Reviews
Wicked King
Best of the trilogy
I have read this book 5 times and my enjoyment and pleasure derived from it stay the same. This is obviously the best one of the trilogy. The dialogue, the schemes, Jude, Cardan, Jude and Cardan, everything is a delight. The pacing is impeccable. The character dynamics are wonderful and Jude is the biggest badass. I would say more but I can't form coherent thoughts right now. I love these books so much!!
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The Gilded Wolves
Pretty basic
Thought it would be slightly higher but still an enjoyable read. The characters though childish at times were interesting. I appreciated the diversity which was in truth what kept me reading at moments. The 19th century atmosphere was charmingly well captured and though certain points of info dumping made this hard to get through at times I enjoyed the mythology and folklore elements. I hope the rest of the trilogy is more of the same but slightly better.
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Wolf and the Woodsman
Could have been better
I wish I could rate this book higher. I enjoyed the folkore elements as well as the way the author wove religion into the story. The characters were alright. I didn't love Gaspar and I found Evike annoying at times. The main problem I had was the pacing of the book. The first half drags and -at least to my estimation- focuses on unimportant details. I feel that the editor should have cut the word count down a bit. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. It has some interesting themes but the author fails to reach a satisfying conclusion. Though it is worth noting that I did enjoy the moments of Evike and her father. P.S. The Hozier and Florence mention in the acknowledgements made me feel seen.
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People We Meet on Vacation
The best romance novel I've read
Wow. Perhaps I like romance books after all. This is how you do friends to lovers. To call me loving this book a surprise is a colossal understatement. I have little experience with the romance genre but the few romance novels I've read were mid or outright bad with very few exceptions. It is an even bigger surprise because I read Book Lovers last month and did not enjoy it at all so I was reluctant to give Henry another chance. In retrospect, I am so glad I did. This is possibly the best romance novel I've ever read. The chemistry between the two leads is undeniable. I love when books focus on the worth of friendship in its purest form and that's what this book is in a nutshell. It's about two people who have nothing in common but end up not only becoming each other's best friend but the place they call home. I don't think I can stress this enough but this book made me laugh. Out loud. On multiple occasions. I am not talking quick exhale through my nose. Actual laughter came out of my mouth. It also made me cry which while not as rare of an occurrence is still important to me. I could go on and on but truly what I am trying to say is that this book spoke to me.
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Where the Crawdads Sing
I don't get the hype
The first third of the book was interesting. Seeing little Kya grow and manage to survive on her own, whilst sad, made me want to root for her. Unfortunately, I found the rest of the book lacking. The ending was of course predictable since no one else could have committed the murder in a way that made sense. After the first 100 pages I was waiting for the pace to pick up which never happened. I really wanted to like it but it was mediocre at best
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Normal People
Not for me
I am slightly disappointed I didn't enjoy this book. The first 50 pages intrigued me. I thought the writing style was very distinct and I enjoyed the rapid pace of the story. As I kept reading, however, I became more and more disinterested in the story and the characters. This is obviously a depiction of a very toxic relationship. I understand that. Connell might work out his issues but Marianne as a character confounds me. She obviously has experienced continued emotional and physical abuse. Her self worth is non existent. So I found myself wondering; what does the author want me to take away from this story of two severely codependent people? And to be completely honest I have no idea. I don't get the point of this book. I read it and I feel nothing towards it. The writing was good but I am simply perplexed as to what I should be feeling/thinking now that I have read it. In conclusion, it simply wasn't for me.
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The Final Empire
High fantasy excellence
Ok, I get it now. The hype was, in fact, justified. This has to be one of the best books ever written. I would personally rank it amongst the top 3 high fantasy books I've ever read. It was not what I was expecting it to be but apparently that's a good thing. I don't even know where to begin. I have nothing to add to this dicussion apart from praise that has been reiterated hundreds of times but I loved this book so much I had to write something. Here goes. 1. The world bulding. From the first 10 pages I was perfectly acclimated to Luthadel. The setting is so distinct and completely unique compared to other dystopian novels I've read. 2. The writing. I had to pause after certain lines just to appreciate the eloquency of this man. Certain descriptions, especially from action scenes, will forever remain engraved in my brain. My only complaint is that at certain times, most often in dialogue, certain quotes would border on corny and I would love if the word 'anyway' stopped appearing in future books. I am being nitpicky but those are the things I would change. Overall, I enjoyed it though I am certain that were I to read something more recent of his I would find the writing much improved. Also, I appreciated the fast pace of the story. 3. THE FUCKING MAGIC SYSTEM. What can I even say about this? So detailed. So unique. So well thought out. 4. The characters. Vin had a wonderful journey throughout this book. At moments, I would get annoyed at her but the girl is barely 17. I can cut her some slack. Overall, a very well rounded female character. Dockson, Marsh and Sazed are underrated. Oh, btw Kelsier owns my heart . 5. This would make the best video game and no one can convince me otherwise. The magic system would be amazing for combat and world interaction. The world, which I am sure we will see more of in the rest of the trilogy, would be perfect for open world exploration. And of course fast travel would be ensured by Allomancy enhanced movement. I would be ok with an animated series as well considering the colour palette would be gorgeous. Red sun. Ash falling from the sky. Blue lines and colour changes to signify metal burning/presence. That could all be included in the video game as well though. I shall cease my mad rambling. In short, I loved this book. I can't wait to see what will happen next. P.S. I have accepted that I romance in high fantasy isn't for me. Vin and Elend interacted 5 times and fell head over heels for each other. I am willing to overlook it though. P.S.S. For my future reference I cried reading two certain scenes.
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It Ends With Us
Overhyped
I don't understand the hype surrounding this book. Firstly, I would like to say I appreciate the sentiment. I understand the message Hoover wanted to convey with this story. But I just can't rate this book any higher. The writing was mediocre at best. A lot of this story was telling and not showing. Another thing, my opinion not actual critique, was that the whole Ellen DeGeneres thing was ridiculous. I found myself cringing at any mention of her or the quote "just keep swimming". I think a better alternative would have been for the letters to be addressed to a person the mc loved but had died. Or maybe a character from a book. Even a musical artist. Anything else! Generally, mentions of celebrities really take away from the reading experience for me. I believe people liked this book because they considered it bold or brave. For me it was neither. Get a life Chloe Brown which I read recently sheds some light on abusive relationships without even having them as the main focus of the story. Go read that instead. Another problem with this book was that I considered the characters flat. Apart from their trauma there were no personalities I could discern. There is much more to be said but I do not want to waste more time on this book.
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Bear and The Nightingale
A modern fairytale
This trilogy was the very definition of whimsical. The interweaving of history and folklore is done skillfully and with ease. I was charmed by the characters and the storytelling and I am so glad to add it to my favourites. I was lost in the story and completely enveoped by the world and its magic. Vasya is a queen.
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Ignite Me
Over-rated
Basic. Rushed. Undeserving of the hype. I was really excited for this series as a whole. Had no idea this would be the "last installment" at least for 4 years. The books are badly written. The pacing is off. There is no plot that can be discerned. The whole plan of usurping the Reestablishment had no structure whatsoever. The killing of Anderson was too easy. I get that Juliette is a superhero but come on. 2 dimensional characters that I tried but was unable to care about. Kenji shines through because he has some semblance of a personality unlike every other character of these books. Every single one. I didn't even enjoy the romance which I came to realise was truly what this series was about.
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Prison Healer
Pointless
At first I thought this would be an easy 8 but here we are. I didn't dislike this book. I just didn't necessarily like it either. I did like Kiva and Jaren as main characters. Both were pretty basic but I enjoyed Kiva's compassion for literally everyone and Jaren's humour. I usually find the addition of child characters boring because they are rarely written well but I did like Tipp. Naari was by far my favourite. I enjoyed the build up of her friendship with Kiva and honestly just love reading about strong women. I do think pacing was a problem. In the start of the book I was excited for the plot to unfold and warming up to the characters but from page 100 to the final trial I had to actively push myself to keep reading. Perhaps it's due to the fact that it's very repetitive. The whole search of the possible cause of the disease could have been cut down. I predicted all plot twists apart from the very last one which did manage to have me shook. It does explain Kiva's decisions and why she was so dead set on healing Tilda. Apart from the strong start and this last plot twist though the 2/3s of the book were pretty boring. The writing was alright. One thing I did dislike was that the author tried to add as many traumatic experiences to the mcs as possible for no reason. Self harm, abuse, drug addiction etc. Trauma won't make your character more interesting by itself. That's your job as a writer. Perhaps I am being too harsh but that's how I feel. I will read the rest of the trilogy simply out of curiosity but definitely not right away
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These Violent Delights
A new favourite
This was so good! I have to start this review by stating how fucking cool the prologue of this book is. It gripped me from the very first second and it does such a good job at setting the tone of the story and establishing Chloe Gong's writing style. I did think the first 100 pages of the book were a bit slow but since I enjoyed the world building I didn't mind. This book truly has it all. Monsters, gang feuds, politics and most importantly angst. I would have loved a bit more worthwhile interaction between Juliette and Roma before they inevitably accepted their feelings for each other. I felt that though they were together all the time before acknowledging that they were in fact still in love with one another they barely interacted for the majority of said time. I enjoyed Benedikt, Marshall and Kathleen. Again, I would have loved more time with them interacting or just more time reading their toughts. Epecially Ben. We only got one chapter dedicated solely to him. Despite that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading every single thing Chloe Gong has written, is writing and will write in the future.
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The Kiss of Deception
Boring
My first ever dnf. I started reading this because Dance of Thieves has been on my tbr forever and I wanted to get the best possible experience but I can't do it. This book is the very definition of boring. It should not be considered fantasy. It's romance plain and simple and a boring romance at that. I didn't know there was a love triangle in this book but it has only solidified my hatred for the trope. Overall a waste of time. The main character is an airhead. She only cares about being kissed/falling in love. No discernible plot whatsoever. I managed 125 pages before giving up. I don't even want to read Dance of Thieves now.
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The Dutch House : Nominated for the Women's Prize 2020
Could have been a compelling read
This had so much potential! I am honestly quite disappointed with how the plot progressed. For the first 1/3 I was certain I had found a new favourite. The writing was impeccable. I was very intrigued by the premise and I adored the chemistry between Maeve and Danny as I am always interested in sibling dynamics in books. Unfortunately, after a certain plot point the story started deteriorating. The prose remained beautiful but my interest was diminished and by the end I could not understand the purpose of this book. 7 stars for those wonderful 100 pages and a few redeeming moments throughout.
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Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
Mediocre
This had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to it. I think the mythology elements were charming and I was interested to learn more. However, the pacing was a serious problem. The story felt rushed and the characters underdeveloped. Lots of telling and not showing. Too bad cause I had been genuinely looking forward to reading this.
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You'd Be Home Now : From the bestselling author of TikTok sensation Girl in Pieces
Struggle and joy
Did I finish this book or did this book finish me? Kathleen Glasgow must know exactly how to ruin me because she has made me sob with all three of her books. Whilst reading Emory and Joey's story I found myself heartbroken but also hopeful. Because, yes, Joey might stay sober or he might not. Emory might find her purpose in life and stop feeling invisible or she might not. What truly matters is that they at least try to live their lives without fear. "Struggle and joy, Emory. The most important thing is to never give up"
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Reaper at the Gates
Disappointing
Helene and Harper should have been the main characters and I will hear no arguments to the contrary. Laia and Elias bore me most of the time. I enjoyed the plot twist on chapter 39. I think I have pinpointed what doesn't agree with me as far as this series is concerned and it's the pacing. I feel that everything is happening too fast and I fail to care about every single plot point since it will be resolved in less than 50 pages. I do find the magic interesting if not vague. Helene's chapters were the sole reason I got through this book.
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Winter
The friends we made along the way
I have read this series 4 times as of today. It will always hold a special place in my heart. Meyer does such an incredible job tying everything together for the finale. All the storylines interconnect seemlessly. Even though Winter and Jacin are properly introduced in this last book they are just as lovable as the rest of the crew. Perfect balance of plot and character focus and the pacing is perfect despite the 800 page count. Overall just a very enjoyable read with amazing characters and skillful writing. My only complaint is that I needed more fan service in the end but that's why Stars Above exists.
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Crooked Kingdom
No mourners, no funerals.
I have read this book 4 times now. Each time before I open the book I think this is it. This time I will find it lacking because I have painted a rosy picture of it in my mind. And each time I couldn't be more wrong. The writing in this book is truly beautiful. The thought that has been put into the characters and the intricacies of the plot is phenomenal. The characters each have incredibly in depth backgrounds and motives that make their decisions feel valid and believable. The banter amongst the crows showcases each of their personalities so vividly. This is where I go into spoiler territory. There will not be a time when Matthias' death won't have me sobbing. His character development is my favourite out of all of them. Helnik deserved better. Just as simple as that. I will not go into further detail about Kanej or Wesper or the dynamics of all the Crows because this is already too long. The writing, the plot and the characters come together beautifully to comprise one of my favourite books of all time.
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Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Lost potential
I would love to give this book 10 stars and for the majority of it I thought I would. The last 80 pages, the Pioneers section, made me change my mind. I loved reading it and I found so many passages and quotes worth highlighting. As a gamer it was also very enjoyable to see my feelings about gaming reflected in the characters and expressed through Zevin's prose. It was easy for me to care about the characters despite being annoyed at them-mainly Sam and Sadie-at times. And I found all the video game ideas incredibly charming. The NPC section had me sobbing. Unfortunately, after a certain character's death the pacing felt off to me. More importantly though I felt that Zevin tried to put too many things in the story that just didn't fit. Perhaps I am being nit picky but I tend to be too strict when reading prospective favourites. I still love this book a lot and perhaps I will give it a higher rating in the future but for now these are my thoughts. I desperately want to read more of Zevin's work.
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Ship of Magic
Καλογραμμένο high fantasy
Από τις καλύτερες τριλογίες high fantasy που έχω διαβάσει. Πιο καλογραμμένο πεθαίνεις. Το world building εχει γίνει με δεξιότητα και λεπτομέρεια. Ο κάθε χαρακτήρας έχει τα δικά του κινητρα και πεποιθήσεις. Δύσκολο να γράψει κάνεις 800+ σελίδες και να μην βαρεθεί ο αναγνώστης αλλά η Robin Hobb το φέρνει εύκολα εις πέρας. Πραγματικά ήμουν συνεπαρμένη από τον κόσμο και την ιστορία όσο διάβαζα και δεν ήθελα να σταματήσω. Must read για όλους τους fans του high fantasy.
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