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obscurepages's Reviews (410)
This was a good read, a fast and fun one. And although the plot seemed too easy and predictable at times, it was still pretty enjoyable. I definitely recommend this to those who are looking for a short and sweet contemporary read!
The writing
The writing was okay, it was light and it was easy to follow.
There are four perspectives, though, so that can be a little confusing, not because of timelines or the different thoughts of the characters, but because you’ll be wondering “oh, why does this character have a perspective? What does he/she have to the with the plot? Do they have a bigger purpose or part? What’s going to happen in their arc now?”. Stuff like those.
The characters
The characters were fine and it was easy for me to connect with the main characters, especially with Gideon and Kyle.
I love how they’re all facing their own problems. As I’ve mentioned, there are four perspectives, and these four characters all have their problems that they’re going through. I wish the author delved more into that though, because some conflicts in each perspective were only partly-solved. I was really waiting for the characters—especially Ezra and Ruby—to truly overcome and face their problems head on, I wanted to see more of their character development.
Another thing is that Gideon and Kyle’s feelings for each other seemed a bit rushed for me. I mean I get that they’re best friends, and I LOVE the best friends to lovers trope, but I didn’t see much of the “buried” feelings as they say, or the gradual realization that they have feelings for each other. I still like their pairing though, haha!
The plot
As I’ve mentioned above, the plot can seem too easy and predictable at times. Like it’s something that I’ve already seen in other YA contemporaries (the plot actually reminds me a bit of Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda). The good thing about this is that, readers will definitely get that happy ending they’re looking for. This is why I totally recommend this book as sort of a palate cleanser, in case you’ve been reading a lot of fantasy novels or books with heavy or emotional issues. Been Here All Along is a fun and light read, for sure.
There are a couple of subplots as well, that I feel like wasn’t answered or tackled completely. It left me a little bit unsatisfied because unsolved or partly-solved subplots are some of the banes of my existence. Apart from that, everything was good.
Overall this was a fun read and I give it three stars!
(This review can also be found on my blog.)
The writing
The writing was okay, it was light and it was easy to follow.
There are four perspectives, though, so that can be a little confusing, not because of timelines or the different thoughts of the characters, but because you’ll be wondering “oh, why does this character have a perspective? What does he/she have to the with the plot? Do they have a bigger purpose or part? What’s going to happen in their arc now?”. Stuff like those.
The characters
The characters were fine and it was easy for me to connect with the main characters, especially with Gideon and Kyle.
I love how they’re all facing their own problems. As I’ve mentioned, there are four perspectives, and these four characters all have their problems that they’re going through. I wish the author delved more into that though, because some conflicts in each perspective were only partly-solved. I was really waiting for the characters—especially Ezra and Ruby—to truly overcome and face their problems head on, I wanted to see more of their character development.
Another thing is that Gideon and Kyle’s feelings for each other seemed a bit rushed for me. I mean I get that they’re best friends, and I LOVE the best friends to lovers trope, but I didn’t see much of the “buried” feelings as they say, or the gradual realization that they have feelings for each other. I still like their pairing though, haha!
The plot
As I’ve mentioned above, the plot can seem too easy and predictable at times. Like it’s something that I’ve already seen in other YA contemporaries (the plot actually reminds me a bit of Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda). The good thing about this is that, readers will definitely get that happy ending they’re looking for. This is why I totally recommend this book as sort of a palate cleanser, in case you’ve been reading a lot of fantasy novels or books with heavy or emotional issues. Been Here All Along is a fun and light read, for sure.
There are a couple of subplots as well, that I feel like wasn’t answered or tackled completely. It left me a little bit unsatisfied because unsolved or partly-solved subplots are some of the banes of my existence. Apart from that, everything was good.
Overall this was a fun read and I give it three stars!
(This review can also be found on my blog.)
Will you believe me if I tell you that Reign of the Fallen is one of my most anticipated reads last year but I haven't been able to read it immediately? (I am very much guilty.)
Anyway, I finally read it this week! Reign of the Fallen, though the pacing of the story and the plot seemed rocky for me, was an enjoyable read and its sequel seems promising.
The writing
The writing was okay for me but my interest was coming and going. It was fine, but I wasn't hooked with it, nor did it blew me away.
Despite this, I really liked how the author wrote about the insecurities of the main character. I also commend her on writing and exploring grief and loneliness and just how it can affect a person.
The characters
The characters are fine but I didn't get attached to them like I thought I would. I liked them enough, there's no doubt about that, but I'm not that crazy about them.
What I particularly liked though is seeing Odessa go through all of the events in the story and see her try to cope, fail to cope, and then fully recover and get back on track. I really loved that, because for me, it shows that she a flawed main character but she is evolving and growing.
The plot
Loved the idea of the plot, but I feel like the execution of it could have been better. In the first half of the book, I kept feeling like the pace of the story and the plot was rocky. Scenes and situations go from high to low then high to low again and the main conflict took quite some time to develop and present itself to the readers. The last 30% of the book was the best part for me.
The world-building
The world-building is truly unique! I have a fascination with necromancy (this is actually one of the reasons why I was drawn to this book in the first place), and reading all about the world in Reign of the Fallen was awesome!
Necromancers raise the dead and bring them to life so that they can continue to serve as royals or live among their loved ones. Really love this concept. I also love the details about their culture, the different provinces, their different gods. I do hope there's a lot more of this in the sequel.
I also loved how sexuality isn't much of a big deal in their society. Odessa, the main character, is bisexual. Some of the minor characters are also either bi or gay.
Overall, I give Reign of the Fallen three stars! The sequel Song of the Dead seems promising and I definitely want to see where the story goes.
(This book review can also be found on my blog.)
Anyway, I finally read it this week! Reign of the Fallen, though the pacing of the story and the plot seemed rocky for me, was an enjoyable read and its sequel seems promising.
The writing
The writing was okay for me but my interest was coming and going. It was fine, but I wasn't hooked with it, nor did it blew me away.
Despite this, I really liked how the author wrote about the insecurities of the main character. I also commend her on writing and exploring grief and loneliness and just how it can affect a person.
The characters
The characters are fine but I didn't get attached to them like I thought I would. I liked them enough, there's no doubt about that, but I'm not that crazy about them.
What I particularly liked though is seeing Odessa go through all of the events in the story and see her try to cope, fail to cope, and then fully recover and get back on track. I really loved that, because for me, it shows that she a flawed main character but she is evolving and growing.
The plot
Loved the idea of the plot, but I feel like the execution of it could have been better. In the first half of the book, I kept feeling like the pace of the story and the plot was rocky. Scenes and situations go from high to low then high to low again and the main conflict took quite some time to develop and present itself to the readers. The last 30% of the book was the best part for me.
The world-building
The world-building is truly unique! I have a fascination with necromancy (this is actually one of the reasons why I was drawn to this book in the first place), and reading all about the world in Reign of the Fallen was awesome!
Necromancers raise the dead and bring them to life so that they can continue to serve as royals or live among their loved ones. Really love this concept. I also love the details about their culture, the different provinces, their different gods. I do hope there's a lot more of this in the sequel.
I also loved how sexuality isn't much of a big deal in their society. Odessa, the main character, is bisexual. Some of the minor characters are also either bi or gay.
Overall, I give Reign of the Fallen three stars! The sequel Song of the Dead seems promising and I definitely want to see where the story goes.
(This book review can also be found on my blog.)
Every reread I do is just hyping me up more and more for the movie. I can't wait already.
Sorcery of Thorns is one of my most anticipated reads this 2019 and WOW WOW WOW. Guys, it did not disappoint! This book is beautiful, both the cover and the story, and YA fantasy readers and bookworms will surely fall in love with it.
The writing
The writing is great. I was hooked from the first chapter immediately. There's something about the author's writing style that just seems seamless—from the perspective of the main character, to the individual scenes, and to the main story line. I also love that it captured my emotion as a reader and as a book lover (I mean let's face it, this book was written for all bookworms out there! So, thank you so much dear author!).
The characters
First things first: I love Silas. Just want to make that clear. He's my favorite character in this book, and not just because he can turn into a cat (haha!), but because he is lovable, ferocious, scary yet full of warmth. (You'll know what I'm talking about when you read this epic book.)
I loved Elisabeth as well. Her character went through a lot but she adapted and she grew, She learned things about the world and she learned things about herself. She was innocent yet brave, and so hopeful about the world. Plus, her love for books also made me connect and relate to her more.
I loved Nathaniel as well. He was sarcastic and funny, powerful, and perhaps, a bit lonely, too. He is haunted by certain events in his past which also made him cold at times. I just feel like there's more to him than being the charming love interest, and I would have liked to know more about him.
When it comes to the romance, it was nice, but I wasn't entirely convinced. I liked Elisabeth and Nathaniel's chemistry enough, but I guess I wasn't too invested with the romance brewing between them.
The plot
Sorcery of Thorns' plot was great! It was a real page-turner! There were some scenes and elements in the story line that awfully reminded me of Harry Potter and Supernatural (which happen to be two of my favorite things), which was good, I liked it. But in a way they didn't have too much shock factor anymore because of it.
The flow of story was just so good. You can see how the plot builds up, and you can piece together details and scenes for yourself and realize that certain situations and plot twists make sense. I loved that.
The world-building
LOVED the world-building in this book! Sentient grimoires? Great libraries? Sorcerers and magic and demons? Wow wow wow. I'm a sucker for great world-building, and this book definitely quenched the thirst I had for a fantasy book with awesome world-building.
4.5 stars for Sorcery of Thorns! I guess it’s now safe to say that this is my favorite read this August!
(This book review can also be found in my blog.)
The writing
The writing is great. I was hooked from the first chapter immediately. There's something about the author's writing style that just seems seamless—from the perspective of the main character, to the individual scenes, and to the main story line. I also love that it captured my emotion as a reader and as a book lover (I mean let's face it, this book was written for all bookworms out there! So, thank you so much dear author!).
The characters
First things first: I love Silas. Just want to make that clear. He's my favorite character in this book, and not just because he can turn into a cat (haha!), but because he is lovable, ferocious, scary yet full of warmth. (You'll know what I'm talking about when you read this epic book.)
I loved Elisabeth as well. Her character went through a lot but she adapted and she grew, She learned things about the world and she learned things about herself. She was innocent yet brave, and so hopeful about the world. Plus, her love for books also made me connect and relate to her more.
I loved Nathaniel as well. He was sarcastic and funny, powerful, and perhaps, a bit lonely, too. He is haunted by certain events in his past which also made him cold at times. I just feel like there's more to him than being the charming love interest, and I would have liked to know more about him.
When it comes to the romance, it was nice, but I wasn't entirely convinced. I liked Elisabeth and Nathaniel's chemistry enough, but I guess I wasn't too invested with the romance brewing between them.
The plot
Sorcery of Thorns' plot was great! It was a real page-turner! There were some scenes and elements in the story line that awfully reminded me of Harry Potter and Supernatural (which happen to be two of my favorite things), which was good, I liked it. But in a way they didn't have too much shock factor anymore because of it.
The flow of story was just so good. You can see how the plot builds up, and you can piece together details and scenes for yourself and realize that certain situations and plot twists make sense. I loved that.
The world-building
LOVED the world-building in this book! Sentient grimoires? Great libraries? Sorcerers and magic and demons? Wow wow wow. I'm a sucker for great world-building, and this book definitely quenched the thirst I had for a fantasy book with awesome world-building.
4.5 stars for Sorcery of Thorns! I guess it’s now safe to say that this is my favorite read this August!
(This book review can also be found in my blog.)
Four Dead Queens is a fast-paced murder mystery-fantasy-scifi hybrid with an intricate plot, manipulative characters, great writing, and crazy plot twists! I absolutely loved it! I give it 4.5 stars!
The writing
The writing style was great. There were two different perspectives—a first person point of view by Keralie, and third person point of views about the queens. This mix of perspectives provided more mystery an anticipation for me, and allowed me to know more about the queens even just for a short amount of time.
Also, I have to say that the author was great at foreshadowing. There were hints about the characters, about the plot, about big reveals. It was great seeing all of these little details make sense at the end of the book.
The characters
The characters are alright. I have to be honest though, I didn't like Keralie for the first half of the book. I didn't fully connect with her as a reader or a person, and I just didn't like how she acted. Fortunately, I started to warm up to her in the second half. Her character development was great, and I loved seeing her evolve.
Varin was nice but I'm a bit upset about his character arc as I feel like it wasn't fully developed. He was too precious for this world.
I think, perhaps, my favorite character, or should I say characters, in Four Dead Queens are the queens themselves. They're all different, yet so alike in many ways. I can't help but feel attached to them with every chapter, and until their dying breaths.
Also, the antagonists (I'm not going to name them, since it may be a bit of a spoiler haha!) are such jerks. Like wow, they really irked me, and that just made me more invested to this book.
The plot
The plot is so intricate and well thought out, I am amazed. Just when I thought I'm finally grasping what was happening in the book, I am bombarded with a crazy plot twist or a shocking detail or secret. Yes, even a small detail about the characters or the world-building is enough to affect the the story and I loved that. I have to applaud the author for this because she really succeeded in keeping me on my toes.
Four Dead Queens is also fast-paced, which I really loved because I'm already hanging onto every word since the first chapter. It's captivating, it's frustrating, and I swear, this book will play with your emotions and thoughts.
The world-building
Loved the world-building in this book! Quadara, along with its quadrants, is a very interesting nation and I loved knowing more about it from the different perspectives. There is a perspective from our main character, Keralie. And there are also perspectives from the various queens, allowing us to peek into the various quadrants they represent.
There is also a great significance directed towards the Queenly Laws. I loved how these laws were tackled and incorporated in every chapter with the queens, and how these laws serve as the guide to ruling Quadara.
(This book review is also on my blog!)
The writing
The writing style was great. There were two different perspectives—a first person point of view by Keralie, and third person point of views about the queens. This mix of perspectives provided more mystery an anticipation for me, and allowed me to know more about the queens even just for a short amount of time.
Also, I have to say that the author was great at foreshadowing. There were hints about the characters, about the plot, about big reveals. It was great seeing all of these little details make sense at the end of the book.
The characters
The characters are alright. I have to be honest though, I didn't like Keralie for the first half of the book. I didn't fully connect with her as a reader or a person, and I just didn't like how she acted. Fortunately, I started to warm up to her in the second half. Her character development was great, and I loved seeing her evolve.
Varin was nice but I'm a bit upset about his character arc as I feel like it wasn't fully developed. He was too precious for this world.
I think, perhaps, my favorite character, or should I say characters, in Four Dead Queens are the queens themselves. They're all different, yet so alike in many ways. I can't help but feel attached to them with every chapter, and until their dying breaths.
Also, the antagonists (I'm not going to name them, since it may be a bit of a spoiler haha!) are such jerks. Like wow, they really irked me, and that just made me more invested to this book.
The plot
The plot is so intricate and well thought out, I am amazed. Just when I thought I'm finally grasping what was happening in the book, I am bombarded with a crazy plot twist or a shocking detail or secret. Yes, even a small detail about the characters or the world-building is enough to affect the the story and I loved that. I have to applaud the author for this because she really succeeded in keeping me on my toes.
Four Dead Queens is also fast-paced, which I really loved because I'm already hanging onto every word since the first chapter. It's captivating, it's frustrating, and I swear, this book will play with your emotions and thoughts.
The world-building
Loved the world-building in this book! Quadara, along with its quadrants, is a very interesting nation and I loved knowing more about it from the different perspectives. There is a perspective from our main character, Keralie. And there are also perspectives from the various queens, allowing us to peek into the various quadrants they represent.
There is also a great significance directed towards the Queenly Laws. I loved how these laws were tackled and incorporated in every chapter with the queens, and how these laws serve as the guide to ruling Quadara.
(This book review is also on my blog!)
uhm. okay, so... THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!
I JUST FINISHED READING IT AND I'M SO GIDDY, SO ELATED, AND I WANT MORE!
Where do I even start??
The point of view, the tone in which the book is being narrated (it could go from sassy and comedic, to serious, then to sad and heart breaking), and the emotions of the narrator (Tanner) which are so raw, so real, and so relatable, were so good! It makes the book feel alive in a way, because the book was able to communicate with me through my thoughts and emotions.
The characters were amazing, especially Tanner. I was able to feel and grasp his whole personality through his point of view.
I also love this book as it has the right amount of comedy, drama, and philosophy, and just life in general. Social issues were discussed, personal and emotional conflict of various characters (not just the two protagonists) were also seen, and wholesome relationships between friends and family was present.
The alternating third person point of view at the end (between Tanner and Sebastian) was so good! I needed that perspective from Sebastion's world, and to have it in the end where I could see him react or think about everything that has happened, it was more than satisfying!
The ending, though! It was lacking for me. I needed more moments between Seb and Tann after them being away from each other too long.
I wanted more, I needed more. But I guess that's okay, because now, it's up to us to imagine how their world will continue, how their love story will continue.
Over all, this book is perfect. FIVE STARS ALL THE WAY.
I JUST FINISHED READING IT AND I'M SO GIDDY, SO ELATED, AND I WANT MORE!
Where do I even start??
The point of view, the tone in which the book is being narrated (it could go from sassy and comedic, to serious, then to sad and heart breaking), and the emotions of the narrator (Tanner) which are so raw, so real, and so relatable, were so good! It makes the book feel alive in a way, because the book was able to communicate with me through my thoughts and emotions.
The characters were amazing, especially Tanner. I was able to feel and grasp his whole personality through his point of view.
I also love this book as it has the right amount of comedy, drama, and philosophy, and just life in general. Social issues were discussed, personal and emotional conflict of various characters (not just the two protagonists) were also seen, and wholesome relationships between friends and family was present.
The alternating third person point of view at the end (between Tanner and Sebastian) was so good! I needed that perspective from Sebastion's world, and to have it in the end where I could see him react or think about everything that has happened, it was more than satisfying!
The ending, though! It was lacking for me. I needed more moments between Seb and Tann after them being away from each other too long.
I wanted more, I needed more. But I guess that's okay, because now, it's up to us to imagine how their world will continue, how their love story will continue.
Over all, this book is perfect. FIVE STARS ALL THE WAY.
Gideon the Ninth is weird, funny, brutal, and captivating! Filled with sword fights, skeletons, old and dangerous magic, nuns and priests, weird planets, and lesbian necromancers, this book is unbelievably unique and edgy.
Peculiar writing style
The writing style can take a while to get used to (pretty sure there are run-on sentences, sentences that are too long for me ((which can be tiring to the eyes)), and some fancy words here and there), but once I got going, I realized that the author has this peculiar writing style and it definitely adds to the uniqueness of this book.
There was humor but there was also weirdly dark tales about the characters and the world. There was also something elegant in the candid descriptions of the skeletons, the bones, and the anatomy of a body. Some might find this gory, but I found it really interesting. The narration of the sword fights were awesome as well! Brutal yet so captivating as I read on.
Interesting characters + great enemies-to-lovers trope
The characters were truly interesting! Gideon Nav is the best cavalier the Ninth House has ever produced and I would gladly die for her. *cries* She was tough and amazing and I believe there is more to her backstory (I do hope the sequel contains more of it!). Harrowhark Nonagesimus, on the other hand, was confident and determined. She's an extraordinary necromancer
And yes, this book has one of my favorite romance tropes, enemies-to-lovers. And guys, let me tell you, the author did it so painfully and beautifully. There was hate (and not just for nothing, there was a reason), there was tension, there was a building of trust, there was the undeniable care for each other at the end. In conclusion, my heart ached, I am not even kidding.
In a way, the characterization here in Gideon the Ninth reminded me a lot of All for the Game. These characters, and not just Gideon and Harrow but the minor characters as well, will really take you on a journey and will have you rooting for them and will have you wanting for more.
Wild plot
Okay, imagine tributes from Hunger Games (but instead of districts they come from weird planets), and the arena is a Gothic castle with skeletons as servants, and the prize is immense power and immortality. And these tributes would have to solve puzzles and challenges to achieve the prize. Pretty simple right? What makes it so wild was the addition of unforeseen deadly events, brutal sword fights, plus secrets and revelations. There were certain plot twists in Gideon the Ninth that really made me pause and go back to see if what I read was real.
The first half of the story line can be dragging though. The main plot needed to be set up (introduction to the Ninth House, Gideon's disdain to her current life, Harrow's mission, how Gideon came to be the Ninth "cavalier"), and the world-building can be dense. The second half was where all the crazy things started to happen and it continued on until the end. I really loved reading through that second half!
Epic world-building
Gideon the Ninth has one of the most unique and complex fictional worlds I've ever had the pleasure to read about. The world-building was a captivating blend of fantasy and science fiction—a blend of dangerous magic and gods, and space and sword fights. It was weird and alluring without losing its Gothic aesthetic touch.
I'm actually so glad I have the House trading cards from Illumicrate because they contained more information about the different Houses and the people in Gideon the Ninth. When I saw them, I just knew this book would have an epic world-building, and I was right.
I give 4.5 stars for this book!
(This review was first posted on my blog.)
Peculiar writing style
The writing style can take a while to get used to (pretty sure there are run-on sentences, sentences that are too long for me ((which can be tiring to the eyes)), and some fancy words here and there), but once I got going, I realized that the author has this peculiar writing style and it definitely adds to the uniqueness of this book.
There was humor but there was also weirdly dark tales about the characters and the world. There was also something elegant in the candid descriptions of the skeletons, the bones, and the anatomy of a body. Some might find this gory, but I found it really interesting. The narration of the sword fights were awesome as well! Brutal yet so captivating as I read on.
Interesting characters + great enemies-to-lovers trope
The characters were truly interesting! Gideon Nav is the best cavalier the Ninth House has ever produced and I would gladly die for her. *cries* She was tough and amazing and I believe there is more to her backstory (I do hope the sequel contains more of it!). Harrowhark Nonagesimus, on the other hand, was confident and determined. She's an extraordinary necromancer
And yes, this book has one of my favorite romance tropes, enemies-to-lovers. And guys, let me tell you, the author did it so painfully and beautifully. There was hate (and not just for nothing, there was a reason), there was tension, there was a building of trust, there was the undeniable care for each other at the end. In conclusion, my heart ached, I am not even kidding.
In a way, the characterization here in Gideon the Ninth reminded me a lot of All for the Game. These characters, and not just Gideon and Harrow but the minor characters as well, will really take you on a journey and will have you rooting for them and will have you wanting for more.
Wild plot
Okay, imagine tributes from Hunger Games (but instead of districts they come from weird planets), and the arena is a Gothic castle with skeletons as servants, and the prize is immense power and immortality. And these tributes would have to solve puzzles and challenges to achieve the prize. Pretty simple right? What makes it so wild was the addition of unforeseen deadly events, brutal sword fights, plus secrets and revelations. There were certain plot twists in Gideon the Ninth that really made me pause and go back to see if what I read was real.
The first half of the story line can be dragging though. The main plot needed to be set up (introduction to the Ninth House, Gideon's disdain to her current life, Harrow's mission, how Gideon came to be the Ninth "cavalier"), and the world-building can be dense. The second half was where all the crazy things started to happen and it continued on until the end. I really loved reading through that second half!
Epic world-building
Gideon the Ninth has one of the most unique and complex fictional worlds I've ever had the pleasure to read about. The world-building was a captivating blend of fantasy and science fiction—a blend of dangerous magic and gods, and space and sword fights. It was weird and alluring without losing its Gothic aesthetic touch.
I'm actually so glad I have the House trading cards from Illumicrate because they contained more information about the different Houses and the people in Gideon the Ninth. When I saw them, I just knew this book would have an epic world-building, and I was right.
I give 4.5 stars for this book!
(This review was first posted on my blog.)
I received an e-arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much Flux!
Well, this was a fun read! The Weight of a Soul has a mix of mythology, family, and the sense of doing right or wrong. Definitely enjoyed this one, and I would have finished it way sooner if I didn't have a busy week!
The writing
I adored the writing style of the author. It was emotional and philosophical for me as it touches the topic of family—specifically a sister's love and estranged family members—and the morality of a person.
The characters
I liked the characters enough but I wish it had more characterization. We see Lena get consumed by grief and her dangerous determination to see her sister again. We see Amal try to get back up and put on a brave face. And Fressa, though she was a constant topic throughout the book, I don't know much about her or I didn't get to relate enough to her.
The plot
The plot was okay for me—it was interesting but I feel like the pace or the flow of the story seemed off. The first few parts were really interesting, the middle parts got a bit slow and uneventful, and the remaining parts of the book got really fast-paced.
I liked that the author pulled some exciting plot twists that I didn't see at first! I loved that. The ending (as in the last two lines!) were shocking as well! I also expected more action, a battle or some sort of showdown, but those few great plot twists did it for me.
Overall, I give this book 3.5 stars!
(This review was first published on my blog.)
Well, this was a fun read! The Weight of a Soul has a mix of mythology, family, and the sense of doing right or wrong. Definitely enjoyed this one, and I would have finished it way sooner if I didn't have a busy week!
The writing
I adored the writing style of the author. It was emotional and philosophical for me as it touches the topic of family—specifically a sister's love and estranged family members—and the morality of a person.
The characters
I liked the characters enough but I wish it had more characterization. We see Lena get consumed by grief and her dangerous determination to see her sister again. We see Amal try to get back up and put on a brave face. And Fressa, though she was a constant topic throughout the book, I don't know much about her or I didn't get to relate enough to her.
The plot
The plot was okay for me—it was interesting but I feel like the pace or the flow of the story seemed off. The first few parts were really interesting, the middle parts got a bit slow and uneventful, and the remaining parts of the book got really fast-paced.
I liked that the author pulled some exciting plot twists that I didn't see at first! I loved that. The ending (as in the last two lines!) were shocking as well! I also expected more action, a battle or some sort of showdown, but those few great plot twists did it for me.
Overall, I give this book 3.5 stars!
(This review was first published on my blog.)
I received an e-arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book, wow! The Infinite Noise by Lauren Shippen is a unique and diverse book—blending science fiction, romance, mental health rep, and LGBTQ+ rep.
I've been seeing this book frequently on Twitter and when I saw the synopsis, I was truly intrigued! When I found out my NetGalley request was approved, I dived into it right away!
But first things first. The Infinite Noise is based on the author's audio drama podcast The Bright Sessions. This is really what intrigued me in the first place! This podcast is basically recorded sessions between Dr. Bright and her patients with supernatural abilities. I've already listened to a couple of episodes, and it was such a unique story. One of her patients is Caleb, and The Infinite Noise explores his story.
The writing
The writing style of this book was great! The story is told in alternating points of view between and Caleb and Adam, and for me the author did a great job in narrating the story in their perspectives.
The writing style captured what it felt like to be a teenager, what it felt like to struggle with a mental health illness, and what it felt like to be someone who's going through a life-changing event and having abilities you can't control. And of course, it also captured what it felt like to be someone discovering the friendship and love. I really loved that the simplicity of that.
The characters
I adored the characters! Caleb and Adam are just too precious for this world, and with every chapter, I slowly got to know more about them.
As I read, I realized that this book is more of a character-driven story. There are a lot of scenes involving Caleb's sessions with Dr. Bright, scenes where there are soliloquies and just the characters processing their thoughts and emotions, scenes where the characters are just simply talking to others with little plot involved. That said, I really liked this setup. It allowed me as a reader to fully understand and connect with these characters and get attached to them and their journey.
The plot
As I mentioned above, The Infinite Noise seems more like a character-driven story, so I feel like there was not much plot involved. There is a plot, but it was the characters that really drove the story forward.
The climax took too long to build up and when it was finally there, I needed more answers and explanations. It left me a bit unsatisfied, but at the same time, I'm really curious and excited for the next book because maybe we'll get to know more about this plot-related element!
I also loved the concept of Atypicals and I just really feel like we'll get to know more about them in the next book! (Or in the podcast haha!)
Overall, this book was a great read and I can't wait for its release!
This book review was first published on my blog.
This book, wow! The Infinite Noise by Lauren Shippen is a unique and diverse book—blending science fiction, romance, mental health rep, and LGBTQ+ rep.
I've been seeing this book frequently on Twitter and when I saw the synopsis, I was truly intrigued! When I found out my NetGalley request was approved, I dived into it right away!
But first things first. The Infinite Noise is based on the author's audio drama podcast The Bright Sessions. This is really what intrigued me in the first place! This podcast is basically recorded sessions between Dr. Bright and her patients with supernatural abilities. I've already listened to a couple of episodes, and it was such a unique story. One of her patients is Caleb, and The Infinite Noise explores his story.
The writing
The writing style of this book was great! The story is told in alternating points of view between and Caleb and Adam, and for me the author did a great job in narrating the story in their perspectives.
The writing style captured what it felt like to be a teenager, what it felt like to struggle with a mental health illness, and what it felt like to be someone who's going through a life-changing event and having abilities you can't control. And of course, it also captured what it felt like to be someone discovering the friendship and love. I really loved that the simplicity of that.
The characters
I adored the characters! Caleb and Adam are just too precious for this world, and with every chapter, I slowly got to know more about them.
As I read, I realized that this book is more of a character-driven story. There are a lot of scenes involving Caleb's sessions with Dr. Bright, scenes where there are soliloquies and just the characters processing their thoughts and emotions, scenes where the characters are just simply talking to others with little plot involved. That said, I really liked this setup. It allowed me as a reader to fully understand and connect with these characters and get attached to them and their journey.
The plot
As I mentioned above, The Infinite Noise seems more like a character-driven story, so I feel like there was not much plot involved. There is a plot, but it was the characters that really drove the story forward.
The climax took too long to build up and when it was finally there, I needed more answers and explanations. It left me a bit unsatisfied, but at the same time, I'm really curious and excited for the next book because maybe we'll get to know more about this plot-related element!
I also loved the concept of Atypicals and I just really feel like we'll get to know more about them in the next book! (Or in the podcast haha!)
Overall, this book was a great read and I can't wait for its release!
This book review was first published on my blog.
I received an e-arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much The Parliament House!
Marrow Charm, though it was interesting and great at some parts, can be confusing and a bit of a letdown. There’s an interesting world-building and a fast-paced story line, but the plot, for me, failed to bring me as a reader to new heights. I give this one 2.5 stars
Atmospheric writing
The writing was one of the things I really liked about this book. It was dark, it was atmospheric, and at times, it could be creepy, as well. The author has an excellent way of describing the current setting of the scene, and that will really get the readers hooked. Indeed, the visualization in this book was truly awesome.
Okay characters
The characters of Marrow Charm were okay and I loved reading about their journey, and the dangerous things they went through. However, I was not that invested in them.
Azzy was interesting and I loved her love for her brother and her family, but I just wasn’t quite hooked with her character. She was interesting, but there were a lot of vague things about her that weren’t explained. Kai was okay as well, but I wanted more backstory for him. Same with Brixby and Armin.
Letdown plot
Let me begin by saying that the synopsis is a bit misleading. In the synopsis, they talked about the Gate and Armin’s powers, but I didn’t see that in the book. If there was, it was very little and it wasn’t the main focus. Which is a bit disappointing for me, because there was a fast-paced story line and dangerous conflicts and adventures here and there, but all of those things didn’t add up to one big showdown or some sort of revelation. With all of those in the book, I definitely expected Azzy’s journey to reach a climax, or a plot twist, or some pivotal situation that will heighten the story. Sadly, I did not see anything like that, and the ending, for me, was just confusing and lacking. I believe this is the first book of a series, but that ending didn’t really give me something big.
Interesting world-building
As I said before, the author has a very atmospheric writing—she was able to describe the setting of the story, both Below and Above. The author also described the creatures and the animals so wonderfully and it just helped the world to come alive even more.
As much as I loved that part though, it still felt lacking to me. Again, in the synopsis there was stuff about the Gate and everything, and I feel like that is such an important part of the history and the world-building, but there was no information about that. I’m always craving for a great world-building, but Marrow Charm fell a little bit.
Overall, this book was okay. I expected to love it, but unfortunately, there were more lows than highs for me.
(This book review was first published on my blog.)
Marrow Charm, though it was interesting and great at some parts, can be confusing and a bit of a letdown. There’s an interesting world-building and a fast-paced story line, but the plot, for me, failed to bring me as a reader to new heights. I give this one 2.5 stars
Atmospheric writing
The writing was one of the things I really liked about this book. It was dark, it was atmospheric, and at times, it could be creepy, as well. The author has an excellent way of describing the current setting of the scene, and that will really get the readers hooked. Indeed, the visualization in this book was truly awesome.
Okay characters
The characters of Marrow Charm were okay and I loved reading about their journey, and the dangerous things they went through. However, I was not that invested in them.
Azzy was interesting and I loved her love for her brother and her family, but I just wasn’t quite hooked with her character. She was interesting, but there were a lot of vague things about her that weren’t explained. Kai was okay as well, but I wanted more backstory for him. Same with Brixby and Armin.
Letdown plot
Let me begin by saying that the synopsis is a bit misleading. In the synopsis, they talked about the Gate and Armin’s powers, but I didn’t see that in the book. If there was, it was very little and it wasn’t the main focus. Which is a bit disappointing for me, because there was a fast-paced story line and dangerous conflicts and adventures here and there, but all of those things didn’t add up to one big showdown or some sort of revelation. With all of those in the book, I definitely expected Azzy’s journey to reach a climax, or a plot twist, or some pivotal situation that will heighten the story. Sadly, I did not see anything like that, and the ending, for me, was just confusing and lacking. I believe this is the first book of a series, but that ending didn’t really give me something big.
Interesting world-building
As I said before, the author has a very atmospheric writing—she was able to describe the setting of the story, both Below and Above. The author also described the creatures and the animals so wonderfully and it just helped the world to come alive even more.
As much as I loved that part though, it still felt lacking to me. Again, in the synopsis there was stuff about the Gate and everything, and I feel like that is such an important part of the history and the world-building, but there was no information about that. I’m always craving for a great world-building, but Marrow Charm fell a little bit.
Overall, this book was okay. I expected to love it, but unfortunately, there were more lows than highs for me.
(This book review was first published on my blog.)