Stranger Things Readathon - Wrap Up & Mini Reviews

Happy Thursday everyone!  Today I'm sharing wrap up and mini reviews for Stranger Things Readathon which was hosted by @lamourdebooks, @readingwthabaws, @peyton_reads, @blondeboooks, @brittany_books, @lisamariereads.  It lasted the entire month of September and I completed all six of the challenges for Scoops Troop team.  Keep reading to see my thoughts on the books I read for this challenge:

1. Dustin: Read A Sci-Fi Book

❋

DNF'd @ page 81 of 491

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein is considered a classic sci-fi novel.  I mean, it even won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1962.  Honestly, though I just don't see it.  Of course, I only made it through 16% before I said enough was enough.  Plus, I read the 1991 version which is the original uncut manuscript which is supposed to be approximately 25% longer than the original release and much better.  Whatever the case, this pushed all the wrong buttons for me.  How Jill, the lead female character who is a nurse, gets treated over the course of what I managed to read is enough to make my skin crawl. And seeing the word "grok" on nearly every page got old quick.  In the end, I just didn't have it in me for keep it up for another 410 pages.

My review is also on Goodreads.

2. Erica: Read A Middle Grade Book

❋ ❋ ❋

The Shadow Cipher (York #1) by Laura Ruby is a solid middle grade mystery adventure.  The steampunk elements of the story are also quite delightful.  My only main issue is that the longer I read, the more I began to lose interest in the overall story.  This book definitely didn't need to be almost 500 pages.  I think quite a bit of could have been trimmed and the story would have been all the better for it.

My review is also on Goodreads.

3. Robin: Read A Book Ft. A F/F Relationship

❋ ❋

I was really hoping to enjoy Of Fire and Stars (Of Fire and Stars #1) by Audrey Coulthurst  more, but overall I think I preferred the summary. I like the idea behind it quite a bit though I ended up being underwhelmed by the cast and the world building. I didn't find myself particularly invested in any of the characters and didn't really care what was going to happen to them. Plus, the world comes across as much too generic on the whole for my tastes.  There's a lot of potential but it mostly fell flat.

My review is also on Goodreads.

4. Read A Popular Book

❋ ❋ ❋

Revival by Stephen King has been sitting on my shelf for ages, but for some reason I kept passing it up.  Stephen King has been one of my favorite authors for a long time and I'm glad I finally gave it the chance.  It's very slow to start, but it's worth sticking with in the long run.  It takes a long time to build up and the pay off is good, but not the King's best.

My review is also on Goodreads.

5. U.S.S. Butterscotch: Read A Sweet Contemporary Book

❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ 

I honestly can't say why I've been putting off Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe #1) by Benjamin Alire Saenz for eight whole years.  It's absolutely beautiful.  I loved just how slow burn, character driven, and dialogue heavy the story is.  I feel like I got to know our Aristotle and Dante so well.  I hope we get to see them again in the near future.  I now need to read everything else that the author has ever written.

My review is also on Goodreads.

6. Starcourt Mall: Read A Book You Bought / Received Recently

❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager was one of my most anticipated releases of 2020 and it didn't disappoint at all.  In fact, it's now my favorite from Riley Sager.  I don't know how he does it, but each novel just keeps getting better and better.  I highly recommend knowing as little about this story going in.  I know my review can't do it justice.  Just do yourself a favor and try it for yourself.  If you're a fan of The Conjuring, Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House, Sager's The Last Time I Lied, and The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware, I have a feeling you'll love this as well.

My review is also on Goodreads.

Have you read any of these books?  Did you take part in this readathon?  As always, thanks for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!