sunflowermagpie's Reviews (557)

not my favorite in the series but hoping the next one is more fun!

read for r/fantasy bingo 2025: stranger in a strange land

this cute faerie regency romance is significantly better written than most self-published books today. I found it really refreshing that this book focused on the plot rather than having spice. the worldbuilding was pretty intricate and in some places hard to follow, but intriguing. the characters were all very distinctive. sometimes the accents were difficult to read, but each of those characters were fun to read. the illustrations were a fun surprise too! the ending felt pretty rushed, but overall this was a really pleasant read. 

read for r/fantasy bingo 2025: hidden gem 

The premise was interesting but the characters were so poorly written they were borderline offensive. It genuinely felt like a bad movie from the early 2000s. Every book I buy instead of getting from the library I’m cursed to hate 

the story is told from three different points of view, all in san francisco: li nuan, a chinese immigrant sold to a local mob boss and prostituted at sixteen years old; nathan, a designer at a tech company in 2006, and maida, a psychic who can sense the stories of objects by touching them. I loved how each character was so unique and how, together, they really told the story of the city from three different perspectives. the interlocking narratives were very well done and helped to drive home the point that the past is never truly gone and informs our lives every day. 

on a fundamental level, this book was well-written. the descriptions were so vivid, I really felt like I was at burning man, or turn of the century sf, or the far future. it made the absolute horrors of the brothel, and li nuan's ability to survive through them, hit harder. all of the characters were compelling and I found myself really wanting to keep reading to see the conclusion of all of their stories. 

there was a little bit too much info dumping about the future world and I think that ending wrapped up too nicely, but other than that. the story flowed well. I love how unique the story is-- from the focus on different types of psychic powers to the trippy view on all time as occurring in the same moment. I'm so glad that people are still writing books like this and that they're still getting published. angry robot is one of my favorite indie presses out there. thank you to them and netgalley for the ARC! 

read for r/fantasy bingo 2025: lgbt protagonist 

a very sweet debut about living life to the fullest. charlie is a doctor in a small british town who, all of a sudden, gains the ability to tell when people are going to die. even with this seemingly morbid synopsis, all the perfect days manages to be a very cozy and heartwarming story. charlie is a great protagonist who truly cares about the people around him. a few times, the narrative did venture into some really dark places, but overall maintained its hopeful and lighthearted vibe. some of the storylines felt a little repetitive, but overall, the plot was compelling and kept me turning the pages. michael thompson knows how to end a darn chapter! I think this would make a great movie. if you're looking for a sweet and cozy read (with the same vibes as pushing daisies), this is a solid choice. thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. 

Calypso's Guest is one of my favorite short stories that I've ever read. Also loved Form 8774-D.