Search

Search only in certain items:

My Life As A Rat
My Life As A Rat
Joyce Carol Oates | 2019 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
7
9.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
218 of 230
Book
My life as a Rat
By Joyce Carol Oates
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Which should prevail: loyalty to family or loyalty to the truth? Is telling the truth ever a mistake and is lying for one’s family ever justified? Can one do the right thing, but bitterly regret it?

My Life as a Rat follows Violet Rue Kerrigan, a young woman who looks back upon her life in exile from her family following her testimony, at age twelve, concerning what she knew to be the racist murder of an African-American boy by her older brothers. In a succession of vividly recalled episodes Violet contemplates the circumstances of her life as the initially beloved youngest child of seven Kerrigan children who inadvertently “informs” on her brothers, setting into motion their arrests and convictions and her own long estrangement.

This was one of those books that just had you shocked to the core from the start. It’s raw and hard to read in parts. It’s well written and up until the last quarter I was enjoying it but it just got a bit tedious. This does have a few triggers for abuse and racism! Overall it’s a good read.
  
A Little Christmas: Terrence
A Little Christmas: Terrence
JP Sayle | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
cute read, but not quite pushing my buttons.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

 

I liked this, but I'm not sure I can say I loved it, though!
 

Oh, don't get me wrong, it's a good story. I loved Terrence and Warner. Hated the lawyer dude right from the start, but that was justified. Loved Warner's friend, and the part he plays.
 

I liked how Terrence and Warner slotted together perfectly. And how Warner didn't do anything without the clues from Terrence. I especially like that Warner made Terrence wait to fully consummate their relationship. I do enjoy being made to wait!

 

I think, for me, it was the level that Terrence sank into his little that I struggled with. There are some aspects of Daddy/little play that are a bit hit and miss for me, depending on how it’s delivered in the story. This goes a little bit too deep into that particular aspect, I’m afraid, and that’s why I couldn’t quite love it.


I did like it, and it’s a wonderful tale. I loved that Terrence gets his HEA in more ways than one.


4 good stars

 

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Prison Break  - Season 4
Prison Break - Season 4
2008 | Action
Twisted Endings
True to Prison Break form, the new season is laid out as a series of tasks. Still keeping up the suspense and wit.

I find the new season and the out of prison setting actually fresh. You really cannot trust any of the characters here. You think they're on the good side, but it turns out you're wrong. Still managed to be kept entertained, despite the suspension of disbelief required.


Sadly, in this season, a million little things have to fall in place every time for the plot to go on. Other times they just don't. Yet, they were able to keep appearances. But this season has gone a little overboard. Some events aren't justified or aren't build up to them; they just happen. And if you don't accept them, too bad, cause that's how it is. Almost as if they are throwing as much as they can at you. Still filled with many twists and backstabs. That can either cause engagement or head spin. What used to be a band of criminals is now the best covert ops group in the world, pulling multiple Mission Impossible's (c) per episode and randomly navigating through a web of confusing conspiracies.



But, it still manages to keep one wanting to find out what comes next. So it didn't lose that touch.