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ginalucia's reviews
496 reviews
The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. MacLean
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
This might be the month of DNF because I'm DNFing The Phoenix Keeper. The main character is very annoying when she should be relatable and as I thought might happen, the zoo setting is not for me. I don't like zoos but I thought this might work being fantasy and all, but nope. The audiobook narrator also made the main characters even more annoying 😅ðŸ˜
A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A Snake Falls to Earth is a slow, winding story that blends Lipan Apache culture, mythology, and storytelling, with modern-day life.
In a two-part perspective, we experience both worlds in an almost cosy mystery. Not a mystery for the characters, but one for the reader.
I’m going to be honest, the story was difficult for me to grip onto at first. I don’t think this is the fault of the story itself, but the medium I was reading in. I read the first half of the book on the app Fable (my phone). This was a major struggle and made the story feel even slower.
As soon as I swapped to audiobook (on recommendation), the story and characters came alive.
If you’re looking for a slow-build story with mythology, modern references, messages about climate change, and found family, give this a go.
For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence
Moderate: Animal death, Grief
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Spellshop is a cute, fun, and harmless cosy fantasy that hits all the marks.
It's got that magic Stardew Valley formula. Get an old abandoned house and land, fix it, do it up, and gradually sort out your life with meagre supplies after living a cushy life in the city. You also have to meet the locals and get their help. Who doesn't want that?!
The romance in the book is pretty refreshing due to their personality types but it can be a little cheesy at times.
The Spellshop didn't get me in the feels as much as I'd like for a cosy fantasy but was fun regardless.
For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Pregnancy
Not for the Faint of Heart by Lex Croucher
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? No
4.0
Not for the Faint of Heart is a witty, banter-filled romance with found family, heists, and adventure.
Basically, it’s good fun.
If you’re looking for a kind of fantasy that’s inclusive and upbeat, this is it. The book does tackle some pretty deep topics you wouldn’t expect within all the banter, but it does work well. It’s balanced.
The only thing that let this one down were some of the character choices and plot points. They were only minor things, but they threw me a little. It’s a slow build with a quick wrap-up which could have done with being drawn out a little longer.
If you’re going to give this one a go, check the content warnings. When I said some of the topics are deep, I meant it.
For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
DallerGut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
DallerGut Dream Department Store is a sweet, thoughtful, and very strange book. Think goblin market meets YA Ghibli, and you’ve got it.
It's incredibly low-stakes and message-filled. As long as you don't expect anything more, you'll enjoy it.
The only thing I’d like to see is more depth to the characters. More of what makes them tick, their real feelings and motivations. But other than that, it was a very chill and fun read.
For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Death of parent
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking perhaps was just not made for me.
The story is cute, the characters perhaps even cuter (and also weird), but I just couldn’t get into it.
The main character is a 14-year-old girl, and this, I think, is where I struggled. I listened to this one as an audiobook and the narrator was so adult, imaginging a child instead of a grown (and very posh) woman, was difficult.
Aside from that, the MC’s inner voice was so adult-like and mature, it threw me.
I do think the audiobook contributed to all of this. Id I’d have read the physical book, I may well have felt differently.
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Gwen and Art are Not In Love is a sweet, thoughtful hug of a book that delivers the perfect balance of relationship-building with a seemingly low-stakes plot.
In essence, it’s one of those slightly addictive stories that’s more about the characters than anything else, and that made it brilliant.
It’s filled with banter, amazing dialogue, characters that feel real, and while you know where the story is going, it’s not clear how you’ll get there. Which made it comforting but still entertaining.
Gwen and Art has an almost Disney-like quality. It’s fun, lighthearted, but with a message you know you're going to get to, and when you do, it’s going to hit hard.
For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, War
Moderate: Homophobia, Violence
Til Death Do Us Bard by Rose Black
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
I didn't vibe with this at all. It felt like it was book 2 and we missed all the character build up and romance from book one. So when something happened to them (the premise of the book), I just didn't care.
The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
I just wasn't vibing with the dynamics or the story. Didn't pull me in as well as the first book did.
Now Go: On Grief and Studio Ghibli by Karl Thomas Smith
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
On Grief and Studio Ghibli is a mindful and essay-like exploration into the idea of grief and how it manifests in some of the most well-known Studio Ghibli films.
It's one of those books that, if you struggle with grief and death, then you'll find some use in the themes it explores. Especially if you just so happen to also like Studio Ghibli, of course.
It explores grief in the sense of loss of a loved one, small everyday losses, collective loss, and even worldly losses such as climate change.
It's a book that whole short, gives you time to think and reflect. It starts the ball rolling in your mind. Due to its length though, a lot of the themes feel as though they need to be more detailed, deeper. Essentially, I wanted more.
It's one of those books that, if you struggle with grief and death, then you'll find some use in the themes it explores. Especially if you just so happen to also like Studio Ghibli, of course.
It explores grief in the sense of loss of a loved one, small everyday losses, collective loss, and even worldly losses such as climate change.
It's a book that whole short, gives you time to think and reflect. It starts the ball rolling in your mind. Due to its length though, a lot of the themes feel as though they need to be more detailed, deeper. Essentially, I wanted more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death