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challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Admittedly, I did rate this slightly higher based on the fact that it is an initial book in a series. I gave it credit for the setup work that was needed. Otherwise, it would really be more of a 3-star experience. I was really looking forward to this dark academia style premise, but there were some lacking pieces.
The idea of this book is fantastic and I'm really hoping that it starts to shine more in the second installment. The magic system is fun and a bit more grown up than some of the other dark academia series out there. I enjoy the scientific background of it. I wish there was a bit more to the atmosphere, but the setting up of the system was interesting and has great potential.
There were a lot of pieces to put together here and there are a lot of characters to get to know. I did get a little tripped up in who was who on occasion. I can definitely see how their strengths and weaknesses can play together and I enjoyed seeing the different relationships build and add layers of complexity. Because of the underlying need for an establishment of structure and history, the pacing was a bit slow and there were some moments that I considered putting it down for a while.
However, the ending does start to pick up speed once the stage is set and the characters are starting to become their own. The interactions are good and the tensions are high, so there is a lot of interest in where things could go from here. This is one where I feel like the initial struggle may be worth the payoff for the series as a whole. Here's hoping I'm right and book 2 takes all this that has been developed and runs wildly with it.
The idea of this book is fantastic and I'm really hoping that it starts to shine more in the second installment. The magic system is fun and a bit more grown up than some of the other dark academia series out there. I enjoy the scientific background of it. I wish there was a bit more to the atmosphere, but the setting up of the system was interesting and has great potential.
There were a lot of pieces to put together here and there are a lot of characters to get to know. I did get a little tripped up in who was who on occasion. I can definitely see how their strengths and weaknesses can play together and I enjoyed seeing the different relationships build and add layers of complexity. Because of the underlying need for an establishment of structure and history, the pacing was a bit slow and there were some moments that I considered putting it down for a while.
However, the ending does start to pick up speed once the stage is set and the characters are starting to become their own. The interactions are good and the tensions are high, so there is a lot of interest in where things could go from here. This is one where I feel like the initial struggle may be worth the payoff for the series as a whole. Here's hoping I'm right and book 2 takes all this that has been developed and runs wildly with it.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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:
Yes
4.5 stars.
I love a good private school trope. This one was so much fun. A good rivalry, a fun atmosphere, an entertaining protagonist.
There were some things that kept this from being a 5-star read, but it was overall quick and entertaining with a fake dating scenario that I enjoyed. The storyline addition of the inappropriate teacher could have been better developed and I could have done with more backstory on Doe earlier in the text, but I still didn't want to put this book down and just had a good time with it.
Doe and Wells's relationship reminded me a little of the Rory/Jess dynamic from Gilmore Girls and I was a total sucker for it. Their interactions were often hilarious and witty. I loved the banter and found myself often on the verge of literally laughing out loud. I'm fairly certain I had a goofy smile on my face for the majority of my read.
Samantha Markum has a fantastic way with words and I loved the little world she created here. I will definitely be back for more from her.
I love a good private school trope. This one was so much fun. A good rivalry, a fun atmosphere, an entertaining protagonist.
There were some things that kept this from being a 5-star read, but it was overall quick and entertaining with a fake dating scenario that I enjoyed. The storyline addition of the inappropriate teacher could have been better developed and I could have done with more backstory on Doe earlier in the text, but I still didn't want to put this book down and just had a good time with it.
Doe and Wells's relationship reminded me a little of the Rory/Jess dynamic from Gilmore Girls and I was a total sucker for it. Their interactions were often hilarious and witty. I loved the banter and found myself often on the verge of literally laughing out loud. I'm fairly certain I had a goofy smile on my face for the majority of my read.
Samantha Markum has a fantastic way with words and I loved the little world she created here. I will definitely be back for more from her.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
This was an absolutely random pick from my library and I am so glad I picked it up. Maia Kobabe has written a graphic memoir regarding the journey to understand and accept eir identity. There was a lot of honesty in these pages, with some great exploration of anxiety.
This was a book I needed. While I absolutely respect the identity choices of others, I really needed some help to understand a bit more of the situation for nonbinary and gender queer individuals. This was a perfect fit. I was able to follow Maia's life in a way that presented the situations simply yet with a great emotional content. I found that I was able to understand eir perspective and even identify with some of the individual feelings presented. The discussion around pronouns and how to address others in a way to understand their preferences was well done and easily followed.
This is a fantastic read. There is so much heart in the story and I really appreciated Kobabe's willingness to lay so much of eir own feelings bare. That takes a lot of courage and I highly appreciate eir ability to present this story to the world.
This was a book I needed. While I absolutely respect the identity choices of others, I really needed some help to understand a bit more of the situation for nonbinary and gender queer individuals. This was a perfect fit. I was able to follow Maia's life in a way that presented the situations simply yet with a great emotional content. I found that I was able to understand eir perspective and even identify with some of the individual feelings presented. The discussion around pronouns and how to address others in a way to understand their preferences was well done and easily followed.
This is a fantastic read. There is so much heart in the story and I really appreciated Kobabe's willingness to lay so much of eir own feelings bare. That takes a lot of courage and I highly appreciate eir ability to present this story to the world.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Yes
This continues to be a really fun series. I am in love with the atmosphere and the number of magical lands Seanan McGuire seems to be able to construct.
The stories are always nice and magical/fantastical, but with an underlying more serious message about inclusion...and I LOVE that. This time around we're dealing with an intersex character and I think it was handled extremely well. I cannot comment from a direct perspective, but for me the language used and the situations presented felt realistic and tastefully done. I enjoyed the characters and the political interaction metaphor.
The ending was a bit rushed for me and didn't feel quite as smooth as the rest of the book or even McGuire's typical style, but I still overall really enjoyed my read and will of course be continuing the series.
The stories are always nice and magical/fantastical, but with an underlying more serious message about inclusion...and I LOVE that. This time around we're dealing with an intersex character and I think it was handled extremely well. I cannot comment from a direct perspective, but for me the language used and the situations presented felt realistic and tastefully done. I enjoyed the characters and the political interaction metaphor.
The ending was a bit rushed for me and didn't feel quite as smooth as the rest of the book or even McGuire's typical style, but I still overall really enjoyed my read and will of course be continuing the series.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars.
The premise for this novel held a lot of promise. An interesting tale based upon twin sisters who are faked by their father into a "siamese twin" act in a 1920s travelling vaudeville. As they age, one of the sisters decides to abandon the farce, reveals the family secret, and leaves to find fame and fortune on her own.
The tale begins with a bit of an Evelyn Hugo premise, where a reporter has approached one sister upon the other's death in search of a story. The tale is then told, including backgrounds of both parents, by the remaining sister.
While I enjoyed pieces of this novel and the writing was decent, it didn't quite feel fully fleshed out. The tension lapses quite a few times and the jumping around of timelines doesn't quite work. Instead, it gives the plot a jumbled feel that lost me on occasion. The narrative took on a bit of a depressed literary feel along the way, with the remaining sister seeming resentful of the freedom achieved by her twin as she abandoned the family.
There is a lot of emotional trauma throughout the book and there are quite a few heavy topics addressed through the narrative. I do think there was a lot of potential in the work, but it just didn't have the oomph behind it. The lack of both sisters' perspectives gave the story a lopsided feel and I think balancing this out with an additional POV would have been helpful.
Overall, a decent read, but just didn't quite meet the mark for me.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
The premise for this novel held a lot of promise. An interesting tale based upon twin sisters who are faked by their father into a "siamese twin" act in a 1920s travelling vaudeville. As they age, one of the sisters decides to abandon the farce, reveals the family secret, and leaves to find fame and fortune on her own.
The tale begins with a bit of an Evelyn Hugo premise, where a reporter has approached one sister upon the other's death in search of a story. The tale is then told, including backgrounds of both parents, by the remaining sister.
While I enjoyed pieces of this novel and the writing was decent, it didn't quite feel fully fleshed out. The tension lapses quite a few times and the jumping around of timelines doesn't quite work. Instead, it gives the plot a jumbled feel that lost me on occasion. The narrative took on a bit of a depressed literary feel along the way, with the remaining sister seeming resentful of the freedom achieved by her twin as she abandoned the family.
There is a lot of emotional trauma throughout the book and there are quite a few heavy topics addressed through the narrative. I do think there was a lot of potential in the work, but it just didn't have the oomph behind it. The lack of both sisters' perspectives gave the story a lopsided feel and I think balancing this out with an additional POV would have been helpful.
Overall, a decent read, but just didn't quite meet the mark for me.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
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:
Yes
The writing is this is so beautiful. Seriously, it moved me. I didn't expect much from this little novella, but I kept hearing about it, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Wow. I'm so glad. It was magnificent and I am now planning to read the rest of the trilogy later this year.
Nghi Vo is an incredible storyteller. The prose is wonderful and the characters are incredibly rich for a story that is less than 100 pages long. The mythos is amazing, reminiscent of an Imperial era China, and the commentary on the patriarchy is inspiring. I love the strength and cunning of Empress In-Yo and I was pleasantly surprised by the trajectory of the narrative.
Highly recommend for anyone loving fantasies with a magical/mythological feel. Short and sweet, but packs a magnificent punch.
Nghi Vo is an incredible storyteller. The prose is wonderful and the characters are incredibly rich for a story that is less than 100 pages long. The mythos is amazing, reminiscent of an Imperial era China, and the commentary on the patriarchy is inspiring. I love the strength and cunning of Empress In-Yo and I was pleasantly surprised by the trajectory of the narrative.
Highly recommend for anyone loving fantasies with a magical/mythological feel. Short and sweet, but packs a magnificent punch.
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Novellas are always so hard to rate. When they're part of a series, I somewhat have to rate them based on potential for the series as a whole. In this case, I think Binti does a lot of set up for a series that will be really engaging and entertaining.
The writing is fantastic and flows naturally like a conversation or a journal. I really loved the cultural exploration in this short plot. There is a lot of discussion about the theme of acceptance. There was a lot here to get my interest piqued. In some ways, it felt similar to a Becky Chambers read.
Binti is a fantastically strong female protagonist, but she still shows appropriate weaknesses/flaws for her age. I appreciated that and I think that will serve her well in the continuing novellas.
I look forward to seeing where this plot goes. The story wasn't perfect, but I was intrigued and entertained.
The writing is fantastic and flows naturally like a conversation or a journal. I really loved the cultural exploration in this short plot. There is a lot of discussion about the theme of acceptance. There was a lot here to get my interest piqued. In some ways, it felt similar to a Becky Chambers read.
Binti is a fantastically strong female protagonist, but she still shows appropriate weaknesses/flaws for her age. I appreciated that and I think that will serve her well in the continuing novellas.
I look forward to seeing where this plot goes. The story wasn't perfect, but I was intrigued and entertained.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-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
4.5 stars.
This is Charlie N. Holmberg's first foray into the contemporary romance genre and she rocked it. I've loved her books for a long time now. Having read nearly all of her backlist, I knew the writing was going to be good. She has long been able to create adorable and charming romantic relationships in her fantasy works.
You're My I.T. is a super sweet story and it definitely feels solidly Holmberg. The story centers on a technical writer (Blaine) and an I.T. specialist (Lysander) working in the same company in the Happy Valley area of Utah. (Holmberg always has a knack for coming up with fantastic character names.) The relationship between the two characters is just adorable, such a great friendship and a great handling of the emotional conflict that Blaine has in her progressing feelings for Lysander.
I'm familiar with the setting, so there were a few bits and references that made me smile and really connected me with the story even more. The characters were well done and the miscommunication trope is fantastically and naturally executed.
The narrative is told in dual narration style, which really worked well. I enjoyed getting to see both sides of the miscommunication and misunderstandings. Lysander was a particularly interesting character since we don't often get the kind of male perspective he provides. I really appreciated the handling of his situation and found it to feel incredibly authentic.
I really enjoyed this read. It was nice and relaxed and just a perfect feel good read. I was so wrapped up in the last third that I stayed up until 2 am to find out how it ended. Definite page turner.
Though this is part of a series, the second book is more of a companion novel. Regardless, You're My I.T. stands solidly on its own. The ending is well crafted and ties up a great portion of the novel neatly.
If you're looking for a cute relationship and a light romance, then this is your book. It would be a perfect summer read. Just adorable. And for those looking for the romance genre without the addition of sexually explicit content, You're My I.T. will also hit the mark.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
This is Charlie N. Holmberg's first foray into the contemporary romance genre and she rocked it. I've loved her books for a long time now. Having read nearly all of her backlist, I knew the writing was going to be good. She has long been able to create adorable and charming romantic relationships in her fantasy works.
You're My I.T. is a super sweet story and it definitely feels solidly Holmberg. The story centers on a technical writer (Blaine) and an I.T. specialist (Lysander) working in the same company in the Happy Valley area of Utah. (Holmberg always has a knack for coming up with fantastic character names.) The relationship between the two characters is just adorable, such a great friendship and a great handling of the emotional conflict that Blaine has in her progressing feelings for Lysander.
I'm familiar with the setting, so there were a few bits and references that made me smile and really connected me with the story even more. The characters were well done and the miscommunication trope is fantastically and naturally executed.
The narrative is told in dual narration style, which really worked well. I enjoyed getting to see both sides of the miscommunication and misunderstandings. Lysander was a particularly interesting character since we don't often get the kind of male perspective he provides. I really appreciated the handling of his situation and found it to feel incredibly authentic.
I really enjoyed this read. It was nice and relaxed and just a perfect feel good read. I was so wrapped up in the last third that I stayed up until 2 am to find out how it ended. Definite page turner.
Though this is part of a series, the second book is more of a companion novel. Regardless, You're My I.T. stands solidly on its own. The ending is well crafted and ties up a great portion of the novel neatly.
If you're looking for a cute relationship and a light romance, then this is your book. It would be a perfect summer read. Just adorable. And for those looking for the romance genre without the addition of sexually explicit content, You're My I.T. will also hit the mark.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my third read from Schwab and I have to say that I really enjoy her writing style. Gallant was a fun, short read with a great setup. The pacing was a little slow to start and a little quick once the story got rolling, but I still just enjoyed everything that was going on. Outside of Schwab's fantastic writing, her character work is always a lot of fun. In this case, I think her protagonist construction is among the best I've read. Olivia was a fabulously developed character and I loved the bit of rags-to-riches setup...something Annie, but with a cursed twist. Olivia is absolutely 100% the darling of this tale and she makes it all happen. There was a lot put into her makeup and I appreciated how realistically and carefully she was constructed.
The third big, magnificent piece of this world was the atmosphere. I LOVED the atmosphere and darkness to the story. I'm a sucker for gothic settings, so I was all about the creepy house, the even creepier alternate world. The paranormal aspect was nicely set up and I once again enjoyed the way that flipside was put together. Nowhere was the logic flawed in the connection between the two worlds.
Unfortunately, I did want more from this story. It had a great premise and a decent plot, but I just wanted it to dive deeper. For some reason, it just felt a bit hollow in the end. It was right there, on the precipice of being something great, and then it just kind of wrapped up and ended. I was left not knowing what to feel. I wanted to experience more of the atmosphere, understand more of the backstory, and have more exposure to the secondary characters. It felt like, for as wonderful as everything was that I did read, it only scratched the surface. Despite how lovely the writing was and how much I enjoyed the creep factor of Gallant itself, this feeling (and to some extent disappointment) meant that I couldn't give a 5-star rating. Still...is it worth reading? Yes. I'd read it again.
The third big, magnificent piece of this world was the atmosphere. I LOVED the atmosphere and darkness to the story. I'm a sucker for gothic settings, so I was all about the creepy house, the even creepier alternate world. The paranormal aspect was nicely set up and I once again enjoyed the way that flipside was put together. Nowhere was the logic flawed in the connection between the two worlds.
Unfortunately, I did want more from this story. It had a great premise and a decent plot, but I just wanted it to dive deeper. For some reason, it just felt a bit hollow in the end. It was right there, on the precipice of being something great, and then it just kind of wrapped up and ended. I was left not knowing what to feel. I wanted to experience more of the atmosphere, understand more of the backstory, and have more exposure to the secondary characters. It felt like, for as wonderful as everything was that I did read, it only scratched the surface. Despite how lovely the writing was and how much I enjoyed the creep factor of Gallant itself, this feeling (and to some extent disappointment) meant that I couldn't give a 5-star rating. Still...is it worth reading? Yes. I'd read it again.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 stars.
I'm not typically one for zombie horror, but this was quite an enjoyable read. It's a different take on the zombie genre, blending it a little with an isolated, idyllic society that clearly goes wrong.
The writing was really good and I loved the building of the atmosphere. There were some moments of confusion as I tried to understand the world and the blight, but I feel like that was somewhat intentional and I was, in a way, learning things as Wren learned them. It was like being a visitor to the town and being taken along for this horrific trip. Hold on to your pants because this baby is a fast-paced ride.
The characters were well done, though there were a couple of emotional responses and interactions that seemed a little off kilter. Overall, things were realistic and believable. Oh, and I'm not going to lie...I had a serious soft spot for Teddy and it hurt my weak, susceptible heart every time she got mentioned.
The world of Hollow's End was awesome. I loved how magical it all felt and was kind of bummed that it was all being wrecked by this zombie apocalypse. I mean just the description of fields full of rainbow wheat and melons that basically glow-in-the-dark blue were enough to make me yearn to see it in real life.
But oh, not everything in this novel was idyllic. The horror component was smack dang full on horror. It was tense, gory, and downright creepy. Fraistat was NOT afraid to go full bore on this baby and I appreciated every disgusting, cringe-worthy moment of it. The atmospheric writing definitely did not stop at the scenery.
This was a horror rollercoaster of a ride and I really enjoyed myself. It was something totally different and it was a great read. Also, big thank you to Fraistat for giving positive power to carbs.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
I'm not typically one for zombie horror, but this was quite an enjoyable read. It's a different take on the zombie genre, blending it a little with an isolated, idyllic society that clearly goes wrong.
The writing was really good and I loved the building of the atmosphere. There were some moments of confusion as I tried to understand the world and the blight, but I feel like that was somewhat intentional and I was, in a way, learning things as Wren learned them. It was like being a visitor to the town and being taken along for this horrific trip. Hold on to your pants because this baby is a fast-paced ride.
The characters were well done, though there were a couple of emotional responses and interactions that seemed a little off kilter. Overall, things were realistic and believable. Oh, and I'm not going to lie...I had a serious soft spot for Teddy and it hurt my weak, susceptible heart every time she got mentioned.
The world of Hollow's End was awesome. I loved how magical it all felt and was kind of bummed that it was all being wrecked by this zombie apocalypse. I mean just the description of fields full of rainbow wheat and melons that basically glow-in-the-dark blue were enough to make me yearn to see it in real life.
But oh, not everything in this novel was idyllic. The horror component was smack dang full on horror. It was tense, gory, and downright creepy. Fraistat was NOT afraid to go full bore on this baby and I appreciated every disgusting, cringe-worthy moment of it. The atmospheric writing definitely did not stop at the scenery.
This was a horror rollercoaster of a ride and I really enjoyed myself. It was something totally different and it was a great read. Also, big thank you to Fraistat for giving positive power to carbs.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *