clacksee's reviews
1178 reviews

A Pirate's Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne

adventurous emotional funny fast-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

4.5

For me, I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I did the first. Kianthe and Reyna are an established couple, which I love. This book continues to follow them, but also focuses heavily on the will-they/won’t-they story of Bobbie and Serina. It’s more of a traditional romance in that sense, which isn’t my (pardon the pun) cup of tea. But that’s not the author’s fault. 

All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall

adventurous hopeful tense slow-paced

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

4.25

In a post-climate-change world, Nonie and her family live on the roof of Amen – formerly the American Museum of Natural History. But when the flood waters rise even higher, they’re forced to flee. 

Reminded me of both Moon of the Crusted Snow and Be the Sea. I thought it was longer than it needed to be, but that might be just me. 

Simon Singh's Numbers by Simon Singh

funny informative fast-paced

3.0

Each chapter zooms in on a specific number and talks about what it is and why it’s interesting. 

I’ve got a number they didn’t mention: 68%. That’s how far into this book you have to get before you discover that women exist. Many, many (mostly White) men feature in this book. Yet you can count the number of women on one hand. And one of them was only there to read a line from a play (written by a man, naturally).

Interesting? Yes. But it’s interesting that’s about data can manage to present such a skewed picture. 

Surface Tension: Colony Five Mars by Gerald M. Kilby

adventurous mysterious tense fast-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

4.75

Mia and Gizmo are back and there’s another murder for them to solve. 

Imagine, if you can, a world where wealthy corporate overlords buy their way into power, steal as much as possible, and convince the population that it’s the fault of people from over there. Inconceivable, right?

What a Way to Go by Bella Mackie

dark funny mysterious medium-paced

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

4.75

Characters you love to hate!

Andrew’s a self-important prick who can’t remember how he died. Olivia’s a status-obsessed woman who can’t believe her husband had the audacity to ruin  her party by dying. Jade’s a true-crime obsessive who can’t believe her good luck when a rich man dies in her village. 

Horrible things happen to horrible people!

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

adventurous funny mysterious fast-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

5.0

Murderbot solves a murder! This might be my favourite one yet.

The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves

mysterious 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

4.75

Rich, complex characters. The gentle pace serves as a foil to the taut storyline.

Jezero City: Colony Four Mars by Gerald M. Kilby

adventurous mysterious tense fast-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

4.75

Fun, fast-paced murder mystery/conspiracy thriller set on a newly independent Mars. 

The Loneliness of the Deep Space Cargoist by J.S. Carter Gilson

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Five enthusiastic thumbs up. 

I’ll be honest: I judge a book by its cover. And this book has a terrible cover. I wasn’t expecting much in terms of story. But I was wrong. 

This is fast-faced, tightly plotted, novel almost entirely focused on one person stranded alone in deep space. Well written, well edited, highly enjoyable!

Masters of Death by Olivie Blake

challenging mysterious

The book description makes this  one sound like a fun, fluffy paranormal adventure involving a vampire, a ghost, and a fraudulent medium. 

In reality, this is a complex, deeply layered story with a cast of thousands and a plot complex enough for Tolkien. It’s very good for what it is … it’s just that that’s not what I was expecting (or in the mood for).