crusoe's reviews
210 reviews

A Decline in Prophets by Sulari Gentill

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

Rowland Sinclair is like Scooby Doo for adults and that's why I absolutely adore it. Not that it's filled with goofy villains pretending to be ghosts but because you read this series not for the mysteries but the characters. I love the dynamic of Rowland, Milton, Edna and Clyde, and each new installment adds new colourful characters to their story. 

Yes, their characteristics are formulaic and repetitive but that only adds to the quiet, deadpan humour of the series. This book kept surprising me with genuinely funny moments! I love it! 

This series is quickly becoming one of my favourites and I can't wait to read what's next. 

The Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket

adventurous dark funny tense fast-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

3.0

SFSX (Safe Sex), Vol. 1: Protection by Tina Horn

dark tense fast-paced

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

3.25

Giving me -an asexual- this was certainly a choice on my friend's part but I did end up enjoying it.

Instead of a patriarchal dystopia this one takes puritanical feminism to an extreme. Although there are hints at the end that the patriarchy is clawing back control. The criticism is quite over-the-top, but as I said in a review of chain-gang all-stars; the boat for subtlety has long sailed and I'm glad it showcases the crucial role of minorities in the fight against oppression. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Blood, Alcohol

Foxlight by Katya Balen

adventurous hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

This was a short but very sweet read. It's been a while since I've read a story that is fundamentally about the bond between two sisters and I love how Fen grows throughout the book. My favourite part was how the houses reflected their state of mind with the later houses being a bit of a mess. I also quite liked the descriptions of the lighthouse and who lives there as Fen starts to become homesick and the way they learn how to take care of themselves in the wild. 

P.S. I love the cover of the paperback. If you look closely, it holds a little secret: the emblems of the houses are printed in gloss on the cover. 

Camera Lucida by Roland Barthes

informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

Sometimes I'm just not smart enough to fully grasp what I'm reading but this was a good challenge and a surprisingly sentimental read. 

De terugkeer van Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I understand why this one isn't as beloved as the agggtm series but it's still a really good read that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Holly Jackson makes the twists and turns in her story hard to guess but all the details line up in the end and that makes the story an incredibly fun puzzle. 

Overall, I like Bel as a character; she's difficult, gets angry often and although she's very smart putting all the clues together she isn't as quick witted or patient as Pip is in agggtm. It was refreshing to read!

While it's always a good twist when the betrayal comes from a person you trust, I don't particularly like that the perpetrators were all male (even if this is statistically realistic, nor that it was Bel's dad in the end. Can we have more stories with supportive father figures please?? His motivation was also rather weak.

 

Slam by Nick Hornby

challenging funny hopeful 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

3.5

Slam is really solid. I was a bit hesitant when I figured out it was going to be about teen pregnancy (It is mentioned exactly 0 times in the synopsis), but the way Hornby covers the topic is well-balanced. Yes, it's about the serious consequences it has on Sam's life, but it also doesn't feel like he's talking down to teens who go through this. Kind of had the ails of an early 2000s book; mildly homophobic commentary, teen protagonist who is kind of an asshole at first... but it's solid. 

Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

Holy shit, I feel so incredibly neutral about this book. I don't think this is as funny as Hazelwood's other work, nor did I get as invested, but it is a very charming book. I really like how the stories are connected through the fact it's about how three friends find love and their friendship is incredibly wholesome. 

My main issue is that -because it's three novellas smushed into one book- you don't get as many cute bonding moments between the MC and her love interest which makes the love interests feel flat. I'm sorry, but being a brooding mass of muscle isn't a personality. That said, nice book, and I liked the story of Mara and Liam best. 

I'm also quite happy we got a canonical bisexual MC in Hannah. Ali Hazelwood has surprisingly good rep in her stories. Now I just need her to write a non-het queer couple and I'll be a very happy camper. 

The Miserable Mill by Lemony Snicket

adventurous dark funny fast-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

3.0

The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune

adventurous emotional funny 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

4.5

Half of the reading experience is truly just going: no Nicky, no! In your brain. But if you're able to handle that, you'll find a story that's full of great characters, laugh out loud moments and a lot of heart. I especially like how the character  are architypical but who they are goes beyond that; makes them easy to connect to. Can't wait to read about them again in the next part. 

That said, TJ Klune does have the very unfortunate habit of not thinking through how his reader base will react to certain scenes. Like

the fallout of Nick's dad punching a wittness is not truly adressed. Yes, he is demoted, but it feels like we don'tget to see the impact of his actions. This makes the whole idea of policemen being heroes seem rather forced.

It's icky. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent