Review:: The Slippery Slope, by Lemony Snicket

Title: The Slippery Slope

Author: Lemony Snicket

Series: A Series of Unfortunate Events, #10

Format: Kindle

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Previously:

The Bad Beginning

The Reptile Room

The Wide Window

The Miserable Mill

The Austere Academy

The Ersatz Elevator

The Vile Village

The Hostile Hospital
The Carnivorous Carnival

Wait, what, three stars? Yup. This book was genuinely enjoyable, unlike most of the books minus the beginning. Either I'm inured to the author's tone or it's lighter in this book, the entire work doesn't feel like an exercise in futility, and Sunny is actually treated like a character.

Nostalgia Review:: A Stainless Steel Rat is Born, by Harry Harrison

Title: A Stainless Steel Rat is Born

Author: Harry Harrison

Series: Stainless Steel Rat, #6 (Publication Order)

Format: Paperback

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Still good?
Eh.

Previously:
The Stainless Steel Rat
The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge
The Stainless Steel Rat Saves the World
The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You!
The Stainless Steel Rat for President

I have fond memories of realizing I could learn the origins of the Stainless Steel Rat. I have even fonder memories of meeting his mentor, The Bishop. And that's where my fond memories stop. Probably because the rest of the book is just repetitive. Up until now, I felt like Slippery Jim hadn't overstayed, but in this one... it was a bit tough.

Review:: The Carnivorous Carnival, by Lemony Snicket

Title: The Carnivorous Carnival

Author: Lemony Snicket

Series: A Series of Unfortunate Events, #9

Format: Kindle

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Previously:

The Bad Beginning

The Reptile Room

The Wide Window

The Miserable Mill

The Austere Academy

The Ersatz Elevator

The Vile Village

The Hostile Hospital

Once again, the Baudelaire orphans have to deal with an awful situation involving Count Olaf. Once again, the moment something seems to be getting better, it gets worse. Even though we're not dealing with incompetent guardians anymore, this is still really formulaic.

Review:: The Victorian Internet, by Tom Standage

Title: The Victorian Internet

Author: Tom Standage

Format: eBook

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

While The Victorian Internet has some great info, it reads like a school essay. Minus good citations. I learned quite a bit, but if you're writing nonfic, you should cite, not just put sources at the end, and if you're making a point, trust your reader.

Review:: Permanent Present Tense, by Suzanne Corkin

Title: Permanent Present Tense

Author: Suzanne Corkin

Format: Hardcover

Rating: ★★★★☆

This round, my book club on Habitica (previously called HabitRPG) selected from a set of non-fiction books. I was hoping that this (or The Victorian Internet) would be chosen. And I got my wish! While I definitely enjoyed it, as you can see from the rating, it wasn't a book without issues. It certainly felt "split," as if Suzanne Corkin couldn't decide if she wanted to write about H.M.'s life or his contributions to science.

Review:: The Hostile Hospital, by Lemony Snicket

Title: The Hostile Hospital

Author: Lemony Snicket

Series: A Series of Unfortunate Events, #8

Format: Kindle

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Previously:

The Bad Beginning

The Reptile Room

The Wide Window

The Miserable Mill

The Austere Academy

The Ersatz Elevator

The Vile Village

Something novel happens. No seriously! Something changes. Is it enough to make the books any better? ...no, not really. But hey, hey. The formula has been altered.

Nostalgia Review:: Enchantment, by Orson Scott Card

Title: Enchantment

Author: Orson Scott Card

Format: Kindle

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Still good?

No. Just... no. no. no. no.

Considering reading this? Go read Deathless, by Catherynne M. Valente instead. Just trust me on it. Or don't.