drizzlybear's reviews
1477 reviews

The Storm of Echoes by Christelle Dabos

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

this was a wild ride but i enjoyed it, felt really chaotic and confusing but i was happy to go with it 

The Memory of Babel by Christelle Dabos

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.75

again kind of slow until 50-60% of the way through, so maybe that's just the writing style? still had interesting things going on, more tension than the first two books but i think that's 'cause the stakes are higher
thorn is still frustrating as fuck BUT hopefully we're seeing some growth and change there

The Missing of Clairdelune by Christelle Dabos

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

enjoyed this one more! perhaps bc i know the characters better and therefore could guess at their motivations more?
i feel like im maybe supposed to like thorn but i just don't yet. i don't like any of them bc they were mean >:(

A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0

weird, but probably in the way that many translated novels feel to me - something about the culture it's set in being just one step to the left of where i expect
a political intrigue/drama where i have no idea what's happening and what all the character's motives are

The One Impossible Labyrinth by Matthew Reilly

adventurous fast-paced

3.25

he really got me with that

zoe bait and switch

The Two Lost Mountains by Matthew Reilly

adventurous tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.0

idk if i’ve read too many in a row or if im just getting sick of the higher stakes but im not vibing it as much? 
maybe bc higher stakes it just feels like there’s pointlessly more punishment and struggle. 
also rip zoe relegated to being ‘jacks wife’ 

The Three Secret Cities by Matthew Reilly

adventurous tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.0

much shock many value

The Four Legendary Kingdoms by Matthew Reilly

adventurous tense fast-paced

3.0

not such a classical jack west novel. less ancient history, more thrill fights :(

Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino

reflective slow-paced

1.0

read this for book club - one of the members froths this but i totally don’t get it. excited to hear them rave about it though! 

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

4* is usually my 'would reread' rating... i really liked this, but i don't know that i'd read it again. interesting character study/bildungsroman following two characters i genuinely liked and rooted for, and cool to see it set in a different culture and background to what i usually read