booksny's reviews
325 reviews

Ogre, Ogre by Piers Anthony

adventurous funny 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

Really creative worldbuilding! It got a bit slow towards the end but I otherwise really enjoyed the romp through Xanth's wild geography (esp cially in the hypnogourd), the colorful characters and relationship dynamics

Missing Arabella by Kathryn Siebel

adventurous fast-paced

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

2.0

The story has promise, and the illustrations are nice, but ultimately I did not find it an enjoyable read. The plot became increasingly chaotic towards the end, and the tone struggled to maintain the level of absurdity, wholesomeness and magic that was built at the start. I disliked the parental characters and am not sure what Mr Northington brought to the story

Chicks 'n Chained Males by Esther M. Friesner

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

A fun mix of stories. The quality varied but by and large I enjoyed the creativity 

Another Day by Ruth Tomalin

adventurous hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

I enjoyed this short story a surprising amount - the mysterious Tod and surreal atmosphere he brought with him was beautifully written, especially in contrast with the mundane everyday struggles that Francie was having. 

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

adventurous mysterious medium-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

3.0

Pros:

• Easy to read prose
• Interesting magical system
• Fun to pick out the bits inspired by Harry Potter

Cons

• Agatha was designed from start to finish to be an incredibly pointless character
• Ebbs and Nicodemus felt unsatisfyingly underutilized
• No consequences experienced for the Phillipa Stanton debacle
• Goblin hostility was mentioned once at the very start, leading me to anticipate them showing up again...and they just fizzled out as nonissues

Dark Castle, White Horse by Tanith Lee

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

Enjoyed these two stories - brilliantly magical and imaginative

The Family at Red-Roofs by Enid Blyton

fast-paced

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

3.0

House at the Corner by Enid Blyton

inspiring fast-paced

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

4.0

Reread this old children's story! Found it easy to read with decently well developed characters and an engaging plot. Some gender stereotypes which didn't age well e.g.

the father at one point thinks of his children "He had hoped that Tony might like to be a doctor or a surgeon too, but he saw that the boy was far too irresponsible ever to be trusted with people's lives. Lizzie now; if she had been a boy - but she wasn't."

The Very Peculiar Cow and Other Stories by Enid Blyton

3.0

Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett

lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Requires some suspension of disbelief, but otherwise a sweet fairytale read