cassiecollins's reviews
266 reviews

The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

So, while this entry was just as well-written as the previous book, there were several choices the author made that I, personally, am not a huge fan of: a mid-series swap from single- to multi-perspective, introducing a never-before-mentioned MacGuffin, and resolving the main conflict with

not one but two deus ex machinas (especially considering the first book ended the same way)

. And, Raihn felt pretty flat as a character in this entry. His and Oraya's arcs parallel each other, so it's hard not to compare them and see that Oraya's is far and away the stronger and more dynamic of the two. Overall, though, I did still enjoy this and am looking forward to seeing the world of Obitraes expanded in future entries.

Six Scorched Roses by Carissa Broadbent

dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.5

I've said it before, but I really do have such a soft spot for fantasy protagonists who aren't warriors. Lillith was such a lovely lead—and I was so happy to see a 30-year-old FMC in this genre! Vale, also, was a great match for Lillith, and their romance was very charming. I do think the ending wrapped things up a touch too neatly, but that would be my only big note. A very sweet addition to this universe!

The Serpent & the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

I'm always a bit hesitant when reading popular romantasy, but this is a book that I think actually deserves the hype it gets! I enjoyed the development of Oraya and Raihn's relationship throughout the book. I also think the author did a good job of showing how, even as a skilled human warrior, Oraya still struggles against the vampires she faces. My only real complaint is that I wish we had a bit more build up prior to the start of the Kejari. I would've liked to have seen Oraya have more success to show her aptitude as a warrior before getting her ass kicked for most of the book. It also probably would've made

Ilana's death

a lot more impactful, since as it stands, it has almost no emotional impact. The ending leaves everyone in quite the lurch, so I'm excited to see how things unfold in the second book!

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

dark funny mysterious medium-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 so appreciate Kingfisher's ability to create fun, quirky characters that still manage to feel like real people. She's kept her signature dark yet fantastical aesthetics here, and they continue to work wonderfully. It took a bit to get the ball rolling insofar as the story goes, but once it did, things got really interesting. The characters and narrative were kept tight and focused, which worked great for the length of this book. A very fun read!

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

I picked this up at a used book store on a whim, and I'm very glad I did! Solomon is great at using lush prose to describe the brutal and grotesque. There's certainly a lot of social commentary here, but I never felt that it reached soap-box-levels of proselytizing—just calling it as it is in relation to the narrative at hand. A lot of complex and interesting female and/or queer characters also really fleshed out the piece. The ending felt a bit too fast and abrupt, but I think it served its purpose well enough. Definitely would recommend this!

Rhuger's Cridhe by Carlotta Hughes

adventurous dark hopeful fast-paced

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

2.0

This felt...rushed. Most individual conflicts are solved within pages so there's not too much tension build up throughout the piece. We don't really get much payoff to all the world-building intrigue beyond Amelia going "You guys need to respect women!" And somehow most everyone acquiesces without much fanfare. If any of the books in this series needed to be 600+ pages, it's this one, and we just didn't get that. It looks like the author had planned to expand on this series, but those followups have yet to be published.

Rhuger's Pearl by Carlotta Hughes

emotional lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.0

This was about double the length it needed to be, with most of it padded out with everybody's favorite trope: miscommunication. I also was a bit disappointed, because with said length and the world-building, I kept expecting some kind of adventure that we never got. The romance here is a bit more developed than the previous entry and just as sweet. Again, though, as much as they pitch consent and making sure both partners understand the other's needs, the prolonged dancing around the topic of Amelia and Rhuger being mates became more annoying than anything. It also just kind of...ended? So, I have no idea what to expect in the next book. I guess we'll see.

Thorn's Dove by Carlotta Hughes

emotional hopeful 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? No

3.0

This was sweet, if not particularly in-depth on the romance. The chemistry and budding relationship between Ruth and Thorn was, of course, the highlight of the book. But, pretty much everything else was on the backburner. The narrative is told primarily through heavy exposition, there were a lot of anachronisms for a 70s setting, and everyone outside of our leads were flat and one-note. I'm interested to see if things get a bit more engaging in the next book, where it seems we go back to the orc homeworld.

The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I really love how the author approaches these complex, multi-layered relationships between her female characters. The connection between Evelyn and Martine is at once that of scientist to specimen, parent to child, sister to sister, self to self. I was enthralled! The ending got a little hand-wavey, but I think it's believable enough that I didn't mind too too much. I also appreciate a book that has a clear message but never has to soap-box to get its point across.

The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

This took a little bit to get going. The first few chapters focus on the history of the feather trade, and they get pretty long-winded. Where the book shines, however, is in the second half, as the author details his own investigation into the locations of the remaining stolen skins. The crime itself is unique, but ultimately this piece explores exactly the kind of culture and environment in the fly-tying community that led to the theft itself as well as the disguising of their own benefits from it. A truly fascinating tale.