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micaelamariem's reviews
715 reviews
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This was a hard book to rate because I did enjoy reading it (though perhaps “enjoy” isn’t the right word as there are major depictions of child abuse, so trigger warnings, folks); it kept me in suspense, wanting to know more.
Except as it turns out the “more” was exactly as I predicted. The plot twist, sans epilogue, was pretty much everything I thought it would be. So I’m proud of myself but also disappointed. I felt like there could have been so much more.
What I did appreciate was the way trauma was presented and how it can be carried through life in different ways. That was realistic and hopefully eye opening to the audience.
Except as it turns out the “more” was exactly as I predicted. The plot twist, sans epilogue, was pretty much everything I thought it would be. So I’m proud of myself but also disappointed. I felt like there could have been so much more.
What I did appreciate was the way trauma was presented and how it can be carried through life in different ways. That was realistic and hopefully eye opening to the audience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
It was time for my annual dive into the Throne of Glass universe.
Seriously, I'm averaging a book a year in this series, oops.
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas, published by Bloomsbury, is the third book in the Throne of Glass series. As such, I won't be able to talk about this with some spoilers for the first two books so be warned!
In Heir of Fire, Celaena goes to Wendlywn but ends up in the land of faerie, facing her aunt and her magic, Dorian begins to understand his powers, and Chaol struggled to pick a side.
I had a really good time reading this, much better than the first two books! I don't know if it's because I didn't much like my last two reads so this was better by comparison, or that the writing style got a lot better. Perhaps it was a bit of both.
What I think made Heir of Fire a good read was that the story could finally progress because we are now acquainted with the world and characters. The first two books were really just a set up. Now, we're getting into the beginning of an epic war. The multiple points of view added a lot of depth to the story, too, and was done in a fantastic way that kept the plotline still straightforward. We also learn a lot about Celaena's past, that connects us to her powers, her birthright, and her trauma, and makes her past actions make sense.
I was also stoked to meet a couple of characters I heard about in social media but hadn't yet seen in the books. First and foremost, Rowan. I started out hating him, but over the course of the story, loved him. A slow burn for the reader. A lovely sarcastic asshole. And the other character was Manon, terrifying yet also might be the catalyst for change the witch covens need to see. I'm excited to see how her storyline will cross with Celaena (who after this review, I think I can start calling Aelin, if only because the spelling is easier).
I really enjoyed Celaena's pov chapters--it's mainly her story, after all. I also adored Dorian's. I didn't like him until he got magic, but now I like how his arc is progressing. He really doesn't deserve the tragedies that happen. Chaol, while once being my favorite, had the most boring POV's, but maybe that was because it was very military-like, which befitted his character.
Despite the slight boredom with him, I still really loved this book. I daydreamed about it driving and missed my turn. Any book that can have me do that has to be five stars right?
Guess I'll be back next year for Assassin's Blade, because I really need to read that prequel before continuing with the series, much as I want to!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
The Maid by Nita Prose
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I enjoyed the first 50 pages and, after that, everything went downhill. I understand the author was trying to present a neurodivergent main character but that doesn’t mean the character had to be flat out dumb. I felt like the representation was almost demeaning to those who are neurodivergent. And her character and the plot was just wholly unbelievable. Except for the “whodunit.” Disappointingly, that was obvious. There wasn’t really a major twist or hook. I was disappointed, given all the hype with this book.
But it should be noted; I don’t usually read mysteries so perhaps that bias has soured my enjoyment as well.
But it should be noted; I don’t usually read mysteries so perhaps that bias has soured my enjoyment as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
The Lost Village by Camilla Sten
dark
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
2.0
This book had so much potential but it just fell short. The one good thing about it was the descriptions. Very beautifully written when it came to the scenery. I found though that I enjoyed the flashbacks way more than the present day chapters, but there weren’t a lot of flashbacks. I just found myself very uninterested in what happened to the characters. And ironically, while the author was trying to shed light on mental health issues, I think instead she portrayed some dangerous stigmas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Small Angels by Lauren Owen
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this book! If life wasn’t so busy I would have devoured it faster. It was perfectly atmospheric for a gothic horror, with the beautiful knowledge that all readers learn: stories have power, both good and bad. I loved the way that the forest Mockbeggar was its own character. I always think it’s really powerful when a setting acts as a character and this book was no exception. I equally loved how each character was deeply flawed and the horror aspect played on these flaws (because sometimes the most horrifying is the stories we believe about ourselves). The only reason this book isn’t five stars is because so many problems could have been solved earlier had the characters JUST COMMUNICATED with each other for goodness’ sake.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism
Weyward by Emilia Hart
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
At first, I didn’t think I was going to like this book, but I slowly fell in love with the characters and what they were trying to say. Essentially, the book is about three women in the same bloodline who have suffered at the hands at men but discovered their own nature magic to help them. Though the book comes with a lot of trigger warnings, it’s important to note that these women are strong not because of their circumstances but in spite of them. They find strength in their connection to each other and other women. I liked the vivid details of the story, especially as the women connect with nature, though I really am not a bug person myself. I like the revenge the women took on the men (or justice perhaps?) and I like the circular ending. I think it was a bit slow, and perhaps there could have been more details with the women outside of their experiences with men and magic, but otherwise I did enjoy it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
The Will of the Many by James Islington
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
5.0
This book, though it had a slow start, ended up having me in a chokehold. I have to thank my friend for getting it for me last Christmas because it might be the best book of 2024 for me.
The worldbuilding was so intense and phenomenal. Though there was obviously many layers to the world, which was built off of Ancient Rome standards, it didn’t feel too complicated or over explained.
The characters were all multifaceted and deeply flawed which i appreciated.
The overarching themes, though, are what I most resonated with. When fighting against a broken society, how do you stop yourself from becoming just another broken society? How do you fix the system when it’s the people who are broken? How do you stay true to your morals when you’re being threatened and blackmailed? The question of ancient philosophers that one.
And speaking of Ancient Rome and Greece, I do like the clever use of deus ex Machina that didn’t feel like a cop out but seemed like a clever way to call back to the Ancient Rome inspiration.
And I did get very connected to the story line so the plot twists at the end wrenched my heart and had me gasping.
My fellow fantasy and dark academia readers, you need to check this one out 🤓
The worldbuilding was so intense and phenomenal. Though there was obviously many layers to the world, which was built off of Ancient Rome standards, it didn’t feel too complicated or over explained.
The characters were all multifaceted and deeply flawed which i appreciated.
The overarching themes, though, are what I most resonated with. When fighting against a broken society, how do you stop yourself from becoming just another broken society? How do you fix the system when it’s the people who are broken? How do you stay true to your morals when you’re being threatened and blackmailed? The question of ancient philosophers that one.
And speaking of Ancient Rome and Greece, I do like the clever use of deus ex Machina that didn’t feel like a cop out but seemed like a clever way to call back to the Ancient Rome inspiration.
And I did get very connected to the story line so the plot twists at the end wrenched my heart and had me gasping.
My fellow fantasy and dark academia readers, you need to check this one out 🤓
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
The Spice Gate by Prashanth Srivatsa
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I’m so thankful to the author and HarperCollins for granting me this arc to review. All thoughts are my own.
This was an epic fantasy with the very creative idea of having kingdoms be separated by “spice gates” and only those with the mark can travel through these gates and trade spices between kingdoms. Those with the mark however are also treated as lowly, like the main character, Amir, who is fighting to change this and stumbles on a much bigger political conspiracy in the process.
I thought the concept of the plot was awesome and creative. There was a lot to it when the different kingdom leaders got involved, but at the heart, it was truly about the way people misrepresent religion to look down on others and how that is a system that needs to change.
I also really liked the writing style. The descriptions were beautifully done and at first, the book was comforting to read.
However, I lost interest about a third of the way through the 450 pages. Some of the worldbuilding was a bit too complex to follow, the characters’ relationships seemed unbelievable, and even though this was a story based around spice, there may have been too much of it.
While I thought this book was super promising, I think there were scenes and lines that could have been cut that would’ve made the story a more compelling read.
This was an epic fantasy with the very creative idea of having kingdoms be separated by “spice gates” and only those with the mark can travel through these gates and trade spices between kingdoms. Those with the mark however are also treated as lowly, like the main character, Amir, who is fighting to change this and stumbles on a much bigger political conspiracy in the process.
I thought the concept of the plot was awesome and creative. There was a lot to it when the different kingdom leaders got involved, but at the heart, it was truly about the way people misrepresent religion to look down on others and how that is a system that needs to change.
I also really liked the writing style. The descriptions were beautifully done and at first, the book was comforting to read.
However, I lost interest about a third of the way through the 450 pages. Some of the worldbuilding was a bit too complex to follow, the characters’ relationships seemed unbelievable, and even though this was a story based around spice, there may have been too much of it.
While I thought this book was super promising, I think there were scenes and lines that could have been cut that would’ve made the story a more compelling read.
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This was a heartbreaking story set in the backdrop of the Iranian revolution and our two friends, one more politically minded than the other but both want reform in their own ways. The book expertly navigates the themes of coming of age, family, friendship, feminism, and even jealousy with the idea of an “evil eye.”
The book had me enraptured. It was well written, descriptive, had compelling characters that caused me to care about them despite their flaws, and taught me more about Iranian history that I’m ashamed to say I didn’t know. And the sad thing is, Iran is still facing the same unfair policies today. If I learned anything from the book, is that we must keep fighting for what’s right, no matter the cost.
The book had me enraptured. It was well written, descriptive, had compelling characters that caused me to care about them despite their flaws, and taught me more about Iranian history that I’m ashamed to say I didn’t know. And the sad thing is, Iran is still facing the same unfair policies today. If I learned anything from the book, is that we must keep fighting for what’s right, no matter the cost.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Classism