10000bees's reviews
349 reviews

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

dark 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

3.5

For the entire time I was reading this, I couldn't decide how I felt about it. And I am still not entirely sure. It was definitely a book, and it wasn't bad, but I feel a bit of nothingness about it. It might be because the tone was going for this sort of grand tale with an omniscient narrator and that didn't really land with me. Instead, it left me a little adrift in everyone's thoughts, unable to really grab to anyone for stability. I guess I liked Santangel the best, but that was mostly because he is a bundle of tropes that I love (morally gray and tortured men are my weakness I fear), but I still felt like I was held back from really falling into his perspective.

The plot and pacing were fine. I appreciate the story that was being told, but it didn't grab me the way I wanted.

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

adventurous lighthearted 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

4.0

This book was simply delightful and had all my favorite things. I love a Quirky Little Guy and that's exactly what Leo was. What a beautiful disaster of a man. The combination of writing, tone, and concept just swept me up and carried me along. It was the perfect balance of cozy elements and an actual plot to keep me interested. The audiobook narrator was also the perfect choice and he really nailed the delivery. I would have liked a little more from Grimm, but I also appreciate having room to grow in the following books. Which I'll definitely be picking up btw.

Children of Fallen Gods by Carissa Broadbent

adventurous dark emotional tense 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

4.0

She really said let me not just pull on her heartstrings but completely demolish them. I really love these characters and the general plot that Broadbent has written, but this book could have easily been split in half. The Big War Section was really such a small piece and so much of it was just glanced over, which I understand because it would have been repetitive and boring, but if we could have had a *bit* more direction with it...

I really liked Aefa's section and how it broke things up, but I immediately knew why we were getting it. A lot of my complaints (if you can call them that) is that I could see the whole shape of the plot very early on. And that a lot of that heartache felt like it was written just for the pain. She said "oh, I'll write this because it will hurt" rather than making the most sense.

All that and I still very much enjoyed this read and most of that came down to my enjoyment of the characters. I just like how Broadbent writes them. I'll be finishing this series whenever my library gets the final audiobook.

The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Once again, Stewart has made a really cool world with really cool implications. Unfortunately, I think there was some serious pacing issues that hindered my enjoyment. Not pacing of the plot (though that also wasn't amazing imo) but the speed at which the character relationships develop. Which was blindingly fast and frankly unrealistic. Characters went from being strangers to completely picking apart the root of each other's flaws within mere moments (or so it felt). For how much this first book was trying to cover, either the relationships needed to have more time to develop through more pages, or the characters needed to come to those conclusions on their own and the intensity of those relationships needed to be toned down.

I really did want to love this because the world is really cool and I appreciate a different take on climate disaster, but it simply left me wanting. I'm going to wait for reviews for the sequel before I decide to pick it up.

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

adventurous lighthearted 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

3.5

In a word: charming. Just a cute, cozy little fantasy with a wonderful found family. The author did a great job tackling the topics she wanted to; the immigrant experience, the feeling of being lost and not having a plan for the future, being good at something but not good enough for yourself. At the same time, everything about the book felt very low stakes, including the conversations between characters. Everything worked out a little too well the whole time, which might be expected from a Cozy Fantasy, but I just need a little more tension to feel engaged. BUT for a Cozy Fantasy lover, this would probably be perfect. The author definitely has skill and I think she can go far, so I'm interested in seeing what she does next.

Murder at Spindle Manor by Morgan Stang

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

4.0

This was really fun! I love a mystery that gets me putting my detective hat on, and this one did. The plot was tight and quick, and I loved how unique the whole cast of characters was. It was a bit twee at times with how much it poked fun at the genre, but I didn't mind it. It's the sort of book that I just let myself get swept up in for the ride. I did think it was a bit too heavy on the dialogue at times, and while the atmosphere was appropriately dark and stormy, after a handful of dramatic lightning flashes, I was wishing it would switch it up a bit. I could see myself picking up the next book in the series when I'm looking for something engaging and quick, but I'm not going to jump on it immediately.

The Night Ends with Fire by K.X. Song

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

hmm... I didn't not like this, but it wasn't my favorite thing ever. As a Mulan retelling, it ended in a way that I wasn't entirely expecting, though the general path it took felt very familiar. There's definitely a healthy dose of chosen one and being really good at everything which was supposed to be balanced by her Big Huge Flaw (greed). I struggled a little bit believing that flaw because of how many times it was directly stated. I understand that Meilin's upraising in a strictly patriarchal society would color her self-perception to believe herself to be greedy for wanting more, but after her saying it so many times, I was simply sick of it. Perhaps show me her greed for power once or twice through her actions without also saying "because I was greedy" afterwards. That aspect, as well as the general vibe, definitely gave more YA than adult. Personally, I'd categorize this is new adult at most. 

The romances both felt weird and forced to me. Both guys gave me the ick, and both relationships made Meilin feel even more Not Like Other Girls. Overall, not bad, not my favorite, but I'd definitely be interested in seeing where the sequel goes. Crossing my fingers that she goes villain mode for that.

The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

funny lighthearted 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

4.0

I saw this cover on instagram and said WHAT? I need to read it. And you know what? It exceeded my (admittedly low) expectations. It was just a delightful little read. World events had me craving something Silly Goofy and this delivered exactly what I needed. This is a book that knows what it is and completely committed to the bit.

Coal was a fun main character, and his relationship with Hex had me kicking my feet a little bit. I also deeply appreciate the message about the importance of real joy and that it should be prioritized and chased in life. Fun, flirty, good writing, and bonkers concept that somehow works. If you're also looking for something lighthearted for the holiday season, look no further.

The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 46%.

I couldn't bring myself to care about anything happening unfortunately

The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart

adventurous medium-paced

4.0

This was a pretty solid finisher to the series. All the loose ends tied up nicely and I appreciated the direction it went in the end. The world continued to be my favorite aspect of the story, except maybe Mephi. I really do love him. There were some things I wish we got a little more reflection on, but in general this whole series was solid and interesting.