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bibliorama's reviews
154 reviews
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.
I got 56% through and am tired of it. The writing is more telling than anything else, and for being in first person, Violet is so one note. She starts off antagonistic when Dain first tells her he can get her into the Scribe Quadrant, and she never changes from that note. It would have made so much more sense if *she* asks Dain if he can get her out, and since he's "the rule follower," maybe he can but decides not to. That would be a justifiable betrayal and would make more sense as to why Violet is so mad at him all the time. It also would allow her to have a meaningful shift in opinion when she decides that she wants to be a rider.
This book also wears its inspirations to openingly. I mean brown to silver hair and lighting abilities. . . Mare Barrow who? If she gave her either lightning or the hair, it'd be whatever, but to give her both characteristics of the main character of another popular YA series is wild to me.
Also, when Tairn tells Violet to stay with the wing leader and goes, "surely he meant squad leader." That felt very Suriel telling Feyra to stay with the high lord, but whatever, it was already on my nerves at that point, so I'm being nitpicky.
One of the more infuriating parts is the lack of true horror or ptsd to all the horrible things that are happening around them. Violet is way to chill about watching people get burnt to crisps from dragons. The thing is though, it felt like the author wanted these deaths to be impactful but because of their lack of characterization and lack of Violet's inner monolog thinking about anything other than herself, they fall flat.
This isn't the worst thing I've ever read and it has potential, it just wasn't edited enough to pull that potential out because some small plot changes and a different writing style could have saved it.
This book also wears its inspirations to openingly. I mean brown to silver hair and lighting abilities. . . Mare Barrow who? If she gave her either lightning or the hair, it'd be whatever, but to give her both characteristics of the main character of another popular YA series is wild to me.
Also, when Tairn tells Violet to stay with the wing leader and goes, "surely he meant squad leader." That felt very Suriel telling Feyra to stay with the high lord, but whatever, it was already on my nerves at that point, so I'm being nitpicky.
One of the more infuriating parts is the lack of true horror or ptsd to all the horrible things that are happening around them. Violet is way to chill about watching people get burnt to crisps from dragons. The thing is though, it felt like the author wanted these deaths to be impactful but because of their lack of characterization and lack of Violet's inner monolog thinking about anything other than herself, they fall flat.
This isn't the worst thing I've ever read and it has potential, it just wasn't edited enough to pull that potential out because some small plot changes and a different writing style could have saved it.
Going to Meet the Man by James Baldwin
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
James Baldwin is a great writer and he makes it easy to fall into the narrative of each short story. You know it's interesting when it has me googling articles for the summaries and meanings to each story like I'm back in school. I can tell this one will get better upon rereads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Murder, Death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, and Addiction
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
Solid 4 stars. This was an interesting audiobook to listen to during work, and Tyson did a good job narrating it as well. It gave plenty of detail for different topics in the field but not in a way that is overwhelming.
The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Enjoyment - 3.5
This was a hard start for me. I read this in audiobook form and I highly do not recommend. The beginning was all about laying out the people involved, which there were many, and getting the setting situated. It was too much information to try and process in audio form (granted I am more of a visual learner to begin with). Overall, the book was like getting lost in the trees without being able to see the whole forest, until the very end then it pulled somethings together more.
Start - 2
At many points, I wasn't sure why certain details were being given and how they were suppose to tie into the overarching point the author was trying to make. These details wound up overloading the front half of the book making it hard to follow. We also seemed to jump from person to person without a segway to connect the points.
Characters - 2.5
Therewere a lot of people involved with a ton of varying motivations between them all, I ended up feeling like a I need a corkboard with strings to keep them straight. This isn't necessarily the books fault because these people were all involved with what happened during the trials, but it probably would have been better if I read this book rather than do the audiobook.
Atmosphere - 3
I do think there were a lot of details added that gave insight as to what life in Salem in 1692 would have been like. The book laid out a harsh landscape that would play part of the catalyst for the witch trials.
Plot - 2.5
This is a 2.5 just because of how the author introduced some information and split up sections that didn't flow that well.
Ending - 3.75
The ending brought it up for me. The author started getting into the why and all the motivations that lead people to do what they did, but it was never too prescriptive which I appreciated. The author did a good job showing all sides to the story.
Style - 3
Overall - 3
This was a hard start for me. I read this in audiobook form and I highly do not recommend. The beginning was all about laying out the people involved, which there were many, and getting the setting situated. It was too much information to try and process in audio form (granted I am more of a visual learner to begin with). Overall, the book was like getting lost in the trees without being able to see the whole forest, until the very end then it pulled somethings together more.
Start - 2
At many points, I wasn't sure why certain details were being given and how they were suppose to tie into the overarching point the author was trying to make. These details wound up overloading the front half of the book making it hard to follow. We also seemed to jump from person to person without a segway to connect the points.
Characters - 2.5
Therewere a lot of people involved with a ton of varying motivations between them all, I ended up feeling like a I need a corkboard with strings to keep them straight. This isn't necessarily the books fault because these people were all involved with what happened during the trials, but it probably would have been better if I read this book rather than do the audiobook.
Atmosphere - 3
I do think there were a lot of details added that gave insight as to what life in Salem in 1692 would have been like. The book laid out a harsh landscape that would play part of the catalyst for the witch trials.
Plot - 2.5
This is a 2.5 just because of how the author introduced some information and split up sections that didn't flow that well.
Ending - 3.75
The ending brought it up for me. The author started getting into the why and all the motivations that lead people to do what they did, but it was never too prescriptive which I appreciated. The author did a good job showing all sides to the story.
Style - 3
Overall - 3
Happy Place by Emily Henry
emotional
lighthearted
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
3.5
Enjoyment - 4
Start - 4.5
Characters - 4
Atmosphere - 3.5
Plot - 3
Ending - 2.5
I don't know what it is about Henry's books, but the final third drag heavily to me. I ended up putting the audiobook on 2x speed, which is rare for me. I had the same issue with Book Lovers where I felt the ending was over explained for what it was.
Style - 3.5
Overall - 3.5
Start - 4.5
Characters - 4
Atmosphere - 3.5
Plot - 3
Ending - 2.5
I don't know what it is about Henry's books, but the final third drag heavily to me. I ended up putting the audiobook on 2x speed, which is rare for me. I had the same issue with Book Lovers where I felt the ending was over explained for what it was.
Style - 3.5
Overall - 3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Alcohol, and Pregnancy
I found these parts of the book to be very minor and I definitely didn't think twice about their inclusion in the story. They also aren't presented in a traumatic way, I just listed them since technically they are there.
Night by Elie Wiesel
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
"And that is why I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Antisemitism, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and War
It's a first hand account of the Holocaust. It's going to tell it like it was in all its brutality. I say it's important to read no matter what the trigger warnings are.
Broken Throne by Victoria Aveyard
emotional
reflective
medium-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? Yes
3.75
Enjoyment - 3.75
Start - 3.5
Characters - 4
Atmosphere - 3
Plot - 4
Ending - 4.5
Style - 3.5
Overall - 3.75
Start - 3.5
Characters - 4
Atmosphere - 3
Plot - 4
Ending - 4.5
Style - 3.5
Overall - 3.75
Royal Witches: Witchcraft and the Nobility in Fifteenth-Century England by Gemma Hollman
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
This gave good insight into what medieval 1400s England Nobility looked like and wasn't so much about what 1400s witchcraft looked like. It dealt heavily with making these four women into real individuals rather than mysterious and dramatized footnotes in history. The author did a good job stating when information about certain situations was lost to time and always tempered the 1400s chronicles by pointing out potential biases and motivations they may have had.
I really needed a break from fiction, and I'm glad I picked this audiobook up from the library. (Also, I've been playing a lot of Anno 1404 lately, so maybe that played into my enjoyment 😉)
I really needed a break from fiction, and I'm glad I picked this audiobook up from the library. (Also, I've been playing a lot of Anno 1404 lately, so maybe that played into my enjoyment 😉)
If They Come for Us: Poems by Fatimah Asghar
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
How do you review a poem or a book of poems? I have no idea.
I don't read enough poetry to feel like I could give a decent review, so take my star rating with a grain of salt.
I liked many of the poems in this collection. The standouts to me were "Kal" "Partition, 1945: my grandfather steps off a train in Jammu & Kashmir" "How we left: Film Treatment" and "Other Body"
I don't read enough poetry to feel like I could give a decent review, so take my star rating with a grain of salt.
I liked many of the poems in this collection. The standouts to me were "Kal" "Partition, 1945: my grandfather steps off a train in Jammu & Kashmir" "How we left: Film Treatment" and "Other Body"
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Murder, Xenophobia, Blood, Bullying, Racism, Sexual content, War, Body shaming, Child death, Hate crime, and Islamophobia
Morning Star by Pierce Brown
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
5.0
I loved this boyo. <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Suicide attempt, Torture, Classism, Slavery, War, Death, Genocide, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail