What I Read Last Week - February 9th to 15th

 


4 Stars

This was an intense read, and I was pulled into the story right from the beginning. The atmosphere is heavy, dark, and gripping in a way Joe Hill does so well. I was fully invested early on, turning pages fast and bracing myself for whatever came next.

As the story went on, though, it started to slow for me. I reached a point where I just wanted it to wrap up so I could finally know what happened with the dragon. Not because I stopped caring, but because the tension felt stretched a little too thin.

That said, the writing is solid and confident, and the characters are well developed and memorable. Even when the pacing lagged, the world and emotional weight kept me engaged. A strong, dark story that didn’t quite stick the landing for me, but still absolutely worth the ride.


5 Stars

I loved this one. It was my favorite of the week.

A sentient noodle making robot trying to open a restaurant? Immediately yes. But it’s not just quirky sci-fi. There’s corporate drama, past secrets, labor rights issues, and a whole lot of “please just let us live in peace” energy.

What really got me was the found family. A bunch of humans and robots just trying to build something small and good in a world that keeps making everything complicated. I’m a sucker for that every time.

And the food descriptions? So good. I could practically taste the broth. It made everything feel grounded and personal instead of big and abstract.

It’s thoughtful without being preachy, cozy without being boring, and tense in all the right places. Five stars. No hesitation. 

4 Stars

I love Stephen King. I really do. But Carrie wasn’t one of my favorites.

It’s sharp and uncomfortable in that very specific King way. Small town cruelty. Religious extremism. Teenagers being absolutely awful to each other. You can feel the pressure building from page one, like something is humming just under the surface.

Carrie herself is tragic. You don’t read this book so much as brace yourself through it. Knowing what’s coming doesn’t make it easier, just heavier.

I appreciated the format with the interviews and newspaper clippings woven in. It made everything feel inevitable, like you were reading a disaster report instead of a story. Smart. Effective. Still not my favorite.

It’s classic King and I’m glad I finally read it. Four stars. Just not the one I’ll be reaching for again anytime soon.

3 Stars

Okay. I’m just going to say it.

For most of this book, it felt like a weird fantasy sleepover.

There was so much traveling. So many conversations about who was sharing a room. So much circling feelings without actually doing anything about them. I love character development. I love tension. But at some point I started feeling like I was tagging along on a very dramatic road trip where everyone is exhausted and nobody will just say what they mean.

That being said… once the story actually kicked in, it kicked. The action picked up, the stakes felt real again, and I remembered why I care about these characters. The world is still rich. The dynamics are still layered. And when things finally started happening, I was locked in.

It just took a while to get there.

Not my favorite in the series, but not a bad installment either. If you love slow burn character moments and traveling companion energy, this one might work better for you than it did for me.

5 stars

I genuinely do not know why it took me this long to pick up a J.R. Ward book. This was excellent.

From the very beginning there’s this low, nagging tension that just sits in your chest. Every conversation feels loaded. Every interaction feels like it’s hiding something. I love when a book makes me slightly suspicious of everyone.

The world building is dark and weighty. You can feel the history pressing in from all sides. It’s not light, fluffy fantasy. It has teeth.

And that ending. I did not see that coming. Not fully. I knew something sneaky was happening in the background, but I could not pin it down. When it finally clicked? So satisfying.

Loved this one. Absolutely hooked.

4 Stars

This was a solid finish to the trilogy.

Champions of the Force pulls together all the threads from the Jedi Academy storyline and actually makes them matter. The stakes feel bigger here. Ancient Sith spirits, fragile new Jedi students, political tension bubbling in the background. It’s a lot, but it works.

I really enjoyed seeing Luke step fully into his role as a teacher. He’s still figuring it out, still doubting, which made it feel more grounded. The students were messy in that very believable “learning to wield the Force and your emotions at the same time” way.

The Sun Crusher storyline is still slightly over the top for me. Fun? Yes. Subtle? Not even a little. But honestly, sometimes Star Wars is at its best when it leans into the dramatic chaos.

Not perfect, but engaging and a satisfying conclusion. Four stars from me.

5 Stars

This is how you end a trilogy.

The Last Command takes everything that’s been building across the Thrawn series and tightens it until it snaps. The strategy. The political maneuvering. The quiet tension humming beneath every conversation. It all lands.

Thrawn continues to be one of the most compelling villains in Star Wars. Calm, calculated, ten steps ahead. Watching him work is almost unsettling because it feels inevitable.

I loved seeing the New Republic stretched thin, scrambling to hold itself together. Luke’s growth, Mara Jade’s arc, the way everything converges without feeling messy. It just works.

The pacing never drags. Every chapter feels intentional. And that ending? Satisfying without being neat.

Five stars. This trilogy absolutely deserves the hype.

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