marie_thereadingotter's reviews
1287 reviews

Daindreth's Empress by Elisabeth Wheatley

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

3.5

 
This book took be a bit longer to get through than I thought it would. I had some minor pacing issues with this book. This book is fairly short, and a lot is happening to the point where I didn't feel like the plot had enough time to breathe. 
 
I've been watching the author's videos about how she approaches characters so I know why she wrote Vesha the way she did in this book, but in a way she felt like a completely different character than she did at the start of the series. In a more inconsistent way than in a 'character growth' way. I didn't hate how she was portrayed in this book, I just would've preferred  had those nuances been there at the start of the series. I also didn't hate how her arc was resolved, I think it was possibly the best outcome. I did grow rather frustrated with her by the half-way point of the book. I feel like she should've realized a lot sooner that she was being duped. They're demons, and she was willing to trust them. 
 
Amira and Daindreth, my care of them as a couple had dwindled a little by this book. I knew they were 'safe', since that is what makes a romance, but I they started to be boring. A lot of repetitiveness with their characterization. While their love for each other is the driving force for how they make decisions, I personally feel that there as a little too much emphasis on them over what was going on around them, and considering what is going on around them the focus, for me, felt misguided.
Sair and Thadred were a far more interesting pairing. Rhis, Sair's son, was also adorable. And I think he added to their dynamic. Neither was in this book as much as I would've liked. 
 
This book is just under 300 pages, but I feel that it could've used another 50-100 pages. The ending was very abrupt. A lot was left unresolved, and while there is a spin-off sequel, it follows Thadred and Sair. Which is cool and could be interesting, I feel there's more with Daindreth and Amria that's left more or less unresolved. 
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Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner

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adventurous
  • 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

 
This book was a bit of a whirlwind, and it felt longer than it was. In a good way. So much plot and character development happens in barely 400 pages. I've read books 600+ pages that don't have this much meaningful detail. The writing is some of my favorite since Laini Taylor. They don't have similar writing at all, but both authors are able to draw the same level of emotion from me while I'm reading.

 Inara might be my favorite character in this book. For being so young she has gone through too much and is still so strong in the face of it. She must be protected at all costs. I loved reading her POV chapters and finding out more of who and what she is and why she has the power she does. There's more to be said about her, but all that leans on spoilers so I won't get into it.
 
Elo is still a character I don't care too much about. He borders on self-righteousness, and I don't really like those kinds of characters. I understand, to a degree, why he's that way. He's just a little too noble, especially with whats going on around them. A few side-characters use his morals against him, more than once, and it's like... come on dude, you know they don't have the same morality as you, stop expecting the best from people when you know they don't care about being good anymore.
 
Arren's chapters, while I liked them, I felt there should've been more. There were a couple of moments that felt like something was glossed over. There's an instance were I feel like someone should've noticed something he was doing, but for some reason nobody seemed to and I thought that was weird. But I am glad that his chapters were included. 
 
Kissen, continues to be a badass. Her tough exterior is to protect that she has such a soft heart, and I just love her. Kissen is tied for my favorite character. Her plot-line in this book was really tense. Her coming to terms with which god she's mad at, and those she has to trust after years of hating them all. I think she adds a nice balance to the characters in this book. Especially with Arren and Elo. Those two are the opposite sides of the same coin in a way. They are both a little self-righteous, and Kissen is a very much tell it like it is character. She speaks her mind with little qualms over if it bothers anybody.  
 
 I am a little mad that I started this series when I did, because now I have to wait to read the final book. I should've waited a week or two so I wouldn't have to wait as long to read the third book. Luckily I already have it on hold at the library, so the wait shouldn't be too-too long.  
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Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Vol. 11 by Kanehito Yamada

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adventurous emotional tense medium-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

5.0

These are getting better and better.
Dandadan, Vol. 4 by Yukinobu Tatsu

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adventurous funny mysterious tense fast-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? No

5.0

This was the funniest and more tense volume yet. 
The latter half of this volume is around where the anime ended, so I am extra excited to read the next one. 
Silver Throat by Siri Pettersen

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

3.75

 I received this eBook from NetGalley for review.
 
 This book felt more slow-paced than book 1. I don't know if it's my headspace, or if something about the narrative in this book was slower. I found myself disconnecting from things while reading a lot of the time. I kept wanting things to get to the point, and I sometimes didn't care what was going to happen to the characters. Juva made a lot of really dumb decisions in this book, and it reminded me that she made a lot of really dumb decisions in the first book as well. 

I am really invested in the setting, even if I can't always picture it. That is the downside to this ebook, it doesn't have a map. That makes it hard to visualize where things are, and with a lot of the book being set in one city, where everyone is always running around I could've really used a map. 

I still don't understand what the dynamic between Juva and Grif. I didn't understand it in the first book, and I still don't really understand who they are supposed to be to each other. 
 
The political schemes do have a large focus in this book, which I do appreciate, it just bothers me that everyone is kind of dumb. Juva keeps expecting people to do the right thing or at the very least have some self preservation, and it keeps backfiring. 

As frustrating as a lot of these characters were through this book, I'm still invested in what's to come in the next book. 
Daindreth's Sorceress by Elisabeth Wheatley

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

4.5

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Vol. 10 by Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe

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adventurous informative medium-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

5.0

This volume makes me so excited to read the next one. I wish I had the next one on hand right now so I could read it. Alas, I have to wait for the library, but I don't think it's a super long wait.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Vol. 9 by Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe

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

4.75

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Vol. 8 by Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I really love this series. Fren is so cute when she gets possessive of Frieren. 
Dandadan, Vol. 3 by Yukinobu Tatsu

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adventurous funny sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

This volume covered one of the saddest arcs and one of the funniest. 
I got all choked up with tears again when I read the backstory for Acrobatic Selkie. 
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