lazyowl's reviews
1693 reviews

Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 I loved this almost as much as I enjoyed Tress. This had such unique magic system. I loved Yumi and Painter as characters and we see some great character development along the way. Loved it! 

Gods of the Wyrdwood by RJ Barker

adventurous mysterious fast-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? No

4.5

I really enjoyed the atmospheric setting of this book in the descriptions of the wildness of the woods. I also equally enjoyed the characters and the plot pacing. This was my first RJ Barker read and I thoroughly enjoyed.

The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake

challenging medium-paced

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

3.0

Follows on directly after the events of The Atlas Six. It seemed like not a lot happened in this book and there was an awful lot of internal monologue happening and which felt like it went on for too long. However, I am interested in the outcome of the story and still interested to see where it ultimately leads.

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin

mysterious sad 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

3.75

Scifi mystery about a community living on a group of 3 islands cut off from the rest of the world. Clever story with societal moral themes that stayed with me.

Spear by Nicola Griffith

adventurous 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? N/A

3.0

This was quite lyrical in the beginning. It's an Arthurian type of tale. I did not connect well with the story and found I was not particularly interested in the outcome of story. 

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

Really enjoyed how this story was woven together. There is some mystery and something sinister going on. This was my second read through, and I found I engaged with the story more so the second time round.

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

adventurous mysterious fast-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

5.0

Excellent finish to an excellent series. One of my top favourites for the year. Highly recommend. 

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

dark mysterious medium-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? Yes

4.0

A good twisty mystery about the lengths a mother will go to to find her missing baby boy. 

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

4.75

Loved it! Couldn't put it down. Just as good as the first book, with more mystery, intrigue and puzzles to solve.

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon

adventurous mysterious 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

3.75

Whilst I enjoyed reading this book about events prior to the Priory of the Orange Tree, it could have been told in a lot less words. It felt like there was a fair amount of info dumping throughout the book, and for me, that messed with the pacing a bit.