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booksonawednesday's Reviews (487)
dark
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:
Complicated
This is the conclusion of a YA dystopian series that has spanned decades - and I absolutely cried at the end.
After the last book was left on a massive cliffhanger, it followed on almost immediately to resolve a kidnapping crisis and a murder charge.
I loved the political commentary throughout the book, particularly how Malorie Blackman made it more relevant to the issues of today.
Some of the character endings were satisfying and made sense, others didn’t as much. There were also some storylines that weren’t quite resolved.
I refuse to rate this book any lower though, since the characters and the series meant so much to me, and I’m sad to see it end.
After the last book was left on a massive cliffhanger, it followed on almost immediately to resolve a kidnapping crisis and a murder charge.
I loved the political commentary throughout the book, particularly how Malorie Blackman made it more relevant to the issues of today.
Some of the character endings were satisfying and made sense, others didn’t as much. There were also some storylines that weren’t quite resolved.
I refuse to rate this book any lower though, since the characters and the series meant so much to me, and I’m sad to see it end.
adventurous
tense
slow-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:
Complicated
It’s hard to review such a well-known and well-loved book, let alone one that effectively founded the high fantasy genre.
Having never watched the film adaptations (yet), I’m going truly blind into this trilogy. I’ve found myself completely immersed in Middle-Earth; the characters, the lore, the setting and the journey are so well-written.
Compared to the Hobbit, there is a notable stylistic and linguistic shift, which I am grateful for, since the Hobbit wasn’t quite as developed.
There are a lot of place names, descriptions and characters to remember. The map in my book helped enormously.
Frodo and Sam might be some of my favourite characters ever, and hobbits might be my favourite fantasy species.
There is, unsurprisingly, a huge lack of diversity. I am willing to let that slide given the time it was written (and let’s face it, the lack of active misogyny and racism is a highlight in itself for a book of that time period!).
I’m really excited to carry on reading the series (and then finishing off by watching the films)!
Having never watched the film adaptations (yet), I’m going truly blind into this trilogy. I’ve found myself completely immersed in Middle-Earth; the characters, the lore, the setting and the journey are so well-written.
Compared to the Hobbit, there is a notable stylistic and linguistic shift, which I am grateful for, since the Hobbit wasn’t quite as developed.
There are a lot of place names, descriptions and characters to remember. The map in my book helped enormously.
Frodo and Sam might be some of my favourite characters ever, and hobbits might be my favourite fantasy species.
There is, unsurprisingly, a huge lack of diversity. I am willing to let that slide given the time it was written (and let’s face it, the lack of active misogyny and racism is a highlight in itself for a book of that time period!).
I’m really excited to carry on reading the series (and then finishing off by watching the films)!
emotional
mysterious
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:
Complicated
But I’ll tell you this much: I suspect we have more choices than we know.
Thank you to Vintage Books for sending me a proof of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Antidote combines epic historical fiction and magical realism in an exquisitely beautiful way. It’s set in the American Dust Bowl, the prairie town of Uz during the 1930s, when dust storms severely damaged the ecosystem and changed the farming landscape.
The main character is the prairie witch, The Antidote, who is a ‘Vault’. She can hold memories for people who whisper in her ear; memories that they then forget. If and when people want to reclaim their past, The Antidote can relay it back to them.
There are also other hints of magical realism throughout, including a talking scarecrow and a dimension-breaking camera.
After a severe dust storm, The Antidote finds that her storage of everyone’s memories has been wiped clean. Fearing for her life, she’s helped by a bachelor farmer, his adopted niece and a resettlement photographer.
There is also the backstory of a serial killer/murderer, and the morally bankrupt chief of police.
Overall, there was a lot going on, and it was a lot to digest. There were themes of social and racial prejudices, personal responsibility and collective memories.
The novel was obviously well-researched and well-written. It explored topics, places and people that I had never imagined, and it did so with grace and rawness.
The ending of the novel was too abstract for my liking, and I would have preferred a solidified conclusion for all of the characters. I also found some of the chapters (specifically about the scarecrow and the cat) too abstract. I also never quite had a full understanding of some of the characters, and I wish we could have explored more with them. However, The Antidote is an amazingly written character, and the concept and the execution of the Vaults was perfect.
Thank you to Vintage Books for sending me a proof of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Antidote combines epic historical fiction and magical realism in an exquisitely beautiful way. It’s set in the American Dust Bowl, the prairie town of Uz during the 1930s, when dust storms severely damaged the ecosystem and changed the farming landscape.
The main character is the prairie witch, The Antidote, who is a ‘Vault’. She can hold memories for people who whisper in her ear; memories that they then forget. If and when people want to reclaim their past, The Antidote can relay it back to them.
There are also other hints of magical realism throughout, including a talking scarecrow and a dimension-breaking camera.
After a severe dust storm, The Antidote finds that her storage of everyone’s memories has been wiped clean. Fearing for her life, she’s helped by a bachelor farmer, his adopted niece and a resettlement photographer.
There is also the backstory of a serial killer/murderer, and the morally bankrupt chief of police.
Overall, there was a lot going on, and it was a lot to digest. There were themes of social and racial prejudices, personal responsibility and collective memories.
The novel was obviously well-researched and well-written. It explored topics, places and people that I had never imagined, and it did so with grace and rawness.
The ending of the novel was too abstract for my liking, and I would have preferred a solidified conclusion for all of the characters. I also found some of the chapters (specifically about the scarecrow and the cat) too abstract. I also never quite had a full understanding of some of the characters, and I wish we could have explored more with them. However, The Antidote is an amazingly written character, and the concept and the execution of the Vaults was perfect.
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
This was a fun and emotional book, with a lot more depth than I was expecting.
January’s life was perfect: an adoring boyfriend, a successful career as a romance writer and loving parents. When her dad suddenly dies and his second life is revealed to January, her faith in love unravels and she takes a hit in her love and work life.
To try and get rid of her writer’s block, she reluctantly retreats to her dad’s second home on Lake Michigan - one that she only found out about after he died. And who should be her next door neighbour? Her academic rival and bestselling novelist, Augustus Everett.
Given the title of the book, I wasn’t expecting the themes of this book to be so intense and dark, but they were.
The dialogue between January and Gus was entertaining and I loved the way their connection grew. Their relationship was so much more than a romantic connection: it was friendship, healing, support and grief.
It was really fun and uplifting to read, although emotional at times.
January’s life was perfect: an adoring boyfriend, a successful career as a romance writer and loving parents. When her dad suddenly dies and his second life is revealed to January, her faith in love unravels and she takes a hit in her love and work life.
To try and get rid of her writer’s block, she reluctantly retreats to her dad’s second home on Lake Michigan - one that she only found out about after he died. And who should be her next door neighbour? Her academic rival and bestselling novelist, Augustus Everett.
Given the title of the book, I wasn’t expecting the themes of this book to be so intense and dark, but they were.
The dialogue between January and Gus was entertaining and I loved the way their connection grew. Their relationship was so much more than a romantic connection: it was friendship, healing, support and grief.
It was really fun and uplifting to read, although emotional at times.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In this dark academia novel where The Secret History meets Saltburn, an unnamed narrator from a working class background starts reading music at the University of Cambridge.
There he meets Bryn, who he immediately obsesses over. Bryn is the life of the party with mysterious moods and a family background of occultism.
The narrator worships the ground that Bryn walks on, and sets up his close friend, Alexa, with him as a means to get even closer. As events unfold during their time at university, the narrator learns what it’s like to no longer be on Bryn’s good side.
The writing and the prose was beautiful, almost poetic at times. The occultist theme and ghostly atmosphere created a tantalising sense of foreboding.
Much like the Secret History, the chapters were long and not a lot happened. The characters were intriguing enough to keep me interested.
This was a solid 4-star plus read for me, right up until the end. It felt a bit anticlimactic and lacklustre. I wanted more detail with Bryn’s ending and the impact on the narrator, especially since the past 300 pages had been building up to it.
There he meets Bryn, who he immediately obsesses over. Bryn is the life of the party with mysterious moods and a family background of occultism.
The narrator worships the ground that Bryn walks on, and sets up his close friend, Alexa, with him as a means to get even closer. As events unfold during their time at university, the narrator learns what it’s like to no longer be on Bryn’s good side.
The writing and the prose was beautiful, almost poetic at times. The occultist theme and ghostly atmosphere created a tantalising sense of foreboding.
Much like the Secret History, the chapters were long and not a lot happened. The characters were intriguing enough to keep me interested.
This was a solid 4-star plus read for me, right up until the end. It felt a bit anticlimactic and lacklustre. I wanted more detail with Bryn’s ending and the impact on the narrator, especially since the past 300 pages had been building up to it.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have mixed feelings with the direction of this new Noughts & Crosses installment.
Overall, I enjoyed it, and I liked revisiting old characters and their progression in the time gap of the previous book. The new characters from the younger ‘generation’, Troy and Libby, were also interesting.
I also liked the more thriller/mystery-vibe that was going on, with there being two crimes interwoven throughout the plot.
Yet it was quite different from the previous books in the series, both in style and substance. There were also a lot of flashbacks and time jumps, which were hard to keep up with when listening to the audiobook.
There also wasn’t really a conclusion to the story, since it feels more like a ‘Part 1’ of one single book. I will definitely read the next (and final?) book to find out what happens.
Overall, I enjoyed it, and I liked revisiting old characters and their progression in the time gap of the previous book. The new characters from the younger ‘generation’, Troy and Libby, were also interesting.
I also liked the more thriller/mystery-vibe that was going on, with there being two crimes interwoven throughout the plot.
Yet it was quite different from the previous books in the series, both in style and substance. There were also a lot of flashbacks and time jumps, which were hard to keep up with when listening to the audiobook.
There also wasn’t really a conclusion to the story, since it feels more like a ‘Part 1’ of one single book. I will definitely read the next (and final?) book to find out what happens.
emotional
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
I’m flying through this series now!
This was more enjoyable than the last book, as there was less of a focus on Callie Rose. She was still a central character, but she didn’t have as many POV chapters.
Tobey, Callie’s old friend and boyfriend, is instead the more central character, and his background was really interesting.
I liked the progression of the story and the romance between Callie and Tobey.
I also like how the series keeps moving on through different characters and generations. It’s not that common but in this context, it’s important to see how the relationship between Noughts and Crosses have changed, and how much work there is still to be done.
This was more enjoyable than the last book, as there was less of a focus on Callie Rose. She was still a central character, but she didn’t have as many POV chapters.
Tobey, Callie’s old friend and boyfriend, is instead the more central character, and his background was really interesting.
I liked the progression of the story and the romance between Callie and Tobey.
I also like how the series keeps moving on through different characters and generations. It’s not that common but in this context, it’s important to see how the relationship between Noughts and Crosses have changed, and how much work there is still to be done.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
Thank you to Bookouture for sending me a proof of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Aisling is a mortal princess to be wed to a Fae king, Lir, as part of an alliance. As she becomes the queen of a kingdom she’s been taught her whole life to hate, she realises that there’s a lot she doesn’t know about the Fae. She becomes enraptured with their magic, prophecy and mystery, as well as slowly learning to love Lir.
This was described as a romantasy book, but it was more of a political fantasy with slow-burn romance (not a bad thing, but I wouldn’t recommend this if you want a lot of romance). The world building was incredibly intricate and there was a huge cast of characters in the mortal and Fae worlds to learn.
Aisling’s character progression from naivety to independence was great, and I liked that we actually learned about the Fae along with Aisling, rather than seeing the story from multiple (more knowledgeable) perspectives.
The writing style wasn’t quite for me, as there were. A lot of. Really short sentences.
I’m really glad that the series has been picked up by traditional publishers though; it’s really well deserved as there has been a lot of thought put into the characters and the world.
Aisling is a mortal princess to be wed to a Fae king, Lir, as part of an alliance. As she becomes the queen of a kingdom she’s been taught her whole life to hate, she realises that there’s a lot she doesn’t know about the Fae. She becomes enraptured with their magic, prophecy and mystery, as well as slowly learning to love Lir.
This was described as a romantasy book, but it was more of a political fantasy with slow-burn romance (not a bad thing, but I wouldn’t recommend this if you want a lot of romance). The world building was incredibly intricate and there was a huge cast of characters in the mortal and Fae worlds to learn.
Aisling’s character progression from naivety to independence was great, and I liked that we actually learned about the Fae along with Aisling, rather than seeing the story from multiple (more knowledgeable) perspectives.
The writing style wasn’t quite for me, as there were. A lot of. Really short sentences.
I’m really glad that the series has been picked up by traditional publishers though; it’s really well deserved as there has been a lot of thought put into the characters and the world.
emotional
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
I loved the Noughts & Crosses series growing up, but I always preferred the earlier books in the series focused on Sephy and Callum.
Since the last book, there’s been a time jump of 16 years, and Callie Rose has grown up. The book is written from a few different perspectives, as well as flashbacks to Callie Rose’s youth.
Callie Rose’s character really frustrates me due to her lack of maturity and communication. Most of this book would be irrelevant if people didn’t miscommunicate all of the time!
She is still an interesting character, just a frustrating one. I hope I’ll like the other books in the series more when Callie Rose is a bit older.
Malorie Blackman is still brilliant and the world she’s created is so clever at reflecting the racial injustice we have in our society today.
Since the last book, there’s been a time jump of 16 years, and Callie Rose has grown up. The book is written from a few different perspectives, as well as flashbacks to Callie Rose’s youth.
Callie Rose’s character really frustrates me due to her lack of maturity and communication. Most of this book would be irrelevant if people didn’t miscommunicate all of the time!
She is still an interesting character, just a frustrating one. I hope I’ll like the other books in the series more when Callie Rose is a bit older.
Malorie Blackman is still brilliant and the world she’s created is so clever at reflecting the racial injustice we have in our society today.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Homecoming is an epic family saga about a cold-case murder mystery and how it has impacted multiple generations. There are themes of loss, motherhood and how we find identity in our family unit.
It is told by several different perspectives over various timelines, and large portions are also a book within a book.
Jess hurries back to Australia when she finds out that her grandmother, Nora, has had a fall trying to get up to her attic. Nora is confused and becomes distressed about the past, and Jess tries to work out what exactly has upset Nora and what she was looking for in the attic, in order to put her mind at rest.
On Christmas Eve in 1959, Isabella Turner and her children go out for a picnic that they never return from. Local shopkeeper, Percy Summers, finds them ‘as if they were asleep’ - all dead, apart from the missing baby.
The book had a long and slow build up, with the last fifth tying everything together in an emotional (and partially predictable) conclusion.
Listening to the audiobook, I did get slightly confused with the narrative and timeline shifts, but perhaps this is easier to follow by reading.
The storytelling was beautiful and the characters were distinct and relatable. From the various narratives, I was struck by how people perceived their own ‘truth’ differently.
It is told by several different perspectives over various timelines, and large portions are also a book within a book.
Jess hurries back to Australia when she finds out that her grandmother, Nora, has had a fall trying to get up to her attic. Nora is confused and becomes distressed about the past, and Jess tries to work out what exactly has upset Nora and what she was looking for in the attic, in order to put her mind at rest.
On Christmas Eve in 1959, Isabella Turner and her children go out for a picnic that they never return from. Local shopkeeper, Percy Summers, finds them ‘as if they were asleep’ - all dead, apart from the missing baby.
The book had a long and slow build up, with the last fifth tying everything together in an emotional (and partially predictable) conclusion.
Listening to the audiobook, I did get slightly confused with the narrative and timeline shifts, but perhaps this is easier to follow by reading.
The storytelling was beautiful and the characters were distinct and relatable. From the various narratives, I was struck by how people perceived their own ‘truth’ differently.