Joe Kessler > Recent Status Updates

Protagonist has a Jewish parent! An unexpected delight.

The story "Welcome, Death" by J. D. Blackrose isn't bad, but building it around the four horsemen of the apocalypse feels weird for a Jewish horror anthology. (I know that tradition arguably traces to the Book of Ezekiel, but it's way more of a Christian thing, especially as presented here.)

‪Oof. I've been really enjoying this short story collection, but "Eighth Night" by John Baltisberger is just awful. Graphically violent and misogynistic, in an unnecessary retelling of the genuinely sweet Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. Not a classic you need to subvert, dude 🙄‬

Halfway through! This remains simultaneously one of the best and one of the slowest books I've ever read.

Wait, wHAT

This is pretty good, but the split timeline feels unnecessary.

This worldbuilding is laughable. The Sumics have bishops and a pope. The Yu'adir practice tikkun olam. There was just a reference to the year 1718 as "two centuries ago." In a story with, yeah, roughly 1920s technology and clothing styles.

So why the fake country and religion names?? Just call things what they are if you aren't interested in remixing them at all. Pretending it's an alternate world is weird.

Not digging the apparent instant attraction between our two protagonists, but I'm tentatively on-board to see how the fantasy Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism are handled.

This book remains excellent; I only wish I had more time to sit down and read a hardcover these days.

Okay, revealing that her dad has been through the same time-travel thing is a really neat idea.

This book is too short for the time travel element to be kicking off this far into it.

The back half of this novel is better than the first, at least. I think the issue is that I really don't like the characters in flashback, where they're a new couple in love, but the later timeline of a young widow getting to know her mother-in-law is a lot more compelling.

This protagonist is a 26-year-old librarian who doesn't know the words "macabre" or "supernova."

...They're not really married, are they?

You know what I don't love? A Catholic priest as the romantic interest in a story, no matter how young and handsome and tortured.

Done with part 3. Still great, but yeah, would not recommend these as independent books read not back-to-back.

Okay, yeah. Part 2 of this book was fine, somewhere in the three or four-star range. But it really wouldn't stand well on its own (unlike part 1). Glad I'm reading these all together in one volume.

‪I'm reading the omnibus edition of this and probably not going to review all five individual parts separately, but wow: 5 stars for that first one. Perfectly calibrated sci-fi and the one twist ending I didn't see coming. Not sure where the concept can go next, but I'm on board.‬

Solid 3-star read so far. Could still break into a 4 by the end, but it's tough for this sort of middle-grade fantasy to really wow me.

It also sort of feels like this arc of "I hate you because I haven't realized that's actually a massive crush" is a repeat of what the author already did in Red, White, and Royal Blue -- only there the protagonist hadn't yet realized he was bi! It's weirder with Chloe, who's already out.

*pinches bridge of nose* Okay, so... Manic Pixie Dream Girl kisses two classmates she likes, then hides a scavenger hunt of riddles for her boyfriend and them before vanishing. The intent seems to be encouraging them all to bond with one another -- maybe to ultimately form a polyamorous quartet with her, unless I'm reading too much into things. This is such a weird plan with so many ways it could break down.

This ain't too great so far, folks.

"The Hork-Bajir vaporized in a cloud of black smoke. I stared at the Dracon beam in horror. I'd only meant to stun him! The weapon must have knocked to full power when it hit the floor."

Cassie, sweetie, you knocked one out of the cargo hold mere chapters ago. Killing isn't new.

This book from December 2021 is so full of claims that the pandemic is over or at least nearly over. I know it's not the main point of the book, but it so thoroughly undercuts the authors' expertise as any sort of authority.

There is so little about these "problems" with remote work that rings true to my own professional experiences or preferences. Either I lucked into a shockingly non-toxic company that meshes well with my personal brand of neurodivergence, or else these authors didn't do nearly enough research.

Name-dropping K-PAX isn't enough to distinguish your story from K-PAX, you know.

Another day with no Dracula Daily? I'm climbing the walls here!

...Oh gosh, I'm so sorry. Was that insensitive? I didn't mean like a lizard. Jonathan, please write me back.

This book is like... The Hunger Games crossed with Julie of the Wolves. Ish.

I've read this so many times as a kid that I could tell pretty quickly this audiobook I downloaded is only an abridged version. I'm still gonna finish it, but I'll hold off on a review until I can get a new copy of the printed book to actually give it a full proper reread.

My man Jonathan's having a rough time of things today #DraculaDaily