krista225's reviews
1160 reviews

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous emotional tense 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

4.0

If you thought this was a trilogy, it is not. The book ends on a cliffhanger.  

Things I enjoyed:

• Violet's second signet is revealed.
• Andarna has a wish come true.
• Xaden's journey continued pretty much exactly how I anticipated.
• Violet's relationships with her siblings became more nuanced.
• Violet's strange hair is not just an affect; it has significance. 
• The continuation of Violet and Xaden's love story.

Things I didn't enjoy:

• The Venin remain too much of a mystery. I was hoping for more insight into their kind. 
• Violet's second signet didn't get utilized as much or as powerfully as it could and should. 

Things I am hoping for in the upcoming book(s): 

• An explanation for Andarna's behavior/decisions
• Violet's second signet becomes the asset it is meant to be.
• More of Tairn's snarky old-man grumpiness. I like that dragon. 
• Xaden's love for Violet, his cousin, and his country continue to ground him.
• We get a better understanding of the Venin's culture, goals, and motivations. 
• We learn more about dragonkind overall and the Irids in particular. 

Overall, I enjoyed this and will be excited to read the installment in the series. 

Displacement by Kiku Hughes

emotional informative sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This book was clearly written in response to the first Trump presidency; he's mentioned by name. Inspired by the administration's immigration policies and the tactics taken to remove undesirables from the United States, the author uses a time-travel trope to revisit one of the nation's many problematic historical moments. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the American government decided all of those of Japanese descent, regardless of their citizenship status, were not to be trusted and needed to be rounded up. Removed from their homes and businesses, Japanese immigrants and citizens were placed into internment camps. 

In this book, the author self-inserts and uses her own family as a source of inspiration by following her grandmother - then a young girl - through the camps. She uses the concept of ancestral memory to demonstrate how even though she has never physically been imprisoned by the US government, the communal memory and its after-effects still resonate and impact her life. 

Thyme to Kill by Tegan Maher

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

This was okay. The MC has just moved to a new town, buying her new home sight unseen. She ends with a major fixer-upper that comes complete with its own ghost. Perhaps the ghost will become more significant as the series continues, but she really doesn't impact the murder mystery at the heart of this book. 

Our heroine is a writer, which means she's essentially broke. Taking a job in town becomes a source of income that will help her with her fixer-upper. While she tries to use this position to help her new roommate, who happens to be the main suspect in the murder, it really doesn't give her many clues. The "smoking gun" is discovered in her presence but entirely by chance. 

So...this was just okay. 

Adora and the Distance by Will Dennis, Marc Bernardin

adventurous inspiring reflective fast-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

4.0

This comic book came with a surprise ending that will make you think. As I don't know how to review this book without discussing this revelation, I think I need to do the whole spoiler warning thing. 

Stop reading now if you don't want spoilers. 

I mean it. Stop now. 

Okay, still here?

In this comic book young Adora is fated to confront the Distance. While the Distance is a nebulous dark force, legend tells of its destructive wake as it destroys the worlds of all who must face it. When it is revealed that Adora is the one the Distance wants, she is determined to save her home and the people she loves. Luckily, her adoptive father is able to put together a band of sworn protectors to guard her as she ventures into the world. 

After following along on Adora's adventures as she marches forward to confront the Distance, you discover the entire tale is unfolding within the mind of a non-verbal autistic child. It's a poignant ending, one that inspires compassion and empathy. It will also make you rethink everything you just read/saw. 

Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta

funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

I don't know what possessed me to read this one. I think it might have been the title or the cover art. Whatever the reason, I thought it would be ridiculous and I'd end up DNFing it. Instead, I found it charming and, at times, humorous. I mean I laughed out loud more than once while listening to it in my car. 

Our human protagonist has finished her Master's degree and still can't pay the rent. Times are desperate. Determined to avoid the dread fate of moving home to mom and dad's house, she decides to take a job that no one can ever know she has. She becomes a milking technician at a sperm collection bank. The donors aren't human like herself, though. They are minotaurs. 

In what could have been a very raunchy and erotica style tale, this was actually a very cute little romance. Sure, there were some explicit descriptions and this is definitely not something I'd recommend lightly. Know your audience when sharing book recommendations, friends. Some people would be very disturbed by this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Haunting Beauty by Meg Anne, K. Loraine

dark emotional funny mysterious 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? No

5.0

I expected spicy sex scenes and a mediocre plot. Instead, I got an intriguing plotline, a delectable cast of lead men, and a charming leading lady. I loved this audiobook and will be finishing the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Minor: Violence

The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett

funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

This was a continuation of Rincewind's story in the Discworld series. It picks up right where book one left off. However, the plot this time revolves around the spell trapped within Rincewind instead of the zany adventures one experiences while babysitting an oblivious and naive tourist. The stakes are a little higher as the Discworld seems doomed to celestial obliteration as it draws closer and closer to a giant star in the sky. Rumor has it Rincewind's spell must be reunited with the other great spells in order for disaster to be averted. 

I won't give away anything important. I'll just say this was fun and entertaining. 

Notes from the Burning Age by Claire North

challenging reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

I loved the premise of this book. It tackles so many of today's political concerns, from climate change to capitalism. It addresses man's need for control over the world around him versus the idea of living in harmony with nature. This political thriller should have kept me well-entertained as it was set in a post-apocalyptic world destroyed by man's greed and love of war. I tend to love these kind of books. Unfortunately, this one just fell flat for me. 

There were a few reasons why my enjoyment fell off. While I love books that explore the above-mentioned themes, I don't enjoy being preached at and felt there were too many instances when the story devolved into the author standing on a soapbox moralizing.  Even if I agreed with the sentiments expressed, they often dumped me out of Ven's story and back into reality. A more subtle approach would have been more pleasing for this reader; your mileage may vary. 

I also felt there was too much description, and the inner monologues often seemed to disrupt the flow of the action sequences. Any tension that was built by the author seemed to be reduced by meandering attention to detail or the MC's tendency to walk down memory lane at the most inopportune time. It was a little frustrating as I'd just start to get excited by where the story was going and then...I'd be deflated and bored. 

So, while I loved the premise, the delivery didn't really work for me. I wish it had because I feel like I should have loved this and didn't. 

American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West by Nate Blakeslee

emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

I read this book years ago and loved it. Nothing has changed. The audiobook was fantastic. 

Wolves are amazing creatures, and I feel that this book exemplifies that fact.  The author even discusses how they changed the Yellowstone environment for the better. Reintroducing the elk's natural predator allowed Willow trees to recover, creating a cascading ecological effect that improved the natural landscape. It's astounding. 

These little factual tidbits were sprinkled into '06's story. Although she would later become collared and become officially known by that collar number, the heroine of our story was born in 2006 and was nicknamed 06. As park rangers and visitors alike were able to follow her through their scopes, she became one of the most famous wolves to emerge out of the Yellowstone reintroduction program.  Her story is inspiring and sad, and one worth knowing. 

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

It has been years since I first read this book. I must admit, I had forgotten the entire storyline and the characters. In fact, if not for Goodreads, I might have thought this book was new to me. So much for my memory!

On to the book review..

This was cute. In this first Discworld book, we meet the failed wizard Rincewind and the clueless tourist Twoflower. Through some twist of fate, Rincewind is tasked with keeping Twoflower alive. Given how cowardly and inept Rincewind is, it is a good thing Twoflower happens to be traveling with a magic, walking piece of luggage that is programmed to protect and follow its master any- and everywhere. 

I love the quirky sense of humor that Pratchett brings to his Discworld novels. I smile a lot and may even occasionally giggle a bit. The shenanigans of the tourist perfectly exemplifies how a lot of travelers move through foreign lands, oblivious to dangers and in awe of what the locals consider mundane. Also, as a photographer myself, Twoflower's insistence on photographing everything, no matter how dangerous or inane, made me laugh in self-mockery. Same, Twoflower, same. I am that tourist, too!

I'm planning on reading a Discworld novel every month until the series has been completed. So...on to the next!