#justread — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #justread, aggregated by home.social.
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A sweeping tale of lost faith, political revolution, enduring love, and heroic sacrifice, The Gadfly is both emotionally powerful and intellectually engaging. Its tragic, unforgettable protagonist and profound themes secure its place among the timeless classics.📚
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#JustRead #BookSky #BookReview -
The 39 Steps is a fast-paced classic thriller packed with suspense, clever twists, and memorable chases. Though some elements feel dated, its brisk storytelling and adventure make it an enjoyable and influential read.
#BookReview #BookSky #JustRead 📚📖 -
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beautifully insightful about the pain and glory of running. A bit uneven and perhaps predictable, but a great read nonetheless.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐ Meant for a niche demographic, not perfect, but a pretty exciting read and even touching.
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Bright Dead Things (Bitter Legacies 1) by Hailey Turner | Book Review
If the forest stares back at you, you’re already prey.
Bran Gallagher grew up with three rules passed down through his coven: beware forest paths that lead to dangerous mounds, always keep iron close, and never speak of magic.
Cillian Dunne grew up with his mother’s love, his father’s absence, and secret warnings to never trust a witch.
In Pelham’s forest, where bright lights haunt the trees and hunt the lost, there are traditions kept for survival and others out of habit, none of which should be broken.
Bran and Cillian unknowingly broke tradition and ruined each other in the aftermath of a kiss years ago. Reunited in the wake of a family tragedy, they cross paths with something old, something terrifying—something that wants them dead. When Bran’s younger sister is stolen away by a nightmare into the Otherworld, they can only follow and try to keep each other alive in a strange and haunting land.
Trapped in a dangerous Fae Court, Bran learns being a witch comes with a death sentence. To save him, Cillian must fight against those who seek power from a past he has no memory of, and the only person he can trust is the witch who broke his heart.
But it might be too late.
For the Fae have never been kind, and they have always hungered, and this time, what they hunger for is revenge.
How was it?
One of the weird things about me, is that when I pick up one of my trusted authors’ books, I sometimes don’t want to know anything about it before diving in. That’s been my approach with Hailey Turner after Soulbound. At most tell me there are witches, Fae, and a new fantasy world to explore, and I’m in.
Unfortunately, I accidentally read the blurb before starting Bright Dead Things. I say unfortunately because the blurb reveals an event that doesn’t happen immediately enough, and for the entire first quarter of the book, I found myself waiting for that moment instead of fully experiencing the story as it unfolded. It’s not the book’s fault, but it definitely changed my reading experience a little.
I still got pulled into the story. I sat down to read a few chapters and suddenly found myself around 20% into the book without really noticing, which is a good sign since I’m a slow reader.
The biggest strength of Bright Dead Things is its atmosphere. The forests is eerie, the Otherworld feels dangerous, and there’s this constant sense that something is lurking in the edges, just beyond sight. Turner is very good at worldbuilding and creating an atmosphere, here it’s a creeping feeling that something is wrong long before the characters fully realize it themselves.
This book is very fantasy forward, the romance between Bran and Cillian is almost an after thought, yes there’s some longing but it’s a genuine slow burn. I’m happy with that here because the story and world surrounding it is more interesting to me than a second-chance romance. The world, the mysteries, and the hints of larger dangers kept me engaged while the relationship developed at its own pace.
The one thing I wasn’t entirely sold on was the magic system. It feels a bit loose compared to fantasy worlds with clearly defined magical rules. The casting itself, mostly Bran’s and his witchmarks, often sounded complicated and time-consuming. I feel like Bran could get shot before witchmarking himself a shield, and maybe that’s the point he’s not supposed to duck and hide so he could raise a shield, lol.
There’s a slow build, with clues and unsettling details scattered throughout the first half, before everything starts accelerating. The first quarter of the novel is largely spent setting up the events described in the blurb, which is why I’m annoyed I read it! It’s really around the halfway point that the pace picks up significantly, bringing more action, revelations, and a clearer picture of the larger threat lurking behind everything.
I enjoy that gradual crescendo because I’ve come to trust Turner, I know she’s building toward something worthwhile. But I worry about how a brand-new reader would feel about it. If you’re unfamiliar with her talent, the slower first half might require a bit more patience, but if you(re familiar, enjoy the ride.
I am invested in seeing where this series goes next, despite not being quite as attached to Bran and Cillian as I usually am after the first book of a Hailey Turner series. I like them. They’re good characters, I care about what happens to them. I’d be annoyed if they get hurt or killed but it wouldn’t ruined my day at this point. I haven’t formed a deeper emotional attachment yet.
However, the mysteries introduced here, the larger mythology taking shape, and the unanswered questions left hanging have me eager to return to this world.
Overall, Bright Dead Things is a strong opening to a new fantasy series. It’s atmospheric, creepy, full of intriguing folklore, and steadily builds toward something much bigger. If you’re willing to embrace a slower start and enjoy stories where the mysteries unfold piece by piece, there’s a lot here to enjoy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.If you want to support this site, help by getting me a coffee from the link below:
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A haunting, philosophical sci-fi novel that probes what it means to be human. Following Rick Deckard, it blends noir tension with deep questions of empathy, identity, and artificial life in a stark, unforgettable world. The book inspired the film Blade Runner. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #BookSky #BookReview #JustRead 📚📖
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The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth (Book Review) | A Chillingly Precise Political Thriller That Feels Real
The Jackal. A tall, blond Englishman with opaque, gray eyes. A killer at the top of his profession. A man unknown to any secret service in the world. An assassin with a contract to kill the world’s most heavily guarded man.
One man with a rifle who can change the course of history. One man whose mission is so secretive not even his employers know his name. And as the minutes count down to the final act of execution, it seems that there is no power on earth that can stop the Jackal.
How was it?
The Day of the Jackal is often described as a classic political thriller, but it really came on my radar when the Eddie Redmayne’s TV series was on the horizon. What struck me the most about this book is how much it feels like a meticulously constructed case study, almost like an investigative documentary, before it even becomes a fictional story.
The early sections of the novel, there are four parts of them, I think, are incredibly detailed, laying out the chain of events that lead to the hiring of the Jackal. Forsyth takes his time here, and while that might sound heavy, it’s anything but dull. Instead, it reads like a fascinating deep dive into the anatomy of an assassination plot. The inclusion of the Algerian War of Independence adds a strong historical background, effectively showing why someone like Charles de Gaulle was deeply polarizing and targeted.
What makes this novel particularly compelling is its blend of fact and fiction. Because parts of the story are rooted in real historical tensions, making the fictional elements feel grounded and believable. That sense of realism never really fades, even as the narrative shifts more squarely into thriller territory.
One of the standout aspects for me is the level of detail, especially when it comes to the Jackal’s preparations. The specifications of the rifle, the disguises, and the step-by-step planning are incredibly precise. Normally, this level of technical detail might slow a story down, but Forsyth manages to keep it engaging throughout. The pacing flows surprisingly well, and the perspective shifts between the assassin and those trying to stop him, pulling you right into the process on both sides.
That said, this same precision is also what holds the book back from being truly great in my eyes. There’s a certain emotional distance to the narrative. It feels intentionally cold, which makes sense given the subject matter and the character of the Jackal, but it also means I was more intellectually engaged than emotionally invested. I was fascinated by how everything would unfold, but I wasn’t deeply attached to the outcome, just curious.
Having just seen the TV adaptation of the story, I also found it interesting to compare portrayals. The Jackal’s meticulous nature, his attention to detail, use of aliases like “Duggan,” and careful planning are very much present here and clearly form the backbone of those adaptations. However, while the TV version added more emotional weight, the novel remains more clinical in its execution. It does make me curious about which elements different adaptations chose to use or leave out.
Overall, The Day of the Jackal is an impressively crafted thriller that excels in realism, structure, and details. Even if it doesn’t fully deliver on emotional depth, it’s a gripping and highly intelligent read that stands out for its precision and authenticity.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.If you want to support this site, help by getting me a coffee from the link below:
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#JustRead #Coders by @clive – an exhilarating look at the history & culture of computer programmers.
My coding ability is limited to self-taught HTML & CSS, but I understand the addictive euphoria of coding that Clive talks about – the high of creating something essentially out of nothing.
I love that coding is one of the few skills that you can teach yourself – & that it demands such a perverse mix of logic, persnicketyness, & artistry.
#books #Bookstodon #Coders -
#JustRead (well, finished listening to) Project Hail Mary.
Great book - some very funny moments, and a couple of quite tense ones (not horror tense).
I normally have difficulty with first person books - but between Weir's writing and Porter's voicing, I didn't even realise right up until the final chapter.
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#JustRead The Bourne Supremacy - the second of the original Bourne trilogy. It's interesting to see how different the films turned out from the books. Obviously some changes were due to twenty years of shifting world politics, but there are core character changes for several of the main players.
I don't think it was quite as engaging as Identity - there were a couple of spots where it became a little confusing as to who was who, though that may have been intentional.
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Ooooh - what are YOU excited for?
All the New Fantasy Books Arriving in March 2025 - Reactor https://reactormag.com/new-fantasy-books-march-2025/
#Writing #WritingCommunity #Words #Essay #Ideas #Writers #WritersCommunity #Writer #Author #Books #Reading #Literature #Read #TBR #Words #JustRead #ToRead #WorthReading
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I #justRead and enjoyed a __Doctor Satan__ #pulp #thriller short by Paul Ernst, so I sought out more. I find out _The Doctor Satan Megapack_ exists. _Yay._ It only contains seven of the eight Doctor Satan stories written. _Boo._ But the one it's missing, the final story, is the one I already read. _Whew._
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#bookstodon #justread #stephenking
⭐⭐⭐ Standard Stephen King: half amazing set pieces, half gimmick, fully entertaining.
I'm forever conflicted about Stephen King. On the one hand, I feel his books are very hard to put down. He has amazing ideas and knows how to drive suspense. On the other hand, they always have something that makes me roll my eyes. This one is not different; too much deus ex machina, too much surprise magic for my taste.
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Persuader (Jack Reacher 7) by Lee Child | Book Review
Jack Reacher.
The ultimate loner.
An elite ex-military cop who left the service years ago, he’s moved from place to place…without family…without possessions…without commitments.
And without fear. Which is good, because trouble–big, violent, complicated trouble–finds Reacher wherever he goes. And when trouble finds him, Reacher does not quit, not once…not ever.
But some unfinished business has now found Reacher. And Reacher is a man who hates unfinished business.
Ten years ago, a key investigation went sour and someone got away with murder. Now a chance encounter brings it all back. Now Reacher sees his one last shot. Some would call it vengeance. Some would call it redemption. Reacher would call it…justice.
How was it?
The seventh book in Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series kicks off with a bang – literally. The story screeches in with some action right from the start, pulling readers into the chaos before offering any explanations. I was thrown by some of what was happening in that opening scene. It was a smart move that set the tone for a relentless, twisty thriller that managed to hold my attention from beginning to end. I kept questioning and speculating about everything that was going on, and yet I was more surprised here than any other Reacher books that I’ve read so far.
One of the things I find interesting in this book is how it grounds Reacher in the era it was written. His uncertainty with emails, for example, is a subtle but telling reminder of the early 2000s – a marker of time that adds a bit of charm to his otherwise tough-as-nails persona.
The plot revolves around unfinished business from Reacher’s past, resurfacing through a chance encounter. This setup gives us a gripping combination of vengeance and justice, wrapped in Reacher’s signature approach – uncompromising, strategic, and ruthless. What stands out here is the back-and-forth narrative between the present-day operation and the dark incident that happened ten years earlier. The back-and-forth kept me on edge, it was slowly unraveling the mystery of what went wrong in the past while Reacher tackled the present-day threat. Although both have dark moments, the past incident is really the one that F’d me up because at some point in the book I didn’t want to know the details. But ultimately, the back-and-forth structure worked well in heightening the tension and tying together the plot.
There’s a lot of darkness hinted at in Persuader – disturbing acts and messed-up goons that push Reacher’s moral boundaries. These elements give the story an edge that makes it one of the grittier entries I’ve read. It’ll be interesting to see how these darker themes are adapted into season 3 of Reacher, especially since some of the hinted atrocities might not make it to the screen.
Overall, Persuader is a tightly wound, action-packed thriller that delivers classic Jack Reacher. With intense action, a gritty narrative, and a well-paced mystery, this book showcases everything fans love about the series. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to Reacher’s world, this entry is a must-read.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
If you want to support this site, help by getting me a coffee from the link below:
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#JustRead Red Harvest by Joe Schreiber - a #StarWars "Legends" novel from 2012. It's not exactly a Zahn/Thrawn book.
Quick to read, but no real tension. The low point was when a Jedi used the force to deliver the "special set of skills" speech verbatim from Taken.
Slightly interesting that a lot of PoV was from various Sith characters.
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⭐⭐⭐ Pretty gripping. I've always wanted to read about Boeing's loss of engineering culture, and this does a pretty good job explaining how that happened.
It's also a sad statement on how little we've learned from the 737 MAX debacle.
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#bookstodon #justread #running
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great book. Gripping, hard to put down. Exciting and informative, inspiring and emotional.
My one concern is that the author is very good at playing things up. He has a talent for telling stories, for bringing up emotions, and that made me question the facts behind it all. For a book with so many bold claims (i.e. towards minimalist shoes), the data seemed a bit one-sided. His talent made me skeptical, I suppose.
Totally into the running man theory though!
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#bookstodon #justread #running
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Now this is a great book about running! Focused and without fluff, practical and with just the right amount of theory.
Can't speak much about the actual program (yet), but this book sure has given me many ideas to explore.
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#JustRead "The Man Who Evolved" by Edmond Hamilton, a 1931 short story that reminds me very much of the classic _Outer Limits_ episode, "The Sixth Finger." So much so that I checked to see if the episode was based on the story. The episode was written by Ellis St. Joseph. From Wikipedia:
❝As originally scripted, Gwyllm devolves into the protoplasmic form of a jellyfish. However, ABC executives would only allow him to regress to the stages of early man, due to concerns that religious viewers who did not accept the theory of evolution would be offended.❞
The Hamilton story has the scientist evolving to an enhanced human, to a large head on a spindly body like classic Martians, to two other stages, and finally "advancing" to just a pool of protoplasm. That seems a significant similarity. #ScienceFiction #television #reading
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#AmReading (okay I'll be honest it's always #justRead) #BlackSun by Rebecca Roanhorse. First epic fantasy I've read in a long time, and affirmed my hypothesis that it wasn't high fantasy I was sick of, but medieval europe.
Well, mostly. :P it's been a long time since I read a book designed for a trilogy so was unprepared for the book to end but for elements of the story to be unresolved. But other than that highly recommend. No themes of good vs evil, a non-moralistic depiction of religion and magic.
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#bookstodon #justread #running
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Awesome book.
Super informative and up-to-date, even if focused on sub-marathon distances. Also, much more approachable and relevant than "Daniels' Running Formula", even if less seminal for the science of running.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazing story. One of the richest in the whole series for me.
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#justread #bookstodon #skunkworks
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Super interesting story on the eternal battle between technical excellence and everything else that stands against it.
Sprinkled with a lot of interesting cold war history.
This one has been in my queue for a long time. Glad I finally read it.