bookforthought's reviews
723 reviews

The Sins on Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Dimitri, the former Tzar of Novo-Svitsevo, is living in exile with what remains of his court – the few most trusted among his advisors, the only ones he can still call friends. Increasing his anguish following the end of a brutal civil war is the knowledge that the coup that led him to lose everything was led by his now estranged husband Alexey, whom Dimitri thought to be the love of his life. Except Alexey is no ordinary usurper: through a perversion of his religion, he turned himself into an immortal demon-like creature and now claims to be guided by God Himself with devastating consequences should his plans succeed.

The Sins on Their Bones starts off with an intriguing premise for a dark fantasy queer romance. The story is told through multiple POVs, alternating chapters narrated by Dimitri, Alexey and Vasily, Dimitri’s spymaster and lover. This certainly adds some dynamism and depth to these characters, all three of whom have to grapple with trauma, impossible choices and love – both the abusive kind and the healing one.

Alexey’s and Vasily’s chapters were the most interesting for me, as I really struggled to connect with Dimitri. Some of the chapters in Alexey’s POV ended up detracting somewhat from the suspense though, as certain key points in his plan were revealed quite early on to the reader while still remaining a mystery to the other characters. I enjoyed the found family vibes between Dimitri and his court, and I would have loved to see more of these characters as well, but they felt mostly sketched rather than fully fleshed out.

The writing is deeply immersive and perfectly paints the picture of this Eastern-Europe-inspired world. The novel also incorporates several elements of Jewish lore, which I wasn’t really familiar with but were so seamlessly weaved into the narrative that I had no trouble at all following along. Most of the descriptions were quite evocative and flowed nicely, even though some of the dialogues were a bit too verbose and unnatural for my taste.

The structure of this book is what I struggled with the most. The story starts after the end of the civil war when Dimitri and his friends are already in exile. Several past events are referenced throughout and discussed among the protagonists yet they are never shown, not even through flashbacks.

Though this choice could have been very original, bringing a new perspective to the story, it felt as though I was reading the second book in a series without having read the first. I also ended up getting a bit tired of all this telling after a certain point and would have liked to see more of the things the characters were talking about. The pacing also didn’t quite work for me. After a fairly interesting beginning, I started to feel the story drag along and the whole middle section was really hard for me to get through. Things did pick up again towards the end but, by that point, I had kind of lost the momentum.

I would have also liked to see a bit more of this magical yet brutal queer-normative world, which seemed really interesting from the glimpses we got from the characters but wasn’t really shown all that much. In this sense, this book gave me the same feeling of a theatre play: mostly played out indoors in few settings and propelled by dialogue between a limited cast of characters. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it wasn’t what I was expecting from this given the blurb, and it left me wanting a little more.

That being said, I appreciate what the author did with her exploration of the themes here. All the characters are battling their demons (some inner and some… less so) and dealing with the aftermath of their choices and the pain that comes from having to live with that. PTSD and matters of mental health feature heavily here, and I really liked how Dimitri’s friends worked together to ensure he felt supported and loved while going through an extremely difficult time.

Sensitive readers should be very careful approaching this book as there are many content warnings to be given, as well as explicit sexual content between consenting adults. The spicier scenes were actually quite disappointing for me, as they felt very repetitive, but other readers may enjoy them more.

Overall, The Sins on Their Bones is an interesting exploration of what it means to be human, of the seduction of power and the constant battle to do the right thing – whatever the cost. I really wish I had connected more with this book, but maybe it just came to me at the wrong time or with the wrong expectations. I think that readers who do connect with it will really love it, and this is definitely an author I’ll be keeping an eye out for!

I received an advance review copy of this book for free from the publisher and Wunderkind PR via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Content Warnings

Daughter of the Seven Hills by Margaret McNellis

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adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Aurelia, a privileged daughter of the Caelian hill, navigates the complexities of Roman society while secretly training with a physician and engaging in a forbidden romance with Cassius, a plebeian soldier. Except her plans are upended when Cassius's legion is commanded to leave Rome for inhospitable Britannia just as Aurelia discovers she is pregnant with his child and is forced into an economically favourable marriage with another man by her family.

After discovering her husband's and uncle's conspiracy to murder the emperor, Aurelia decides to take matters into her own hands, but in so doing condemns herself as a criminal and is forced to choose between death and leaving Rome, taking only her slave Vita with her. But this is a perilous journey, especially for two women travelling alone, and Britannia is inhabited by a people Aurelia would call barbaric. And yet, she will be forced to decide: if she can no longer be Roman, who will she be?

Daughter of the Seven Hills is an engrossing read, masterfully using multiple points of view to convey the complexity and brutality of the historical context while exploring the unique voices of multiple characters, some of whom would risk being voiceless in a more canonical narrative. The historical context appears very well-researched, with a myriad of small details (from sights to smells or food and habits) scattered throughout really bringing it to life and providing a feeling of authenticity.

Each character was perfectly drawn, with no scene wasted in designing satisfying arcs that - if at times harsh - convey the multitude of small choices that draw up one's destiny, even if they are seemingly inevitable. Some characters (especially Vita and the Druid Woman) might have benefited from having just a little more space to give them more breathing room, allowing readers to form a deeper connection.

In the author's note at the beginning of the book, this is described as a "book of the mind": it is impossible not to appreciate the careful study that went into crafting this story, finding the balance between plot and character development and between characters themselves. Despite this, the author's heart also shines through, building on the work started in her previous books to continue exploring themes of identity and belonging sensitively, with particular attention given to centring the perspectives of those who are typically left at the margins.

Daughter of the Seven Hills is a book that is at one time hard to put down and very difficult to read because of the multitude of abuse depicted. The author does a fantastic job in only including violence that is strictly necessary to the story or to understand the characters, never indulging in showing violence for its own sake. Still, brutality was common in that historical period and thus several violent scenes do occur. Sensitive readers would be advised to approach the book carefully and check the trigger warnings provided by the author to look after their well-being.

Daughter of the Seven Hills is a captivating and thought-provoking read, merging meticulous historical research with a high-stakes plot and compelling characters. From the first page to the last, readers will find themselves desperately rooting for Aurelia, Vita and the good people they meet on their way, even when all the odds are stacked against them, leaving them with the same question Aurelia must face: what makes us who we are?

This review was originally published on Reedsy Discovery.
Disclaimer: I received an advanced review copy of this book for free via Reedsy Discovery. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Content Warnings

Spellbound by Avery Carter

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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

4.0

This review was originally published on Reedsy Discovery.

Emily Carlisle is a Witch of the Stack, tasked with taking care of the most powerful magical library in existence and assisting heroes and heroines on their quests with the help of Orpheus, her betta fish Companion. Her daily life goes by peacefully between a magic potion and a spell, until a mysterious Rot starts destroying her library - and everything she holds dear. Having reluctantly enlisted powerful heroine Ozioma Monroe to help her fight the Rot, Emily is suddenly forced to stop assisting and start leading her own adventure, or it might be the last thing any of them do.

Spellbound is a deeply charming and engaging novel brimming with magic and presenting a cast of endearing characters. It is impossible not to root for Emily as she fights hard to save her home, and it is easy to connect with her as her past is slowly revealed. Emily's relationships with her fish, Orpheus, and with heroine Ozioma are also great, with the banter providing several light-hearted moments while maintaining the dialogue feeling natural. The deep bond between the witch, the heroine, and their companions was also deeply touching, and it is clear that great care and tenderness went into drafting it.

As most of the action takes place within the magical library, the worldbuilding is pretty clear and easy to follow. At times, though, references were made to other locations that seemed set partly in a fantasy world and partly in the real world, which became slightly confusing and left the status of the world outside the library unclear. The magic system was explained very well and used consistently throughout, and it was a delight to travel with Emily within the Stacks and discover what the next level held in store. The Stacks themselves are described vividly, and it is almost possible to see them while reading!

The novel is well-paced, even though the ending felt slightly rushed and could have probably used a bit more breathing space to bring everything to a close comfortably. There was at times some confusion around the protagonists' ages, as in a couple of sections it is mentioned they are seventeen but the way they talk about their life experiences and how they interact made them come across as much older than that. It is not a big issue in itself but sometimes felt rather jarring.

This is mostly a cosy read with some elements of adventure and danger, and as such would perfectly suit a young adult audience as well as some older adults looking for a light, fun and heartwarming read.

I received a free copy of this book via Reedsy Discovery. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Content Warnings

Sortilegi by Bianca Pitzorno

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mysterious fast-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? No

4.0

Content Warnings

Diva by Daisy Goodwin

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emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Like any good Italian, I was diligently taught about opera from a young age and grew up hearing about the greats: Luciano Pavarotti and Maria Callas were ever-present, and recordings of their most famous arias were often heard in my house (fun fact: I still have a few on my phone to listen to on-the-go!). Even though La Divina's voice was so familiar to me, I realised I actually knew close to nothing of Maria Callas the woman, which is why I was so intrigued by this book!

Let me start by saying that the audiobook experience was truly great: the narrator did a phenomenal job delivering an impressive range of emotions, accents and personalities, and the already magnetic story was enriched by the music scattered throughout. Listening to snippets of the arias mentioned in the book added a certain magic to it and definitely made me go back to re-listen to some of them in full later on. I only listened to the audiobook for this one, but would recommend it wholeheartedly as I just can't imagine having the same experience without the audio.

Diva is a fictionalised version of Maria Callas's life and, as such, it is not 100% accurate (it being a novel, as the author's note also clarifies). Still, it gives a good sense of this woman's life and her passion for her art, as well as the difficult relationships she navigated throughout her life. The story starts with Maria trying to cope with the news that the man she loves is marrying someone else as her every reaction is scrutinised by the press and high society, ripe for gossip and keen to tear a famous, powerful woman apart. It then proceeds to unravel everything leading up to this point in a series of flashbacks, different timelines intersecting as memories are conjured up.

The cast includes several names I knew very well, as well as others I didn't know much (or, in some cases, anything!) about. They all came across as very well fleshed out for their role in the story, considering that there is only ever one person at the centre of the stage. Callas is a complex, at times difficult woman, who becomes one with her voice, her talent overshadowing everything else. It was hard, yet deeply touching, to see her struggle to find acceptance and self-worth, delighting in the love audiences bestowed upon her yet constantly dreading the moment her voice might fail her.

The writing flowed naturally for the most part, easily drawing me in and keeping me glued to my headphones, constantly trying to sneak in just a little more time with Callas, even though it came across as a bit simplistic at times. One thing that didn't always work well for me was that the dialogues at times felt slightly unnatural and as if they were being used only to convey key information. I probably noticed this more on audio than I might have if I'd read this, but it jarred.

A significant part of the book is obviously devoted to Callas's relationships with her husband and with Onassis and, while they were obviously a central part of her life for so long, I would have liked to see more of her without them. I felt this even more so as the story ends quite soon after the breakup with Onassis, where I would have liked to see more of what she did without him. There was also a tad too much emphasis (which sometimes bordered on repetition) on Callas's physique and her eating habits, which were of course an important part of her public figure but got pretty tiring pretty quickly, as it seemed to be reading a gossip column more than a novel.

Overall, this was a pleasant and entertaining book, certainly enhanced by the great audio production. The author's passion for this story is clear and, even though it didn't fully meet the mark for me, I did feel infected with her enthusiasm by the end and as if I knew the great Diva better than I did before.

I received an advanced listening copy of this book from the publisher for free via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Content Warnings

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay

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mysterious tense 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? Yes

2.5

Anyone who's been around here before knows I love a good heist, even more so when it's tinged with revenge, con artists, women getting their power back, and some class commentary as this book seemed to be. And yet, despite being perfect on paper (it's also a historical novel!), The Housekeepers didn't win me over.

I really enjoyed the premise, as well as the details of the heist planning that were slowly unveiled, revealing the full picture only at the very end. The varied (and large) cast of characters added a certain dynamism, especially as the narration moved from one to the other to give the reader a bird's-eye view. Where most problems lay, for me, was in the execution: despite the high stakes and the numerous obstacles, I was never on edge or tense about the outcome in any way. If anything, for the most part I was simply... bored.

There were definitely some issues with the pacing for me, as everything seemed to move far too slowly and hardly any scene felt impactful and yet at the same time it appeared as though I hardly had any time to get to know the characters properly. Maybe there were too many of them for a book of this length, or maybe their backstories were too complex (it seemed everyone had a big, dark secret), but ultimately I cared about none.

The build-up to the heist took up the majority of the book, but when the climax came, it fell flat for me as if there just wasn't enough momentum to carry it over. There was simultaneously too much and not enough happening, which made for a frustrating reading experience, more a chore than a pleasure.

Still, some parts were definitely good, with humorous elements and some interesting characters who would have benefited from more breathing room. I could see kernels of good writing here and it is a decent debut, so I might give the author's next books another chance even though this one didn't meet my expectations.

I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-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

4.5

Every reader has at least once experienced that feeling of suddenly wanting to grab a book off the shelf (or the e-reader), diving into it with passion and barely coming up for air only when life demands it. Being a mood reader myself, I tend to do this quite regularly: sometimes a book will wait for me to pick it up for a very, very long time, but I will almost inevitably at some point feel the urge to pick up exactly that one as if it called out to me. This is exactly what happened with What You Are Looking for Is in the Library, and how apt this was!

Through five seemingly unconnected stories, this book introduces us to Sayuri Komachi, the enigmatic librarian of the Community House library who has an almost magical ability to recommend precisely the right book for every reader, the one even they didn't know they needed. As each of our protagonists is struggling with a different challenge, through the transformative power of books they find a new and different outlook on life, rediscovering joy and meaning.

The book is framed as a series of chapters essentially reading as short stories, each focused on a different character. The stories are lightly interconnected but can be read separately, the Community House and the library being the only real points in common. I liked how varied the cast of characters was, and how they each experienced different issues connected to the specific phase of their life they were going through - from recent graduates looking for their place in the world to a recently retired man seeking a purpose beyond work. They were also very well drawn, each with their own individuality. I instantly formed a connection with them, and have been thinking about them as I would old friends since finishing the book - always a sign of some very good characters indeed!

If anything, Sayuri Komachi herself was the only character that felt slightly unexplored, save for a few peeks at her character here and there through her (brief) interactions with the library users. This was probably done to keep an air of mystique around her character, but I really would have liked to know more about her. Still, I enjoyed what we did see of her!

One of my favourite aspects about this book was its focus on community and building positive, supportive relationships through open communication, trust, and small acts of kindness. This was particularly refreshing, as I've been growing tired of the rampant individualism permeating all aspects of society. Seeing the characters in this book rediscover the value of meaningful connections was like a balm for the soul.

Overall, this was a delightful, heartwarming read that I was genuinely happy to curl up with every night and that left me with a smile on my face, a deep-seated feeling of peace and contentment and a strong desire to hug my loved ones tighter than usual. It's a simple book that does what it says on the tin, but perhaps this time it was exactly what I was looking for in the library.

I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

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informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

Content Warnings

Queer Villains of Myth and Legend by Dan Jones

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informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.5

Clear, engaging and entertaining, Queer Villains of Myth and Legend is a fun and informative celebration of famous villains throughout the ages, exploring their impact on culture and the many different ways their identities developed.

These often-overlooked characters finally take centre stage, getting the recognition they deserve while accompanying us on a tour from ancient myths to modern TV and cinema. There is a truly wide range of characters on display here, some possibly slightly more famous than others, and I deeply enjoyed discovering villains I hadn't previously heard of while catching up on bits of trivia and information on characters I had already encountered. Many of the characters are explicitly queer, while others are queer-coded and/or became particularly significant for the LGBTQ+ community, which made it a varied bunch of characters to explore.

While I enjoyed the free-flowing, friendly writing style (making this an easy read indeed), it felt slightly out of place at times and, coupled with the speed with which the characters were analysed, left me wanting just a bit more complexity and nuance than I got. The short chapters work very well to keep the reading flowing and fast-paced but seem to leave little room for deeper reflections and discussions.

Overall, Queer Villains of Myth and Legend is an enjoyable read, and works especially well as an introductory text, sharing clear and accessible portraits of key characters, but may not fully satisfy readers looking for a deeper level of analysis.

I received a digital review copy of this book for free from the publisher as part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman

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adventurous funny 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? No

3.0

I loved the premise for Scarlet - take the French Revolution and add vampires to it seemed like a recipe for mayhem honestly. I'm not really familiar with The Scarlet Pimpernel besides the name (which I'd heard before) so I don't really know how well the retelling element of this compares to the original, but I was very curious about this anyway.

Eleanor, a maid working in the service of a vampire aristocrat in England, bears a striking resemblance to Marie Antoinette and so is recruited by the mysterious League of the Scarlet Pimpernel to embark on a dangerous journey to France, impersonate the Queen and rescue the royal family from their imprisonment at the hands of the revolutionaries before their encounter with the guillotine.

This felt like a fresh look at a very famous historical event, and I really appreciated the portrayal of aristocrats as vampires. This kind of reminded me of the film El Conde, which had a similar premise with respect to Chilean dictator Pinochet. There were plenty of scenes which allowed for deeper reflections on society, social order, freedom and justice, but also some good humour and tense moments.

I also liked Eleanor as the main character. She is a smart, strong-willed young woman who joins a truly dangerous mission to save a complete stranger - and a royal one at that - just because she feels it would be the right thing to do. She does come across as a bit too naive at times, but I enjoyed the way her character developed by the end even though there were a few times when her choices felt slightly at odds with what we know of her.

That being said, I wasn't wholly in love with this book, even though on paper it had everything I usually love. It felt very slow for the most part, and quite repetitive in certain sections. The fantasy element is also not fully explained or even used for most of the book... I guess I expected the vampires to play a bigger role in this. As this is the first book in a trilogy I do wonder if everything will make sense by the end, since a few times this book really just felt as if it were setting the scene for bigger things to come.

Overall, this was a pleasant and at times funny read with some interesting insights, but I didn't really vibe with it. It felt like a slog to get through the middle section and, by the end, I felt as though I hadn't had enough and yet there was suddenly too much going on. It could be that I just wasn't in the right mood for this though, and I can definitely see other people enjoying this one. I'm not sure if I'll pick up the next book in the series, although I might just to see if I can find what was missing in this one.

I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

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bookforthought's reviews 723 reviews

bookforthought's reviews
723 reviews