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randi_jo's Reviews (420)
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-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:
Complicated
Wow, is it really allowed to end like that? It's like a reverse cliffhanger but also I need to know MORE. It was slow, but it built up to the such an amazing climax that the wait was WORTH IT.
Xiala and Serapio - ugh, PLEASE!That bath scene? GOSH. I need them to reunite - the sea and the sky I'M SCREAMING OK. Why is their relationship both full of murder and innocence and completely sweet?
And Naranpa kinda grows on you, for someone who is extremely incompetent in any kind of political atmosphere, but also I'm rooting for her? I want her to become SOMETHING. I hope she gets revenge.
UGH I'M SCREAMING BUT I'M OK. I'M OK............................I'm not ok.
Xiala and Serapio - ugh, PLEASE!
And Naranpa kinda grows on you, for someone who is extremely incompetent in any kind of political atmosphere, but also I'm rooting for her? I want her to become SOMETHING. I hope she gets revenge.
UGH I'M SCREAMING BUT I'M OK. I'M OK............................
adventurous
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:
No
Everyone from the previous books: No more secrets!
Literally everyone: NONE. NOT A SINGLE SECRET! WE'RE FAMILY AND WE DON'T KEEP SECRETS ANY MORE BECAUSE WE ALMOST DIED AND WE MADE VERY QUESTIONABLE BARGAINS!
Rhys: lol
This book has me very muddled. Definitely the best of the series so far, but with such glaring flaws that it makes the inspirational "defeat trauma with a good support system and healthy coping techniques, taking it one day at a time" pretty moot. I think everyone and their mom has said how they hate thepregnancy plotline, which, they should. I mean you have flushing toilets (suspiciously avoided in this installment), but no practical midwifery? Ridiculous. Also Rhys continues to become a worse and worse character with each book. He is talented.
Anyway, 2.75 because reading about Nesta's cunt so much eked away some of my soul that I'll never get back.
Literally everyone: NONE. NOT A SINGLE SECRET! WE'RE FAMILY AND WE DON'T KEEP SECRETS ANY MORE BECAUSE WE ALMOST DIED AND WE MADE VERY QUESTIONABLE BARGAINS!
Rhys: lol
This book has me very muddled. Definitely the best of the series so far, but with such glaring flaws that it makes the inspirational "defeat trauma with a good support system and healthy coping techniques, taking it one day at a time" pretty moot. I think everyone and their mom has said how they hate the
Anyway, 2.75 because reading about Nesta's cunt so much eked away some of my soul that I'll never get back.
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Disgusting. So cute and sweet and thoughtful that I feel like I need to pig-wallow in garbage just to feel human again. Ugh.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP. I HAVE NERVE DAMAGE FROM THE WHIPLASH OF THIS BOOK'S ENDING. I CAN'T TURN OFF CAPS LOCK OR ELSE I CAN'T READ WHAT I'M TYPING FROM ALL MY TEARS OF FRUSTRATION.
READ THIS IF:
- YOU WERE A NATURE GIRLY/BOY WHO LIKED TO MAKE POTIONS AND LOVE THAT FEELING OF NOSTALGIA
- YOU LIKE TO TRY AND GUESS THE CRIMINAL BUT WANT TO BE WRONG CONSTANTLY
- YOU HAVE EYES
DO NOT READ THIS IF:
- YOU'RE A COWARD
Only thing keeping me from giving this 5 stars of perfection is that the middle of the book didn't keep the tension very high, and parts made me dislike MC more than I should've. BUT THE ENDING RAMPED UP MY ADRENALINE SO HIGH I AM NOW GOING TO RUN 5K THANK YOU.
READ THIS IF:
- YOU WERE A NATURE GIRLY/BOY WHO LIKED TO MAKE POTIONS AND LOVE THAT FEELING OF NOSTALGIA
- YOU LIKE TO TRY AND GUESS THE CRIMINAL BUT WANT TO BE WRONG CONSTANTLY
- YOU HAVE EYES
DO NOT READ THIS IF:
- YOU'RE A COWARD
Only thing keeping me from giving this 5 stars of perfection is that the middle of the book didn't keep the tension very high, and parts made me dislike MC more than I should've. BUT THE ENDING RAMPED UP MY ADRENALINE SO HIGH I AM NOW GOING TO RUN 5K THANK YOU.
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hello. Title is misleading - my heart is still beating, but unfortunately it now beats for this series. Getting book 2 immediately. Thanks.
challenging
emotional
inspiring
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
Hello, I am crying. I know very little about the violin world, but this novel made it so easy to see and imagine every scenario and evoke every emotion without losing you in jargon. Just. . . so gorgeous. Lan and Shizuka's relationship was so perfect, with their own problems to start but their ability to communicate was so refreshing and wonderful. I hope they save the galaxy.
10/10 would recommend to literally anyone.
10/10 would recommend to literally anyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Transphobia
Minor: War
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I love this entire universe that's been created and even the short stories feel like they're deeply immersed in the lore and society. Siti is my spirit animal.
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Some things age badly, and this was one of them.
The murder plot in itself was interesting (the calling card, motives, etc.), but I guess the world of 2024 really is a lot different in terms of progression, not only for women, but for victims of sexual assault and police brutality, than it was in 2001.
My 3 main complaints with this one are:
The murder plot in itself was interesting (the calling card, motives, etc.), but I guess the world of 2024 really is a lot different in terms of progression, not only for women, but for victims of sexual assault and police brutality, than it was in 2001.
My 3 main complaints with this one are:
- The heavy push on a gender binary; men are this way and women are that. (steak is a masculine food?)Heaven forbid you're neither of those, but okay, okay this was 2001. But this led to the underlying tone that
all sexual victims are women and that their assailants are all men . This really rubbed me the wrong way. - Police brutality was . . . prevalent? And treated as "normal". A guy literally stomps on the neck of a black man during a house arrest (the man is not even the one they're out to arrest) and it's seen as unnecessary force, but that's just how that detective is. What. Also
Rizzoli literally shoots a man 3 times in anger, kills him, and then is upset that her partner doesn't lie for her to say that he had a weapon, then has the gall to be mad that her only reprimand is to be put on DESK DUTY. No I don't care that the man was a predator, that doesn't justify shit. - Every character is incredibly unlikable, especially Rizzoli and Moore. And no, I don't think literally doing her job was any kind of redemption for Rizzoli.
challenging
informative
sad
slow-paced
I liked the different approach to this memoir through the use of second person and by dissecting this part of her life through the lens of different book genres/tropes/fandoms.
As for the subject matter itself, domestic violence awareness in LGBT spaces and outside of them is such an important topic - something that's finally becoming more and more talked about in more and more domains/communities. There are parts that are difficult to listen to (nothing gore-y or heavily violent), but for me I think I'm more sensitive to depictions of emotional and verbal abuse and Machado's recounting of her situation was so vivid and heartbreaking.
I think I'll probably listen to this again in the future.
As for the subject matter itself, domestic violence awareness in LGBT spaces and outside of them is such an important topic - something that's finally becoming more and more talked about in more and more domains/communities. There are parts that are difficult to listen to (nothing gore-y or heavily violent), but for me I think I'm more sensitive to depictions of emotional and verbal abuse and Machado's recounting of her situation was so vivid and heartbreaking.
I think I'll probably listen to this again in the future.