'The Wives' review *spoilers*

Originally, I had this rated a little higher, but the more I stewed on it, the more I just did not like it. And weeks later, writing this review, I'm just not happy about it, so here we go.

The premise of this - about a gal who agreed to a poly marriage where she wasn't supposed to know anything about the other wives but finds out that her husband may be abusing one of the other wives and wants to try and save her - was an interesting ideas. And if that's all it was, I think this would've been a good thriller-type (with more research into the whole poly thing needed, most def), but there was a "plot twist" that pretty much invalidated the first half of the book.

I mean, I kinda hated it. I rated it two stars on Goodreads, a pan on Litsy.

My biggest issue with the book is that it uses Thursday's mental illness as a plot point and a "convenient" way to wrap up all those loose ends and random choices she made (oh, she's mentally ill, that explain everything, right?). I realize people react to certain situations differently, but this level of psychosis just doesn't seem reasonable given the reason why. Thursday had a miscarriage sometime before the story begins, and while that's horrible and traumatic, it and her refusal to accept it (and the events after) fully are used as the catalysts to her downward spiral. I dunno, man.

Another thing I disliked about this book, other than the main character Thursday, was just... the characterization of every other female in the book. They were caricatures and stereotypes and just flat as a board. All these women were held down and hurt in some way by men and I'm just not happy reading about that. That's all they were. All their characters were there just to further demonize men. Men are manipulators and cheaters and they bribe and cajool women to stay with them (well, with the exception of Thursday who is just too crazy for her "husband," but he's a-ok leaning into that psychosis to get the food/sex whenever he wants). It's just gross. I'd also venture that this can be considered rape seeing as she, during those scenes, wasn't cognitively aware that they were no longer in a relationship and he's just taking advantage of that.

Also, that ending? When she should've been on the road to recovery and it honestly seemed like it, she just goes batshit on what's-her-face that visits? Out of left fucking field, man. Ridiculous. Of all the people she interacted with in the book, I'd say she's maybe three down the line of who she should be most angry with. In no way a realistic reaction. And maybe that was just in her head? But I fucking hate that kind of shit.

Needless to say, I'm not interested in reading any of Tarryn Fisher's other books as looking at their reviews, I see much of the same and no thanks.

'Storm Front' review

Let me just start that this will be a divisive review. People seem to love Dresden. There has to be good about the series seeing as it's up to as of now 15 main books and I personally own the first 13. Because I thought I'd love it. I mean, I dig private investigators and while urban fantasy isn't my favorite, I can read them as fun palate cleansers.

This was not a fun palate cleanser. I finished this strictly as a hate read (I desperately wanted to finish so that I could bitch at the book club).

Dresden is a sexist, arrogant shit and as of 2000, so is Jim Butcher. Because if this isn't a self-insertion story than I don't know what is. I read this and got this impression of Dresden as just the fedora-wearing, m'lady, neckbeard type. Looking up Butcher, I got a similar impression.

Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed narratives where the character is a chauvinist, but it's different when even the tone in general is just sexist. When all the characters don't fight it, when all the characters play into it. I'm OK with arrogant characters, but rinse and repeat.

All the female characters in this use their sexuality to get ahead. The one that doesn't still ends up helpless and in need of Dresden's help, after spending a night mothering him. There's nothing wrong with this. There's something wrong with this when it's just expected. He pays extra attention to the women's makeup and clothes, while the men get very brief descriptions. In fact, all the men were just pathetic and clearly, Dresden was better (with one exception because he was 'scary' - I guess a male can be a threatening nemesis, but not a woman).

Also, my mom read this for the book club too and she didn't enjoy it either, though didn't in particular notice the sexist crap. She's from the generation where this was just commonplace, internalized misogyny and all that. This isn't necessarily her genre either. I've also spoken to some other folks who didn't like this series either, so I'm not alone.

Am I going to read further into the series? I don't know. I have the next 12 and should that just go to waste? I don't know. Maybe the rage will subside. Maybe someone will tell me Dresden has a redemption arc where he suddenly isn't a shit, but I don't see that.

And can we forget that entire fight scene where Dresden is full on naked and traps a lady with him in a protective circle after she accidentally drinks a love potion and is basically grinding on him and trying to fuck him? Don't get me started on the fucking love potion. He fought making it, but not that hard.

Note: I never went to bookclub for this one. Had nothing to do with the book, but I don't particularly want to go into why.