martuchi's reviews
165 reviews

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

dark sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Soul crusher, dream taker, heart broker.

It was definitely much better than the first book. Finally, we have a love triangle as I was asking before, yet I think I kinda regret it because it made me sob! 

I have few complaints of this book, but the one that strikes me the most is Tessa’s personality. She was annoying, I couldn’t stand her most of the time. She was so dumb from time to time, with unusual remarks that didn’t fit her persona (comparing this Tessa with the Tessa from the previous novel).

And I hate what Cassandra Clare did to Jessamine. I wonder if she will have her comeback era in the last book of the trilogy.

I really like Jem, too. It pains my heart to see him suffer, but Will… Oh, Will. He owns my heart as much as Tessa owns his. 

Archienemigos by Marissa Meyer

adventurous 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

4.5

I really wondered why i didn’t like Danna. Here, in Archenemies, is the explanation.

As much I want everything to go down in peace, I still want Nova to succeed (in a weird
-rooting for the underdog villain-way); but at the same time, be happy alongside Adrian. I hope they do end up together and solve everything together. Though,

now that Danna, well, knows,

I don’t know how things will end up.

I wish I could express which novel impressed me the most, but I guess Renegades was the first novel and has the first marvelous impression trophy. Both books are great and build tension in a perfect way. I can’t wait to read the conclusion. 

Ao No Flag, Vol. 1 by Kaito

lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

I’m going to suffer so much with this series. 

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

slow-paced

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

4.0

Before reading, you have to understand this is a biography of a fictional woman. And it’s too long. 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

medium-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? No

3.5

It’s not that this book was bad or anything, I just couldn’t love it. Having already read Renegades, by the same author, I had my expectations way too high; now I know I was wrongly expecting.

Cinder is Marissa Meyer’s first novel, and that is obvious. The plot is good but it’s insufficient; the romance is cute yet rushed; the characters lacked depth (except for Cinder)…
No one writes a great debut without flaws, and this is no exception.

However, since I know what Meyer is capable of (and that I enjoyed the novel; more than anything, the ending chapters and plot twist ), I will continue with the saga. 

White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky

lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

I can’t believe this is the same man that wrote Crime and Punishment. 
How can someone be a hopeless romantic and a psychopath at the same time? Well, Fyodor is the perfect example of it. 

I am the main character. He is me. We are equals. And I hate it. 

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

adventurous 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? No

3.5

This was not a love triangle, don’t be fooled by the synopsis. However, it does promise you one that will surely be developed (or at least I think so) in the following novels, as this is a trilogy. 

Up until the middle of the book, I was bored, waiting for something to happen. Anything. But nothing ever did, until the villain gets ‘revealed’. Random situations happened all around the first part of the novel, and none of them were interesting.

Still, the final chapters were great; they kept me on my toes, expecting. Though I have a few complaints with the development of the characters. I have always stated that I hate it when a book is planned to have a sequel or more, and this novel is the perfect example: the characters aren’t developed in the least. We expected something there, a change, yet there was nothing. This is the main problem with already-planned sagas: characters won’t be interesting or developed until further into the novels. It’s awful. 

Other than that, I liked it and have already bought the second book. The ending left me wanting more (also, I need more romance, please). 

Bungo Stray Dogs: Beast, Vol. 4 by Kafka Asagiri

dark emotional sad 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

Damn you Asagiri. You ruined my life completely, therefore I am utterly miserable. You gave us what the fans during season 2 wanted:

Odasaku being alive and well to finish his novel

. However, that didn’t come without consequences, which is also my doom:

Dazai, too, got what he wanted; his death, but couldn’t live accompanied with his friend

.

Asagiri, you’re a mastermind, yet I wish you could let us fans (more importantly, your characters) be happy. 

PS: also, where the hell was Ango??? I really thought he would make his appearance here, shame. 

El Tunel de Huesos by V.E. Schwab

mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I think I liked this book waaay better than the first one. The characters were better (though Cassidy is still annoying af —a millennial mirror), the plot was a tad more interesting and more tense.

Of course I have the same criticism from the other book, but overall, I enjoyed it a little more. I think it’s disappointing to see Victoria Schwab completely miss the opportunity of a great storyline knowing her other novels. 

Loved the ending btw, left me alarmed. Gonna read the third book now. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

lighthearted slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

Overall, the love story is, well, lovely. I think Alex and Henry make up an amazing couple, with a great and believable dynamic. You simply are able to route for them since the first moment they interact; it was enjoyable to read their evolution and depth (considering their social roles lmao). 

However, I thought the political aspects of the novel were soooo boring. Maybe it’s because I’m not American nor British, but I couldn’t care less about their struggles. I came to read an unrealistic story about two boys falling in love, yet I found a political race in the middle of it. 

Also, White American authors have a thing where they feel entitled to write about diversity (and the problems that the minorities have) and it feels so weird and fake. I’m not saying it’s disrespectful, because as a Latin American woman I didn’t feel like that was the case, but it did feel strange. I guess I just grew bored with the constant remarks about US’ problems with racism and homophobia when I live and am involved with a group of people who never face those problems. 

Conclusion, Americans are weird and need to touch some grass. 
Really liked the book tho.