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booksandbarbara's reviews
41 reviews
Odd Spirits by S.T. Gibson
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I'm a little disappointed with this one.
I'm a big fan of S.T. Gibsons works, but this one just didn't do it for me. I understand that communication was a big player within this book, but it felt like amateur stuff when considering that these characters are supposed to be smart, and a year into marriage, yet acting like they've literally never communicated anything before, bit bizarre. I feel like Moira was unnecessarily mean at times, and didn't take ownership of what she has said or done wrong, and instead, Ryhs, coming across as a bit of a wet wipe to be honest, just apologised for everything. And I'm sorry, they got pissy with a certain someone for helping them out, and telling them exactly what it was that was wrong, then they go and act as if they just figured it out themselves and didn't get told mere minutes ago? That just makes no sense. I don't know. For some reason, it just ended up rubbing me the wrong way.
Some positives now, lol.
What I will say is that it started off good, straight into it with the strange happenings and setting up what was to come. It was easy to get lost in their world, and the few flashbacks we got were cute. By the end, it did get better in the last chapter, and we got to see the Rhys and Moira I loved from Evocation, so it's still going to be a series I'll continue with and will probably love going forward. For this one, for me, it was a miss.
I'm a big fan of S.T. Gibsons works, but this one just didn't do it for me. I understand that communication was a big player within this book, but it felt like amateur stuff when considering that these characters are supposed to be smart, and a year into marriage, yet acting like they've literally never communicated anything before, bit bizarre. I feel like Moira was unnecessarily mean at times, and didn't take ownership of what she has said or done wrong, and instead, Ryhs, coming across as a bit of a wet wipe to be honest, just apologised for everything. And I'm sorry, they got pissy with a certain someone for helping them out, and telling them exactly what it was that was wrong, then they go and act as if they just figured it out themselves and didn't get told mere minutes ago? That just makes no sense. I don't know. For some reason, it just ended up rubbing me the wrong way.
Some positives now, lol.
What I will say is that it started off good, straight into it with the strange happenings and setting up what was to come. It was easy to get lost in their world, and the few flashbacks we got were cute. By the end, it did get better in the last chapter, and we got to see the Rhys and Moira I loved from Evocation, so it's still going to be a series I'll continue with and will probably love going forward. For this one, for me, it was a miss.
Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I loved this!!!
I'm always doubtful about whether an author can manage to paint a scene, build a good story, and create characters well enough within such a short space, but once I read the opening chapter, which perfectly set everything up, that doubt flew out the window. I was sucked in and as invested as the characters themselves. The concept reminded me of another book I had read recently (What Moves the Dead), but I swiftly left that thought behind as the story progressed on. But if you did love those books, you'll definitely love this one!
We follow our cast, Edie, Hannah (my favourite of the bunch), Tuck, Tamar, and Theo. A ragtag group of insomniacs who find themselves roped into a creepy ass mystery, working together in some messed up way to uncover what the hell is going on. The characters have some of the smoothest and realistic banter, as expected with Rio's works, all with their own individual flair and intriguing stories and history. There are twists and turns, a bit of gore, strange goings ons, and an abundance of character. It all wraps up beautifully with an ending that will leave you thinking about it long after finishing. I just wish this was a full on novel, because there was so much more that I would have loved to have gone deeper into, in regards to the plot itself, and the history of the characters. Either way, this is the perfect in between books type of novella you need to sink your teeth into. I fully recommend you go read this one.
I'm always doubtful about whether an author can manage to paint a scene, build a good story, and create characters well enough within such a short space, but once I read the opening chapter, which perfectly set everything up, that doubt flew out the window. I was sucked in and as invested as the characters themselves. The concept reminded me of another book I had read recently (What Moves the Dead), but I swiftly left that thought behind as the story progressed on. But if you did love those books, you'll definitely love this one!
We follow our cast, Edie, Hannah (my favourite of the bunch), Tuck, Tamar, and Theo. A ragtag group of insomniacs who find themselves roped into a creepy ass mystery, working together in some messed up way to uncover what the hell is going on. The characters have some of the smoothest and realistic banter, as expected with Rio's works, all with their own individual flair and intriguing stories and history. There are twists and turns, a bit of gore, strange goings ons, and an abundance of character. It all wraps up beautifully with an ending that will leave you thinking about it long after finishing. I just wish this was a full on novel, because there was so much more that I would have loved to have gone deeper into, in regards to the plot itself, and the history of the characters. Either way, this is the perfect in between books type of novella you need to sink your teeth into. I fully recommend you go read this one.
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
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
4.25
This was nice! It was good! It was great!
But I'm having conflicting feelings about it.
Let's start off with what bugged me. The pacing started off real slow, then when it came to big battles and stuff, which were great don't get me wrong, absolutely loved, but they felt rushed, and sometimes rather lackluster, and I think that's because, for me, a lot of the characters came across as probably too overpowered, so stakes didn't feel as high or tense, and so I had this sense of disappointment whilst also loving it at the same time. I found a few parts quite cringe, too.
Characters were great, some new additions which mixed in beautifully, and we got to know more about our existing cast, which really intrigued me. Watching them all grow was amazing. Ruhn and Lidia's arcs we're my favourite aspect though, I was definately invested in that! IYKYK!
I loved the concepts explored here, exploring themes of the past, present, and future, and on such a cosmic scale, too! The whole history of everything and all the positibilities it opens up made for a really fascinating read.
I loved the worlds we explored, all the locations, and the depth in which I could truly let my imagination run free with them all.
All in all, there was heartbreak, hard times, and a few shocking twists and turns that I honestly didn't see coming. I cried a little too, I know, shocker!
The ending left me feeling hopeful and happy and content, which is always a mega bonus. Especially that little chapter after the episologue, that was super cute!
But I'm having conflicting feelings about it.
Let's start off with what bugged me. The pacing started off real slow, then when it came to big battles and stuff, which were great don't get me wrong, absolutely loved, but they felt rushed, and sometimes rather lackluster, and I think that's because, for me, a lot of the characters came across as probably too overpowered, so stakes didn't feel as high or tense, and so I had this sense of disappointment whilst also loving it at the same time. I found a few parts quite cringe, too.
Characters were great, some new additions which mixed in beautifully, and we got to know more about our existing cast, which really intrigued me. Watching them all grow was amazing. Ruhn and Lidia's arcs we're my favourite aspect though, I was definately invested in that! IYKYK!
I loved the concepts explored here, exploring themes of the past, present, and future, and on such a cosmic scale, too! The whole history of everything and all the positibilities it opens up made for a really fascinating read.
I loved the worlds we explored, all the locations, and the depth in which I could truly let my imagination run free with them all.
All in all, there was heartbreak, hard times, and a few shocking twists and turns that I honestly didn't see coming. I cried a little too, I know, shocker!
The ending left me feeling hopeful and happy and content, which is always a mega bonus. Especially that little chapter after the episologue, that was super cute!
Evocation by S.T. Gibson
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
4.25
I'm finally around to writing this review, and it's been a while, so I'm going off notes here, so...
I loved this book, but it's my least favourite from what Gibson has released so far. I found myself truly captivated by the plot from the get-go. With talks of occultism, rivalry, tension, and all that slow burning, it seemed like it was going to be a win. But. I found the plot to take more focus on the relationships rather than the demonic plotline that was going on, which isn't bad, it was still done beautifully, I just found myself wanting more from that other plotline, so maybe this could have been a longer book to explore that more? This is a series, so it might explore that more. I don't know, I'm not an author, just a lowley reader.
All of the characters had arcs crafted brilliantly both on their own, and when meshed together (which was so smooth, it was satisfying AF to read).
I adored the world building, and some of these spaces in which scenes took place made me yearn to be there!
All in all, though, just such a great read that shines a light on polyamourous relationships that I haven't seen before, and has you remembering the importance of communication, being open, and trustworthy.
I loved this book, but it's my least favourite from what Gibson has released so far. I found myself truly captivated by the plot from the get-go. With talks of occultism, rivalry, tension, and all that slow burning, it seemed like it was going to be a win. But. I found the plot to take more focus on the relationships rather than the demonic plotline that was going on, which isn't bad, it was still done beautifully, I just found myself wanting more from that other plotline, so maybe this could have been a longer book to explore that more? This is a series, so it might explore that more. I don't know, I'm not an author, just a lowley reader.
All of the characters had arcs crafted brilliantly both on their own, and when meshed together (which was so smooth, it was satisfying AF to read).
I adored the world building, and some of these spaces in which scenes took place made me yearn to be there!
All in all, though, just such a great read that shines a light on polyamourous relationships that I haven't seen before, and has you remembering the importance of communication, being open, and trustworthy.
Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.25
What a delicious read this was!
Secrets had secrets, and plans had plans, and let's not forget about the spice! So much spice!
I really enjoyed making my way through this one. There was so much going on without it being overbearing, which is a testament to the authors storytelling.
The world building was phenomenal, but the characters are what truly pulled this all together. Each one had their own unique personalities, some you love to hate, and some you love to love.
Prince Evy is a new book boyfriend? Hell, YES!!
Both MC's, Camilla & Prince Envy, had perfect arcs both of their own and together. It was delight to see them grow and traverse the challenges they were faced with.
Now, what I will say, and I don't know if this is just because I had a break from reading halfway through the book, but something felt a little off around the halfway/ two thirds mark, like a plot twist that wasn't expected not from the readers perspective, but from the authors. I also wish there was more focus on the plotline than the romance, as I found it to be really intriguing.
Overall though, a great read with some incredible character work. It's a story worthy of sin.
Secrets had secrets, and plans had plans, and let's not forget about the spice! So much spice!
I really enjoyed making my way through this one. There was so much going on without it being overbearing, which is a testament to the authors storytelling.
The world building was phenomenal, but the characters are what truly pulled this all together. Each one had their own unique personalities, some you love to hate, and some you love to love.
Prince Evy is a new book boyfriend? Hell, YES!!
Both MC's, Camilla & Prince Envy, had perfect arcs both of their own and together. It was delight to see them grow and traverse the challenges they were faced with.
Now, what I will say, and I don't know if this is just because I had a break from reading halfway through the book, but something felt a little off around the halfway/ two thirds mark, like a plot twist that wasn't expected not from the readers perspective, but from the authors. I also wish there was more focus on the plotline than the romance, as I found it to be really intriguing.
Overall though, a great read with some incredible character work. It's a story worthy of sin.
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
It's going to be difficult for me to explain why I love this book so much. But I'm going to try.
Now, I'm not usually one for Shakespeare, but I absolutely adored the whole Shakespearian aspect that this story had to offer. It was such an interwoven subject that the storyline itself and the characters, who live and breathe for Shakespeare, run parallel to Shakespeares works. The characters were all amazing, each one unique, but I loved how flawed they all were, how realistic they came across as, even when living and speaking fantastically.
There's tragedy, love, mystery, honestly just everything you'd expect from throwing Shakespeare into a dark achedemic setting.
That ending literally tore my heart out!
Honestly, the complexity and intricately curated workings of this story as a whole, how it all plays out beautifully to the very last word, makes this book a masterpiece in my eyes. Copious amounts of respect to this author because I couldn't even begin to fathom how much work would have gone into this.
If We Were Villains is, without a doubt, one of the best books I've ever read. Period.
Now, I'm not usually one for Shakespeare, but I absolutely adored the whole Shakespearian aspect that this story had to offer. It was such an interwoven subject that the storyline itself and the characters, who live and breathe for Shakespeare, run parallel to Shakespeares works. The characters were all amazing, each one unique, but I loved how flawed they all were, how realistic they came across as, even when living and speaking fantastically.
There's tragedy, love, mystery, honestly just everything you'd expect from throwing Shakespeare into a dark achedemic setting.
That ending literally tore my heart out!
Honestly, the complexity and intricately curated workings of this story as a whole, how it all plays out beautifully to the very last word, makes this book a masterpiece in my eyes. Copious amounts of respect to this author because I couldn't even begin to fathom how much work would have gone into this.
If We Were Villains is, without a doubt, one of the best books I've ever read. Period.
What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Unfortunately, this was a little disappointing for me. But let's start off this review with what I did like.
It started off great, with this eerie and silent unsettling atmosphere, and I quite enjoyed the folklore and superstitions that were created. They were all really quite interesting. The characters were fun, too. We have our much loved regulars from the previous book and new additions that melded well with the storyline that lay ahead.
But, (I know, the dreaded but), the pacing was too slow for me, I was waiting for something to happen, some big explosion of discovery or something, but when things did happen, it felt rather lacklustre. I found myself taking an age to read this short book and being quite bored.
This could just be because I wasn't in the right frame of mind or just vibing with the book at the time. Who knows, maybe a reread in the future might change my mind. I feel that with more working upon this, it could have become a great sequel, but for now, it was sadly a bit of a miss for me.
It started off great, with this eerie and silent unsettling atmosphere, and I quite enjoyed the folklore and superstitions that were created. They were all really quite interesting. The characters were fun, too. We have our much loved regulars from the previous book and new additions that melded well with the storyline that lay ahead.
But, (I know, the dreaded but), the pacing was too slow for me, I was waiting for something to happen, some big explosion of discovery or something, but when things did happen, it felt rather lacklustre. I found myself taking an age to read this short book and being quite bored.
This could just be because I wasn't in the right frame of mind or just vibing with the book at the time. Who knows, maybe a reread in the future might change my mind. I feel that with more working upon this, it could have become a great sequel, but for now, it was sadly a bit of a miss for me.
An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
This was everything I hoped it would be, and more.
An eroticly seductive and sensual sapphic retelling of Carmilla, filled with rivalry, obsession, desire, control, and, of course, vampires!
From the first page I was drawn in, and as each page was turned, I felt myself becoming more and more enamoured with everything this story had to offer.
The achademic setting, the touch of religion, the smattering of poetry, and the beautiful writing style made reading this an absolute dream.
Each character had such unique and complex personalities that felt so raw, I never wanted their stories to end. What was most interesting to me though, is that each character Gibson writes has this dark aura to them, but Laura felt so different, and it was this contrast and eventual mix that made reading their developments so captivating.
Also, I have questions about that ending. Somebody message me and answer my question, please.
S.T. Gibson has sank her teeth into me and has become quite possibly my favourite author now. I can't wait to read her future works.
An eroticly seductive and sensual sapphic retelling of Carmilla, filled with rivalry, obsession, desire, control, and, of course, vampires!
From the first page I was drawn in, and as each page was turned, I felt myself becoming more and more enamoured with everything this story had to offer.
The achademic setting, the touch of religion, the smattering of poetry, and the beautiful writing style made reading this an absolute dream.
Each character had such unique and complex personalities that felt so raw, I never wanted their stories to end. What was most interesting to me though, is that each character Gibson writes has this dark aura to them, but Laura felt so different, and it was this contrast and eventual mix that made reading their developments so captivating.
Also, I have questions about that ending. Somebody message me and answer my question, please.
S.T. Gibson has sank her teeth into me and has become quite possibly my favourite author now. I can't wait to read her future works.
A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
What a magical and beautiful tale.
From the beginning, I was hooked as we took off right from where The Ballad of Never After left us. I probably should have done a little reread before diving in because, at times, I was a little confused, but as the story progressed, it started all coming back to me anyway.
Talking about progression, I will say what was a little annoying is that the first two-thirds of the story could have used a bit more...something! I felt like the last third of this book was the best part, but when you have the final book in a trilogy, you kind of expect a bit more than that. That epilogue, though, was just beautifully done. The other thing that began grating on me after a while was the repetition of these declarations of true love and the like, don't get me wrong, I understand that that's what the book is about, but it was starting to get a bit sickly and like, c'mon, we've done this dance several times before now.
That all being said, the vibes of this book as a whole were just beautiful. It was all light, airy, and fairytalesque, with that dash of drama and some surprisingly darker themes and scenes.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the series as a whole.
From the beginning, I was hooked as we took off right from where The Ballad of Never After left us. I probably should have done a little reread before diving in because, at times, I was a little confused, but as the story progressed, it started all coming back to me anyway.
Talking about progression, I will say what was a little annoying is that the first two-thirds of the story could have used a bit more...something! I felt like the last third of this book was the best part, but when you have the final book in a trilogy, you kind of expect a bit more than that. That epilogue, though, was just beautifully done. The other thing that began grating on me after a while was the repetition of these declarations of true love and the like, don't get me wrong, I understand that that's what the book is about, but it was starting to get a bit sickly and like, c'mon, we've done this dance several times before now.
That all being said, the vibes of this book as a whole were just beautiful. It was all light, airy, and fairytalesque, with that dash of drama and some surprisingly darker themes and scenes.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the series as a whole.
The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
A dark fairytale with a promising hook that twists some of our favourite classics to create a unique story, which, unfortunately, fell a little flat for me.
So, I loved the premise of this story, but the story itself seemed to lack cohesiveness, and the dots just didn't quite connect. It felt more like a jumble of short stories thrown together with some connecting chaoters as opposed to one cohesive smooth story, and so I feel like this should have been fleshed out a bit more.
The characters were enjoyable, but nothing special, although I will say, I liked that there was disability representation with the MC. I'm not sure how the sequel is going to plan out because, to be honest, I feel like with more time, this could have been a great standalone.
Don't get me wrong, though. I still enjoyed reading this, and the twisted fairytales within made it fun to read. Learning that this is a pocket of magic within the world and there may be other pockets, I'm hoping this will be touched upon more with maybe more fairytales and myths twisted and blended into the stories based on locations or something? I don't know. I'm still going to continue with the series because although I'm complaining, I did enjoy it.
So, I loved the premise of this story, but the story itself seemed to lack cohesiveness, and the dots just didn't quite connect. It felt more like a jumble of short stories thrown together with some connecting chaoters as opposed to one cohesive smooth story, and so I feel like this should have been fleshed out a bit more.
The characters were enjoyable, but nothing special, although I will say, I liked that there was disability representation with the MC. I'm not sure how the sequel is going to plan out because, to be honest, I feel like with more time, this could have been a great standalone.
Don't get me wrong, though. I still enjoyed reading this, and the twisted fairytales within made it fun to read. Learning that this is a pocket of magic within the world and there may be other pockets, I'm hoping this will be touched upon more with maybe more fairytales and myths twisted and blended into the stories based on locations or something? I don't know. I'm still going to continue with the series because although I'm complaining, I did enjoy it.