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booksonmars's reviews
646 reviews
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I love when you read a book that reminds you why you love reading, specifically the genre. As a lover of the darker side of faerie lore, this book was a joy to read. The writing captures the dreary, damp atmosphere so well it made me feel like I was rotting in a crumbling cottage myself. I enjoyed Effy as one of the most tangible and real characters in fantasy I've read; each of her characteristics are understandable from the things she's been through, like her prejudice towards Preston, her devotion to the particular fae novel, and the trauma she struggles with. Her growth was satisfying to read, as well as her back and forth banter with Preston, who is such a sweet love interest that genuinely cared for Effy. For me, the ending did feel a bit rushed, as well as some of the fantasy elements. Then again, this was less of a fantasy book but more of a fantasy psychological thriller, with the confusion between reality and fiction that even drew me in. I also really enjoyed the literary critiques and the scholarly world, it made the book all the more easy to believe.
I'm really excited that there's gonna be a sequel, and in Preston's POV! There's a lot of hidden depths about him, I think.
I'm really excited that there's gonna be a sequel, and in Preston's POV! There's a lot of hidden depths about him, I think.
Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad
enter ghost is, to me, a quiet study on estrangement. the estrangement of sisters, distant since childhood, and the grievances not discussed between them. the estrangement of a person and the home of their ancestors, and the frustration in desiring to belong again. additionally, despite me not being used to it at the beginning, the author causes estrangement between the reader and sonia, our main character, by switching from first person to script format.
the book is also an insight into daily life in palestine, something that would seem surreal to the uninformed. the production of the play, which is the main bulk of the novel, involves the familiar such as tech rehearsals and set design, but are interspersed with cast members showing up late because of being held up at checkpoints, or cancellations due to tear gas activity in the area. it’s a reminder that despite the genocide there is still a thriving culture and art scene. it’s also uncanny and a show of how art will always imitate life, how much of hamlet, the play they perform, has reflections on the current state of the country.
i really enjoyed hammad’s other work, the parisian, and it was interesting to read this afterwards, set on the other side of palestinian history. even if it felt slow at times, there was just something that mesmerised me.
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
“I think that sometimes, when calamity strikes and puts normal life under strain, feelings that have been stifled by everyday evasion can break free and make it easy to talk where before it felt impossible. Clouds, parted, dissolved. I wondered if this was always happening in Palestine, where calamity was always so close. Or whether it was different for those who, living here, endured it without respite, for whom constant calamity was itself the condition of normal life. “
enter ghost is, to me, a quiet study on estrangement. the estrangement of sisters, distant since childhood, and the grievances not discussed between them. the estrangement of a person and the home of their ancestors, and the frustration in desiring to belong again. additionally, despite me not being used to it at the beginning, the author causes estrangement between the reader and sonia, our main character, by switching from first person to script format.
the book is also an insight into daily life in palestine, something that would seem surreal to the uninformed. the production of the play, which is the main bulk of the novel, involves the familiar such as tech rehearsals and set design, but are interspersed with cast members showing up late because of being held up at checkpoints, or cancellations due to tear gas activity in the area. it’s a reminder that despite the genocide there is still a thriving culture and art scene. it’s also uncanny and a show of how art will always imitate life, how much of hamlet, the play they perform, has reflections on the current state of the country.
i really enjoyed hammad’s other work, the parisian, and it was interesting to read this afterwards, set on the other side of palestinian history. even if it felt slow at times, there was just something that mesmerised me.
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
dark
emotional
mysterious
3.5
a very impressive poetic style of writing. normally i can’t get into a style like that but i fell into the narrative very quickly.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Did not finish book. Stopped at 35%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 35%.
i’m almost two hundred pages in and i don’t feel anything for the characters, their relationships or their plot. maybe if i read this as a teen i would’ve enjoyed it but honestly maybe not.
Happy Medium by Sarah Adler
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
- 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
i really enjoyed this one. gretchen and charlie had such warm chemistry, and were separately individuals with a lot of emotional baggage so it was heartwarming to see them stumble with their feelings. gretchen’s relationship with the ghost everett was also very sweet, which is why i felt that the ending was missing a more emotional punch. i love a soft boy so charlie is now one of my favourite love interests :)
Divine Might by Natalie Haynes
slow-paced
2.0
despite loving natalie’s books in the past, i found this one to be quite tedious. i enjoyed the discussion of societal issues in ancient greece and how they’re reflected in the goddesses, but a lot of it was mainly summarising classical literature with quips of humour that fell flat. i’d recommend pandora’s jar for more in-depth analysis on women in ancient greece instead of this one.
Mirrored Heavens by Rebecca Roanhorse
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
5.0
if this series, particularly the last book, has no fans, i'm dead.
i think this series is faulted a lot for its slow start and plot, but i think it's because the author really dedicates the time to manifest this world and all the love, strife and mysticism it contains. i love a series that follows characters and shows how the world can change them and they it, how they love and fight and grieve, not just others but themselves. it's one of those books where each character served as a foil for a human quality: okoa and his yearning for meaning, balam's poisonous ambition, naranpa's desire to belong, xiala's love and serapio's struggle for selfhood.
there were some parts i wished were expanded on, like xiala's reconciliation with her mother, naranpa's role in the plot, okoa's relationship with his sister and the ending to their story, as well as the rest of tova's. i did love the ending, though. it was tragic but also raw with hope.
i will miss serapio and xiala who were my favourites just because i loved their growth and them together, but i will also miss iktan who i grew to love, and balam who despite his intentions i found really enjoyable to read.
i think the author could definitely do a spinoff series in this universe, there's so much more to explore not just in tova but in other countries that had been mentioned. or maybe a prequel series about the spearmaidens?
i think this series is faulted a lot for its slow start and plot, but i think it's because the author really dedicates the time to manifest this world and all the love, strife and mysticism it contains. i love a series that follows characters and shows how the world can change them and they it, how they love and fight and grieve, not just others but themselves. it's one of those books where each character served as a foil for a human quality: okoa and his yearning for meaning, balam's poisonous ambition, naranpa's desire to belong, xiala's love and serapio's struggle for selfhood.
there were some parts i wished were expanded on, like xiala's reconciliation with her mother, naranpa's role in the plot, okoa's relationship with his sister and the ending to their story, as well as the rest of tova's. i did love the ending, though. it was tragic but also raw with hope.
i will miss serapio and xiala who were my favourites just because i loved their growth and them together, but i will also miss iktan who i grew to love, and balam who despite his intentions i found really enjoyable to read.
i think the author could definitely do a spinoff series in this universe, there's so much more to explore not just in tova but in other countries that had been mentioned. or maybe a prequel series about the spearmaidens?
Cold Clay by Juneau Black
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
a little predictable, but the seasonal descriptions and the cosy setting really flourished. i’d recommend this for a lighthearted mystery series for autumn.