booklore_forevemore's reviews
304 reviews

Technically Yours by Denise Williams
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.

I just don’t like workplace romances that much and I don’t think I’m in the mood. 😩 It’s a cute book though!

The Fury by Alex Michaelides

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This is definitely the most unoriginal Alex Michaelides book so far. I wanted to DNF, but I was holding out for a plot twist at the end. The first ~90% was very slow and the last 10% didn’t make up for it. The “unreliable narrator” trope was great in The Silent Patient, but here it fell flat and was very predictable. 

Huda F Are You by Huda Fahmy

funny 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

5.0

I read this in under an hour when I couldn’t fall asleep the other night and it was so good (not as a sleep aid, but as a book)! Huda is so relatable and reminded me why I don’t miss school. It was mostly fun and lighthearted, but it also covers the American Muslim experience and the prejudices many students face in (and outside of) school. Just placed my library hold on the next book: “Huda F Cares?”!

The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar

lighthearted medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I didn’t know I needed a Great British Bakeoff-inspired rom com in my life, but this was super cute! The MC made me want to pull my hair out for a solid half of the book, but she made a lot of progress by the end. Also these chapter titles were so punny they gave me life (my fave: I Knew You Were Truffle When You Walked In).

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

All right all right, I’m terrible at sitting down to write reviews, but I need to do it before I forget the entire plot. To start, thank you to NetGalley for sending an ebook my way. I just saw “fantasy” and never read the synopsis, and now it’s one of my favorite books of the year (I know it’s January but still).

One sentence to describe this book: If Sherlock Holmes and John Watson lived in a high fantasy world reminiscent of Ba Sing Se that’s constantly being attacked by giant sea monsters, except Sherlock is a chaotic middle-aged woman who doesn’t go outside. I was going to add “and Watson is a messy bisexual,” except I think this is canonically true. 

The Characters:

I loved a lot of things about this book, but Ana is the reason it’s one of my favorites. She’s antisocial, she loves books, she doesn’t like most people, and she’s never afraid to speak her mind. ICON. Sometimes I had to pause reading because Ana served so hard and I just needed to take it in. She’s simultaneously the most intelligent character and the main source of comedic relief, and her dialogue made me laugh multiple times per chapter.

I know I said charcterS (plural), so I should also talk about the other main character, Din. Din is technically THE main character because the entire book is from his POV, but he and Ana are partners in (solving) crime. He’s basically Ana’s “intern,” but he does all of the investigative ground work AND has to apologize when Ana misbehaves (which is honestly half the job). As an awkward individual who is not great at connecting with people, I personally found Din to be relatable and I really enjoyed his perspective. It’s also implied in the first chapter that Din is dyslexic, which he is very nervous about (although you don’t know why at first), but it eventually becomes an integral part of the story. 

The Magic System:

The magic system is science-based, which I think is really cool. Humans can be “altered” in various ways to be given special abilities (either temporary or permanent), but they often have negative side effects. Din is an Engraver, which means he can remember exact details of everything he sees and “engraves” memories in his mind. Although it’s a bit complex, everything was gradually explained very well (no big info dumps), so I was always able to understand what was happening. My favorite ~alteration creations~ are slothiks, which are giant sloths that are used for hauling large loads. They serve absolutely no purpose plotwise, so I think the author probably just loves sloths and created them for his own enjoyment, which I totally respect.

The Worldbuilding:

I think the most daunting part about starting a new high fantasy series is the worldbuilding, but once again I think the author did a great job of slowly expanding the world. Fortunately, a majority of the book is set in one area, so only a basic understanding of the rest of the world was needed. Society is laid out in “rings” like Ba Sing Se from Avatar: The Last Airbender, and this book takes place near the outer ring. The purpose of the outer rings is to stop leviathans, mountain-sized sea monsters, from breaking through and wreaking havoc across the land. 
There isn’t too much focus on this so far, but I can definitely see the next book going more in-depth on the leviathans and the reason behind the layout of their society. 

In summary, this hybrid high fantasy/murder mystery is a phenomenal start to a new series! It might be a tad long, but my attention never wavered for a single chapter. I’ve already preordered a physical copy and can’t wait for the next installment! And for anyone who hates cliffhangers - do not fret! There is a setup for book two, but the main plot from book one is completely closed out and there is NO cliffhanger. 

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

adventurous mysterious

5.0

I finally reread this one and I love it so much. 😩 Time to reread Ballad now before I finish the series. 

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

adventurous funny lighthearted

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I read this as a readalong with the Literary Compass book club! It was fun, but I wanted more Indiana Jones/adventure vibes. The romance was at the forefront the entire book and everything else got pushed aside, including the archaeological dig and the history (and mystery) surrounding it. I also wasn’t convinced by the romance - it was more sexual tension than actually feelings. The ending was exciting, but I wish the rest of the book had been the same!

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

hopeful reflective sad

• 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

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz

5.0

CAMEMBERT <3

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

dark tense medium-paced

4.0

Solid 4 stars! I enjoyed this much more than Hell Followed With Us, but part of the reason is definitely personal preference. I am a sucker for gothic horror!! I would 100% reread via audio format at some point. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, and Abortion

Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Torture, and Transphobia