honniker's reviews
1008 reviews

Geisha by Liza Dalby

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

This is a fascinating look at Geisha history and life. It is a little dated as it talks about that life in the mid 70s, it would be neat to read something a little more up to date. The author does a great job of mixing experiences in with facts and the chapters are broken down into shorter, readable sections. I think it is hard for Americans to really understand the 'flower and willow' world as it is something so foreign to us, but Dalby does a good job of at least trying to give us an idea of it. I highly recommend this one.

The Story That Cannot Be Told by J. Kasper Kramer

adventurous emotional reflective tense slow-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

2.5

I mean, it was fine. I don't know if it's because it's a middle grade or the way it was written but I found it to be not the most interesting book, and rather predictable. 

The Work of Art by Mimi Matthews

emotional mysterious medium-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

4.0

This is a very sweet regency romance. The plot is interesting,

although the evil "collector" duke really only shows up in the first quarter of the book and the rest is pretty much about the relationship between Arthur and Philly.

The sex scenes do fade to black, though sex is mentioned and there's kissing and flirting which, after reading more smut recently than I ever have in my life, was kind of refreshing. 

There was a bit of intrigue and I will admit, I didn't see the twist coming. I also thought Matthews did an excellent job of creating compelling characters who also work in the regency culture. I feel like a lot of regency books focus on women being 'liberated' and it was nice to see something that didn't just have that plot line. If you are a fan of Gerogette Heyer, you might like this book.

The Butcher's Masquerade by Matt Dinniman

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I am in love with this series and though I am relieved Dinniman is working on the 6th book, I am also really sad that I've completely the books that are out.

Not just in this book, but throughout the whole series Dinniman does a great job of weaving the story and characters. Even the litRPG parts aren't overly tedious as they are in some books in this genre. I find myself laughing, crying, rooting for our heroes. Dinniman also does a great job of talking about the characters' backstories without going into pages of exposition. This really is a series you need to start from the beginning because tidbits about things are dropped throughout and that's how you get a clear picture. 

As someone who has read books in series where they also spend pages rehashing what went on in previous books, I appreciate that Dinniman does not do this. Again, these aren't standalone books. So while Carl might mention something that happens in a previous book, it's usually nothing more than a sentence. Often, it even comes in the form of part of the dialogue such as a moment where he will say "who is that again?" and another character fills him in.

This series is not for kids. There are a lot of innuendos, and graphic scenes. There are also a lot of adult jokes.  I always find myself caught up in the stories and tend to blaze through the books once I get going as there is pretty much non-stop action. Well done, Matt Dinniman and I'm looking forward to the next one!

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

2.75

I know Mistborn is like the Sanderson Magnum Opus. Or something. I know everyone loves Mistborn. I, however, do not.  I find it a lot more predictable and contrived than other books, I don't find the characters as interesting and loveable, and I feel like the most interesting characters don't always get a chance

Zane in this book, for example. I was rather annoyed when he got Darth Mauled.

So I made it through this. I probably eventually listen to the third at the insistence of my husband, but I don't really like the series. Warbreaker and Elantris were much better books in my opinion.

Once Upon a Dream by Sierra Simone

adventurous challenging emotional fast-paced

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

3.0

This was a quick read of three fairy tale themed erotic stories. I have to give Simone props. From a writing standpoint these are well done. Each is a complete story and even though the are erotica the story hasn't been left by the wayside. They feel complete so well done. 

Each story has a different trope. Exes, age gap, and poly amorous. I liked the way Simone wove elements from the fairy tales into a more modern, erotic story. 

If you like short erotic stories, I recommend this collection. 

The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

I liked this slightly less than book two, and more than book three. The epilogue was a killer and it will be interesting to see what happens next. I liked the story of this one as well. 

Duke For Hire by Nicola Davidson

emotional fast-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

2.5

I found this book rather forgettable. The sex scenes weren't all that great and I finished this a day or two ago and have already forgotten the actual plot.

OH, just remembered. So the premise was interesting but I just wasn't the biggest fan of the execution. Can't recommend. 

The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman

adventurous emotional funny 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? No

3.75

I didn't like this one as well as the previous installments but it is interesting to see the plot advancing. I'm curious to find out what's going to happen next and if Carl is going to find a way to strike back. 

Dreaming in Hindi: Coming Awake in Another Language by Katherine Russell Rich

emotional reflective medium-paced

2.5

So, there were a few things in this book I found interesting. The first was the description of trying to speak Spanish after studying Hindi for a while. Been there, done that. Only I tried to speak French and it came out Russian. 

Other than that, I wasn't the biggest fan of the book. It felt kind of disjoined and was hard to keep track of who everyone was. I think some of this was to reflect the ethereal feeling that the author feels while in India, and I did appreciate that the more academic explanations of second language learning were scattered throughout so it wasn't overwhelming. But due to the nature of the writing, every thing felt a little disjoined and hard to follow.