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abookandchai's reviews
137 reviews
These Deadly Games by Diana Urban
3.0
an incredibly fast paced thriller! i did like the intensity behind the threats but the main character, crystal, wasn't as engaging. it didn't help that i guessed the person behind it quite early into the book but the reveal at the end was too convenient. i didn't like any of the characters or their friendship so i guess the thrill of the story didn't entirely settle.
thank you wednesday books and netgalley for the arc!
thank you wednesday books and netgalley for the arc!
The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund-Broka
2.0
the roughest draft interested me because of the dual pov romance but sadly it was a let down. i wasn't a fan of them dodging around their issues instead of simply communicating while writing together. i didn't feel their chemistry either which made it difficult to connect to the characters and their feelings for each other. the story was entertaining while it lasted but there isn't enough substance to keep me hooked.
thank you berkley publishing and netgalley for the arc!
thank you berkley publishing and netgalley for the arc!
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
daughter of the moon goddess which caught my attention because of the stunning cover, is a fresh, impressive debut about the daughter of moon goddess chang'e, xinyin as she embarks on a journey to free her mother from her exile.
i loved the visuals painted by the lyrical writing. it perfectly fit the atmosphere of the book as xingyin explores different kingdoms and tasks. while it took a while to get used to the writing, i was soon captivated by the descriptions, the fairytale (and cdrama!) vibes and the Chinese folklore imbibed in the story.
the themes of—family, striving for freedom, loneliness and honour—are very well explored in the book. i especially enjoyed reading about xingyin's courage and determination to act with honour and stay true to her goals. watching her grow throughout the novel is a delight.
despite my overall enjoyment, daughter of the moon goddess fell flat in many places. the pacing is irregular and given the length of the book it dragged a lot with the repetitiveness. the third act turned out to be the most interesting part of the story. while the characters' personalities was intriguing, i genuinely did not find myself caring about them or their motivations. ultimately because i didn't feel the urgency of the stakes. it's all passive to be honest. and xingyin having two love interests didn't help as i wasn't inclined to root for any of them. though i'm most curious about wenzhi!
in the end, daughter of the moon goddess is a solid debut which is sure to take readers on adventures along with xingyin accompanied by Tan's beautiful writing. though it's not strong on the emotions or characters, it is sure to appease YA readers. i'm eager to see how Tan moves the story forward.
thank you harper voyager and netgalley for the arc!
i loved the visuals painted by the lyrical writing. it perfectly fit the atmosphere of the book as xingyin explores different kingdoms and tasks. while it took a while to get used to the writing, i was soon captivated by the descriptions, the fairytale (and cdrama!) vibes and the Chinese folklore imbibed in the story.
the themes of—family, striving for freedom, loneliness and honour—are very well explored in the book. i especially enjoyed reading about xingyin's courage and determination to act with honour and stay true to her goals. watching her grow throughout the novel is a delight.
despite my overall enjoyment, daughter of the moon goddess fell flat in many places. the pacing is irregular and given the length of the book it dragged a lot with the repetitiveness. the third act turned out to be the most interesting part of the story. while the characters' personalities was intriguing, i genuinely did not find myself caring about them or their motivations. ultimately because i didn't feel the urgency of the stakes. it's all passive to be honest. and xingyin having two love interests didn't help as i wasn't inclined to root for any of them. though i'm most curious about wenzhi!
in the end, daughter of the moon goddess is a solid debut which is sure to take readers on adventures along with xingyin accompanied by Tan's beautiful writing. though it's not strong on the emotions or characters, it is sure to appease YA readers. i'm eager to see how Tan moves the story forward.
thank you harper voyager and netgalley for the arc!
The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
3.5
overlooking the abrupt ending and some boring parts, i really like how it explored the underworld and spirit world. the inclusion of chinese and malaysian history/customs also added to the beauty of its worldbuilding, combining fantasy, paranormal and folklore elements. li lan was a strange yet fun character to follow, as she journeyed from a sheltered girl to traveling the spirit world. and er lang of course, annoying and mysterious, who immediately intrigued me. overall, a fun read!
A Cup of Salt Tears by Isabel Yap
4.0
a beautiful, short read with yap's simple and intriguing writing handling grief and change
Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood
within these wicked walls is an intriguing ethopian inspired gothic fantasy debut. with the backdrop of an imposing, mansion cold and scary on the inside, is brought to life with the spooky descriptions. this definitely didn't miss on the horror part!
my main complaint is the insta love. sure magnus has a sad backstory along with being tied to haunting events and the mansion but i would've liked this a lot if andromeda and magnus were given some time before jumping into the attraction, which was a main aspect of the story. but overall a good book and easy read!
my main complaint is the insta love. sure magnus has a sad backstory along with being tied to haunting events and the mansion but i would've liked this a lot if andromeda and magnus were given some time before jumping into the attraction, which was a main aspect of the story. but overall a good book and easy read!
Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
medium-paced
2.5
i really liked the premise for love & other disasters but well, it fell short. i didn't feel the connection or the romance between the characters, it almost felt like instalove, the hate converting to love quickly. i would've loved the cooking competition, tv show and other participants to be highlighted more given the stakes but they just seemed to be fillers. switching between the emotionally heavy parts of dahlia and london's life and their romance was abrupt, with the latter overshadowing a lot of the story.
that being said, i really like the honest queer, nb and trans rep in the book! the conversations around gender were handled quiet well and i loved how it portrayed london coming out as non binary. so this book wasn't for me, but if you do like a fun romance, then it might be for you.
thank you netgalley and forever publishing for the arc!
that being said, i really like the honest queer, nb and trans rep in the book! the conversations around gender were handled quiet well and i loved how it portrayed london coming out as non binary. so this book wasn't for me, but if you do like a fun romance, then it might be for you.
thank you netgalley and forever publishing for the arc!
Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
i read this book in a day and oh god this is the kind of contemporary romance i wanted. its wholesome, tender, emotional and will leave you in tears.
i loved the range of emotions evie felt and how they all were so raw when she was questioning the love people have for each other and if its worth all the heartbreak. i loved how xavier in contrast wishes to live his life as it is in the present. i loved how the two of them came to know each other and how they realised the journey is the beauty of their love. the magical realism aspect of it only made the story more captivating.
i loved the range of emotions evie felt and how they all were so raw when she was questioning the love people have for each other and if its worth all the heartbreak. i loved how xavier in contrast wishes to live his life as it is in the present. i loved how the two of them came to know each other and how they realised the journey is the beauty of their love. the magical realism aspect of it only made the story more captivating.
Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
only a monster is a solid debut!
i was intrigued as soon as i got to know of time travel and monsters with terrifying powers. suffice to say i really liked how len played with the interpretation of monsters here, the balance between their human nature and the reality of their powers. the worldbuilding is easy to understand though there are aspects i would love the story to explore in the sequels. this book is fast paced, with an easy flowing writing and good reveals to keep me hooked throughout. the descriptions of the times the characters traveled through were visualised so well, the writing is probably my favourite thing about the book.
while this was a good 4 star read i'm sad that the "enemies-to-lovers/enemy soulmates" trope did not deliver. the build up with nick had SO much potential but the execution falls through which made me feel nothing for their so called romance. and consequently the ending felt too convenient. joan's... feelings (?) for aaron weren't convincing either because he's way too in his head and didn't bother explaining anything at all to joan or the reader. also, joan marching into the monster side of the world, trying to change timelines and save her family seemed kind of stupid considering she didn't know literally *anything* about monsters and their powers. hopefully she's on the road to character development for the next books.
this is in no way a bad book! i'm very impressed that this is a debut and i'm so excited to see where the story goes in the sequel. (which won't be out for another year omg) i really hope we see more development in every aspect and i enjoy it just as much as this, if not more!
thank you harper collins and netgalley for the arc!
i was intrigued as soon as i got to know of time travel and monsters with terrifying powers. suffice to say i really liked how len played with the interpretation of monsters here, the balance between their human nature and the reality of their powers. the worldbuilding is easy to understand though there are aspects i would love the story to explore in the sequels. this book is fast paced, with an easy flowing writing and good reveals to keep me hooked throughout. the descriptions of the times the characters traveled through were visualised so well, the writing is probably my favourite thing about the book.
while this was a good 4 star read i'm sad that the "enemies-to-lovers/enemy soulmates" trope did not deliver. the build up with nick had SO much potential but the execution falls through which made me feel nothing for their so called romance. and consequently the ending felt too convenient. joan's... feelings (?) for aaron weren't convincing either because he's way too in his head and didn't bother explaining anything at all to joan or the reader. also, joan marching into the monster side of the world, trying to change timelines and save her family seemed kind of stupid considering she didn't know literally *anything* about monsters and their powers. hopefully she's on the road to character development for the next books.
this is in no way a bad book! i'm very impressed that this is a debut and i'm so excited to see where the story goes in the sequel. (which won't be out for another year omg) i really hope we see more development in every aspect and i enjoy it just as much as this, if not more!
thank you harper collins and netgalley for the arc!