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charliauthor's reviews
524 reviews
Treasures of Egypt: The Spear & the Scythe by Amr Saleh
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
DNF at 22% because I couldnt deal with the really annoying FMC anymore. Her idiocy and prejudice were just too much of an irritant to be able to get through. If she called the guy a Hypsos one time I’ll scream. It was the YA book equivalent of using the N word and it annoyed me to no end. Coupled with the misplaced dialogue, odd plot, weak inciting incident and characters who made no sense doing the things they did or being where they were, I just could not handle this silliness.
What is her brother sick with?
Why is she poor if shes apprentice to the second most powerful person in Egypt?
Why would the Queen Mother care who she is?
Why is Nefertari a villain?
A lot of this might have been explained later but i wasnt interested enough to get there cause the premise and initial chapters felt so juvenile.
I received an earc from Netgalley. All thoughts are my own.
What is her brother sick with?
Why is she poor if shes apprentice to the second most powerful person in Egypt?
Why would the Queen Mother care who she is?
Why is Nefertari a villain?
A lot of this might have been explained later but i wasnt interested enough to get there cause the premise and initial chapters felt so juvenile.
I received an earc from Netgalley. All thoughts are my own.
Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff, Amie Kaufman
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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? No
4.0
After the stream of duds that i've read this year, it was refreshing to find something that i had no expectations for which turned out to be really entertaining.
I've not read so much Sci Fi but this was another decent journey into the genre. A collaboration book from one of my favourite authors, Aurora Rising is about a bunch of misfits in space who are pushed into a intergalactic coverup from the powers that be and it was really fun.
Aurora or Auri wakes up on a spacship some 200 years after she set sail into the galaxy towards a new colony. There, she ends up meeting a crew of Golden Boy hottie Tyler Jones, his sexy but smart twin sister, Scarlett, brainy but not very emotional Zila, sarcastic alien Finian, boisterous mo hawked Cat and Legolas lookalike warrior, Kal. I listened to this so I really enjoyed have different voices for each character. It was so fun having the blend of accents and tones from the narrators but even without this, they would have all had distinct personalities. The authors did great in having a cast who you didnt feel like you were missing out when reading a chapter. All of them were exciting.
I enjoyed that while adhering to YA stereotypes, it still manages to make them feel original and fun rather that just another run of the mill book. An incredibly easy read/listen that for the first time has paid off buying a whole series thats been sitting on your shelf for a year.
Filled with jokes, romance, action and at its core, the Found Family trope, Aurora Rising is a really good read and you should definitely give it a try if you like YA that isnt too immature and just hits a sweet spot of decent plot, dialogue and worldbuilding.
I've not read so much Sci Fi but this was another decent journey into the genre. A collaboration book from one of my favourite authors, Aurora Rising is about a bunch of misfits in space who are pushed into a intergalactic coverup from the powers that be and it was really fun.
Aurora or Auri wakes up on a spacship some 200 years after she set sail into the galaxy towards a new colony. There, she ends up meeting a crew of Golden Boy hottie Tyler Jones, his sexy but smart twin sister, Scarlett, brainy but not very emotional Zila, sarcastic alien Finian, boisterous mo hawked Cat and Legolas lookalike warrior, Kal. I listened to this so I really enjoyed have different voices for each character. It was so fun having the blend of accents and tones from the narrators but even without this, they would have all had distinct personalities. The authors did great in having a cast who you didnt feel like you were missing out when reading a chapter. All of them were exciting.
I enjoyed that while adhering to YA stereotypes, it still manages to make them feel original and fun rather that just another run of the mill book. An incredibly easy read/listen that for the first time has paid off buying a whole series thats been sitting on your shelf for a year.
Filled with jokes, romance, action and at its core, the Found Family trope, Aurora Rising is a really good read and you should definitely give it a try if you like YA that isnt too immature and just hits a sweet spot of decent plot, dialogue and worldbuilding.
The Girl Who Sings to Dragons by Luke Courtney
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? No
5.0
I received an ARC of this from the author and all views are proudly my own.
If you are a lover of high epic fantasy with a host of magical creatures, deep plot lines, intricate world building, and amazing action and dialogue, then this is the book for you.
TGWSTD pays homage to classic fantasy while still being fresh and exciting.
I love the obvious passion and research that has gone into this and praise the author for their talent and skill in this genre.
So, this is about two heirs of powerful nations whose thrones have been usurped by some overzealous religious bad-guys. The heirs: confident, competent yet beautiful Fionnuala and cinnamon roll werewolf hottie Aiden, must unite in marriage to bring about the end of this tyrannical regime. Along the way me meet a whole host of characters who all have such rich backstories and bold personalities. Some of my faves include a shield-maiden named Ulfhild and a She wolf named Rhea, who are both super badass and sarcastic which is always fun!
What's great about this book is that I feel it has something for everyone. Yes, its battle/action heavy - its man fantasy, what do you expect? Lol - but it also has a lot of emotion and even romance. The relationships throughout are really good and not just romantically. The familial and professional dynamics of them hold such weight and I cant commend it enough. As mentioned, it is very action based and I would have preferred the action spread out to even out the pacing, but ultimately it doesn't take away from the story which is very important. Simply, this is an incredible debut and l implore you all to pick it up to meet some new faves.
If you are a lover of high epic fantasy with a host of magical creatures, deep plot lines, intricate world building, and amazing action and dialogue, then this is the book for you.
TGWSTD pays homage to classic fantasy while still being fresh and exciting.
I love the obvious passion and research that has gone into this and praise the author for their talent and skill in this genre.
So, this is about two heirs of powerful nations whose thrones have been usurped by some overzealous religious bad-guys. The heirs: confident, competent yet beautiful Fionnuala and cinnamon roll werewolf hottie Aiden, must unite in marriage to bring about the end of this tyrannical regime. Along the way me meet a whole host of characters who all have such rich backstories and bold personalities. Some of my faves include a shield-maiden named Ulfhild and a She wolf named Rhea, who are both super badass and sarcastic which is always fun!
What's great about this book is that I feel it has something for everyone. Yes, its battle/action heavy - its man fantasy, what do you expect? Lol - but it also has a lot of emotion and even romance. The relationships throughout are really good and not just romantically. The familial and professional dynamics of them hold such weight and I cant commend it enough. As mentioned, it is very action based and I would have preferred the action spread out to even out the pacing, but ultimately it doesn't take away from the story which is very important. Simply, this is an incredible debut and l implore you all to pick it up to meet some new faves.
Faebound by Saara El-Arifi
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
After reading The Final Strife i wasn't a huge fan of this author but since I quite liked the writing style more than the story, i thought I would give her another go. The blurb was interesting enough and of course who doesn't want some Black fae. Can i get an amen!
The premise of this is that an elf is forced into exile and stumbles upon some fae who are believed to have been extinct for thousands of years. Where I had trouble with this is that from the offset there were no real stakes. Yeeran the elf (yes there are elves in this book as well as fae and human but don’t ask me how they differ other than elongated canines) is sent into exile for reasons but within the span of what feels like five minutes, her sister finds her to help her and she’s derived a plan that will allow her to return from exile. If it’s so easy to get back in then why is it ever considered a punishment?
The entire book is full of this weak lines of plot and lack of stakes since everything is so perfectly resolved. At no point was i in fear for any of the characters or wondering what they would do next. It was all very predictable and frankly very immature considering the characters range from their late 20s to early 40s. While the writing made this an easy read thankfully, there was a lot to be desired by way of action, stakes, romance or drama.
The best part of the whole thing were the animal side kicks who were really sweet.
The smut while okay was also highly unnecessary. It felt rushed and forced with both scenes appearing in quick succession as though the author wanted to get it out the way.
In a word, this book felt very childish and I was disappointed because i feel like the author is capable of so much more. It feels like she wrote to trend to meet a quota but that her heart wasnt actually in the content.
The best thing about the whole book was the diversity and inclusion. There are a ton of Queer and Gender Neutral characters which was very inclusive and positive.
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Evil Boys by Clarissa Wild
Did not finish book. Stopped at 49%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 49%.
DNF @ 49% after some skimming cause it was trash lol
Spirited: Too Late? by S. M. Webb
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A lot tamer than my usual reads but definitely one for an emotional but sweet and reflective story about second chances.
Cassidy and Sienna are now together in heaven after the events of book 1 and have to navigate their new surroundings. There are some great additional characters in this one, my favourites being Mateo and Graham.
I liked the concept of the Life Albums as this really helped us look into the consequences of trauma and how we might help those that are struggling.
The ongoing ideal of fighting for souls is an interesting take and the fact the girls have to enter training to do so makes it more believable as far as it can be in this setting. I did have an issue with there being something to learn throughout but as i was learning alongside the girls, it made sense and a good style choice for the book just not for my reading taste.
I absolutely loved the end which was a great cliffhanger! The lead up to that was emotional but made sense for the story and im interested in seeing how the girls navigate this newest hurdle.
Overall a clever, inventive and sweet story that continues to explore the notions of faith and the support it can provide in such extreme circumstances.
Cassidy and Sienna are now together in heaven after the events of book 1 and have to navigate their new surroundings. There are some great additional characters in this one, my favourites being Mateo and Graham.
I liked the concept of the Life Albums as this really helped us look into the consequences of trauma and how we might help those that are struggling.
The ongoing ideal of fighting for souls is an interesting take and the fact the girls have to enter training to do so makes it more believable as far as it can be in this setting. I did have an issue with there being something to learn throughout but as i was learning alongside the girls, it made sense and a good style choice for the book just not for my reading taste.
I absolutely loved the end which was a great cliffhanger! The lead up to that was emotional but made sense for the story and im interested in seeing how the girls navigate this newest hurdle.
Overall a clever, inventive and sweet story that continues to explore the notions of faith and the support it can provide in such extreme circumstances.
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Despite this being my fourth time reading this, i've yet to write a review so here we go!
Where the Throne of Glass series is undisputedly YA and the first book in the series much more so, Crown of Midnight takes the genre up a notch with its complex relationships, multiple plot lines and amazing host of characters that all have so much to offer.
I could not put this down and when I had to for sake of raising my child, I was highly annoyed lol. Celaena finally gets to do some gory assassin stuff considering she is in fact an assassin, which we didn't see much of in book 1. She gets into a a heart warming and later gut wrenching romantic relationship while forming deeper bonds of friendship with Nehemia.
i loved how it goes further into the plot line of how magic went missing from Erilea and on many reveals there are about the world, the past and Celaena herself.
ToG is SJM at her finest and CoM is the first step towards the rest of the series becoming a powerhouse in the genre. Despite knowing what's to come, I anticipate going back into the story with such excitement which is something I fervently miss about story telling.
Where the Throne of Glass series is undisputedly YA and the first book in the series much more so, Crown of Midnight takes the genre up a notch with its complex relationships, multiple plot lines and amazing host of characters that all have so much to offer.
I could not put this down and when I had to for sake of raising my child, I was highly annoyed lol. Celaena finally gets to do some gory assassin stuff considering she is in fact an assassin, which we didn't see much of in book 1. She gets into a a heart warming and later gut wrenching romantic relationship while forming deeper bonds of friendship with Nehemia.
i loved how it goes further into the plot line of how magic went missing from Erilea and on many reveals there are about the world, the past and Celaena herself.
ToG is SJM at her finest and CoM is the first step towards the rest of the series becoming a powerhouse in the genre. Despite knowing what's to come, I anticipate going back into the story with such excitement which is something I fervently miss about story telling.
Moon Blooded Breeding Clinic by C.M. Nascosta
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
For those that wanted/expected more of the knotting in Bride, then this is book for you! lol
Nascosta is the Queen of Monster Smut for me so you know she is always going to bring the goods when it comes to the heat. Where she continues to shine is that she couples this with plausible compelling worlds and creatures that you cant help but get invested in.
Where she does tend to go of a tangent with a bit toooo much backstory, i can start to glaze over but this is a taste thing rather than an issue with her books.
I've read a few of her books now and while this one is just as sweet as some others, the prospect of a breeding clinic was a bit much even for me. Still, the subject matter is handled well and the main characters are nice enough. A trend that seems to be a thing with the werewolves I've read of late, in that the men are all really touchy and needy which i personally find a bit of a turnoff. However, there is praise kink in this which i was able to get behind a lot more rather than just a needy MMC. There's room for all but i like my wolves to be alpha in all aspects lol
Nascosta is the Queen of Monster Smut for me so you know she is always going to bring the goods when it comes to the heat. Where she continues to shine is that she couples this with plausible compelling worlds and creatures that you cant help but get invested in.
Where she does tend to go of a tangent with a bit toooo much backstory, i can start to glaze over but this is a taste thing rather than an issue with her books.
I've read a few of her books now and while this one is just as sweet as some others, the prospect of a breeding clinic was a bit much even for me. Still, the subject matter is handled well and the main characters are nice enough. A trend that seems to be a thing with the werewolves I've read of late, in that the men are all really touchy and needy which i personally find a bit of a turnoff. However, there is praise kink in this which i was able to get behind a lot more rather than just a needy MMC. There's room for all but i like my wolves to be alpha in all aspects lol
The Collarbound by Rebecca Zahabi
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.5
Umm so... this was bad. For my tastes, this was just laughably bad.
I've listened to the whole thing and have no idea what happened or why I was supposed to care. The reveal meant nothing to me, I had no connection to the characters, the magic system was fairly boring, and it was riddled with the theme/trope I hate most of being treated differently because one is dark skinned.
I just cannot with this. If not for what was obviously good research and an attempt to build a cohesive world it would have been a 1 star. I’ve given it a 2 here but on Storygraph it will definitely get a 1.5.
I received this book from Goldsboro a few years ago and kept it on the shelf as the cover and blurb looked great. I was ready to be invested in some epic fantasy from a female author and thought this might be something good in that vein. This was not to be the case and I just felt really disappointed and unsatisfied for every second of it.
In this world divided by some dark rift, there is a school of mages who know how to fight each other mentally called mind linking. There are novices who want to be like the revered mages but one such novice is called Isha and she has a big ‘ole tattoo on her face that sets her a part as an ‘Other’ that of course nobody likes and treats like shit. There are horned creatures and other such beings who are also treated as second class citizens for no other reason it seems then to just have people to disrespect.
Alongside Isha is some random dude called Tatters – what a shit name) who is [a] Collarbound? Not really sure of the terminology but it means, hey, you guessed it, he’s a slave. But get this friends, he’s a runaway slave hiding out from his masters with a some kind of mental bestie who constantly talks into his head. They tried to make this slave element a little less offensive by making him white but then hey, we’re not down for slavery whatever race so why is this even here. Why is he collarbound? Who is he running from? Why has no one returned him to his master if this collar is so noticeable? Why is this grown man chilling with kids in a tavern? Don’t you have any friends dude?
The whole thing is just a mess of forced mystery and murky details that was just so incredibly boring all the way through. The audio was only six or so hours on 1.7x and that still wasn’t fast enough. I really wanted to find something different for once but this wasn’t it. I can respect lyrical prose as much as anyone but I need my books to, I dunno, have a point maybe?