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Showing posts from May, 2024

The Children of Red Peak by DiLouie

"Dark and disturbing, in true Dilouie fashion, he deals with death, pain, guilt and survival in a gritty and horrifying way. He has a great gift for blending the paranormal with the normal, so much so that everything seems plausible when you're immersed in the story. This one will stick with me for awhile. " 3 Stars Pros:  It was definitely an interesting idea and Dilouie did a great job at making all the MCs frail and broken by what happened to them and completely human as to how some deal with the trauma and others don't. Everyone has a different coping mechanism.  Cons:  At the same time that the ending didn't really give anything away, it also didn't really answer. or solve anything, though, in a way did it did. It's all a matter of perspective. I think Dilouie did the best he could with what he was working with. Which when you're dealing with a religious cult and mass suicide, the answers at the end of that riddle might not be ones you actually wa

Darius The Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

"Fit to bursting with Geeky references but also full of genuine, deep, emotions, this was a great coming of age story told in a fun and honest way."  4 Stars Pros:  Darius is a kind, likable, relatable character and I got most of his Geeky references.  Cons:  Though I loved all the Geeky references, they were a a tad overused at times.  Full Review:  Darius Kellner is a fractional Persian living in Portland, Oregon and just trying to fit in. He's awkward, uncertain and feels like he's always letting everyone down. He was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder when he was 12 and has been attempting to figure out his life since starting to take medication to help.  His father, Stephen Kellner, also struggles with depression and always seems to be disappointed and frustrated with Darius. He wants him to try harder, to not make himself a target, to stand up for himself. And even when Darius does as his Father suggests, it never works. They just don't understand each