Scan barcode
jayseejewel's reviews
101 reviews
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
5.0
9.5/10
My top sci-fi book (currently) and everything I enjoy in a story.
Pros:
- I've heard some criticisms of him being too perfect but I quite liked Ender. Him being so good at everything didn't bother me because his real struggle came from: being separated by family and friends, being singled out, and slowly having the war and training eat away at him to the point where he no longer cared about anything. It felt somewhat similar to One Punch Man where the very strong character's weakness is his own depression and mental isolation.
- I love a good, solid twist (spoilers: the reveal that he was killing real aliens wasn't unexpected but a thrill nonetheless)
- the story was hard to put down; tense, interesting, always with a strong sense of progression
Cons:
- I didn't hate the ending by any means but did feel it dragged slightly near the very end
- I personally didn't like the jumps back to his siblings. I didn't care about them nearly as much as Ender's journey (especially the brother)
Overall: A great book and solid SF story with a few flaws that can be easily overlooked.
My top sci-fi book (currently) and everything I enjoy in a story.
Pros:
- I've heard some criticisms of him being too perfect but I quite liked Ender. Him being so good at everything didn't bother me because his real struggle came from: being separated by family and friends, being singled out, and slowly having the war and training eat away at him to the point where he no longer cared about anything. It felt somewhat similar to One Punch Man where the very strong character's weakness is his own depression and mental isolation.
- I love a good, solid twist (spoilers: the reveal that he was killing real aliens wasn't unexpected but a thrill nonetheless)
- the story was hard to put down; tense, interesting, always with a strong sense of progression
Cons:
- I didn't hate the ending by any means but did feel it dragged slightly near the very end
- I personally didn't like the jumps back to his siblings. I didn't care about them nearly as much as Ender's journey (especially the brother)
Overall: A great book and solid SF story with a few flaws that can be easily overlooked.
An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers
4.0
8.5/10
A solid addition to the 10/10 A Voice in the Wind that came before. Not nearly as good but nice to complete the story.
Pros:
- The focus was more on Marcus this time instead of Hadassah and his growth was the main arc the story had, though he still felt conflicted and realistic
- I like that it showed even someone as twisted as Julia could find redemption in the last moment
- The slow burn of reuniting but one of them doesn't know it is a cliche but I loved it in this. It made the real reunion that much sweeter
Cons:
- This marked the start of the author's reliance on miracles that broke immersion for me. I prefer the miracle of them merely meeting Hadassah and getting to know her over the years, which led to their salvation. That is a miracle in itself but feels like something that could happen in real life.
- This book definitely dragged and felt like an add-on. It didn't feel like it's own tense story like the first.
Overall, it's good to read if you've read the first but it is not a standalone and when I do reread it, I find myself skipping several parts of it.
A solid addition to the 10/10 A Voice in the Wind that came before. Not nearly as good but nice to complete the story.
Pros:
- The focus was more on Marcus this time instead of Hadassah and his growth was the main arc the story had, though he still felt conflicted and realistic
- I like that it showed even someone as twisted as Julia could find redemption in the last moment
- The slow burn of reuniting but one of them doesn't know it is a cliche but I loved it in this. It made the real reunion that much sweeter
Cons:
- This marked the start of the author's reliance on miracles that broke immersion for me. I prefer the miracle of them merely meeting Hadassah and getting to know her over the years, which led to their salvation. That is a miracle in itself but feels like something that could happen in real life.
- This book definitely dragged and felt like an add-on. It didn't feel like it's own tense story like the first.
Overall, it's good to read if you've read the first but it is not a standalone and when I do reread it, I find myself skipping several parts of it.
A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
4.0
8/10
A really interesting take on dragons set in a world that feels real and historical
Jane Austen with Dragons
Pros:
- The setting is interesting and focuses more on the academics of dragons.
- It felt very much like a Jane Austen novel mixed with dragons
- I liked the main character. She was never annoying or illogical. Her focus on academics but not complaining was refreshing
- I enjoyed the romance, simple and sparse as it was. It also felt realistic (at the end)
Cons:
- It could drag, especially near the end
- I wasn't fully immersed by the ending (I didn't really care as much as I should about the MC's well-being)
- I didn't love it enough to continue the series
Overall: A lovely and refreshing read
A really interesting take on dragons set in a world that feels real and historical
Jane Austen with Dragons
Pros:
- The setting is interesting and focuses more on the academics of dragons.
- It felt very much like a Jane Austen novel mixed with dragons
- I liked the main character. She was never annoying or illogical. Her focus on academics but not complaining was refreshing
- I enjoyed the romance, simple and sparse as it was. It also felt realistic (at the end)
Cons:
- It could drag, especially near the end
- I wasn't fully immersed by the ending (I didn't really care as much as I should about the MC's well-being)
- I didn't love it enough to continue the series
Overall: A lovely and refreshing read
The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne
4.0
8/10
A simple romance story set in a simple SF world. Quite enjoyable.
Pros:
- I liked the romance. I always like a clean, slow burn
- It was YA but the characters weren't whiny or annoying
- The world was interesting and well fleshed out (for the most part)
Cons:
- There wasn't much of a climax or tension throughout. It hinted at drama and violence occurring, then nothing really happened
- The lack of communication = conflict was a definite drawback
- I'm not a big fan of love triangles but this one wasn't too bad
A simple romance story set in a simple SF world. Quite enjoyable.
Pros:
- I liked the romance. I always like a clean, slow burn
- It was YA but the characters weren't whiny or annoying
- The world was interesting and well fleshed out (for the most part)
Cons:
- There wasn't much of a climax or tension throughout. It hinted at drama and violence occurring, then nothing really happened
- The lack of communication = conflict was a definite drawback
- I'm not a big fan of love triangles but this one wasn't too bad
Mistborn: Secret History by Brandon Sanderson
5.0
8/10
I'm conflicted on this. It was well-written and very funny in parts but it was a story I didn't want to see told.
Pros:
- The MC is hilarious, as he was in the original book, and the story was very interesting. It expanded on worldbuilding even more and didn't interfere with the events of the original books.
Cons:
- I thought the main character's story was concluded really well. Knowing he went back to join his loved one in death was ruined by this book and it made me very frustrated. Something I really liked in the original Mistborn was essentially ruined by this book
- Because this wasn't really related to the overall conflict of the three books, I didn't feel any real urgency or immersion. I didn't care about the plot as much as I did the main trilogy's conflicts.
I'm conflicted on this. It was well-written and very funny in parts but it was a story I didn't want to see told.
Pros:
- The MC is hilarious, as he was in the original book, and the story was very interesting. It expanded on worldbuilding even more and didn't interfere with the events of the original books.
Cons:
- I thought the main character's story was concluded really well. Knowing he went back to join his loved one in death was ruined by this book and it made me very frustrated. Something I really liked in the original Mistborn was essentially ruined by this book
- Because this wasn't really related to the overall conflict of the three books, I didn't feel any real urgency or immersion. I didn't care about the plot as much as I did the main trilogy's conflicts.
Room by Emma Donoghue
4.0
8/10
A really good book with lots of suspense in the middle
Pros:
- The POV is a fun one (a little boy who doesn't know he's being held captive)
- The mother isn't perfect but her reactions to everything are understandable
- The climax where they escape is emotional
Cons:
- Since the climax occurs near the middle of the book, I have trouble being interested after. What feels like it should be an epilogue drags on quite a bit. It's good, don't get me wrong, and seeing the struggles that come afterwards are great, but I find myself struggling to get through it because the excitement and interest is gone now.
A really good book with lots of suspense in the middle
Pros:
- The POV is a fun one (a little boy who doesn't know he's being held captive)
- The mother isn't perfect but her reactions to everything are understandable
- The climax where they escape is emotional
Cons:
- Since the climax occurs near the middle of the book, I have trouble being interested after. What feels like it should be an epilogue drags on quite a bit. It's good, don't get me wrong, and seeing the struggles that come afterwards are great, but I find myself struggling to get through it because the excitement and interest is gone now.
The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
5.0
9/10
The thrilling conclusion to the Mistborn trilogy, though it comes close to overstaying its welcome
Pros:
- Contrary to some, I really liked the ending and how it wrapped everything up. The climax itself felt a little oddly paced at times but I still loved where it went with it
- (spoilers) My boy Sazed finally getting an ending and purpose was great
- There was more expansion on the characters again, as well as the magic and races
- The main draw and reason I stuck through the book was the mystery. I wanted answers and was glad when I received them.
Cons:
- By this point, I was ready to be done with the series. This book was the hardest to get through. There were points where I considered skipping certain POVs because they didn't interest me that much and felt like they were dragging on a little too long.
Overall, though, I really enjoyed this series and still think about the ending sometimes. It is still one of my favorites, despite its flaws.
The thrilling conclusion to the Mistborn trilogy, though it comes close to overstaying its welcome
Pros:
- Contrary to some, I really liked the ending and how it wrapped everything up. The climax itself felt a little oddly paced at times but I still loved where it went with it
- (spoilers) My boy Sazed finally getting an ending and purpose was great
- There was more expansion on the characters again, as well as the magic and races
- The main draw and reason I stuck through the book was the mystery. I wanted answers and was glad when I received them.
Cons:
- By this point, I was ready to be done with the series. This book was the hardest to get through. There were points where I considered skipping certain POVs because they didn't interest me that much and felt like they were dragging on a little too long.
Overall, though, I really enjoyed this series and still think about the ending sometimes. It is still one of my favorites, despite its flaws.
The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
5.0
9/10
A really immersive read with enough mystery in its worldbuilding to keep me coming back for more
Pros:
- The magic system is great. It's explained in a way that's easy to understand and the fight scenes feel insanely cinematic
- The worldbuilding was my favorite part, as questions were answered and led to even more, deeper questions about the world, people in it, and history of the setting. It was the main reason I got through the third book
- Characters are solid. I didn't love anybody in it but they were good enough to keep me in suspense when they were in trouble
- I loved the villain in this the most out of the three. His reputation preceded him and when he did show up, he lived up to it
- I like that the story had a conclusion and felt self-contained but left room for later stories
Cons:
- I noticed throughout all three books that filler was a bit of an issue. It wasn't a deal breaker but I do think the books should have been shorter. I know he's famous for his long books but for me, longer doesn't always mean better if things feel dragged out at points. This was more of an issue for the later books, though
- (spoilers) I don't like that the mentor's death became somewhat meaningless with his sequel add-on where it turned out he didn't completely die. His story felt nicely wrapped up so I was annoyed that he was brought back
- The MC could be annoying at times (whiny, going against her established backstory. Don't tell me a character is shy and good at navigating around social situations, then have her constantly speak up and counter people when the setting established she wouldn't do so). This issue disappeared in the second and third books, luckily
Overall: A really immersive and fun story that sticks with me even a year later.
A really immersive read with enough mystery in its worldbuilding to keep me coming back for more
Pros:
- The magic system is great. It's explained in a way that's easy to understand and the fight scenes feel insanely cinematic
- The worldbuilding was my favorite part, as questions were answered and led to even more, deeper questions about the world, people in it, and history of the setting. It was the main reason I got through the third book
- Characters are solid. I didn't love anybody in it but they were good enough to keep me in suspense when they were in trouble
- I loved the villain in this the most out of the three. His reputation preceded him and when he did show up, he lived up to it
- I like that the story had a conclusion and felt self-contained but left room for later stories
Cons:
- I noticed throughout all three books that filler was a bit of an issue. It wasn't a deal breaker but I do think the books should have been shorter. I know he's famous for his long books but for me, longer doesn't always mean better if things feel dragged out at points. This was more of an issue for the later books, though
- (spoilers) I don't like that the mentor's death became somewhat meaningless with his sequel add-on where it turned out he didn't completely die. His story felt nicely wrapped up so I was annoyed that he was brought back
- The MC could be annoying at times (whiny, going against her established backstory. Don't tell me a character is shy and good at navigating around social situations, then have her constantly speak up and counter people when the setting established she wouldn't do so). This issue disappeared in the second and third books, luckily
Overall: A really immersive and fun story that sticks with me even a year later.
A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
4.0
8.5/10
A solid multiverse romance with a little bit of mystery
Pros:
- I liked the concept of hunting down a killer (and later falling for him). I knew that was the plot coming in but didn't mind it at all.
- I was relieved we didn't explore endless worlds, as that would be confusing and get old fast. The ones we did visit were intersting enough, though maybe going through at least 5 would be better than 3.
- The romance was good in that we could see their feelings growing over time and got plenty of lovely flashbacks.
- Characters were good and complex, as were the villains (for the most part)
- (spoilers) The secret villain twist was predictable (not because of hints dropped but because of general story structure) but I didn't dislike it. It was one of those "I knew it" twists that added to the plot and gave some depth to past events
Cons:
- I really don't like love triangles unless they're handled flawlessly. I especially hate when the MC flip-flops between people. In this one, it was at least somewhat understandable but I still don't like when a character kisses one person one day, then someone else the next
- The pacing did slow down considerably during the medieval portion but I didn't mind it, since it was a nice break from the overall plot. However, the romance in that felt a little icky since (as I mentioned before) the MC is falling for multiple people at once (technically)
Overall, an interesting concept with some good romance scenes, but certain aspects just weren't for me.
A solid multiverse romance with a little bit of mystery
Pros:
- I liked the concept of hunting down a killer (and later falling for him). I knew that was the plot coming in but didn't mind it at all.
- I was relieved we didn't explore endless worlds, as that would be confusing and get old fast. The ones we did visit were intersting enough, though maybe going through at least 5 would be better than 3.
- The romance was good in that we could see their feelings growing over time and got plenty of lovely flashbacks.
- Characters were good and complex, as were the villains (for the most part)
- (spoilers) The secret villain twist was predictable (not because of hints dropped but because of general story structure) but I didn't dislike it. It was one of those "I knew it" twists that added to the plot and gave some depth to past events
Cons:
- I really don't like love triangles unless they're handled flawlessly. I especially hate when the MC flip-flops between people. In this one, it was at least somewhat understandable but I still don't like when a character kisses one person one day, then someone else the next
- The pacing did slow down considerably during the medieval portion but I didn't mind it, since it was a nice break from the overall plot. However, the romance in that felt a little icky since (as I mentioned before) the MC is falling for multiple people at once (technically)
Overall, an interesting concept with some good romance scenes, but certain aspects just weren't for me.
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
5.0
9/10
Another immersive read and a worthy sequel
Pros:
- I liked that we got to focus on more specific characters (as some of them blended together due to being similar/too many)
- The romance was built on and had a happy ending
- The villains and political disputes were interesting and immersive
- I loved the sense of mystery being built up, rather than answered and forgotten
- More magic and races being uncovered and explained is a huge plus
Cons:
- The relationship between her and her lover's brother felt off to me. (Spoilers) When he kissed her, it felt odd because they acted more like siblings than people interested romantically in each other
- Like the other two in this trilogy, I did feel a little bloat and filler. It's all good and interesting to read, but it can feel draggy due to the book feeling a little longer than it should have been
Overall, another great continuation of the story. The sense of mystery in this series set high standards for all future books I read, as I now want a mystery to drive me through the story from now on.
Another immersive read and a worthy sequel
Pros:
- I liked that we got to focus on more specific characters (as some of them blended together due to being similar/too many)
- The romance was built on and had a happy ending
- The villains and political disputes were interesting and immersive
- I loved the sense of mystery being built up, rather than answered and forgotten
- More magic and races being uncovered and explained is a huge plus
Cons:
- The relationship between her and her lover's brother felt off to me. (Spoilers) When he kissed her, it felt odd because they acted more like siblings than people interested romantically in each other
- Like the other two in this trilogy, I did feel a little bloat and filler. It's all good and interesting to read, but it can feel draggy due to the book feeling a little longer than it should have been
Overall, another great continuation of the story. The sense of mystery in this series set high standards for all future books I read, as I now want a mystery to drive me through the story from now on.