Taste the Books: Review Morsels #6 Parker Peevyhouse, Nova Ren Suma, A.S. King

Intro

Hello beauties!

Welcome again to my own brand of mini reviews! I never thought I'd do minis, until I recapped a few of my long reviews in some digest post in 2014, and then guest-posted some shorties for a blogging event in 2015. And Karen from For What It's Worth started praising my short recs/recaps 😊. Just to be clear,  I'm NOT taking a break from writing long reviews - no such luck LOL. But while I'm making up my mind about a new book I've read, I might as well give you the short version 😉. Just be warned - this feature will be VERY random! So, here goes...

Where Futures End by Parker Peevyhouse

★★★★

The format is probably this book's strong suit, along with the evocative writing. Then again, in a way, it's also its limit. There's a fil rouge that connects these five stories, set further and further in the future, but due to said format, we get to spend too little time with the characters in order to deeply care for them. That being said, this book has a lot going for it. The concept is unique (albeit the premise of colliding worlds isn't), and the different futures are vividly painted, though we miss the larger perspective for obvious reasons (we get to visit five of them in the span of one rather short book). Also, once you go past the premise, this is not hard-core sci-fi. WFE reads more like a plausible (if frightening) commentary on how our world might evolve - not to mention that, for a sci-fi-based novel, it's got a very strong fantasy vibe. Fun fact: I'm not a gamer (except for some arcade/platform), but my favourite section was Reef's - think Pokemon Go brought to the extreme consequences, but (alas) totally believable. All in all, I would say that WFE is not everyone's cup of tea, but still it's an extremely tasty one that the right reader will savour.

Full review to come. (Goodreads pre-review)

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

★★★★

Rated 4.5 really.

Having read The Walls Around Us prior to this one, I was expecting a few things - the evocative writing that never gets purple, the haunting atmosphere, the damaged girls you can't seem to hate. Except in this case there's not redemption - but still, there are consequences.
I buddy-read this one with my friend Carrie, and the amount of crazy theories we spun about it could have sustained a blog for a few weeks. In the end, some were proved right, most wrong. I do believe Suma is the original Ruby - she can make her readers dance at her will and only let them see what she wants them to see. (Though I guessed the ending, but there were only 4 chapters to go, and guessing didn't make it less effective).
If you like to dance the fine line between all-too-real toxic sibling relationships and otherworldly occurrences, between the mundane and the supernatural, and second-guess your every theory (most of which are more than often proved wrong), this book is for you.

Full review to come. (Goodreads pre-review)

Still Life with Tornado by A.S. King

★★★★

King lures you in with her surrealism/magical-realism-driven stories, and then throws a punch at your face.
I loved this book because it's crazy, and I loved it because it tells a few harsh truths. Because it has a point - or more than a point - about art, life, pain and rebirth. Because the Sarahs are far more than a gimmick. Because I kept highlighting quotes. Because, despite the Sarahs - or because of them - it felt real.
Side note: if you read this book, heard it call out society for discounting teens' feelings, and you still think that the protagonist is whiny, you've clearly had a good life in the popular lane and I envy you.

Full review to come. (Goodreads pre-review)

So, have you read/are you planning to read any of the above? And if you have, what do you think of them? Do you post mini reviews? Do you like to read them?