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[summaryi]

Rabbits (Podcast)

I only listened to Season 1.

I really enjoyed it.

For me, personally, all the episodes EXCEPT for the last one are 10/10. The final episode was... not as fun for me.

Spoilers below:

Literally, after all the experiences of the previous episode - we end with "maybe I was on LSD?"

And ?!?!?!?!?!?!??!? what?????? bro. dude we just went through all that shit and you're gonna say "oohhh, drugs!"

I listened to just the first two episodes of the 2nd season, but i think for me, personally, i only kinda need one season of this show.

Like, it was kinda starting to be exactly the same. and i didn't love rabbits enough to listen to the same thing twice in a row.

#Rabbits #podcast #Public Radio Alliance #Minnow Beats Whale #pra #publicradioalliance #minnowbeatswhale

[summaryi]

The Left Right Game

Apparently this started as a 10-part /nosleep post

I finished Episode 6 and then I NEEDED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS so I read the posts and then resumed listening LOL

IT'S PHENOMENAL. I didn't read the first half of the posts, so I don't know about the accuracy. But the experience of listening is just *chef's kiss*

The acting is incredible, the sound mixing and design is great, there's... A good amount of spook. I didn't have nightmares! But I still got spooked enough to wonder if I should continue.

The last 3 episodes do get more... Horror-sound-y. The first few episodes don't have too much of that. You know, screaming, other horror sounds. So. That's... uh. Not fun to listen to. But it's so well done, and an incredible experience.

Apparently it's going to be adapted into a live action series. I....... I don't know if I can watch that - I'll probably be TOO SCARED lol

SPOILERS BELOW

The way we're given clues along the way, to pick them up. Phenomenal. Seeing the figure in the woods, the car with the C4, the discrepancy between months and years.

--

So I just finished the podcast.

Went to Part 10 of the nosleep post.

The ending is ESSENTIALLY the same. Like, the main beats are the same.

But they ARE different. I like the ... idk. nostalgia? The open-endedness of the nosleep post.

The podcast kind of adds a ribbon to tie things up.

#The Left Right Game #left/right game #audio drama #podcast #nosleep

[summaryi]

The Deca Tapes

apparently i made a note of this already

but like - it's lived in my head rent free. I love it. it is my roman empire, i literally think about it at least once a week lol

The pacing, the way the story unfolds.

You as the listener, have two ends of a tangled string, and you slowly work your way to the center through the duration of the podcast. It's so satisfying.

Even now, knowing the story, and giving it a re-listen - I remember just enough to not get scared (i get scared easily), but I've forgotten enough for this story to be so new and enthralling.

#The Deca Tapes #podcast #audio drama

[summaryi]

Of Gods and Lanterns

This is an audio series inspired by Over the Garden Wall

I like the vibes, I like the idea

I'm unable to get past Episode 2 personally

for very personal reasons i guess

The audio mixing is a little off. The SFX and BGM are a LITTLE BIT too loud to hear the dialogue. And by a little bit, I mean - they're too loud. I can't hear the dialogue. Turning up the volume until I can hear the dialogue means the SFX is suddenly WAY TOO LOUD and I can't listen.

The first two characters we meet have somewhat similar voiceprints. I can see how they tried to differentiate between the two, but - it's still - so similar. A bit hard to tell the characters apart just by listening. I KNOW THEY'RE DIFFERENT. But also, like, not ... different enough?

Maybe I'll read the transcripts if they're available? But yeah, I just - it's hard to HEAR what's happening in an AUDIO SERIES when the SQUEAK SQUEAKS ARE TOO LOUD for the wORDS

#Of Gods and Lanterns

[summaryi]

Case 63

A Spotify Audio Series

Okay, this one has famous actors and clearly big budget. It's really easy to listen to. The story is fairly intriguing. bUT I CAN'T KEEP LISTENING TO THE SAME AD ABOUT APPLE CARD PLEASE I'M GOD'S WEAKEST SOLDIER

so yeah i only finished episode 6 because HELLO????????? spotify you're already taking my money and you're making me listen not ONLY TO AN AD BUT THE SAME AD OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER

#case 63 #fucking ads

[summaryi]

The Day Everything Changed

Audio Drama by Riffage Media

AYO i'm 3 episodes in and whY DOES EVERYONE KEEP SMIRKIING. IN A FUCKING APOCALYPSE. HELLO???? WHAT????????? IN SURVIVAL. BETWEEN FATHER AND DAUGHTER. AND STRANGERS. STOP SMIRKIKNG WTF

And it.... It's written weirdly. Like, is this.... was this... written to be an audio drama? It sounds like a script being read out loud, like someone meant for this to be a Youtube series or something. And.. The narration style is.... sure is stylized. They're just reading. It's not even dramatic reading.

The sound is well done though so that's cool. I .. don't think I'll listen to more for now.

#The Day Everything Changed #audio drama #riffage media

[summaryi]

Night Shift: An Urban Fantasy Audio Drama

I LOVE AUDIO DRAMAS

I LOVE ART

I LOVE WHEN DIVERSE PEOPLE GET TO TELL STORIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed Night Shift. Listened to all of Season 1 in like 3 days? Binged it SO hard. I'm looking forward to Season 2!

It's not the highest budget / production audio drama I've listened to? WHICH IS FINE. I STILL ENJOYED IT. TO BE CLEAR. I HAD FUN.

The acting is -- fine. Like, it's fine. The sound design is impressive. The story is fun, and I appreciated how the pacing was steady.

#Night Shift #summaryi #audio drama

[summaryi]

Spinning Silver - Naomi Novik

I - 

SPOILERS BELOW

I FEEL FUCKING TROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLED

GOT ME IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK GOING

OH SHIT ICE ROADS

MAGIC ICE DEMONS

AND THEN

IT’S

RUMPLESTILTSKIN FANFIC????????????????????????????????

#Spinning SIlver #Naomi Novik

[summaryi]

The Golden Enclaves - Naomi Novik (Lesson Three of The Scholomance)

I- 

I

I liked this less than the 1st book but better than the 2nd one

Spoilers below

Okay so Naomi brings Orion back

yippee El and Orion get to be kissy kissy yay I love that for them it’s what they deserve

but also like

IT FEELS CHEAP IDK

LIKE WHEN SARAH J MAAS PULLED THE RESURRECTION CARD A 2ND TIME

LIKE

BRO

YOU

YOU COULDA DONE THAT ALL ALONG???????

LIKE I GET THAT THERE ARE TECHNICAL LIMITATIONS AND SHIT AND ALL THAT BUT LIKE

DUDE

THAT WAS A THING???? anyways

I - I also felt like

the mawmouths went from SUPER SCARY BIG BAD OH MY GOD SO RARE

to

a dime a dozen

AND I GET THAT THERE’S A PART OF LIKE

REPEATED EXPOSURE MAKES TRAUMA LESS TRAUMATIZING AND SEEING THE MONSTER MAKES IT LESS SCARY IN HORROR AND OBVIOUSLY THE MORE TIMES YOU SEE THE MONSTER THE MORE FAMILIAR IT GETS AND BLAH BLAH BLAH BUT LIKE

“ah yes they are so fucked up and evil because they are what is created when a bunch of people come together and KNOWINGLY IN A VERY FUCKED UP WAY DO DEATH AND MURDER and then THEY NEED THAT DEATH AND MURDER TO SUSTAIN THEIR POWER THEY ARE LEECHES MWAHAHAHAHAHA”

but also like

d-do

does

idk

is

?????????????????????

you built a whole ass magic universe and you were like “everything is built on PAIN AND SUFFERING” like COME ON it could have been HAPPY AND NICE AND SHIT but thESE ARE MY OPINIONS

REALITY ALREADY SUCKS ASS I WANT MORE BEAUTIFUL UNBELIEVABLE FANTASY AND FICTION

#The Golden Enclaves #Naomi Novik #The Scholomance

[summaryi]

The Last Graduate - Naomi Novik (Lesson Two of The Scholomance)

Honestly I start to fall out of love during this book.

There’s a lot going on that builds off of Lesson One, but everything takes a different direction.

I loved the beautiful, hidden secrets of The Scholomance.

Spoilers below

I guess I wasn’t ready for them to graduate so fast? Idk.

The entire book just felt different from the first book. Like the vibes were different. And I wasn’t prepared for it, and I didn’t enjoy it.

idk. I guess I just didn’t love the idea and solution of “oh shit gotta yeet the school into oblivion forever byeeee”

like

i- 

okay

idk

orion and balance and whatever

and like

of course orion is like

no i must be a hero

I just remember being SO excited while reading A Deadly Education. I had to stop MULTIPLE TIMES to go tell my s/o about the beauty I saw and joy I felt while uncovering a new aspect of the universe of the Scholomance.

I didn’t feel that with The Last Graduate. I felt like I was being pushed along.

#The Last Graduate #Naomi Novik #The Scholomance

[summaryi]

Golden Son - Pierce Brown

I’m listening to this on audiobook.

I - I’m sunk cost fallacy-ing here.

I already finished the first book, sure I can see how some of these characters are lovable, okay, what’s next.

SPOILER BELOW

I HATE the sudden behind-the-curtain reveal of “I WAS SECRETLY TRAINING WITH Lorn au Arcus this WHOLE TIME

like bro tf

you didn’t hint at it at all

this is like

a really fucking big deal

and 

you

you just

hand-waved it

you didn’t even hint at it like

“and then i went to the practice rooms again”

or shit

you were just like

“this guy offered me an apprenticeship too hahaha he’s alive isn’t that cool”

like DUDE

anyways

idk

it’s getting fucking political and i hate political content in my FREE TIME READING so this is on me yeah not all books are for everyone

and like

boo hoo power struggle commentary on society whatever

JUST TELL ME WHAT COOL SHIT THEY DO IN THIS UUUNIVERSEEEEEEE

#Golden Son #Pierce Brown

[summaryi]

Red Rising - Pierce Brown

I listened to this on audiobook.

Honestly I got to the start of Chapter 4 and almost stopped.

It came highly recommended to me.

I marched straight back to them and was like “wtf where is this book going.”

I have since tempered my expectations.

I started this thinking that in this book, we would literally follow the journey of Red Rising, whatever and whoever that meant.

By Chapter 4, I could tell that the journey would not conclude, and would hardly even BEGIN in this book.

So apparently I just have to read 3 books in this series to follow the complete journey of this Red Rising.

So I pressed onwards, and I’m still not sure if it was worth it.

There are parts of the book that feel like they really drag on, especially considering how.... Little... changes... in those parts of the book.... idk.

And I chatted more with my friend and could see how the recommendation came less from a place of “this is a beautiful story executed with brilliance” and more of a place of “oh my silly little children, look at them go, aren’t they wonderful to know??”

#Red Rising #Pierce Brown

[summaryi]

A Broken Blade - Melissa Blair

I listened to this on audiobook.

Honestly the ending to this snuck up on me. I definitely thought we’d get a little more content.

I’m excited to see where this goes.

There’s a very confusing mix in here - to be continued in spoilers below.

In this book, the term Halfling here refers to half Elf, half Mortal. Halfling does NOT mean a hobbit.

So there are Elves and Fae, and it’s VERY confusing to tell them apart IMO.

Made even more confusing when one of the Fae? Elves? Say that among them, they don’t really differentiate - it’s the Humans who are more concerned about keeping track who’s what.

Here’s what I DID gather: 

Fae have magic

Fae have pointy ears

Dark Fae have purple eyes

2 Fae make a Fae baby

Elves always make Elf babies

Child of an Elf + Fae will have no magic - but actually they will, they just don’t learn to harness it??????

Child between Fae and Mortal are very rare

the King hunted down ALL THE ELVES WOW GOOD FOR HIM GENOCIDE WHEEEEE

the Elves live in the Feyland

Keera has Elvish blood. She is Fae and Halfling (half Elf) and has a touch of magic

Nikolai is Elf.

Riven is a Dark Fae

Gold eyes are rare, only 3 Fae ever had gold eyes

The Light Fae did NOT have gold eyes, they had SILVER eyes

#A Broken Blade #Melissa Blair

[summaryi]

A Touch of Darkness - Scarlett St. Clair

I listened to this on audiobook.

I get that series and trilogies are like. A thing. I get it.

But I also love good, intentional, beautiful endings.

I would always prefer to be left wanting more, than to see something explicitly laid bare before me and to know too much, to feel like the story is not enough butter being spread over too much toast. I hate when things go on for too long, because the bad vibes tarnish the previous content. Looking at you, Game of Thrones tv show.

So basically I LOVE this book. I do NOT like that it’s a trilogy. I feel very satisfied with leaving Persephone and Hades here. Farewell, be happy.

#A Touch of Darkness #Scarlett St. Clair #Persephone #Hades

[summaryi]

King of Battle and Blood - Scarlett St. Clair

I listened to this on audiobook.

This is exactly what I wanted it to be.

This is a series, a trilogy I think? But IMO I would have been okay even if this was the only book.

Spoilers below

I do not like how BACK AND FORTH Isolde and Adrian end up being?? And the whole thing about Dis possessing Adrian? And Isolde wrote the spells in the first place BECAUSE Dis was going to kill Adrian?

Like, there’s a few different plots going on all at the same time but at like kinda mismatched paces.

I’m not a fan of big political plots and the unrest gets in the way of me just wanting to read AND THEN THEY KISSED AND SMOOCHED AND TOOK BEAUTIFUL WALKS IN PRETTY GARDENS.

I’m SO GLAD that they are reincarnated lovers who got to find each other again.

I LOVE the “vampires exist because Adrian asked a god to let him taste the blood of his enemies and the god was like haha sure u fucking idiot careful what you wish for”

like that’s so fun wtf

I’m into the “oh shit propaganda and unlearning things” journey that Isolde goes on, it feels a little over the top? Like? Okay? We get it? She grew up in a place that was incredibly sheltered and rewrote its own history and narrative? When is she going to go at it with Adrian again?

I of course was heartbroken when her DAD was WEIRD and STUPID. Killian staying loyal to her makes me feel weird but also like how sweet.

I do NOT enjoy the “we are doomed to never be able to enjoy our love because we were always destined for tragedy and we are but pawns of the gods” vibes going on, especially at the end.

I started the 2nd book and then was not compelled enough to continue, because where was the plot going??? They have to save Adrian? or kill him? 

#King of Battle and Blood #Scarlett St. Clair #Isolde #Adrian

[summaryi]

Ninth House - Leigh Bardugo

I listened to this audiobook, and I had a good time.

There were definitely a few plot points that I felt could have been revealed sooner? But I’m personally not a big fan of “teehee THIS was happening all the time! but off screen!”

But the vibes are immaculate!

#Ninth House #Leigh Bardugo

[summaryi]

Gallant - V.E. Schwab

I didn’t know what to expect. To me, it kind of felt like a slightly younger, macabre Daddy-Long-Legs (Jean Webster). And the darker parts reminded me of watching Coraline or The Addams Family.

I felt a similar sense of longing and belonging.

Gallant has more elements of fantasy and whimsy, since it has a supernatural presence.

I thought the characters were so beautifully laid out and introduced. I really fell in love with the world, and felt the fears as though they were my own. I wish it was longer, and at the same time I’m glad that we came to such a beautiful end.

I really value a good ending. Oftentimes I find that series go on for too long. Too much of a good thing becomes unpleasant indeed, and Gallant was just the right amount for me. Fucking made me cry. My heart. Ah. I’m hurt.

#Gallant #V.E. Schwab