meg reads and reads

Title: Cell Author: Stephen King Stephen King. The name conjures images of masterful storytelling, chilling suspense, and characters that burrow their way into your soul. He's crafted some of the best stories ever written, tales that have shaped the landscape of modern horror. And then there's Cell. About halfway through this book, I remember thinking, "Wow, this must be what diarrhea reads like." And no, I'm not being intentionally crude for shock value. That's genuinely the most apt description I can muster for the experience of reading this book. It's a messy, unpleasant, and ultimately unsatisfying slog. The premise--a cell phone signal turns people into homicidal maniacs--had potential. King is a master of taking the mundane and twisting it into something terrifying. But in Cell, the execution falls spectacularly flat. The characters are largely forgettable, the plot meanders aimlessly, and the violence feels gratuitous rather than genuinely scary. It...

Title: Bad Mormon Author: Heather Gay Heather Gay's Bad Mormon isn't just a juicy tell-all about the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City; it's a raw and honest explanation of faith, family, and the enduring impact of religious trauma.  Bad Mormon pulls no punches. Gay bravely dissects the complexities of Mormon culture, exposing its contradictions and the often-unspoken pressures placed upon its members, particularly women. She doesn't shy away from the pain of her divorce, the challenges of single motherhood within a judgmental community, or the struggle to reconcile her desire for authenticity with the expectations of her former faith. What struck me most was the vulnerability with which she shares her journey. It's not a simple narrative of good versus evil, or believer versus apostate. Instead, Gay paints a nuanced portrait of a woman grappling with the fallout of leaving a deeply ingrained belief system, even when that departure was, in some ways, a relief. While...