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billykmaguiree's reviews
157 reviews
Empress of Fae by Briar Boleyn
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Briar Boleyn did it again and every single instalment in this series is better than the last one. I need a Kairos Draven in my life right now and for good reason. The way that Boleyn writes this relationship is so fucking swoon-worthy, they can communicate through dreams and if that isn’t the type of romance I get in life, I don’t want it.
There’s so much in this world that I can’t help but fall in love with on every single page. The characterisations of Draven, Lancelet and Morgan was so bloody well done throughout this series. Like I am obsessed with the developments in our characters within this instalment. I don’t have a lot of words for this third instalment: apart from jaw-breaking and spellbinding. I love everything that Briar has done in this instalment and I need BOOK FOUR immediately.
The easiest four stars that I’ve ever given. Loved the expansion on the world and the plot twists are insane? LOVED IT.
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read : 01/01/24 —> 04/01/24
There’s so much in this world that I can’t help but fall in love with on every single page. The characterisations of Draven, Lancelet and Morgan was so bloody well done throughout this series. Like I am obsessed with the developments in our characters within this instalment. I don’t have a lot of words for this third instalment: apart from jaw-breaking and spellbinding. I love everything that Briar has done in this instalment and I need BOOK FOUR immediately.
The easiest four stars that I’ve ever given. Loved the expansion on the world and the plot twists are insane? LOVED IT.
Follow me on the following sites for more bookish inspired content:
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@whoisbillymaguire
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/whoisbillymaguire
Blog - https://bybillymaguire.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPCSA0PTQxZo_aLwnbD3Gzw
read : 01/01/24 —> 04/01/24
Evergreen by Autumn Woods
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I’d love to thank Autumn Woods and Love Notes PR for an e-arc of this book. This review is entirely voluntary.
I thought that this book was something that I would have loved. It was pitched as The Cruel Prince and yet here I was disappointed. I think my main problem with the book was predominantly the pacing because I had no idea what was happening throughout reading. The story flipped all over the place and if it wasn’t for the fact that I had this as an arc I doubt I would’ve finished it. The writing was something I couldn’t find myself enjoying because of the amateur prose and characterisation of Rexxan and Renna. They didn’t exist outside of their relationships.
Overall, boring and flat.
The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
new favourite book
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is what would happen if Divergent met dragons and had a baby and personally, I wasn’t a fan.
This book follows Violet as she tries to assimilate into her quadrant and survive until graduation and boy did she get on my nerves. I don’t know whether it was a pacing issue, a writing issue or just something that had characters I didn’t give a fuck about, but I found myself wanting from like 20% in to sit there and be like ‘great it’s over.’ but that didn’t happen.
Instead I was greeted with 528 pages of boring prose, littered with characters that I didn’t fucking connect with in the slightest. The storyline was meh, it didn’t excite me in the way that Divergent did, and I was utterly flummoxed during reading. I can’t even place my finger on it but it just screamed ‘amateur’;
Should this have been an absolute bloody DNF because I hated it? Yes. Did I read on because of the hype? Yes! Do I think this book should have deserving the hype it got. Absolutely not.
The only redeeming factor for this book was that it wasn’t a series. Will I be going further through the series, no I shall not. Absolutely generous when I say this is one star. If I could leave a lower rating, then I would.
This book follows Violet as she tries to assimilate into her quadrant and survive until graduation and boy did she get on my nerves. I don’t know whether it was a pacing issue, a writing issue or just something that had characters I didn’t give a fuck about, but I found myself wanting from like 20% in to sit there and be like ‘great it’s over.’ but that didn’t happen.
Instead I was greeted with 528 pages of boring prose, littered with characters that I didn’t fucking connect with in the slightest. The storyline was meh, it didn’t excite me in the way that Divergent did, and I was utterly flummoxed during reading. I can’t even place my finger on it but it just screamed ‘amateur’;
Should this have been an absolute bloody DNF because I hated it? Yes. Did I read on because of the hype? Yes! Do I think this book should have deserving the hype it got. Absolutely not.
The only redeeming factor for this book was that it wasn’t a series. Will I be going further through the series, no I shall not. Absolutely generous when I say this is one star. If I could leave a lower rating, then I would.
Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Shelley
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I picked this up for my module on gothic fiction and went into this without knowing what to expect. It’s one of my friends favourite classics and so I went into this with high hopes. I was not disappointed in the slightest. Shelley’s craft is simply magnetic and the way that she engages with gothic themes is one of the highlights of this book. She involves passion in her writing and the secrets of the mind is heavily explored to the point where repression is a key theme. Victor’s relationship with the monster is shocking and seeks to show all taboos of this period. Can we as humans give into our deepest of desires, Shelley seeks to show that we cannot. An easy three star read.
Suddenly a Murder by Lauren Muñoz
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
I have never read a book by Lauren Munoz and for that I'd like to thank the team at Netgalley and Hot Key Books for letting me receive an advance reader copy.
I wanted to love this but there was absolutely no way that I could. There was characteristics of the writing that I believed I would love but unfortunately for myself, the writing was absolutely abysmal. I'm not saying that I could have done a better job, but the plotting consisted of one of the characters hiding in a. secret passage and eavesdropping on police interviews for half of the book. This was highly unrealistic and just didn't make any sense. How can someone not realise that she was missing?
I wanted to love this because I love the 1920's era and yet it just flopped.
I wanted to love this but there was absolutely no way that I could. There was characteristics of the writing that I believed I would love but unfortunately for myself, the writing was absolutely abysmal. I'm not saying that I could have done a better job, but the plotting consisted of one of the characters hiding in a. secret passage and eavesdropping on police interviews for half of the book. This was highly unrealistic and just didn't make any sense. How can someone not realise that she was missing?
I wanted to love this because I love the 1920's era and yet it just flopped.
Dawn by Octavia E. Butler
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I picked this up for one of my modules on science-fiction writing and fell in love with Octavia Butler and her writing style. This was the perfect introduction to the genre and I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did. There’s hints at sociopolitics throughout this story that I adored in other books such as the hunger games yet Butler does something so clever with her spellbinding and thought provoking prose. A solid four star read