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gretchenplz's reviews
304 reviews
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
If you loved this book, boy, will you love its inspiration, Red Queen!
I have a major issue with what is, by all accounts, fanfiction being published with none of the designating details changed. This book is so blatantly plagiarism of Red Queen (down to the unexpected betrayal and reveal at the end. Literally the exact same plot.), crossed with Shadow & Bone, with some Harry Potter and Game of Thrones thrown in.
Our main character is Mare Barrow, down to the hair and lightning powers. Our "villain" is the Darkling (or maybe Rhys). They're Divergent. They're at Hogwarts. And it's set in Westeros.
This is a HUGE issue for me. If I was Victoria Aveyard, I would have called my lawyers.
I'm not sure where to start with the rest of this review, so I will start with the writing. I imagine that this book would be more enjoyable as an audiobook since the writing style is very stream-of-consciousness. A good editor was absolutely necessary, and I'm not sure one was even present. I felt like I was trying to read a podcast. There's just too much going on. Do I need to hear every "Damn," Violet thinks? Are her meandering, wandering thoughts really necessary? And, I'm not a prude by any means, but why was every other word 'fuck?" It felt like I was inside the mind of a horny 16-year-old.
The plot. This is a high fantasy book but, unfortunately, the author does such a poor job world building that everything just feels random. The venin and the fables are discussed maybe three, maybe four times before they appear? Horrible lack of foreshadowing that really damages the reveal. I don't care about them. They aren't even a shadow of thought in my mind, and then suddenly, they appear. We couldn't have a scene where Violet tells the other cadets bedtime stories or something, to really bring the lore to a recognizable place? It's really that easy. this was clearly a "pantsed" novel, with no planning. Which you ABSOLUTELY cannot do with high fantasy.
Along those lines, let's talk about the romance. I just don't get the chemistry. The author was clearly trying to create a Maven/Mare/Cal kind of situation, but just fails so incredibly it's almost funny. I didn't care about Dain enough for his betrayal to be on any level anywhere NEAR that part of Red Queen. And Xaden... I will concede that the man is objectively hot and I am definitely hyper-fixating on him a bit, but he and Violet didn't really have chemistry... besides lusting over each other. There was no witty dialogue, no meaningful conversations. Just "You're waiting to kill me" and "You're going to be the death of me."
I think I'm the most mad about this one because there is SO much potential. There really is. I can see the vision. If I was given a month or two with the manuscript of this, i could turn this into a cohesive story that has all the pieces it's missing. It wouldn't even be hard.
I will be reading the second book because of my own curiosity, but I doubt I will see the improvement that I typically expect to see when an author moves from their debut to their sophomore novel, since they were published back-to-back.
As a seasoned fantasy reader, this was disappointing, to say the very least. I understand why people who had never read fantasy liked this, but this was Bad, by all accounts.
ETA: A giant blue dragon with a name that starts with "S"? THIS IS ERAGON.
I have a major issue with what is, by all accounts, fanfiction being published with none of the designating details changed. This book is so blatantly plagiarism of Red Queen (down to the unexpected betrayal and reveal at the end. Literally the exact same plot.), crossed with Shadow & Bone, with some Harry Potter and Game of Thrones thrown in.
Our main character is Mare Barrow, down to the hair and lightning powers. Our "villain" is the Darkling (or maybe Rhys). They're Divergent. They're at Hogwarts. And it's set in Westeros.
This is a HUGE issue for me. If I was Victoria Aveyard, I would have called my lawyers.
I'm not sure where to start with the rest of this review, so I will start with the writing. I imagine that this book would be more enjoyable as an audiobook since the writing style is very stream-of-consciousness. A good editor was absolutely necessary, and I'm not sure one was even present. I felt like I was trying to read a podcast. There's just too much going on. Do I need to hear every "Damn," Violet thinks? Are her meandering, wandering thoughts really necessary? And, I'm not a prude by any means, but why was every other word 'fuck?" It felt like I was inside the mind of a horny 16-year-old.
The plot. This is a high fantasy book but, unfortunately, the author does such a poor job world building that everything just feels random. The venin and the fables are discussed maybe three, maybe four times before they appear? Horrible lack of foreshadowing that really damages the reveal. I don't care about them. They aren't even a shadow of thought in my mind, and then suddenly, they appear. We couldn't have a scene where Violet tells the other cadets bedtime stories or something, to really bring the lore to a recognizable place? It's really that easy. this was clearly a "pantsed" novel, with no planning. Which you ABSOLUTELY cannot do with high fantasy.
Along those lines, let's talk about the romance. I just don't get the chemistry. The author was clearly trying to create a Maven/Mare/Cal kind of situation, but just fails so incredibly it's almost funny. I didn't care about Dain enough for his betrayal to be on any level anywhere NEAR that part of Red Queen. And Xaden... I will concede that the man is objectively hot and I am definitely hyper-fixating on him a bit, but he and Violet didn't really have chemistry... besides lusting over each other. There was no witty dialogue, no meaningful conversations. Just "You're waiting to kill me" and "You're going to be the death of me."
I think I'm the most mad about this one because there is SO much potential. There really is. I can see the vision. If I was given a month or two with the manuscript of this, i could turn this into a cohesive story that has all the pieces it's missing. It wouldn't even be hard.
I will be reading the second book because of my own curiosity, but I doubt I will see the improvement that I typically expect to see when an author moves from their debut to their sophomore novel, since they were published back-to-back.
As a seasoned fantasy reader, this was disappointing, to say the very least. I understand why people who had never read fantasy liked this, but this was Bad, by all accounts.
ETA: A giant blue dragon with a name that starts with "S"? THIS IS ERAGON.
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
3.0
This book started with such a bang but kinda... fizzled the further it went.
In my opinion, the interesting parts of the story got bogged down in all the detail the author provided. I had the same issue with KOTFM, so perhaps this is just a personal preference.
Still an incredibly interesting story, and I would love to see a theatrical adaptation of this as well!
In my opinion, the interesting parts of the story got bogged down in all the detail the author provided. I had the same issue with KOTFM, so perhaps this is just a personal preference.
Still an incredibly interesting story, and I would love to see a theatrical adaptation of this as well!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cannibalism and Animal death
The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund-Broka
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This just wasn't for me. If you like books that are written entirely like long internal monologues, you'll enjoy it, but this majorly missed the mark.
There was nothing in this book that helped develop any sort of chemistry between the characters or connected the reader to the characters. I didn't care what happened because I truly felt like we didn't learn anything about Max and Riley to care about.
Second-chance romances, in my opinion, are the hardest kinds of romances to write because you have to develop incredible chemistry twice, and this book just did no deliver. There was hardly any dialogue or plot and the mutual mental pining just wasn't believable.
Sad to report, as this is definitely billed as a Taylor Swift-inspired story and I was very excited to read it.
There was nothing in this book that helped develop any sort of chemistry between the characters or connected the reader to the characters. I didn't care what happened because I truly felt like we didn't learn anything about Max and Riley to care about.
Second-chance romances, in my opinion, are the hardest kinds of romances to write because you have to develop incredible chemistry twice, and this book just did no deliver. There was hardly any dialogue or plot and the mutual mental pining just wasn't believable.
Sad to report, as this is definitely billed as a Taylor Swift-inspired story and I was very excited to read it.
Pathogenesis: A History of the World in Eight Plagues by Jonathan Kennedy
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I never thought I would be so riveted by a book about plagues...
I'm gonna say something nasty and say that all those bemoaning, "I thought I was going to read about plagues, not history," either lack reading comprehension or just refuse to Get It. This was such an in-depth look at how it's not JUST plagues — it's our world and our systems and how it was built and how it is transitioning in the future.
Really a fascinating look at history through the lense of the diseases that shaped us.
I'm gonna say something nasty and say that all those bemoaning, "I thought I was going to read about plagues, not history," either lack reading comprehension or just refuse to Get It. This was such an in-depth look at how it's not JUST plagues — it's our world and our systems and how it was built and how it is transitioning in the future.
Really a fascinating look at history through the lense of the diseases that shaped us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, and Death
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Racism, and Genocide
Reality Check: Making the Best of the Situation - How I Overcame Addiction, Loss, and Prison by Mike The Situation Sorrentino
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
4.0
While Mike's narration left a bit to be desired, this was an excellent memoir and I really appreciated his perspectives!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction
Moderate: Pregnancy, Death, and Miscarriage
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
I want to give this book one star for Nesta and one star for Azriel, but I don't know if I have it in me.
This was an absolute crock of shit.
What in the alien Avengers bullshit was that?! I can't stop imagining the Aesteri as those aliens from Indiana Jones 4.
What was more ridiculous: the magic language bean, the cure being discovered in ~60 minutes, or Hunt's flaccid dick being too big for underwear?
Everything about this book comes across as juvenile — "Alphahole," "Light it up," "Level up," and "Through love, all things are possible" literally made me cringe every time.
SJM was clearly not ready to delve into adult high fantasy, and her lack of care and effort throughout the writing process shows. Did she even want to continue this series? It seems like she wrote the first book and then realized, "Oh, shit. I actually have to continue." Did no editor see this, either for plot/character continuity or for typos? Could no one offer her a ghostwriter?
2400 pages in the series, and I don't give a single shit about any of the characters. There's nothing keeping me attached to this series. How do you make your own FMC THAT unlikeable? Like... advocating for genocide one second then flipping the next chapter? THE FUCK?! No empathy for her mate and his trauma after he's been tortured for days on end? Plus, she's, what? A big glowstick that everyone wants to fuck? SO. LAME.
Please do not let anyone like Bryce "rescue" and take over the rule of my world. Sure, the intergalactic alien parasites are defeated, but not the entire infrastructure of the planet is destroyed with absolutely no plan forward. Also, all hierarchies are now destroyed! There definitely won't be anarchy, chaos, or civil war now!
So many characters and details were introduced that meant absolutely nothing in the end. The absolutely lamest use of a crossover of all time.
A laughable effort. What a waste of time.
I'm beginning to think SJM herself is a fraud. TOG was a plagiarized mess. CC was a sham. ACOTAR, for it's many flaws, at least made me care about the characters, the plot, and the world.
This was an absolute crock of shit.
What in the alien Avengers bullshit was that?! I can't stop imagining the Aesteri as those aliens from Indiana Jones 4.
What was more ridiculous: the magic language bean, the cure being discovered in ~60 minutes, or Hunt's flaccid dick being too big for underwear?
Everything about this book comes across as juvenile — "Alphahole," "Light it up," "Level up," and "Through love, all things are possible" literally made me cringe every time.
SJM was clearly not ready to delve into adult high fantasy, and her lack of care and effort throughout the writing process shows. Did she even want to continue this series? It seems like she wrote the first book and then realized, "Oh, shit. I actually have to continue." Did no editor see this, either for plot/character continuity or for typos? Could no one offer her a ghostwriter?
2400 pages in the series, and I don't give a single shit about any of the characters. There's nothing keeping me attached to this series. How do you make your own FMC THAT unlikeable? Like... advocating for genocide one second then flipping the next chapter? THE FUCK?! No empathy for her mate and his trauma after he's been tortured for days on end? Plus, she's, what? A big glowstick that everyone wants to fuck? SO. LAME.
Please do not let anyone like Bryce "rescue" and take over the rule of my world. Sure, the intergalactic alien parasites are defeated, but not the entire infrastructure of the planet is destroyed with absolutely no plan forward. Also, all hierarchies are now destroyed! There definitely won't be anarchy, chaos, or civil war now!
So many characters and details were introduced that meant absolutely nothing in the end. The absolutely lamest use of a crossover of all time.
A laughable effort. What a waste of time.
I'm beginning to think SJM herself is a fraud. TOG was a plagiarized mess. CC was a sham. ACOTAR, for it's many flaws, at least made me care about the characters, the plot, and the world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Definitely not my favorite of the series, but an enjoyable read nonetheless!
The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A really beautiful reflection by Ru on his early life and rise to fame.
Listening to this, I realized that I actually knew very little about Ru, who he is, and where he came from. I appreciate his openness and honesty throughout. I actually love that this doesn't even mention the show at all. I don't think it is the right place to share that story, anyway. The only thing I was looking forward to but am sad was missing was more details about Ru's friendship with Michelle. But I understand keeping the version of himself that hosts Drag Race separate.
I hope there's a follow-up memoir once he steps down/retires from Drag Race, honestly.
Listening to this, I realized that I actually knew very little about Ru, who he is, and where he came from. I appreciate his openness and honesty throughout. I actually love that this doesn't even mention the show at all. I don't think it is the right place to share that story, anyway. The only thing I was looking forward to but am sad was missing was more details about Ru's friendship with Michelle. But I understand keeping the version of himself that hosts Drag Race separate.
I hope there's a follow-up memoir once he steps down/retires from Drag Race, honestly.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
How do you even begin to review a childhood classic like this?
I'm honestly not sure I've reread any of the books, aside from PoA, so it was so... joyful to return to the world of Harry Potter. This really was an excellent debut and such a stellar start to the series, even though it is clear that the author wasn't sure if this could become a series or where it all would go from inception.
I'm honestly not sure I've reread any of the books, aside from PoA, so it was so... joyful to return to the world of Harry Potter. This really was an excellent debut and such a stellar start to the series, even though it is clear that the author wasn't sure if this could become a series or where it all would go from inception.
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
2.5
This book was so... boring. I will not be gaslit into giving it a higher rating than it deserves simply because of a (admittedly, gagworthy)cliffhanger.
A filler book on book two? Absolutely wild. Even JLA gave us two good books before it all went to shit and got overcomplicated. Couldn’t even give us her signature solid last 200 pages, as we’ve come to expect. More like a good last 40 pages. Yikes.
500 pages of "Everyone wants to fuck Bryce. She's so cool but also clueless! Isn't that so hot!" 100 pages of "Why the fuck is Danika still relevant to this conversation?" 100 pages of "Oh my god, we have the BEST SEX." 100 pages of "Ah, the plot is moving forward!"
There's just so much substance lacking in this series.
I just... don't care about any of these characters. Except Ithan. There are too many, with (somehow, in 1600 pages) not enough development for me to actually feel like I know them or should care about them. I have lots of issues with TOG and ACOTAR, but at least I had some sort of emotional attachment to those characters. At least they made me feel something.
And the secret agent reveal? Yeah, that wasn't a breadcrumb trail. That was neon signs. Painfully obvious.
I mean, yeah, I'm going to read the next book, but I'm probably going to hate it the whole time.
A filler book on book two? Absolutely wild. Even JLA gave us two good books before it all went to shit and got overcomplicated. Couldn’t even give us her signature solid last 200 pages, as we’ve come to expect. More like a good last 40 pages. Yikes.
500 pages of "Everyone wants to fuck Bryce. She's so cool but also clueless! Isn't that so hot!" 100 pages of "Why the fuck is Danika still relevant to this conversation?" 100 pages of "Oh my god, we have the BEST SEX." 100 pages of "Ah, the plot is moving forward!"
There's just so much substance lacking in this series.
I just... don't care about any of these characters. Except Ithan. There are too many, with (somehow, in 1600 pages) not enough development for me to actually feel like I know them or should care about them. I have lots of issues with TOG and ACOTAR, but at least I had some sort of emotional attachment to those characters. At least they made me feel something.
And the secret agent reveal? Yeah, that wasn't a breadcrumb trail. That was neon signs. Painfully obvious.
I mean, yeah, I'm going to read the next book, but I'm probably going to hate it the whole time.