eve_reads's Reviews (121)

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Overall Thoughts:
⁕ The main character is 90% a Katniss Everdeen “angry girl” trope and 10% a soft cinnamon roll who is anxious about having friends. I love her a lot.

⁕  There is LOTS of info dumping, and it slows the story down at points.

⁕ The monsters and magic in this novel are ridiculous, bordering absurd at some points. Maybe it’s just me, but I had a hard time envisioning some of the things depicted.

⁕ I probably will read the next book in this series (duology?) just because the cliffhanger at the end was so shocking.

To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
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Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-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

Overall Thoughts:
 ⁕ I like that this is a feminist text but that the main female character does not start out as a strong, independent, kick-butt woman. I like that she is co-dependent and vulnerable and that the reader gets to see how difficult and messy it is to grow out of that.

 ⁕ My biggest complaint about this book is that it is too short. I would have loved more time with the characters, more time to build-up to the main conflicts.

 ⁕ This book is advertised as magical realism but there's really only one small reference to potential magic at the end. I also wish this was more developed. 

To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
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Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Overall Thoughts:
⁕ This is a book with an amoral main character, and the audio narration REALLY plays that up with his tone and inflection. That being said, while it is well written and presented, it is also super hard to listen to without feeling angry or annoyed.

⁕ Until the last 20% of the novel or so, it felt more like a heavy contemporary than it did a thriller. It's worth it when you get there, but you have to stick it through a lot of slow development first.

⁕ I appreciated the multiple narratives in the text, but I wish it would have been more balanced between them.

To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
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Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

 Overall Thoughts:
⁕ The ending of the book was super meaningful but VERY predictable.

⁕ This book is HEAVY, especially in the beginning. Definitely tread cautiously, especially if the pandemic has had you feeling down or "behind" in life.

⁕ The flow and structure of this book became very predictable: Nora visits a new life, learns something about it, and then repeats.

⁕  The strongest aspect of the entire novel is Nora's character development and inner monologue.

To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark mysterious 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: Yes

Overall Thoughts:
⁕ Gong is a literary master — the way she seamlessly blends the story of her characters with Shakespeare’s play AND historical Shanghai blows my mind. There are so many little nuggets of detail and references in here that sent my heart a flutter!

⁕ This book is structured around a quest-type plot, which is not my favorite but Gong kept it interesting with lots of suspense.

⁕ I love that we see Juliette’s character develop so much in the present story of the book but we also get information about how her past experiences shape her as well

⁕ I want more information and world-building in regards to each character’s families and their respective gangs! I hope that’s included in the next book.

To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Overall Thoughts:
 ⁕ If you’re someone who enjoys YA fantasy but want to introduce more adult fantasy into your reading, this book is the perfect stepping stone! There are lots of mature themes present, but it’s not overly complicated and still has some quirky banter and other YA staples.

⁕ This book is SUPER fast-paced and action-packed (hello, fight scenes!).

⁕ Schwab sets the stage beautifully for the character development of our two main heroes by introducing us to all their desires, ugly fears, and bad habits.

⁕ I would take a bullet for Lilah Bard. That is all.

To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
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Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective
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

 Overall Thoughts:
⁕ Contemporary romance novels scare me because I have this (probably false) idea that they will be unbearably cheesy. Thankfully, that was not the case with this book. It is super cute, but also well-balanced with political drama, identity exploration, non-romantic relationship development, and so much more.

⁕ The character development of Alex is SO well written. My heart ached for him and soared for him.

⁕ The chapters are short and nearly all of them end on cliffhangers, making the book impossible to put down. I don’t recommend starting unless you have the time to read it in one full sitting 😂

To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
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Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

 Overall Thoughts:
⁕ The illustrations by Hira Noor are some of the most detailed I’ve seen in a collection! They complement the text so well and add to the overall reading experience.

⁕ Some of the poems are very specific to Fatima’s lived experiences, while others are more generalized references to humanity as a whole. ALL of the pieces are beautiful and impactful in their own ways, but their variety in length and subject added depth to the collection as a whole.

⁕ Fatima’s writing style is incredibly rhythmic and lyrical. I actually kept going back to read certain pieces out loud because they just SOUND so good.

⁕ As someone who enjoys strong narratives in any text I pick up, I love that the collection is divided into four broader sections that create a sense of direction and conclusion. 

To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
   

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

 Overall Thoughts:
⁕ I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone looking to step into the horror genre, especially if you’re used to fantasy. This hybrid book blends the two beautifully and felt very accessible.

⁕ This book is short and fast-paced, but I never felt that the story was rushed. The ending was also very satisfying.

⁕ The development of the character relationships is SO GOOD, especially between the main character and love interest.

To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
 

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