Admittedly, it took several attempts before finishing this book. I have thoroughly enjoyed several other works by Cleave so I was a bit bummed that I Admittedly, it took several attempts before finishing this book. I have thoroughly enjoyed several other works by Cleave so I was a bit bummed that I found Laughterhouse to be lackluster compared to the previous novels in the series. It may just be me, but I found the noir element amped up & too much telling for my taste in several situations (also making a point of explaining things/having dialogue that wasn't necessary). Honestly, I really had to trust that I liked his other novels, so that was the only thing that kept pushing me through. Inevitably, the action does speed up & the rest of the book is a breeze (though only by making it about 45% of the way in), but it took much longer to be hooked than the first 2 Tate books. Also, the stakes didn't feel as high- which I get is an awful thing to say, but Cole wasn't as intimidating of a villain as I'm used to expecting from this author. It's more of about the weight of the consequences of our actions. That's fine, but just not what I would have necessarily expected. I was also a bit disappointed that several loose ends are left unresolved, not just with Theo, but with the actual characters of the case. (Whatever happened to Tabitha? Or Melanie or her mother?) Theo is an interesting, flawed, complex MC but I felt that a lot of his character is overlooked here by trying to drag out Cole's intentions. Which goes to say that this didn't need to be nearly as long as it was. There were a few parts I did like, especially with Theo & Bridget, & of course, the usual emotional heartstrings (insert: Carl). Overall, not my favorite Cleave read, but I'm looking forward to seeing how the series progresses. It did get me out of my reading slump & I'm glad that I was finally able to finish it, so I feel comfortable giving it 3*. ...more
A very "trans 101" read, not a bad thing in itself but I was expecting a bit more. Honestly, a lot of this info you can find on Alex's/other FtM's YT A very "trans 101" read, not a bad thing in itself but I was expecting a bit more. Honestly, a lot of this info you can find on Alex's/other FtM's YT channels, so I was hoping that this book would dive past the surface. I guess I was just disappointed Alex chose not to speak so much about his own life, rather give general advice that I could get from anywhere else. (Yes, he talks a bit about the hormone process in UK, etc. but it's distant & brief.) It's a very quick read, but I kept putting it down because I was getting bored. My favorite part was the portion of Alex's mum answering questions- it felt like the most forthcoming & honest part of the book. This would be an excellent read for those not familiar with trans topics, but there's really nothing new worth noting....more
A fun read. I don't tend to gravitate towards the fantasy/paranormal genre, but the premise for this seemed so original that I wanted to give3.5 stars
A fun read. I don't tend to gravitate towards the fantasy/paranormal genre, but the premise for this seemed so original that I wanted to give it a try. And for the most part I liked it a lot. It was interesting to read a book with a witch MC. Mila is sarcastic & has a voice that actually feels like an authentic teen voice, although she could be stupid (e.g. attempting magic she doesn't really know how to do) & judgmental. I was engrossed with the first half, but I began to lose interest as the "secret mystery" was revealed. It felt like the author decided to use cliches for a cop out because there was no other "logical" way to tie up the loose ends.
While we get a handle on the other girls enough background that I could distinguish between June & Dayton, I am disappointed that they are very stereotypical "popular girl" characters. Yes, Mila comes to realize that there is more to them than meets the eye, but it's an extremely predictable lesson that is especially underwhelming in a book that started off so strong. It becomes more clear why Riley is standoffish towards someone who is supposedly her best friend, but for a majority of time, it's difficult to understand why they were friends based on the interaction between them. It just felt like Mila spent more time talking about their friendship than actually being shown their feelings for one another.
Regardless, the journey that Mila takes & the week that she has with the others was worth taking, I just wish it had been a stronger read for me. ...more
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