madieanne's reviews
320 reviews

Sinner's Isle by Angela Montoya

adventurous emotional funny mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

3.5

Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra

adventurous emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-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? Yes

3.5

night of the raven, dawn of the dove started strong, but unfortunately, the last 40% felt lackluster and left me wanting more. there was a ton of conflict and action, yet nothing felt resolved by the end.

i'm honestly so disappointed because the first couple hundred pages were INCREDIBLE. the writing was beautiful and easy to devour. i loved the betrayal plotline, and my heart ached for katya. 

the slow-burn romance was fantastic, but the couple's happy ending felt rushed. as i mentioned, there wasn't a solid resolution to the story. i wish there were an epilogue to clear up some unanswered questions the abrupt ending left me with. 

all in all, i would say night of the raven, dawn of the dove is a pretty solid read.

A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

“-the ugly princess, the barren queen, the foreign monarch. a string of women with just enough power to be hated and not quite enough to protect themselves.”

god, i don’t know how harrow manages to cram so much emotion into her novellas. i found myself tearing up nearly every chapter. 

i honestly liked this installment of the fractured fables series better than the first. the plot was intriguing, and i thought the evil queen’s introduction was a fantastic idea (her story was very well done). i’m glad a mirror mended wasn’t another take on sleeping beauty. 

this was a great book to end the year with :) 

A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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

ahhh, i loved this! a spindle splintered is a short read, yet it still invoked so many emotions. the term “emotional roller coaster” would be an understatement.

zinna was such an interesting main character, and i loved being in her head. she was incredibly snarky and relatable, and i’d be remiss if i failed to mention how headstrong she was. 

i wasn’t expecting much in terms of plot, seeing as this is a novella, but i was pleasantly surprised. harrow managed to pack a lot of action and emotion into such a short book. 

i can’t believe i waited so long to read this! highly recommended!

The Girls from Hush Cabin by Marie Hoy-Kenny
Did not finish book. Stopped at 21%.

writing is extremely juvenile and hard to get through. 

Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz

dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

anatomy: a love story is a horrifying and brilliant novel. 

i’m honestly at a loss for words. i loved the writing style, and i found that it was easy to devour. the main characters, hazel and jack, were fantastic main characters. i loved their strangeness. 

the plot was incredibly intriguing. i felt very uneasy while reading, and i’m not sure if the uneasiness came from the graphic descriptions of medical procedures or the general ominous vibe. probably both. 

i was able to put the pieces together and guess the ending, but the reveal was no less shocking and horrifying. i don’t think I’ve ever felt such visceral disgust and rage while reading a book. dana schwartz created a terrific villain.

the epilogue left me hollow and wanting more, so the sequel will be my next read. 

The Voice Upstairs by Laura E. Weymouth

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

4.5

(4.5) the voice upstairs was a brilliant ghost story !! 

wil and edison were both wonderful main characters, and i loved their distinct personalities. i loved how this started as a classic ghost story and slowly became more sinister as the plot developed. the twists and turns were insane. i never would have guessed the ending. 

while the main focus is the ghost story/mystery, there is a romance subplot that i adored. wil and ed’s relationship was tender and sweet, and i found myself rooting for them from the first page. the way they yearned and pined for each other had me giggling and kicking my feet. 

i also want to point out the atmosphere the author created. the writing style was incredibly intoxicating, and from page one, i was enveloped in the sinister, slightly off-kilter world of the grange.

If you’re looking for a ghost story with a perfect blend of mystery, romance, and mayhem, the voice upstairs is the book for you! 

Foul Heart Huntsman by Chloe Gong

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

foul heart huntsman was the perfect conclusion for a perfect series. 

i’m in denial. i can’t believe this is the end of the secret shanghai universe. my love for this series is so strong, and even though i’m sad it’s over, i’m glad I’ll always have a chance to reread it. 

the secret shanghai universe will always have a special place in my heart. 

full review to come. 

thank you simon teen for the ARC!

Children of Fallen Gods by Carissa Broadbent

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

children of fallen gods was a riveting sequel. 

honestly, this series has me conflicted so far. i found both the first and second books hard to get through, and neither book grabbed my attention until the 80% mark. i think both books could be a tad bit shorter. that said, this was a major improvement compared to the first book. 

i loved aefe's character, and although i guessed who she was within her first few chapters, the big reveal still had an emotional impact. i think aefe's character was a brilliant addition to the story, and i look forward to seeing her character again in the final installment. 

i’m going to take a little break from this series and let myself process everything, and then i’ll come back and finish the last book. 

Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

3.5

(3.5) daughter of no worlds was a decent story.

i’ve seen a lot of hype surrounding this series, which is the main reason i picked it up. unfortunately, this book didn’t live up to my expectations, but it was a good start to the trilogy, and i have a feeling the next book is going to be even better.