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dannilmp's reviews
68 reviews
Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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
This series has always been one of my favourite comfort reads, even though admittedly, I haven't finished reading the whole series once yet! Skulduggery Pleasant makes for light reading even though there are some more heavier topics dealt with, such as loss, grief and understanding one's own identity.
Mostly I fall back in love with the characters every time I pick this up, I can't think of many other series where I feel all the characters are unique but also fit so well together in their respective social circles. Of course, you have to love a good time to save the world buddy dectective vibe to really enjoy these series. The humour given by the characters and their actions always feels on point and never exaggerated or overdone.
Mostly I fall back in love with the characters every time I pick this up, I can't think of many other series where I feel all the characters are unique but also fit so well together in their respective social circles. Of course, you have to love a good time to save the world buddy dectective vibe to really enjoy these series. The humour given by the characters and their actions always feels on point and never exaggerated or overdone.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
The Priory of the Orange Tree is not for anyone looking to read a book in a day, this was a long read, and not only did it take me a long time to finish, it felt as it took even longer. However, I found myself just as immersed in the story every time I picked the book back up after a break.
I enjoyed following multiple POV's across different areas of the world and seeing how all these stories fit together to form the ending section of the book, however I felt some sections didn't connect as well. Personally, I thought Tane's story took a while to make sense in relation to the rest of the book and didn't feel it meshed as well throughout the end of the book. I enjoyed the intracies of the worlds, the peoples, the cultures and the politics of this book, though I felt it may have dragged on a little too long to be one whole book, it could have easily been split into two.
Unfortunately, due to both the length and what I felt to be the slow pacing of the book, it will be a while until I attempt to read the prequel, and I'm not sure this book needs a sequel, but it would be interesting to see some further world devleopment now that the looming threat has been removed.
I enjoyed following multiple POV's across different areas of the world and seeing how all these stories fit together to form the ending section of the book, however I felt some sections didn't connect as well. Personally, I thought Tane's story took a while to make sense in relation to the rest of the book and didn't feel it meshed as well throughout the end of the book. I enjoyed the intracies of the worlds, the peoples, the cultures and the politics of this book, though I felt it may have dragged on a little too long to be one whole book, it could have easily been split into two.
Unfortunately, due to both the length and what I felt to be the slow pacing of the book, it will be a while until I attempt to read the prequel, and I'm not sure this book needs a sequel, but it would be interesting to see some further world devleopment now that the looming threat has been removed.
Into the Pit by Elley Cooper, Scott Cawthon
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I truly believe it is easier to appreciate these books if you have knowledge of the FNAF series of games and other media. This is a collection of three short stories, which makes it very easy to read 1, 2 or all 3 books in one sitting! I liked the fact we followed different protagonists in different places, despite the fact I feel short stories miss out on some of the plot and character devlelopment you might expect to see in longer books.
I read Into the Pit after the game's release, so I felt I was asking myself questions constantly, referring back to the games and theories of sorts. However, I feel this is actually the weakest story of the three, both in storytelling and the ability to evoke emotion in me. Following Oswald's story made me feel bad for the boy, but once I'd read the other two stories, I thought he didn't have it half as bad!
To be Beautiful sees us following Sarah in her search for beauty, in order to try and fit into high school. Now, as I was once a teenager struggling with self-image issues, I can understand Sarah's pain and why she was so keen to follow through on Elanor's plan. However, I felt the story, and specifically the ending line really tugged at the heartstrings to read
In my opinion, Count the Ways was the most heart wrenching of the three to read, despite the more vague ending compared to the other two. Seeing Millie's character devleopment in such a short story was impressive, which made the conclusion even more bittersweet.
I don't have too much to say on the epilogue story at this point in time, other than I am aware future epilogues build on this, so I'm looking forward to seeing where the good dective's story goes.
I read Into the Pit after the game's release, so I felt I was asking myself questions constantly, referring back to the games and theories of sorts. However, I feel this is actually the weakest story of the three, both in storytelling and the ability to evoke emotion in me. Following Oswald's story made me feel bad for the boy, but once I'd read the other two stories, I thought he didn't have it half as bad!
To be Beautiful sees us following Sarah in her search for beauty, in order to try and fit into high school. Now, as I was once a teenager struggling with self-image issues, I can understand Sarah's pain and why she was so keen to follow through on Elanor's plan. However, I felt the story, and specifically the ending line really tugged at the heartstrings to read
In my opinion, Count the Ways was the most heart wrenching of the three to read, despite the more vague ending compared to the other two. Seeing Millie's character devleopment in such a short story was impressive, which made the conclusion even more bittersweet.
I don't have too much to say on the epilogue story at this point in time, other than I am aware future epilogues build on this, so I'm looking forward to seeing where the good dective's story goes.
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
A book selected as I have always maintained an interest in reading the classics, however, I don't think I'll ever be reading this one again. It is a very challenging read that I would caution people to read on trigger warnings before even opening the book.
Firstly, it is rather intriguing to try and understand the mind of an individual who is a pedophile, as it is not something you get an option to read about a lot. Trying to see what it is that makes someone behave in such a manner (especially reading this with the knowledge of a psychology degree) made this the only reason I perservered to the end of the book.
However, there were many a times I had to put this down just because the material was too disturbing to continue reading, and I definelty wouldn't recommend spending the time reading it, a summary online will do!
Firstly, it is rather intriguing to try and understand the mind of an individual who is a pedophile, as it is not something you get an option to read about a lot. Trying to see what it is that makes someone behave in such a manner (especially reading this with the knowledge of a psychology degree) made this the only reason I perservered to the end of the book.
However, there were many a times I had to put this down just because the material was too disturbing to continue reading, and I definelty wouldn't recommend spending the time reading it, a summary online will do!
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
For a popular book I picked up as the news was travelling it was an amazing read, I must admit I didn't find this book as engaging as others seemed to find it. A story of Dracula's first bride, written from her point of view to tell her story and the stories of those who became close to her.
I can say I enjoyed the writitng style in the form of the letters, which I felt made the change of time periods quite effective and less jarring to read. The removal of Dracula's name was another interesting point of this book and I feel added to the narritive very well.
On the other hand, while this is meant to be a dark book, covering the dark themes of relationships, I didn't feel connected to the characters in the book, nor the situations or struggles they were going through. I'm glad I gave this book a read and would recommend to others as it is a very uninque style of writing, however I'm also glad it was one of my shorter reads this year
I can say I enjoyed the writitng style in the form of the letters, which I felt made the change of time periods quite effective and less jarring to read. The removal of Dracula's name was another interesting point of this book and I feel added to the narritive very well.
On the other hand, while this is meant to be a dark book, covering the dark themes of relationships, I didn't feel connected to the characters in the book, nor the situations or struggles they were going through. I'm glad I gave this book a read and would recommend to others as it is a very uninque style of writing, however I'm also glad it was one of my shorter reads this year
No Less The Devil by Stuart MacBride
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
This isn't my first Stuart MacBride read, and, considering the ending of this one; I'm very glad it wasn't! We are introduced to Lucy McVeigh, and her sidekick, the Dunk. I found this pair to be quite entertaining, with Lucy's take on life, compared to the Dunk's political comments.
Focussing on the plot, we follow a serial killer case which has reached a dead end after 17 months, and a new development is needed to help break the case, which seems to be Lucy's strong point. While it was intriguing to follow through the logical points and the evidence, I think the interest (for me personally) came more from Lucy's character. Cleary there is more to this police officer than meets the eye...
While I can agree, looking at other reviews, that the last 20% of the book or thereabouts, certainly seemed more unhinged and took the book in a completly different direction to the focus being on the Bloodsmith; that this character development and the closer look into the psyche held my interest. A reread of this will defintely be intersting, as the points revelaed at the end of the book could be more easily noticed throughout, once you know what you're looking for.
A thought provoking ending as well, coupled with the Scottish humour and dialect (well written and readable in the text) makes this one of my favourite MacBride books, alongside Halfheads. There are questions about the ending that I will likely keep turning over for a little while, espeically as there are other peoples fates to ponder as well...
Focussing on the plot, we follow a serial killer case which has reached a dead end after 17 months, and a new development is needed to help break the case, which seems to be Lucy's strong point. While it was intriguing to follow through the logical points and the evidence, I think the interest (for me personally) came more from Lucy's character. Cleary there is more to this police officer than meets the eye...
While I can agree, looking at other reviews, that the last 20% of the book or thereabouts, certainly seemed more unhinged and took the book in a completly different direction to the focus being on the Bloodsmith; that this character development and the closer look into the psyche held my interest. A reread of this will defintely be intersting, as the points revelaed at the end of the book could be more easily noticed throughout, once you know what you're looking for.
A thought provoking ending as well, coupled with the Scottish humour and dialect (well written and readable in the text) makes this one of my favourite MacBride books, alongside Halfheads. There are questions about the ending that I will likely keep turning over for a little while, espeically as there are other peoples fates to ponder as well...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Domestic abuse and Pregnancy
Surrounded by Idiots: The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business (and in Life) by Thomas Erikson
informative
slow-paced
3.75
This was an interesting introduction to human communication and personality types. An informative but easy to understand read and presented simply but effectively. I'm looking forward to going through the further reading section and seeing what I find.
Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For by Natalie C. Parker, Zoraida Córdova
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Anthologies are not a genre I tend to pick up but the cover and the focus being mermaids really caught my eye! I felt this book gave a lot of different insights into mermaids, sea dwelling creatures and variation to the typical disney sort of ideal of mermaid.
My only complaint is that I could have happily read the majority of these tales as full length books and was left wanting more, this is a gripe I have with most short stories though. I have to say my favourites were Storm Song by Rebecca Coffindaffer and The First and Last Kiss by Julie Murphy. Storm Song offered - to me - a new take on a siren's song that I hadn't considered before, while The First and Last Kiss made me long for a full revenge tale for a wrong commited against a sibling.
My only complaint is that I could have happily read the majority of these tales as full length books and was left wanting more, this is a gripe I have with most short stories though. I have to say my favourites were Storm Song by Rebecca Coffindaffer and The First and Last Kiss by Julie Murphy. Storm Song offered - to me - a new take on a siren's song that I hadn't considered before, while The First and Last Kiss made me long for a full revenge tale for a wrong commited against a sibling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Blood
Mindwalker by Kate Dylan
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I haven't read a fast paced book in quite a while and Mindwalker did not disappoint! It felt very reminiscent of the times I spent rereading The Hunger Games triology or the Divergent trilogy. I felt Mindwalker offered a more futuristic esq version of a dystopian YA novel.
I adored the complexity and levels of detail to the characters, their personalities and backstories. Adding to this was the constant train of thought of 'how would I deal with such a world' and 'do I think technology should be developed and used in this way'. Those questions and the constant pondering meant I kept thinking about this book long after I had finished those final pages.
My only personal disappointment was with the ending itself, it felt a little too all things fall perfectly together for our main protagonists and I would have prefered the ending to have been a little bit more gritty and dark, fitting with the overall tone and theme of the rest of the book. I am looking forward to reading the sequel though.
I adored the complexity and levels of detail to the characters, their personalities and backstories. Adding to this was the constant train of thought of 'how would I deal with such a world' and 'do I think technology should be developed and used in this way'. Those questions and the constant pondering meant I kept thinking about this book long after I had finished those final pages.
My only personal disappointment was with the ending itself, it felt a little too all things fall perfectly together for our main protagonists and I would have prefered the ending to have been a little bit more gritty and dark, fitting with the overall tone and theme of the rest of the book. I am looking forward to reading the sequel though.
Sofia Khan is Not Obliged by Ayisha Malik
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.25
This was a book I picked up for the Storygraph read around the world challenge, and not a book that would have caught my eye usually. Typically I don't read many contemporary romance stories and while this one did have its quirks, it hasn't drastically changed my opinion on the genre.
While I enjoyed the focus of a romance story not being centred around a white british character this time, I just didn't find these sets of characters or their life stories particulary enjoyable to read about. The topics of conversation, the worries these girls share and their views and opinions on men just didn't click with me at all.
It wasn't an entirely shame of a read though and I did like the ending of the story, but felt it wasn't really all that realistic a scenario in real life, but then romance novels have always felt that way to me.
While I enjoyed the focus of a romance story not being centred around a white british character this time, I just didn't find these sets of characters or their life stories particulary enjoyable to read about. The topics of conversation, the worries these girls share and their views and opinions on men just didn't click with me at all.
It wasn't an entirely shame of a read though and I did like the ending of the story, but felt it wasn't really all that realistic a scenario in real life, but then romance novels have always felt that way to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Islamophobia