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mikaelaandherbooks's reviews
627 reviews
Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive by Eliot Stein
Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Erin A. Craig is an auto-buy author for me ever since I first fell in love with her debut book, House of Salt and Sorrows. She writes the best and most atmospheric, eerie fantasy reads that have you falling in love with the main female characters and trying to figure out how the character is going to make it out by the end of the story.
When I heard that Erin was writing her first adult book, I knew I had to get my hands on it as quickly as possible (so a big thank you to Netgalley and Pantheon for the early e-ARC!!). A Land So Wide follows 27-year-old Greer, who has grown up in a tiny town dreaming of what exists outside of the barriers the town must stay within to protect themselves from the "Bright-Eyeds". Then, on the day when she believes her life is supposed to start with the man she loves, Greer watches him disappear behind the barriers of the town. Greer is determined to find and rescue him, and we follow her on the trek into the wilderness and home of the "Bright-Eyeds".
I loved A Land So Wide! We continue to get Erin's trademark atmospheric-writing in this and she nails the set up for pulling you into this tiny town that has you feeling like you need to keep an eye over your shoulder at all times. I really enjoyed her take on the creatures she creates in the "Bright-Eyeds" and I would've loved to learn even more about them and their lifestyle. And just like all her previous work, I fell in love with her main character, Greer! (I think she might be my second favorite of Erin's main characters!) Greer is unapologetically herself, curious and loyal. I really enjoyed her character arc and her curiosity guiding our way into the new world.
A Land So Wide didn't quite make it to the full 5 star mark because of the change in pacing in the second half of the story. I wish we would've gotten just as much world-building as we did in the first half because I feel that would've pulled me more into the new storyline/world and I wouldn't have felt as rushed in all the action and twists that were happening. But with that said, Erin still wrote a very compelling and entertaining story that had me wanting more. If she ever decided to write another story in this world, I would be first in line for it because I love the world she has created. (Maybe an origin story for the Bright-Eyeds??) I would highly recommend picking this one up and I think it'll be the perfect read for that transition from summer into fall.
This is definitely a new favorite for me and I cannot wait to grab a physical copy to add to my personal library!
When I heard that Erin was writing her first adult book, I knew I had to get my hands on it as quickly as possible (so a big thank you to Netgalley and Pantheon for the early e-ARC!!). A Land So Wide follows 27-year-old Greer, who has grown up in a tiny town dreaming of what exists outside of the barriers the town must stay within to protect themselves from the "Bright-Eyeds". Then, on the day when she believes her life is supposed to start with the man she loves, Greer watches him disappear behind the barriers of the town. Greer is determined to find and rescue him, and we follow her on the trek into the wilderness and home of the "Bright-Eyeds".
I loved A Land So Wide! We continue to get Erin's trademark atmospheric-writing in this and she nails the set up for pulling you into this tiny town that has you feeling like you need to keep an eye over your shoulder at all times. I really enjoyed her take on the creatures she creates in the "Bright-Eyeds" and I would've loved to learn even more about them and their lifestyle. And just like all her previous work, I fell in love with her main character, Greer! (I think she might be my second favorite of Erin's main characters!) Greer is unapologetically herself, curious and loyal. I really enjoyed her character arc and her curiosity guiding our way into the new world.
A Land So Wide didn't quite make it to the full 5 star mark because of the change in pacing in the second half of the story. I wish we would've gotten just as much world-building as we did in the first half because I feel that would've pulled me more into the new storyline/world and I wouldn't have felt as rushed in all the action and twists that were happening. But with that said, Erin still wrote a very compelling and entertaining story that had me wanting more. If she ever decided to write another story in this world, I would be first in line for it because I love the world she has created. (Maybe an origin story for the Bright-Eyeds??) I would highly recommend picking this one up and I think it'll be the perfect read for that transition from summer into fall.
This is definitely a new favorite for me and I cannot wait to grab a physical copy to add to my personal library!
Modern Friendship: How to Nurture Our Most Valued Connections by Anna Goldfarb
informative
medium-paced