corabookworm's Reviews (264)

This book was EXACTLY what I needed it to be, and I am so glad I picked it up! Save the Cat! is an excellent analysis of story structure, and Jessica Brody expertly walks the reader through crafting a perfect (or rather, not-so-perfect) hero and plot for their own stories. It also analyses the “10 story genres” and shares “beat sheets” (story structures) of many popular novels so you can see Save the Cat! in action. Overall, a well written, funny, and informative piece of work that I will definitely reference during future writing projects.

Initial Reaction
ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE AHHHH

Mini-Review
While a bit complicated at times, this book was much easier to follow than Prioryof the Orange Tree, which made it EVEN better. The characters had so much depth—I felt for, related to, and loved every one of thema—and the story itself was perfectly constructed over hundreds of pages and multiple POVs. The court intrigue in the first half was perfectly balanced with the action and drama of the second, and constant conflict made this book a page turner despite the length. If you like high fantasy (books like Game of Thrones, Realm Breaker, etc.), I cannot recommend this series enough times. The complex characters and spectacularly intricate worldbuilding are absolute perfection. 

Full Reveiw

After reading (and loving) Priory of the Orange Tree, I had high expectations for this book. It surpassed every single one. 

A Day of Fallen Night is a vibrant, complex novel brimming with Samantha Shannon’s signature, intricate worldbuilding and diverse, well-developed characters. The story follows Gloiran, a young princess of Inys, Tanuva, a sister of the Priory, Wulf, a warrior from the North, and Dumai, a newly discovered heir to the East. All of their lives are suddenly and dramatically changed by the eruption of the Dreadmount and the new threats it brings.

While I adored the characters of Priory, the cast of ADOFN was even better. I felt for, related to, and adored every POV character, and their various partners and friends were delightful as well. Glorian is my soulmate, and Tanuva’s perspective as an older character with more experience was absolutely fascinating. All the romance was beautifully constructed, between the loving, established relationships and the ones that developed over the course of the story (my favorite, of course, were the wonderful enemies-to-lovers sapphics <3). And the amount of queer rep! Ahh!

The story itself was also fantastic. The overlapping plotlines wove into an brilliant mix of tense political intrigue, page-turning action, and romance. It was especially cool getting to make connections to things mentioned/featured in Priory, and see how the world changed over time. And every bit of this book, from the politics to the dragons to the swordfighting (what a beautiful combination!), was written incredibly well.

I was awestruck by the talent Samantha Shannon displayed in this book. If you enjoy high fantasy books like Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings, with large casts and expansive worldbuilding, you will love this one. <3

Incredible story packed with tons of emotion that left me crying, laughing, and desperately flipping through pages (or scrolling, cuz it was an ebook, but you get my point). I went into this book expecting a kind-of-boring, angsty and dramatic, stereotypical queer YA romance. What I got instead was a beautiful coming-of-age story focused on friendship, queer identity and questioning, and the stresses of a high school senior year.  It was still VERY angsty and dramatic, but also relatable and hopeful and adorable, and I saw so many of my worries and questions reflected in Ophelia. This book was definitely better than I expected, and I definitely recommend it if you enjoy the contemporary coming of age genre. Especially if you’re leaving high school soon or have questioned your identity and want to see those feelings reflected on paper. <33

I loved this book. Watching the characters grow and get their revenge was exhilarating, and the action-packed plot was incredible. If you like historical fantasy and feminist fiction (think Justina Ireland, Margaret Atwood) and old-western-like settings, this would be perfect for you. I cannot wait to read the sequel.

This book was a little disappointing, not gonna lie. I didn’t really care about the  characters and the plot jumped between too slow and too confusing. The Cardan cameo in the short story at the end did bring my rating from 2.5 to 3 stars, though. And Kaye was pretty cool.

An intruging and funny examination of “queer” animals, with an interesting look at the research done on them throughout history. Definitely recommend if you like biology/animals or if you just want a short, less dense nonfiction book!!

I’m absolutely adoring this book, it is fasnating and badass and beautifully written, but I don’t have the energy to focus and I keep losing track of what’s happening. 100% plan on finishing later!!

Well, Holly Black has done it again. A savage, powerful female main character? Check. A charming faerie prince? Yup. An unreasonable amount of romantic tension between them? Always. And don't even get me started on the beautiful writing and amazing expansion of the Faerie world in this book. I LOVED this addition to the series, and the fast pace made it a quick, easy read that I devoured in less than a day. If you enjoyed The Cruel Prince, you'll love The Stolen Heir. 

(Also, I need the sequel. Right now. That ending. Ahhhhhh)

First of all, a million thank-yous to Netgalley, Peachtree, and Andrew Joseph White for the e-ARC, I am absolutely thrilled that I got the chance to read and review this book. <33

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth is by far one of the best books I have read this year. Just as disturbing and powerful as the author’s debut, this book takes place in 1883, London, where people with violet eyes communicate with the dead. The story follows purple-eyed Silas Bell, an autistic trans boy, as he is shipped away to an eerie “finishing school” to become an eligible wife. It is a story of ghosts and magic and mystery, but it is also a commentary on the medical abuse that women, queer people, and neurodivergent people have faced throughout history.

This book definitely isn't for the faint of heart. Like Hell Followed With Us, there is a decent amount of blood and gore described on page. Most of it, in this book, is medical content and body horror. There is also implied and on-page sexual assault, sexism, and transphobia. The author handles these difficult topics well, however, and I never felt like they were being glorified or dramatized. It was more like the author was bringing awareness to very real horrors. The way he described what it was like for Silas to grow up trans and autistic in a time without words for those things was amazing as well, as were the content warnings and the author’s note he provided at the beginning and end of the book. 

And the writing. Andrew Joseph White is an incredible author, and it shows in absolutely every word of this book; The descriptions, the medical-related metaphors, the emotions. This is a story packed with fury and grief and vengeance, but also with hope and friendship and belonging. The characters are fierce and powerful and vividly unique, and I adored Silas and Daphne and Mary and Isabella more than I can say. I saw myself reflected in parts of all of them—Mary’s anger, Isabella’s grief and fear, Silas’s rabbit. 

Overall, this book was spectacular, a gorgeous blend of ghosts and power and horror and history all filled with beautiful writing and raw emotion. If you can handle the darker subject matter, I wholeheartedly recommend it.