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christinecc's reviews
956 reviews
The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A really good time, with oodles of worldbuilding and (be still my heart) swashbuckling with masked heroics and hidden identities. And a LOT of costume description, which warms my little fashion-loving heart. A little long on the whole but I don't mind the long stay in this world.
"The Mask of Mirrors" is basically a long-con where Ren and her friends try to con her way into being adopted by a noble family. Seems like a reasonable plan to be eternally provided for, right? Right. What they don't plan on is stumbling on a city-wide political scheme involving magic, pseudo-tarot cards, acid dreams, and the return of a villain from long ago. Plus my favorite part: multiple identities and masked swordsman who is delightfully reminiscent of Féval and Orczy's swashbuckling heroes. Or, you know, the Dread Pirate Roberts. Depends what canon you're into, but you get the idea. (I also like to imagine there's a HINT of Georgette Heyer's Black Moth. Especially given all the description the male characters' clothing gets.)
Recommended if you want a long stay in a fantasy world with twists galore and intricate magic. Sometimes it's a lot to absorb, but the key is to pace yourself and let the details wash over you like so much jargon. (The Master and Commander series prepared me well. You think I know how a sailboat works? Absolutely not. The thingy rope hangs on the thingy mast. I get the gist. Same applies here, although the authors do hold the reader's hand a bit more than that.)
Excited for the sequel!
"The Mask of Mirrors" is basically a long-con where Ren and her friends try to con her way into being adopted by a noble family. Seems like a reasonable plan to be eternally provided for, right? Right. What they don't plan on is stumbling on a city-wide political scheme involving magic, pseudo-tarot cards, acid dreams, and the return of a villain from long ago. Plus my favorite part: multiple identities and masked swordsman who is delightfully reminiscent of Féval and Orczy's swashbuckling heroes. Or, you know, the Dread Pirate Roberts. Depends what canon you're into, but you get the idea. (I also like to imagine there's a HINT of Georgette Heyer's Black Moth. Especially given all the description the male characters' clothing gets.)
Recommended if you want a long stay in a fantasy world with twists galore and intricate magic. Sometimes it's a lot to absorb, but the key is to pace yourself and let the details wash over you like so much jargon. (The Master and Commander series prepared me well. You think I know how a sailboat works? Absolutely not. The thingy rope hangs on the thingy mast. I get the gist. Same applies here, although the authors do hold the reader's hand a bit more than that.)
Excited for the sequel!
Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Well, the title was right. This book is really one damned thing after another.
Without going into too much detail, the first book in this Chronicles of St Mary's has a very similar setup to Connie Willis's Oxford Time Travel series: a university with access to time travel for historical academia. Except in Taylor's case, time travel is a secret. A very big secret. Also the death count for historians is rather high. Make of that what you will.
It's a fun romp and delivers exactly what it promises: hijinks with occasional high stakes and emotional beats. I'm not sure I liked it enough to keep going but I can see why it would have an addictive quality. Every scene has energy, the story is never boring, and if you have a question it never lingers enough to matter. Really just a high-speed chase of a book.
Recommended for a fast read with fast comedy and a historical sci-fi adventure backdrop.
Without going into too much detail, the first book in this Chronicles of St Mary's has a very similar setup to Connie Willis's Oxford Time Travel series: a university with access to time travel for historical academia. Except in Taylor's case, time travel is a secret. A very big secret. Also the death count for historians is rather high. Make of that what you will.
It's a fun romp and delivers exactly what it promises: hijinks with occasional high stakes and emotional beats. I'm not sure I liked it enough to keep going but I can see why it would have an addictive quality. Every scene has energy, the story is never boring, and if you have a question it never lingers enough to matter. Really just a high-speed chase of a book.
Recommended for a fast read with fast comedy and a historical sci-fi adventure backdrop.
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Death
All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
How could I not give this five stars? It was impossible to put down, moving, and written in a style that takes you right into the heart of the issue: the seemingly never-ending experience of reconciliation for a person who's been adopted. More specifically, the experience of being adopted by a family whose cultural heritage is not your own.
I can't speak to the experience, obviously, but Chung's book made a big impression, not just because of how compelling her story is, but also because of how she discusses the complicated topic of family, diaspora, and building relationships with strangers who are also family. Sometimes that means people, other times that means a culture or a language. It's a strange thing to experience, and I can't imagine how much thought must have gone into explaining even a sliver of it in a book intended for a wider audience.
Recommended for exactly what it is. I'm so glad I got to read this.
I can't speak to the experience, obviously, but Chung's book made a big impression, not just because of how compelling her story is, but also because of how she discusses the complicated topic of family, diaspora, and building relationships with strangers who are also family. Sometimes that means people, other times that means a culture or a language. It's a strange thing to experience, and I can't imagine how much thought must have gone into explaining even a sliver of it in a book intended for a wider audience.
Recommended for exactly what it is. I'm so glad I got to read this.
No Ex Before Marriage by Portia MacIntosh
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
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
4.0
Gosh this was a fun book for the new year.
"No Ex Before Marriage" is a rom-com delight about Poppy, a '91 baby who's just turned 30 on New Year's Eve, and her journey towards the next step in her life: probably being single & happy about it. For now, anyway.
Except that's obviously not where this is going because you came for a rom-com, yes? I'm delighted to say that the book, for all its hilarious romantic aspects, is really more about Poppy than about her entanglements and love interest(s). Poppy's development is the real star, along with a cast of friends and other supporting characters who give the book the right amount of bounce and broad comedy to keep us afloat. The beginning is low-stakes and relatable, the middle is a romp, and the end is a warm blanket with hot chocolate. The ultimate comfort read.
Recommended if you want a heartwarming romantic comedy with lots of humor and ridiculous setups.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for giving me a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"No Ex Before Marriage" is a rom-com delight about Poppy, a '91 baby who's just turned 30 on New Year's Eve, and her journey towards the next step in her life: probably being single & happy about it. For now, anyway.
Except that's obviously not where this is going because you came for a rom-com, yes? I'm delighted to say that the book, for all its hilarious romantic aspects, is really more about Poppy than about her entanglements and love interest(s). Poppy's development is the real star, along with a cast of friends and other supporting characters who give the book the right amount of bounce and broad comedy to keep us afloat. The beginning is low-stakes and relatable, the middle is a romp, and the end is a warm blanket with hot chocolate. The ultimate comfort read.
Recommended if you want a heartwarming romantic comedy with lots of humor and ridiculous setups.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for giving me a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Teeth of the Gale by Joan Aiken
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Oh, Joan Aiken. Your trilogy hurt me so much, I couldn't bring myself to write this review for months after finishing this last installment.
"The Teeth of the Gale" is set a few years after the previous book, "Bridle the Wind." We find Felix, now a young man getting through his studies, called to his grandfather's side on urgent business. Political turmoil is in the air. His family's position is uncertain, and treachery lurks nearby. Felix, however, has a seemingly simple task. His beloved Juana, now in a nunnery, has called on him to help a relative of hers whose children have been kidnapped by their reportedly mad father. Felix and his grandfather sense a trap, not from Juana so much as from the timing and the odd circumstances. But Felix would never fail Juana, so he leaves with his family's brave servant, Pedro.
There's something indescribably excellent about Aiken's writing. Is it the tone? The mood? The subtle care that Aiken put into crafting a believable 19th century Spain at the onset of dark, unsettling period of turmoil? I couldn't say. But the net result is that her characters are brave, kind, and faced with difficult decisions that I don't often see portrayed in children's fiction but is, well, very typical of Aiken's work. Did I cry at the tender moments as well as the horrifying ones? I sure did. Why do you think this review is so late?
Recommended if you like Joan Aiken's work, or simply enjoy excellent historical fiction with compelling characters and a plot that isn't afraid to be bittersweet (or downright dark at time). I'll be rereading this trilogy for years to come.
"The Teeth of the Gale" is set a few years after the previous book, "Bridle the Wind." We find Felix, now a young man getting through his studies, called to his grandfather's side on urgent business. Political turmoil is in the air. His family's position is uncertain, and treachery lurks nearby. Felix, however, has a seemingly simple task. His beloved Juana, now in a nunnery, has called on him to help a relative of hers whose children have been kidnapped by their reportedly mad father. Felix and his grandfather sense a trap, not from Juana so much as from the timing and the odd circumstances. But Felix would never fail Juana, so he leaves with his family's brave servant, Pedro.
There's something indescribably excellent about Aiken's writing. Is it the tone? The mood? The subtle care that Aiken put into crafting a believable 19th century Spain at the onset of dark, unsettling period of turmoil? I couldn't say. But the net result is that her characters are brave, kind, and faced with difficult decisions that I don't often see portrayed in children's fiction but is, well, very typical of Aiken's work. Did I cry at the tender moments as well as the horrifying ones? I sure did. Why do you think this review is so late?
Recommended if you like Joan Aiken's work, or simply enjoy excellent historical fiction with compelling characters and a plot that isn't afraid to be bittersweet (or downright dark at time). I'll be rereading this trilogy for years to come.
The Maid by Nita Prose
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.25
Wow, what a great little mystery.
"The Maid" has a simple premise: our main character Molly works as a maid at a grand hotel. She is, for lack of a better word, particular about efficiency and propriety. In any case, Molly really loves her job and takes a lot of pride in keeping her head down while she works. Professional and invisible perfection, that's the key.
So when she stumbles on a dead body in a hotel room, you can imagine what a wrench that throws in her day-to-day routine. Is Molly ready to deal with the unforgiving chaos that comes with a police investigation? And who could have done this? Molly's not a natural-born detective, but once she's drawn into the mystery, she's not going to get out of it easily.
What could have been a fairly nondescript mystery with a nondescript main character has been turned into a strangely human story about a lonely young woman with, since the death of her grandmother, very few friends in the world. As we get to know Molly, her coworkers at the hotel, the guests, the manager, and even her landlord, we get this really compelling portrait of life with its ups and downs. It's like someone took Gail Honeyman's "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine," gave it a completely different authorial voice, and then sprinkled a mystery on top. It works beautifully and stands on its own.
Recommended if you like a character-driven story layered with a mystery plot and an intriguing setting at a grand hotel.
Thank you to Penguin Random House, Ballantine books and NetGalley for granting my wish for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"The Maid" has a simple premise: our main character Molly works as a maid at a grand hotel. She is, for lack of a better word, particular about efficiency and propriety. In any case, Molly really loves her job and takes a lot of pride in keeping her head down while she works. Professional and invisible perfection, that's the key.
So when she stumbles on a dead body in a hotel room, you can imagine what a wrench that throws in her day-to-day routine. Is Molly ready to deal with the unforgiving chaos that comes with a police investigation? And who could have done this? Molly's not a natural-born detective, but once she's drawn into the mystery, she's not going to get out of it easily.
What could have been a fairly nondescript mystery with a nondescript main character has been turned into a strangely human story about a lonely young woman with, since the death of her grandmother, very few friends in the world. As we get to know Molly, her coworkers at the hotel, the guests, the manager, and even her landlord, we get this really compelling portrait of life with its ups and downs. It's like someone took Gail Honeyman's "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine," gave it a completely different authorial voice, and then sprinkled a mystery on top. It works beautifully and stands on its own.
Recommended if you like a character-driven story layered with a mystery plot and an intriguing setting at a grand hotel.
Thank you to Penguin Random House, Ballantine books and NetGalley for granting my wish for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Patricia Neal: An Unquiet Life by Stephen Michael Shearer
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
Patricia Neal's biography by Stephan Michael Shearer is a real treat for Hollywood history enthusiasts and classic movie fans.
The book follows Neal's life story from her early childhood to her last years, all told in a really taking way. Biographies don't leave a lot of room for creativity in theory, but in practice they can really shine with compelling writing and a candidness that Shearer pulls off with wonders.
What I particularly appreciated was how much real-life detail went into Neal's movie career, as opposed to books that simply list a few anecdotes and movies before moving right along. Neal's life feels human and full, with good as well as terrible times. Her biography is a welcome surprise, especially to readers unfamiliar with her work. It's rare to find a book so interesting that you can read it without having in-depth knowledge of all the movies referenced.
All in all, I'd recommend this to classic movie buffs and anyone interested in the business & career side of Hollywood, where actors hustle for work and try to balance their personal lives with professional considerations. It's all strangely relatable given how distant Hollywood can feel at times.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tantor Audio for sharing an e-copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review.
The book follows Neal's life story from her early childhood to her last years, all told in a really taking way. Biographies don't leave a lot of room for creativity in theory, but in practice they can really shine with compelling writing and a candidness that Shearer pulls off with wonders.
What I particularly appreciated was how much real-life detail went into Neal's movie career, as opposed to books that simply list a few anecdotes and movies before moving right along. Neal's life feels human and full, with good as well as terrible times. Her biography is a welcome surprise, especially to readers unfamiliar with her work. It's rare to find a book so interesting that you can read it without having in-depth knowledge of all the movies referenced.
All in all, I'd recommend this to classic movie buffs and anyone interested in the business & career side of Hollywood, where actors hustle for work and try to balance their personal lives with professional considerations. It's all strangely relatable given how distant Hollywood can feel at times.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tantor Audio for sharing an e-copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
The Mermaid in the Millpond by Lucy Strange
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A simultaneously creepy and heart-warming story about loss, friendship, and the desire to remain kind in an often unkind world.
Bess is a young girl scraping by at a Victorian workhouse (which, I'm sure you've heard, is not a great Victorian place to be). She keeps to herself and looks our for herself. But underneath her hardened exterior, Bess is intrigued by another girl, Dot. And the two of them, naturally, are intrigued by a much more puzzling thing: a mermaid in the deep, dark pond outside the workhouse.
I wasn't sure if this would make for a good holiday season read, but once I was finished I was glad to have requested the book in a cold, wintry month that suits the author's cold Victorian world. Author Lucy Strange doesn't pull her punches when depicting the cruelty inflicted on workhouse children, nor how they ended up there in the first place. But what I find especially impressive about this book is how genuine Strange's message of grief, regret, and hope feels by the end. If there's a little creepy gothic vibe at the start, it's all for the better.
Recommended to anyone who enjoys short historical fiction (gorgeously illustrated), character-centric stories, and a little hair-raising ambiance before that warm feeling of hope sets in.
Thank you to Netgalley and Barrington Stoke for giving me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Bess is a young girl scraping by at a Victorian workhouse (which, I'm sure you've heard, is not a great Victorian place to be). She keeps to herself and looks our for herself. But underneath her hardened exterior, Bess is intrigued by another girl, Dot. And the two of them, naturally, are intrigued by a much more puzzling thing: a mermaid in the deep, dark pond outside the workhouse.
I wasn't sure if this would make for a good holiday season read, but once I was finished I was glad to have requested the book in a cold, wintry month that suits the author's cold Victorian world. Author Lucy Strange doesn't pull her punches when depicting the cruelty inflicted on workhouse children, nor how they ended up there in the first place. But what I find especially impressive about this book is how genuine Strange's message of grief, regret, and hope feels by the end. If there's a little creepy gothic vibe at the start, it's all for the better.
Recommended to anyone who enjoys short historical fiction (gorgeously illustrated), character-centric stories, and a little hair-raising ambiance before that warm feeling of hope sets in.
Thank you to Netgalley and Barrington Stoke for giving me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Dune by Frank Herbert
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-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
3.5
I guess I'll keep this short. Part 1 was 4 stars for me, and Part 2 took it down a peg. (Please, no vegetable projectiles.)
So "Dune" is a classic, critically acclaimed when it was published (following a serialization in, from what I understand, an auto-repair magazine of some kind because everyone else passed). I didn't personally enjoy Dune as much as I have other books, but I do think passing on it was a mistake for those other publishers, not just because of its eventual success but because of the really great economic and political worldbuilding Herbert does here.
I'm not sure I necessarily agree that this kind of worldbuilding was never done before "Dune," but it certainly wasn't common. The book rightfully deserves its comparisons to world-heavy series like "Lord of the Rings." However, the story itself is a bit lackluster, as are the characters once Paul and Jessica survive the big wipe-out from the first half of the book.
In Part 1, we have Duke Leto Atreides, a man given the leadership of plannet Arrakis as a setup for his downfall. The worst part is that Leto knows this to be the case, but he strives to meet the challenge. He doesn't run, and like his Greek tragedy ancestors and/or namesakes, it really doesn't end well. (He dies.) His son Paul and partner/concubine Jessica escape the political assassination of their family and join the desert people known as the Fremen. From hereon out, we lose a lot of the head-hopping from the first half, which keeps us at a strange distance. We also skip years at a time, and when we return Paul is, what 17? 18? And he has a baby?? Ok, sure. Anyway Jessica's not thrilled but at least her religious cult's Chosen One program worked out. Not according to plan, but it worked.
Overall, I'm glad I read this because Herbert's vintage head-hopping narration and fascinating details about how spice works, who needs it, what constitutes power a natural resource, and how this all works in a galaxy of planets who all want the same thing. Does it have some white savior tropes and chosen one platitudes? Oh, yeah. But you can read some much better analyses of those aspect in other reviews.
Recommended as a classic piece of scifi literature, and also for anyone who's looking to sink their teeth into a substantive fantasy world.
So "Dune" is a classic, critically acclaimed when it was published (following a serialization in, from what I understand, an auto-repair magazine of some kind because everyone else passed). I didn't personally enjoy Dune as much as I have other books, but I do think passing on it was a mistake for those other publishers, not just because of its eventual success but because of the really great economic and political worldbuilding Herbert does here.
I'm not sure I necessarily agree that this kind of worldbuilding was never done before "Dune," but it certainly wasn't common. The book rightfully deserves its comparisons to world-heavy series like "Lord of the Rings." However, the story itself is a bit lackluster, as are the characters once Paul and Jessica survive the big wipe-out from the first half of the book.
Overall, I'm glad I read this because Herbert's vintage head-hopping narration and fascinating details about how spice works, who needs it, what constitutes power a natural resource, and how this all works in a galaxy of planets who all want the same thing. Does it have some white savior tropes and chosen one platitudes? Oh, yeah. But you can read some much better analyses of those aspect in other reviews.
Recommended as a classic piece of scifi literature, and also for anyone who's looking to sink their teeth into a substantive fantasy world.
The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
This was such a perfect, cozy read for book lovers who sometimes get overwhelmed by life and need help finding their way back to the literature that comforts them.
Sosuke Natsukawa's "The Cat Who Saved Books" starts out as a regular slice-of-life. Young Rintaro lives with his grandfather, the owner of a lovely neighborhood bookshop. Painfully shy, Rintaro closes in on himself even more when his grandfather suddenly passes away. He can't face school, and he can't seem to pack his things to move in with his aunt (who lives in another city, far from his grandfather's beloved books).
Which is when the titular Cat enters, stage right, and a story full of quiet, fly-away fantasy begins, drawing Rintaro out of his shell and bringing him closer to the cat, his grandfather's legacy, and two classmates who care a lot more for Rintaro than he expected.
If you're looking for a comforting book with a heartwarming and surprisingly moving story, this is it. It will take you back to the days where you turned to books for solace, where a loved one gave you a book you cherish to this day, and where another person entered your life via one well-chosen book recommendation.
Thank you to HarperVia and Netgalley for giving me a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Sosuke Natsukawa's "The Cat Who Saved Books" starts out as a regular slice-of-life. Young Rintaro lives with his grandfather, the owner of a lovely neighborhood bookshop. Painfully shy, Rintaro closes in on himself even more when his grandfather suddenly passes away. He can't face school, and he can't seem to pack his things to move in with his aunt (who lives in another city, far from his grandfather's beloved books).
Which is when the titular Cat enters, stage right, and a story full of quiet, fly-away fantasy begins, drawing Rintaro out of his shell and bringing him closer to the cat, his grandfather's legacy, and two classmates who care a lot more for Rintaro than he expected.
If you're looking for a comforting book with a heartwarming and surprisingly moving story, this is it. It will take you back to the days where you turned to books for solace, where a loved one gave you a book you cherish to this day, and where another person entered your life via one well-chosen book recommendation.
Thank you to HarperVia and Netgalley for giving me a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.