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lonaargh's reviews
241 reviews
Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
3.0
I just finished reading James S.A. Corey's book Leviathan Wakes. And I'm going to be wholly unfair in my rating here, but I disliked it.
Despite me being unable to put it down at 1 AM on a work night and despite me really wanting to know how it would end. It's not badly written. The plot is original. The characters have depth and make you feel like you care for them. There's zombies! And yet, I deeply and intensely dislike it.
And I dislike it because apart from all those fun things I just listed, there's also politics. Politics and an annoying tendency to chew out multiple times for the reader what's going on at that point and what the ramifications for certain actions are. And I hate politics. They bore me. Almost as much as hearing the same thing over and over again bores me. I don't want to wade through three pages of uninteresting interplanetary relations, followed by another three pages of (quite frankly disturbing) daydreams one of the main characters has about a girl he has never met or spoken to.
And that's all my personal preference, it in no way means this is a bad book. I definitely rec this book to anyone who loves politics, space and zombies. But I almost definitely won't be picking up the second book in the series.
Despite me being unable to put it down at 1 AM on a work night and despite me really wanting to know how it would end. It's not badly written. The plot is original. The characters have depth and make you feel like you care for them. There's zombies! And yet, I deeply and intensely dislike it.
And I dislike it because apart from all those fun things I just listed, there's also politics. Politics and an annoying tendency to chew out multiple times for the reader what's going on at that point and what the ramifications for certain actions are. And I hate politics. They bore me. Almost as much as hearing the same thing over and over again bores me. I don't want to wade through three pages of uninteresting interplanetary relations, followed by another three pages of (quite frankly disturbing) daydreams one of the main characters has about a girl he has never met or spoken to.
And that's all my personal preference, it in no way means this is a bad book. I definitely rec this book to anyone who loves politics, space and zombies. But I almost definitely won't be picking up the second book in the series.
The Dark Ages - Book I of III by Charles William Chadwick Oman
Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.
Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang was an emotional rollercoaster. It went from funny to heartbreaking in one seconds and then onwards to being whimsical the next moment.
But all in all it's a pleasant experience that reads a bit like a modern day fairytale. The characters are amazing and well fleshed out.
And the subtle romance was just the cherry on top.
One of the downsides of this book is unresolved character histories. I'd love to know what happened to several of the characters mentioned in the story. It makes the book feel unfinished, unpolished.
A fun and (mostly) lighthearted story with a nice romantic spin on it. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
But all in all it's a pleasant experience that reads a bit like a modern day fairytale. The characters are amazing and well fleshed out.
And the subtle romance was just the cherry on top.
One of the downsides of this book is unresolved character histories. I'd love to know what happened to several of the characters mentioned in the story. It makes the book feel unfinished, unpolished.
A fun and (mostly) lighthearted story with a nice romantic spin on it. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
Crazy Cupid Love by Amanda Heger
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
2.0
Crazy Cupid Love by Amanda Heger was recommended to me by the amazing algorithm over at Storygraph.
It's about Eliza, who is a very powerful Cupid, she can enchant people by hurting them (a little bit, who needs arrows these days?) and make the love people feel for each other a lot stronger. She's also a huge klutz and tends to accidentally physically hurt people. You can imagine the chaos that ensues. When her father falls ill it's up to her to help the family business. To top it off, her childhood best friend has grown up hot and they reconnect.
The premise is fun and promising. The execution, however, has left me wanting.
With a Cupid story it's hard to steer clear of all clichés, I get that. And not all clichés are necessarily bad. But Crazy Cupid Love has managed to crash head first into most of them.
Hot childhood friend? Check.
Longing for each while thinking the other doesn't? Check.
Love overcoming a seemingly impossible to break enchantment? Check.
And the clichés are not just present, but repeated over and over and over again until it got at my nerves.
There are a lot of interesting characters, but they don't seem to go anywhere, much like the sideplot about Eliza's parents. This is a shame because it may have given the book some much needed depth.
The jokes were funny, but not all of them to my tastes and more often than not they didn't fit with the scene they were placed in. The sense of timing was off within the entire book. There is a time and place for everything (yes, even in books) and playing videogames with an android's penis as joystick is not something I expected at that point. Nor did the sex scenes feel like they belong, it was more like they were awkwardly wedged in there, be that for the benefit of the horny audience or steamy comedic relief.
All in all, this wasn't a book I enjoyed, though I can see how other people would.
2 out of 5 stars.
It's about Eliza, who is a very powerful Cupid, she can enchant people by hurting them (a little bit, who needs arrows these days?) and make the love people feel for each other a lot stronger. She's also a huge klutz and tends to accidentally physically hurt people. You can imagine the chaos that ensues. When her father falls ill it's up to her to help the family business. To top it off, her childhood best friend has grown up hot and they reconnect.
The premise is fun and promising. The execution, however, has left me wanting.
With a Cupid story it's hard to steer clear of all clichés, I get that. And not all clichés are necessarily bad. But Crazy Cupid Love has managed to crash head first into most of them.
Hot childhood friend? Check.
Longing for each while thinking the other doesn't? Check.
Love overcoming a seemingly impossible to break enchantment? Check.
And the clichés are not just present, but repeated over and over and over again until it got at my nerves.
There are a lot of interesting characters, but they don't seem to go anywhere, much like the sideplot about Eliza's parents. This is a shame because it may have given the book some much needed depth.
The jokes were funny, but not all of them to my tastes and more often than not they didn't fit with the scene they were placed in. The sense of timing was off within the entire book. There is a time and place for everything (yes, even in books) and playing videogames with an android's penis as joystick is not something I expected at that point. Nor did the sex scenes feel like they belong, it was more like they were awkwardly wedged in there, be that for the benefit of the horny audience or steamy comedic relief.
All in all, this wasn't a book I enjoyed, though I can see how other people would.
2 out of 5 stars.
A Bad Deal for the Whole Galaxy by Alex White
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
It doesn't happen often anymore that I pick up a book that instantly grabs me. A book that makes me simultaneous wish it ends quickly so I know what happens, and wish it NEVER ends because it's just so good.
After I finished reading A Big Ship At The Edhe Of The Universe (The first title in Alex White's the Salvagers series) a while back, I was itching to read A Bad Deal For The Whole Galaxy. But I was also hesitant, because the first book was already So. Good. Space rebel underdogs that can do magic and are trying to kill a God even though all the odds are against them? Sprinkled with a delightful dose of queer relationships that do not come across as forced or unnatural? And kick ass women in the main roles? Sign me up! But I was a bit worried that this second book would not be able to live up to my expectations.
But man, did White deliver! Fast paced, action packed and still filled with all the good things that the first book already had to offer. But better. Smoother. Every scene had been written in such a way and such natural little details, that it played out for me like a movie. Dialogue was funny, but never over the top or unbelievable.
This has easily been one of the best books I've read in the past two years and I cannot recommend it and its predecessor enough.
5/5
After I finished reading A Big Ship At The Edhe Of The Universe (The first title in Alex White's the Salvagers series) a while back, I was itching to read A Bad Deal For The Whole Galaxy. But I was also hesitant, because the first book was already So. Good. Space rebel underdogs that can do magic and are trying to kill a God even though all the odds are against them? Sprinkled with a delightful dose of queer relationships that do not come across as forced or unnatural? And kick ass women in the main roles? Sign me up! But I was a bit worried that this second book would not be able to live up to my expectations.
But man, did White deliver! Fast paced, action packed and still filled with all the good things that the first book already had to offer. But better. Smoother. Every scene had been written in such a way and such natural little details, that it played out for me like a movie. Dialogue was funny, but never over the top or unbelievable.
This has easily been one of the best books I've read in the past two years and I cannot recommend it and its predecessor enough.
5/5
The Complete Fifty Shades of Alice: A Fairy Tale for Adults by Melinda DuChamp
In book 2 Alice has broken up with Lewis because she caught him wearing her underwear and she concluded he must be gay. She magically travels back to Wonderland where the diverse cast of Carroll’s stories make their appearance once again and they all try to show Alice that she needs to be more open minded.
In book 3 Alice and Lewis are married and their marriage is in a slump. Lewis is back to his old 30 seconds of love making and Alice feels incredibly unsatisfied. In an attempt to spice up their marriage, Alice has arranged for them to be kidnapped to the Hellfire Club, where Lewis will be taught to last longer than 30 seconds and Alice will be taught to come quicker.
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
After finishing Fifty Shades of Alice in Wonderland by Melinda DuChamp, I wanted more. Barely five minutes after turning the last page of that tantalizing first book in the series, I had acquired The Complete Fifty Shades of Alice: A Fairy Tale for Adults, which is a bundle consisting of the Fifty Shades of Alice in Wonderland, Fifty Shades of Alice Through the Looking Glass and Fifty Shades of Alice at the HellFire Club.
With high expectations, I dived into the second and third books.
And, as with the first book, it was filled with humor, familiar characters, pun, bad poetry and sex. There were a few typos, but not so many that it was a distraction. I loved the entire journey through all three books, from the ‘problem’ that Alice is presented with in the beginning and how she works it through (hah) to the end where she’s provided with a solution. The stories were imaginative and creative, making sure I wasn’t ever bored with the plot.
This trilogy has quickly climbed up to be one of my favourites. I do think, however, that the first book is the best of the three. The second and the third book are anything but subtle about the message they’re trying to convey. Granted, they weren’t even trying to be subtle, but after a few times it does become a little bit boring to read over and over again about how Alice should be more open minded in the second book. I’m a big fan of books that show us the message without explicitly telling it, and the Fifty Shades of Alice series has a tendency of both showing and telling, which is just a bit too much of a good thing.
Still, I was not disappointed and my only major gripe with these three books is that they were too short altogether. Well done, I’ll put my grubby little hands on book #4 and #5 soon!
Fifty Shades of Alice in Wonderland by Melinda DuChamp
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.0
Fifty Shades of Alice In Wonderland
Melinda DuChamp
Are you one of those people who have a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey because they like reading adventurous erotica, but couldn't get past the first chapter. Either because of the dubcon, the horrendous grammar, or the way it takes itself way too seriously?
Then this may be the parody book for you. Fifty Shades of Alice In Wonderland is what you get when you take Fifty Shades and Alice in Wonderland and stir them together with a massive dose of humour and the best erotic fanfiction out there.
It's funny, well written, and maybe even educational in some parts. My only two complaints are 1. It's too short (but it's a whole series, so I'm not complaining too loud) and 2. There are quite a few typos still in there. And that's the only reason why it's not getting the full five stars. Wonderful book, an absolute recommendation for anyone open-minded and aged eighteen and up.
4 out of 5
Melinda DuChamp
Are you one of those people who have a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey because they like reading adventurous erotica, but couldn't get past the first chapter. Either because of the dubcon, the horrendous grammar, or the way it takes itself way too seriously?
Then this may be the parody book for you. Fifty Shades of Alice In Wonderland is what you get when you take Fifty Shades and Alice in Wonderland and stir them together with a massive dose of humour and the best erotic fanfiction out there.
It's funny, well written, and maybe even educational in some parts. My only two complaints are 1. It's too short (but it's a whole series, so I'm not complaining too loud) and 2. There are quite a few typos still in there. And that's the only reason why it's not getting the full five stars. Wonderful book, an absolute recommendation for anyone open-minded and aged eighteen and up.
4 out of 5
Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski
adventurous
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
2.0
I'm a fan of the games and both Netflix seasons, so I figured that I would probably also like the books. Oh boy, was I mistaken.
After barely two chapters it became clear to me that I'm definitely not the intended audience for the original creator's works.
I did thoroughly enjoy the action and combat scenes. They were fun and enticing, with colourful descriptions that didn't distract from the pace of the scene.
And that's about the only interesting thing I found in the book.
I could absolutely do without almost a full chapter of the author's idea of how menstruating affects women. Or Triss's simpering when it comes to all things Geralt.
A lot of the dialogue is choppy and interspersed with humming and hawing, which not only distracts but also annoyed me to no end. Especially in the first few chapters Geralt never speaks in anything louder than a murmur or a grunt. To make matters worse, the author apparently prefers the "tell, don't show" approach. There's a scene between Dijkstra and Dandelion, where every sentence ends with a variation of "lied Dandelion" or "Dijkstra feigned to believe him".
Add to all that mindbogglingly boring pages filled with politics that just drone on and on, and you have a book that I struggled to finish.
Maybe the following books in the series will be more interesting, but I personally don't have the strength or motivation to find out.
After barely two chapters it became clear to me that I'm definitely not the intended audience for the original creator's works.
I did thoroughly enjoy the action and combat scenes. They were fun and enticing, with colourful descriptions that didn't distract from the pace of the scene.
And that's about the only interesting thing I found in the book.
I could absolutely do without almost a full chapter of the author's idea of how menstruating affects women. Or Triss's simpering when it comes to all things Geralt.
A lot of the dialogue is choppy and interspersed with humming and hawing, which not only distracts but also annoyed me to no end. Especially in the first few chapters Geralt never speaks in anything louder than a murmur or a grunt. To make matters worse, the author apparently prefers the "tell, don't show" approach. There's a scene between Dijkstra and Dandelion, where every sentence ends with a variation of "lied Dandelion" or "Dijkstra feigned to believe him".
Add to all that mindbogglingly boring pages filled with politics that just drone on and on, and you have a book that I struggled to finish.
Maybe the following books in the series will be more interesting, but I personally don't have the strength or motivation to find out.
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
mysterious
slow-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? No
2.0
I'm torn about this one. The writing was excellent and for the first book actually managed to captivate me. But there was too much "wrong" with the book after those first few pages to make it an enjoyable experience: the pace is excruciatingly slow, I couldn't care less about whole paragraphs of text in which the main characters are recalling their childhood or reading short stories, the story became increasingly absurd, etc. There is no real resolution to the story either, we have no idea what happens to several characters. They just up and disappeared.
All in all a disappointing read that left me longing for a story.
All in all a disappointing read that left me longing for a story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia, Murder, and Torture