That's Not My NameThat's Not My Name by Megan Lally

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

i listened to the audiobook thru libby on my boyfriend's library card (thanks baby), & for the most part I thought it was entirely predictable until the plot twist. if you're wondering if everyone in this goodreads reviews section is being dramatic, proverbially dick sucking this plot twist, they're not.

i had fun. i got hijabi amputee vibes and cringed for a little while there. but it was really fun and engaging :)

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vampiricprose: (reading snoopy)

Asylum (Asylum, #1)Asylum by Madeleine Roux

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Asylum is a young adult horror novel where we follow our protagonist, Daniel, a socially awkward, adopted teenager, who finds refuge in a prestigious summer program until he learns that his dorm was once a notorious asylum for the criminally insane. As he and his newfound friends explore the institution’s dark past, they uncover chilling secrets that begin to seep into their own lives.

I've seen a lot of popular poor reviews of this book and here's my two cents: this is a YA book. This is for people between the ages of 12-17 primarily. Of course the collegiate scenes don't make sense!!! Of course the writing is elementary!!! It is for teenagers!!!

This is a perfect buffer book to reset your brain between heavier books although it's more thriller than horror.

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The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956 (Abridged)The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956 by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars (4.5 rounded up)

This is a memoir set in soviet Russia that exposes the brutal reality of the Soviet prison camp system called the Gulag by weaving together personal accounts, historical analysis, and philosophical reflections. Through a tapestry of stories from survivors, the author reveals the inhumanity of a regime that sought to crush the human spirit, while also highlighting the resilience and dignity of those who endured unimaginable hardships.

I read the abridged version because I am not reading (or listening, in this case) to 6 volumes of how Russian dictators tortured their constituents. Despite this, this book could be incredibly dry at times and I often lost where I was in the narrative, due to this being a memoir of the author and also a biography of other prisoners simultaneously. I often got confused about who we were talking about, and when, and where. I can only imagine how much harder of a time I would have had with the full book (though maybe I would have been spared the elitist comments about how I'm missing half of the book by reading the abridged version, despite the fact this is the version they teach in Russian schools. If you say stuff like this, stop it. It's annoying).

Despite the pitfalls of this book and the commentary from those who dragged themselves through the full book and are upset that I chose not to, I did still enjoy this book and found it extremely enlightening, and allowed a peek into the atrocities one could commit if allowed to control an entire populous.

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Books:

 

books )

Music:

 

music )

Movies & TV:

movies & tv )



Games:

  •  
games )
vampiricprose: (reading snoopy)
The Dagger in VichyThe Dagger in Vichy by Alastair Reynolds

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

dates read: 3/20/25 - 2/24/25

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I think that anybody who has any anxieties about the numerous artificial intelligence large language models, and what that could mean for books, the publishing industries, movies, television shows, and all the creative fields, should pick up this book regardless if they like novellas and/or sci-fi, or they don't. The reason is, that this is the first work of fiction that I have personally read that deals with these anxieties in a raw and tangible way. While I am sure this won't be the last of this theme in the years to come, I am willing to say this is one of the firsts. And because of this, when it comes out, I need you to pick up a copy and digest and sit with what this book is trying to communicate.

In this book, we follow a young man named Rufus in an entertainment troupe in a far future, post-industrial and post-technological France which has practically reset to the medieval times, retaining very few technological advancements from the previous ages and civilization. The entertainment troupe leader helped Rufus escape the death penalty, granted that he reformed his criminal ways. Because of this, Rufus feels a debt is owed to the leader. However, when the leader gets ahold of some old technology, Rufus must contend with his morals or the man who saved his life.

Again, I cannot express enough how much I want you guys to read this book if you have even the slightest anxieties about the future to come with websites like DeepSeek, Copilot, and ChatGPT, especially in the creative fields. Once again, while I am 1000000001% this won't be the last book with these themes, this is one of the first books with this theme that I can discern and I think everyone should read it.

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vampiricprose: (reading snoopy)

MammothMammoth by Eva Baltasar

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

dates read: 3/12/2025 -  3/19/2025

In this book, we follow a young unnamed female protagonist who is driven by frustration with her life in the city and embarks on a journey to reclaim her dignity and find meaning. On this journey she hurtles toward her unusual concept of motherhood, taking her to an abandoned countryside home where her only friend is the neighboring shepherd. There, she faces some hard realities that come along with living well and truly alone for the first time, such as learning exactly who you are, what it means to be free, and seeking out a life lived just how you want it.

I find that this book lacks a certain je ne sais quoi that Boulder did not struggle with. I struggled to name what exactly bothered me until it hit me: this main character is unapologetically violent. The narrator in Boulder was extremely permissive, taking autonomy away from the overseeing eye of her partner. In Mammoth, this narrator takes back her autonomy by screaming, yelling, and cursing in your face, and when you hand it back saying, "Listen man, I don't want any trouble. You can have it back." She describes in detail how she wants to murder stray cats.

This book was very unapologetic. To a fault.

The author stated in an article for the Trabalibros publication, "Knowing that she [the narrator] was going to be the protagonist who closed the triptych, the most austere, the hardest and also the most violent, I wanted the language to accompany her in the same way."* Eva Baltasar was successful in this to a fault.

spoilers )?

*link: https://trabalibros.com/noticias/mamu... | I used Google Translate to get this quote. It might be wrong. I don't speak Catalan.



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vampiricprose: (reading snoopy)
Attack on Titan, Vol. 6Attack on Titan, Vol. 6 by Hajime Isayama

dates read: 3/12/25-3/13/25

Rating: 4/5

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vampiricprose: (reading snoopy)

Books:

I read 9 books in February. Here's a list:

  1. Death Note volume 11 | 4/5
  2. Attack on Titan volume 3 | 4/5
  3. Dead River by McCaid Paul | 4/5
  4. Death Note volume 10 | 4/5
  5. Attack on Titan volume 2 | 4/5
  6. Attack on Titan volume 1 | 4/5
  7. Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare | 4/5
  8. Death Note volume 9 | 4/5
  9. Death Note volume 8 | 4/5

 

Overall, this has been a really good reading month, in intake and ratings!!! Let’s recap:


Death Note:

 

In the Death Note manga series, we follow a brilliant high school student, named Light Yagami, who discovers a mysterious notebook with the power to kill anyone whose name is written within its pages. As he uses this power to reshape the world according to his ideals, he attracts the attention of a genius detective called L, setting off a cat-and-mouse game that tests the limits of justice and morality. The story unfolds as a battle of wits between two minds, each determined to outmaneuver the other in a quest for truth and control.


 

I really enjoyed this manga series as a sum. There were points in the middle where the narrative got a little convoluted and goofy and I could have done without, but other than that, this is definitely one of my favorite TV series and now it is one of my favorite manga series.


Attack on Titan:

 

In Attack on Titan, we are transported to a world where humanity teeters on the brink of extinction. A young boy named Eren Yeager witnesses the destruction of his home by monstrous creatures known as Titans. Driven by a fierce determination to reclaim their world, he joins forces with his friends to fight against these giants and uncover the secrets behind their existence. As they delve deeper into the mysteries of their world, they must confront the darkness that threatens to consume everything they hold dear.


 

This is my boyfriend's favorite anime and I find that if I'm watching an anime series based on a manga series, if I read the manga alongside watching the TV show, I absorb way more information and understanding of what's happening versus if I were to only watch the TV.


 

In the TV show, I am somewhere in the second season, so I am trying to catch up to where I am in the TV show, and then I will tandem watch/read them.


Dead River by McCaid Paul:

 

In the Floridian panhandle, we follow our protagonist, seventeen-year-old Clayton Thomas, as he sells fish from his fishing adventures along the Choctawhatchee River. It's on one of these outings that Clayton finds a dead body and a vulnerable teenage girl alone on a houseboat. Shenanigans ensue.


 

I already did a loooooooooong review here about this book and I see no purpose in reiterating everything I already said, so I'll leave the link here: https://vampiricprose.dreamwidth.org/7197.html


Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare:

 

This book is a interconnected short story collection within the Shadowhunter Universe following Brother Zachariah on his trips through various Shadow Markets.


 

I really liked this book, but I definitely found certain stories and time periods easier to follow than others. This short story collection is apart of a greater collection with #Lore so don't pick this up if you figure that you just like short story collections lol.


In Progress Books:

  • Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino: In this novel, a young woman, named Adina, born in Philadelphia, believes she is an alien emissary tasked with observing and reporting on human life. As she navigates her life among humans, she grapples with feelings of isolation and belonging, chronicling the beauty and fragility of existence on Earth.
  • Attack on Titan series: see above
  • Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare: Set in the Shadowhunter version of Edwardian London, a young Shadowhunter named Cordelia Carstairs returns with her brother to clear their family's name after a devastating accusation. As they navigate the intricate society of Shadowhunters, they become entangled in a web of mystery and adventure alongside their friends. Together, they must confront the dark forces threatening their world and uncover the secrets that lie within the shadows of their own lives.
  • The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: A memoir set in soviet Russia that exposes the brutal reality of the Soviet prison camp system called the Gulag by weaving together personal accounts, historical analysis, and philosophical reflections. Through a tapestry of stories from survivors, the author reveals the inhumanity of a regime that sought to crush the human spirit, while also highlighting the resilience and dignity of those who endured unimaginable hardships.

Total pages: 2877

 

Average rating: 4/5 (lol)


Music:

Albums:

  1. Electroshock Blues by Eels | indie rock, alternative
  2. Take A Vacation! by The Young Veins | indie rock, pop rock, garage rock, psychedelic rock
  3. Coven Music Session by Doechii | hip hop, r&b, jazz rap
  4. Year of the Snake by Softcult | shoegaze, indie pop, dream pop
  5. See You in the Dark by Softcult | shoegaze, indie pop, dream pop
  6. Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii | alternative, hip hop, r&b, soul
  7. Frank by Amy Winehouse | jazz, r&b, soul, hip hop
  8. Garbage by Garbage | alternative, dance rock, trip hop, shoegaze
  9. Paramore by Paramore | alternative, new wave, power pop, pop rock
  10.  Frances Farmer (Nirvana cover) by Softcult | shoegaze, grunge

Songs:

  1. Gloomy Girl by Softcult | shoegaze, grunge 
  2. Denial is a River by Doechii | southern hip hop, boom bap
  3. Diet Pepsi by Addison Rae | synth pop, alternative pop
  4. Good Luck, Babe! By Chappell Roan | synth pop, baroque pop, new wave
  5. Writer in the Dark by Lorde | piano ballad, indie pop, art pop
  6. Fuck Me Pumps by Amy Winehouse | r&b
  7. Frances Farmer (Nirvana cover) by Softcult | shoegaze
  8. Marian by The Sisters of Mercy | goth rock, post punk, dark wave, baroque rock
  9. Groan by Dazey and the Scouts | riot grrrl, indie rock, post punk, garage rock
  10.  Nosebleeds by Doechii | hip hop, r&b

Artists:

  1. Softcult | 67 streams
  2. Doechii | 60 streams
  3. The Young Veins | 56 streams
  4. Eels | 46 streams
  5. Megan Thee Stallion | 33 streams
  6. One Direction | 29 streams
  7. Paramore | 28 streams
  8. Kendrick Lamar | 21 streams
  9. Patsy Cline | 19 streams
  10.  Matt Maeson | 14 streams

Movies & TV:

I didn’t watch very much besides YouTube this month. I only watched Gone Girl (2014), a movie where a woman fakes her death to get away from her cheating husband. I rated it 3 ½ stars because it was filmed well, but I hated the actual content and character of the wife. I guess because I didn’t know that she was faking her death to get away from somebody, I really didn’t enjoy it. I was looking for a film where someone disappears and starts over just because. I also just didn’t like all that the wife lied about. Feels bad.

Games:
I played a only a couple of games this month, preferring to keep my nose in the books until I found a rhythm to doing my work and doing my hobbies. The games I did play were called Spellcaster University and Balatro:

Spellcatser University is a charming management simulation game where you build and manage a magical university, recruiting students and teachers, and specializing in various magical disciplines. The game involves deck-building and strategic decision-making to prepare your students for an impending invasion by a dark lord, with each playthrough offering unique challenges and opportunities. With its colorful world and engaging gameplay, it offers a fun experience for fans of management sims and fantasy settings.

Balatro is a roguelike deck-building game (genre characterized by procedurally generated content, turn-based gameplay, and permanent death, meaning that each playthrough is unique and failure often results in starting over from the beginning) that combines elements of poker with a unique, vintage-inspired style. Players create poker hands to surpass increasingly challenging score thresholds, known as "blinds," while refining and enhancing their deck between rounds. The game offers a blend of strategy and luck, with various power-ups and special cards available to aid in gameplay, making it both accessible and engaging for new players.

vampiricprose: (reading snoopy)

BeautylandBeautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

dates read: 2/21/25-3/5/25


Adina does sit-ups, showers, faxes her superiors, tracks the night sky, watches late-night television, files her notes in orderly folders. She is nineteen Earth years old with the life of a middle-aged divorcée. Is this all there is?

In this novel, a young woman, named Adina, born in Philadelphia, believes she is an alien emissary tasked with observing and reporting on human life. As she navigates her life among humans, she grapples with feelings of isolation and belonging, chronicling the beauty and fragility of existence on Earth.

I really loved this book. As a literary fiction novel, in particular.

For some reason, this book keeps getting categorized as science fiction, and I'd hate for someone to go into this book and think that this is a "traditional" science fiction book. There's no alien wars in this book folks. Don't pick this up expecting that sort of thing. There were points in the back half of this book that made me think that Adina was going to be hospitalized and it was going to be proven to her that she is not an alien, type of not science fiction .

As a literary fiction this book was fucking amazing. Ticked all my boxes, alienated girl, doesn't understand her peers, pretty much sex repulsed, sign me the fuck up!!!!!

Read this book if you like literary fiction. Avoid if you're looking for a traditional scifi book.



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The Murders in the Rue Morgue (C. Auguste Dupin, #1)The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

dates read: 11/10/2024

had to write an essay for if this story was effective as a murder mystery for my literature class. here is an excerpt from my conclusion paragraph:

“Altogether, Edgar Allan Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" remains a trailblazing work in the detective fiction genre. While the story may struggle with a very verbose opening that may initially test modern readers' patience and a very annoying detective character on which all other murder mystery detectives, such as Sherlock Holmes and Monsieur Bouc, following are based, the tale's several strengths ultimately outweigh its weaknesses, especially with the stories imagery, foreshadowing, and capricious plot."

ps an ORANGUTAN????????



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vampiricprose: (reading snoopy)

The Women's Revolution: How We Changed Your LifeThe Women's Revolution: How We Changed Your Life by Muriel Fox

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

dates read: 4/25/2024 - 4/31/2024

Reading Updates:

March 25, 2024 – 24%: Remembering that the founder of NOW was very homophobic (see: "Lavender Menace") and so I almost worry about how this book will go on.

March 28, 2024 – 33%: i wish this author wld stop misgendering trans people and referring to people switching sexualities

March 31, 2024 –73%: the way this lady talks about lesbians makes me want to crawl out of my skin

Review:


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Women's Revolution by Muriel Fox reminds me of Azealia Banks and Ronnie Radke, in that Muriel Fox writes about feminists and their accomplishments and then BOOM! they think one of the following:
a) black people are bad
b) lesbians are bad
c) transgenders are bad

Nonetheless, this is a good starter book looking to get into one's own journey with feminism, especially since Muriel can't seem to form an opinion on anything that plagues the modern women (see: thinks that TERFs are "complicated"). But I can't deny that NOW, despite their very clear issues, have irrevocably changed how women are viewed in the United States, and thus this book is a good jumping off point for someone wanting to read something basic and accessible with no "complex" political influence.

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