Charlie Reads Against the Capitol

I find it deeply disturbing how as Hunger Games fans, we are basically citizens of the Capitol getting excited for the Hunger Games (Sunrise on the Reaping Movie).
Hi! I'm Charlie/the username I picked out in middle school, nerdytheorist. I'm a high school film student who is Bobcat-Bound and I love to read. I also a bit of a gaymer, witch, cosplayer, fanfic writer, and musician (Tenor saxophone, Guitar, Drums, and hopefully Bass soon).
I mainly treat Library Thing as a place to post my book reviews, and this year I'll also be visiting an independent bookstore a month, so maybe I'll talk about those too. I don't talk much else otherwise but feel free to post whatever on here!

Top 10 2025 Reads
1) The Handmaid's Tale
2) Somewhere Beyond the Sea
3) Onyx Storm
4) The House in the Cerulean Sea
5) Brothersong
6) Greywaren
7) Heartsong
8) Legends & Lattes
9) You've Reached Sam
10) Don't Let the Forest In
Recent Reads
Iron Flame
The Green Witch's Garden
Killer Instinct
Talking to My Father's Ghost
Scott Pilgrim Volume 1
Hazelthorn
Comfort Me With Apples
Scott Pilgrim Volume 2
Compound Fracture
Scott Pilgrim Volume 3
Currently Reading
Kingdom of Ash
The Fake Divination Offense

Audiobooks Completed: 6
Books Completed: 13
Total: 19

Welcome to the challenge.

Enjoy your 2026 Challenge!

Welcome to the Category Challenge, and happy reading in 2026!

Welcome to the Challenge Group!

I'm excited about the bookstore trips!

Good luck with your 2026 reading! I was a Bobcat for 2 years (Master's).

Welcome to the Category Challenge! I look forward to your reviews and to hearing about the independent bookstores you visit.

Welcome to the group and have fun with your reading and bookshop visiting!

Welcome! Looking forward to following your reading.

Thanks everyone!

The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky
Rating: 3.5/5
Category: Audiobook
Bennet Harrison isn't doing too with the fact his adoptive mother, Evelyn, is dying from cancer. His method of coping has resulted in an eating disorder, and a reliance on alcohol. Not too long ago, he moved in with his best friend, Reid, as Evelyn was in too poor of a state to properly take care of Bennet. Though he still sneaks out to hide away in his old house sometimes. As he realizes he has a problem with food, he tries a few things his school counselor recommended, including starting a food journal. But somehow, this journal ends up online and suddenly everyone knows about Bennet's condition. It seems as if he's lost everything, until a girl named Mallory bangs on the front door of his old house one day and takes him to do something with her. This abrupt friendship causes Bennet to realize that maybe there is hope after all in this journey of grief, self-love, healthy masculinity, and most importantly, body positivity.
There were times when this book felt pretty bleak, I'm not gonna lie. And it was shaping out to be a book that I honestly didn't really like. He was obviously struggling, but there were times where I just really didn't like the protagonist. But then when things started getting positive towards the end, this book sort of became beautiful. It does a really good job at how overcoming any kind of disorder takes a lot of time and work, and it also shines light on the fact that a lot of things can be healed and repaired even if they seem incredibly damaged. And it ends with a pretty awesome found family. So, this book really was a ride for me, but I'm glad I listened to it.
Next Listen: The Raven King

>12 nerdytheorist: Great review! I think I may pass on this one, though. Sounds like it may be a little too heavy for me. I'm glad it turned around for you by the end.

Heartless
Rating: 5/5
Category: Book
Lady Catherine Pinkerton has just one simple dream: to open up a bakery with her maid Mary Ann. With the Caterpillar retiring his cobbler workshop on main street, a perfect storefront for this bakery opens for her. But no matter how favorable the circumstances are, fate as different plans, for the King of Hearts intends to marry Catherine and make her queen. And if Cath knows one thing, it's that queens do not own bakeries. Then at one of the King's many ridiculous parties, Cath meets the new court joker, Jest, and falls in love. With a secret courtship forming between Cath and Jest, Catherine starts thinking that maybe the impossible really could happen.
I could go on for hours about this book. It is a PERFECT origin story with a beautifully devastating ending. Jest is super hot, and Catherine has an incredible character arc, evolving from just a girl with a dream, to the cold, heartless Queen of Hearts. This is an absolute must-read.
Next Read: Tower of Dawn

The Raven King
Rating: 3.5/5
Category: Audiobook
Neil Josten, an avid runner, has gotten himself in a situation he can't escape from. After antagonizing Rico from the Edgar Allen Ravens, who broke Kevin's hand and was the whole reason why he originally left Exy, on live television, Seth, the only fifth-year fox, 'coincidentally' dies of an overdose. At first Neil isn't too affected by this, but then at the Exy banquet later on, Rico reveals that he knows all about Neil's past, including his real name. As Neil watches his back even more closely than he did before, he continues to bond with the rest of the Palmetto State Foxes, as they become his only lifeline. But as the season progresses, Neil realizes his mindset of escape changes slowly to the desire of defending something more important to him: his home, and his team.
Ever since I started listening to this series, I've been enjoying it a lot more than I did in the first place. I'm really starting to grow more attached to these characters, and out of all of them, Andrew is definitely the most interesting. Also, the end of this book was WILD. Like, on the level of Onyx Storm's ending crazy.
Next Listen: The King's Men

>15 nerdytheorist: I think I need to bump this series up on the list...

House of Leaves
Rating: 3.5/5
Category: Book
It began when an old man named Zampano died and left behind in his decrepit apartment, the fragmented House of Leaves, an academic analysis of the nonexistent film The Navidson Record. Johnny Truant comes across this messy book when he breaks into Zampano's apartment with his friend Lude, and from there on out, his entire life changes. The book goes on to describe thoroughly describe the plot of the film and does it's best to describe the sheer absurdity of it all. The Navidson Record is simply a photographer who wants to document his new life with his family in a house they just moved to in Virginia. But something isn't right about the house; it's alive. And the more dangerous it becomes, the more obsessed Will Navidson becomes with learning about it. This obsession carries over into the real world, driving Johnny into insanity and causes his already crappy life to completely s h a t t e r.
This book is wild. There were definitely parts that dragged on about topics that were completely irrelevant, with a ridiculous amount of the footnotes lasting several pages long, but that just goes to show the insanity that this book has to offer. I'm not gonna lie, I didn't really pay attention to Johnny's story much because there was already too much to focus on in the actual Navidson Record itself. And by far the creepiest part of this book is the fact that after you read through it once, you feel as if you have to read it again, and again to fully understand it. This book makes you as obsessed as Johnny was, and as obsessed Navidson was with the house.

The King's Men
Rating: 5/5
Category: Audiobook
Neil Josten is done running from his past. After spending winter break with the menacing Edgar Allen ravens, he returns to Palmetto State University with the intention to finish the spring Exy season as a national champion alongside the other foxes. But in order to do that, he must fulfill his promise to the team captain Danielle Wilds and finish fixing the team by getting the twins Aaron and Andrew (now finally off his parole) to sort out all their issues somehow. While he's doing all of this, he gets to know the real Andrew, and something special blooms between them. Even though Neil is finally getting a happy life, he goes forward knowing that these next few months just might kill him.
I'm so happy that I stuck with this series, because this one was so good! The found family dynamic of the foxes is at its peak, especially with the literal beach episode they have on a mountain. And at last, all the sexual tension between Neil and Andrew is going somewhere. I can tell that I'm really going to miss the foxes and their shenanigans.
Next listen: The Naturals

>17 nerdytheorist: And by far the creepiest part of this book is the fact that after you read through it once, you feel as if you have to read it again, and again to fully understand it. This book makes you as obsessed as Johnny was, and as obsessed Navidson was with the house.

Yes! That's such a great point, and I agree that it's a big part of why the book is so creepy.

The Naturals
Rating: 3/5
Category: Audiobook
Cassie's mom went missing five years ago, though everyone knows that she's dead. She was murdered, but her body was never found. Now 17, Cassie lives with her dad's side of the family, living life from job to job. While her family loves her and expresses their full support of her, she feels she doesn't really belong with them. Then one day, she's approached by a mysterious boy her age at the diner she currently works at. This boy just so happens to be a member of the FBI Naturals Program, a small group of teenagers overseen by a man named Agent Briggs who possess incredible abilities to help solve cases of serial killers. And it turns out Cassie has the natural ability of profiling. Seeing this as an opportunity to find her place in this world, Cassie accepts her invitation, but soon after she starts out, Briggs and Lock, Cassie's mentor for profiling, get involved in a case that is oddly similar to her mother's. What started as an interesting career opportunity now is a chance for Cassie to finally find out what happened all those years ago.
This was a fun one! It's a pretty interesting take on the classic murder mystery, and I honestly wasn't able to guess who the culprit was until right before it was revealed. There were also some pretty fun characters in here too. Overall, this wasn't my favorite book, but I think I'm gonna keep going with the series.
Next Listen: Graphic Audio Part 1 of Iron Flame

>20 nerdytheorist: Huh. I don't think I'd even heard of this one. I can't remember: have you read The Inheritance Games?

>21 scaifea: No, and I don't really have an interest to.

Purgatory Funeral Cakes
Rating: 5/5
Category: Book
Margot and her little ghost partner-in-crime Miro are bakers. While they do make regular treats for our world, that's not their main business. They primarily bake funeral cakes to provide the dead with a sweet treat for their 49-day journey through purgatory to the afterlife. In this first volume, Margot and Miro have to bake cakes for a young blind girl with a third eye and a vampire mom.
This graphic novel/comic is perfect. I love the inspiration from Buddhism (I'm pretty sure that's where the 49 days comes from) and the art style is just incredible. It's also pretty cool how mythical beings are just incorporated into everyday life in this world. If you want to read something like The Sandman but are conflicted due to the controversy involving the author, then this is an amazing alternative.

>23 nerdytheorist: This sounds interesting and quirky. Taking a BB

Tower of Dawn
Rating: 5/5
Category: Book
Meanwhile, Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq embark on their own journey to the Southern Continent; to the glorious city of Antica, city of the powerful Khagan and world-renowned Healers of the Torre Cesme. Not only are they there to create an alliance with a power that may or may not determine the war ahead of them, but they are to free Chaol of his paralysis that he got back in the falling of Rifthold. Assigned to him is Yrene Towers, one of the most talented healers of the Torre, but once she starts working on him, it becomes apparent that their stay in Antica won't be short. As Chaol and Yrene work on healing, Nesryn branches off with Sartaq, a prince of the khaganate and leader of the ruk-riders (I don't remember what they're actually called). However, not all is well in the Khagan's lands, as a certain darkness lurks in the shadows and the deepest parts of the kingdom.
Honestly this was probably my favorite book so far in the series besides Queen of Shadows. The world-building is just so fascinating, and this book made me like Chaol, he's finally not the dullest character in the series! And once again, the ending has done a really good job hyping up the finale of the books.
Next Read: Brave New World

>25 nerdytheorist: Woot!!

Brave New World
Rating: 3/5
Category: Book
The year is 632 AF (After Ford) and society has been 'perfected.' Except this utopia isn't what something you and I would consider it. From birth everyone is psychologically conditioned to fit into strict classes, and to believe that individuality is a sin. In this society, the words mother and father are forbidden, as everyone is born from a factory of sorts. In this society, if you start to feel any negative emotion even the slightest, the solution is to take a drug known as soma. In this society, as soon as something becomes a bit too worn or old, you throw it away and replace it with something new. In this society, Henry Ford has replaced the concept of God. Even in this very hive-minded society, there are still some people that strive to think more individually. Bernard Marx is one of these people, and for a work assignment, he goes to a reservation located in New Mexico. There, he meets John, an 'uncivilized savage,' born from a mother raised in the utopian society, and brings him back to London. As John faces this brave new world alongside Bernard, he learns just how much society is willing to sacrifice for the sake of stability.
Reflecting on this book is not easy. It is a key entry to any sort of 'Doomsday Collection' but it honestly can become a little difficult to explain why. Why is this book considered Dystopian when it's about a utopia? The best answer I can currently come up with is that it represents a failure of solutions. Yes, there's world peace and everyone's happy and equal, but at the cost of individuality and human progression all together. I think Brave New World delves into how solutions can be very flawed if they don't address the complexity of issues. Overall, this feels like a very intellectual read and makes you think a bit (also there were admittedly many times where I had to reread a paragraph multiple times to fully comprehend it).
Next Read: Kingdom of Ash

>27 nerdytheorist: ...it represents a failure of solutions... I love that description!

>27 nerdytheorist: Why is this book considered Dystopian when it's about a utopia? I think almost any book that purports to describe a utopia should be viewed with suspicion. It seems to be a word that's always (or nearly always) used ironically.

The Green Witch's Garden
Rating: 3.5/5
Category: Book
Working with the natural world around us is a key element of witchcraft. We must be respectful of the earth as well as the other elements. This book is a great starting point for anyone who wants to start working with plants and gardens for magical purposes. It isn't necessarily a step-by-step guide as witchcraft, especially for green witches, is different for everyone. But it definitely provides a very barebones outline that can really help you take off. I know as I start getting into plants more that I'll refer back to this book a lot!

Killer Instinct
Rating: 4/5
Category: Audiobook
Six months after Agent Locke was caught for being the serial killer who imitated Cassie's mother's murder, the naturals have solved yet another cold case regarding a missing child. All is well for the gang until Agent Locke's replacement shows up and begins cracking down on the kids with new rules and a return to a regular education on top of the program. This puts Agent Veronica Sterling on everyone's bad side, especially Cassie's, until she finds out that her new mentor is involved with Dean's past. She was the one who helped Agent Briggs put Daniel Redding, infamous serial killer and Dean's father, behind bars. And not only is she serving as Locke's replacement, she also is here to evaluate the Naturals program and could possibly shut it down. However, that soon becomes the least of their worries as a new killer is on the loose. One that's impersonating the one and only Daniel Redding himself.
I liked this one a lot better than the first book in the series, as it focused so much more on the actual case at hand and didn't divide its attention with Cassie learning the ropes of profiling. The love triangle in it also isn't too insufferable as the story mainly focuses on the investigation. And for the most part, I liked pretty much all the characters before, but after reading this I can officially say that Sterling is my favorite character.

Talking to My Father's Ghost
Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Book
At his dad's funeral, Alex Krokus is the only one who sees his dad's ghost show up to watch and listen to the eulogies. And strangely, this isn't a one-time instance. Throughout the next year, Alex spends time with his father has he navigates through family interactions and grief.
This is a hard book to think of things to say about. It's cute, wholesome, funny, but also thoughtful. Reading it feels like you're peering into the author's family photo album and history. It may be a book about grief, but I don't think there's a better read for when you're down and need some cheering up.
Next Read: Scott Pilgrim Volume 1

Scott Pilgrim Volume 1
Rating: 3.5/5
Category: Book
Scott Pilgrim is living a rock-bottom life. He shares a bed with his roommate, has no job, is in a crappy band, and has a fake relationship with a high school girl. But one day in his dreams, mystery girl Ramona Flowers passes through his head, and suddenly his life changes when he meets her in real life. Then, at a concert, the first of her evil exes drops in and attacks him, starting a long journey for Pilgrim as he must defeat all 7 of Ramona's exes.
If you've never watched the movie or anime, you're probably reading this summary thinking why I would ever read something like this. Yes, the premise is very dumb, but that's part of what makes it so great! I think this version of Scott is slightly better than the one in the movie so far (which is weird calling a character Michael Cera plays a complete total jerk, but it's true) but he doesn't come anywhere close to the anime cinnamon roll version of him. The best part about reading the graphic novel was the afterword where the author talked extensively about the background of writing the series and where he got all his inspiration. I saw a couple of posters that I definitely want for my room now, and it was just pretty cool to see the origins for one of my favorite movies.

Hazelthorn
Rating: 5/5
Category: Book
Evander has lived only in his room for the past seven years, his meals and medicine delivered to him by the butler, while receiving occasional visits from his guardian, Bryon Lennox-Hall. Bryon and Evander live far, far away from society in the ancient manor known as Hazelthorn, surrounded by and endless and ravenous garden. Everything was normal and the same, until one evening Bryon's grandson Laurence shows up, and Evander's door is mysteriously unlocked. He takes his chances, only to discover Bryon has been poisoned, with his dying words being never to set foot into the garden. With the owner of Hazelthorn dead, everything changes and falls into chaos. The manor has been left to Evander instead of someone actually of Lennox-Hall blood, and the rest of Bryon's family is swooping in to see if they can take Hazelthorn for themselves. Meanwhile, the death of the only person who showed Evander love is being written off as an aneurysm, leaving him and the boy who tried to murder him seven years ago, Laurence, to solve the murder. As the investigation unfurls, the secrets of the garden, Lennox-Halls, and Evander's past are revealed in the most hideous ways possible as the garden consumes Hazelthorn.
This book was INSANE. Normally I have a pretty high tolerance for gore, but there are some seriously disturbing images in here, which I'm not complaining. The story also had some amazing twists that completely changed the whole plot several times. Evander's character is also incredibly interesting, because half the time he's portrayed as a wild forest creature instead of a teenage boy. And to tie everything together, this book is basically a queer We Have Always Lived in The Castle in a nutshell.
Next Read: Comfort Me with Apples

>34 nerdytheorist: this book is basically a queer We Have Always Lived in The Castle

Welp, it if weren't already on my list, this would have clinched it, obviously.

Comfort Me With Apples
Rating: 5/5
Category: Book
Sophia was made for her husband. She was made for her perfect neighborhood, Arcadia Gardens, regulated by the Association. She was made for this perfect life. But everyone won't stop asking her one thing: "Are you happy?" And it is this that makes her realize that everything might not be perfect like it's supposed to be.
This was a WILD book. I love what it unravels into, and the length is perfect for the story being told. I won't say much else as it's best if you go into this completely blind.
Next Read: Dead Things are Closer Than They Appear

Scott Pilgrim Volume 2
Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Book
Scott's journey of defeating all of Ramona's evil exes has only just begun and so has his relationship with her. But this league isn't the only thing he has to worry about, as his own ex is back in town with her band: The Clash at Demonhead. As Scott prepares to battle movie star and evil ex #2 Lucas Lee, he grows closer with Ramona and makes a new enemy out of the girl he was fake dating.
This volume actually had a lot of content that didn't end up in either the movie or the anime, and it was cool to catch a glimpse into Scott's high-school life. The afterword for this one was mostly character sketches (which is still cool) but there was a section about the castle featured in the Lucas Lee fight and how they shot on location and stuff for the movie.

Compound Fracture
Rating: 5/5
Category: Book
Miles Abernathy is a trans kid in Twist Creek County; a place located deep within West Virginia and enriched in the history of the local coal mine and the miner's union. But if being trans in the Appalachia wasn't hard enough, he's also an Abernathy, a family involved with a generations-old family feud with the Davies. One night, he sneaks out with photos of a car accident that ruined the lives of three whole families and was caused by none other than Sherriff Davies. He gives them to his friend, Cooper O'Brian, at a graduation party, only to go home and nearly be beaten to death by Noah Davies and his gang. Tainted with grief, fear, and anger, Miles struggles to get back at the Davies' as well with getting his family to understand his identity. And then Eddie Ruckles, one of Noah's goons, dies, and Miles and Cooper decide to end things once and for all by killing the remainder of the group.
This book was so good that it got me sunburnt twice while reading it on our patio. I love the setting, the characters, the premise. And while these characters and their history may have been fictional, definitely everything in this book was inspired by true historical events. It does a really good job of connecting the reasons miners united to strike to today with the current political climate. It's really hard to describe everything that this book means to me, and I hope to adapt it into a film if no one does before me.
Next Read: Scott Pilgrim Volume 3

>38 nerdytheorist: YAY!! I'm so glad you loved it! And I can't *wait* to watch your film version!

>38 nerdytheorist: I will admit reading about the trans situation will be new to me, but the snippet of the book I read on Amazon intrigued me, so I am taking a BB for this.

Scott Pilgrim Volume 3
Rating: 3/5
Category: Book
The fight with Evil Ex #3 does not come with ease, as he comes to town with Scott Pilgrim's ex Envy Adams, the lead singer of The Clash at Demonhead. This volume switches back and forth between the present struggles and the past toxic relationship between Scott and Envy, as well as Ramona's relationship with Todd.
There was quite a bit of action in this one, but it was pretty cool to see the flashbacks as neither of the adaptations really featured them. I have to say my favorite part of this volume was the extras section at the end that featured a short comic about Kim and her crappy roommates.
Next Read: The Fake Divination Offense