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kateships's reviews
93 reviews
I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.5
I think I enjoyed this. Honestly I don’t know how to feel about it. Like, it pulled me in and I loved how the whole time you were trying to figure out how it all ties together. There was an overarching sense of eeriness that you couldn’t totally place, but also it’s a mindfuck. The end got confusing but then you finish it and realize the big picture and it all makes sense.
I do not regret the hours spent on this one but it’s not what I expected somehow.
I do not regret the hours spent on this one but it’s not what I expected somehow.
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
adventurous
emotional
4.25
This was excellent. It was a bit hard to read with the super unique writing style, I just had to focus on it a bit more than I might usually in order to follow everything.
The story is so original (to me) and cool and I really almost never knew where it was going to go.
Im not enthralled or enchanted by it, but it really is a fantastic story written so beautifully.
The story is so original (to me) and cool and I really almost never knew where it was going to go.
Im not enthralled or enchanted by it, but it really is a fantastic story written so beautifully.
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
4.0
This was my favorite of the series so far. I do not really like Feyre and thought that her development from 1-3 was unrealistic. This one followed more of Nesta’s journey and moved POVs (which I think this series needs more of).
The main group was definitely harsh on her, clearly we missed a lot of story where she was terrible to everyone, but they eventually realize that she isn’t going to help herself, so they force her to make a choice. Her fear and trauma and bad mental space was relatable and understandable once she started working through it. And I am SO GLAD we got to actually see her working through it. She found a routine and a purpose, and through that she made connections and found her self-worth. I really did love her journey to be vulnerable, deal with the trauma, and be open to love.
This book is not without flaws, and the writing is downright cringy at times, but it drew me in and had me in a chokehold for the 24 hours it took to read. The graphic sex scenes were a bit gratuitous for me and not wholly necessary to get the point across. It’s a bit long-winded but I wasn’t bored. The Valkyrie stuff was fun but totally cheesy, and the training bits were more detailed than they needed to be. Also, every-time the author wrote in Nesta reading her “smut” (and called it that) it instantly pulled me out of the story it felt so out of place.
All in all, its a flawed book, the writing is hit or miss, and the characters outside of Nesta and Cassian are super under-developed, but I thought the story we followed with Nesta going from scared, mean, and traumatized to facing it all and finding a desire for life and love to be realistic and raw and lovely.
The main group was definitely harsh on her, clearly we missed a lot of story where she was terrible to everyone, but they eventually realize that she isn’t going to help herself, so they force her to make a choice. Her fear and trauma and bad mental space was relatable and understandable once she started working through it. And I am SO GLAD we got to actually see her working through it. She found a routine and a purpose, and through that she made connections and found her self-worth. I really did love her journey to be vulnerable, deal with the trauma, and be open to love.
This book is not without flaws, and the writing is downright cringy at times, but it drew me in and had me in a chokehold for the 24 hours it took to read. The graphic sex scenes were a bit gratuitous for me and not wholly necessary to get the point across. It’s a bit long-winded but I wasn’t bored. The Valkyrie stuff was fun but totally cheesy, and the training bits were more detailed than they needed to be. Also, every-time the author wrote in Nesta reading her “smut” (and called it that) it instantly pulled me out of the story it felt so out of place.
All in all, its a flawed book, the writing is hit or miss, and the characters outside of Nesta and Cassian are super under-developed, but I thought the story we followed with Nesta going from scared, mean, and traumatized to facing it all and finding a desire for life and love to be realistic and raw and lovely.
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
3.5
So this one was mostly better than the first two, in my opinion, but it was way too long. There were a lot of parts in the middle where I skimmed more than I might usually (mentally going, "okay move along now"). I enjoyed Feyre in this one a lot, she finally found herself and her strength, but the timeline of it all is so unrealistic to me. Its been about a year since she crossed the wall to the spring court, so by the end of the book its been less than 2 years and she went from hunting to feed her family, to being traumatized under the mountain and coming out broken and weak and helpless, to then being "saved" by Rhys and with just some reading lessons and training is now the only High Lady and is so powerful and strong and knows how to help with inter-court relations and war? There needed to be more time that passed in my opinion, and it would have felt more normal considering where she started in book 2. I did really enjoy getting more of her sisters and the other courts. The ending was a bit predictable in the general sense, but there are some plot twists that are great.
I will continue my criticism though that I wish the author would not use "male", "female", and "my mate" so often. "My Mate" in place of just saying their name made me gag a little every time it happened (and it's a lot).
Even with that all, I am still having a good time and want to know where it goes. Still not in love, but I will carry on!
I will continue my criticism though that I wish the author would not use "male", "female", and "my mate" so often. "My Mate" in place of just saying their name made me gag a little every time it happened (and it's a lot).
Even with that all, I am still having a good time and want to know where it goes. Still not in love, but I will carry on!
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
3.25
I didn’t dislike this book, it’s not bad, but I have many negative feelings. This one is both better and worse than the first one. Story-wise it’s better, deeper probably, even though it could have been 200 pages shorter, and I really wish the author wouldn’t use “male” and “female” and “mate” so much. Rhys & Co are better characters to spend time with than the spring court, other than maybe Lucien, and their story was interesting enough . I still don’t like Feyre until at least halfway through when she finally starts helping herself. The writing in this one was better, but the character development enraged me. Feyre ended book 1 on a traumatized but powerful note. She was strong willed, and, while young and naive, she fought for what she wanted and loved. That basically reset in this where she was weak and refused to actually fight or push or even talk about what she was feeling and going through except in the worst possible moments, but at the same time she also didn’t consider that those around her were also wildly traumatized. It was intensely frustrating. It took her going to be with someone who could basically read her mind before she would start to help herself. Where did the girl from the first book go?? I get why she was like that, because trauma, but it made me dislike her more than I did to start. And then she finally fights and is coming into her own and i start to like her, and she stupidly does the thing. I know it all comes together in the end to serve a purpose for the next book, but I deeply considered deleting the book from my kindle and forgetting about it forever when Feyre is explicitly told not to put the two book halves together and then she does.
Will I read the next one? Yes, of course. Will I still not like Feyre? Probably. I’m sure it will also make me rant about it and feel a type of way, but I’ll still have a good time.
Will I read the next one? Yes, of course. Will I still not like Feyre? Probably. I’m sure it will also make me rant about it and feel a type of way, but I’ll still have a good time.
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.25
I loved this. It was a little hard to follow at times, but once you met everyone it got easier. It conveyed the tragedy of medusas story without stripping her of her identity outside of her end. The narration of the audiobook by the author was perfect. You could feel the power, sarcasm, and female rage in the text beautifully.
Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
dark
tense
medium-paced
4.75
I don’t usually read books like this. I love folklore/fairytale based retellings which is why it interested me, and the authors writing drew me in.
It is… gory, uncomfortable, dark, weird, and at no point did I know what was going to happen. It was oddly more sexual than I was expecting and I don’t think the story needed most of it, but that didn't ruin it for me.
It’s FOR SURE not a book for everyone. Again, dark and VERY uncomfortable, not scary, but I was fascinated by the theme of hunger and the monsters. I ended up really really enjoying this way more than I expected.
I am weirdly obsessed and will probably read everything by this author.
It is… gory, uncomfortable, dark, weird, and at no point did I know what was going to happen. It was oddly more sexual than I was expecting and I don’t think the story needed most of it, but that didn't ruin it for me.
It’s FOR SURE not a book for everyone. Again, dark and VERY uncomfortable, not scary, but I was fascinated by the theme of hunger and the monsters. I ended up really really enjoying this way more than I expected.
I am weirdly obsessed and will probably read everything by this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Sexual assault, Blood, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Cannibalism, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Abortion
Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
4.5
This was really good. I loved the historic Mexico setting. It was dark and I definitely read further at night to get beyond the parts I knew would haunt my dreams more, but it wasn't "scary" if that makes sense. The love story and journey the MCs go on is so lovely and real. You understand both sides of the coin and why they are how they are, but they still can frustrate you in moments. In the end there is symbolism, compassion, and growth and it's lovely.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
3.0
So I read this for a friend (she wanted someone to gush to about it). It’s outside my realm of interest for the most part, but I gave it a shot for her. I feel very mixed. There were parts I enjoyed and other parts that made me want to throw my kindle out the window because I was rolling my eyes so hard I could see my brain. Some points felt very forced, wildly convenient, or just really predictable. It’s not the best book in the world, especially if you like something a little more complex, unique, or thought provoking, but it wasn’t bad. I was mostly fun overall, even if I didn’t love it. I did get through it quickly and had a mostly good time even if it wasn’t a great book. If I weren’t reading it for someone I would probably not read the next one though.