GPL_Ethan's Completed Shelf
SpectatorsSpectators, Graphic Novel
by Vaughan, Brian K.Graphic Novel, 2025Graphic Novel, 2025
Available at another libraryView location availabilityView location availability for Spectators, Graphic Novel, Available at another library
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Nov 26, 2025
Strange HousesStrange Houses, Book
by UketsuBook, 2025First HarperVia edition.Book, 2025. First HarperVia edition.
Available at another libraryView location availabilityView location availability for Strange Houses, Book, Available at another library
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Nov 19, 2025
Comment:
Not quite enough payoff for me, but the first half is very atmospheric with some great mystery setup. I felt like the 'detectives' had too easy a time figuring out the central mystery. Pretty cool format, and a nice little blend of locked room mystery and horror, but not enough heft here.Not quite enough payoff for me, but the first half is very atmospheric with some great mystery setup. I felt like the 'detectives' had too easy a time figuring out the central mystery. Pretty cool format, and a nice little blend of locked room…
MaterialistsMaterialists, Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc, 2025Special edition.Blu-ray Disc, 2025. Special edition.
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Nov 17, 2025
Comment:
Really interesting juxtaposition between how cynical the lead is and how earnest the rest of the filmmaking is. A difficult needle to thread but it mostly worked for me. This isn't your typical romcom, it's closer to Before Sunrise than When Harry Met Sally, but it *is* pretty dryly funny too, between its more serious moments. A few plot elements are completely nonsensical but this is still worth your time.Really interesting juxtaposition between how cynical the lead is and how earnest the rest of the filmmaking is. A difficult needle to thread but it mostly worked for me. This isn't your typical romcom, it's closer to Before Sunrise than When Harry…
The Kaiju Preservation SocietyThe Kaiju Preservation Society, Book
by Scalzi, JohnBook, 2022First edition.Book, 2022. First edition.
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Nov 17, 2025
Comment:
Scalzi may not have a lot of range, but his books remain entertaining page turners nonetheless. My biggest issue with this is that it feels like it's over just as it's really getting started. Very little plot, it's all worldbuilding and exposition. Still a very fun diversion.Scalzi may not have a lot of range, but his books remain entertaining page turners nonetheless. My biggest issue with this is that it feels like it's over just as it's really getting started. Very little plot, it's all worldbuilding and exposition.…
King SorrowKing Sorrow, BookA Novel
by Hill, JoeBook, 2025First edition.Book, 2025. First edition.
Available at another libraryView location availabilityView location availability for King Sorrow, Book, Available at another library
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Nov 05, 2025
Comment:
An epic parable about the horror of power. Power corrupts is Hill's thesis here, but I think it's very important to his point that the seeds of corruption are present before the power is there. There are a few late developments that seem surprising at first but there was plenty of foreshadowing in retrospect.
Feels like a few different books attached together, but they blend seamlessly and cohesively by the end. An excellent and varied cast carries you through and keeps you invested from the beginning. This structure keeps the book from feeling its length, too.
Feels more influenced by Tolkien and fairy tale than horror. Trickery, loopholes, and other fantasy influence is crucial here, and the book is very genre-bendy. I wouldn't necessarily classify this as horror, though there are some disturbing and frightening moments.
An easy rec to any fans of Hill or King, and a strong rec to readers who like dark academia, magical realism, or dark fantasy.An epic parable about the horror of power. Power corrupts is Hill's thesis here, but I think it's very important to his point that the seeds of corruption are present before the power is there. There are a few late developments that seem surprising…
Mickey 17Mickey 17, DVD
DVD, 2025DVD, 2025
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Oct 28, 2025
Comment:
Always here for Pattinson picking bizarre projects - this feels like Bong Joon Ho trying his best to make a satire in the vein of Terry Gilliam, and I mean that as an earnest compliment.
28 Years Later28 Years Later, DVD
DVD, 2025DVD, 2025
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Oct 28, 2025
Comment:
Very very different from what I expected and it never quite clicked with me. Feels like three, maybe even four different movies stapled together. The original is one of my all-time favorites and I was hoping for something more tonally consistent with that which is not even remotely what I got...but there's maybe 30 minutes combined here and there that I absolutely adored. Fiennes is so good here, wish he was in it more.
To be clear, I don't think its necessarily a bad thing this isn't tonally consistent with the original film. It shows the mark of two filmmakers who have changed a lot over the past not-quite-28-years. A common criticism of 28 Days Later is that it seems like Boyle forgets that it's only been 4 weeks...but for me, that's Boyle's entire thesis, that it's only a handful of markers of civilization that are keeping at least some people from absolute barbarity. It's a bleak, pessimistic outlook on humanity. This film takes a completely different approach - sure, it's not a rainbows and puppies good time, but there's a very human and honestly ordinary community at the heart of this.
I don't think it stands on its own at all, and that's probably its biggest flaw. The opening and closing scenes create a bookend that doesn't really do anything at all within the context of this movie, and it's obvious the sequel will capitalize on that. I don't love that, but I'm withholding judgment until Bone Temple's release.Very very different from what I expected and it never quite clicked with me. Feels like three, maybe even four different movies stapled together. The original is one of my all-time favorites and I was hoping for something more tonally consistent…
Jurassic WorldJurassic World, DVDRebirth
DVD, 2025DVD, 2025
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Oct 28, 2025
Comment:
I very much appreciate Gareth Edwards bringing this franchise back to its roots: reveling in how absolutely joyous it is to see a dinosaur.
My main issue is that I do not buy the idea that they are breeding hybrids because people are bored of regular dinosaurs. We still go to zoos, to museums that only have bones, and we still go see these movies.
I love the way this is shot, with an outstanding sense of geography, and there is nobody in the business doing scale like Edwards.I very much appreciate Gareth Edwards bringing this franchise back to its roots: reveling in how absolutely joyous it is to see a dinosaur.
My main issue is that I do not buy the idea that they are breeding hybrids because people are bored of…
28 Days Later28 Days Later, DVD
DVD, 2003Widescreen special editionDVD, 2003. Widescreen special edition
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Oct 28, 2025
Comment:
The idiosyncrasies of this make it sing. Why do the flowers look like that in the shot after the supermarket? Why is Mark sleeping in the corner of that one skyline shot? Why is so much of the terrifying imagery so grainy that you can barely tell what it is? All a bonus. For me, this is Danny Boyle's best, and Murphy's score (complemented by a great tune from Granddaddy, and an iconic piece from Godspeed You Black Emperor) takes this over the top.The idiosyncrasies of this make it sing. Why do the flowers look like that in the shot after the supermarket? Why is Mark sleeping in the corner of that one skyline shot? Why is so much of the terrifying imagery so grainy that you can barely tell…
The MonkeyThe Monkey, DVD
DVD, 2025DVD, 2025
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Oct 28, 2025
Comment:
Good goofy fun. A bit like Final Destination but more self aware and intentionally comedic?
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight SoilBury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, Book
by Schwab, VictoriaBook, 2025First edition, Signed edition.Book, 2025. First edition, Signed edition.
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Oct 28, 2025
Comment:
If you're like me, you've been searching fruitlessly for a book that scratches the same itch as Schwab's The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Schwab's other books just weren't up to the task - until now. Exquisite prose, incredible characters...just absolutely a book to get lost in the vibes of. I will say that for some readers this is going to take way too long to get started. Any real conflict only really presents itself at over the half-way mark, and even the first mention of vampirism only shows up around 20-25%? But it's a book to savor, so for some readers - myself included- that is a feature and not a bug, but if you found Addie LaRue to be overwritten and too slow, this is an automatic skip.If you're like me, you've been searching fruitlessly for a book that scratches the same itch as Schwab's The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Schwab's other books just weren't up to the task - until now. Exquisite prose, incredible characters...just…
My FriendsMy Friends, BookA Novel
by Backman, FredrikBook, 2025First Atria Books hardcover edition.Book, 2025. First Atria Books hardcover edition.
Available at another libraryView location availabilityView location availability for My Friends, Book, Available at another library
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Oct 28, 2025
Comment:
Backman absolutely threads the needle of cozy without being cloying in this pseudo-coming of age/train adventure story. There is legitimate tragedy couching the story that keeps it from feeling overly fluffy. An easy recommendation to a huge variety of readers.Backman absolutely threads the needle of cozy without being cloying in this pseudo-coming of age/train adventure story. There is legitimate tragedy couching the story that keeps it from feeling overly fluffy. An easy recommendation to a huge variety…
A Forty Year KissA Forty Year Kiss, BookA Novel
by Butler, NickolasBook, 2025Book, 2025
Available at another libraryView location availabilityView location availability for A Forty Year Kiss, Book, Available at another library
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Oct 28, 2025
Comment:
Comforting without feeling saccharine - very midwestern. Not a typical romance, but also not far enough removed that I hesitate to recommend this to people who won't read the genre. Cozy and low stakes but organic, real, and grounded - think Linklater's Before trilogy, particularly Before Midnight.Comforting without feeling saccharine - very midwestern. Not a typical romance, but also not far enough removed that I hesitate to recommend this to people who won't read the genre. Cozy and low stakes but organic, real, and grounded - think…
Angel DownAngel Down, Book
by Kraus, DanielBook, 2025First Atria Books hardcover edition.Book, 2025. First Atria Books hardcover edition.
Available at another libraryView location availabilityView location availability for Angel Down, Book, Available at another library
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Oct 28, 2025
Comment:
Kraus turns his eye to the war novel, and as you might expect from him if you've read any of his other books, he turns it into a horror novel. The experimental one-sentence structure makes the gruesomeness difficult to turn away from, making this breathlessly paced and fascinating once you see the big picture. Brilliant thematic work.
If the gimmick doesn't work for you, try the audio - you'd hardly notice it in that format.
One of the best books of 2025.Kraus turns his eye to the war novel, and as you might expect from him if you've read any of his other books, he turns it into a horror novel. The experimental one-sentence structure makes the gruesomeness difficult to turn away from, making this…
Blood MeridianBlood Meridian, eBook
by McCarthy, CormaceBook, 2010eBook, 2010
All copies in use
Holds: 26 on 3 copies
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Oct 28, 2025
Comment:
I get why some argue that this is *the* American masterpiece. Doesn't quite earn that accolade for me (I'd rather go with Lonesome Dove, personally), but I certainly get it. A brutal deconstruction of the myths of manifest destiny and American expansion with just a ruthless and relentless slew of mindless, senseless, and sudden violence. McCarthy's sparse writing brings this landscape to life. Not something I think I'd rush to reread, but glad I gave it the effort.I get why some argue that this is *the* American masterpiece. Doesn't quite earn that accolade for me (I'd rather go with Lonesome Dove, personally), but I certainly get it. A brutal deconstruction of the myths of manifest destiny and American…
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Oct 28, 2025
Comment:
Pretty solid autumnal read that I might rec for folks looking for just lighter seasonal vibes. This isn't cozy by any stretch, but it's not particularly scary, either - just grim. King's thesis here is that many people only need a small push before they will absolutely eat each other, and while there is some paranormal at work here, it's how grounded most of the story is that makes it frightening at all. Very long but worthwhile with not a lot of cruft - the length here all goes to bring the town of Castle Rock and its inhabitants to life.Pretty solid autumnal read that I might rec for folks looking for just lighter seasonal vibes. This isn't cozy by any stretch, but it's not particularly scary, either - just grim. King's thesis here is that many people only need a small push before…
Worst Case ScenarioWorst Case Scenario, BookA Novel
by Newman, T. J.Book, 2024First edition.Book, 2024. First edition.
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Jun 18, 2025
Comment:
Super engaging from page 1. Very cinematic, can easily see it being adapted to the screen. A bit cliched especially by the end but the character work makes it all come together. Audiobook narrator Joe Morton does a terrific job as well. Highly recommended for anyone searching for the next Crichton.Super engaging from page 1. Very cinematic, can easily see it being adapted to the screen. A bit cliched especially by the end but the character work makes it all come together. Audiobook narrator Joe Morton does a terrific job as well. Highly…
CabinCabin, BookOff-the-grid Adventures With A Clueless Craftsman
by Hutchison, PatrickBook, 2024First edition.Book, 2024. First edition.
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added May 07, 2025
Comment:
Hutchison is a funny and engaging writer and this zips by. For any millennials who ever felt restless or aimless or like they were just pretending at being an adult, this one's for you. Or your parents, so they might understand.
The Mercy of GodsThe Mercy of Gods, Book
by Corey, James S. A.Book, 2024First edition.Book, 2024. First edition.
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Sep 27, 2024
Comment:
If you liked The Expanse, you'll like this. Fantastic characters (I like Dafyd SO MUCH more than I liked Jim Holden lmao), an incredible premise, fascinating worldbuilding.
If you didn't like The Expanse, I can't imagine you'd like this either, though it is at least (or will be) a bit less daunting to tackle the entire series.If you liked The Expanse, you'll like this. Fantastic characters (I like Dafyd SO MUCH more than I liked Jim Holden lmao), an incredible premise, fascinating worldbuilding.
If you didn't like The Expanse, I can't imagine you'd like this either,…
Service ModelService Model, Book
by Tchaikovsky, AdrianBook, 2024First edition.Book, 2024. First edition.
Available at another libraryView location availabilityView location availability for Service Model, Book, Available at another library
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Sep 15, 2024
Comment:
Picaresque satire about robots, like Candide done by Douglas Adams with a bit of Becky Chambers tossed in for good measure. Didn't quite know what to expect from this one and was practically in hysterics during the opening with the posh detective. Surprisingly thoughtful, relentlessly funny.Picaresque satire about robots, like Candide done by Douglas Adams with a bit of Becky Chambers tossed in for good measure. Didn't quite know what to expect from this one and was practically in hysterics during the opening with the posh detective.…
KnifeKnife, BookMeditations After An Attempted Murder
by Rushdie, SalmanBook, 2024First U.S. edition.Book, 2024. First U.S. edition.
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Aug 23, 2024
Comment:
A very unique memoir that, despite the subject, is overwhelmingly full of love - for the medical professionals that saved his life, for his support system on the road to recovery, and for his spouse.
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Aug 01, 2024
Comment:
Fantastic procedural stuff couched in a horror-adjacent crime thriller - one of the best of the genre. Completely amazing how Harris pulls off implementing a backstory so robust you'd think you'd missed a handful of books before this.
The Ministry of TimeThe Ministry of Time, Book
by Bradley, KalianeBook, 2024First Avid Reader press hardcover edition.Book, 2024. First Avid Reader press hardcover edition.
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Jun 19, 2024
Comment:
Like a lot of high-concept novels, I felt this sagged a bit under the weight of its premise in the back half. Fortunately, the premise is strong enough to support most of that weight - what if a guy from The Terror was transplanted in contemporary-ish London? How might he react to any number of historical events? Women's liberation, the ease of modern day travel, 9/11? The first half of the novel is slice-of-life, almost cozy fish out of water stuff. Very funny, beautifully written, strong characterization from the two protagonists and a host of colorful side characters. The back half goes a bit thriller-y, with lots of twisty time travel narrative stuff. This I didn't enjoy as much, though I do think most readers will probably have something of the opposite reaction, where they're just waiting for the book to actually start in the front half.
Probably a 4 star book that was suited enough to my particular interests and tastes that I'm gonna give it a five. I really, really enjoyed this.Like a lot of high-concept novels, I felt this sagged a bit under the weight of its premise in the back half. Fortunately, the premise is strong enough to support most of that weight - what if a guy from The Terror was transplanted in…
Miracle in the AndesMiracle in the Andes, Book72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home
by Parrado, NandoBook, 2006First editionBook, 2006. First edition
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Jun 06, 2024
Comment:
Equal parts harrowing and inspiring. Parrado is very honest, not shying away from his faults and having a pretty frank discussion of faith and spirituality in the face of tragedy. It's amazing that we got a firsthand account of this disaster. Highly recommended.Equal parts harrowing and inspiring. Parrado is very honest, not shying away from his faults and having a pretty frank discussion of faith and spirituality in the face of tragedy. It's amazing that we got a firsthand account of this disaster. Highly…
Chain-gang All-starsChain-gang All-stars, Book
by Adjei-Brenyah, Nana KwameBook, 2023First Edition.Book, 2023. First Edition.
GPL_Ethan's rating:
Added Mar 14, 2024
Comment:
Utter masterpiece, a new favorite. I think most of my complaints ultimately boil down to I wish it was longer, because I could have read another 1000 pages of this easily. Heartbreaking, horrifying, riveting, thought-provoking. Surprisingly epic in scope despite not being epic-length; Adjei-Brenyah really deftly incorporates a ton of different POVs that give you a full picture of this impending dystopia. Easy to pitch this as adult Hunger Games, and that's not incorrect, but I think that does a disservice to both, despite how many similarities are there.
Would be a great discussion title if your book club can hack it.Utter masterpiece, a new favorite. I think most of my complaints ultimately boil down to I wish it was longer, because I could have read another 1000 pages of this easily. Heartbreaking, horrifying, riveting, thought-provoking. Surprisingly epic in…

Comment: