booksandstrokes's reviews
185 reviews

Spellbound at Pemberley: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Abigail Reynolds

mysterious slow-paced

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

3.25

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a girl in love with Pride & Prejudice, must be in want of fanfiction and variations.

I was intrigued by the premise of our surly Mr. Darcy being able to do magic, and him bonding with the practical yet eager to learn Lizzie over their shared abilities. What I got though, was them working together for exactly one chapter followed by quite a few communication gaps and ego clashes (although what is P&P without a good ego clash?)

The stakes are amped up, there's war at the door, a deadline to be met and a far deadlier and unimaginable threat looming, which provided much needed substance to the plot. Yet, I was unable to connect with Lizzie or Darcy despite them being characters who already have my heart. There are also some quite substantial tweaks to the supporting characters, which I found added to the story quite nicely.

Despite the various inconsistencies in characterization, I did enjoy reading the book.

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Solo Leveling, Vol. 3 by Chugong

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-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

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Solo Leveling, Vol. 2 by Chugong

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

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Solo Leveling, Vol. 1 by Chugong

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-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

Let me start by saying that my review is for the series as a whole.

Solo Levelling starts with a RPG like premise, in a world where monsters exist within dimensional pockets accessed by 'gates'. Humans with enhanced abilities, known as hunters go into these gates to defeat these monsters before they can breach into Earth. Our hero, Sung Jin Woo, is the weakest even among the lowest ranked E level hunters. However, a special double dungeon results in him getting the unique ability to level up.

This manhwa adaptation of the light novels delivers action, art and story with equal panache! It draws you in and makes you invested in Jin woo's journey almost immediately, and you can't help but root for this underdog with little power but lots of heart. The art style is just gorgeous, and remains consistent throughout the manhwa, creating an immersive experience that makes you return for more.

The story is a blend of action, fantasy and RPG esque adventure with the right amount of humour. While it focuses on Jin woo for the most part, the members of his army stole my heart!

it felt surreal how I initially hated Igris, the High Orc and Beru, but later on became their biggest fan. The camera shy High Orc and saeguk stan Beru are my personal favourites.

. The only point where I felt let down by the story was the ending, for it felt like they used the easiest plot device available to fantasy.

I'm usually a huge fan of time travel, but giving Jin woo the cup of resurrection basically negated all the sacrifices made till that point

Overall, Solo Levelling is a Manhwa worth reading, especially if you are an action and RPG fan!

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The Red Palace by June Hur

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mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I love June Hur's books. Her evocative writing style brings out the richness of Joseon wonderfully while creating a perfect ambience of mystery and thrill. She manages to create an immersive experience with each of her books, transporting the reader to an era long gone.

The Red Palace is June Hur's third book, one I've been waiting for since she announced it! Inspired by real events, it features a palace nurse, Baek Hyeon, who teams up with a young inspector, Seo Eonji, to solve the mysterious murders of nurses at her old school in order to absolve her mentor, nurse Jiensu, who has been accused of the crime. However, investigating crime is not easy when every corner of the palace is filled with secrets that must be kept, incidents that must not be spoken of and Royals who must not be crossed. The book has royalty, politics, intrigue, mystery, complicated familial relationships, and a lovely saeguk style romance, thus offering a little something for everyone.

While the story focuses on the events more than the characters, they've been developed well. I'm absolutely in love with my girl Hyeon who, despite her innate desire for love and validation from her father, makes the best of her circumstances and never gives up. Despite being the illegitimate daughter of a Noble man, she works hard to achieve the highest station she can with a drive to earn respect. Eonji is a charming male lead, intelligent, brave and loyal to a fault, with his own motivations. Together, they make an amazing crime solving duo I wouls do anything to protect!

What endears me to June Hur's writing is the amount of research she does to make the story authentic. The social commentary on classism, gender based discrimination and life in Joseon is raw and poignant yet never imposing. Although the plot feels dark at times, it serves as a reminder of history. It speaks volumes that despite the serious undertone, the reader is engaged throughout and gets to enjoy some lovely moments between the leads.

Read the Red Palace if you're fond of novels that are rich in atmosphere with well fleshed characters and thrilling mysteries.

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