Take a photo of a barcode or cover
bittennailbooks's reviews
269 reviews
An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
dark
mysterious
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
4.0
Indulgent, dark, and deliciously sacrilege, another unforgettable installment from A Dowry of Blood.
Thumbs up: With dark academia being all the rage and Gibson's penchant for gorgeous prose, I was keenly awaiting "A Education in Malice." It delivered on being a great addition to this world with its harrowing and bleak portrayal of sapphic girlhood. The religious overtones and injection of kinky power dynamics really brought this book home.
Thumbs down: I do feel that this doesn't stand as strongly as the first novel did. The storyline felt a bit younger and the ending was a bit lukewarm for such a strong start.
Was it a nail biter? For it leading it's reader through the dark and gloomy Massachusetts, it will certainly leave you feeling a bit hot under the collar. 4/5
Thumbs up: With dark academia being all the rage and Gibson's penchant for gorgeous prose, I was keenly awaiting "A Education in Malice." It delivered on being a great addition to this world with its harrowing and bleak portrayal of sapphic girlhood. The religious overtones and injection of kinky power dynamics really brought this book home.
Thumbs down: I do feel that this doesn't stand as strongly as the first novel did. The storyline felt a bit younger and the ending was a bit lukewarm for such a strong start.
Was it a nail biter? For it leading it's reader through the dark and gloomy Massachusetts, it will certainly leave you feeling a bit hot under the collar. 4/5
Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-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
3.0
Sheine Lende sees infamous Elatsoe ancestor Shane, working with her mother and their ghost dogs to track down missing persons in their town. When Shane's mother goes missing, a new cast of characters must traverse the thin barriers between worlds to retrieve both her mother and friend's brother.
Thumbs up: An imaginative world filled with heart, magic, and very real tales of oppression that weave this multilayered story together. Fans of Elatsoe will be delighted for another opportunity to re-enter the world from another era.
Thumbs down: I think this novel is quite dialogue heavy (e.g. a lot of "he said" and then "she said" and then "she said") and could have spent more time within the world building of the novel. The draw for me in picking this up was the fantastic elements of the novel. Unfortunately, it didn't feel that enough time was spent building up the reader's imagination. For example, there are ghosts, time/space travel, and Fae mentioned but it seems like such an afterthought to the plot. I would have loved to see more effort spent on the fantasy aspects then the extremely heavy dialogue.
Was it a nail biter? It was a good book and I hope to see more from the author in the future! 3/5.
Thumbs up: An imaginative world filled with heart, magic, and very real tales of oppression that weave this multilayered story together. Fans of Elatsoe will be delighted for another opportunity to re-enter the world from another era.
Thumbs down: I think this novel is quite dialogue heavy (e.g. a lot of "he said" and then "she said" and then "she said") and could have spent more time within the world building of the novel. The draw for me in picking this up was the fantastic elements of the novel. Unfortunately, it didn't feel that enough time was spent building up the reader's imagination. For example, there are ghosts, time/space travel, and Fae mentioned but it seems like such an afterthought to the plot. I would have loved to see more effort spent on the fantasy aspects then the extremely heavy dialogue.
Was it a nail biter? It was a good book and I hope to see more from the author in the future! 3/5.
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Sweet, spicy, and quirky! If you're looking for something with the charm of "Can't Spell Treason Without Tea" with a little bit more cinnamon, welcome to the world of Mead Mishaps!
A cult classic in its indie publication, I was thrilled to find out this was up for request (thank you Netgalley and my ever kind friends at Orbit!). I am not a spicy reviewer so this will focus primarily on the fantasy plot:
Cinnamon lives in a sleepy village and wants nothing to do with adventures or chosen one prophecies. After this year's heroes are chosen, it's time to kick back and drink while those suckers are off on a grand adventure. On the road home, a poorly attempted mugging gone wrong leads her nose to nose with a demon in the brush. Armed with only her namesake, cinnamon, she breaks the spell the demon was under which unravels not only her religion but her retirement from dreaming of grand adventures. As her and her new demon set off to break the spell that have been driving creatures mad for years, a sweet and spicy journey may just be what Cinnamon needs to get back on that (flying) horse.
Thumbs up: I thought this was a fun read! It had a good amount of plot aside from the sections of spice to move the story along. If you're a fan of the Undertaking of Hart and Mercy and even Bookshops and Bonedust, this will be a solid recommendation for you!
Thumbs down: There were some plot point resolutions that left a few holes in the story. Without spoiling too much, Cinnamon flipped flopped and was a bit paper thin as a character. Overall, it was a good read.
Was it a nail biter? I think if you're looking for something snarky and fun, this could be a great edition to your romantacy collection! 3.5/5
A cult classic in its indie publication, I was thrilled to find out this was up for request (thank you Netgalley and my ever kind friends at Orbit!). I am not a spicy reviewer so this will focus primarily on the fantasy plot:
Cinnamon lives in a sleepy village and wants nothing to do with adventures or chosen one prophecies. After this year's heroes are chosen, it's time to kick back and drink while those suckers are off on a grand adventure. On the road home, a poorly attempted mugging gone wrong leads her nose to nose with a demon in the brush. Armed with only her namesake, cinnamon, she breaks the spell the demon was under which unravels not only her religion but her retirement from dreaming of grand adventures. As her and her new demon set off to break the spell that have been driving creatures mad for years, a sweet and spicy journey may just be what Cinnamon needs to get back on that (flying) horse.
Thumbs up: I thought this was a fun read! It had a good amount of plot aside from the sections of spice to move the story along. If you're a fan of the Undertaking of Hart and Mercy and even Bookshops and Bonedust, this will be a solid recommendation for you!
Thumbs down: There were some plot point resolutions that left a few holes in the story. Without spoiling too much, Cinnamon flipped flopped and was a bit paper thin as a character. Overall, it was a good read.
Was it a nail biter? I think if you're looking for something snarky and fun, this could be a great edition to your romantacy collection! 3.5/5
These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart by Izzy Wasserstein
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
"Fear was a luxury I could not afford. Anger was cheaper."
Dora the transwoman post-apocalyptic explorer sets out to find the murder of her ex-girlfriend and uncovers a corrupt biotech plan most foul.
Thumbs up: Good commentary on the societal struggles and policing of marginalized peoples, transphobia, and envisioning of life after climate disaster.
Thumbs down: I struggled with this book as I felt there were massive chunks missing from the plot. I do enjoy a fast-paced novella but the motives and important plot points were missing for me. I found there was a lot of telling rather than showing. The lackluster dialogue made it difficult to remain engaged in the story.
Was it a nail biter? I don't think this read was for me but I would recommend it to queer noir sci-fi lovers! 2.5/5
Dora the transwoman post-apocalyptic explorer sets out to find the murder of her ex-girlfriend and uncovers a corrupt biotech plan most foul.
Thumbs up: Good commentary on the societal struggles and policing of marginalized peoples, transphobia, and envisioning of life after climate disaster.
Thumbs down: I struggled with this book as I felt there were massive chunks missing from the plot. I do enjoy a fast-paced novella but the motives and important plot points were missing for me. I found there was a lot of telling rather than showing. The lackluster dialogue made it difficult to remain engaged in the story.
Was it a nail biter? I don't think this read was for me but I would recommend it to queer noir sci-fi lovers! 2.5/5
A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0