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ellariawrites's reviews
157 reviews
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
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
5.0
I am so glad to have read this book.
Entreat Me by Grace Draven
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I really enjoyed this book, the world, and the characters. I did have a few problems with it though.
1. Griffen is very possessive. That quality ranged from endearing at times to incredibly uncomfortable and problematic. The way he expressed his anger was quite intense as well. This is a story of a girl falling for her captor so keep that in mind when reading.
2. I don’t like the way Cat talks about or thinks about her body. It felt very fatphobic at times. It’s wasn’t even important to the plot so I don’t see the reason to constantly bring up her desire to not gain more weight.
3. Daphne. Everything about her character and her plot.
1. Griffen is very possessive. That quality ranged from endearing at times to incredibly uncomfortable and problematic. The way he expressed his anger was quite intense as well. This is a story of a girl falling for her captor so keep that in mind when reading.
2. I don’t like the way Cat talks about or thinks about her body. It felt very fatphobic at times. It’s wasn’t even important to the plot so I don’t see the reason to constantly bring up her desire to not gain more weight.
3. Daphne. Everything about her character and her plot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Torture, Blood, and Sexual harassment
Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Chronic illness, Gore, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
Float Plan by Trish Doller
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This was a sweet, short read. I think the pacing of Anna and Keane’s relationship could have been better but overall I enjoyed it. I will say, as a Bahamian, reading this story was…interesting. I didn’t hate the way my country was depicted, but I was relieved when they finally left. I can’t speak to how the other countries were depicted, and it definitely gave “white girl finding herself in brown/black countries” at times, but it’s not the worst I’ve ever seen. I do wish people would stop assuming that every Caribbean country only listens to Bob Marley and reggae music though. I also wish the voice actor for the audio book didn’t try any of those Caribbean accents.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Suicide
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Murder, and Dysphoria
Minor: Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Dysphoria
Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
No explicit spoilers but tread carefully.
I liked this book, but I think it made me realize my problem with this series as a whole. Wrath and Emilia’s relationship isn’t fleshed out. Like, I feel like they have sparks between them, but no real chemistry. Does that make sense? They barely interacted in the first book so I feel like the second book would be the chance to rectify that. And it does, they consistently interact for about 3/4 of the book. But those interactions are either them trying to bed each other or them verbally sparring; and when I stop and think about it, they don’t add a ton of depth to the characters or their relationship. It’s all attraction but no intimacy, no emotional vulnerability. There’s one scene, the pesto scene, that has that emotional depth and I wish there were more scenes like that. And I know they don’t trust each other, that’s understandable, but I feel as though this book would be the chance to change that. Like I wish they just talked to each other. No sexual tension, no trying to one up the other, just talking. Wrath can’t talk about things related to the curse but that doesn’t mean they can’t talk about themselves??? Like it doesn’t feel like either of them are actually invested in getting to know each other. I know this is enemies to lovers but at some point, it should feel like these characters like spending time with/being around each other. I wish some of those scenes with Emilia snooping around alone or in the library could have been replaced with her and Wrath, I dunno, cooking together or him showing her around the castle or going for a walk like anything at all to build these characters and their relationship so that when everything comes together in the end, it can feel very satisfying. Like, there are times Wrath just disappears and it’s never explored where he goes or what he does. And I know Emilia sees him as a means to an end, but the book is also very in your face about how deeply attracted she is to him. It doesn’t feel like it’s laying the groundwork for a romance, it feels like it’s just a FWB that suddenly becomes something more on literally the last page.
The plot also was very confusing at times and some scenes didn’t feel like they needed to be included. Emilia is still a very frustrating character, but she wasn’t as bad as in the first book. A lot of things also don’t get resolved. We do learn some new things but other than that, the book leaves more confusing questions than answers. And while some of those will clearly be answered in the next book, most of them really needed to be answered in this book. Again, it’s just goes back to Wrath and Emilia’s relationship. They don’t actually talk to each other so nothing really gets resolved.
Again, I did like the book, I read it all in one sitting. I’m just saying that, to me, sexy scenes don’t mean much if meaningful interactions aren’t also in the mix to help the relationship progress and feel believable.
I liked this book, but I think it made me realize my problem with this series as a whole. Wrath and Emilia’s relationship isn’t fleshed out. Like, I feel like they have sparks between them, but no real chemistry. Does that make sense? They barely interacted in the first book so I feel like the second book would be the chance to rectify that. And it does, they consistently interact for about 3/4 of the book. But those interactions are either them trying to bed each other or them verbally sparring; and when I stop and think about it, they don’t add a ton of depth to the characters or their relationship. It’s all attraction but no intimacy, no emotional vulnerability. There’s one scene, the pesto scene, that has that emotional depth and I wish there were more scenes like that. And I know they don’t trust each other, that’s understandable, but I feel as though this book would be the chance to change that. Like I wish they just talked to each other. No sexual tension, no trying to one up the other, just talking. Wrath can’t talk about things related to the curse but that doesn’t mean they can’t talk about themselves??? Like it doesn’t feel like either of them are actually invested in getting to know each other. I know this is enemies to lovers but at some point, it should feel like these characters like spending time with/being around each other. I wish some of those scenes with Emilia snooping around alone or in the library could have been replaced with her and Wrath, I dunno, cooking together or him showing her around the castle or going for a walk like anything at all to build these characters and their relationship so that when everything comes together in the end, it can feel very satisfying. Like, there are times Wrath just disappears and it’s never explored where he goes or what he does. And I know Emilia sees him as a means to an end, but the book is also very in your face about how deeply attracted she is to him. It doesn’t feel like it’s laying the groundwork for a romance, it feels like it’s just a FWB that suddenly becomes something more on literally the last page.
The plot also was very confusing at times and some scenes didn’t feel like they needed to be included. Emilia is still a very frustrating character, but she wasn’t as bad as in the first book. A lot of things also don’t get resolved. We do learn some new things but other than that, the book leaves more confusing questions than answers. And while some of those will clearly be answered in the next book, most of them really needed to be answered in this book. Again, it’s just goes back to Wrath and Emilia’s relationship. They don’t actually talk to each other so nothing really gets resolved.
Again, I did like the book, I read it all in one sitting. I’m just saying that, to me, sexy scenes don’t mean much if meaningful interactions aren’t also in the mix to help the relationship progress and feel believable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content