by Joe Abercrombie
Itâs clear that Abercrombie is laying the groundwork for a larger narrative by assembling a cast of fascinating, morally complex characters, but readers will need patience, as the true payoff doesnât begin to unfold until the second book.
with Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks
The innovative art style and wealth of creative ideas make The Lego Movie a standout among kidsâ films, though its humor leans too often on slapstick and cameos.
with Winslow Fegley, Neil Patrick Harris, Steve Zahn
8-Bit Christmas leans heavily on nostalgia, but the NES hunt feels like a generic MacGuffin â swap it with any childhood obsession, and you'd get the same movie â while the predictable storyline and overly sentimental ending fail to leave a lasting impression.
by Stieg Larsson
Unapologetically dark and intense, Larsson crafts a gripping twist on the Locked Room Mystery trope with compelling main characters, though the story gets bogged down by too many red herrings and an overwhelming cast of side characters that add little to the plot.
by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi
The Centre teases an intriguing mystery about a language-learning retreat but gets bogged down by underdeveloped themes of racism and misandry, ultimately hinting at a compelling conclusion it fails to deliver.
with Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
A movie that knows exactly what it wants to be, Deadpool & Wolverine delivers all the self-referential humor, surprise cameos, and raunchy one-liners you could hope for, though it stumbles a bit when figuring out what story it wants to tell.
by Alma Katsu
Turning the tragic Donner Party tale into a supernatural story should have been great, but The Hunger's uneven pacing, underdeveloped horror, and forgettable characters left me hungry for more (get it?).
by Kyle Chayka
Chayka raises vital points about cultural evolution in the age of algorithmic recommendations and how we experience art, but falls short of expectations by offering too few practical antidotes for this filtered world.
by Cal Newport
Newport has a tendency to tell more tangential stories than necessary, but I can't help but give Digital Minimalism such a high rating for the profound effect that Newport's suggested strategies had on my life.
by Jim Gaffigan
While landing the occasional well-timed joke, Dad is Fat ultimately only has one joke, 'This everyday activity is more difficult / less enjoyable when you have many kids'.
by Robert Jackson Bennett
Bennett builds a fascinating world of political intrigue and an enticing pantheon of dead gods, with memorable characters I grew to love, ultimately falling just short due to minor pacing issues.
with Sydney Sweeney, Ălvaro Morte, Simona Tabasco
While I didnât dislike the premise, Immaculate filled the first two-thirds with cheap, unoriginal jumpscares, and though I enjoyed the ending, not even Sweeneyâs remarkable acting could save the film for me.
by Daniel Kraus
The premise immediately drew me in, and I enjoyed the exploration of Jayâs relationship with his father, but the book ultimately left me unsatisfied as it devolved into 'Look how many facts about whales I can cram into my novel'.
by Gillian Flynn
A dark, captivating thriller filled with the beautifully dysfunctional characters Flynn crafts so well, Sharp Objects had me more invested in the twisted family drama than the murder investigation.
with Jim Cummings, Jocelin Donahue, Richard Brake
The Last Stop in Yuma County feels like an extended version of Pulp Fiction's diner scene, drawing all its staying power from constantly answering, "Wow, could this get any worse?"
by Gillian Flynn
Flynn shines brightest when crafting characters you truly believe in and putting them through horrifying ordeals, though the far-fetched Kill Club slightly tested my suspension of disbelief.
by Travis Baldree
A book as cozy as the smell of fresh-baked bread and a cup of coffee on a rainy day, Legends & Lattes is filled with low-stakes adventure and an enviable community of true friends.
by Aliya Whiteley
A fungal fever-dream that explores gender, society, and transformation through the lens of merciless body horror, The Beauty is the first book in a while that deeply unsettled me.
by Ness Brown
An interesting premise for a novella, undermined by the author's self-admitted rush job, overloaded with adverbs, tired horror tropes, and a main character whoâs utterly terrible at waiting for an answer after asking questions.
by Jeff Gooddell
A wonderfully expansive book on heat and its disastrous future consequences for our planet â a rare read that I would both enthusiastically recommend to anyone and deeply regret ever picking up.
by John Scalzi
I was immediately drawn in by the premise of this book, and while the world-building felt a bit lackluster â especially in the first two-thirds â the deliciously satisfying resolution of the murder mystery made it easy to overlook the occasional two-dimensional character.
by Jim Butcher
While 'the vampires did it' starts to feel repetitive as a reveal in Butcherâs magical whodunnits, the final standoff in the cave is thrilling enough to leave me with a favorable view of the handsome wizardâs shenanigans.
by Terry Pratchett
While Victor is more of a B-list protagonist in Pratchettâs pantheon, the sheer fact that Moving Pictures crossbreeds Hol(l)ywood magic with Lovecraftian horrors makes the book utterly enjoyable.
by Martin Suter
A bit like grabbing fast food during a business lunch, Suter's Business Class books â comprised of short, amusing vignettes â are perfect for a quick two-minute read, but ultimately lack meaningful nutrition.
with Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Harriet Dyer
Though overly reliant on the 'make you pay close attention to the background so we can jumpscare you more easily' trope, the movie still manages to pull the occasional delight out of its invisible hat.