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eeviee's reviews
974 reviews
Goodbye Earl by Leesa Cross-Smith
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Lute by Jennifer Thorne
dark
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I tried to like this book but it gave me such Delphi by Claire Pollard vibes in a setting that was supposed to be interesting but turned stale. fast.
the premise: think midsommar and the wicker man. all great concepts for a book, and it did start off well. i see how some enjoyed this, but it really wasn't for me.
the romance came out of nowhere. the villain was a convenient plot device picked out of a sockhat. the main character is not very bright. i normally enjoy characters of this sort, they're never boring! but oh god Nina managed to make bad decisions and still be predictable. props to the author though, because I still managed to finish this in one sitting.
Spoiler-ish thoughts below. Without revealing the main "twist(?)" :
not even sure what the book wanted to be. i cant recommed it as horror. it wasn’t creepy enough for that. not gore either. a thriller? perhaps? it would have were it not completely overshadowed by an unconvincing enemies-to-lovers subplot that jumps right in with no preamble. overall this is about a woman who contradicts herself at every given moment and has the worst case of savior complex, so much so that she justifies cheating as giving in to the inhibitions of the land of Lute. gurl just say you’re horny and go. at one point she has a sudden realization that she’s actually a Mom and has Children 80% into the book. but she only registers this when her tongue is halfway through her neighbor’s throat as they make out while people are DYING. yes the husband is conveniently going insane at this point so she justifies this as a momentary lapse of judgement, like all of her choices in the book. and no, she never gets the blame in the end. everyone loves her of course (but not her, she hates herself because she’s pitiful, etc, insert mom trauma plot that gets abandoned in favor of hot brooding widow neighbor)
all the self-flagellation and for what? to get into single neighbor’s pants. that’s it. that’s the plot. the ponies were smarter, they tried to kill her but the plot armor prevailed.
I do look foward to this author's other works. Despite my dislike, I still wanted to know how it would end. All of my gripes are more on personal preference than a flaw in the author's part.
the premise: think midsommar and the wicker man. all great concepts for a book, and it did start off well. i see how some enjoyed this, but it really wasn't for me.
the romance came out of nowhere. the villain was a convenient plot device picked out of a sockhat. the main character is not very bright. i normally enjoy characters of this sort, they're never boring! but oh god Nina managed to make bad decisions and still be predictable. props to the author though, because I still managed to finish this in one sitting.
Spoiler-ish thoughts below. Without revealing the main "twist(?)" :
not even sure what the book wanted to be. i cant recommed it as horror. it wasn’t creepy enough for that. not gore either. a thriller? perhaps? it would have were it not completely overshadowed by an unconvincing enemies-to-lovers subplot that jumps right in with no preamble. overall this is about a woman who contradicts herself at every given moment and has the worst case of savior complex, so much so that she justifies cheating as giving in to the inhibitions of the land of Lute. gurl just say you’re horny and go. at one point she has a sudden realization that she’s actually a Mom and has Children 80% into the book. but she only registers this when her tongue is halfway through her neighbor’s throat as they make out while people are DYING. yes the husband is conveniently going insane at this point so she justifies this as a momentary lapse of judgement, like all of her choices in the book. and no, she never gets the blame in the end. everyone loves her of course (but not her, she hates herself because she’s pitiful, etc, insert mom trauma plot that gets abandoned in favor of hot brooding widow neighbor)
all the self-flagellation and for what? to get into single neighbor’s pants. that’s it. that’s the plot. the ponies were smarter, they tried to kill her but the plot armor prevailed.
I do look foward to this author's other works. Despite my dislike, I still wanted to know how it would end. All of my gripes are more on personal preference than a flaw in the author's part.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
This book opened on such a high note, and I badly wanted to love it so, so much. It has a promising plot: a vampire hunter trying to solve the murder of their parent only to fall in love with the enemy (or enemies). It started off well, building tension between the main characters for an enemies-to-lovers tryst. Then we are introduced to the second love interest who embodies the Mary Sue trope to a T. After that, we are told about their insatiable desire for each other which made me acutely aware that I was reading. In fantasy, I would normally be indulged in the scene that I forget I'm a third person witnessing these events, but this -- this made me feel like I'm holding a boom mic in a set where the actors are told to act but are constantly looking at the camera. It felt uncomfortable and (I'm sorry to say) unconvincing.
Not to say that there aren't any enjoyable parts of the book. The fight scenes were fun, and there were some scenes with minor characters I looked forward to seeing (Elke, for one). I still don't understand the magic system of this world, but I appreciated how some references to Filipino folklore and culture were sprinkled across the book.
Overall an okay setup for a series. I would definitely give the second book a try if only to satisfy my curiosity about the political intrigue this has establishedRemy's father being the mastermind, the mother being the main instigator, Malekh's grief and how they will resolve it, Remy's real power and identity, more details about the world's lore , and hopefully an improved reading experience.
Not to say that there aren't any enjoyable parts of the book. The fight scenes were fun, and there were some scenes with minor characters I looked forward to seeing (Elke, for one). I still don't understand the magic system of this world, but I appreciated how some references to Filipino folklore and culture were sprinkled across the book.
Overall an okay setup for a series. I would definitely give the second book a try if only to satisfy my curiosity about the political intrigue this has established
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Half a war story of a town nearly decimated by an unknown enemy and half a love story of motherhood, family, and a sense of community. I have never felt this strongly about a book since the Poppy War series and the Green Bone saga. There is something about these voices that speak to my small reader's heart. It is definitely not without its faults: I could point out some of the sharp changes in the characters that I didn't like (Takeru's redemption arc for one) but they can be easily overlooked for me as the pieces come together.
Will be looking forward to any of the books released for this series.
Dare I say the main character, Misaki, is a better, more fleshed-out version of KS Villoso's Bitch Queen.
Will be looking forward to any of the books released for this series.
A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was famished by the time I finished this book. The way the author wrote the food made me forget the main character was eating something (or someone) else entirely. That says a lot.
I thoroughly enjoyed this despite how disturbing and jarring it is to read from the perspective of a serial killer. I wouldn't want to read it again.
I thoroughly enjoyed this despite how disturbing and jarring it is to read from the perspective of a serial killer. I wouldn't want to read it again.
The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things: Stories by J.T. LeRoy
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Painful and harrowing, and I wish I could just pick up the main characters and put them in my pocket for safekeeping. I'm a bit conflicted about the writing, as I couldn't put my finger on how unnecessarily violent some of the scenes were, but perhaps in a second reading or three, I might see through. In the first sitting, though, it took much effort to go through this without wincing. These characters, although fictional, are very real. And to be reminded of that is the horror the reader will need to confront. This contains a lot of traumatic events, and content warnings have been added.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Body shaming, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Transphobia, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Violence, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Mental illness, Medical trauma, and Medical content
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
4.0
A slow burn revenge plot of calculated madness set in the backdrop of a cold, isolated Polish town. It is rather painfully slow, but its sinister crept up on me.
Mary: An Awakening of Terror by Nat Cassidy
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
As the author more aptly describes, what would happen if Carrie never had her powers? Well, perimenopausal gore-fest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Blood, Vomit, and Gore
A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift
dark
funny
fast-paced
4.0
I could only imagine how scandalous this book was when it came out during its period. Reading about its background along with the author's origins, and being aware of it while taking in all that sarcasm, made for one of the most entertaining reads I've had this month.
Toxic Positivity: Keeping It Real in a World Obsessed with Being Happy by Whitney Goodman
informative
reflective
Timely and straight to the point, although it could get a little repetitive.