mistbby's reviews
8 reviews

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

5.0

Ace of Spades by Jekka Wilde

adventurous dark funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.0

this is porn with plot. 

it reminds me of reading a pwp alice in wonderland!au fanfiction and it makes me so insanely happy. i love how it still plays along to the actual story. i cringed a bit with some of the words used, but overall, what a trip. very much so porn forward! there's no real plot unless you know the plot of alice in wonderland, haha. i can't wait to read the next book. my friend lent this to me to read (there's not a paperback edition added yet, i noticed) since i'm a huge alice in wonderland fan, but it looks like i'll have to buy it myself.

don't read this if you're looking for a plot. do read this if you're looking for some spicy content. 🌶️ 

Promises and Pomegranates by Sav R. Miller

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

2.5

i picked up this novel thinking that it was going to be more of a retelling of hades/persephone, but i should have read the author's note, haha. it's just loosely based on their myth. i don't have many triggers myself, so i rarely read author's notes, but if you're not a fan of dark romance, don't pick this up. if you're here for a plot with some steamy parts, don't pick this up. if you have an issue with knife play, DEFINITELY don't pick this up. read the trigger warnings the author gives, please.

the plot does loosely follow hades and persephone's story, but honestly, there's not much to it. i didn't read the prequel, which was the beginning of their love, so i was kinda disappointed that i didn't get the full story behind them. their past would have definitely made the plot better, in my opinion, but i guess that's what the prequel is for?

the spicy parts of the book are alright. the dirty talk was fun to read and it made me smile at times. there's nothing too spectacular about this novel, but i did finish it. it was a quick read. just not my cup of tea.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

i thoroughly enjoyed this book. it's a short and fun read. it took me a little bit to piece together who each of the characters were (why are there so many k names). it made me reflect on my own life in a very positive way. i closed the book a few times just to give myself some time to sort through emotions. i cried and for me, that's a win. 

it's a book i'm happy to own and would share with others. i'm currently trying to get my s/o to read it, so i'll update this after he reads it.

Lightlark by Alex Aster

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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? Yes

3.5

this was a slow start for me. it took a while for the momentum to build. once i reached almost 2/3, i couldn't put the book down. maybe i'm just a fan of oro.

i absolutely love the premise of 'lightlark'. i wanted a bit more out of the world building. i'm sure i would have loved this so much more if i were my younger self. this is exactly the kind of world i would have thrown myself into. it was a bit predictable for me, but i loved the way it all came together in the end. it was beautifully played out. i'm excited for the next book.

I Wrote This for You by Iain S. Thomas

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

i read 'i wrote this for you' back when i was first starting college and my first serious relationship was starting to crack. i was just wandering the poetry section of b&n and found this gem calling out to me. just the title called to me and i went on an emotional ride.

'i wrote this for you' is formatted like a tumblr post or an instagram post with a picture and a 'deep' caption. that might have been a reason why i was so drawn to it before reading anything. it reminded me of using lyrics or a quote as a caption, haha.

the first crack is the last

i lied when i told you i forgot. i know it doesn't seem like a big thing but i wanted to tell you the truth and never, ever lie to you.
because that's how it starts.

i lend this out to friends when they're going through a hard time and just needs a hug. it's the one i pick up when things in life are getting a bit too out of hand and i need something simple, like just a few words, to ground me again.

there will be something in here for you. i mean, it's written for you. don't think too deeply. don't try and see more than what's just there. let the words wash over you, drown you for a second, and when it leaves, the air that rushes into your lungs will feel like what breathing for the first time felt like. maybe that was just me, but i'm sure there's something for you in 'i wrote this for you'.

Algedonic by r.h. Sin

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

3.5

first of all, i would just like to talk about the erotica tag. it really shouldn't be there because there's only one poem that has anything sexual in it and it's nothing. if you're looking for a sexy sad poetry book, this isn't it.

a lot of the poems feel like prompts for a short story - that might just be me, though (i probably will use some as writing prompts). it's a very quick read since none of the poems are long. it's divided into two parts: pain|chaos and pleasure|peace. i feel like it's about one person's growth through a breakup, the aftermath, and then coming out on the other side. i personally felt like it was a bit cliché at times or it was trying too hard. some of the best ones for me were only three very short lines. there's beauty in simplicity.

algedonic wasn't my cup of tea, but it's still lovely in its own way.

Crave by Tracy Wolff

adventurous funny mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

it just wasn't my cup of tea.