adelphiereads's reviews
150 reviews

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

adventurous hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

3.25

As someone who has been a book lover since I was a child, I fell in love with the world of this book. Books have a special place in my heart. I don’t just love, I see them as gateways to different world and not just a gateway, but a living one. A living gateway that needs love and care and knows exactly where to take you when you’re having a horrible day/week/moment in life. So, I loved the world-building of this book. How it’s centered on grimoires and magical libraries. I also love that it has moments of social relevance. Like some semblance of our current society even though it’s a magical world with sorcery and demons and grimoires. Lastly, I’d like to mention my love for the side characters; Silas, Katrien, Mercy and Nathaniel. I just love how they were written.

 I liked the main character at first but as the story progresses there were moments that I loathed her existence.

Now, what I did not like about the book is the plot itself. I feel like this book would’ve turned out so much better if the author took more time to think the plot through. To like polish it more and make it more impactful, interesting and somewhat plausible. I remember getting lost in the pages during the first part but then towards the end it just felt like I was reading a book. (If you get it, you get it.)

Anyway, I still enjoyed reading it. So it deserves a 3 star rating and a recommendation from me. If you see books more than just pieces of papers bound together and you always find comfort when you’re surrounded by shelves filled with books, then you would definitely enjoy this book. 

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I fell in love with this book. It’s not just because I am an avid fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope. But it’s more of the fact that I related so much with this book. It’s definitely a book for those who had always felt like they’re on the outside looking in. It’s for the ones who have felt that they’re side characters all their lives. The romance of this book is chef’s kisses. But also the life-like feel of this book is a mix of fiction and realism. I don’t know how else to describe it. It felt real but at the same time it felt like magic. It’s one of those books that you would definitely just fall in love with.

There’s just so much that I love about this book that I can’t even describe it. When I finished it I definitely felt the “sigh” one do after reading the last page of a really good book. 

Anyway, if like me you love reading books then this book is definitely for you. It doesn’t matter what genre you prefer. You just have to read this one.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

adventurous funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This book embodied the Korean folktale it was trying to portray. But that's coming from someone who's Asian but not Korean. Still, I felt the Asian elements of folktale in it and cultural notions as well. 

I love how the writing style made this book so beautiful and yet, there were still heart-wretching/ sob-worthy instances in the story. I love how you can learn so much about life, love and destiny but just reading 200 pages of folktales. Bringing me to what I loved the most about the book and that is the nostalgia it gave me. The feeling of reading a folktale or fairytale or a simple story that were told to children. Stories filled with magical elements and lessons about life and love. In the story's own magical way, I felt like a child again even though I didn't read children's book. 

I highly recommend this for people who, like me, has been obsessed with stories since they were children until now. Side note, the internet was right, it has a striking resemblance with the Studio Ghibli movie, "Spirited Away". But it is still a beautiful book on it's own. I can't explain so much of it, you just have to read it to feel the Sea God and his bride's magic. 

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous dark hopeful medium-paced

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

3.5

I felt so much emotions reading this book. Anger, sadness, hope, heartache, annoyance, irritation and more anger. Towards the end of the first book, I wasn't much of a fan of the main character, Feyre. But in this book my indifference to her became annoyance and then hatred. I did not like how she was written as a character. It was as if the author went through great lengths just to show that this girl is the main character therefore the entire world will stop for her. Honestly, there were times where I wanted to put this book on my dnf pile not just because of Feyre though. The mediocre plot greatly influenced this inkling of mine to stop reading this book. For me, it felt like the plot of the series could've been over and done with in two books. But no, the author had to drag it along. The plot didn't feel too complicated and delicate for it to last that long. Regardless, I finished it and it's all because of Rhysand. The only redeeming quality of this book. He's the perfect morally grey character. I enjoyed the book because of him. I would've given this book only 3 stars if it wasn't for the ending. The ending is where the plot was finally set in motion. I do hope the fourth book would be more about plot but also not neglect the characters too. 

P.S. The ending was a full circle from the first book so I loved it.

I would definitely recommend this for those who grew up having a huge crush on Howl from Howl's Moving Castle. This is definitely a take from that beautiful love story. 

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

dark hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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

4.5

Everybody knows the story of A Christmas Carol due to the fact that it has been interpreted in so many ways through different forms of media. Like a lot of people, I only know the story of it through its several popular interpretation or representation and it is my first time to actually sit down and read the original text. And I loved it. A Christmas Carol is truly a classic story to get into during Christmas season. As we all get older, we slowly tend to disassociate ourselves from the joy and hope brought by Christmas. Like Scrooge, we tend to be too engrossed with the pragmatic banalities of our lives. But this story will definitely bring back our Christmas spirits. Like Scrooge, we would be taken on a journey of self-reflection and we would come out of it with more kindness and warmth in our hearts for those around us. 

So, I recommend this to those who have lost their Christmas spirits, to those who are slowly losing it and the hope of redemption it brings to us. This story will remind you why it is important to be kind to those around you, not just on Christmas. No. Christmas season is a time for redemption. A time wherein you can come to the realization that the most important thing in life is not money, power, nor any materialistic belongings but the kindness, the warmth, and the love you give to others. Why? Well...you just have to read the book the find out. 

Here's a few lines that I loved in the book: 
1. "Would you so soon put out, with worldly hands, the light I give? Is it not enough that you are one of those whose passions made this cap, and force me through whole trains of years to wear it low upon my brow?" This is a dialogue of the Ghost of the Christmas Past. What I loved about this is how it reminds the reader that we intentionally put a "cap" on our past memories by burying it deep and forgetting about it when it sheds a light on how we should live our lives in the present and the future. The light, the wisdom our past gives is essential and yet we bury them down, we put a cap on it. 

2. "There are some upon this earth of yours who claim to know us, and who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name, who are strange to us, and all our kith and kin, as if they had never lived." This is a statement said by the Ghost of the Christmas Present. It's a hit on the priests and preachers who use the name and word of God to justify their selfish needs and malicious deeds. Considering that Dickens lived in a religious society, I admire him for being able to write that statement down. And I am not surprised that a good number of people started doubting the clergymen after reading this story. 

3. "Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if he persevered in, they must lead, but if the courses be departed from, the ends will change." This is a dialogue of Scrooge towards the Ghost of the Christmas of Yet To Come. I think this Dickens' way of talking to the readers through Scrooge. To give the message that their future can still change if they decide to change their present self, their present actions and philosophy in life. 

The Sittaford Mystery by Agatha Christie

challenging mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This case is interesting indeed. It bothered me a lot while I was reading it. But the solution, to me, was unsatisfactory. It made perfect sense, yes. But the build up, the clues, the amount of sleuthing the characters had to do just to get bits of evidence...all that just for a quick simple solution? Also it didn't quite explain the suspicious actions of the different characters. Like was everyone in Sittaford supposed to be that nosy? I couldn't quite explain it, but the solution felt lacking compared to Christie’s other novels/cases. 

What I did love about this book is the representation of women. Or like the representation of a small portion of women. Still, it is interesting to see strong, independent, intelligent, and driven women who always get what they want because of their passion and wit. That's the only redeeming factor of this book. 

A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf

informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

This is the first classic feminist essay I've read so I have nothing to compare it to. Hence, my 5 star rating because I really loved it. It inspired me to read more classic feminist essay or even modern ones, so when I do I'll go back on this one and rewrite my review.

For now, let me just say I loved it. It's such a thought-provoking, inspiring and impactful essay. It made me want to work hard on earning money and inspired me to write again.

There's a lot of things to be discussed in this essay but I think it would be better if you read it for yourself instead of me talking about these points. Every woman should read this, aspiring writers or not. This would inspire them, to create, to work hard and to pursue what they want. 

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

This is the kind of book that every children should read. This inspires bravery, loyalty, endurance, wit, and love on children. This highlights the views of children. How they are as real as that of an adult. This shows that children are smart in their own way. That their opinions are valid and acceptable considering the way they see the world.

Anyone who has read this when they were young and modeled themselves to Coraline must have grown to be  confident and brave people. I'm a bit sad that I wasn't one of those people but the important thing is I read this now. It's never too late to grow. 

I highly recommend this for (other than children) those who are experiencing self-doubt and wants to read an easy book that doesn't directly attack their misgivings. 

Frankenstein 1831: Mary Shelley Book First Edition Original Frankenstine by Mary Shelley

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

4.5

Mary Shelley has such a beautiful way of writing. I loved it. Like this made me want to pick up more of her books. She wrote ideas that must've been unorthodox back then. She conveyed raw thoughts and emotions that I myself have experienced but couldn't put them into words. The way she writes was moving and heart-wrenching. The way she ended the story took my breath away. 

The way I see it, this is a book that questions humanity. Will humans be monster-like if they were nurtured or brought up in the same environment as Frankenstein's monster? Is the meddling with the affairs of nature or creation considered as the limit of science? Would the atypical or different people that were shunned by the society become good people if the society simply accepted them and showed them love? There are several more questions about humanity, morality and life in this book but I'll just leave it for you to find out. 

Contrary to popular belief, it's not a horror book. Well, I guess it is but it's not in the way that you think. It's definitely not Stephen King kind of horror. It's more of 1984 by George Orwell kind of horror. The kind that will make you terrified of human's capacity and insatiable passion for greatness. The kind that will make you question your morality and of those around you. It's more of a psychological horror book and less of the popular belief that it's about a monster created by scientific means who went out and became a mass murderer. 

I definitely recommend this for people who are into books that's socially relevant and makes one think/question their beliefs and principles. 

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.5

Before I get into my critique on the plot of the book, I'd like to compliment the writing style of the author. His writing was easy to get lost into. I was carried away by it. I had to go through extreme measures just to stop myself from binge reading it since I was buddy-reading it with a couple of my bookish friends. I also admire how it's almost similar to the thought process of a person in a sense that the narrator, Kathy, kept moving from one memory to another. For instance, she would see this one thing and associate it with another memory and from that she will remember another moment worth mentioning then goes back to the initial memory. For me, it felt like I was talking to a stranger who's telling me her entire life story over a cup of coffee in one afternoon. 

Now, for the plot. It's definitely something interesting but it wasn't unpredictable. It was cliche. Even the plot twist towards the end, like I predicted that at least halfway on the book's part 2 of 3. I think the author intended that so that he can focus more on the introspective aspect of the characters involved in that kind of plot line. All in all, I did like the story, especially the gripping emotions and feelings of the characters and the sorrow-inducing situation they are in. But I don't think I would be reading books of this genre in the near future. 

I think the ones who would like this book are those who are into examining the morality of men in the scientific aspect. People who like analyzing ethics in science fiction. I guess I'm just not one of those people. 

 
Here are several points that I found really interesting in the book:
1. I feel like this somehow reprsents modern education and society. Wherein children are taught in standardized lessons and tested the same, without ever taking into consideration their different skills, capabilities and most importantly, their creativity. And the donation part, I think it alludes to the fact that if you can't create something novel for the society then your only purpose is to give or donate everything you have until you die. 
2. I think the irony of the book is that even though they were clones, the three main characters of the story, Kathy, Ruth and Tommy acted and thought like human beings. Ruth's emotion driven schemes couldn't possibly have come from artificial intelligence. So did Tommy's vivid imagination and temper. And especially, Kathy's empathy. Their individual qualities show humanistic characteristics. In fact their personalities are so humanlike I bet you know a couple of people like them. But the irony is that they were "clones".
3. The biggest question here is that what makes a human? Following that up with the question, can clones be considered as humans if they're the likes of Kathy, Ruth, Tommy and all the other clones in the book who behaved and thought like humans?