claudcloud's Reviews (310)

Down Among the Sticks and Bones

Seanan McGuire

4.5

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Oh, Jack, how I love you... and oh, Jill, how I loathe you but still understand you so, so very deeply...

Seanan McGuire is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors of all time, and this second installment in her "Wayward Children" series just solidifies that for me. It packs even more of a punch than the first one, and it made me furious, elated, hopeful and incredibly sad, all at the same time. Jack has become one of my favorite protagonists, and she deserves the absolute world - after everything that happened during the conclusion of the first novel, I'm rooting for her to get her happy ending even more!! Jill, too, made me want to shake her and scream at her more with every moment that she spent in the Moors, but as thick-headed and insatiable she became, her desire to be loved and accepted and wanted, for the first time in her life, cut me to the core.

This series is a phenomenal experience so far and I can't wait to get to the next novellas!

Ace of Spades

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

3.5

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book is important for many reasons, not only because it's unafraid to put racism and white supremacy under a microscope and go into detail about these systems that have been around for generations and that are still pervading our society even today, but also because it takes great care to show that Black people can and will thrive in spite of it. As horrified as I was by Aces and by the entire Niveus Academy, it served as a poignant reminder that active anti-racism is something that we should all be practicing every single day, and that these attitudes and ideologies should not be allowed or welcomed from anyone or anything.

That being said, in terms of the book itself, the mystery was what kept me interested most of the time, but the shorter chapters and the constant POV changes between our two protagonists, Devon and Chiamaka, left me a little disconnected from them as characters. While I was constantly rooting for them and hoping they would finally get some protection and/or allies to help them with what was happening, I felt like I only got glimpses of each of them, and it was harder to really know them because of it. Maybe it's the pacing, maybe it's the lack of enough information about either of them, or the fact that everything moved really quickly, but something was just missing there for me. The writing itself is also quite simplistic, which does make the book very accessible and easy to read, but can also be detrimental at times.

Overall, this was still enjoyable, and I would absolutely recommend this as a quick, mysterious read, but I think I was expecting a little more out of it than I ended up getting, and that's on me!

The Six Deaths of the Saint

Alix E. Harrow

4.5

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

"I would rather love a coward than mourn a legend."

This was 100% peer pressure and Booktok absolutely coming for my throat with it, but I'm SO glad they did because oh. my GOD this is how you do a short story!!! In 30 pages we get a fully-formed and well crafted story with twists that will somehow have you both reeling and wondering how you didn't see it sooner, incredibly compelling characters, and a writing style so phenomenal and evocative that you can't help but soak in every single word. If this is any indication of the author's other works, best believe that I am reading everything that she's ever put out!!

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It

Elle Cosimano

2.5

lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book sounded like a lot of fun, and it was, for the most part - but my issues with it seem to completely overshadow the good parts that I enjoyed. The plot was all over the place and suffered from SO many pacing issues (some sections dragged on and on and ON for chapters at a time, while others moved from point A to point B so quickly that you had exactly 0 time to digest what just happened), the characters were all pretty bland and I didn't get attached to any of them, and Finlay... oh, Finlay, I get that you would do anything for your kids and that you desperately needed something to help you in the custody battle, but is burying a body (that just HAPPENED to die while in your car, btw, with the explanation as to why being only ONE sentence in the entire 300+ pages of the book) really, truly the best course of action?? Also, can we get some clarification on Julian's age please because a 31-year-old should absolutely not get involved with someone who's still in law school???

Yeah, it wasn't the worst thing I've ever read, but it's certainly not the best, and the "twist" at the very end doesn't really feel like enough to keep me going with this series. I have way too many other ones on the roster that I want to prioritize instead, but I still might give the sequel a chance if I feel like it someday!

Every Heart a Doorway

Seanan McGuire

4.0

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

When I say that I want a book that's short and sweet, this fits the bill perfectly! This series has been on my radar for so many years now, and I can see why it's so popular across the bookish world - the writing is atmospheric, extremely immersive, and very readable all at the same time, the premise and fantastical elements are compelling and keep you wanting more and more (as someone who often feels misunderstood/like she won't ever belong, it speaks to me on a very personal level), and the characters are not only very diverse, but also well-fleshed out, with interesting backstories and very distinct personalities (y'all, the found family element in this?? It's giving what needed to be given!!!)

My one and only issue is that... I wanted more. And this isn't really the fault of the book in and of itself, because I do feel that Seanan has managed to give us a fully-formed, incredibly well-crafted and beautifully written story in just under 200 pages - but I also feel that I needed just a little more time with the characters to completely and fully become attached to them, root for them and understand them. Particularly with the ending, I didn't get that catharsis that Nancy's departure back to the Underworld is supposed to feel like, because I just didn't get to spend enough time in her shoes and everything felt a little rushed. That being said, I will absolutely keep going and pick up the rest of the series - I've heard that it only gets better and better, and I'm very eager to see 1. whose story will come next and 2. more of Kade, who I just love so much!!

Babel

R.F. Kuang

4.0

adventurous challenging emotional informative mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I wanted to start the year with a bang and… I made sure I did, because this book is just absolutely phenomenal. From start to finish, you can’t help but be drawn into this world, and as someone who loves languages and who studied languages throughout my academic career, I was not disappointed! This was my very first R. F. Kuang, and I am now officially worshipping at her altar and reading everything she has ever and will ever write - not only is her writing stunningly evocative and lyrical, but the way she handled the subject of colonialism, the intricate yet fascinating magic system, the characters and the found family that you can’t help but root for? She did everything so well, and I can say that all the hype was definitely warranted with this one. ”Babel” is, at its core, a book about violence (if the title didn’t tip you off already), but not the violence that one might expect at first glance. Specifically, “Babel” is a story about the violence of colonialism, how deeply entrenched this system is, how it takes advantage of the people it considers “less than”, and how it doesn’t shy away from committing and aiding all kinds of violent, barbaric acts towards those people, all with the sole purpose of enriching and perpetuating itself. Through Robin’s experience at Oxford, through the reckoning that he must reach not only with his own identity, but with an extremely powerful system that is able to give him everything he’s ever wanted but does so only through pillaging his motherland, Kuang goes straight to the heart of the matter, and shows us that an act of defiance can - and will - start to put a wrench into the cogs that keep the machine running. It’s ironic for me to say this, given that this book is also about how language influences and aids systems of power, but I truly don’t have the words to express the depth and care that was given to the story and to its characters. I will say, however, that I adored our Oxford four (even though Letty turned out… the way she did by the end, and she provided the perfect example of how not to act when people of color talk about their experiences). Robin has my entire heart, Ramy deserved so much better, and Victoire’s last moments in the book made me tear up instantly (”I don’t want to be their martyr, I want to survive, and thrive, and outlive them” YOU. GO. GIRL 👏🏻) Fair warning, this book is very dense, so you’ll have to take the time to sit with it properly and give it the attention that it requires - but I promise you, it’s so worth it!! I’m not sure if there’s a sequel planned, but we do seem to get small hints at one, so I’ll be keeping my hopes up! I just know that I’ll be getting it instantly if it happens.

I Was Born for This

Alice Oseman

5.0

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Please support the Harper Collins Publishing Union, who are currently on strike for fair wages!

Trust Alice to always get me out of a slump when I need it, no matter how bad it is or how long it's been since I've picked up a book 🥺

As is the case with all of their works - I absolutely loved this (and am naturally in the process of kicking myself for not reading it sooner, because it's their third book and it came out years ago!!!) There's no way I could've given it any other rating, and as someone who's been part of fandom culture for more than a decade now... this is so needed, today more than ever.

The exploration into not only what it means to be a fan, how deeply your soul can resonate with something or someone, how people we don't even know can help us through the hardest times of our lives, but also into the other side of it all, into the hysteria, the complete and total disregard for people's privacy and humanity that some "fans" have, the lack of agency that comes with being in the public eye, the pressure and the anxiety - it's done so beautifully, it's a story that has truly touched my heart, and I'll be thinking about it for years to come as I continue to navigate these fandom and online spaces in a way that I hope not only honors the people that I look up to and admire (Alice themselves included!!!), but most of all, that honors myself.

TL;DR I will take a leaf out of Angel's book and say it with my whole chest: JIMMY KAGA-RICCI IS MY SON AND IF ANYONE DARES TO HURT HIM AGAIN I WILL NOT HESITATE!! EVER!!!

The Heartstopper Yearbook

Alice Oseman

5.0

emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

The rating speaks for itself - they are all the loves of my life, and "Heartstopper" means the world and beyond to me 🥺

The Sunbearer Trials

Aiden Thomas

4.5

adventurous emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious relaxing 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: Complicated

If you love "The Hunger Games" and "Percy Jackson", this will absolutely be a hit for you! "The Sunbearer Trials" was so, so much fun and as much as I knew I would love it from the moment I laid eyes on it, this book completely blew my expectations out of the water!! The diversity of the characters is so needed and refreshing, the writing is compelling and keeps you invested at every turn, and I'm gonna go on the same tangent that I go on every time - but I fell in love with the characters and their little family instantly 😭

Niya is my princess who hasn't done anything wrong in her life, Teo is my son that I will protect with my life, and Xio is Baby™ (or rather was, for those who've finished the book already???) I even grew to like Auristela by the end which????? I still can't believe, but I love her so much!!! The ending was inevitable, but it still left me reeling and wanting more, and I'm ready for the second book like. Now. Right this second.

I will say that there were some parts that didn't make a lot of sense to me yet, and I say yet because I'm pretty sure they'll be explained in the next part. The most crucial one is, if Tierra knew that there was a way to bring Sol back all along, why didn't he tell anyone or do it in the centuries that the trials have been going on? There could've been so many deaths prevented, so much grief avoided, and so much more safety to be gained if Sol just came back. Is it possible only once the Obsidians escape? Did Opción know this all along, and knows that this turn of events was necessary to enable Sol to regain their physical form? I need to know!!!!

All in all, this was a delight, and I hope you give it a chance if you read this review because it deserves all the hype and more!!

Ash Princess

Laura Sebastian

2.0

slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: N/A

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Disclaimer: I was really hoping to love this one, because it was a gift from a friend, she thought I'd like it, and was very excited to see what I thought of it. If she hadn't made me read it, though, I don't think I would have picked it up any time soon, and for good reason, since it felt more like treading through literal mud rather than an enjoyable reading experience 😅

While this is definitely not the worst book I've ever come across, it's predictable, formulaic, repetitive, and reads exactly like you'd expect a typical YA fantasy to, except it doesn't even attempt to bring more to the table other than the tropes we're all too familiar with already (captive princess, enslaved people of color by white colonizers, which is immediately very racist, a barely fleshed-out love triangle - it all left such a sour taste in my mouth from the get-go). I did not care for any of the characters, not even our protag, who is supposed to grow into her courage and finally manage to stand up to her oppressors, but who actually does little more than dawdle around, whine and wait for someone to rescue/help/tell her what to do for four hundred and thirty-three (433) pages - this book is way too long for what it is - instead of being the queen she claims to be. I had no one to actually root for, and for me to get invested, you need to give me somebody to root for at least, but I genuinely could not care less about anything that happened to Theo or her ragtag team. I was just... so supremely bored the entire time. The only redeemable character was Heron, and of course the (token) queer person saves the day.

Again, it's not the worst book in the world, and I would've eaten this up if I would've tried it at 14-15, when I didn't know (or hadn't read) any better. However, I'm fully aware that I wouldn't have made myself miserable and pushed through this to the very end if my friend didn't want me to read it, and rest assured that I will not be continuing on with the series.

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