jamestomasino's reviews
1819 reviews

The Convenience Store by the Sea by Sonoko Machida

5.0

This hit the spot. So cozy, so relaxing. I've been having anxiety lately and this was the perfect balm. It's a great intro into the genre as well. 

Zero Hour: And Other Modern Stories by Michael Swan

3.0

This is an interesting collection. I didn't realize it was meant to teach English when I picked it up. The story choices are good and I bet it would make for excellent classroom discussion. The vocabulary annotations are a bit distracting, though I suppose quite functional if you're the target audience. 

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson

2.0

Nothing really stood out for me. The tone was inconsistent. Sometimes the names of things and the nonsense made it sound fun and silly but that wasn't matched by the action or characters. 

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

3.0

There's a lot of world building crammed into this tight little mystery. The main character has great energy and a clear voice. I'd be interested in reading more.

The Accidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody

medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No

2.0

This is a pretty basic story which had potential to be a cute adventure but sort of gave up. Instead we got a half-assed magic school/magic trial without the world building to pay it off. The biggest issue is the whining characters, though. Really quite annoying.

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon

adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

This is a pure delight to listen to, and it definitely deserves to be listened to. Kate McKinnon's performance is remarkable and carries the same whimsy as the story itself. The Porch sisters deserve to become classics. I'm going to pass this book on to my son who I hope will enjoy it as much as I did.

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

2.0

This started out decent enough, but it became quickly clear that we weren't going to get any real character development. Story elements seemed scraped together from the author's personal experiences, which isn't bad in itself, but they didn't really fit with the story being told. Such a deep connection to Greek myths and geography for a story set in a school in England? I dunno, it just didn't mesh. The real harm here is the plot holes. The story just didn't work. 

Wool by Hugh Howey

3.0

Pretty enjoyable. The greater story builds exposure at a decent rate and there's a few legitimate surprises. Mostly, though, the main character squeaks by through luck more than agency, which is a pet peeve of mine. Still, I'll do book 2.

The Lost Metal: A Mistborn Novel by Brandon Sanderson

4.0

An effective ending to era 2 that leaves us feeling both completion and a sense of unease for what's coming next. I liked the Wayne story best.

Mistborn: Secret History by Brandon Sanderson

3.0

Nice way to fill in the missing bits of Kelsier and shed light on a couple mysteries. I'm not sure it needed to be a book though. This could have been interludes in era 2 or something else.