raenyreads's Reviews (345)

I really enjoyed the mystery element of this installment in the series. I was shocked at a couple plot reveals/twists and enjoyed the characters a lot. I think the end wrapped up a bit too easily but I still really enjoyed the ending and the book as a whole.
Cleric Chih's personality really shines in this installment and I can't wait to see more from them.
I'll definitely be continuing this series.

I just don't have the words to accurately portray how amazing this book is. It may only be ~200 pages but it absolutely packs an emotional gut punch. This is my second book by Akwaeke Emezi that I've read and they've both been 5 stars for me (the other was Freshwater). From the first few chapters I was engaged and interested in the story and then once I hit the 50% mark I couldn't put it down and was absolutely gripped by the events unfolding. The ending was expertly wrapped together and left me shocked. I've been thinking about it ever since I finished which was over a week ago.
Therefore I highly recommend this to everyone, though there are dark topics so maybe check the trigger warnings if you need to.

I can't get into this book. Each page is a chore. I will say I enjoyed the characters though. However they couldn't make up for everything else. Just not for me.

I was really looking forward to reading this book and it did not disappoint! The main character Geeta was relatable and I enjoyed following her in this story. The side characters added a lot to the plot and were very well developed in their own right. Once the plot really got going it was very interesting though the reason this isn't a 5 star review is that I did feel a bit of a lull in the middle. However, a plot twist I didn't see coming really picked it back up for me.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone!

Omg I knew this was going to be emotional but DAMN it really hits hard. This broke my heart and then put it back together. I was not expecting the more violent parts but they did add to overall impact of the book. I would recommend this to everyone but do check the content warnings first!

A very fun read, I sped through it pretty quickly as the action kept me invested throughout. However, I can't say I cared for the main couple too much. It wasn't quite insta-love but it almost was and I just needed more development to get invested. Not sure if I'll continue the series, but maybe.

I had never heard of this until about 10 minutes before I started reading it so I wasn't sure what to expect but I'd seen good reviews so I had high hopes.
I ended up really enjoying it! The writing style is pretty simple but that makes sense for a young adult fantasy book. I really appreciated the focus on an older female main character and found all the characters to be pretty well rounded.
The world created is interesting and creative. I liked all the different communities beliefs shown to us and I hope we see more in further books as I want to continue this series!

Just not for me I think. I found this really boring and nearly did not finish it. It started with a strong premise but just went nowhere with it other than conversations between characters that to me felt incredibly unnatural and forced. I liked the relationship between the main character and her mother which was the only highlight of this book for me. The topics tackled by the book are important and I think provided a interesting perspective but I couldn't bring myself to get engaged by them.
I might still try the authors more popular works to see if they are for me at all.

This was a simple yet fun fast paced read which kept me engaged throughout. I like how it kept you guessing whether the pregnancy was real or not. The exploration of the role of mothers and women working in japan was really interesting and thoughtful.

The first three stories in this installment were good but just lacked something for me. They either felt obvious in how they were going to go or I felt they were very similar to past stories. The last story picked up a bit and was my favourite of this set but still felt a little rushed. Overall still enjoyable but not my favourite of the series.