justagirlwithabook's reviews
432 reviews

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous challenging emotional tense 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? Yes

5.0

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

A great second installment to Osman's Thursday Murder Club! I found myself both getting emotional with some of the characters and the situations while also chuckling to myself at the humor and wit that Osman uses so well to define his characters. I find this to be such a quirky, humorous, and fun British mystery series that would be akin to Penny's Three Pines (but better, for readers like me who want a bit more plot but humor & heart to go along with it)! Another favorite for the year!

A Home for Goddesses and Dogs by Leslie Connor

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emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? No

4.0

Sundial by Catriona Ward

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challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Long ago something happened in the desert, at Sundial, that has remained with Rob through the rest of her adult life. Now in the present, stuck in a cruel and miserable marriage, something odd has started happening with her daughters, and Sundial might be the only place to hold answers. Caught between old traumas of the past and the love of a mom for her daughters, Rob must retrace memories back to Sundial, her childhood home, and face truths that have rested untouched in the desert for far too long.

What I Loved:
- Catriona Ward has become one of my absolute favorite horror authors. She writes psychological horror unlike anyone else, and I love how she always leads the reader up to a moment when, all of a sudden, the twisted up storylines start unraveling and the bigger picture starts to come into full focus. When that left foot drops (in the best way), I just can’t ever stop reading, and this book didn’t leave me disappointed in that way.
- Of the stories I’ve read by Ward, she always incorporates multiple perspectives. Sometimes these are from the past and into the present, sometimes they’re from the point of view of animals, and sometimes they’re in a different format, like chapters in a book. Sundial also incorporates multiple perspectives, and it really helps to continue moving the plot forward and keeping the reader guessing what’s next, who’s telling the truth, and asking “What’s REALLY happening?”

What I Didn’t Love:
- The only aspect I had a little bit of a harder time with involved some scenes of animal death and just some general sort of tough situations involving animals. That said, it was all so purposeful and intentional in regard to the storyline, and there were some sweet moments as well.

Overall:
Overall, I feel like this is a “Catriona Ward has done it again” moment. When I initially read the description of the book to decide if I wanted to request it to read or not, I hesitated. It didn’t sound quite as pulse-racing as The Last House on Needless Street or as eerie and cultish as Little Eve; it felt like it’d be an entirely different story altogether. And it was, but it was just as good. Her stories all stand so unique from one another but all have a similar thread: you’re guaranteed to not know anything from the start, and you’re guaranteed some reveals toward the back half of the book that will have your mind constantly turning to put pieces together and to get to the truth of the story and what happened. If you enjoyed any of her most recent books, love psychological horror novels, enjoy multiple perspectives, and love a good reveal, definitely read this one next!!

Content Warnings:
Child neglect and abuse, domestic abuse, animal experimentation, animal death, miscarriage/loss of pregnancy

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen

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adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

Simi, made Mami Wata, a mermaid, spends her time blessing the souls of those who die at sea and ushering them on their journey home. When a boy is thrown overboard at sea, on the brink of death but still alive, Simi breaks decree and saves his life. Unfortunately, saving a life comes with a price, and now all of Mami Wata and even their reigning goddess are at risk. In order to make amends, she must stop a trickster as he tries to gain a powerful footing in the world of the Orisha.

What I Loved:
- I really enjoyed the seamless incorporation of West African mythology. It brought the world of the Orisha to life and personified their characters in a way that was tangible.
- I really liked the Mami Wata element - not often to we read books with main characters that live in the sea.
- I liked that there was a partial historical element; the story didn't take place in a made up world but one that we know from history.
- I liked that there was a strong female protagonist who didn't often need too much saving and did a lot of the hardest work on her own volition.

What I Didn’t Love:
- Holy "abrupt ending," Batman! This was the greatest abrupt ending to a story I've ever read. It is not marketed as the first of a duology, trilogy, or series of any kind, so if this is it, this is the book and the end of the story, I am shocked that the editors would let an ending like this go to publishing.
- The plot left a bit to be desired. It felt like the characters were doing a lot of traveling and then every handful of chapters would come across some obstacle on their way to their destination. Initially, it was fine, but after a while it started to feel very formulaic, repetitive, and predictable.

Overall:
Overall, I had such high hopes for this story and felt like it had so much potential. Its greatest asset is the world of the Orisha that saturates every page. It was really brought to life, and the Mami Wata element felt so unique in comparison to other YA fantasy books that have a mythological element to them. This book's greatest downfall was its incredibly abrupt ending that left me very unsatisfied. The greatest loose ends were tied up but smaller ones were left open and then the book was over and I was shocked. If a second book is not planned, I'll be even more dumbfounded. I think younger YA readers will find this book entertaining and present a beautiful perspective of West African mythology. For adult readers, this book will feel like it fell short of its potential.

The Cousins by Karen M. McManus

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dark mysterious slow-paced