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imaginary_space's reviews
215 reviews
Sweep with Me by Ilona Andrews
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Sweep of the Blade by Ilona Andrews
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Well, you definitely need some suspension of disbelief, and that child is far too competent. But I was entertained by the story nonetheless and the romance was as grown-up as the characters behaved. It was nice to see two characters who know who they are and where they stand in life get together and value each other. It was also nice to see a character join a world different to her own, but already knowing a lot about it and using that to her advantage, forging and demanding a place for herself and not just being content with being the appendage to her love interest.
Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Okay, so...
Mac has been raped by the evil fae, which now makes her a fae sex addict, and Barrons is taking one (several) for the team and fucks her back to sanity, several times a day, over several months. So, raping her. For her own good.
And that is a choice the author made.
And of course through hermagic rape she unlocks new special magical girl abilities.
Also she now gets wet every time Barrons is near.
Barrons repeatedly reminds her of both things and continues to be lewd, but he's hot, so that's okay and she stays with him, for ... whatever reason. I mean, it's not like she didn't have other options.
Also, this is the fourth book and Barrons still tells Mac nothing about his plans, the context of all the stuff that's happening, what she is, what he is, his goals when they go out and to something, but he expects her to do exactly as he tells her all of the time - oh, and also be grateful.
But he's hot, so that's okay I guess.
At this point, he's even more of an annoying brat than she is. And that's saying something.
At some point, she's actually starting to make coherent plans and do things, and it actually started to work. That peaked my interest and I thought, maybe this is where it gets better. Maybe we had to wade through the absolut shithole that is hermagical rape to come out the other side, for whatever reason the author can think of to explain that decision.
But sadly, it doesn't last long and we are thrown right into an annoyingly lengthy chain of random encounters only to end on a cliffhanger that makes Mac not only wallow in her self pity even more, but which she sees as the most devastating thing that's ever happend to her and - girl, did you not read the first chapters of this installment of your own story!?
Her inner monologue continues to annoy the everlasting fuck out of me. She still explains every possible meaning of every event, preferably by asking herself endless questions, because apparently we as readers are too dumb to come to any conlusions oureselves.
I am now 4 books in and despite what I was promised, I have given up hope that this series will get better (which means I am open to be pleasantly surprised), but I have also wasted so much of my time and suffered so much that I cannot simply stop and admit to myself that this time was really, truly, wasted.
Just like Mac, I am drawing the dumbest possible conclusion here and refuse to think critically or accept any sensible advice.
I mean, by this point the author herself feels the need to add an author's note in which she promises things will get better. Not sure what she thinks this says about her book, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't say what she thinks it does.
And that is a choice the author made.
And of course through her
Also she now gets wet every time Barrons is near.
Barrons repeatedly reminds her of both things and continues to be lewd, but he's hot, so that's okay and she stays with him, for ... whatever reason. I mean, it's not like she didn't have other options.
Also, this is the fourth book and Barrons still tells Mac nothing about his plans, the context of all the stuff that's happening, what she is, what he is, his goals when they go out and to something, but he expects her to do exactly as he tells her all of the time - oh, and also be grateful.
But he's hot, so that's okay I guess.
At this point, he's even more of an annoying brat than she is. And that's saying something.
At some point, she's actually starting to make coherent plans and do things, and it actually started to work. That peaked my interest and I thought, maybe this is where it gets better. Maybe we had to wade through the absolut shithole that is her
But sadly, it doesn't last long and we are thrown right into an annoyingly lengthy chain of random encounters only to end on a cliffhanger that makes Mac not only wallow in her self pity even more, but which she sees as the most devastating thing that's ever happend to her and - girl, did you not read the first chapters of this installment of your own story!?
Her inner monologue continues to annoy the everlasting fuck out of me. She still explains every possible meaning of every event, preferably by asking herself endless questions, because apparently we as readers are too dumb to come to any conlusions oureselves.
I am now 4 books in and despite what I was promised, I have given up hope that this series will get better (which means I am open to be pleasantly surprised), but I have also wasted so much of my time and suffered so much that I cannot simply stop and admit to myself that this time was really, truly, wasted.
Just like Mac, I am drawing the dumbest possible conclusion here and refuse to think critically or accept any sensible advice.
I mean, by this point the author herself feels the need to add an author's note in which she promises things will get better. Not sure what she thinks this says about her book, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't say what she thinks it does.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence
Faefever by Karen Marie Moning
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
In book 2, nothing much happens, and in book 3, nothing much continues to happen. Even though a lot is happening in this book. It's weird. And I was looking forward to shit actually going down, but it did go down in the most uninteresting way possible.
Mac only acts when someone else forces her to do so, pretty lame for someone who's apparently super special and supposed to find the McGuffin that saves the world. Barrons and the sex fae push her around and abuse her and she lets it happen, complains about it in her endless inner monologue, then decides against allying herself with one of the other factions and stays with them instead. Because that's what women do who constantly (and annoyingly) think about how mature, strong etc. they have become. At this point, she's just gaslighting herself to make it easier for the guys. But they are both hot, so it's okay.
Her inner monologue is the most annoying thing. She thinks every situation through from every angle and explains in detail every possible meaning of events, actions and words of the other characters, only to come to the dumbest conclusions and not act on anything at all. Since she goes through every possible option, sie occasionally has some coherent and actually smart thought (that the two powerful, abusive guys are probably not trustworthy for example), but then decides to not act on it. She tries to keep everything she knows secret from them (they ignore her efforts, of course), while still expecting them to work with her or help her, and without a plan B on how to save the world.
I have no idea why I continue with this series.
Maybe it's because I was promised it will get better, no, actually good, and at this point I have invested so much time I want that payoff, or at least the right to complain about how I was misled.
Maybe it's because I have a lot of work to do around the apartment right now and I need something in the background I can ignore for 30 minutes while I concentrate on something else without missing anything important.
What I am saying is, I wouldn't actively sit down with this book and read it. Or listen to it while running/biking.
Mac only acts when someone else forces her to do so, pretty lame for someone who's apparently super special and supposed to find the McGuffin that saves the world. Barrons and the sex fae push her around and abuse her and she lets it happen, complains about it in her endless inner monologue, then decides against allying herself with one of the other factions and stays with them instead. Because that's what women do who constantly (and annoyingly) think about how mature, strong etc. they have become. At this point, she's just gaslighting herself to make it easier for the guys. But they are both hot, so it's okay.
Her inner monologue is the most annoying thing. She thinks every situation through from every angle and explains in detail every possible meaning of events, actions and words of the other characters, only to come to the dumbest conclusions and not act on anything at all. Since she goes through every possible option, sie occasionally has some coherent and actually smart thought (that the two powerful, abusive guys are probably not trustworthy for example), but then decides to not act on it. She tries to keep everything she knows secret from them (they ignore her efforts, of course), while still expecting them to work with her or help her, and without a plan B on how to save the world.
I have no idea why I continue with this series.
Maybe it's because I was promised it will get better, no, actually good, and at this point I have invested so much time I want that payoff, or at least the right to complain about how I was misled.
Maybe it's because I have a lot of work to do around the apartment right now and I need something in the background I can ignore for 30 minutes while I concentrate on something else without missing anything important.
What I am saying is, I wouldn't actively sit down with this book and read it. Or listen to it while running/biking.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Rape, and Physical abuse
Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Fortunately, we are exposed to less interaction between Mac and Barrons in this book. The worldbuilding is still interesting and we meet some promising NPCs, but for a book this long, nothing of much impact happens. It's just random events, hunting for McGuffins to find the big bad McGuffin, Mac is still stupid and exactly like any other urban fantasy heroine, despite several reviews promising me she wouldn't be (but don't worry, she'll ramble on about how much she's grown and how tough she's now endlessly in her inner monologue - she just won't show it in her actions), the male characters are still annoyingly lewd in the stupidest of situations and Barrons is still abusive, despite serveral reviews promising me they wouldn't be.
Mac and Barrons still annoyingly do not communicate information for the simple reason to put more pages in this book.
Also, how tf are the Shide-Seers hiding in that abbey when there are 700 of them in this one place? That's, like, half the population of Ireland!
Mac and Barrons still annoyingly do not communicate information for the simple reason to put more pages in this book.
Also, how tf are the Shide-Seers hiding in that abbey when there are 700 of them in this one place? That's, like, half the population of Ireland!
My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
My teenage emotions aside, there's more I like about this book:
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
5.0
If you read it, read the author's notes at the end! (After reading the book, because spoilers.) He talks about his process writing My Heart is a Chainsaw and it's very informative.
This book hit me harder the second time around. Probably because, as often happens, the first time I was occupied with keeping up with the story. This time I could appreciate all the little nuances, the hints and the small moments of foreshadowing so much more. And for me, it's all those layers that make this book so good.
The first time I read My Heart is a Chainsaw, the revelation about Jade towards the middle of the book completely took me by surprise, I had not seen it coming at all. Which I found shocking, and it made me take a long, hard look at my privilege.
The second time, I suddenly realized why I had not seen it. Because in a lot of ways, I was Jade at that age, so her inner monologue and her behaviour seemed completely normal to me. Which is astounding, because my circumstances growing up were very different from Jade's, and our experiences weren't even the same, just similar enough that we reacted in very similar ways.
So yeah, that fucked me up. Thank you, SGJ. (I mean that unironically. I try to read diverse stories not just because I find it to be a more interesting experience, but also to actively learn about lived realities different to my own, and be a better educated citizen of Earth. Which is why I like my horror to be mixed with a good dose of real-world horror.)
The fact that Stephen Graham Jones wrote a character that I, a person from a very different background halfway across the globe, could identify with so much I didn't see the obvious, proves two things:
This book hit me harder the second time around. Probably because, as often happens, the first time I was occupied with keeping up with the story. This time I could appreciate all the little nuances, the hints and the small moments of foreshadowing so much more. And for me, it's all those layers that make this book so good.
The first time I read My Heart is a Chainsaw, the revelation about Jade towards the middle of the book completely took me by surprise, I had not seen it coming at all. Which I found shocking, and it made me take a long, hard look at my privilege.
The second time, I suddenly realized why I had not seen it. Because in a lot of ways, I was Jade at that age, so her inner monologue and her behaviour seemed completely normal to me. Which is astounding, because my circumstances growing up were very different from Jade's, and our experiences weren't even the same, just similar enough that we reacted in very similar ways.
So yeah, that fucked me up. Thank you, SGJ. (I mean that unironically. I try to read diverse stories not just because I find it to be a more interesting experience, but also to actively learn about lived realities different to my own, and be a better educated citizen of Earth. Which is why I like my horror to be mixed with a good dose of real-world horror.)
The fact that Stephen Graham Jones wrote a character that I, a person from a very different background halfway across the globe, could identify with so much I didn't see the obvious, proves two things:
- He is a truly skilled writer.
- Adult men can write believable teenage girls if they just write them as persons and not try to write them as "teenage girls(TM)". Thank you for that, too. Yes, I, too, am sad the bar is that low.
My teenage emotions aside, there's more I like about this book:
- The story is multi-dimensional, there's a whole mythology around Proofrock and Indian Lake that feels very much alive - an abandoned camp, a creepy local legend, real past tragedies, things that happened in the past people don't want to talk about ... it feels like a real place and it gives so many layers to the story.
- Also, I just love a
creepy little girl , I'm biased like that. - I like an unreliable narrator, so to me it's refreshing and interesting to see the story through Jade's eyes and her eyes alone.
- SGJ is a fan of "show, don't tell", and I appreciate that a lot. In general, his writing style is right up my alley, which is extremely important in horror.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, and Self harm
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman
I love me some good vampire horror and Christopher Buehlman delivered. I wasn't sure if I would give it 3 or 4 stars, until the end, which pushed it firmly to 4 stars.
A lot to like about this book:
Why I didn't give it 5 stars:
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
🦇🦇🦇🦇 4/5 underground-dwelling vampires
"He gets away with it because he's strong."
"This is the story of mankind."
"I thought you were going to be a priest at one point."
"Yes. But then I read the newspaper."
I love me some good vampire horror and Christopher Buehlman delivered. I wasn't sure if I would give it 3 or 4 stars, until the end, which pushed it firmly to 4 stars.
A lot to like about this book:
- the whole world building around the vampires, how they work as a species and (how they live in) the tunnels makes for great atmosphere from the get-go
- the characters are very flawed and lovely
- Cvetko
- unreliable narrator
- creepy kids are creepy and cute
- the stakes exist and are very real
- those nice scenes of real horror and tragedy in between, absolutely loved them
- the ending really elevates the story
Why I didn't give it 5 stars:
- Even though I liked the ending, it did feel a little like the author
wasn't sure which ending would be best received by his audience and decided to offer all of them instead, placing the responsibility of whether you liked it or not on the reader. - I couldn't establish a strong emotional connection with the narrator, this might be different when I read it again in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Classism, Pedophilia, and Racism
Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I've heard and read so many different things about this book, I was excited to get into it - and it didn't disappoint!
If you don't like splatter, gore and brutality, this book is not for you. But if you don't mind those things, you're in for an engaging story that has a lot to say about our modern world, some biting social commentary, a bit of satire, with interesting characters who all feel authentic and real, who are flawed and learn and sometimes also don't. Felker-Martin has a lot to say and she says it in a unique voice.
I'm not sure if I am giving this book 4 or 5 stars, which usually means I should have eye-read it (in which case it would have been 5 stars) and not listened to it (in which case it gets 4 stars).
If you don't like splatter, gore and brutality, this book is not for you. But if you don't mind those things, you're in for an engaging story that has a lot to say about our modern world, some biting social commentary, a bit of satire, with interesting characters who all feel authentic and real, who are flawed and learn and sometimes also don't. Felker-Martin has a lot to say and she says it in a unique voice.
I'm not sure if I am giving this book 4 or 5 stars, which usually means I should have eye-read it (in which case it would have been 5 stars) and not listened to it (in which case it gets 4 stars).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual assault, Rape, Pregnancy, and Sexual violence
Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Honestly, I'm not sure what I am rating this book. I have to reread 'My Heart is a Chainsaw' and then read 'Don't Fear the Reaper' right after that to really decide - which is what I'm going to do.
But I did like it, just a little less than Chainsaw, so I'll stick with that for the time being.
But I did like it, just a little less than Chainsaw, so I'll stick with that for the time being.
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
dark
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This was a fun enough creature feature, I liked the overall story, the mermaids and the research the author clearly did. It felt more 'real', in a way, than other books.
It was a little too long, though, and contained too many POV switches for me, I couldn't really connect with any of the characters. For so many POVs, the focus was too much on the story itself, so story and format didn't really fit for me. Also I hoped the scientists wouldsave the day with their science .
BUT it had pretty good autism representation, where the autistic character was not some kind of magical superpower girl nor the ridiculously socially tone-deaf comical relief, so that gives it another half star.
It was a little too long, though, and contained too many POV switches for me, I couldn't really connect with any of the characters. For so many POVs, the focus was too much on the story itself, so story and format didn't really fit for me. Also I hoped the scientists would
BUT it had pretty good autism representation, where the autistic character was not some kind of magical superpower girl nor the ridiculously socially tone-deaf comical relief, so that gives it another half star.