the_pale_woman's Reviews (542)

At first, I thought I liked Ballad more, but then this book made me cry. I knew it was coming, but it still got me. 

My only complaint is the overuse of Poe. Some people might appreciate the poetry; I do not. It took me out of the story and added little, in my opinion. I prefer when plots are poetic rather than when poetry is inserted between prose. However, on completion and reflection, I can look past it. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend this entire series to most readers.

At this point, I feel completely indoctrinated into this world, which is my excuse for why I enjoyed reading this book so much. I'll admit I'm a sucker for the villain's perspective, but Snow's backstory didn't disappoint. I read this mostly to be up to date for the new release, Sunrise on the Reaping. But I found myself wishing I had picked this one up sooner. It adds more layers to the original story and world-building while also weaving a compelling plot complete with interesting characters. Checks all my boxes.

If you're the type to read the occasional silly domestic thriller, then look no further. 

The first book had me hooked, despite myself. However, the epilogue had me questioning whether this sequel would be worth the read. My curiosity prevailed, of course, and I find I have no regrets. While this book, at times, is quite silly, I can't deny that it was fun. It goes to great lengths to be unpredictable. Unfortunately, it fails most of the time, but it tries. 

I guess I'll read the third installment, but that's mostly because I bought it when I bought this one.

Beware! This book's title is pure clickbait. It's not really about any rules of time travel. It throws in a line about "rules" maybe twice, but they felt like afterthoughts to me. In my opinion, it's just lazy writing to justify a cool title—a title that gives the impression that there is something fun or interesting about this story. Let me assure you, there is not. 

This book is actually filled with one-dimensional characters who couldn't be likable even if they were portrayed by your favorite actor. The plot actually revolves mostly around traveling in memories. The bad guy is the typical mustache-twirling, gas lighting CEO. Around only to frustrate the MC from afar and to monolog for a little bit at the end. When the story finally progresses into the realm of "time travel," its only reasoning and explanation is that the silly human brain can't comprehend it, so we can't really try to explain it. In other words, it doesn't even try to bring the story together in any comprehensible way, which is the worst way to go about writing about time travel. I expected more reason and thought out of a book marketed as being written by a scientist. Maybe speculations on time travel would be better left to the philosophers instead. This was just dry, annoying, and silly. 

This is one of the best standalone science fiction books I've read this year. I don't want to boil it down to comparisons; nevertheless, I can't help but think that this is like if Blake Crouch were British and wrote a version of Inception. Yet, instead of Leo, you have Dame Maggie Smith stumbling through memories and time. Plus, it adds a "Secret History" style backstory, because every mystery thriller could use a little dark academia. All the elements were the perfect combination, in my opinion. 

I really enjoyed how character-focused it felt. I'm even starting to think that old ladies make the best sci-fi protagonists (read also Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon). These old fuddy-duddies bring so much heart to a story. 

The way the plot unfolded was satisfying, and the ending worked and made sense in a way. It's one of those books that leaves a major hangover, which is one of the most gratifying feelings a book can produce. I'd highly recommend this read. The layout of the book is engaging, and the audiobook is also great, done with a trio of narrators. Regardless, this is perfect for readers who enjoy science fiction thrillers.

Justice for Bella! 

I have so many thoughts and feelings about every character and all their decisions or inactions during this insane space odyssey. It was one of those books that makes you want to rip out the characters and shake them. Svetlana will probably live on in my personal literary canon much longer than she deserves. She was insufferable, but she's probably the reason this book was so great. Her relationship with Bella drove the pace of the story and added a dimension that was missing from the last Reynolds I read (House of Suns). 

Overall, this was a great read. I would highly recommend it to sci-fi fans.

Breath of the Dragon is a quick, easy read to enjoy. The simple, classic feel of the story, combined with the not-as-annoying-as-they-could-be characters, makes this a top-tier YA in my opinion. Fonda Lee is an excellent writer; she knows how to present a magical world and truly excels when describing the fight scenes, the latter of which is crucial to what I see as the spirit of this story. 

From Bruce to Shannon, I think this story benefits from its origins. It feels familiar and inhabited by its original orator and audience. 

It's hard to describe any complaints without getting into spoilers. Suffice it to say, I can't help but see the illogical holes in these fictional, fantastical societies, or the illogical assumptions and choices the main character makes. However, it's not the type of book where I feel the need to linger on those thoughts; I'll just let it go and enjoy it for what it was.

The boys are back in town! I don't think I have seen a more fitting tagline on a book cover before. However, every time I picked up this book, I immediately started thinking about that song.  I had it stuck in my head more than once. But that's besides the point. 

To put it simply, I loved every second of this book. The whole concept is unique yet familiar. It was fun, but it also felt lived-in and thought out. I enjoyed the humor, and every character added something special to the story. I can see why this book is so highly rated and loved. It's definitely a must-read for fans of fantasy. If you haven't read it, know now that you're missing out.

There might have been a few moments where I felt this story skipped a step, but I barely cared. I found myself immediately hooked and flew through reading it. My eyes may have rolled or slid to the side from time to time, but I can't deny that I was entertained. 

That being said, this is not the next Jane Eyre. Managing your expectations for a thriller is key. This one uses a Shutterstock image as its cover, so maybe keep that in mind. However, you'd think that after all the copies they've sold, the publisher would have upgraded it by now.

I found this read interesting, but it is not the type of standalone science fiction book that would work for every reader. It has the characteristically stiff narration of hard sci-fi. Plus, if you are an audiobook listener, the format and narrator introduce ambiguity regarding character differentiation, occasionally obscuring shifts in perspective. However, this limitation unexpectedly enhances a specific plot element, making it more palatable, in my opinion. 

I would say this story is unique, even though it explores familiar sci-fi concepts like machine sentience, cloning, and virtual reality. I particularly liked the focus on how life might try to work around the limitations of long-distance space travel. Unveiling the mysteries of the Shatterlings was one of my high points of the book. I also enjoyed Hesperus as a character. In retrospect, if it were not for the abrupt ending, I might have rated this reading experience higher.