Unusual Eulogies is a curated record of my reading life. These entries collect brief reflections on the books that have accompanied me at different moments \u2014 classics, contemporary fiction, unexpected finds, and the ones everyone was talking about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This year was all about\u00a0stories of rebellion and quiet defiance, but told with a haunting, tension-soaked mood. I craved books where the tension wasn’t just in the plot, but in the very air the characters breathed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I read with a dual heart: as a pure reader getting lost in a story, and as a writer marveling at voice, structure, and the lingering questions a great book leaves behind. Think of this not as a review site, but as a conversation about the stories that stick with us. It\u2019s a reference for anyone curious about what\u2019s on my shelf and, perhaps, a source for your next great read.<\/p>\n\n\n
This book is a blast of pure, witty fun. A middle school crush recommended it, knowing my legendary soft spot for Loki, and it delivered. It builds out the Marvel version we know with great energy. It\u2019s fast-paced and feels perfectly pitched for younger readers or anyone who loves a charismatic troublemaker.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
I totally get the hype \u2014 this concept is\u00a0so<\/em>\u00a0clever! The puzzle-box mystery is genuinely tense and addictive, packed with twists and family secrets. While love triangles aren\u2019t usually my thing and I\u2019m terrible at committing to series, this is an undeniably entertaining ride for anyone who loves a page-turning gimmick done well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Reading this classic felt like attending the most dramatic, decadent party of the century. It\u2019s intentionally over-the-top, a dizzying exploration of obsession and the American Dream. While all that yearning wasn\u2019t entirely my personal scene, its sheer style and efficiency make it a must-read. I\u2019m glad I went; it was a perfect, vivid trip.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n My honest journey with this classic? I found the pacing deliberate, but the writing is so breathtakingly elegant. I fully fell for its magic after watching an adaptation and catching the rhythm of its brilliant social maneuvering. It\u2019s a masterpiece of subtle judgment and simmering tension. A patient read, but one that absolutely rewards you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ll always associate this book with the sound of crickets on my cousins’ porch in South Carolina. It\u2019s a thought-provoking, inspirational read that blends intention-setting with lunar cycles. Less of a traditional book and more of a guided experience, it left me feeling curiously focused and hopeful.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Why did I wait so long? This series is a masterclass in layered storytelling. Beyond the survival drama, it\u2019s a sharp, relentless commentary on power, media, and rebellion that feels chillingly relevant. The personal relationships serve the larger point \u2014 this is brilliant, propulsive fiction with a formidable backbone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n This fast-paced mystery had an intriguing setting. Readers who love quick, plot-driven thrillers might find a fun escape here.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n A foundational sci-fi classic with a truly killer concept. I admired its imagination and historical impact, though the split narrative and prose style felt a bit distant for my modern reader sensibilities. It\u2019s a cool glimpse into the origins of alien invasion stories.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n A true BookTok phenomenon! This book explores haunting themes of memory, guilt, and loss with an interesting structural idea. I deeply respect the emotional chord it struck with so many readers. Its haunting tension is undeniable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n A short, dense, and fascinating dive into the duality of human nature. It takes a minute to settle into its rhythm, but once it does, it becomes a profoundly thought-provoking parable about morality we\u2019re still wrestling with today.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n This book is what happens when a poet writes a novel. Every sentence is a devastating, perfect jewel. It\u2019s a breathtaking meditation on beauty, corruption, and consequence. All hail Oscar Wilde, forever.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n This series is my spicy mythological romance phase! It\u2019s a fun, engaging, and steamy reimagining of the classic myth. The characters are charming, the drama is high, and it delivers exactly what fans of the genre crave: fantasy, desire, and addictive tension.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n This is a deeply moving, emotionally resonant novel. Set during WWII, it handles profound loss and survival with raw, graceful sensitivity. It\u2019s the kind of story that carves a place in your heart and stays there, long after the final page. Beautiful and heartbreaking.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n A beautifully written, introspective Gothic journey that truly tested my patience in the best way. The slow burn and the complex power dynamics had me engrossed, even when I was frustrated. Finishing it felt like a hard-won accomplishment. The prose alone is stunning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n What an unexpected, eerie gem! I adored the ghostly atmosphere, the constant twists, and the remarkably human, flawed antagonist. It\u2019s a clever, atmospheric, and thoroughly fun read that completely pulled me into its world. This year was all about\u00a0stories of rebellion and quiet defiance, but told with a haunting, tension-soaked mood. I craved books where the tension wasn’t just in the plot, but in the very air the characters breathed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":134972872,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[774386446],"tags":[99034,34014,7215,3328,7758714,178,907,119925,1745,349],"class_list":["post-292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-unusual-eulogies","tag-book-discussion","tag-book-ratings","tag-book-review","tag-book-reviews","tag-bookish-thoughts","tag-books","tag-reading-list","tag-reading-recommendations","tag-review","tag-writing"],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pfZGWd-4I","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":312,"url":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/2022\/12\/31\/unusual-eulogies-2022\/","url_meta":{"origin":292,"position":0},"title":"Unusual Eulogies | 2022","author":"Montse \"M.B\" Benavides","date":"December 31, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"2022 was a year of\u00a0literary deconstruction and raw voice. I found myself drawn to stories that peeled back the layers of storytelling itself \u2014 examining classic structures, dissecting narrative power, and marveling at bold, unconventional voices. It was a year spent equally in the workshop and the gallery, appreciating both\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Unusual Eulogies"","block_context":{"text":"Unusual Eulogies","link":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/category\/unusual-eulogies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":353,"url":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/2024\/12\/31\/unusual-eulogies-2024\/","url_meta":{"origin":292,"position":1},"title":"Unusual Eulogies | 2024","author":"Montse \"M.B\" Benavides","date":"December 31, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"This year\u2019s reading has been a deep dive into\u00a0the anatomy of obsession and of the self. I've been drawn to stories that dissect desperate love, fractured identities, and the haunting legacies we inherit or violently cast off. It's been a journey through raw nerves and beautiful ruins, exploring what happens\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Unusual Eulogies"","block_context":{"text":"Unusual Eulogies","link":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/category\/unusual-eulogies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":616,"url":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/2025\/12\/31\/unusual-eulogies-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":292,"position":2},"title":"Unusual Eulogies | 2025","author":"Montse \"M.B\" Benavides","date":"December 31, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"These entries capture a unique period of my reading life: a deep, structured dive into\u00a0the mechanics of meaning. Alongside novels and memoirs, I spent a significant amount of time with academic texts \u2014 deconstructing narrative theory, hermeneutics, and the structure of stories. This shelf is a focused exploration of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Unusual Eulogies"","block_context":{"text":"Unusual Eulogies","link":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/category\/unusual-eulogies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":407,"url":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/2023\/12\/31\/unusual-eulogies-2023\/","url_meta":{"origin":292,"position":3},"title":"Unusual Eulogies | 2023","author":"Montse \"M.B\" Benavides","date":"December 31, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"My reading in 2023 was defined by\u00a0haunting intimacy and fractured perspectives. I was drawn to voices that spoke from the margins of memory, of society, of reality itself, and to stories that explored the raw, complex anatomy of trauma, love, and identity. It was a year of feeling viscerally, in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Unusual Eulogies"","block_context":{"text":"Unusual Eulogies","link":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/category\/unusual-eulogies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2628,"url":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/2026\/09\/08\/lets-get-naughty-a-guide-to-leaving-a-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":292,"position":4},"title":"Let’s get naughty: a guide to leaving a review","author":"Montse \"M.B\" Benavides","date":"September 8, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Humorously urging readers to write detailed, heartfelt reviews, emphasizing their importance for both authors and future readers.","rel":"","context":"In "Creative Pulse"","block_context":{"text":"Creative Pulse","link":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/category\/creative-pulse\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2525,"url":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/2026\/07\/21\/thank-you-for-reading-the-things-i-couldnt-stop-writing\/","url_meta":{"origin":292,"position":5},"title":"Thank you for reading the things I couldn’t stop writing","author":"Montse \"M.B\" Benavides","date":"July 21, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Reflecting on my journey, emphasizing the connection with readers and the evolving nature of storytelling through shared experiences and conversations.","rel":"","context":"In "Creative Pulse"","block_context":{"text":"Creative Pulse","link":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/category\/creative-pulse\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/292","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/134972872"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=292"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/292\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1805,"href":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/292\/revisions\/1805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=292"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=292"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mbnovels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\n\n\nThe Great Gatsby<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
F. Scott Fitzgerald<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nPride and Prejudice<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Jane Austen<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe Power Wish<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Keiko<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe Hunger Games<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Catching Fire<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Mockingjay<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Suzanne Collins<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nMissing in Tokyo (Spanish Edition)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Graham Marks<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe War of the Worlds<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
H. G. Wells<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWe Were Liars<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
E. Lockhart
<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Robert Louis Stevenson<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe Picture of Dorian Gray<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Oscar Wilde<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nA Touch of Darkness<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
A Touch of Ruin<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
A Game of Fate<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Scarlett St. Clair<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nBetween Shades of Gray (Spanish Edition)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Ruta Sepetys<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nJane Eyre<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Charlotte Bront\u00eb<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nStorm Catchers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Tim Bowler<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"