fauna_n_fiction's reviews
40 reviews

Educated by Tara Westover

5.0

 I went into this book very skeptically to be honest. I don't usually do memoirs and without knowing who Tara Westover is, I was wondering if I should even be interested in her story, especially with the name "Educated" I was like "I don't want to read a book about someone going to school." Especially because I myself come from a family that is somewhat extreme with their faith (although not nearly at the level of the Westovers. And I don't usually rate nonfictions either, especially memoirs because I can't rate and review how much I identified with someone's very real story just because "I didn't relate to it."

But I gave this book a 5 star and if I could I would give it a 10 because it hit every nail on the head for me. I felt things, I thought things, I reflected and I felt very deeply about the things that happened to Tara and started holding them up against my own experiences and beliefs and values, wondering what would I have done but still having to put into consideration the background and context of just not knowing.

And I personally think that was the thing that hit me the hardest about this book is that "Educated" isn't just about Tara going to school and getting an *education* and getting her doctorate but learning about LIFE and about herself and her own beliefs set aside from the ones her family were constantly trying to make her believe in.

I also loved how brutally authentic DR Westover was in this whole account. When she was oblivious, she owned up to it. When she was ignorant, she owned up to it and the BEST part is watching her defy that obliviousness and ignorance and educating herself on the topics she once knew nothing about. This story was heart-wrenching but hit so close to home. 

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

4.0

I don't have much to say on this one.

The first act felt like a YA set-up to me. I was a BIG fan of Jiang and I LOVE him! Based on reviews I heard, the first act was very confusing because I was anticipating war and destruction and then it was just her in school. I liked this part though.

Part two was by far the best for me. I enjoyed the introduction to all the new character and Rin finding comradery and finding her feet as a warrior and defender of her country. I loved being in her mind and seeing things through her eyes.

Part three fell flat for me personally. I am aware that big major things happens and I knew I was supposed to be in shock but it took me so long to get through this book that by this stage I didn't really care and was just trying to finish. Maybe on a reread I could enjoy the third part more.

The Hobbit: or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien

4.0

 
I am not sure how to review such a classic!
I am reading this for the first time ever without having watched the movies at all.

I enjoyed the writing style, it felt like a grandfather telling a bedtime story. However, the writing style did create a significant distance between reader and the characters. We were never given the opportunity to get into the characters' minds, thoughts or feelings. Which isn't a bad thing, only something to take note of.

I enjoyed Bilbo Baggins' character and the progression of the story, if it did move very quickly, glossing over details. They weren't particularly important details but the lack thereof really make it feel like more of a children's bedtime story than an epic fantasy!

Still enjoyed it a lot.
Plan on reading all the books before watching the movies. 

The Tangleroot Palace: Stories by Marjorie Liu

3.5

 **Story 1: Sympathy for the Bones** 

7/10 

I enjoyed this story. There was a good amount of horror and the atmosphere. I loved the details and I am a big fan of bone-instruments so the sewing needles, I really enjoyed. 

 

**Story 2: The Briar and the Rose** 

8/10 

Possibly the most memorable story for me. I loved this romance and the story itself was heartbreaking but very interesting. It was such a good take on Sleeping Beauty. I do wish that it didn’t jump over such significant times, like skipping six months again with not much else having happened. I wished there was a bit more romance as that was what I enjoyed about this story. 

 

**Story 3: The Light and the Fury** 

4/10 

Very forgettable. A lot of lore/worldbuilding that we couldn’t get into because it was a short story. I feel like the story itself didn’t have a lot of substance; I would have loved to hear the “backstory” that this story referenced. 

 

**Story 4: The Last Dignity of Man** 

8/10 

This was so complex and intriguing and interesting and horrifying. I loved the main character’s complex inner thoughts. I enjoyed the story that he was set in and I liked the other characters that came into his life. 

 

**Story 5: Where the Heart Lives** 

9/10 

I really enjoyed the relationship in this story. My mind almost immediately started comparing Barnabus to Kaleb from “Credence – by Penelope Douglas”. I believe having read that novel before this affected how I felt about this story because the relationship between him and Lucy was heaps and bounds healthier than of that in Credence and that really made me love it. 

I loved the found family, the individual traumas and the growth together. 

 

**Story 6: After the Blood** 

2/10 

I nearly DNF’d this book during this story. I found it very boring and I felt like there was a lot that just flew over my head. I wasn’t able to pay attention and because of this, I missed a lot of stuff that I think was supposed to be strong and emotional. 

 

**Story 7: Tangleroot Palace** 

8/10 

Although one of my favourite, plot-wise, I think this story felt a little bit shallow-deep even considering it was the longest of the collection. I felt like this was told by someone who really loved the story but couldn’t remember all the details. I loved the romance, the story itself and the ending but I just wish we would have gotten a little bit more. 

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen

fast-paced

5.0

I genuinely love this story. I believe it’s my favourite novella of 2022. Was it perfect? No. But rarely is anything perfect. But it was so close to perfect! I loved this whole story, the characters and the relationships. 

**Characters**
 Vanja – I LOVED Vanja and her entire journey. I love her intelligence and her independence. I loved being in her head and knowing what she is thinking and feeling; why she does what she does. Her entire story from start to finish. 

Emeric – I loved him and I loved the enemies to lovers. It was done so well. I loved his persona and his true character. I loved how much of a gentleman he was and his intelligence too. Emeric reminds me of a more robust version of Milo from Atlantis: The Lost City. 

Ragne – Y’all are gonna get sick of me saying I love the characters in this book. I am a sucker for the clueless-about-human-behaviour character who is oblivious and blunt and causes drama for laughs. She is loyal to a fault and I loved her so much. 

Gisele – I do wish we could have gotten a little more of Gisele but I loved her relationship with Vanja and with Ragne. 

** Writing**
 I usually don’t like present tense but I loved Owen’s writing. I was in it, I was engaged, I was involved and I loved it. I felt what the characters felt, I panicked and I loved and boy, did I laugh!!? Vanja is hilarious. Ragne is hilarious. 

There’s also a lot to say about abuse, and trauma and I loved how Owen dealt with Vanje and Gisele’s pain and trauma. 

During the main climax, it moved a bit too quickly for me but Owen brought it right back very quickly. 

**Plot** 

I was invested and intrigued from the beginning. Vanja is such an intriguing main character that genuinely pulls the reader right into her story. From the beginning I was asking questions, I was wanting more and I was in her story. 

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

4.0

 I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I thought the plot was immaculate and I loved all the twists and turns. 

Characters:

Laia – I love her courage and her motivation. I loved watching her go through everything she went though and how it strengthened her and steeled her. HOWEVER, this girl is SLOW! She takes forever to figure out some things that are fairly obvious. I feel like not all of her decisions were the smartest. 

Elias – I genuinely love Elias as a character. He is deeply flawed but his heart is in the right place and I loved his constant emotion rollercoaster. He was genuine and complex. Every time Elias was being a complete idiot, I chalked it up to him being a stupid boy who can’t read emotional cues. 

Helene – I have mixed feelings about this poor girl. She is so true to form, to her character, to her upbringing and it’s to her own detriment. She is relentlessly loyal and faithful and it doesn’t always serve her well. 

Character Relationships:

Minor spoilers ahead –

Laia & Keenan – I love this relationship. It’s a little bit insta-lovey for me but Keenan is so adorably awkward and sweet that I forgive it. 

Elias & Helene – Best friends with awkward feelings towards each other is always tough to read but I genuinely can’t stand Elias’ back and forth. He says “we’re just friends. I’ve never thought about her that way. I can’t love her.” but then he is constantly having thoughts of kissing her and touching her. He is insistent and genuine about not having romantic feelings but then sometimes he does and I feel like that author only added that to instill the “will they, won’t they” concept. 

Elias & Laia – I ship it. I really do. That’s all I have to say. 

Atmosphere:

I genuinely felt the tension and stress at Blackcliff. I was worried during every scene that someone was listening, someone was watching. I didn’t trust a single sole and I loved the desert atmosphere with catacombs and dunes. 

Writing:

I didn’t really vibe with the writing style. It wasn’t for me. I don’t click with present tense and very often we were told things instead of shown things. We were asked rhetorical questions like we’re watching Dora the Explorer. Although I didn’t like the writing style, the plot development and pacing as beautiful. 

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

slow-paced

3.5

 Firstly, just some quick thoughts: 

1.       There is a major trigger warning for self-abuse in this book. 

2.       These chapters were hellishly long. I think we can all agree that the pacing wasn’t spectacular but a lot of the problem could have been forgiven if things were broken up into easier-to-digest chapters. 

3.       Although this is a portal fantasy, we do not explore a lot of worlds in this. There’s nothing innately wrong with that but I would have loved more of the other worlds than the few brush-away descriptions we got. 

4.       I really don’t like that name “Bad” for a dog. I know it’s so essentially not important to the story but I didn’t like the name and it bothered me. Why speak bad behavior over your dog for his whole life? 

5.       This has to be the most beautiful book cover in the whole world. My aesthetic tied up in a beautiful bow! 

Some books with similar themes: 

The Starless Sea – To compare this story to the Starless Sea is unnecessary. The stories are completely different. However, the same beautiful idea of love is present in this story as well, there are doors and the writing is beautiful. There is also the same slow-pacing and the lack of world-hopping. 

The Wayward Children Series – A child who has found a door to her own world and then loses it. It is similar. The writing is vastly different and FOR SURE, the pacing is worlds apart. However, McGuire gives us more about the other worlds than Harrow does and a lot more “rules” on how doors do and don’t work. 

Characters

January – I enjoyed January as a main character. I loved her wavering sense-of-self, her morals and motivations and the decisions she made. I really felt for her and I rooted for her success. She was strong and resilient and I enjoyed reading about her story. 

The other characters in the story were very well written as well. Everyone had their part to play and played it well, however, that is all they did. Other than our four MAIN characters, the others fell flat. And I feel inclined to say that only two of our main characters were 100% fleshed out as even Ade and Julian, along with the rest of the cast, were reduced to how they played a role in January’s story. And for a novel all about one’s story and how they choose to write it, I feel like we could have dived a little deeper into the supporting characters. 

In terms of antagonists, this book is the epitome of “were they really the bad guy?” and “they believed what they were doing was the right thing to do” and “can we REALLY call them a villain?” and if delivered that beautifully and spectacularly. 

Atmosphere

Once again, we don’t get a lot about the different worlds behind doors. We get a lot about America in the early 1900s and although this book follows characters who explored the entire world and others, we didn’t really stray away from two main areas. 

I enjoyed the areas we did explore and Locke House definitely felt foreboding and mysterious and impossibly grand and large but somehow like a tiny cage at the same time. 

Writing

In terms of descriptions and general writing style, I really loved it. I knew what everything looked and felt like and I followed along very easily. I loved the mention of how letters resemble symbols of the things they refer to and the “grand-ness” of capital letters. 

I loved the “you are part of the story” vibe that was in this story. I felt truly connected to the characters as I was always brought into the story and asked rhetorical questions and begged to reconsider how I feel about certain things, or to re-look at some details to figure something out. 

As for pacing, I genuinely feel the beginning of the book could have been reduced to a few short chapters and the end of the book had 4/5 places where it could have satisfyingly ended. 

As for the ‘looming threat’ this book offered, I wasn’t all too scared of them. They weren’t as deadly as they were made out to be and I never felt like I was looking over my shoulder and worried for the character as much as I would have liked to be. Assholes, yes. Terrifying, not really. 

Spoilers from here on out:

I did enjoy what the epilogue said that January would be doing with her life. I LOVE the idea of a mansion with doors leading to different places and the idea of returning all those stolen items and righting her father’s wrongs.

 

 

  When it comes to Mr Locke, I genuinely enjoyed him as a villain. I will say that I was very on the fence about him the whole book, as we were meant to be, but the plot twist wasn’t all THAT shocking. I found him to be more of a villain at the beginning of the book than at the end. However, I LIVED for the concept that he truly believed he was doing right by the world and by January. He wasn’t sinister and evil, just very powerful and aggressive towards what he wanted. I genuinely think he did love January and perhaps he felt he loved her too much. I enjoyed the ending of his part in the story. 

 

 

I am not 100% happy that all the endings we got were happy. It did feel very “happily ever after” and I would have loved a little bit more mystery like ending off the story with January and her mother going out to look for Julian. 

 

 

I thought they were going to leave Jane’s story completely open-ended and possibly introduce another book following her journey and honestly, Jane was one of my favorite characters. I want to know so much more about her world and her story. I don’t think I can agree with January’s decision to leave them, especially because she didn’t leave to rid them of the threat hanging over their heads (that is there because of her) but she left them to run away to her own world and finish her story before helping to finish theirs. 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

Moderate: Animal cruelty

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

5.0

This book was damn-near perfect! I loved it so much. I sped through this book in two days because I COULD NOT put it down. The pacing is done so well and we are pulled along so beautifully that there was never a moment when I wanted to put the book down. We get straight to the action, straight to the drama and I was here for it. 

However, damn-near perfect means that it wasn’t perfect. So, let’s get into it. 

The Good 

Character

All the characters we were meant to love, I loved! All the characters we were meant to hate, I despised. It was brilliant. 

Barnes did a fantastic job at immediately letting us know what kind of person each character was. From the moment Drake said his first words, hated him. From the moment Jameson spoke, loved him. She immediately set the tone for what you’re in for with each character. 

Another thing Barnes did SO well is that none of the characters strayed away from who they were. Everyone was authentic with the type of person they were and they never changed or did anything that seemed out of character for them. 

I am talking about *the* bathroom scene! It was such a gut-punch but SOOO real and raw. I was here for the pain. 

Atmosphere

I LOVED Hawthorne House! The secret passages and the huge plot of land and the description of the architecture. I am sure we can all relate to wanting a big old-school estate, that is totally my aesthetic and dream life so I was living for all the rooms and secret entrances and secrets wings! I loved it. 

Writing 

This book flew by so quickly. The pacing was immaculate and there was never a moment when I was bored. Don’t get me wrong, there was nothing phenomenally lyrical or poetic but it worked for the story and what needed to be said was said. 

The Bad

The love triangle

I have never been a fan of the falling-for-two-brothers thing. So as soon as I started seeing that come up, I was rolling my eyes. However, if you’re like me and hate that trope, I wouldn’t let it turn you off the book because it was barely a triangle. There is very clearly one of the brother’s who Avery has chemistry with and is infatuated with and then the other brother is brought in PURELY in order for us to compare Avery to Emily. 

I felt like there was no reason to have Avery into both of the boys and I think it wasn’t executed perfectly because the one brother was only mild attraction and it wasn’t needed. I understand the thought-process of trying to have her as a parallel to Emily but the story would have worked perfectly well without that. 

Avery

Avery was a bit of a pick-me girl. She was constantly saying “girls like me” and asking “oh, why would they be interested in me?” Sometimes it worked and other times I felt it completely unnecessary because she never actually showed a side that was strange or unique or particularly “quirky.” She was an average plain-Jane and had no reason to think of herself as weird or “not like the other girls.” 

Conveniences 

SPOILERS:
<spoilers>The fact that Emily HAPPENED to die on the same day Avery was born… I refuse to believe that’s the whole story. The fact that Tobias met her at six and kept an eye on her (number 1 is kinda creepy) doesn’t really make up for the fact that this entire game was based on that detail. </spoilers>

I cannot wait to read the next book because I KNOW we don’t have all the answers and I NEED them! 

SPOILERS:
<spoilers>The Assassination Attempts 

There was already so much going on with the mystery and Emily and everything that the assassination seems a little bit too much for me. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it but it didn’t fully fit in with everything else that was happening. 

I feel like genuinely the story would have gone the same way without the assassination plot line so it didn’t feel completely necessary.</spoilers>

Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire

fast-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? Yes

4.0

Every Heart a Doorway – 4/5
Down Among the Sticks and Bones – 5/5
Beneath the Sugar Sky – 4/5 

I was super excited for this book because I have one big ol’ sweet tooth. But this series is constantly throwing me curveballs. I was nervous to read DAtSaB and it’s my favourite in the series so far and I was so excited to read this and it was just kinda average. 

Characters: 

Kade – All hail Kade. He is so sweet and wholesome and lovable! But you can FOR SURE see how taking up the role as Eleanor’s assistant has made him mature. He’s a lot more stoic and serious and taking more responsibility than in EHaD. 

His backstory is still a little bit confusing; I can’t wait for his novella! I just want to know everything about him. 

Cora – I am SUPER confused about Cora’s story. I don’t really know when she was in our world and when she was in the Trenches and for how long. It’s not a huge deal but I didn’t fully grasp it. I LOVE her character and her strength. I appreciated her being the “second-in-command” sorta and I love that she carried that responsibility really well. 

Rini – Just like Sumi, I love her but she is a tiny bit too crude and blunt for me. I love a blunt character but sometimes it makes me the tiniest bit uncomfortable. 

Christopher – Love this boy. I love him and I love his story and the backstory with his flute was *chef’s kiss.* I love his humour and his authenticity! 

                “You were a mermaid, weren’t you? That’s what Nadya said.” 

“I still am,” said Cora. “I just have my scales under my skin for now.” 

Christopher smiled, a little lopsided. “Funny. That’s where I keep my bones.”

Atmosphere:

We jumped around a lot in this book but I enjoyed all the places we visited. I am a SIMP for the Lord of the Dead even if he was only there for 5 seconds. 

I am SO excited to read Where the Drowned Girls Go because I LOVE water and the ocean and if I could be a mermaid, I WOULD! 

I am so intrigued in this world! I love how it is fantastical but still real enough for me to stare at doors and really wander what’s on the other side. 

Writing:

As per usual, McGuire’s writing is spectacular and poetic and I love it. 

                If the light and the water came together just so, if the rainbow touched down where she could reach it, she would be gone, off and running, running, running all the way home. 

Plot:

I feel like this plot moved along a lot better than the story in EHaD. The pacing was super nicely handled and I loved the resolution at the end. 

I am happy about who found their doors and who didn’t.

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Let me preface this by saying the Jurassic Park movies (especially the first three) are some of my favourite movies of all time. I love the nostalgia and the tension and the actors involved. I didn't read the book before watching the movies (I was very young, forgive me.) Because I loved the movies so much, I was SO EAGER to read the book. 

This is one of the only times I will confess to liking the movie substantially more than the book. Here's why: 

CHARACTERS:

Movie: 

I love Dr Grant and Ellie. I enjoy Dr Grant's slow progression with the children and their trust of him. I love Mr Hammond and his motives behind building the park. And Ian Malcolm was just the right amount of "I am right, you're wrong" and sarcastic remarks. 

Book: 

I only like Dr Grant, Ellie and Tim. 

One thing to mention is: in the books, Dr Grant LOVES kids and connects with Timmy immediately. 

                “Grant liked kids – it was impossible not to like any group so openly enthusiastic about dinosaurs.” 

Ian Malcom – This man droned on non-stop every time he was on the page. Often, I was losing him as much as Hammond was. Honestly, he would not let sleeping dogs lie and continued to berate Hammond long after the fact. He went on tangents that I felt didn’t link to the message he was trying to send. Then again, I don’t have a huge interest in science so maybe that’s where my problems lie. 

Mr Hammand – They made everyone in the book a lot more likable in the movie. In the movie, despite his ignorance and laisse-faire management of the park, the audience could forgive Hammond because he has PASSION and he had a dream. AND he was doing it for the right reasons; 

                “Donald, Donald, this park was not built to cater only for the super rich. Everyone in the world has the right to enjoy these animals.” – John Hammond, Jurassic Park (Movie) 

                “And nothing is going to stop me from opening Jurassic Park to all the children in the world. Or, at least the rich ones.” – John Hammond, Jurassic Park (Book) 

In the movie, Hammond repeatedly says “Spared no expense,” but in the book we hear about how many corners he cut to spare expenses. 

 

Lex – They aged her up in the movies to be older than Timmy but in the book, she is the most annoying 8-year-old in the history of literature. (Don’t quote me on that.) In high stakes, high tension situations, she just constantly irritating and spoke when she shouldn’t, also saying the most irrelevant thing. I love kids, and I enjoy their blissfulness and innocent ignorance. But this child when from being truly traumatised by a T-Rex attack (PS: I love how her trauma was shown in the book) to wanting ice-cream AND ONLY ICE-CREAM. 

The most irritating part was that one moment she felt more intelligent than an 8-year-old should be and then other times, she was more like a 5-year-old. She stands on someone’s ear like it means absolutely nothing just after whining about wanting ice-cream and not candy bars. 
 

ATMOSPHERE & WRITING: 

I loved the atmosphere of Jurassic Park even in the novel. I loved the pacing of the book and Crichton’s writing was very easy to read and speed through (save for Malcolm’s monologues.) 

I did tab my copy, and one of the most prevalent tabs was one I called “White Hetero Man Syndrome” where either a POC or a woman was written badly. Call it a sign of the times if you will, but this novel was only written in 1991. I did like Ellie’s comebacks though. 

                “You’re a woman.” [Said by Gennaro.] 

                “These things happen.” [Ellie’s response.] 

PLOT: 

The movie and book do stay on the same general plot beats however, certain events happen with different characters in the movie than in the book. Some people die in the book (I won’t say who) that don’t die in the movie and people who die in the movie, survive in the book. It was a bit confusing and I am not sure why they would have changed it for the movie but it is what it is. 

I will say that I started getting fairly bored near the ending. It started feeling slightly repetitive with the same threats and issues coming up again when it wasn’t needed. 

LOGIC: 

The characters in the book make the WORST decisions and I can’t understand why. I was often frustrated with why they were making the choices they were making. For example: (I DON’T REALLY COUNT THIS AS A SPOILER BUT SKIP THE NEXT BIT IF YOU DON’T WANT ANY SPOILERS.) 

There is a period of time in the book where Malcolm is confined to a room with his broken leg. Other characters are in the room with him and the room has a skylight. Raptors find their way onto the roof and start chewing and breaking through the skylight and continue to go at it for at least half an hour. Malcolm and the gang, JUST WATCH THEM. They all just sit and worry about them getting through but don’t move or make any precautions. When the power is eventually restored, the electric cables (which somehow the raptor’s didn’t destroy during their assault) electrify the raptors AND THEN they move Malcolm to another room. I was just mystified as to why this was what they decided to do. 

Overall, I much preferred the movie for the reason that all the characters were a lot more likable and relatable. I am an advocate for unlikable characters who make dumb decisions, but there was no overarching reason for any of the decisions they made. 

Will always love the movie and I am really glad I read the book.