kazemiko's reviews
657 reviews

The Myth of June by A.B. Daniels-Annachi

challenging emotional tense fast-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

2.5

I went into this book sort of blind, yes, pun entirely intended. I got an email from A.B. Daniels-Annachi thanking me for signing up for the ARC team. Which I have absolutely no recollection of doing. I downloaded the book to my Kindle and got to reading. 

I don't quite know how I feel about the history of the Greek pantheon being like, the primary deities of this alternate universe not being explored more. I would love to know why and how that universe evolved be pantheistic versus the majority monotheistic one we have in our current reality (I say this as a Hellenistic Pagan, I do see the irony). I want to know more. 

I couldn't tell what age-range this book was meant to be for. It's set in 1926 at the start, but it has what felt like anachronisms all throughout it. The writing was kind of juvenile for the themes that were going on. There was a lot that happened that made me wonder how dense the characters actually were. June is generally one of the most intelligently oblivious people I've ever read from the perspective of. I understand that this is a retelling of Medusa. I didn't care for it. It seemed forced in a lot of places where the plot kind of ran out before the scene was done. They would run into the wall of having the characters clearly needing to do more, but not really having anything to do. 

The initial part of the description apparently happens off-screen? We never even get to see it happen. It's talked about, kind of, but we never see it happen, which bugged the hell out of me. I don't think I'll ever reread this or really recommend it to anyone.... 

A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

 

I wasn't sure exactly what to expect going into this book. I was pleasantly surprised. We are introduced first to Gregor and Simon. They are a duo who have been living in this greenhouse for presumably a few years now. Long enough that the people are accustomed to their strange behavior. I loved the idea of them knowing each others' proclivities well enough to have set up places where they could explore those talents and curiosities in peace. 

Then the weirdness happens. Gregor gets this box from Sumatra. He knows what is supposed to be in the box. It's something he's ordered, but it goes all kinds of strange. I never once thought I'd be down to read about a mycellium that can think for itself. At least, in the most rudimentary of ways. The mycellium (a sort of squishy goo mushroom) was caring for a plant. It would make sure the thing was kept in the ideal conditions for its growth. I loved that. The mushroom knew what to do. 

Gregor gets the brilliant idea while watching this mycellium, to build a sort of mobile lattice. That's the best way I can think to describe it. He talks about it with Simon. I didn't like that Gregor weaponized their relationship to force Simon's hand. The way that he twisted his love for his actual boyfriend so that he could get what he wanted made me angry. No one should behave that way. You don't threaten someone that you'll divulge something that will get you both arrested and possibly killed just to get what you want. 

Past that grossness, it was an interesting story. I was hooked from page one. I loved how every time something traumatic would happen, Simon would make a physical representation of the emotional response so he wouldn't have to feel it himself. Something he didn't want to think about? A brain in a jar. Something he didn't want to remember seeing? A barber's cup full of preserved eyeballs. It was so bizarrely just....Simon, that I couldn't help enjoying it. 

I eventually gave this book a 4.5/5 stars. I took off the last half a star because I didn't care, again, for how Gregor treated Simon like a possession or how just absolutely batshit he went during the whole creation of Chloe, their Botanical Daughter. It was bad. I adored Chloe and Jenny and their relationship as things were discovered between them and things sort of progressed. That's the best I can describe it? 

The resolution was worth the read. I liked how they learned and grew throughout and what eventually became of everything as they did so. 

I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more books by Noah Medlock!! 

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense fast-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

4.5

This was a really quick read. I loved the way we are shown that the lives of  "privileged" women in 15th-16th century China was not all that much better than that of their working class counterparts. If anything it was more restricted. Girls forced to bind their feet and maintain a 100% blemish free face in order to be able to marry, only being permitted outside of the family's compound to move into her husband's, having to answer to her mother-in-law at all times, even if it would cause harm. I'm glad we've moved away from that. 

I adored the way Yunxian helped her family however she could, knowing the risks she took. Especially when she basically stood up to the most powerful man in her entire country. She proved that women were more than just ornaments to be gawked at. I wholeheartedly recommend this. 

Pond Water by Rian Mileti, Brenda FireEagle Biddix

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.5

I didn't know what I was getting. This book left a lot to be desired. It rushed through the plot. Many places could have used a lot more development. They just jumped from scene to scene with kind of...no sense of direction.

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful tense fast-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

4.75

This was amazing. I loved the way he told the story. Both the Duke and Viola deserved so much better than what they got in the beginning. I loved reading the history of Gracewood and his friend and the reveal for him and how he must have felt the same kind of love the whole time. I'm proud of Viola for leaving her comfort zone and trusting that the people around her won't hurt her. She got the man of her dreams in the end. Very well written and I'm reasonably sure Lady Marleigh and Miranda de Vere are now my favorite characters. 

Poems of Hate by Various Poets

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

3.5

This one was really an entertaining read. I didn't know what I was expecting but I found it rather enjoyable for such a short thing. Would definitely recommend to any poetry fans. 

Sackett's Land by Louis L'Amour

challenging mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.5

It was....well, it was. I was not particularly impressed by this. I don't know if it is the genre or the theme. Now I've enjoyed books set in the 14th-16th centuries in the  past, but this one was just blah. It seemed a little bit too easy for Sackett. People just trusted him without really knowing him at all. I didn't understand that. I'm not going to continue the series. It just was not for me. 

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense medium-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

3.5

I was talking to someone in a Discord about banned and challenged books and we got talking about this one, which was recently removed from several libraries. I can understand why people wouldn't want it in schools,  but I also think people should read it. I felt for Peter and Josie the whole time and I am convinced that Jordan was right and it is what is now called cPTSD

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

fast-paced

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

2.5

I wasn't particularly invested. It was okay. I was interested in the storyline, but I think a lot could have been changed to make it better? The just aggressive way the 'eaters thought of anyone who wasn't an 'eater (and some who were) was appalling. They looked down on humans as a lesser sort of creature that was not particularly worthy of their empathy or something? I don't know. It just rubbed me the wrong way. And how instead of trying to sort out what to do with Mind Eaters, they just abused the power they had and basically turned them into weapons. I've already put the book up for sale on Pango. I know full well I will not ever reread it.