ginalucia's reviews
498 reviews

The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.

I just wasn't vibing with it. The audio is amazing but the story wasn't gripping me. Might come back to it at a later date.

The Women of Troy by Pat Barker

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Women of Troy had a lot to live up to. The Silence of the Girls is probably my favourite Greek Myth retelling to date, and I’ve read a lot of them. So, did it hit the mark? Well, almost.

This book continues the brilliant, easy writing style of The Silence of the Girls. It’s gritty, hard-hitting, and raw.

The focus of the book? Digging deep into emotions, memories, and each character’s internal struggles in the aftermath of the Trojan War. 

For this reason, the book is slow. We witness smaller decisions and politics that, while still life-changing, take a little longer to unveil. I liked that about it. 

The fallout of a war is complicated, and how characters navigate that new world is even more so. Our focus on mostly women in this book makes it all the more interesting.

I have, however, rated this book lower than The Silence of the Girls for two reasons. There's some fatphobia in there that didn't sit right with me, and the use of a certain word felt totally unnecessary. Some editing and minor character changes/dialogue could've easily fixed those issues.

Aside from these, the way Pat Barker shows us these incredibly complicated characters was honestly a joy. I’m ready for the probably gut-wrenching final book.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt 

 

These Deathless Shores by P.H. Low

adventurous dark slow-paced

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

3.0

Thank you Angry Robot Books, for my advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really, really wanted to love this book, and honestly, I did… at first.

The first few chapters of These Deathless Shores pull you in. They twist and turn the story of Peter Pan, adding just the right level of mystery and darkness with a slow reveal. I was loving it.

This book is essentially a gender-bent Hook origin story with a little darkness. I’m going to be honest though, the darkness mostly comes from the characters themselves and their various addictions. 

I’m not sure this was handled well. It’s sensitive, sure, but it’s also incredibly repetitive and tiring. This, rather than the plot, was the central point in the story and that honestly, isn’t enough for me.

The romantic relationships in the book also left much to be desired. They felt toxic and unhealthy, making it hard to root for anyone involved.

One aspect that particularly frustrated me was the lack of visual descriptions of the characters. It made it difficult to picture them in my mind, especially Peter, leaving me to rely on visuals from other media.

This is also an issue when it comes to atmosphere and world-building. It felt like the author was relying heavily on our preconceived notions of Neverland rather than fully immersing us in the world.

These Deathless Shores is filled with lyrical prose. If you love that as a writing technique, you may well enjoy this book more than I did. For me, lyrical prose is hard to get through when coupled with a slow pace, repetitive themes, and hard-to-love characters.

If you’re a Peter Pan fan, it’s worth giving this book a go regardless. It may work for you, even if it didn’t work for me.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.75

 I gotta say, this book doesn't hold back - it's brutally honest and dark, making it kinda tough to fully connect with the main character, Rin.

As our main protagonist and antihero (the whole book is pretty much from her perspective), she’s hard to love. I know this was intentional. Her purpose isn’t to make us love her, it’s to teach us something about war.

While it achieves this, it does get stuck in a loop. Rin seems to be going over the same struggles and thoughts without much progress, which can feel a bit repetitive after a while. At times, I felt my brain drifting off as she came to the same conclusion over and over again.

The power dynamics in the story constantly shift, which adds to the complexity - but it can also feel messy and overwhelming at times. 

And when it comes to the big climactic moments? I gotta admit, I felt kinda detached. Like, I was expecting this big emotional punch, but it just didn't hit me the way I thought it would. But maybe that was the point - to show how you can become desensitised to war. In which case, nice work R.F. Kuang.

The Burning God, and The Poppy War series is a challenging read. It's not always easy to digest, but the honesty and depth of the storytelling are absolutely worth it. While this last book didn’t quite hit like the first two for me, I’m absolutely happy I took the time to get through it.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Classism

Messalina: Empress, Adulteress, Libertine: The Story of the Most Notorious Woman of the Roman World by Honor Cargill-Martin

challenging informative slow-paced

3.75

 Right from the intro, I could tell this book was going to be a fascinating journey through ancient history with a feminist twist - and I was absolutely hooked.

I mean, who could say no to the scandalous story of Messalina, one of the most controversial women to have inhabited the Roman world?

This book reads like an academic version of The Tudors series. Full of drama, court intrigue, and lots of corruption. What more could you want?

The writing style was the perfect balance between being easy to read and informative, with just the right amount of personality to keep things lively.

However, I found myself slightly frustrated at times. While we get a glimpse into Messalina's world, the focus often shifts to the people around her, leaving me wanting more of Messalina herself.

I couldn't help but wish for more insight from the author throughout the book too. Perhaps it was too subtle, but I longed for her perspective to shine through a bit more.

Honestly, while I wanted a bit more oomph, as far as a non-fiction historical fiction book goes, it’s one of the best I’ve ever read.

Thank you so the author herself for sending me a review copy of this book.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt 

The House Witch by Delemhach
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.

Just not working for me right now.

Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 Spells for Forgetting is a slow, rambling cozy mystery, sprinkled with just a touch of fantasy. It's the kind of book you can curl up with on a rainy day.

This book is dripping with atmosphere - it's like you're transported to another world with every turn of the page. And despite the rich atmosphere, it's surprisingly easy to read.

The small-town vibes in this book remind me of A River Enchanted, but with a twist of small town politics woven in alongside the fantasy elements. The fantasy aspect is subtle, like an undercurrent waiting to surge to the surface.

Spells for Forgetting is a brilliant winding road of a book that's an absolute joy to read. If you're in the mood for a cozy mystery with a hint of fantasy, this one's for you.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Police brutality, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment

Lilith by Nikki Marmery

informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

 

Lilith offers a unique take on biblical mythology, but it's not without its flaws. While the language and storytelling are fantastic, there are moments of disconnect that detract from the overall experience.

The language in this book flips between biblical and modern. There are moments when it really works, adding depth to the story, but there are also times when it throws you off a bit.

As for the character of Lilith, there was a disconnect between her divine-like nature and my ability to truly experience her story. It often feels like we're being told her story rather than fully immersing ourselves in it.

The latter half of the book does drag a bit, which is understandable given the vast expanse of Lilith's long life. There's a lot to cover, and it can feel a bit overwhelming. 

In general, I loved the feel of this book. It gave me a taste for biblical mythology in the style of Greek retellings, which was fun. But the overall story structure and message didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt 

The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #1 by Ram V

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I didn't expect to feel so much in such a short burst of story, but I did.

The artwork is gorgeous, colourful, and expressive. The story itself is mythology woven with modern-day to create something relatable and otherworldly all at the same time.

A delicious combination, and I want more.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, Blood, Alcohol

Horses of Fire by A.D. Rhine

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Is it possible to have so many retellings of The Battle of Troy and have them all be different?

Yes, okay? So keep them coming!

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy Horses of Fire as much as I did. The battle and build-up to it are so vast and encompass so many characters, you could easily get lost in it.

But with this book, it simply isn’t possible because the main focus isn’t the battle. It’s the characters.

The three women Horses of Fire focuses on are each unique, complex, and distinctive. Not an easy feat when their stories are so interwoven. 

I listened to the audiobook, which likely helped with their individual voices (literally). But regardless, I couldn’t help but love each one - even with their flaws.

This book contains one of my favourite forms of writing - character-focused world-building. You get a scope and feel for the location through the characters. They tell us how it feels to be there, they show us what they see and what to make of it - I love that.

This book doesn’t let up, you’re given very brief rests in between a lot of intensity, so bear that in mind. But honestly, I’m convinced. A.D. Rhine, sign me up for the next one!

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, War

Moderate: Infertility, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Pregnancy