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bdstrunk's reviews
55 reviews
Peeta's Games by igsygrace
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.
Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
- Loveable characters? No
0.25
every now any then i stop and think, man, what the fuck was the name of that god-awful book i read for a school project???
and FINALLY, after YEARS of trying to figure out what it was, a picture from my snapchat memories revealed it to be this book.
i don’t actually remember what happens. all i can say is that i hated it.
and FINALLY, after YEARS of trying to figure out what it was, a picture from my snapchat memories revealed it to be this book.
i don’t actually remember what happens. all i can say is that i hated it.
The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
i… actually enjoyed this one. for the most part.
i don’t really know why?? i couldn’t tell you what made this book so much better than the first two.
with one exception (though it came at the very end, so it hardly counts): for once in the series poppy was not the most annoying character i’ve ever read. i mean, yes, she was, but that ending redeemed her somewhat. i desperately hope this means she continues that way into the next book.
were there still scenes i want to rewrite? of course. i’m very tempted to actually rewrite every scene that bothered me from the first book through this one. i could even print it out and bind my own versions of the books just for the satisfaction of having them to my exact liking on my shelf.
sounds like a retirement project.
tcogb FLEW by in comparison to the first two (it felt like, anyway). i’m only sort-of complaining. damn you for being so fun and ending so soon, Book!
i almost want to give it 4 stars, to be honest. there’s just something about this series though that prevents me from doing so. i can’t place it.
no, wait, i can. it’s poppy being annoying, and casteel being obnoxious (and so damn attractive oh my gods) throughout that take it down a notch. (you don’t want to read me go on about that again.)
but back to why i would give it 4 stars. this is the first book in a while that i’ve actually tried to solve the puzzle. idk, maybe it’s because i get so pissed off that i have to problem-solve it to make myself feel better? that sounds like unhealthy reading, but it also… made it more fun. idk! usually i just sit back and let the movie roll in my head. no thoughts.
just gotta say that i knew it i knew it i knew malec wasn’t poppy’s father and that the cat was his brother and that that was poppy’s dad, AND that the queen was her mom. like, i think most of that was pretty obvious, and maybe i shouldn’t be patting myself on the back, but i’m gonna anyway. i also figured malec wasn’t dead, because seriously? gods are immortal aren’t they?? did everyone in the book just forget that simple fact? pleeaaassseeeee. and really, are redheads so abundant in the kingdoms that nobody made that connection right away? i don’t buy it.
this is why,
if i were a fictional fantasy character, i would always have a journal on me, and i would be jotting down every single interesting convo i ever had. not one detail would be lost. the sexy, morally-grey love interest will have to be patient in our bedchamber as i’ll be busy keeping the facts straight before we get to it. there are just so many times in these novels that everyone conveniently forgets vital (obvious, and widely known) information. ugh!
this review was more of rant than review. anyway, can’t wait for book four!
i don’t really know why?? i couldn’t tell you what made this book so much better than the first two.
with one exception (though it came at the very end, so it hardly counts): for once in the series poppy was not the most annoying character i’ve ever read. i mean, yes, she was, but that ending redeemed her somewhat. i desperately hope this means she continues that way into the next book.
were there still scenes i want to rewrite? of course. i’m very tempted to actually rewrite every scene that bothered me from the first book through this one. i could even print it out and bind my own versions of the books just for the satisfaction of having them to my exact liking on my shelf.
sounds like a retirement project.
tcogb FLEW by in comparison to the first two (it felt like, anyway). i’m only sort-of complaining. damn you for being so fun and ending so soon, Book!
i almost want to give it 4 stars, to be honest. there’s just something about this series though that prevents me from doing so. i can’t place it.
no, wait, i can. it’s poppy being annoying, and casteel being obnoxious (and so damn attractive oh my gods) throughout that take it down a notch. (you don’t want to read me go on about that again.)
but back to why i would give it 4 stars. this is the first book in a while that i’ve actually tried to solve the puzzle. idk, maybe it’s because i get so pissed off that i have to problem-solve it to make myself feel better? that sounds like unhealthy reading, but it also… made it more fun. idk! usually i just sit back and let the movie roll in my head. no thoughts.
this is why,
if i were a fictional fantasy character, i would always have a journal on me, and i would be jotting down every single interesting convo i ever had. not one detail would be lost. the sexy, morally-grey love interest will have to be patient in our bedchamber as i’ll be busy keeping the facts straight before we get to it. there are just so many times in these novels that everyone conveniently forgets vital (obvious, and widely known) information. ugh!
this review was more of rant than review. anyway, can’t wait for book four!
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
loved this book.
the only things i didn’t like (even though i know they were satirical) were: the emphasis on beauty, the talking down of women, and the narrator. they just… didn’t feel satirical enough? idk, but those are the only reasons it’s not 5 stars.
so back to how much i loved this book. i could picture myself reading this book to the neighborhood kids when i’m the neighborhood granny, or whenever i become an aunt, et cetera (maybe with my own notes/edits not including the women-hating and ridiculous beauty standards just to be clear). this is a story i’d love to share in the same manner the narrator did, and make the imaginations of kids soar.
i should note that i felt like the most gullible person in the world after looking up “william goldman’s son jason” (but that was before it mentioned the tale was before Europe and after Paris. now that would’ve been really embarrassing), and i didn’t even think twice about the country of Florin so i didn’t look it up (i’m not European, if you couldn’t tell).
i watched the movie right after i finished the book, and i was so disappointed that it wasn’t nearly as funny. i mean, i know why it wasn’t as good, and at least the author of the *ahem* abridged version wrote the screenplay, but DAMN.
anyway, i highly recommend :)
the only things i didn’t like (even though i know they were satirical) were: the emphasis on beauty, the talking down of women, and the narrator. they just… didn’t feel satirical enough? idk, but those are the only reasons it’s not 5 stars.
so back to how much i loved this book. i could picture myself reading this book to the neighborhood kids when i’m the neighborhood granny, or whenever i become an aunt, et cetera (maybe with my own notes/edits not including the women-hating and ridiculous beauty standards just to be clear). this is a story i’d love to share in the same manner the narrator did, and make the imaginations of kids soar.
i watched the movie right after i finished the book, and i was so disappointed that it wasn’t nearly as funny. i mean, i know why it wasn’t as good, and at least the author of the *ahem* abridged version wrote the screenplay, but DAMN.
anyway, i highly recommend :)
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
gods, i hated this book. and gods, did i love it.
sometimes, i just gotta read something i don’t have to think about. something that i read only for the pleasure of getting lost in a world that isn’t my own. fanficion-esque, if you will.
and JLA is very good at writing books that only make sense if you don’t think about it.
by chapter 23, i had to take a break. i could not keep reading until i had fixed it. i opened Wattpad, and i typed up a chapter worth of words (and then i discovered OCR and copy/pasted out the rest of it). i edited and changed the things i didn’t like until they made sense.
it was beyond satisfying, and after a week or so, i returned to the book content with the false chapters i had inserted myself and read on pretending that what i had said was canon.
honestly? i should be thanking Armentrout for such a piece of work. i’ve not felt the need to write so badly since middle school, and this was a great source of inspiration.
anyway, i cannot begin to describe how much i loathe Poppy, so i won’t. i will leave it at that.
but i will allow myself for a moment to think about what i was reading, and to comment on how much i disliked the sex. i’m all for smut! why else would i be reading this series? but there were times it was like… how immature could you possibly be? being able to make rational decisions and hold off every now and then is so much sexier than going at it every chance you get.
so, 2.5 starts (being generous), but 3 in the end (being more than generous) because i finished it AND i plan on reading the next one. and the next one. and the two more that will come after, because i can’t just leave this story unfinished.
sometimes, i just gotta read something i don’t have to think about. something that i read only for the pleasure of getting lost in a world that isn’t my own. fanficion-esque, if you will.
and JLA is very good at writing books that only make sense if you don’t think about it.
by chapter 23, i had to take a break. i could not keep reading until i had fixed it. i opened Wattpad, and i typed up a chapter worth of words (and then i discovered OCR and copy/pasted out the rest of it). i edited and changed the things i didn’t like until they made sense.
it was beyond satisfying, and after a week or so, i returned to the book content with the false chapters i had inserted myself and read on pretending that what i had said was canon.
honestly? i should be thanking Armentrout for such a piece of work. i’ve not felt the need to write so badly since middle school, and this was a great source of inspiration.
anyway, i cannot begin to describe how much i loathe Poppy, so i won’t. i will leave it at that.
but i will allow myself for a moment to think about what i was reading, and to comment on how much i disliked the sex. i’m all for smut! why else would i be reading this series? but there were times it was like… how immature could you possibly be? being able to make rational decisions and hold off every now and then is so much sexier than going at it every chance you get.
so, 2.5 starts (being generous), but 3 in the end (being more than generous) because i finished it AND i plan on reading the next one. and the next one. and the two more that will come after, because i can’t just leave this story unfinished.
The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
i loved this book so, so much. it’s very funny, and perfectly romantic. Ned was dreamy almost all the time. overall, it’s a very nice feel-good story. :)
i bought it immediately after seeing a TikTok describing it as a blend of The Princess Bride and Monty Python directed by Wes Anderson, and i just knew i would love it.
and boy was i right. in fact, 7 chapters from the end and 30 minutes before Barnes & Noble closed, it took everything in me not to go buy Dangerous Damsels #2 (The League of Gentlewomen Witches) this evening. but i certainly will be there first thing tomorrow.
the only reason i’m hesitant to recommending this book to every feminine person in my family is the sex scene, but heck, it’s so funny that i might recommend it anyway.
edit: Dangerous Damsels #2 doesn’t come out until march :(
i bought it immediately after seeing a TikTok describing it as a blend of The Princess Bride and Monty Python directed by Wes Anderson, and i just knew i would love it.
and boy was i right. in fact, 7 chapters from the end and 30 minutes before Barnes & Noble closed, it took everything in me not to go buy Dangerous Damsels #2 (The League of Gentlewomen Witches) this evening. but i certainly will be there first thing tomorrow.
the only reason i’m hesitant to recommending this book to every feminine person in my family is the sex scene, but heck, it’s so funny that i might recommend it anyway.
edit: Dangerous Damsels #2 doesn’t come out until march :(
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
this book read like a well-written fanfiction. i never thought i could get into a book (especially another series) while anxiously awaiting one from a different series that has me absolutely hooked, but here i am. it was very easy to jump into it and read like i was binging a webcomic, and i liked just losing myself to a story.
that said, Poppy greatly annoyed me. while i guess being dumb is a valid character trait, it got a bit irritating. like, what happened to all that willpower, unno? not one critical thought crossed her mind when the first man she gets close to shows interest in her. and i kinda get it?? being locked away for 18 years can’t do good things for one’s sense of judgement. but idk, it didn’t bother me too much until the end, where i frequently stopped to act out what i would’ve done in that situation instead.HE WANTS TO HAND YOU BACK OVER TO THOSE MONSTERS. GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF!!
nevertheless, i dogeared many, many parts of the novel, and if you’re a fan of smutty fanfiction, this book is definitely worth your time.
p.s.: i’m assuming most who see this will be coming from tiktok, expecting this to be an enemies-to-lovers book, wellcalling it “enemies-to-lovers” is the biggest spoiler you’ll see. just about any fan art you see will definitely spoil it, too :))
that said, Poppy greatly annoyed me. while i guess being dumb is a valid character trait, it got a bit irritating. like, what happened to all that willpower, unno? not one critical thought crossed her mind when the first man she gets close to shows interest in her. and i kinda get it?? being locked away for 18 years can’t do good things for one’s sense of judgement. but idk, it didn’t bother me too much until the end, where i frequently stopped to act out what i would’ve done in that situation instead.
nevertheless, i dogeared many, many parts of the novel, and if you’re a fan of smutty fanfiction, this book is definitely worth your time.
p.s.: i’m assuming most who see this will be coming from tiktok, expecting this to be an enemies-to-lovers book, well
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Domestic abuse
The Memory of Babel by Christelle Dabos
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
of the three english translations of The Mirror Visitor Quartet (as of august 2021), this is the only one with quite a few words/phrases that didn’t sit quite right with me…
i’m not gonna jump and say “cancel this author!!!” yet though, because it IS a translation, and i’m not fluent in french or french terms that are highly offensive. i have seen a few other people say that the original and different translations were perfectly fine, but i intend to research it more myself.
other than that, this book felt a little… forced? kinda? because of my fixation on the series, i would give this book 4.75 simply because it is an extension of such a wonderful story and for its rereadability (in fact, i can say for-almost-certain that i will reread all three of these books before the october 5th release date of the fourth). however, to be honest, it wasn’t exactly up to my expectations.
anyway, i am very much looking forward to the next book, and i do not want this story to end.
edit: the more i think about this book, in hindsight, the better i like the plot. +0.5 stars.
i’m not gonna jump and say “cancel this author!!!” yet though, because it IS a translation, and i’m not fluent in french or french terms that are highly offensive. i have seen a few other people say that the original and different translations were perfectly fine, but i intend to research it more myself.
other than that, this book felt a little… forced? kinda? because of my fixation on the series, i would give this book 4.75 simply because it is an extension of such a wonderful story and for its rereadability (in fact, i can say for-almost-certain that i will reread all three of these books before the october 5th release date of the fourth). however, to be honest, it wasn’t exactly up to my expectations.
anyway, i am very much looking forward to the next book, and i do not want this story to end.
edit: the more i think about this book, in hindsight, the better i like the plot. +0.5 stars.
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Homophobia, and Racism
on ableism: the r-word was mentioned twice, if i recall correctly.
on racism: as someone who is not bipoc, i’m not sure if i have a place to comment on this. one character was described as an “oriental doll” a few times, not in a derogatory way, but it just… didn’t sound quite right.
on homophobia: the term “queer-fish” was used once or twice. i am queer, and though i didn’t find it terribly offensive in full context, it still stung just a little.