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challenging
dark
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars.
It's been a while since I read the first book in this series, but I do remember being a bit more attached to the characters in that read than I experience with this sequel. Flavia is still an adorable and precocious girl with insatiable curiosity, but something about the story just held me at arm's length.
The setup for the mystery was very clever and there was a decent plot woven around a series of clue discoveries. The characters did seem a bit caricatured and unpredictable, making the story a little chaotic. I lost the plot a few times.
It was a decently quick read with a nice bit of dry humor and I did moderately enjoy it. I will continue the series to see if it bounces back, but this definitely didn't endear me as well as the first book in the series.
It's been a while since I read the first book in this series, but I do remember being a bit more attached to the characters in that read than I experience with this sequel. Flavia is still an adorable and precocious girl with insatiable curiosity, but something about the story just held me at arm's length.
The setup for the mystery was very clever and there was a decent plot woven around a series of clue discoveries. The characters did seem a bit caricatured and unpredictable, making the story a little chaotic. I lost the plot a few times.
It was a decently quick read with a nice bit of dry humor and I did moderately enjoy it. I will continue the series to see if it bounces back, but this definitely didn't endear me as well as the first book in the series.
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-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
Whelp. TJ Klune just became an autobuy author. If you are looking for someone who can weave a magical story while still remaining realistic and inclusive, look no further. This twisted, something of a retelling of Dickens' A Christmas Carol mixed with mythology was wonderful and I devoured it.
The narrative is an amazing exploration of death, fear, and grief via the use of a paranormal reaper & ferryman to help guide the dead to the afterlife. This is handled with extreme delicacy and care and is amazingly inclusive, avoiding any alienation due to adherence to one particular religion.
I was both enamored and heartbroken with this read. It is so beautiful and evocative. The writing just flows and gripped my heart. I loved it. The characters are fantastic and vibrant; they are characters you want to be friends with, a family you want to be part of. Wallace's journey is wonderful and I just had all the feels.
A character driven story, this moves at a bit of languid pace, but it immerses the reader in the world and really dives into Wallace's emotional journey. The atmosphere is fantastic and the dialogue is quirky and fun, just like you would expect from TJ Klune.
Bottom line: Klune has written another winner. Soon I'll have a full shelf of nothing but Klune novels. He has a gift...and I'm 100% here for it.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
The narrative is an amazing exploration of death, fear, and grief via the use of a paranormal reaper & ferryman to help guide the dead to the afterlife. This is handled with extreme delicacy and care and is amazingly inclusive, avoiding any alienation due to adherence to one particular religion.
I was both enamored and heartbroken with this read. It is so beautiful and evocative. The writing just flows and gripped my heart. I loved it. The characters are fantastic and vibrant; they are characters you want to be friends with, a family you want to be part of. Wallace's journey is wonderful and I just had all the feels.
A character driven story, this moves at a bit of languid pace, but it immerses the reader in the world and really dives into Wallace's emotional journey. The atmosphere is fantastic and the dialogue is quirky and fun, just like you would expect from TJ Klune.
Bottom line: Klune has written another winner. Soon I'll have a full shelf of nothing but Klune novels. He has a gift...and I'm 100% here for it.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What Once Was Mine is a fun romp and a quick read despite it's lengthy page count. A retelling of Rapunzel, the story does follow the traditional tale fairly closely for the first section of the novel, but then spins off into it's own version of the tale with new twists, new characters, and a lot of really cute and adventurous fun.
The story is told in two timelines, with the narrative of Rapunzel being a story within a story a la the movie The Princess Bride. After reading the author's note, I understand the reason for this construction choice, but I didn't feel it was executed well. These sections instead pulled me out of the story and made the overall tale feel a bit more juvenile. In addition, it wasn't really fully fleshed out and felt more like a commercial interlude. For me, it was wasted space. I would have preferred to solely have the central Rapunzel tale from start to finish.
Despite my issues with the modern storyline interruptions, the writing was good and easy to breeze through with decent atmosphere and great character descriptions. The characters do, for the most part, follow the traditional tale, but there are some additional heroes and villains at work who really made the story fun. The story does get a little dark and maybe slightly too aggressive, but I found it interesting.
There is definitely a middle grade/younger YA feel to the majority of the writing and there are some pretty cheesy moments, but What Once Was Mine is an enjoyable guilty pleasure read and I had a good time. Time to pick up the rest of the series.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
The story is told in two timelines, with the narrative of Rapunzel being a story within a story a la the movie The Princess Bride. After reading the author's note, I understand the reason for this construction choice, but I didn't feel it was executed well. These sections instead pulled me out of the story and made the overall tale feel a bit more juvenile. In addition, it wasn't really fully fleshed out and felt more like a commercial interlude. For me, it was wasted space. I would have preferred to solely have the central Rapunzel tale from start to finish.
Despite my issues with the modern storyline interruptions, the writing was good and easy to breeze through with decent atmosphere and great character descriptions. The characters do, for the most part, follow the traditional tale, but there are some additional heroes and villains at work who really made the story fun. The story does get a little dark and maybe slightly too aggressive, but I found it interesting.
There is definitely a middle grade/younger YA feel to the majority of the writing and there are some pretty cheesy moments, but What Once Was Mine is an enjoyable guilty pleasure read and I had a good time. Time to pick up the rest of the series.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-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'm late to the party, but I finally made it here and I'm starting to understand the hype. An adventurous sci-fi fairytale retelling, Cinder is an incredibly creative read with a lot of fun & intrigue built in.
The story is a retelling, but it is absolutely its own story. There are parallels with the original tale, but so much of it is unique & new. There is also a slight flavor of Jay Kristoff's Lifel1k3 series, which was really fun for me. Apparently I just really like stories with cyborgs and androids. Who knew?
The plot is admittedly a bit predictable, but it's still fun. The pacing is good and the detail in the writing evokes a pretty powerful atmosphere. The characters though...they carry the story. Cinder is fun and vocal and a strong female protagonist. She does not shy away and she stands up for herself...a nice powerful spin on Cinderella. Kai is amazing and kind and not spoiled by power. They're just so cute. My favorite though is the android...Iko. She's adorable and funny.
I'm totally sucked in to this world and I'm ready for more. The bright side about being late to the party...the entire series is ready for me to devour.
The story is a retelling, but it is absolutely its own story. There are parallels with the original tale, but so much of it is unique & new. There is also a slight flavor of Jay Kristoff's Lifel1k3 series, which was really fun for me. Apparently I just really like stories with cyborgs and androids. Who knew?
The plot is admittedly a bit predictable, but it's still fun. The pacing is good and the detail in the writing evokes a pretty powerful atmosphere. The characters though...they carry the story. Cinder is fun and vocal and a strong female protagonist. She does not shy away and she stands up for herself...a nice powerful spin on Cinderella. Kai is amazing and kind and not spoiled by power. They're just so cute. My favorite though is the android...Iko. She's adorable and funny.
I'm totally sucked in to this world and I'm ready for more. The bright side about being late to the party...the entire series is ready for me to devour.
adventurous
dark
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
3.5 stars.
I love a dark book with secret societies and a college setting. The creepier, the better. The Maidens gives a taste of that...but only a taste. I was so bummed. The story is okay and there is a moderate level of intrigue, but everything felt like it just scratched the surface. I really wanted more from it.
The atmosphere was good and there was a solid pace to the narrative, so that made the story move alright and I was interested enough to want to read through the end and did not consider DNF. But this didn't wow me like I had hoped.
Mariana was a bit of an annoying protagonist. She didn't make great decisions and she certainly didn't act appropriately when faced with individuals acting appropriately or when placed in potentially dangerous situations. She was not believable for me and I just wanted to smack her a few times. In fact, most of the characters were unbelievable. Everyone had over-the-top personalities that completely lacked subtlety. Nearly everyone came off creepy or as a potential bad guy. It was just over done.
Now that my griping is done, this wasn't a complete waste of time, but it certainly wasn't the gripping thriller I was looking for. The pacing certainly helped it out since I was able to more or less breeze through, but I have yet to read The Silent Patient and I'm really hoping that everyone's hype for that one is well-founded. Hopefully this book is only a case of the sophomore novel slump.
I love a dark book with secret societies and a college setting. The creepier, the better. The Maidens gives a taste of that...but only a taste. I was so bummed. The story is okay and there is a moderate level of intrigue, but everything felt like it just scratched the surface. I really wanted more from it.
The atmosphere was good and there was a solid pace to the narrative, so that made the story move alright and I was interested enough to want to read through the end and did not consider DNF. But this didn't wow me like I had hoped.
Mariana was a bit of an annoying protagonist. She didn't make great decisions and she certainly didn't act appropriately when faced with individuals acting appropriately or when placed in potentially dangerous situations. She was not believable for me and I just wanted to smack her a few times. In fact, most of the characters were unbelievable. Everyone had over-the-top personalities that completely lacked subtlety. Nearly everyone came off creepy or as a potential bad guy. It was just over done.
Now that my griping is done, this wasn't a complete waste of time, but it certainly wasn't the gripping thriller I was looking for. The pacing certainly helped it out since I was able to more or less breeze through, but I have yet to read The Silent Patient and I'm really hoping that everyone's hype for that one is well-founded. Hopefully this book is only a case of the sophomore novel slump.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I understand now the hype behind anything written by Becky Chambers. This was an incredibly fun and creative read. There is a lot of allegory in the writing and themes, but it is so well-done and such a delight to read.
I love the characters and found Dex to be just a delight. The writing of their character is done with such innocent candor and never have I read a nonbinary character who read so seamlessly. The pronoun usage felt natural and was just perfect. Mosscap was also a wonderful character and the use of both of these characters as explorers was sweet and endearing. They were each learning in gentle ways about the other. Their banter is witty and honest and at times hilarious. The ways they considered one another's feelings and tried to understand things from the other's point-of-view was a great lesson for humanity and I just loved it.
The world and the journey were also enjoyable, but they are not the center of the story. The journey definitely provides the opportunities for character growth, but is slightly extraneous to the interpersonal connection that is occurring and developing.
Chambers' writing is amazing. It is smart and lyrical and full of subtle analogies. It is compactly able to deliver powerful lessons about humanity and the ways in which we look at, exploit, harm, and explore the world. I am very excited to read her backlist as well as to read more from this particular series. I don't think they can be released fast enough. I loved this so much.
I love the characters and found Dex to be just a delight. The writing of their character is done with such innocent candor and never have I read a nonbinary character who read so seamlessly. The pronoun usage felt natural and was just perfect. Mosscap was also a wonderful character and the use of both of these characters as explorers was sweet and endearing. They were each learning in gentle ways about the other. Their banter is witty and honest and at times hilarious. The ways they considered one another's feelings and tried to understand things from the other's point-of-view was a great lesson for humanity and I just loved it.
The world and the journey were also enjoyable, but they are not the center of the story. The journey definitely provides the opportunities for character growth, but is slightly extraneous to the interpersonal connection that is occurring and developing.
Chambers' writing is amazing. It is smart and lyrical and full of subtle analogies. It is compactly able to deliver powerful lessons about humanity and the ways in which we look at, exploit, harm, and explore the world. I am very excited to read her backlist as well as to read more from this particular series. I don't think they can be released fast enough. I loved this so much.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Tidepool is a gothic horror debut from author Nicole Willson. It's reminiscent of a Lovecraftian tale with very dark atmosphere in a creepy seaside town. Wilson's writing is smooth and coherent, with a lot of promise for future reads. She clearly has an excellent imagination and she has a talent for creating a nice, creepy feel.
While the atmosphere won me over, the protagonist (Sorrow) was a problem for me. At times she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, but then she would make the stupidest decisions. Dumb characters who behave like slasher film victims are not my fave. This made the plot run a bit circular, dragged down the pacing, and made the story less believable. (I realize that believable is an odd thing to mention when dealing with a speculative fiction read, but that's what we're going with.)
The storyline was fun and creepy, but admittedly fairly predictable. While I enjoyed this quick, gothic read, I just wanted something a bit more solid and shocking. The writing, however, shows great promise and with Willson's clever imagination I expect that she may have some good spooky stories to share in the future.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
While the atmosphere won me over, the protagonist (Sorrow) was a problem for me. At times she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, but then she would make the stupidest decisions. Dumb characters who behave like slasher film victims are not my fave. This made the plot run a bit circular, dragged down the pacing, and made the story less believable. (I realize that believable is an odd thing to mention when dealing with a speculative fiction read, but that's what we're going with.)
The storyline was fun and creepy, but admittedly fairly predictable. While I enjoyed this quick, gothic read, I just wanted something a bit more solid and shocking. The writing, however, shows great promise and with Willson's clever imagination I expect that she may have some good spooky stories to share in the future.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An incredibly atmospheric read with a good, lightly creepy mystery. This book ticked a couple of boxes for me and sailed along fantastically. Boarding school, creepy circumstances, ghosts, murder mystery. Yep, yep...loving it. The juxtaposition of a modern day mystery with an old cold case was an awesome bonus.
I love St. James' writing. She creates such a powerful scene and always draws me in just right. The creepy factor is enough to be uncomfortable without being nightmare fodder. I adored the boarding school setting, though I will admit that I wanted more of it. I could have easily done with another book fully about Idlewild alone. I'm a sucker for that kind of thing.
I wasn't a huge fan of the relationship component to the book, but what are you going to do? There's bound to be something in there and some readers will appreciate it. It's just not always my cup of tea.
The mystery was well-written and not at all heavy handed. That was much appreciated as I sometimes feel like mystery and thriller authors try to beat readers over the head with context clues. This writing was nice and subtle, with an easy flow and enough intrigue to keep me wanting more without feeling overcomplicated. There were some pieces that could be considered somewhat predictable, but I think they were hidden well enough. I enjoyed the twists and didn't find them too blase or outlandish.
I breezed through this book and didn't want to put it down. It was a really fun read and I very much enjoyed myself. This was my 2nd St. James read and I will now be reading her entire backlist. Success.
I love St. James' writing. She creates such a powerful scene and always draws me in just right. The creepy factor is enough to be uncomfortable without being nightmare fodder. I adored the boarding school setting, though I will admit that I wanted more of it. I could have easily done with another book fully about Idlewild alone. I'm a sucker for that kind of thing.
I wasn't a huge fan of the relationship component to the book, but what are you going to do? There's bound to be something in there and some readers will appreciate it. It's just not always my cup of tea.
The mystery was well-written and not at all heavy handed. That was much appreciated as I sometimes feel like mystery and thriller authors try to beat readers over the head with context clues. This writing was nice and subtle, with an easy flow and enough intrigue to keep me wanting more without feeling overcomplicated. There were some pieces that could be considered somewhat predictable, but I think they were hidden well enough. I enjoyed the twists and didn't find them too blase or outlandish.
I breezed through this book and didn't want to put it down. It was a really fun read and I very much enjoyed myself. This was my 2nd St. James read and I will now be reading her entire backlist. Success.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
3.5 stars.
This was an interesting read. It is a bit dark and definitely depressing, so I highly recommend checking the trigger warnings and other information before picking this up if you are a sensitive reader.
The writing is good, with an internal monologue type of delivery that really places the reader firmly in the mind of Gilda. She is a very complicated character in some ways, but also incredibly easy to identify with (at least she was for me).
The reading was a bit of a slower pace due to the structure and the heaviness of the content. The narrative is told in a bit of a choppy way, with small flashbacks taking place throughout the book amidst the present day movement. The primary story line is a journey through depression and anxiety and it hits incredibly hard. Austin definitely evokes emotional content very well.
Other than the protagonist, the majority of the characters felt a bit like sketch comics. They were there as basic shells, but they kind of floated in and out through Gilda's life. None of them were super concrete, though they did often act to present a lesson of sorts. This is not to say that they weren't well constructed. They definitely had purpose and were definable, but simply felt a bit muted in order to keep the focus solidly on Gilda. This kind of character construction, along with the fitful movement of the plot did feel a little Manic Pixie Dream Girl, but the underlying intent was very clear and there were good messages woven into the plot.
Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead is short and sweet, but hits with a big stick. It's heavily impactful and a strong thinking piece. The plot and character movement can be a bit strange, but this read definitely delivers.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
This was an interesting read. It is a bit dark and definitely depressing, so I highly recommend checking the trigger warnings and other information before picking this up if you are a sensitive reader.
The writing is good, with an internal monologue type of delivery that really places the reader firmly in the mind of Gilda. She is a very complicated character in some ways, but also incredibly easy to identify with (at least she was for me).
The reading was a bit of a slower pace due to the structure and the heaviness of the content. The narrative is told in a bit of a choppy way, with small flashbacks taking place throughout the book amidst the present day movement. The primary story line is a journey through depression and anxiety and it hits incredibly hard. Austin definitely evokes emotional content very well.
Other than the protagonist, the majority of the characters felt a bit like sketch comics. They were there as basic shells, but they kind of floated in and out through Gilda's life. None of them were super concrete, though they did often act to present a lesson of sorts. This is not to say that they weren't well constructed. They definitely had purpose and were definable, but simply felt a bit muted in order to keep the focus solidly on Gilda. This kind of character construction, along with the fitful movement of the plot did feel a little Manic Pixie Dream Girl, but the underlying intent was very clear and there were good messages woven into the plot.
Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead is short and sweet, but hits with a big stick. It's heavily impactful and a strong thinking piece. The plot and character movement can be a bit strange, but this read definitely delivers.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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:
Yes
This book was a blast! I highly recommend the audiobook. The writing is super snarky and the narrator brings that through so incredibly well. The plot is imaginative and moves super fast, with a lot of action and commentary that had me snorting from laughing so hard. I breezed right through my read and finished the over 500 pages in three days. I didn't want to put it down.
I am a huge fan of historical fiction, but this made it even more fun. A blend of historical fiction and fantasy (with large liberties taken as to historical fact), there was so much to love about this read. I am amazed at how seamless the writing is with there having been three authors working together. It's really quite impressive when you think about it. The voice comes through incredibly solid and feels extremely cohesive.
The characters are a lot of fun. There is a mix of historical accuracy along with some strong character personality in the dialogue and it removes the edge of stuffiness that sometimes accompanies historical reads. I ended up really loving the majority of the characters and I'm extremely thrilled that this is a series (along with another still releasing companion series).
Two thumbs up with a very high recommendation!!
I am a huge fan of historical fiction, but this made it even more fun. A blend of historical fiction and fantasy (with large liberties taken as to historical fact), there was so much to love about this read. I am amazed at how seamless the writing is with there having been three authors working together. It's really quite impressive when you think about it. The voice comes through incredibly solid and feels extremely cohesive.
The characters are a lot of fun. There is a mix of historical accuracy along with some strong character personality in the dialogue and it removes the edge of stuffiness that sometimes accompanies historical reads. I ended up really loving the majority of the characters and I'm extremely thrilled that this is a series (along with another still releasing companion series).
Two thumbs up with a very high recommendation!!