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chainingbooks's reviews
323 reviews
The Legend of Meneka by Kritika H. Rao
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
4.25
full review to come later
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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
full review to come later
The Black Hunger by Nicholas Pullen
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
full review to come later
Great atmosphere and great monsters, but I didn't find much that I enjoyed beyond that.
Quick list of things that are sticking out to me:
Great atmosphere and great monsters, but I didn't find much that I enjoyed beyond that.
Quick list of things that are sticking out to me:
- I understand wanting to write within the times and wanting to write a gothic fiction novel, it just felt forced to me at times
- Whether or not the main character is intended to be unlikable, it became very hard to root for him. Especially when I was more interested in the side characters, despite the main character making them seem pretty disposable
- The depth of knowledge was so impressive and that made it all the more disappointing when it felt like the well educated main character couldn't be bothered to pull on his Oxford education ever again
- So much felt like it came down to circumstance without truly exploring the complexities and expected consequences for actions taken throughout the story
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Antisemitism
Moderate: Confinement, Racism, Violence, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Drug use, Sexual assault, Blood, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Your Utopia: Stories by Bora Chung
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Let This Radicalize You: Organizing and the Revolution of Reciprocal Care by Kelly Hayes, Mariame Kaba
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
This Is the Year by Gloria Muñoz
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
This book is a fantastic reminder of how we may never be able to find the answers to solve everything around us, but by doing what we can for others it can lead us to great change.
In "This Is The Year" we follow 17 year old Juli as she grapples grief, climate change, and the uncertainty of what comes next. The story feels as though we're reading directly from Juli's diary, most entries being streams of consciousness with some poems mixed in throughout. I really thought that this style of writing really gave the reader the opportunity to sit with Juli's feelings. Although it has been quite a while since I've been 17, I could relate to the anxieties that this main character was experiencing.
What I absolutely adored about this story was the way hope was expressed. In a lot of ways, especially in a dystopian future greatly impacted by global warming, it is hard to see how small actions can lead to a brighter tomorrow. However, we are shown glimpses of how kind acts and community around Juli helped her better understand her place in the world. It's a message that I wish I was able to get at a much younger age. I know I will definitely be carrying it with me in the current political state of the U.S.
As much as I appreciated the way the story was told, I almost wish it was either just diary entries or it was written as more novel-in-verse. There were times while I was reading where I felt like I was invested in Juli's latest updates but the addition of a poem would take me into a different state of mind completely. Not that the poems weren't all beautiful, but I know I have to change the way I read and analyze a poem (likely more of a me problem than anything else haha). On the other hand, some sections of the story had back-to-back poems that I felt like it would have drawn me fully in if written as novel-in-verse.
Despite that, I would definitely recommend this to others and I plan to look into the author's other works.
In "This Is The Year" we follow 17 year old Juli as she grapples grief, climate change, and the uncertainty of what comes next. The story feels as though we're reading directly from Juli's diary, most entries being streams of consciousness with some poems mixed in throughout. I really thought that this style of writing really gave the reader the opportunity to sit with Juli's feelings. Although it has been quite a while since I've been 17, I could relate to the anxieties that this main character was experiencing.
What I absolutely adored about this story was the way hope was expressed. In a lot of ways, especially in a dystopian future greatly impacted by global warming, it is hard to see how small actions can lead to a brighter tomorrow. However, we are shown glimpses of how kind acts and community around Juli helped her better understand her place in the world. It's a message that I wish I was able to get at a much younger age. I know I will definitely be carrying it with me in the current political state of the U.S.
As much as I appreciated the way the story was told, I almost wish it was either just diary entries or it was written as more novel-in-verse. There were times while I was reading where I felt like I was invested in Juli's latest updates but the addition of a poem would take me into a different state of mind completely. Not that the poems weren't all beautiful, but I know I have to change the way I read and analyze a poem (likely more of a me problem than anything else haha). On the other hand, some sections of the story had back-to-back poems that I felt like it would have drawn me fully in if written as novel-in-verse.
Despite that, I would definitely recommend this to others and I plan to look into the author's other works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Classism
Minor: Medical content, Kidnapping, and Car accident
The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
adventurous
dark
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
5.0
I think this is a great fit for anyone that loves books that cover any of the following types of themes: toppling an empire, messy characters, characters unlearning their biases, rooting for the underdogs, expansive worlds, or the struggles of those living under an oppressive system.
I felt that this was a wonderfully diverse fantasy that doesn't hold back any punches. I was truly impressed at how the author was able to balance three strong female leads, especially when they didn't go the route as setting up chapters as different POVs. While it felt like a majority of the story is told from Sylah's perspective, the characters she interacts with all feel so strong in their own rights.
I thoroughly enjoyed following Sylah as she works to find herself again. She was raised with a large legacy on her shoulders and does end up losing her way. When she gets the renewed energy to take on the empire, I was rooting for her even if I didn't agree with her choices. Her journey shows us that you can find allies in unexpected places, what we know of the world may not be the full truth, and what motivates us may change but if a cause is great enough it is worth fighting for.
Anoor was a character I didn't know that I would come to love. Once I did though, she became the character I wanted to protect more than any of the others (even though she totally doesn't need it!). The arc she follows felt like a true underdog's tale and I couldn't get enough of it. I especially appreciated how her character was able to be open-minded and learn from meeting people from different walks of life than her own.
Last, but DEFINITELY not least, there's Hassa. Hassa is a character I would absolutely trust with my life. In the beginning I thought they were just the reliable friend but as Hassa's role was revealed I was excited each time they came up in the story. It got to the point where I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next big lore reveal from them. There's not much I feel like I can say about their character without spoilers, but I will just say that they are a total badass who is smarter than I will ever hope to be.
While I'm bad at continuing a trilogy, the lore reveals right at the end of this have me wanting to dive right back in. I'll gladly talk with anyone that wants to scream and shout about the last 50 or so pages LOL.
I felt that this was a wonderfully diverse fantasy that doesn't hold back any punches. I was truly impressed at how the author was able to balance three strong female leads, especially when they didn't go the route as setting up chapters as different POVs. While it felt like a majority of the story is told from Sylah's perspective, the characters she interacts with all feel so strong in their own rights.
I thoroughly enjoyed following Sylah as she works to find herself again. She was raised with a large legacy on her shoulders and does end up losing her way. When she gets the renewed energy to take on the empire, I was rooting for her even if I didn't agree with her choices. Her journey shows us that you can find allies in unexpected places, what we know of the world may not be the full truth, and what motivates us may change but if a cause is great enough it is worth fighting for.
Anoor was a character I didn't know that I would come to love. Once I did though, she became the character I wanted to protect more than any of the others (even though she totally doesn't need it!). The arc she follows felt like a true underdog's tale and I couldn't get enough of it. I especially appreciated how her character was able to be open-minded and learn from meeting people from different walks of life than her own.
Last, but DEFINITELY not least, there's Hassa. Hassa is a character I would absolutely trust with my life. In the beginning I thought they were just the reliable friend but as Hassa's role was revealed I was excited each time they came up in the story. It got to the point where I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next big lore reveal from them. There's not much I feel like I can say about their character without spoilers, but I will just say that they are a total badass who is smarter than I will ever hope to be.
While I'm bad at continuing a trilogy, the lore reveals right at the end of this have me wanting to dive right back in. I'll gladly talk with anyone that wants to scream and shout about the last 50 or so pages LOL.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, and Racism
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Fatphobia and Kidnapping
Zora Books Her Happy Ever After by Taj McCoy
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
This was a fun contemporary romance that had me chuckling and occasionally gasping at the audacity. Before this, I had not read any romances that had two options as the male love interest, and honestly I wasn't sure how I would feel about it. I came to find that I didn't mind the dynamics of her dating the two men and was invested in learning more about each of them.
My favorite aspect of this book was the characters themselves. They felt fully developed, pretty grounded, and felt like they acted their age (mid to late 30s). I found Zora's focus on building up others in her community to be something refreshing to read about, especially since she was a business owner that wasn't just putting "business" first. It was also enjoyable reading her interactions with her grandmother and her best friend as they helped her navigate her romantic life. Even though at times they felt pushy, they definitely felt more supportive and were funny at several moments.
I also appreciated the set up for the overall plot, especially since there wasn't a third-act breakup. Although I had figured out the major plot point pretty early on, it did lead to a logical reason why she was rocky with both love interests and why she ends up picking who she does.
However, what held me back from fully falling in love with this story was that it felt like one of the men was written in a way that made them TOO unlikable. After one of the major conflicts, I couldn't see a way for that love interest to be in good favor again. While it was fun to be mad at that particular character, it made it hard for me to even consider him an option for Zora. Granted, I believe I would have been MORE mad if she ended up picking him anyway haha.
While not my favorite romance, definitely one that I think is worth the read. I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator did a fantastic job.
My favorite aspect of this book was the characters themselves. They felt fully developed, pretty grounded, and felt like they acted their age (mid to late 30s). I found Zora's focus on building up others in her community to be something refreshing to read about, especially since she was a business owner that wasn't just putting "business" first. It was also enjoyable reading her interactions with her grandmother and her best friend as they helped her navigate her romantic life. Even though at times they felt pushy, they definitely felt more supportive and were funny at several moments.
I also appreciated the set up for the overall plot, especially since there wasn't a third-act breakup. Although I had figured out the major plot point pretty early on, it did lead to a logical reason why she was rocky with both love interests and why she ends up picking who she does.
However, what held me back from fully falling in love with this story was that it felt like one of the men was written in a way that made them TOO unlikable. After one of the major conflicts, I couldn't see a way for that love interest to be in good favor again. While it was fun to be mad at that particular character, it made it hard for me to even consider him an option for Zora. Granted, I believe I would have been MORE mad if she ended up picking him anyway haha.
While not my favorite romance, definitely one that I think is worth the read. I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator did a fantastic job.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexism and Death of parent
Minor: Body shaming and Cancer
By Chance or Providence by Becky Cloonan
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Self harm, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Animal death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Death of parent, and War
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25