bookswithlydscl's Reviews (639)

Death Around the Bend

T.E. Kinsey

4.25

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

An all round fun series so far, onto book 4

25 Days

Per Jacobsen

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Great fun especially when read as intended - as an advent calendar (though I did combine Christmas eve and Christmas day). I did actually end up coming to care for the family and wanted them to overcome it all, though I hadn't been sure at the start.
Definitely a unique advent calendar and a fun one to try next year if you're into horror/thrillers and take it as intended (essentially 25 vignettes rather than expecting a flowing narrative).

The Last Olympian

Rick Riordan

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Absolutely the crowing installment of the original series

The Catherine Howard Conspiracy

Alexandra Walsh

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Reread and as always I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The Love Letter

Lucinda Riley

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

As with most Lucinda Riley books the whole thing is just compulsively preposterous. Easy reading, intriguing, and readable. Didn't need to be as long as it was and there were twists for twists sake it felt at times but still, I enjoyed it.

The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness

Sy Montgomery

4.25

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted relaxing sad medium-paced

Lovely, informative but also highly readable

The Illustrated Man

Ray Bradbury

DID NOT FINISH: 21%

Wasn't fully engaged but not a full dnf

Roots and Legends: Folktales from African Culture

Editors of Wellfleet Press

4.5

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.5*

This was a fantastic collection of African folk tales and mythology that I think will appeal to anyone who is keen to learn more about origin stories and cultural myths. This is a book that is easy to dip in and out of and demonstrates the power of oral storytelling.

This is one that I want to get a physical copy of as the stories are wonderful and the accompanying illustrations are also beautiful. A fantastic collection that is such a wonderful balance of art of storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Wellfleet Press | Wellfleet Press
for a digital review copy of "Roots and Legends: Folktales from African Culture" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

The Wilds

Sarah Pearse

DID NOT FINISH: 10%

Just was not capturing my interest at all!

The Quiet People

Paul Cleave

3.0

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Liked it, didn't love it, glad I switched to the audiobook. Very twisty turny but felt oddly unsatisfying at the end

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