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bibliorama's reviews
154 reviews
Bride by Ali Hazelwood
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Enjoyment - 4
Start - 3
Characters - 4
Atmosphere - 3
Plot - 3
Ending - 4
Style - 2.5
Overall - 3.5
Start - 3
Characters - 4
Atmosphere - 3
Plot - 3
Ending - 4
Style - 2.5
Overall - 3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I feel like this book executed its premise perfectly. The writing was good, the characters were believable, and the plot rolled out at a consistent pace. I am usually a pretty slow reader, but I flew through this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Racism, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Racial slurs
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Iron widow
Enjoyment - 3
Start - 4
Characters - 2.5
Atmosphere - 3
Plot - 2.5
Ending - 2.5
Style - 2.5
The first half was good. The second had way more telling to speed through the many plot points.
Overall - 3
Enjoyment - 3
Start - 4
Characters - 2.5
Atmosphere - 3
Plot - 2.5
Ending - 2.5
Style - 2.5
The first half was good. The second had way more telling to speed through the many plot points.
Overall - 3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Body horror, Physical abuse, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Chronic illness, Torture, War, Addiction, and Murder
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Sexual assault
It's hard for me to say how someone else would handle these triggers as books don't typically get to me with triggering content. For what Iron Widow covers, it didn't feel overly graphic to me but that is very subjective. I would say this is better suited towards older young adults (16ish and above but that’s just my opinion)
One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Enjoyment - 4
Start - 4
Characters - 3.5
Atmosphere - 4
Plot - 3
Ending - 3.5
Style - 4.5
Overall - 3.8
Start - 4
Characters - 3.5
Atmosphere - 4
Plot - 3
Ending - 3.5
Style - 4.5
Overall - 3.8
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Enjoyment - 3
Start - 3.5
Characters - 3.75
Atmosphere - 3.75
Plot - 3
Ending - 3.5
Style - 2
Overall - 3.2
Start - 3.5
Characters - 3.75
Atmosphere - 3.75
Plot - 3
Ending - 3.5
Style - 2
Overall - 3.2
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, and Violence
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Enjoyment - 3.5
Start - 4
The first 100 pages are great and feel so much more fleshed out than the rest of the plot.
Characters - 3.5
Aerin, Talat, and Maur are the best parts. Tor and Arlbeth are decent background characters. The parts with Luthe just felt out of the blue.
Atmosphere - 3.5
Plot - 3
The initial fight with Maur and all the build-up to that was my favorite part, so basically the first 100 pages.
Ending - 3
This book has like 5 plot points that would be endings in other books, and 4 of them all happen in the second half of the book. It's wild how fast some of the stuff gets wrapped up.
Style - 2.5
I didn't like the writing in this as much as I did in The Blue Sword. Some sentences felt messier and I had to reread a few times to understand what the author was getting at.
Overall - 3.25
Start - 4
The first 100 pages are great and feel so much more fleshed out than the rest of the plot.
Characters - 3.5
Aerin, Talat, and Maur are the best parts. Tor and Arlbeth are decent background characters. The parts with Luthe just felt out of the blue.
Atmosphere - 3.5
Plot - 3
The initial fight with Maur and all the build-up to that was my favorite part, so basically the first 100 pages.
Ending - 3
This book has like 5 plot points that would be endings in other books, and 4 of them all happen in the second half of the book. It's wild how fast some of the stuff gets wrapped up.
Style - 2.5
I didn't like the writing in this as much as I did in The Blue Sword. Some sentences felt messier and I had to reread a few times to understand what the author was getting at.
Overall - 3.25
Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Enjoyment - 4
Start - 3.5
Characters - 3.75
Atmosphere - 3.75
Plot - 4
Ending - 3.5
Style - 3.5
Overall - 3.7
Start - 3.5
Characters - 3.75
Atmosphere - 3.75
Plot - 4
Ending - 3.5
Style - 3.5
Overall - 3.7
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Murder, Blood, Violence, Sexual content, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide
Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh
There are some outdated terms and stereotypes used in this book like "powwow" was used once because the mc was talking to her friend who's Native American. "Whore" was also used in referring to some women at one point, so definitely a bit oof at times.
It's an almost 20 year old book, so it might not be worth getting into if you don't want any of those early 2000s uncomfortable/iffy moments.
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Enjoyment - 5
This was quite fun! Plus the writing is decent which can be rare for this genre. For as fast as the book goes by, the setup for the world and characters is pretty good. There are some typical moments and dialog, but I can see the influence this book had over today's romantacy writers.
Start - 5
Characters - 4.5
There are some outdated stereotypes and language used in this book about and towards some of the characters, so it doesn't entirely hold up. That being said the setup is interesting and the personalities of the different characters are fun to see interact. Just some of the lines make me go oof.
Atmosphere - 4.5
Plot - 3.5
I wish there was just a bit more showing of Elena actually hunting Uram.
Ending - 4.5
Was action packed and I liked where the book went at the very very end.
Style - 3.5
Overall - 4.25
This was quite fun! Plus the writing is decent which can be rare for this genre. For as fast as the book goes by, the setup for the world and characters is pretty good. There are some typical moments and dialog, but I can see the influence this book had over today's romantacy writers.
Start - 5
Characters - 4.5
There are some outdated stereotypes and language used in this book about and towards some of the characters, so it doesn't entirely hold up. That being said the setup is interesting and the personalities of the different characters are fun to see interact. Just some of the lines make me go oof.
Atmosphere - 4.5
Plot - 3.5
I wish there was just a bit more showing of Elena actually hunting Uram.
Ending - 4.5
Was action packed and I liked where the book went at the very very end.
Style - 3.5
Overall - 4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Gore, Blood, Death, and Violence
Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Enjoyment - 4
Start - 4
Characters - 3.5
Atmosphere - 3.5
Plot - 4
Ending - 4
Style - 3
Overall - 3.7
Start - 4
Characters - 3.5
Atmosphere - 3.5
Plot - 4
Ending - 4
Style - 3
Overall - 3.7
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Animal death, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Death
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
Atmosphere - 3.5
I would like the book to have more. The characters don't think much on their settings.
Plot - 2
There is no plot. It's characters ruminating on ideas and talking to each other. There are maybe 3 to 4 true plot events (them accepting, the break in, a threesome event thing, and the ending). Everything else is mostly happening in the background or the past or just being told. I didn't mind this read being character diolog and thought heavy since the characters are the most interesting part of the book, but if you aren't intrigued or in love with the characters pretty early on this book will probably disappoint you.
Ending - 4.5
I like the direction we're headed in.
Style - 4.5
Overall - 4
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Enjoyment - 4.5
Start - 4
Characters - 4.5
I found these characters fairly complex and they have interesting dynamics between each other. There's this overarching tenseness between everyone where I can never quite tell if they hate each other or love each other. Jury is still out on that.
My order of enjoyment:
Start - 4
Characters - 4.5
I found these characters fairly complex and they have interesting dynamics between each other. There's this overarching tenseness between everyone where I can never quite tell if they hate each other or love each other. Jury is still out on that.
My order of enjoyment:
- Libby (I feel like we get the most from her)
- Tristan (though he took time to climb this list)
- Nico (though I can't quite pin his and Libby's relationship down on what exactly it is, but I find it the most interesting)
- Parisa (she's interesting and likes to cause some chaos which I think could be pushed even further)
- Callum (similar to Parisa but even more so on the chaos scale)
- Reina (I want to like Reina more but she has the least amount of action going on)
Atmosphere - 3.5
I would like the book to have more. The characters don't think much on their settings.
Plot - 2
There is no plot. It's characters ruminating on ideas and talking to each other. There are maybe 3 to 4 true plot events (them accepting, the break in, a threesome event thing, and the ending). Everything else is mostly happening in the background or the past or just being told. I didn't mind this read being character diolog and thought heavy since the characters are the most interesting part of the book, but if you aren't intrigued or in love with the characters pretty early on this book will probably disappoint you.
Ending - 4.5
I like the direction we're headed in.
Style - 4.5
Overall - 4