mattiedancer's Reviews (126)

House of Earth and Blood

Sarah J. Maas

4.0

adventurous emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Writing: 4⭐️/5

The writing is solid throughout the novel. At points, the writing really shined through, but I found it very hard to parse the novel at the beginning. In fact, the first fifty pages (give or take ten to twenty) felt almost unedited. The grammar and spelling were fine, but the info dumps on every other page lent a sort of unpolished feeling to the opening.

Characters: 4⭐️/5

I felt the characters often had their own identities, even as I noticed a few similarities here or there with characters in her other novels. I found myself liking, agreeing with, and understanding their motives and perspectives. A couple of times, I did feel like they acted incredibly out of character, but it didn’t necessarily take away from the fun of the novel.

Plot: 4⭐️/5

The plot was fun – even with a couple of holes that I wish had been finessed further. I enjoyed reading about the mystery and the romance plot once I got into the novel. Again, the information dump that was the first portion of the novel did take away from this enjoyment.

Who Should Read This Book?

Sarah J. Maas fans
Fans of urban fantasy looking for a fun read with a hint of spice
Readers who like romance-heavy novels that still have interesting plots

Content Warnings?

Sexual content, sexual harassment, death, injury, animal cruelty, drug use, alcohol use, death of a friend, murder, gore, blood, vomit, gun violence, sexism

Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5

I enjoyed it enough to say I’ll read the next one for sure!

Final Rating: 4⭐️/5

Content Warnings

Neon Gods

Katee Robert

2.75

fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Writing: 3.25⭐️/5

I think the writing – while lacking some qualities I look for – was consistent throughout. While it didn’t add to the depth of either the characters or the story, it also didn’t pull me out of the story.

Characters: 2.75⭐️/5

I wanted so much more from the characters. I feel like they fall flat as both regular people and “gods,” with their powers vaguely (if at all) explored. The characters also felt secondary to situations. It felt like the most important fact was to position characters in certain spots for pivotal scenes, but beyond that, they lacked depth.

Plot: 2.75⭐️/5

While I’m a sucker for a Hades-Persephone story, this one fell short. The premise sets up a Mafia-romance read, which in and of itself is fine, but is replaced by Greek gods. The gods live in Olympus, which is a normal city but also not, for reasons we’re never clearly given. The fantasy elements fall short because it’s never really explained how they work. The overarching plot, while somewhat following the myth of Persephone and Hades, isn’t clearly told. If you’re looking for an easy read without too much attention to plot (and more on the spice factor) then it might work, but it didn’t stand out for me.

Who Should Read This Book?

Someone looking for spicy sex scenes
Those who like fantasy erotica
Readers looking for a preference for spice over plot

Content Warnings?

Sexual content, sexual harassment, sexism, injury, death, misogyny

Post-Reading Rating: 2⭐️/5

Meh. I feel more confused why I kept reading.

Final Rating: 2.75⭐️/5

Content Warnings

Nothing Will Save Your Life

Nancy Jo Cullen

4.75

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Writing: 5⭐️/5

The writing in this collection of poems is technically sound but, beyond that, some poems spark from the page, their form glimmering their ideas to life. Even when the topic is hard or dark, Cullen has a manner of casting it to light. The writing is both dark and hopeful, cynical and encouraging, remorseful and eager.

Approach: 4.5⭐️/5

Many of the poems focused on aging, death, religion, and grief. While a few poems felt too short and a few others felt like their form didn’t match their theme quite perfectly, Cullen hit the mark much more often than she missed. And, when the miss was there, it was subtle, a bit of something off, a piece or two missing.

Who Should Read This Book?

Those looking for a stark, abrupt poetry book about grief, religion, death, and aging
Fans of contemporary poetry about darker themes

Content Warnings?

Misogyny, death, death of a parent, illness, religion, trauma

Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5

For all the glimmers of hope stashed through the book, I felt morose once I was done reading.

Final Rating: 4.75⭐️/5

Content Warnings

I'm Afraid of Men

Vivek Shraya

5.0

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Writing: 5⭐️/5

The writing in this short memoir is controlled and technically sound. And yet, beyond that, Shraya utilizes force and precision in accounting her experiences with tender, sensitive moments of her life. I think it’s hard to discuss our own trauma without leaning either toward self-indulgence or feigned humility, but Shraya’s writing is a testament to how to craft stories with meaning without sounding trite or repetitive or indulgent.

Approach: 5⭐️/5

The book is divided into three sections: the intro, you, and me. The you section is written in second person, forcing the reader into the shoes of her oppressors, her bullies, and even her beloved, leaves a sense of humanity in those stories from all angles, compelling reader to reconcile the pain with the source. Likewise, the switch to me reminds us of the writer, of Shraya, and her own voice in her life. It’s an effective approach to stories that circle around both an internal struggle for self-identity and the external vision that self-expression ultimately communicates. Eventually, I also got the sense of a ‘manifesto’ forming in the background of the memoir, which was subtle and clear.

Content: 5⭐️/5

The sections of her life that are clearly and concisely chosen and communicated to the reader make this not only a short book but ultimately a controlled read. The focus is obvious, evident in every story we read. Again, I find it hard not to over-indulge when sharing life stories, but Shraya remains in control of that throughout.

Who Should Read This Book?

Those looking for a memoir about transitioning and accepting one’s sexual identity
Readers wanting to learn more about Shraya
Readers who want to challenge and grow in their feminism and LGBTQ+ understanding and alliance

Content Warnings?

Misogyny, sexism, racism, transphobia, biphobia, homophobia, bullying

Post-Reading Rating: 5⭐️/5

The ending was quite stunningly written and communicated.

Final Rating: 5⭐️/5

Content Warnings

Ninth House

Leigh Bardugo

4.5

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Writing: 5⭐️/5

The writing in this novel is stunning. Bardugo moves easily from highly controlled and crafted prose to snippy, sassy quips with ease. Part of the reason it took me a few hours longer to read than I would have guessed is because I spent so much time writing brilliant, eloquent quotes into my notes app. Absolutely stunning writing.

Characters: 5⭐️/5

The characters felt real and fully developed. I enjoyed how much time was spent seeing characters from other character’s perspective, giving us insight into how each character presents themselves, as well as their internal bias and judgement they push onto others. Certain characters that, at the beginning felt fairly flat, were given time and space to showcase their personalities later, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also thoroughly enjoyed the way the female relationships were explored in this novel. The care in which these relationships were engaged made me very happy both as a reader and a woman.

Plot: 4.5⭐️/5

**Spoilers below**

I took one issue with the plot, which was the employment of a rape scene. Personally, I felt this scene was unnecessary both to the development of our main character, as well as the progression of the plot. This particular scene didn’t really fit for me and could have been written in a different way to give the same effect. My main takeaway from the scene was that it mostly read as an easy way to give our MC “trauma,” which could have been done in a number of more interesting and less triggering ways.

Otherwise, the overarching plot was entirely enjoyable to read and kept me thoroughly engaged until the end.

Who Should Read This Book?

Lovers of dark academia, fantasy and/or magical murder mystery novels
Those who want an adult fantasy read with a spark of romance and little to no spice
Readers wanting an engaging world and well-established magic system
Someone looking for a strong fantasy read with strong female relationships

Content Warnings?

Rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, sexual content, gore, blood, vomit, medical trauma, death, abandonment, drug use, alcohol use, excrement, injury, pedophilia,

Post-Reading Rating: 5⭐️/5

I was engaged until the final page. Excited for the sequel.

Final Rating: 4.5⭐️/5

Content Warnings

A Venom Dark and Sweet

Judy I. Lin

3.75

adventurous medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Writing: 3.5⭐️/5

I’m torn on this one. Some of the passages were beautifully crafted, little snippets of perfectly crafted prose. Then, at other times, the writing (and grammar) was jilted and murky, their disjointedness making it hard to follow the simplest of moments. Lin also has a tendency to use sentence fragments and, while that can add to certain scenes, it often read more like a mistake, and less like an intentional choice. This jarringness really marred the otherwise lovely writing. So, if you’re picking up this novel, expect both fine and poor prose to appear.

Characters: 4.5⭐️/5

The characters were the highlight of the novel, along with several poetic passages that I thoroughly enjoyed. Like the first novel in this series, the characters were loveable and believable, helping to keep me engaged when the plot and writing were pulling me out of the story.

Plot: 3.75⭐️/5

The second half of the plot was infinitely stronger than the first portion of the book. While the first book ended with a great amount of tension and intrigue, the second book felt like it was actively working to slow down the momentum of the plot. It became a bit of a chore to read through the first 150 or so pages, but once the story got going it was an easy read.

Who Should Read This Book?

Those who read the first

Content Warnings?

War, blood, poison, death

Post-Reading Rating: 5⭐️/5

Final Rating: 3.75⭐️/5

Content Warnings

The Duke and I

Julia Quinn

3.25

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Bridgerton: The Duke & I by Julia Quinn

Writing: 3.5⭐️/5

The writing is manageable and succinct, but nothing outstanding.

Characters: 3⭐️/5

I think the characters fell short for me. I wanted much more from each of the characters. Several characters felt flat during the course of the book when I feel like small moments could have been used to draw out various characters’ personalities. This might be a result of comparing to the show too much, but I felt like a lot of the characters didn’t have any personality that was deep and meaningful.

Plot: 3.5⭐️/5

While the plot was fun to read, parts of it were a bit less fleshed out than I would have hoped. It reads nicely and smoothly, but certain scenes could have been more detailed and thought out. In particular, I would have loved for the plot to explore Daphne and Simon’s connections.

Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5

Fun read. Easy read. Cute.

Who Should Read This?

Readers looking for a fun, fluffy read
People who love romance novels
Those looking for a fake-dating, period novel

CW: Misogyny, emotional abuse, violence, domestic abuse, pregnancy, sexual assault, rape

Final Rating: 3.25⭐️/5

Content Warnings

Damsel

Elana K. Arnold

5.0

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Writing: 5⭐️/5

The writing is strong throughout the book. A few moments that lacked ease and clarity were outshone by the brilliance expertly demonstrated throughout the rest of the novel. The poetic nature of the work fit nicely within its prose format. Arnold also demonstrates great control over the voice throughout the story. Tremendously done.

Characters: 5⭐️/5

The characters were both hyperbolic and realistic in the best balance between the two. Arnold does a tremendous job creating motivated characters whose stories and origins. This is most fantastically demonstrated with the Prince/King, whose perspective we begin with, whose story we understand, whose side we are almost on until the story slowly unfolds in front of us.

Plot: 5⭐️/5

The plot is fantastically paced and thoroughly enjoyable to read. I personally love the focus on a deep and unforgiving feminine rage that is both necessary and welcomed. So much of this story is exactly what I wanted to read, while also being precisely what I needed to read.

Post-Reading Rating: 5⭐️/5

I will be recommending this to so many people.

Who Should Read This?

Women looking for a feminist fairy tale
Those who love fairy tale reconstructions
Those who want all that plus dragons and castles

Final Rating: 5⭐️/5

CW: Blood, injury, suicide, sexual assault, sexual content, rape, toxic relationships, misogyny, sexism, emotional abuse, violence, domestic abuse, physical abuse, gaslighting, animal cruelty, animal death, death, death of parent, eating disorder, classism, pregnancy, kidnapping

Content Warnings

These Violent Delights

Chloe Gong

5.0

adventurous hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Writing: 5⭐️/5

The writing is both natural and elegant, making the most violent of scenes read smoothly and cleanly. I really enjoyed how the writing read, both technically and artistically.

Characters: 5⭐️/5

The characters are based on “Romeo and Juliet,” so, while she pays homage to these original characters in her retelling, Gong manages to make each one feel new. Juliette – unlike her Shakespearan counterpart – is largely independent and unreserved, constantly questioning her father, making demands of her family, and challenging established systems. Roma, based on Romeo, shares his namesake’s penchant for sensitivity and eloquence. The secondary characters used their shared traits to their advantage, gaining more characterization through their connections rather than less.

Plot: 5⭐️/5

Again, it’s a sort of retelling, so the plot points are predetermined, and yet the ways in which Gong uses those preestablished moments to add to her unique tale is adeptly handled. I loved the nods towards the Shakespearan play – telling someone his name was Montague while undercover, the fight scene at the start where someone utters, “I don’t know what that means,” the **SPOILERS** “death” of Marshall, who is Mercutio reincarnate. All of these were heavily enjoyable but not overdone.

Post-Reading Rating: 5⭐️/5

Amazing. Want to read it again for the first time.

Who Should Read This?

Fans of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet
Fantasy meets mystery fans
Readers looking for a Chinese mythology-influenced story

CW: Blood, Violence, Gun Violence, Parental abuse, death, colonisation

Final Rating: 5⭐️/5

Content Warnings

Icebreaker

Hannah Grace

4.0

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

Writing: 3.75⭐️/5

The writing was unremarkable. There were one or two lines that were quite well done, but mostly it was adequate and even, which made for a really fast reading experience. Also, much of the writing was VERY tell-y versus actually showing the audience. It wasn’t poorly done, necessarily; I just wish it had been finessed a bit more.

Characters: 4.5⭐️/5

The characters are uniquely lovable. I’m not sure how realistic they are, but they’re certainly quite fun to read about. I do wish we got a bit more understanding of the motives behind Aaron, our MC’s skating partner, as we aren’t fully let in to understand why he’s doing the things that he’s doing. Otherwise, the characters were very fun and vibrant.

Plot: 3.75⭐️/5

The plot was fun, but not extremely well-paced. Certain sections could have been sped up, while others were much too tell-y and not doing enough to show us what was happening. About three-quarters the way through the book I was confused as to how the story wasn’t over, but then the plot “re-thickened,” even though I kind of thought it was resolving. I really wish this was coalesced a bit better instead of feeling so segmented.

Post-Reading Rating: 3.25⭐️/5

Could have done without the epilogue honestly. Kind of ruined it for me.

Who Should Read This?

Fans of modern-day romance
Fans of enemies to lovers
Fans of overprotective-without-being-toxic love interests

CW: Death of a parent, pregnancy, eating disorder, blood, sexual content

Final Rating: 4⭐️/5

Content Warnings

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