kassidyreads's reviews
1054 reviews

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this! The characters were great! The magic system is kind of confusing but still super intriguing! 
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Bloom by Kevin Panetta

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This was probably the most disappointing graphic novel I've read so far. There were some good scenes but I just wasn't feeling the characters. I didn't like Ari and he and Hector didn't have any chemistry. 
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The Blood Trials by N.E. Davenport

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
DNF @ 22%

I'm struggling with the world-building in this book. It feels clunky and underdeveloped. There are a lot of fantasy terms being thrown at me and with no glossary making it confusing. There's a lot of action but not much substance. The character's motivations for joining the trails don't feel strong enough. It's giving Fourth Wing minus the dragons.
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The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence

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adventurous challenging dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I had mixed feelings about this series, but it's growing on me. Like the first book, it took me some time to get into it. The library is unique and epic, but also quite confusing with all the time travel. I found the new characters interesting, though! I'm curious to see how it will end in the final book!
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The Winnowing by Vikki VanSickle

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

3.0

This was a fast-paced and entertaining sci-fi dystopian. I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know what was happening. Some parts were rushed and unbelievable but it was still a fun read. 
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When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker

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adventurous dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Another romantasy book that started out good then went downhill. I loved the world-building but then the romance took over and ruined it. Also, this book was so long yet had zero plot or character development.
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The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen

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

2.5

I've read a lot of fantasy books with similar plots and although the beginning of this book was intriguing I started to lose interest by the middle. Lara was too oblivious about her father and Aren was too trusting. The jungle setting was unique but I had a hard time understanding the bridge system. A map would have been helpful. There were also some time jumps near the end which made it feel rushed.
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Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray

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challenging inspiring sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I loved The Diviners series, so I was excited to read a new book by Libba Bray! And it was an interesting one! The book followed three stories from three different time periods, which felt disjointed at first but eventually came together in the end. In my opinion, the 1940 Kleinwald chapters were the strongest whereas the 1980 West Berlin and 2020 New York chapters were kind of boring. Also, this book didn't hold back when it came to social justice! It showed how history is repeating itself, but we can still fight back and make a difference. 
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The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • 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 book provided good background information on Celaena, Sam and Arobrynn's relationships. I loved Celaena and Sam; what happened to them strengthened my hatred for Arobrynn going into Queen of Shadows. 
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Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb

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adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Robin Hobb continues to impress me! I'll admit I wasn't sure about this book at first, but once I got to know the characters, I began to really enjoy the story. The characters really stood out! They have such strength and determination that I couldn't help but root for them! The magic and world-building were also fascinating. I can't wait to read the rest of the series! 
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