Scan barcode
anaisniz's reviews
84 reviews
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
โ๏ธ Plot: 7.0 /10
๐ฅ Setting: 7.0 /10
๐๏ธ Characters: 7.0 /10
โ Writing (style): Good.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes. If you like slow war books.
โIf I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.โ
Those last one hundred pages, really saved this book from 3 stars.
โค๏ธ Up's:
1) The two sister's perspectives
2) The devolvement of the protagonists
3) Touching story
4) Good pace
- 1: Vianne and Isabelle are very different and it was very interesting reading their different perspectives, struggles and their own way of surviving.
- 2: I though I would like Isabelle more, but I was so surprised by Vianne, I loved her devolvement. Both of them have a very good devolvement and they also mature in their own way. Vianne grew up more tho, as she talks more about her past with Isabelle and how wrong she was about her. Isabelle doesn't have these scenes so much, of looking back and seeing the harm she's done, she just says it in one sentence of dialogue.
- 3: Well, it's a book about war, of course it's going to be sentimental. But for real, the last part of the book was very touching and the end made me cry. Those last one hundred pages accelerated the story in such a good way that I couldn't put the book down. It was also when the biggest scenes happened.
- 4: Aside from the slow middle part of the book, it had a good pace, nothing was rushed. I really liked the suddenly jumps to the present.
๐ Down's:
1) The portrait of the relationship between the sisters was weak
2) Isabelle's rebelliousness seemed very exaggerated
3) Slow
4) Some small holes
- 1: The main reason why I picked this book was because I thought it would be about two sisters going through the war together, even though, they are not very close to one another.
The premise is there, but in a different way. Vianne and Isabelle are mostly far from one another in the story. If the book is going to focus on sisterhood, it could have emphasized the sister's relationship better instead of making them separated for most of the time.
I wanted this so badly, but there wasn't enough grow of the of the sister's relationship. They did have some very emotional moments, however.
I don't think this happen because the romance was in the way or something like that, it was purely a writer's choice.
- 2: At the beginning Isabelle is portrait as a rebel teen and this role felt very overdone and annoying. It also seemed unrealistic how Isabelle was aware of the danger around her and always continued to do shit, just because of her rebellious personality. I say it seems forced just to create this strong contrast between the sisters.
- 3: I put this book down for months when I was halfway through it, every time I picked it up, it seemed like nothing big happened in the story and everything was slow. But well, I guess it makes sense, because it's a war book (first time reading this genre). I just wished those middle pages could have done something different. I would prefer to see Vianne and Isabelle together and them having a sisterly relationship and bounding to one another.
- 4: There's some small holes, like, I always remember Vianne having no money, but she somehow always has food and can even make big dinners.
๐ Final thoughts:
I'm very weak when it comes to books about sisters. so yeah, this book hits close to home for me. I'm also not an expert of the 2nd war and I don't know much about France as a place, so idk how real the book was.
๐ฅ Setting: 7.0 /10
๐๏ธ Characters: 7.0 /10
โ Writing (style): Good.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes. If you like slow war books.
โIf I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.โ
Those last one hundred pages, really saved this book from 3 stars.
โค๏ธ Up's:
1) The two sister's perspectives
2) The devolvement of the protagonists
3) Touching story
4) Good pace
- 1: Vianne and Isabelle are very different and it was very interesting reading their different perspectives, struggles and their own way of surviving.
- 2: I though I would like Isabelle more, but I was so surprised by Vianne, I loved her devolvement. Both of them have a very good devolvement and they also mature in their own way. Vianne grew up more tho, as she talks more about her past with Isabelle and how wrong she was about her. Isabelle doesn't have these scenes so much, of looking back and seeing the harm she's done, she just says it in one sentence of dialogue.
- 3: Well, it's a book about war, of course it's going to be sentimental. But for real, the last part of the book was very touching and the end made me cry. Those last one hundred pages accelerated the story in such a good way that I couldn't put the book down. It was also when the biggest scenes happened.
- 4: Aside from the slow middle part of the book, it had a good pace, nothing was rushed. I really liked the suddenly jumps to the present.
๐ Down's:
1) The portrait of the relationship between the sisters was weak
2) Isabelle's rebelliousness seemed very exaggerated
3) Slow
4) Some small holes
- 1: The main reason why I picked this book was because I thought it would be about two sisters going through the war together, even though, they are not very close to one another.
The premise is there, but in a different way. Vianne and Isabelle are mostly far from one another in the story. If the book is going to focus on sisterhood, it could have emphasized the sister's relationship better instead of making them separated for most of the time.
I wanted this so badly, but there wasn't enough grow of the of the sister's relationship. They did have some very emotional moments, however.
I don't think this happen because the romance was in the way or something like that, it was purely a writer's choice.
- 2: At the beginning Isabelle is portrait as a rebel teen and this role felt very overdone and annoying. It also seemed unrealistic how Isabelle was aware of the danger around her and always continued to do shit, just because of her rebellious personality. I say it seems forced just to create this strong contrast between the sisters.
- 3: I put this book down for months when I was halfway through it, every time I picked it up, it seemed like nothing big happened in the story and everything was slow. But well, I guess it makes sense, because it's a war book (first time reading this genre). I just wished those middle pages could have done something different. I would prefer to see Vianne and Isabelle together and them having a sisterly relationship and bounding to one another.
- 4: There's some small holes, like, I always remember Vianne having no money, but she somehow always has food and can even make big dinners.
๐ Final thoughts:
I'm very weak when it comes to books about sisters. so yeah, this book hits close to home for me. I'm also not an expert of the 2nd war and I don't know much about France as a place, so idk how real the book was.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
emotional
inspiring
medium-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
4.0
๐ Plot: 8/10
๐ฌ Setting: 7/10
๐ Characters: 9/10
โ Writing (style): Very Good.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes.
โPeople think that intimacy is about sex. But intimacy is about truth. When you realize you can tell someone your truth, when you can show yourself to them, when you stand in front of them bare and their response is 'you're safe with me'- that's intimacy.โ
โค๏ธ Up's:
1) Interesting story
2) Amazing protagonist - Evelyn
3) Fun setting - "Old Hollywood"
4) Simple, yet touching writing
5) Format of the story
> 1: This book doesn't have necessarily original ideas or a unique concept. But the execution was just *chef kiss* and with that just makes the story amazing. I liked it how it portraited many things like: sex, love, family, sexuality, truth.
> 2: I honestly really like characters like Evelyn (grey characters). As a person she's awful, but as a character she's great. She got a bit of what other people would like to be: Confident, beautiful, determined, strong and rich. By reading this, Evelyn just kinda became a role model to me (aside for her awful side). All of her husbands were also well written and each one had their voice on the story. Their relationship with Evelyn were also unique from one to another.
Somehow, the characters feel alive in this book.
Did Evelyn andCelia had strong chemistry and did I like them as a couple? Not really. I really didn't care for them, I much prefer the friendship between Evelyn and Harry . In the other hand, was their relationship interesting? Hell yeah.
They were a realistic pair.
> 3: I have always loved the "Old Hollywood", even if it's not necessarily a healthy time, I always liked it's aesthetic. Now I discovered I love fiction set in that time. The setting itself it's not much present, because this is mostly about Evelyn and her husbands. This presence would defiantly be stronger as a movie.
> 4: First time reading Taylor Jenkins Reid. Her writing is very simple, but she knows how to put well words and strong sentences. Because of that I didn't find the writing boring. But she writes "OK" so many times, it triggered me.
> 5: Maybe this isn't a big deal, but whatever. The book is divided in seven partsโseven husbandsโEach one talks about a part of Evelyn's life with that specific husband. Everything blends well. I loved that.
๐ Down's:
1) Protagonist - Monique
> 1: I wasn't upset with Monique at first, but when she sat down with Evelyn, she started to get on my nerves. She was unprofessional on her job, by asking stupid questions or simply judging things. Like, that's literally your job and you can't do it right and yet, you want to be the biggest writer? Then act like one.
<b>โจ Final thoughts:</b>
"The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" it's now on production to come alive as a movie. I believe it can work very well.
I really liked this book, I had a great time reading it.
If it wasn't for the great character that Evelyn is, this book would had not be good. So, congratulations of how the writer pulled this off.
๐ฌ Setting: 7/10
๐ Characters: 9/10
โ Writing (style): Very Good.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes.
โPeople think that intimacy is about sex. But intimacy is about truth. When you realize you can tell someone your truth, when you can show yourself to them, when you stand in front of them bare and their response is 'you're safe with me'- that's intimacy.โ
โค๏ธ Up's:
1) Interesting story
2) Amazing protagonist - Evelyn
3) Fun setting - "Old Hollywood"
4) Simple, yet touching writing
5) Format of the story
> 1: This book doesn't have necessarily original ideas or a unique concept. But the execution was just *chef kiss* and with that just makes the story amazing. I liked it how it portraited many things like: sex, love, family, sexuality, truth.
> 2: I honestly really like characters like Evelyn (grey characters). As a person she's awful, but as a character she's great. She got a bit of what other people would like to be: Confident, beautiful, determined, strong and rich. By reading this, Evelyn just kinda became a role model to me (aside for her awful side). All of her husbands were also well written and each one had their voice on the story. Their relationship with Evelyn were also unique from one to another.
Somehow, the characters feel alive in this book.
Did Evelyn and
They were a realistic pair.
> 3: I have always loved the "Old Hollywood", even if it's not necessarily a healthy time, I always liked it's aesthetic. Now I discovered I love fiction set in that time. The setting itself it's not much present, because this is mostly about Evelyn and her husbands. This presence would defiantly be stronger as a movie.
> 4: First time reading Taylor Jenkins Reid. Her writing is very simple, but she knows how to put well words and strong sentences. Because of that I didn't find the writing boring. But she writes "OK" so many times, it triggered me.
> 5: Maybe this isn't a big deal, but whatever. The book is divided in seven partsโseven husbandsโEach one talks about a part of Evelyn's life with that specific husband. Everything blends well. I loved that.
๐ Down's:
1) Protagonist - Monique
> 1: I wasn't upset with Monique at first, but when she sat down with Evelyn, she started to get on my nerves. She was unprofessional on her job, by asking stupid questions or simply judging things. Like, that's literally your job and you can't do it right and yet, you want to be the biggest writer? Then act like one.
<b>โจ Final thoughts:</b>
"The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" it's now on production to come alive as a movie. I believe it can work very well.
I really liked this book, I had a great time reading it.
If it wasn't for the great character that Evelyn is, this book would had not be good. So, congratulations of how the writer pulled this off.
The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence
โค๏ธ Up's:
1) Amazing & creative world/worldbuilding
2) Interesting and promising plot
3) Good pace
4) Writing
1: This cruel survival world feels so intimidating and yet beautiful. Everything felt unlimited.
2: I love the idea of getting rid of the children who are weaker, because it's impossible to take care of them in this cold world. How the plot moved was also interesting and fun.
3 & 4: First time reading Mark Lawrence and I love his style. He goes straight to the point, but in the same time has fun with descriptions and details. He has a good balance between slow and fast pace. Also, in general the chapters are short, so it made the book easier to read. There were times I had a hard time understanding lines and I was rereading them (Note: English is not my first language, so that doesn't help).
๐ Down's:
1) Messy
2) Many characters and lack of connection with them
3) Too much YA
1: I wanted to start a Mark Lawrence book and so, I picked this one - It was a more recent trilogy and is a YA, which I thought would help me get closer to Mark's style and I wanted something icy. Plus, people said it wasn't necessary to read Book of the Ancestor before this one. But I couldn't really keep up, I felt lost most of the times and confused. The magic system was vague, the whole void thing and the city was confusing. I know this is only the first book, but I need to understand a little more to enjoy and keep up with the story.
2: When it comes to the characters, this book was "quantity over quality". There was so many characters and kept appearing more and more. We spend way to much time in Yaz's head and exploring this icy world that there's no room to connect with the rest of the characters. They all were enjoyable but hard to connect with. Aside from Thurin, who we know much about.
Another thing, I wish there was more moments of Yaz with her brother, like flashbacks of them. I needed this to root more for her.Even after she saves him, they barely talk
3: I know it's ironic, but hear me out. One of the reasons I picked this was because it's a YA, I wanted something simple to start Lawrence's books. But I have to agree with readers who dislike the YA aspect of this book - "The chosen one" and "love triangle/square - I really hated this tropes here, they just didn't work quite well with the "mature" narrative and world. I hate how Yaz just could use her magic so easily and how everyone felt in love with her immediately. She was always the center of attention without being much.
โจ Final thoughts:
I am a bit disappointed, I though I would like this more.
I hate leaving trilogies unfinished (unless I despise the 1 book). I heard that the 2nd and 3rd book get much better, so maybe I will pick them up. But I admit I'm much interested in reading the Book of the Ancestor series instead.
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
๐ Plot: 6.0 /10
โ๏ธ Setting: 8.0 /10
๐ Characters: 6.0 /10
โ Writing (style): Excellent.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes, but read Book of the Ancestor series first (It's also what other people suggest).
โ๏ธ Setting: 8.0 /10
๐ Characters: 6.0 /10
โ Writing (style): Excellent.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes, but read Book of the Ancestor series first (It's also what other people suggest).
โMany babies have killed, but it is very rare that the victim is not their mother.โ
โค๏ธ Up's:
1) Amazing & creative world/worldbuilding
2) Interesting and promising plot
3) Good pace
4) Writing
1: This cruel survival world feels so intimidating and yet beautiful. Everything felt unlimited.
2: I love the idea of getting rid of the children who are weaker, because it's impossible to take care of them in this cold world. How the plot moved was also interesting and fun.
3 & 4: First time reading Mark Lawrence and I love his style. He goes straight to the point, but in the same time has fun with descriptions and details. He has a good balance between slow and fast pace. Also, in general the chapters are short, so it made the book easier to read. There were times I had a hard time understanding lines and I was rereading them (Note: English is not my first language, so that doesn't help).
๐ Down's:
1) Messy
2) Many characters and lack of connection with them
3) Too much YA
1: I wanted to start a Mark Lawrence book and so, I picked this one - It was a more recent trilogy and is a YA, which I thought would help me get closer to Mark's style and I wanted something icy. Plus, people said it wasn't necessary to read Book of the Ancestor before this one. But I couldn't really keep up, I felt lost most of the times and confused. The magic system was vague, the whole void thing and the city was confusing. I know this is only the first book, but I need to understand a little more to enjoy and keep up with the story.
2: When it comes to the characters, this book was "quantity over quality". There was so many characters and kept appearing more and more. We spend way to much time in Yaz's head and exploring this icy world that there's no room to connect with the rest of the characters. They all were enjoyable but hard to connect with. Aside from Thurin, who we know much about.
Another thing, I wish there was more moments of Yaz with her brother, like flashbacks of them. I needed this to root more for her.
3: I know it's ironic, but hear me out. One of the reasons I picked this was because it's a YA, I wanted something simple to start Lawrence's books. But I have to agree with readers who dislike the YA aspect of this book - "The chosen one" and "love triangle/square - I really hated this tropes here, they just didn't work quite well with the "mature" narrative and world. I hate how Yaz just could use her magic so easily and how everyone felt in love with her immediately. She was always the center of attention without being much.
โจ Final thoughts:
I am a bit disappointed, I though I would like this more.
I hate leaving trilogies unfinished (unless I despise the 1 book). I heard that the 2nd and 3rd book get much better, so maybe I will pick them up. But I admit I'm much interested in reading the Book of the Ancestor series instead.
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
๐ Plot: 2/10
๐ฎ Setting: 3 /10
๐ Characters: 2 /10
โ Writing (style): Poor
๐ Would I recommend it? No.
๐ Up's:
1) Interesting concept and idea
2) Mysterious dark vibes
3) Witches
๐ Down's:
1) Poor execution
2) Lazy world-building and plot
3) A lot of cheap dialogue
4) Too many unnecessary scenes about food
5) Horrible Mc, with no personality and development, accompanied by forgettable characters
6) No chemistry
1, 2, 3 & 4: This book was purely "Good ideas, bad execution." Along side with a lazy world-building, there's no description at what year does the story take place or deep description of other things like residences, clothing, ... but there's a lot about food, what was super unnecessary for the plot. I get it that the mc knows how to cook, ok?
I never saw dialogue being a problem, but this book was a first. Everything it's told through dialogue, what made everything lazy and easy for the mc. At least the dialogue could have been interesting or charming, but not even that was.
5: Emilia was such a bad character. Her only talent and personality was to cook. She always got everything too easy just by asking and others answering it. She made so many dumb decisions and never grow from mistakes. she acted like she was smart but she's not, girl pls-
Vittoria was the most interesting character and she was dead from the beginning, as the synopsis tells. It was she who created the whole dark mystery vibes in the book by dying and keeping secrets. I did appreciate the sisters' relationship and how Emilia sometimes preferred to be like Vittoria, who was the brave twin.
Wrath should get another name, since this one doesn't suit him. He's the sin of Wrath, it would be cooler if he acted like one. But he was just "a dark sexy demon".
I literally don't care about any character.
6: This two are only attracted to each other through physical attraction by the entire book. To be fair, I still don't understand what Wrath sees in Emilia. For them to have an emotional moment, one of them has to be close to death or desperate for help. And those moments were flat.
โจ Final thoughts:
I thought this book would be a solid 3/5 but also a good start to the trilogy, full of fun and mystery. And of course witchy vibes. But it wasn't.
๐ฎ Setting: 3 /10
๐ Characters: 2 /10
โ Writing (style): Poor
๐ Would I recommend it? No.
๐ Up's:
1) Interesting concept and idea
2) Mysterious dark vibes
3) Witches
๐ Down's:
1) Poor execution
2) Lazy world-building and plot
3) A lot of cheap dialogue
4) Too many unnecessary scenes about food
5) Horrible Mc, with no personality and development, accompanied by forgettable characters
6) No chemistry
1, 2, 3 & 4: This book was purely "Good ideas, bad execution." Along side with a lazy world-building, there's no description at what year does the story take place or deep description of other things like residences, clothing, ... but there's a lot about food, what was super unnecessary for the plot. I get it that the mc knows how to cook, ok?
I never saw dialogue being a problem, but this book was a first. Everything it's told through dialogue, what made everything lazy and easy for the mc. At least the dialogue could have been interesting or charming, but not even that was.
5: Emilia was such a bad character. Her only talent and personality was to cook. She always got everything too easy just by asking and others answering it. She made so many dumb decisions and never grow from mistakes. she acted like she was smart but she's not, girl pls-
Vittoria was the most interesting character and she was dead from the beginning, as the synopsis tells. It was she who created the whole dark mystery vibes in the book by dying and keeping secrets. I did appreciate the sisters' relationship and how Emilia sometimes preferred to be like Vittoria, who was the brave twin.
Wrath should get another name, since this one doesn't suit him. He's the sin of Wrath, it would be cooler if he acted like one. But he was just "a dark sexy demon".
I literally don't care about any character.
6: This two are only attracted to each other through physical attraction by the entire book. To be fair, I still don't understand what Wrath sees in Emilia. For them to have an emotional moment, one of them has to be close to death or desperate for help. And those moments were flat.
โจ Final thoughts:
I thought this book would be a solid 3/5 but also a good start to the trilogy, full of fun and mystery. And of course witchy vibes. But it wasn't.
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
๐ฅ Plot: 7/10
๐ป Characters: 7/10
๐ Setting: 9/10
โ๏ธ Writing style: Excellent.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes.
โIf I must burn, then Iโll take you with me, throne and all.โ
โค๏ธ Up's:
1) Interesting protagonists and others characters.
2) Amazing word building & India inspired
3) Good mix of politics and religion
4) Beautiful writing
> 1: I was expecting the book to have only 2 POVs, so I was surprised to see around 7 different POVs. Unfortunately, I was only invested of 4 of them:
Priya - I believe Priya is easily likable. Her past was very interesting to go through.
Malini - She took me by a good surprised, I was expecting her to have more of a "princess" personality. Instead she can be monstrous. I loved her chapters and it was interesting reading her internal struggles. Unpopular opinion: I like Malini more than Priya xD
Bhumika - My favorite character. She's kind, but also tough. She's loyal, mature and elegant-Everything that I like in a character.
Vikram - Vikram is Bhumika's husband, so I'm being bias here. I was interested to see his perspective of their marriage, but that wasn't explored much. But I did like his character.
> 2: No doubt that this book has one of the best world building. I loved the culture, the map, the history, the magic...
It's very rich when it comes to Indian influence and it's well thought.
> 3: What's better in a fantasy book than a good mix of politics and religion? With the addiction of romance and action? Perfect combination. The romance was never in the way and that's something many YA fantasies struggle with. So, I'm so happy that didn't happen here.
> 4: Tasha Suri's writing became an insta favorite. Her style is exactly what I enjoy. A good mix of beautiful words, but she doesn't drag too much on them. It's clear and not exhaustive (I see you Tahereh Mafi).
๐ Down's:
1) The book works as an initiation to the trilogy
2) Confusing at the start
3) Relationship of Priya and Malini needed something more
> 1: This was an amazing start-and that was what this book felt like- just a set up for the sequel. The things that happened in this book are just a preparation for the main conflict that will come in the 2nd book. It did an perfect job doing that, though.
> 2: Because there are so many Indian elements, names, and cultures, it was hard to figure that out at first. The same goes for the politics, but as you get further into the story, it all starts to make sense.
> 3: After the stage of just being friends, the relationship of Priya and Malini worked much better-They were portrayed as a realistic pair. But the way they were going from friends to lovers, something was missing there, like, their relationship didn't blend well.
โจ Final thoughts:
I loved "The Jasmine Throne". I will defiantly read this trilogy and I'm sure I will love it. I will also pick anything that Tasha Suri writes or has written. My critiques are very minor tbh. The only reason I didn't like this more, was because, as I said before, the book is an initiation to the trilogy, and so, it didn't offer much.
๐ป Characters: 7/10
๐ Setting: 9/10
โ๏ธ Writing style: Excellent.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes.
โIf I must burn, then Iโll take you with me, throne and all.โ
โค๏ธ Up's:
1) Interesting protagonists and others characters.
2) Amazing word building & India inspired
3) Good mix of politics and religion
4) Beautiful writing
> 1: I was expecting the book to have only 2 POVs, so I was surprised to see around 7 different POVs. Unfortunately, I was only invested of 4 of them:
Priya - I believe Priya is easily likable. Her past was very interesting to go through.
Malini - She took me by a good surprised, I was expecting her to have more of a "princess" personality. Instead she can be monstrous. I loved her chapters and it was interesting reading her internal struggles. Unpopular opinion: I like Malini more than Priya xD
Bhumika - My favorite character. She's kind, but also tough. She's loyal, mature and elegant-Everything that I like in a character.
Vikram - Vikram is Bhumika's husband, so I'm being bias here. I was interested to see his perspective of their marriage, but that wasn't explored much. But I did like his character.
> 2: No doubt that this book has one of the best world building. I loved the culture, the map, the history, the magic...
It's very rich when it comes to Indian influence and it's well thought.
> 3: What's better in a fantasy book than a good mix of politics and religion? With the addiction of romance and action? Perfect combination. The romance was never in the way and that's something many YA fantasies struggle with. So, I'm so happy that didn't happen here.
> 4: Tasha Suri's writing became an insta favorite. Her style is exactly what I enjoy. A good mix of beautiful words, but she doesn't drag too much on them. It's clear and not exhaustive (I see you Tahereh Mafi).
๐ Down's:
1) The book works as an initiation to the trilogy
2) Confusing at the start
3) Relationship of Priya and Malini needed something more
> 1: This was an amazing start-and that was what this book felt like- just a set up for the sequel. The things that happened in this book are just a preparation for the main conflict that will come in the 2nd book. It did an perfect job doing that, though.
> 2: Because there are so many Indian elements, names, and cultures, it was hard to figure that out at first. The same goes for the politics, but as you get further into the story, it all starts to make sense.
> 3: After the stage of just being friends, the relationship of Priya and Malini worked much better-They were portrayed as a realistic pair. But the way they were going from friends to lovers, something was missing there, like, their relationship didn't blend well.
โจ Final thoughts:
I loved "The Jasmine Throne". I will defiantly read this trilogy and I'm sure I will love it. I will also pick anything that Tasha Suri writes or has written. My critiques are very minor tbh. The only reason I didn't like this more, was because, as I said before, the book is an initiation to the trilogy, and so, it didn't offer much.
House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland
๐ Up's:
1) Main protagonists (The three Hollow sisters) & Sisterhood
2) Interesting concept and idea
3) Mysterious creepy/dark/folk horror fairy tale vibes
4) Intriguing plot & Good pace
5) Charming and fun writing
1) Having two older sisters that I myself am very close to, obviously this book hits close to home. I love stories about sisterhood, ahaha. And this story didn't disappoint. The relationship between the three is deep and very interesting and enjoyable.
I think that overall Iris is a likable character, she has her flaws and virtues. It's not suffocating or boring to follow her, even if, she is (I personally think) the least intriguing of the three sisters.When she kissed her sister's boyfriend was bad weird, yeah. . There were times that I felt relatable to her and she was easy to understand. Grey was by far, the most interesting one, full of mystery and macabre shit.
2) & 3) I was dying to get this book for a while now. I read the synopsis and it immediately sounded like something I would love. The concept is super interesting, strange and macabre. The book has a dark and weird cozy atmosphere, which I love.
4) I didn't know this was a contemporary fantasy, I was expecting the set to be between the 80's or 90's. I myself don't enjoy contemporary that much, so I admit that at first it was hard to get used to this scenario. But after it, I was hooked on the book and read it easily. The mystery and the strange things kept me gripped to each page and more and more curious to get answers. The pace of the book also helped immensely, no time was wasted on trivial things and the main focus was always present.
5) Loved the writing style, especially the various scent descriptions. It was an original and good way to approach this world.
The horror and strangeness its written so well.
๐ Down's:
1) Vivi and Grey felt flat
2) Tyler who?
1) I wish I could see a little bit more personality of the older sisters, Vivi and Grey, instead of just: Grey, the boss, Vivi, the rebellious one. I wish that they were not described by the same words so repeatedly and there was some mix in their personalities. AND YES, there is, but it felt limited.
Vivi was much more caricatured, she was a circle all about drinking and rebelliousness.
2) Tyler (boyfriend of the older sister) was super random imo, he felt somehow out of place and forgotten. Also, I didn't care that much for him lol. Didn't love or hate him. And he was suppost to be important. Although, I admit he and Vivi had a fun dynamic.
โจ Final thoughts:
Saw people giving this a low rate for having sensitive topics, what I personally think it's a bit wrong. Just because it has sensitive topics does not make it a bad (in this case) book. But anyways.
I loved the combination of how both disturbingly strange and aesthetically pleasing the book is. Ending was also great. Plus, that cover is gorgeous.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
๐ผ Plot: 9.0/10
๐ Setting: 8.0 /10
๐ฏ Characters: 8.0 /10
โ Writing (style): Excellent.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes.
๐ Setting: 8.0 /10
๐ฏ Characters: 8.0 /10
โ Writing (style): Excellent.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes.
"Of course I remember. I remember everything. You just wouldn't believe me if I told you."
๐ Up's:
1) Main protagonists (The three Hollow sisters) & Sisterhood
2) Interesting concept and idea
3) Mysterious creepy/dark/folk horror fairy tale vibes
4) Intriguing plot & Good pace
5) Charming and fun writing
1) Having two older sisters that I myself am very close to, obviously this book hits close to home. I love stories about sisterhood, ahaha. And this story didn't disappoint. The relationship between the three is deep and very interesting and enjoyable.
I think that overall Iris is a likable character, she has her flaws and virtues. It's not suffocating or boring to follow her, even if, she is (I personally think) the least intriguing of the three sisters.
2) & 3) I was dying to get this book for a while now. I read the synopsis and it immediately sounded like something I would love. The concept is super interesting, strange and macabre. The book has a dark and weird cozy atmosphere, which I love.
4) I didn't know this was a contemporary fantasy, I was expecting the set to be between the 80's or 90's. I myself don't enjoy contemporary that much, so I admit that at first it was hard to get used to this scenario. But after it, I was hooked on the book and read it easily. The mystery and the strange things kept me gripped to each page and more and more curious to get answers. The pace of the book also helped immensely, no time was wasted on trivial things and the main focus was always present.
5) Loved the writing style, especially the various scent descriptions. It was an original and good way to approach this world.
The horror and strangeness its written so well.
๐ Down's:
1) Vivi and Grey felt flat
2) Tyler who?
1) I wish I could see a little bit more personality of the older sisters, Vivi and Grey, instead of just: Grey, the boss, Vivi, the rebellious one. I wish that they were not described by the same words so repeatedly and there was some mix in their personalities. AND YES, there is, but it felt limited.
Vivi was much more caricatured, she was a circle all about drinking and rebelliousness.
2) Tyler (boyfriend of the older sister) was super random imo, he felt somehow out of place and forgotten. Also, I didn't care that much for him lol. Didn't love or hate him. And he was suppost to be important. Although, I admit he and Vivi had a fun dynamic.
โจ Final thoughts:
Saw people giving this a low rate for having sensitive topics, what I personally think it's a bit wrong. Just because it has sensitive topics does not make it a bad (in this case) book. But anyways.
I loved the combination of how both disturbingly strange and aesthetically pleasing the book is. Ending was also great. Plus, that cover is gorgeous.
Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
โญ๏ธ My Rating: 2/5 โญ๏ธ
๐ Plot: 6.0 /10
๐ซ Setting: 5.0 /10
๐ผ Characters: 5.0 /10
โ Writing (style): Good.
๐ Would I recommend it? If you want to kill time, sure.
โI know that you can have the best intentions and still get the worst results.โ
๐ Up's:
1) The premise of the book
2) Mr. Larkin
1) I was very exciting with this book. By that summary it sounded like something really cool. And everything was there to go right, but it was bait.
2) I liked the layers of Mr. Larkin's character and all his background. He wasn't just a victim, instead he was someone with secrets and he might not be what he seemed to be- This was what kept me most interested in the story and it was the best twist. He carried this book.
๐ Down's:
1) Bland and boring
2) So many characters (and for what)
3) Not much of a thriller
4) Ending
5) Some of the writing was cringe
1) It was painful to start the book. Very slow paced and also uninteresting, I had to pull myself to go through the pages. After maybe 100 pages, it got easier to read and the mystery started to be intriguing.
Mason's twist was very unnecessary, messy and lazy. I would have preferred that the half brother was actually Shane and not a random friend of the protagonist.
2) It felt there was so many characters just for everyone to be another suspect or to be called out. Just to provoke shock and mystery. Good thing that actually most of them are rememberable and distinct (Brynn friends are probably the only ones I always forgot they existed). However I didn't care for most of them and it was hard to connect with any of them.
Brynn and Tripp grew more and more annoying. By the end, the only thing Brynn cares about is solving the case and Tripp is crazy over Brynn. So there's kinda of a annoying circle here: Tripp is obsessed with Brynn > Brynn is obsessed with the case.
Shane and Charlotte had my interest because of their weird relationship but unfortunately, they were not explored enough.
3) Maybe it's because it's a YA for the thriller to be so light, or maybe the romance was in the way... *Rolls eyes* Not to mention that the romance was super boring.
4) I'm still confused of how a 13 year old strike a grown man so hard enough to kill him? Also, wasn't he hit on the head? How did she reach him? (Unless he was super short).
โจ Final thoughts:
It's really a fine and "meh" book for me, I gave 3 2 stars since it was a fast and simple reading. Had one good twist, bearable characters, a fine setting and a close ending. However I expected much more.
๐ Plot: 6.0 /10
๐ซ Setting: 5.0 /10
๐ผ Characters: 5.0 /10
โ Writing (style): Good.
๐ Would I recommend it? If you want to kill time, sure.
โI know that you can have the best intentions and still get the worst results.โ
๐ Up's:
1) The premise of the book
2) Mr. Larkin
1) I was very exciting with this book. By that summary it sounded like something really cool. And everything was there to go right, but it was bait.
2) I liked the layers of Mr. Larkin's character and all his background. He wasn't just a victim, instead he was someone with secrets and he might not be what he seemed to be- This was what kept me most interested in the story and it was the best twist. He carried this book.
๐ Down's:
1) Bland and boring
2) So many characters (and for what)
3) Not much of a thriller
4) Ending
5) Some of the writing was cringe
1) It was painful to start the book. Very slow paced and also uninteresting, I had to pull myself to go through the pages. After maybe 100 pages, it got easier to read and the mystery started to be intriguing.
2) It felt there was so many characters just for everyone to be another suspect or to be called out. Just to provoke shock and mystery. Good thing that actually most of them are rememberable and distinct (Brynn friends are probably the only ones I always forgot they existed). However I didn't care for most of them and it was hard to connect with any of them.
Brynn and Tripp grew more and more annoying. By the end, the only thing Brynn cares about is solving the case and Tripp is crazy over Brynn. So there's kinda of a annoying circle here: Tripp is obsessed with Brynn > Brynn is obsessed with the case.
Shane and Charlotte had my interest because of their weird relationship but unfortunately, they were not explored enough.
3) Maybe it's because it's a YA for the thriller to be so light, or maybe the romance was in the way... *Rolls eyes* Not to mention that the romance was super boring.
4)
โจ Final thoughts:
It's really a fine and "meh" book for me, I gave 3 2 stars since it was a fast and simple reading. Had one good twist, bearable characters, a fine setting and a close ending. However I expected much more.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
๐ Plot: 4 /10
๐ Setting: 4 /10
๐ท Characters: 5 /10
โ Writing (style): Poor.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes. Despite my negative review, I recommend the book, it's a quick read and most enjoyed this.
โDon't chase fate, Mina. Let fate chase you.โ
I'm so shocked by the high ranting and praise this book gets.
โค๏ธ Up's:
1) Mythology Retelling & "Spirited Away" vibes
2) Fast and simple read
3) The portrait of Gods and humans
> 3: I really liked the discussions between humans and gods, and their responsibilities. There are these discussions of how humans don't take care of the oceans, and yet, they want the god of the sea to do his duties and protect them from storms.
๐ Down's:
1) Too juvenile
2) Characters felt flat
3) Messy plot
4) Bland world
5) Writing is too direct and childish
6) Ending
> 1: You know how YA books are "young" AND "adult"? This one was just "young", maybe I'm just too old for this already, but I do enjoy other YA books. This one felt very juvenile mainly because of the writing.
> 2: Characters hardly had any development and it was hard to connect with them, because of the pace. Mina is actually a fine character, however that's only because of her likable and simple personality. Some secondary characters were lovely too. I really liked Shin, but in the same time, he felt very absent. The whole romance was awkward, since there's no clear developed between the pair. Their chemistry also came from pretty much nowhere. Other relationships were also poorly developed.
> 3: There's many plot holes and everything is surprisingly a coincidence and convenient for the sake of the characters and for the story to continue. Nothing really makes sense. The whole book is also rushed and then always has a ton of boring flashbacks.
> 4: Tell me, you see this cover and then you read the synopsis. You would imagine this to have a beautiful magical underwater world, no? Oh well, the world is super boring. Everything feels like a human world but with spirits and a dragon. This could have had so much potential, what a waste.
> 5: I was so exited for Axie Oh's "The Floating World", until I read this and became aware of her writing style. It's just so bland and boring. For example: "I wake up and dress in a blue dress. I close the room door and quickly go the festival." (I made this up). For a 15 year old, it's good tho. I honestly don't know how to explain it in a better way.
There is a lot of use of "!" and sentences like: "It was a tree!".
The protagonist is constantly narrating things in question form for example: "What just happened?" and then explains. Or just asks things all the time.
Honestly, a non writer would write like this.
> 6: Axie Oh says this book it's about family. Hm, surely. (Ending Spoiler)The ending: After 2 years of Shin ghosting Mina, she leaves her family to be with him and they live happily ever after. She spends all the book saying family is everything bla bla bla, and then just goes to him so fast. This happens in just a paragraph. Plus, Mina only met Shin for like 1 or 2 months. Wtf?
โจ Final thoughts:
I was so exited about this book, but it let me down painfully. I was even forcing myself to like it until I really couldn't do it anymore. Even tough, it was a fairy enjoyable read. Thank god, it was just 250 pages.
๐ Setting: 4 /10
๐ท Characters: 5 /10
โ Writing (style): Poor.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes. Despite my negative review, I recommend the book, it's a quick read and most enjoyed this.
โDon't chase fate, Mina. Let fate chase you.โ
I'm so shocked by the high ranting and praise this book gets.
โค๏ธ Up's:
1) Mythology Retelling & "Spirited Away" vibes
2) Fast and simple read
3) The portrait of Gods and humans
> 3: I really liked the discussions between humans and gods, and their responsibilities. There are these discussions of how humans don't take care of the oceans, and yet, they want the god of the sea to do his duties and protect them from storms.
๐ Down's:
1) Too juvenile
2) Characters felt flat
3) Messy plot
4) Bland world
5) Writing is too direct and childish
6) Ending
> 1: You know how YA books are "young" AND "adult"? This one was just "young", maybe I'm just too old for this already, but I do enjoy other YA books. This one felt very juvenile mainly because of the writing.
> 2: Characters hardly had any development and it was hard to connect with them, because of the pace. Mina is actually a fine character, however that's only because of her likable and simple personality. Some secondary characters were lovely too. I really liked Shin, but in the same time, he felt very absent. The whole romance was awkward, since there's no clear developed between the pair. Their chemistry also came from pretty much nowhere. Other relationships were also poorly developed.
> 3: There's many plot holes and everything is surprisingly a coincidence and convenient for the sake of the characters and for the story to continue. Nothing really makes sense. The whole book is also rushed and then always has a ton of boring flashbacks.
> 4: Tell me, you see this cover and then you read the synopsis. You would imagine this to have a beautiful magical underwater world, no? Oh well, the world is super boring. Everything feels like a human world but with spirits and a dragon. This could have had so much potential, what a waste.
> 5: I was so exited for Axie Oh's "The Floating World", until I read this and became aware of her writing style. It's just so bland and boring. For example: "I wake up and dress in a blue dress. I close the room door and quickly go the festival." (I made this up). For a 15 year old, it's good tho. I honestly don't know how to explain it in a better way.
There is a lot of use of "!" and sentences like: "It was a tree!".
The protagonist is constantly narrating things in question form for example: "What just happened?" and then explains. Or just asks things all the time.
Honestly, a non writer would write like this.
> 6: Axie Oh says this book it's about family. Hm, surely. (Ending Spoiler)
โจ Final thoughts:
I was so exited about this book, but it let me down painfully. I was even forcing myself to like it until I really couldn't do it anymore. Even tough, it was a fairy enjoyable read. Thank god, it was just 250 pages.
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
๐ฅ Plot: 8.0 /10
๐ฏ๏ธ Setting: 8.0 /10
๐ Characters: 7.0 /10
โ๏ธ Writing (style): Excellent.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes, mainly if you like Magical Realism.
"In fairy tales, a kiss marks a thresholdโbetween the state of being cursed or cured lies a kiss. But not all kisses cure; some kill."
โค๏ธ Up's:
1) FMC's
2) Interesting concept and idea
3) Intriguing plot & Good pace
4) Gothic & fairy tale vibes
5) It follows a fairy tale format
6) Charming writing
> 1: In the book one of our two narrators is Azure, a childhood friend of Indigo and her chapters are about their past together. I just loved their relationship and dynamic. I love a toxic friendship well written and this was a hit. Indigo is not suppose to be likable, but I honestly really enjoyed her. She's mysterious, unpredictable and insensitive. Azure was also interesting. Her development was well blend with the rest of the story.
Our other narrator is "The BrideGroom". He talks in the present, while Azure talks in the past. In the end their stories crashed so well. I also was intrigued by his own struggle.
The rest of the cast of characters is small and I'm glad for that.
> 2 > 3: The plot it's not really unique or deep, but I just love this kinda of concept. I read this book in a day. It's short and easy to read.
It doesn't get rush and slow. The only "problem" is that in the middle becomes abstract and it can be confusing or boring, but I personally didn't mind that. And I like how it's open about whats real or not.
It has a good closed ending.
> 4:Gothic is one of my fav genres, so I wanted to read this so badly and the mix of Gothic and fairytales is delicious. Throughout the story there's many tales and myths told. There's this creepy house who's "alive". This "Gothic" atmosphere is always present.
> 5: Our other narrator is "The BrideGroom". Yes, he doesn't have a name or a description and honestly he's a simp. He falls immediately in love with Indigo and they get married right away. But I think thats the point.
In classic fairy tales, usually, the male protagonist doesn't have a name, neither a description and he quickly falls in love with the girl. The guys are called "prince" or "king". The girls have a first name or a nickname.
For example: In Cinderella, she has her own name, but her lover is only called "prince charming". In Snow White, the same thing happens again.
In both stories they also fall in love fast with one another.
As I said, the book it's not deep and it's hard to connect with the characters, mainly with the The BrideGroom. But it's the same as fairy tales.
And I really liked this format. If you want something deep and like to connect with characters, then maybe this one is not for you.
> 6: The witting it's very metaphorical and flowery. I'm scared of this style, because it can be easily exhaustive, but Roshani Chokshi knows how to put words beautifully. The style really fit the story and I loved it.
๐ Down's:
1) Not very fantasy and romantic (marketing's fault)
> 1: I felt a little betrayed by this book. I was expecting it to be more fantastical but it's not. The fantastical elements are just there for the vibes and to be a metaphor. It also seemed like it was going to be something more romantic than what actually was. I think the marketing of the book lied a bit here. I was disappointed with that, but I don't think that changes things. I just wanted to point this out, because it seems that it is becoming more and more common for the market to mis-distribute books.
This is also a contemporary and I didn't know that. It doesn't even has the tag for it. I always avoid this genre, because I hate it. It was hard to get used to this scenario, but I got over it.
This is about my personal taste, but, I would like the book more if it wasn't contemporary.
โจ Final thoughts:
I love this book. I knew I would and I'm happy it didn't disappointed me. (aside from what I said before). "The Last Tale of the Flower Bride" it's very much about the vibes and sometimes that's all I need. Also, because of this, the book can be easily be a hit or miss for some people.
๐ฏ๏ธ Setting: 8.0 /10
๐ Characters: 7.0 /10
โ๏ธ Writing (style): Excellent.
๐ Would I recommend it? Yes, mainly if you like Magical Realism.
"In fairy tales, a kiss marks a thresholdโbetween the state of being cursed or cured lies a kiss. But not all kisses cure; some kill."
โค๏ธ Up's:
1) FMC's
2) Interesting concept and idea
3) Intriguing plot & Good pace
4) Gothic & fairy tale vibes
5) It follows a fairy tale format
6) Charming writing
> 1: In the book one of our two narrators is Azure, a childhood friend of Indigo and her chapters are about their past together. I just loved their relationship and dynamic. I love a toxic friendship well written and this was a hit. Indigo is not suppose to be likable, but I honestly really enjoyed her. She's mysterious, unpredictable and insensitive. Azure was also interesting. Her development was well blend with the rest of the story.
Our other narrator is "The BrideGroom". He talks in the present, while Azure talks in the past. In the end their stories crashed so well. I also was intrigued by his own struggle.
The rest of the cast of characters is small and I'm glad for that.
> 2 > 3: The plot it's not really unique or deep, but I just love this kinda of concept. I read this book in a day. It's short and easy to read.
It doesn't get rush and slow. The only "problem" is that in the middle becomes abstract and it can be confusing or boring, but I personally didn't mind that. And I like how it's open about whats real or not.
It has a good closed ending.
> 4:Gothic is one of my fav genres, so I wanted to read this so badly and the mix of Gothic and fairytales is delicious. Throughout the story there's many tales and myths told. There's this creepy house who's "alive". This "Gothic" atmosphere is always present.
> 5: Our other narrator is "The BrideGroom". Yes, he doesn't have a name or a description and honestly he's a simp. He falls immediately in love with Indigo and they get married right away. But I think thats the point.
In classic fairy tales, usually, the male protagonist doesn't have a name, neither a description and he quickly falls in love with the girl. The guys are called "prince" or "king". The girls have a first name or a nickname.
For example: In Cinderella, she has her own name, but her lover is only called "prince charming". In Snow White, the same thing happens again.
In both stories they also fall in love fast with one another.
As I said, the book it's not deep and it's hard to connect with the characters, mainly with the The BrideGroom. But it's the same as fairy tales.
And I really liked this format. If you want something deep and like to connect with characters, then maybe this one is not for you.
> 6: The witting it's very metaphorical and flowery. I'm scared of this style, because it can be easily exhaustive, but Roshani Chokshi knows how to put words beautifully. The style really fit the story and I loved it.
๐ Down's:
1) Not very fantasy and romantic (marketing's fault)
> 1: I felt a little betrayed by this book. I was expecting it to be more fantastical but it's not. The fantastical elements are just there for the vibes and to be a metaphor. It also seemed like it was going to be something more romantic than what actually was. I think the marketing of the book lied a bit here. I was disappointed with that, but I don't think that changes things. I just wanted to point this out, because it seems that it is becoming more and more common for the market to mis-distribute books.
This is also a contemporary and I didn't know that. It doesn't even has the tag for it. I always avoid this genre, because I hate it. It was hard to get used to this scenario, but I got over it.
This is about my personal taste, but, I would like the book more if it wasn't contemporary.
โจ Final thoughts:
I love this book. I knew I would and I'm happy it didn't disappointed me. (aside from what I said before). "The Last Tale of the Flower Bride" it's very much about the vibes and sometimes that's all I need. Also, because of this, the book can be easily be a hit or miss for some people.