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hmgauthier's Reviews (245)
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
Huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review!
“I am but a sad, weak ankled clown, and they my nightmarish audience of shame.”
“I HAVE to die. I’ve been honest about my feelings!”
I thought this book was a love story and it is, it’s about choosing to love yourself and make better decisions. And boundaries, can’t forget those.
I had a nice cry for a version of me who really needed this book and some of me needed it still now.
I love that this tapped into such a vital arena of trying to navigate adulthood when it’s not what you thought it would be. And that half of it is simply showing up and trying.
It’s a little cringey and my second hand embarrassment was so bad I had to put the book down at times but story wise it made perfect sense.
I can’t wait to buy this.
“I am but a sad, weak ankled clown, and they my nightmarish audience of shame.”
“I HAVE to die. I’ve been honest about my feelings!”
I thought this book was a love story and it is, it’s about choosing to love yourself and make better decisions. And boundaries, can’t forget those.
I had a nice cry for a version of me who really needed this book and some of me needed it still now.
I love that this tapped into such a vital arena of trying to navigate adulthood when it’s not what you thought it would be. And that half of it is simply showing up and trying.
It’s a little cringey and my second hand embarrassment was so bad I had to put the book down at times but story wise it made perfect sense.
I can’t wait to buy this.
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
“A perfect little coward in the face of conflict or change.”
I liked so much of this that giving it 3-ish stars almost feels like a sin.
I went in knowing the story was about sapphics and plant horror and it didn’t play enough into either.
It spent far too long pairing Shell with a too young for her man with filler scenes. I found Shell and Jen obnoxious for most of the story. Also features a puzzling resolution.
The plant body horror of Baby, the gorgeous narration, the thematics of not being able to shake off grief (and Neve storing but never using the chemicals Jen left behind), the concepts of Baby being this narcissistic stalker “lover” for lack of a better word, the horror of rebuilding a life you never expected to outgrow, and lore of the plants origins.
All of this and the Sapphic element should have made magic. But it didn’t.
I liked so much of this that giving it 3-ish stars almost feels like a sin.
I went in knowing the story was about sapphics and plant horror and it didn’t play enough into either.
It spent far too long pairing Shell with a too young for her man with filler scenes. I found Shell and Jen obnoxious for most of the story. Also features a puzzling resolution.
The plant body horror of Baby, the gorgeous narration, the thematics of not being able to shake off grief (and Neve storing but never using the chemicals Jen left behind), the concepts of Baby being this narcissistic stalker “lover” for lack of a better word, the horror of rebuilding a life you never expected to outgrow, and lore of the plants origins.
All of this and the Sapphic element should have made magic. But it didn’t.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
“Her attachment and regrets had, for a long time, clouded every enjoyment of youth; and an early loss of bloom and spirits had been their lasting effect.”
“I am half agony, half hope.”
This novel is literally perfect
Love the inclusion of the two chapters that were later reworked into the published ending, so cool to see.
“I am half agony, half hope.”
This novel is literally perfect
Love the inclusion of the two chapters that were later reworked into the published ending, so cool to see.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Complicated
“There are some people, people the universe seems to have singled out for special destines, special favors and special torments. God knows we’re all drawn toward what’s beautiful and broken I have been but some people cannot be fixed or if they can be, it’s only by love and sacrifice so great it destroys the giver.”
“My heart is your heart, your hands are my hands.”
Loved:
- I now know why I love the word “incredulous.”
- never knew how romantic it could be to plot the death of a (evil) sibling.
- Simon telling the plot of Star Wars as a bedtime story.
- Saint magnus’ home for wayward shadowhunters.
- the theme of struggle (good v evil, one v many, if someone’s save able, etc)
I will say, the book needed an edit to remove about have the uses of “incredulous.”
“The Bone Chandler” is one of the best chapters of any book I’ve ever read.
I liked Molly Quinn as the narrator, she would have been a great Clary in the show. Will forever fight the official pronunciations of some of the words.
“My heart is your heart, your hands are my hands.”
Loved:
- I now know why I love the word “incredulous.”
- never knew how romantic it could be to plot the death of a (evil) sibling.
- Simon telling the plot of Star Wars as a bedtime story.
- Saint magnus’ home for wayward shadowhunters.
- the theme of struggle (good v evil, one v many, if someone’s save able, etc)
I will say, the book needed an edit to remove about have the uses of “incredulous.”
“The Bone Chandler” is one of the best chapters of any book I’ve ever read.
I liked Molly Quinn as the narrator, she would have been a great Clary in the show. Will forever fight the official pronunciations of some of the words.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5!
“The world is not a kind place for women accused of violence. You, of all people, should understand that.”
This was FUN, love the little murder rhyme, the eerie setting, and the positively beguiling mystery.
This story and its plot were very complicated to follow at times (in ways that made sense and didn’t) but wow is Kit fast to leap to conclusions. Also how did this take place like over a week, I’m a little confused about that
“The world is not a kind place for women accused of violence. You, of all people, should understand that.”
This was FUN, love the little murder rhyme, the eerie setting, and the positively beguiling mystery.
This story and its plot were very complicated to follow at times (in ways that made sense and didn’t) but wow is Kit fast to leap to conclusions. Also how did this take place like over a week, I’m a little confused about that
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
“She had thought it typical then that the only man who had ever stirred anything in her stronger than begrudging acceptance was a man of no name or rank, completely unsuitable. And now, she realized, he was not even a man.”
“Jo had always buried her feelings, pressing them into the soft lomey earth of her mind, she hadn’t known that burying them would make them grow and put down roots…”
The sapphic The Knights Tale of my DREAMS
The narrators were fantastic!!
Could have used a little more yearning in my opinion
“Jo had always buried her feelings, pressing them into the soft lomey earth of her mind, she hadn’t known that burying them would make them grow and put down roots…”
The sapphic The Knights Tale of my DREAMS
The narrators were fantastic!!
Could have used a little more yearning in my opinion
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review!
“I binged, seeking ecstasy.”
“I’m on a barge of starfkers and I’m not the star.”
I thought this was written for me: a queer horror book about vampires on a cruise, yes PLEASE should be my favorite read of the year. Sure it was fine and it may be perfect for someone else but it never quite delivered for me.
Lots of unanswered questions remain at the end and I can’t help but feel that the authors goal of creating a meaningful/symbolic story came at the expense of actual story.
I like that these weren’t traditional vampires but the story lacked on the horror element that was promised.
I thought it was interesting how Hugh ended up being spiteful of the life they lived that was tailored and created for his comfort, quite realistic.
adventurous
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was entertaining but I didn’t love it.
I thought the chapter about the planet Galt and how Far Home dealt with Galt was very entertaining.
Really interesting commentary about colonization, space colonization, immortality, and genocide.
Nice reminder that even if we manage to go to other planets we will still bring our baggage with us.
I thought the chapter about the planet Galt and how Far Home dealt with Galt was very entertaining.
Really interesting commentary about colonization, space colonization, immortality, and genocide.
Nice reminder that even if we manage to go to other planets we will still bring our baggage with us.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review!
“Tradition was a force that could not be stopped.”
“… she had learned her lacking make others uncomfortable, even angry.”
The Belles is everything good a dark academia book should be: a compelling look at class, race, and power. Where other books may focus on an aesthetic, The Belles to its core fits the brief.
I found the pacing rough, picking up and slowing down randomly until the end.
These girls are horrible and compelling and I loved reading about them. The rising hysteria and cult like following that festered until one act of “disobedience” upsets the pack beyond fixing.
The flashbacks to Bellertons founding were probably my favorite part of the story!
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes