debthebookworm's reviews
294 reviews

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was so new, and different, refreshing. I loved everything about it.

I loved following Yeine and watching her change. I liked the revelation of a slightly unreliable narrator (or even just a mentally disjointed narrator? I feel I got all the information, but just not in the order she remembered them happening). I kept trying to predict what would happen, and I was always pleasantly surprised. The twists were so well thought out.

I went through all of the emotions with the Yeine as she felt them. I absolutely loved Sieh and Nahadoth (Oh, Naha!), and I LOVED the tragic story of the Three. N.K.Jemisin gave us so many stories perfectly tangled into one, and I didn't want it to end...So onto The Broken Kingdoms I go!

Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland

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adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

This was a great an adventurous follow-up to Dread Nation. Though it had been way too long since I read the first and there were some things I had forgotten, Justina does a wonderful job of recalling plot points from the first book into this one, so I never had to go back to reread things that were fuzzy to me. I loved hearing more of Katherine and getting to see her personality shine, as well as see Jane's complicated arc play out. Once again, Justina made zombies consumable for me to read about them. No pun intended.

Kinetics by MultiMind

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dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Don't let the cover fool you: this book is not for the weak!! MultiMind definitely channeled Octavia Butler with this one. The perfect mix of physical, magical, and psychological horror. She's always so descriptive, and you feel transported right into the thick of things.

Also, be mindful of the Content Warning page. She warned you.

Content Warnings

Incomparable by Nikki Bella, Brie Bella

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adventurous inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

It was a little bit ago over the place, but I love that the twins are always so open and honest. I appreciate getting to see the struggles they've gone through and how that made them the strong, kind-hearted women they are today.

Content Warnings

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

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adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I don't pay a lot of attention to book buzz, so I didn't know this one existed until a friend gave it to me.

And oh my God, what a book! I don't say many books are raw, but this just might be the most raw and definitely not for the faint of heart OR anyone looking for a quick read. This book is DENSE, and the most wild of frame stories to ever exist, as sometimes you're pulled through another frame into a nother mini-story. It got to a point where I forgot Tracker was telling this story from a jail cell and was mad when I was reminded. The way the whole story gets revealed, with its twists and heart-breaking turns, is masterfully done in a style not familiar to Western civilization, but very true to heart if you know anything about African mythology or storytelling. I would like to read more of Marlon James's work in the future!

Content Warnings