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despinareviews's reviews
134 reviews
Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann
4.0
Rating: 3.5 rounded up.
This book was incredibly difficult to rate. Cora Lawson and Dean Asher (who have been rivals for over 15 years) are kidnapped by a serial killer called 'The Matchmaker'. Dean has been engaged to Cora's sister Mandy and been with her for 15 years - honestly this is the reason that makes rating this book so difficult to rate. 15 years is a LONG time to be with someone and then have the events of this book unfold. I can't say I loved that bit.
This is a *very* dark romance, not to be read lightly. The trigger warnings for this book are kidnap, rape (in a number of ways, on-page), suicide (attempt), death of an animal.
I think for me the issues I had with this was Cora - particularly her 'I'm not like the other girls' mentality and the way she talks in a very deprecating way when talking about her sister who frankly did nothing to wrong her.
Overall not a bad read (despite my lack of connection to one of the two MCs), I will go on to read Lotus which is a spin-off book of this.
This book was incredibly difficult to rate. Cora Lawson and Dean Asher (who have been rivals for over 15 years) are kidnapped by a serial killer called 'The Matchmaker'. Dean has been engaged to Cora's sister Mandy and been with her for 15 years - honestly this is the reason that makes rating this book so difficult to rate. 15 years is a LONG time to be with someone and then have the events of this book unfold. I can't say I loved that bit.
This is a *very* dark romance, not to be read lightly. The trigger warnings for this book are kidnap, rape (in a number of ways, on-page), suicide (attempt), death of an animal.
I think for me the issues I had with this was Cora - particularly her 'I'm not like the other girls' mentality and the way she talks in a very deprecating way when talking about her sister who frankly did nothing to wrong her.
Overall not a bad read (despite my lack of connection to one of the two MCs), I will go on to read Lotus which is a spin-off book of this.
Blackguard 1 by Ryo Hanada
5.0
In a future world where a virus causes humans to become animal-like if bitten, Minami (also known as Blackguard) is a man with a huge skill to kill creatures, but also has a deathwish. With an illness which causes suicidal ideation, he is constantly hoping to die in battle, but is too capable and therefore unable to die. He is assigned a partner, Miyaji, who is there to ensure he doesn't succeed in his aim but continues his fight for humanity.
This is very dark but honestly the kind of grit I love. It also had a small amount of humour to break the vibe, but this is a very serious manga which I think could go very far. I genuinely cannot wait to read more of this and I will likely be buying in paperback to continue this story.
I received an ARC of this volume from Kodansha via Netgalley and leave my honest review voluntarily.
This is very dark but honestly the kind of grit I love. It also had a small amount of humour to break the vibe, but this is a very serious manga which I think could go very far. I genuinely cannot wait to read more of this and I will likely be buying in paperback to continue this story.
I received an ARC of this volume from Kodansha via Netgalley and leave my honest review voluntarily.
Unlocking Japanese with Paul Noble by Paul Noble
3.0
This is a book for beginners to start learning the Japanese language.
A bit of context - I have been learning Japanese for two years now (very part time) and have done classes/read textbooks. I have to say that this book is not the most helpful to my level, and I think you would have to know at least some Japanese before starting it. The reason is because it doesn't explain grammar structures in any depth, or provide a lot of vocabulary explanation, and uses exemplar sentences on repeat as its teaching method. Though repetition is effective in remembering things, I don't think this book would automatically solidify my knowledge in Japanese and should likely be used alongside much other material to make it fully effective. If this was a way to remember sentence structures and practice what you have learned in another context, then this book would likely be best productive in this way.
I would say it is worth noting the entire book is written in English script (romaji) and doesn't use hiragana/katakana and certainly no kanji, which I found quite disorienting because it jumps straight into things which you would assume require (ordinarily) at least hiragana/katakana knowledge). Also, some of the pronounciation guides are a bit ... wrong? I'll use a single example. 'I ate' in Japanese is tabemashita, normally pronounced ta (like tannoy) - be (like bell) - ma (like Matt) - sh (like shush, the i in shi is silent) - ta. For some reason the pronounciation guide for this word is 'ta-bay-mash-ta'. There were another few words I noticed as I went through which had a similar very 'English-ized' pronounciation, which would make your Japanese speaking sound incredibly unnatural.
I would also recommend reading this in paperback/physical form. The reason is that my ARC was on Kindle and it asks you to cover up the red writing a lot, which I struggled to do effectively on the touch screen. I think this would be much easier in physical format.
Overall a decent revision tool for Japanese beginners, but I personally wouldn't recommend it as an exclusive 'learn Japanese from scratch' book.
I was provided with an advanced reader copy via Netgalley and leave this review voluntarily.
A bit of context - I have been learning Japanese for two years now (very part time) and have done classes/read textbooks. I have to say that this book is not the most helpful to my level, and I think you would have to know at least some Japanese before starting it. The reason is because it doesn't explain grammar structures in any depth, or provide a lot of vocabulary explanation, and uses exemplar sentences on repeat as its teaching method. Though repetition is effective in remembering things, I don't think this book would automatically solidify my knowledge in Japanese and should likely be used alongside much other material to make it fully effective. If this was a way to remember sentence structures and practice what you have learned in another context, then this book would likely be best productive in this way.
I would say it is worth noting the entire book is written in English script (romaji) and doesn't use hiragana/katakana and certainly no kanji, which I found quite disorienting because it jumps straight into things which you would assume require (ordinarily) at least hiragana/katakana knowledge). Also, some of the pronounciation guides are a bit ... wrong? I'll use a single example. 'I ate' in Japanese is tabemashita, normally pronounced ta (like tannoy) - be (like bell) - ma (like Matt) - sh (like shush, the i in shi is silent) - ta. For some reason the pronounciation guide for this word is 'ta-bay-mash-ta'. There were another few words I noticed as I went through which had a similar very 'English-ized' pronounciation, which would make your Japanese speaking sound incredibly unnatural.
I would also recommend reading this in paperback/physical form. The reason is that my ARC was on Kindle and it asks you to cover up the red writing a lot, which I struggled to do effectively on the touch screen. I think this would be much easier in physical format.
Overall a decent revision tool for Japanese beginners, but I personally wouldn't recommend it as an exclusive 'learn Japanese from scratch' book.
I was provided with an advanced reader copy via Netgalley and leave this review voluntarily.
Heir of Shadows and Ice by J.M. Wallace
4.0
*4.25 stars*
Plot: Kelera is a half-fae, half-mortal young woman living in the human court, trying her best to fit in. When kidnappings by fae force her to cross the veil into the fae world, she finds herself in Elfhame, a land she is not familiar with and whose rules she has no concept of.
Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My minor critique is that though the pacing was pretty 'medium', it did take me a little while to fully get invested in the book as a lot of setup took place and nothing was really happening (I would say the story starts kicking in around the 30% mark or so? I didn't keep a note but off feel that was probably it) - but once I did, it absolutely didn't disappoint. The world building was brilliant and you can tell the author has a lot up their sleeve.
There were various bits I loved, but my main like is that Kelera isn't your typical 'badass strong character who always knows what to do' which we often see in this genre. If you're expecting a Jude Duarte type character (Cruel Prince) you won't find her here. As someone who has spent her whole life trying to appease and not frighten the people around her due to her connection to magic, she is often more quiet, presenting herself as well as she can and makes as little space for herself as possible, despite having immense power. Her desire to make others feel unintimidated really stuck out to me because the book really develops that side of her without it feeling rushed. You can see her character's motivations and thought process despite it being written in third person in a way I didn't think I would during the first 30% or so of the book.
I also like the fact this book didn't go down the 'she hates the man she is betrothed to' trope. This book was quite refreshing and I have to say though I initially found the main love interest ... too dark for my taste, their dynamic really grew on me as I read on.
Overall, I genuinely cannot wait until the next instalment because the worldbuilding and conflict set up is really interesting and I can see a few things which will likely come up and develop which I think will create a great world - a lot of political intrigue and a large volume of characters who all have distinct enough personalities for you not to get lost with it will also help with this.
I was provided with an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily.
Plot: Kelera is a half-fae, half-mortal young woman living in the human court, trying her best to fit in. When kidnappings by fae force her to cross the veil into the fae world, she finds herself in Elfhame, a land she is not familiar with and whose rules she has no concept of.
Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My minor critique is that though the pacing was pretty 'medium', it did take me a little while to fully get invested in the book as a lot of setup took place and nothing was really happening (I would say the story starts kicking in around the 30% mark or so? I didn't keep a note but off feel that was probably it) - but once I did, it absolutely didn't disappoint. The world building was brilliant and you can tell the author has a lot up their sleeve.
There were various bits I loved, but my main like is that Kelera isn't your typical 'badass strong character who always knows what to do' which we often see in this genre. If you're expecting a Jude Duarte type character (Cruel Prince) you won't find her here. As someone who has spent her whole life trying to appease and not frighten the people around her due to her connection to magic, she is often more quiet, presenting herself as well as she can and makes as little space for herself as possible, despite having immense power. Her desire to make others feel unintimidated really stuck out to me because the book really develops that side of her without it feeling rushed. You can see her character's motivations and thought process despite it being written in third person in a way I didn't think I would during the first 30% or so of the book.
I also like the fact this book didn't go down the 'she hates the man she is betrothed to' trope. This book was quite refreshing and I have to say though I initially found the main love interest ... too dark for my taste, their dynamic really grew on me as I read on.
Overall, I genuinely cannot wait until the next instalment because the worldbuilding and conflict set up is really interesting and I can see a few things which will likely come up and develop which I think will create a great world - a lot of political intrigue and a large volume of characters who all have distinct enough personalities for you not to get lost with it will also help with this.
I was provided with an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily.
The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith
4.0
3.5 stars (rounded up)
I listened to the audiobook of this on KU and have to say the narrator really helped bring this story to life. I have to say that in terms of plot, not a *whole* lot happens that I can remember having finished it over a day ago, apart from the fact I would describe this book as a combination of a romance book and a revenge storyline. Witchcraft is brought into it and I would definitely say the strength of this book is more the absolute *aesthetic* of wine, potions and various witchy things along the way.
I think the plot twists were, in my opinion, fairly predictable (one of them wasn't but I wasn't completely taken aback by it either), but I do think it was well done as a piece of writing which really made you feel and see your surroundings clear as day. So from a 'vibes' perspective I have to say I really enjoyed it. The characters were honestly less memorable, and I don't think the love story was that strong, but I am happy to move into the next instalment (listening to the audiobook again) and think it will hopefully be a good time.
I listened to the audiobook of this on KU and have to say the narrator really helped bring this story to life. I have to say that in terms of plot, not a *whole* lot happens that I can remember having finished it over a day ago, apart from the fact I would describe this book as a combination of a romance book and a revenge storyline. Witchcraft is brought into it and I would definitely say the strength of this book is more the absolute *aesthetic* of wine, potions and various witchy things along the way.
I think the plot twists were, in my opinion, fairly predictable (one of them wasn't but I wasn't completely taken aback by it either), but I do think it was well done as a piece of writing which really made you feel and see your surroundings clear as day. So from a 'vibes' perspective I have to say I really enjoyed it. The characters were honestly less memorable, and I don't think the love story was that strong, but I am happy to move into the next instalment (listening to the audiobook again) and think it will hopefully be a good time.
Forgotten Blade by Jeff Powell
3.0
This book had really good art and an interesting story, I genuinely can't remember much about it despite having finished it yesterday, but it is a book I enjoyed reading when I did. Reading the description of this book gives you the information you need about it, and I thoroughly enjoyed the colouring and art style for this particular graphic novel. The characters are interesting and the story gets you hooked.
I received a complimentary copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily.
I received a complimentary copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily.
The Best Girls by Min Jin Lee
4.0
I read this as an audiobook. A story about living with sexism, I thought this story was going to be quite simple and plain. The ending took me very much by surprise and I had to sit with it for a minute. Really dark and really powerful.
For only 20 pages, this story (particularly the ending) packed a real punch.
For only 20 pages, this story (particularly the ending) packed a real punch.
Rose Petal Graves by Olivia Wildenstein
2.0
This book is about Catori, a young medical school student who returns to her home town after her mother dies. She suspects foul play and wants to find out more about what happened to her mother.
I read the entire thing, but many times considered DNF'ing this. I don't normally continue but I wanted to check whether it got better given I knew this was part of a larger series. There are honestly so many things I disliked about this, but to briefly summarise:
Catori made no sense to me. She is 19 and a medical student, who acts like a 16 year old but speaks of her life experience as though she's 25. I don't think her personality came across very likeable, and I found myself more annoyed by her and her actions. A lot of characters make really stupid decisions which don't seem justified, and I felt myself wanting to slap sense into them. Also the love interest (s) made literally ZERO sense to me in terms of chemistry.
The book revolved a LOT around death, grief, loss. I *know* the word grave is in the title, but I didn't feel like the book was so fully going to revolve around the topic. It felt dark and not in a good way. The story around the Native American side of her family felt really forced, and as it was a main plotline I felt didn't help that nothing felt explained about WHY certain plot points happened. Because I listened to this in audiobook format, a lot of the terminology that was thrown around I didn't feel was adequately explained which led to some very confusing bits around the half way mark (ish!).
Finally, and very mean of me to say, but the writing reminded me of a fanfiction from 2015 when Wattpad was all the rage. Word usage bothered me and the way it was constructed really gave me that vibe. I can't explain it any better I'm afraid - I think the fact it was first person narration and we were hearing her thoughts was actually part of why I ended up disliking the MC.
Not my favourite, though I have to say the narrator did a good job (especially with all the terminology) and I feel bad leaving this review because she really did a decent job with portraying the different characters.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this audiobook by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily
I read the entire thing, but many times considered DNF'ing this. I don't normally continue but I wanted to check whether it got better given I knew this was part of a larger series. There are honestly so many things I disliked about this, but to briefly summarise:
Catori made no sense to me. She is 19 and a medical student, who acts like a 16 year old but speaks of her life experience as though she's 25. I don't think her personality came across very likeable, and I found myself more annoyed by her and her actions. A lot of characters make really stupid decisions which don't seem justified, and I felt myself wanting to slap sense into them. Also the love interest (s) made literally ZERO sense to me in terms of chemistry.
The book revolved a LOT around death, grief, loss. I *know* the word grave is in the title, but I didn't feel like the book was so fully going to revolve around the topic. It felt dark and not in a good way. The story around the Native American side of her family felt really forced, and as it was a main plotline I felt didn't help that nothing felt explained about WHY certain plot points happened. Because I listened to this in audiobook format, a lot of the terminology that was thrown around I didn't feel was adequately explained which led to some very confusing bits around the half way mark (ish!).
Finally, and very mean of me to say, but the writing reminded me of a fanfiction from 2015 when Wattpad was all the rage. Word usage bothered me and the way it was constructed really gave me that vibe. I can't explain it any better I'm afraid - I think the fact it was first person narration and we were hearing her thoughts was actually part of why I ended up disliking the MC.
Not my favourite, though I have to say the narrator did a good job (especially with all the terminology) and I feel bad leaving this review because she really did a decent job with portraying the different characters.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this audiobook by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily
Northern Lights, Southern Stars by C.S. Johnson
2.0
This book is a Christian retelling of Snow White with hints of Cinderella thrown in for good measure. Princess Ebony (daughter of King Maru) and Prince Rion (son of Queen Varyes) are young and in love [despite the fact they are technically stepsiblings, they are seen as having been more akin to childhood friends who were at a distance] They pursue their love despite society (and particularly the Queen!) telling and showing them that their interracial romance should have no place, remaining defiant in their love.
A refreshing take on the fairytale, this book delves into the world of politics surrounding the nations, experiences of racism and slave trade, but also contrasts that to concepts of light, song and love. The main characters are so in love that they become blinded by the bad intentions of those around them, and it becomes quickly apparent that they should not have underestimated the Queen ...
I found the dynamic between the two main characters lovely and their love and dedication to one another was a really good read. Prince Rion in particular came across as a bit clueless when it came to the torment Princess Ebony had endured and the power dynamics there (basically racism and THEN some!), and they both seemed a bit naive when it came to the Queen, but it was a very quick read which was well paced (though slightly repetitive at parts).
NOTE: This story is told from three perspectives - Ebony, Rion and Queen Varyes.
Thank you to Voracious Readers Only for the complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review
A refreshing take on the fairytale, this book delves into the world of politics surrounding the nations, experiences of racism and slave trade, but also contrasts that to concepts of light, song and love. The main characters are so in love that they become blinded by the bad intentions of those around them, and it becomes quickly apparent that they should not have underestimated the Queen ...
I found the dynamic between the two main characters lovely and their love and dedication to one another was a really good read. Prince Rion in particular came across as a bit clueless when it came to the torment Princess Ebony had endured and the power dynamics there (basically racism and THEN some!), and they both seemed a bit naive when it came to the Queen, but it was a very quick read which was well paced (though slightly repetitive at parts).
NOTE: This story is told from three perspectives - Ebony, Rion and Queen Varyes.
Thank you to Voracious Readers Only for the complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review
Phantom of the Idol, Volume 1 by Hijiki Isoflavone
4.0
4.5 stars, rounded down (as it's only the first volume)
Plot: Niyodo, a reluctant male idol who only does his job for the money it affords him and puts in minimum amounts of effort meets the ghost of Asahi, a 17-year old girl who was the top of her idol game when she was struck down in a car accident. They work together and share body in order for her to continue her dream of being an idol and allowing Niyodo the chance to be lazy!
Thoughts: This was *so* fun. When I realised that it contained a ghost, I thought it may be quite sad so initially was put off but very quickly got into the comedy elements, so much so that I want to (and will) continue the series. The characters are likeable (and very different), the art style is really fun and engaging. Genuinely enjoyed this WAY more than I was expecting.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this volume by Kodansha via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily
Plot: Niyodo, a reluctant male idol who only does his job for the money it affords him and puts in minimum amounts of effort meets the ghost of Asahi, a 17-year old girl who was the top of her idol game when she was struck down in a car accident. They work together and share body in order for her to continue her dream of being an idol and allowing Niyodo the chance to be lazy!
Thoughts: This was *so* fun. When I realised that it contained a ghost, I thought it may be quite sad so initially was put off but very quickly got into the comedy elements, so much so that I want to (and will) continue the series. The characters are likeable (and very different), the art style is really fun and engaging. Genuinely enjoyed this WAY more than I was expecting.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this volume by Kodansha via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily