thecandlelightlibrary's Reviews (1.25k)

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy

Becky Chambers

5.0

adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for sending me a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

It’s no secret that I adore Becky Chambers’ books: they are a blend of hope and comfort that feel like a hug while reading. A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is no exception. Dex and Mosscap are so much fun to follow around as they continue their journey and search for meaning and answers to their questions. I especially love Chambers’ world building in these novellas and I eagerly anticipate reading more.

My heart is so full after finishing this book and I’m already looking forward to rereading it. Thank you again to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the opportunity to review an ARC.

The Book Eaters

Sunyi Dean

2.5

dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for sending me a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Book Eaters is a unique thrill of a book where every character is a monster in their own way. I frequently found myself alternating between rooting for and against characters as their backstory and motivations gradually became more known. I don’t generally flip between liking and disliking characters so much, and to be able to pull that off with multiple characters is very difficult.

To be honest, though, I think other readers will enjoy this book more than I did. It was much darker than I anticipated (the depictions of violence were borderline too graphic for me) and I got more horror vibes than fantasy. I was also hoping for more smashing of the restrictive and abusive systems Devon grew up with: I didn’t really enjoy reading about the patriarchal Family societies and was waiting for some sense of satisfaction by the end of the book. While the ending was somewhat resolved, there are plenty of issues that are left open.

While this wasn’t really the book for me, I know plenty of other readers who will enjoy it. Thank you again to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the opportunity of reviewing an ARC.

Content Warnings

A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking

T. Kingfisher

4.0

adventurous dark funny inspiring fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Balbuzar

Gérard Moncomble

3.0

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

The Secret of the Codex

Melissa Frey

DID NOT FINISH: 16%

Stopping this read because it's just not plausible for me and the two main characters act more like moony-eyed teenagers than respected archaeological professors.

A Marvellous Light

Freya Marske

5.0

adventurous funny mysterious 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: Yes

Content Warnings

The Suite Spot

Trish Doller

4.0

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Thank you to St. Martin’s Publishing Group for sending me an ARC of this title. I received this copy for free and this review contains my honest opinions.

The Suite Spot is a sweet, lighthearted romance that I found absolutely delightful and finished in a day. While this technically is the second in a series, it holds up well as a standalone (some events from the first book are referenced and there’s some character crossover, but everything is integrated well - especially for those who haven’t read the first book). Doller set out to write a story that “was warm and gentle” (in the acknowledgements of the ARC I received), and that’s exactly what she’s achieved: I really enjoyed spending time with Rachel and Mason (and don’t forget Maisie!) and loved the brewery hotel setting. I will definitely be checking out more work by this author.

Thank you again to the publisher for sending me a free ARC of this title.

Content Warnings

In the Shadow of the Mountain: A Memoir of Courage

Silvia Vasquez-Lavado

4.5

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

Thank you to Henry Holt and Company/Macmillan Publishing Group for sending me an ARC of this title. I received this copy for free and this review contains my honest opinions.

In the Shadow of the Mountain is exactly what it says it is: a memoir of courage. I didn’t fully understand what that meant when I first picked up this book, and even though the author and I share few life experiences, I felt an overwhelming sense of kinship while reading. Silvia Vasquez-Lavado is the first Peruvian woman to have summited Everest, and in this memoir she weaves together her story summiting Everest with her childhood in Peru. Memoirs don’t usually impact me much: I enjoy reading them when I pick them up, but often I don’t think about them after I’m finished. In the Shadow of the Mountain, however, will stick with me for a very long time.

Silvia has an ability to retell gripping events with vulnerability and compassion and I couldn’t stop reading. Summiting Everest firmly remains off my adventure list, but I did enjoy reading about it and I will definitely be looking for future books by this author. While there are graphic depictions of abuse throughout this memoir - both of the abuse the author endured and that which other women have shared with her - there are overarching messages of healing and breaking cycles of abuse. Above all, and one of the messages I found most powerful, your trauma is not the same as your identity.

I did have some difficulty with the passage of time in a few sections, and I wish there were pictures. While there might be pictures in the final version, I did spend a lot of time looking things up so I could better visualize them. However, after searching for examples of the Everest ladder crossings…maybe pictures are unnecessary (there were many moments during the Everest parts that were absolute nope moments for me, and the ladder crossings were definitely one).

Thank you again to the publisher for sending me a free ARC of this title.

Content Warnings

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America

Richard Rothstein

4.5

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

This was a disturbing, infuriating, and necessary read. If you haven't picked this book up yet, you should.

Content Warnings

Wicked As You Wish

Rin Chupeco

3.0

adventurous dark funny reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I should have absolutely loved this book: it had so many elements I enjoy reading and touched on multiple important themes. But, I think it would have worked better for me if it was about 100 pages shorter.

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