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luanagomes's reviews
1023 reviews
Year's Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction: Volume Two by Stephen Kotowych
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
This was a fascinating reading to me. The idea is to be a sample of what's best in fantasy and Science Fiction in Canada, and as I am always looking for new voices, different styles and stories within those genres, I found many interesting fiction writing here.
It's 700-plus pages long and packed with good stuff that will be stuck in your head for a while. To me, J.D. Dresner’s 'For the Robots' and Kelsey Hutton's 'Your Great Mother Across the Salt Sea' are good examples of literature that I did not know I liked until I read this collection.
I was happy to see some poetry in here as well, which is a genre I don't usually read much and like, but I really enjoyed them in this collection.
Thank you NetGalley and Ansible Press for a copy in exchange for an honest review. I had a lot of fun getting to know so many new authors.
It's 700-plus pages long and packed with good stuff that will be stuck in your head for a while. To me, J.D. Dresner’s 'For the Robots' and Kelsey Hutton's 'Your Great Mother Across the Salt Sea' are good examples of literature that I did not know I liked until I read this collection.
I was happy to see some poetry in here as well, which is a genre I don't usually read much and like, but I really enjoyed them in this collection.
Thank you NetGalley and Ansible Press for a copy in exchange for an honest review. I had a lot of fun getting to know so many new authors.
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.25
This book is good, no doubt about that.
I had high expectations after seeing this everywhere online, and every time I go into a book with that much hype, I expect it to be amazing, just like everybody else says it is. Unfortunately, it wasn't.
I think this book is a good fantasy that works better for a younger audience (new adult kinda thing), as it has a female protagonist that is insufferable right in the beginning, but as the story develops, she tries to put things right, to do the right thing, and discovers that her right is actually very wrong and entitled. You see the protagonist pulling the veil from her eyes and learning more about her surroundings, the society she takes part in, and how progress is not really progress at the cost of so many people suffering ( hello, capitalism). It's a book trying to teach something important in its themes and concepts, but kinda on the nose most of the time, with constant repetition.
It was very well written, the ideas were interesting, and I loved that everything was able to fit in a standalone. But the hype said it was super complex, with incredible characters and super plot twists, and I saw nothing of it in there. When I hit the 30% mark, I knew exactly where the story was going, even with the romantic subplot, so no surprises for me here.
Would recommend to friends who don't read fantasy as much, or love romantasy and are looking for something more.
I had high expectations after seeing this everywhere online, and every time I go into a book with that much hype, I expect it to be amazing, just like everybody else says it is. Unfortunately, it wasn't.
I think this book is a good fantasy that works better for a younger audience (new adult kinda thing), as it has a female protagonist that is insufferable right in the beginning, but as the story develops, she tries to put things right, to do the right thing, and discovers that her right is actually very wrong and entitled. You see the protagonist pulling the veil from her eyes and learning more about her surroundings, the society she takes part in, and how progress is not really progress at the cost of so many people suffering ( hello, capitalism). It's a book trying to teach something important in its themes and concepts, but kinda on the nose most of the time, with constant repetition.
It was very well written, the ideas were interesting, and I loved that everything was able to fit in a standalone. But the hype said it was super complex, with incredible characters and super plot twists, and I saw nothing of it in there. When I hit the 30% mark, I knew exactly where the story was going, even with the romantic subplot, so no surprises for me here.
Would recommend to friends who don't read fantasy as much, or love romantasy and are looking for something more.
The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
The Way Up is Death by Dan Hanks
A mysterious tower in the sky is seen over England. No one seems what to think about it or how to make contact with it, until 13 people are suddenly "beamed" and appear at its base, prompted to "ascend" it, as it is the only way to survive. But what happens when they reach the top?
If you have seen the movie "Cube", the concept is similar - people have to work together, overcome its fears at each level, and confront important philosophical topics. At each floor of the tower, there's a new theme, a new gain, a new loss until things get a different turn, and you see what the chosen people are really fighting for there.
I liked that the book seem to cross genres, but kept the speculative theme on point. There's adventure - it felt like a movie with all the action -, it has thriller elements, sci-fi splashes and even horror. My issue with it was very personal, as I was just expecting the author to up the ante, but somehow I felt that even as each level had its own uniqueness, it felt the resolution in each one was kinda flat. Some characters were just there to be cannon fodder, as some levels were just there to further the plot.
That being said, there are some gems in it, and you need to read it to find out -Watch out for Leia !
Thank you to Angry Robot, NetGalley, and Dan Hanks for giving me an eARC of The Way Up is Death in exchange for my honest review.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A mysterious tower in the sky is seen over England. No one seems what to think about it or how to make contact with it, until 13 people are suddenly "beamed" and appear at its base, prompted to "ascend" it, as it is the only way to survive. But what happens when they reach the top?
If you have seen the movie "Cube", the concept is similar - people have to work together, overcome its fears at each level, and confront important philosophical topics. At each floor of the tower, there's a new theme, a new gain, a new loss until things get a different turn, and you see what the chosen people are really fighting for there.
I liked that the book seem to cross genres, but kept the speculative theme on point. There's adventure - it felt like a movie with all the action -, it has thriller elements, sci-fi splashes and even horror. My issue with it was very personal, as I was just expecting the author to up the ante, but somehow I felt that even as each level had its own uniqueness, it felt the resolution in each one was kinda flat. Some characters were just there to be cannon fodder, as some levels were just there to further the plot.
That being said, there are some gems in it, and you need to read it to find out -Watch out for Leia !
Thank you to Angry Robot, NetGalley, and Dan Hanks for giving me an eARC of The Way Up is Death in exchange for my honest review.
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? N/A
4.5
Forgotten Women: The Writers by Zing Tsjeng
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
will return to it later
The Black Opera by Mary Gentle
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
4.0
A Mulher ruiva by Orhan Pamuk
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5