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mitzee's reviews
354 reviews
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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
4.0
To summarize the vibes: fun, kind-of-low-stakes, family tree mystery. By now the Hawthorne family is familiar (like family, one could say) and that’s a nice little familiar setting for things to start. Some of the love triangle gets a little old since it continues from the first book, but there are some new challenges introduced.
Adding a spoiler filled summary for myself here:
Avery learns that Harry - the guy she used to play chess with and the one she thought was her dad is not actually her dad. He’s also not blood related to the Hawthornes but was technically adopted and is the long lost son Tobias Hawthorne. He also WAS in love with Avery’s mom and was present for her birth but is technically not related by blood.
In the span of the book they also find out who Grayson and Nash’s dads are. I think we also learn who Jameson’s dad might be? And we definitely still don’t know Xander’s dad by the end of the book.
The whole Grayson vs Jameson love triangle is kind of tired and eventually she gets together with Jameson. I think something is probably psychologically wrong with Grayson.
There’s a lot of betrayal by characters like Eli from Oren’s security team, Melli who is one of Nash’s housemaids, Avery’s biological dad - no surprise there. And Avery does get blown up and abducted so that’s kind of fun?
Adding a spoiler filled summary for myself here:
Avery learns that Harry - the guy she used to play chess with and the one she thought was her dad is not actually her dad. He’s also not blood related to the Hawthornes but was technically adopted and is the long lost son Tobias Hawthorne. He also WAS in love with Avery’s mom and was present for her birth but is technically not related by blood.
In the span of the book they also find out who Grayson and Nash’s dads are. I think we also learn who Jameson’s dad might be? And we definitely still don’t know Xander’s dad by the end of the book.
The whole Grayson vs Jameson love triangle is kind of tired and eventually she gets together with Jameson. I think something is probably psychologically wrong with Grayson.
There’s a lot of betrayal by characters like Eli from Oren’s security team, Melli who is one of Nash’s housemaids, Avery’s biological dad - no surprise there. And Avery does get blown up and abducted so that’s kind of fun?
Lore Olympus: Volume One by Rachel Smythe
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Really enjoyed this take on the Greek gods hierarchy and how those relationships might look in a modern setting. Smythe did some fun characterizations based on what’s been written about what these goddesses and gods represent.
The Bell Chime by Mona Kabbani
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It’s very well written but very dark and leaves one feeling sad after each session. Still the air of mystery drives one to continue on to see what develops. I think the beginning is potentially more jarring than the end - when things start to make sense a little bit.
It’s not clearly defined but I assume this is what schizophrenia feels like? And it’s definitely a frightening experience to not know what’s real.
Summary for myself so I don’t forget
The story starts with what I assume is a hallucination or nightmare - the author defines them as night terrors. She’s awake but probably not awake because she wakes up in a body bag.
The whole book feels like a series of vignettes and it’s not always clear what the timeline is of all these events. The memorable part is where she thinks she stabbed someone to death in a dark elevator because of her schizophrenia induced fear. She shows up to a dinner party a fucking mess - she thinks she is covered in blood but she’s not, just her own urine. There is a guy there who starts to take care of her. His name is Dylan and he seems to be a bit on the spectrum of being clinically insane also. They end up having a relationship and then he ghosts her - like basically disappears. Then at the end of the book you find out that they are both together (I think) and have changed their names but she doesn’t really remember most of it and I don’t even know if he really exists or is just in her imagination.
It’s not clearly defined but I assume this is what schizophrenia feels like? And it’s definitely a frightening experience to not know what’s real.
Summary for myself so I don’t forget
The story starts with what I assume is a hallucination or nightmare - the author defines them as night terrors. She’s awake but probably not awake because she wakes up in a body bag.
The whole book feels like a series of vignettes and it’s not always clear what the timeline is of all these events. The memorable part is where she thinks she stabbed someone to death in a dark elevator because of her schizophrenia induced fear. She shows up to a dinner party a fucking mess - she thinks she is covered in blood but she’s not, just her own urine. There is a guy there who starts to take care of her. His name is Dylan and he seems to be a bit on the spectrum of being clinically insane also. They end up having a relationship and then he ghosts her - like basically disappears. Then at the end of the book you find out that they are both together (I think) and have changed their names but she doesn’t really remember most of it and I don’t even know if he really exists or is just in her imagination.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Toxic relationship
There’s no tag for this but there’s also a scene in which someone accidentally eats bugs/maggots so, be aware.
The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
It’s a long short story of love, death, abominations of nature - you know, just classic stuff.
The story is about a “mermaid” - using that term loosely because it’s probably more like an immortal humanoid monster that can’t be killed by fire nor dissection - and a plague doctor (they/them), who might have been human at some point. The book takes place at the end of their story - and ends with the beginning of their next after the plague doctor is murdered and (and so is the mermaid supposedly) the mermaid spend the next hundred or so years trying to bring their companion back to life through science and magic. But that resurrection does not happen until the epilogue.
In the primary story the plague doctor and the mermaid are traveling together when they find these kids murdering one of their friends. They soon learn it’s a ritual and that there are “saints” in the village who can bring people back to life. These saints are monsters who b have been eating these kids alive and then bringing them back.
When PD and Mermaid try to expose the truth they end up being slaughtered/captured by the kids and saints (also referred to as surgeons) and they pull the doctor apart, to mere inches of their life, while one of the surgeons starts to dissect the mermaid (for science!). Mermaid awakens mid dissection and eats the surgeon and goes to find the doctor tied to a tree. When she tries to free them the saints and kids come back and catch them both. Set them on fire, PD definitely does but mermaids breathed fire- like a dragon maybe?- and annihilates everyone in the village.
When she wakes up again everyone is ashes. She finds the doctor’s bezoar and that’s where the epilogue takes over.
The story is about a “mermaid” - using that term loosely because it’s probably more like an immortal humanoid monster that can’t be killed by fire nor dissection - and a plague doctor (they/them), who might have been human at some point. The book takes place at the end of their story - and ends with the beginning of their next after the plague doctor is murdered and (and so is the mermaid supposedly) the mermaid spend the next hundred or so years trying to bring their companion back to life through science and magic. But that resurrection does not happen until the epilogue.
In the primary story the plague doctor and the mermaid are traveling together when they find these kids murdering one of their friends. They soon learn it’s a ritual and that there are “saints” in the village who can bring people back to life. These saints are monsters who b have been eating these kids alive and then bringing them back.
When PD and Mermaid try to expose the truth they end up being slaughtered/captured by the kids and saints (also referred to as surgeons) and they pull the doctor apart, to mere inches of their life, while one of the surgeons starts to dissect the mermaid (for science!). Mermaid awakens mid dissection and eats the surgeon and goes to find the doctor tied to a tree. When she tries to free them the saints and kids come back and catch them both. Set them on fire, PD definitely does but mermaids breathed fire- like a dragon maybe?- and annihilates everyone in the village.
When she wakes up again everyone is ashes. She finds the doctor’s bezoar and that’s where the epilogue takes over.
Before We Were Trans: A New History of Gender by Kit Heyam
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I didn’t realize this was a book about trans history when I borrowed it from the library. I wasn’t necessarily ready for that but I did learn a lot. Contemplated the relationship between intersex, two-spirit, butch lesbians and the term transgender.
Dr. Heyem includes historical references to less documented people in trans/gender fluid/intersex history and how they were perceived by others.
Dr. Heyem includes historical references to less documented people in trans/gender fluid/intersex history and how they were perceived by others.
The Frugal Wizard's Handbook For Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-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
3.75
It was a fun Sanderson read. Very mysterious to start out. Actually a solid story but I am getting less and less impressed with the standard hetero romantic relationships - though I know that likely won’t change with this author. Would call it a quick read compared to his other stuff. Definitely leans more sci-fi than fantasy.
Summary for myself:
Jonny comes from a world that’s considered the future compared to where we are now since he has nanobots in his body helping to create armor and heal. Also there’s inter-dimensional travel so that’s another clue that it’s a future time. The whole story however takes place in an area and time that’s closer to medieval Scotland I think? Somewhere in the UK.
The whole story revolves around Jonny trying to figure out who he is after he lands in this medieval world (an alternate dimension from his own) and it slowly comes back to him. He’s tagging along with a man who is the lord of some village and their local priestess of sorts. She speaks to the gods in some way.
Along the way a few things are unraveled:
The medieval world is being invaded by Vikings
It’s revealed that there are more people here from an alternate dimension (and the future) and they are trying to take over this world or something. It’s not entirely clear but it is clear that they are bad/ criminals.
Jonny learns more about himself and who he was before: part cop but also having had some relationship with this criminal element. He used to be married but his girlfriend? Wife? died 6 months ago.
In the end, Jonny finally does the right thing. His dead wife was not dead but was hiding in this alternate dimension helping Jonny’s partner/best friend and also the guy she has been cheating on him with. He ends up winning, staying, locking the portal, getting visited by their gods.
Summary for myself:
The whole story revolves around Jonny trying to figure out who he is after he lands in this medieval world (an alternate dimension from his own) and it slowly comes back to him. He’s tagging along with a man who is the lord of some village and their local priestess of sorts. She speaks to the gods in some way.
Along the way a few things are unraveled:
The medieval world is being invaded by Vikings
It’s revealed that there are more people here from an alternate dimension (and the future) and they are trying to take over this world or something. It’s not entirely clear but it is clear that they are bad/ criminals.
Jonny learns more about himself and who he was before: part cop but also having had some relationship with this criminal element. He used to be married but his girlfriend? Wife? died 6 months ago.
In the end, Jonny finally does the right thing. His dead wife was not dead but was hiding in this alternate dimension helping Jonny’s partner/best friend and also the guy she has been cheating on him with. He ends up winning, staying, locking the portal, getting visited by their gods.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, Violence
Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
It was fine. Some unsurprising story developments - the characters are standard archetypes. The setting was one that I appreciated as well as a magic system. Parts of it dragged a bit but I would say I equally liked it and was bored by it. It wasn’t hard to finish and I didn’t hate any part of it.
Summary of things for my own reference:
The young characters I feel have a lot of ego which is mostly what drives them to do what they do. Imani, the main character is 16 and is pretty confident she knows exactly how the world works. So does Taha, the villain and love interest, who I would guess is maybe like 18? They go on this epic adventure together and there’s a whole “will they, won’t they” vibe the whole time but in the end he’s a dummy who just takes orders, and his ego - plus parental trauma - is what drives his whole personality.
They cross a desert, escape a magical abandoned city, escape a magical enchanted sand storm, escape a non-magical prison, deal with white colonizers and then go sailing. A lot of adventures but like pretty tortured emotions the whooole time. Oh and also witnessing enslavement and genocide of their people by colonizers. Of course they also have a distrust of any “outsiders” too so like, everyone is just generally problematic is the message I guess.
Summary of things for my own reference:
The young characters I feel have a lot of ego which is mostly what drives them to do what they do. Imani, the main character is 16 and is pretty confident she knows exactly how the world works. So does Taha, the villain and love interest, who I would guess is maybe like 18? They go on this epic adventure together and there’s a whole “will they, won’t they” vibe the whole time but in the end he’s a dummy who just takes orders, and his ego - plus parental trauma - is what drives his whole personality.
They cross a desert, escape a magical abandoned city, escape a magical enchanted sand storm, escape a non-magical prison, deal with white colonizers and then go sailing. A lot of adventures but like pretty tortured emotions the whooole time. Oh and also witnessing enslavement and genocide of their people by colonizers. Of course they also have a distrust of any “outsiders” too so like, everyone is just generally problematic is the message I guess.
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
3.75
It’s all fine and good. The setting is unique and interesting but more and more I am realizing there will never be queer folks in this authors writing - no matter how alien and full of possibilities these stories are.
How is it that there can be so much imagination and yet cannot imagine a world where the love story is not between a man/boy and a woman/girl.
Anyway, here’s a summary for me so I don’t have to read it again:
Two characters from different worlds are forced into a relationship with each other by supernatural forces. They have to figure out why this is happening to him. The most interesting thing about it is the role that Yumi pays in her world of evoking spirits and binding them to physical things to help serve the people in her world.
How is it that there can be so much imagination and yet cannot imagine a world where the love story is not between a man/boy and a woman/girl.
Anyway, here’s a summary for me so I don’t have to read it again:
The Wicked and the Willing by Lianyu Tan
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rating this book is hard because its primary characters are all women and gender minorities, it’s great to see that representation in the romantasy (romance+fantasy) genre especially the spicy scenes. I guess it’s also horror, as the cover says.
On the other hand the levels of abuse are so shocking that I’m not even sure if this is the kind of representation we want.
I did like the surprise ending though. I suppose I would generally recommend this book with major caveats about the explicit sexual content and abuse.
Summary for my own records:
The relationship between Verity Edervane and Gean Choo goes from new lady’s maid to servant and sex toy. There are a lot of layers to their relationship from race and class , master and servant, and abuser and abused but in a love/hate relationship - or maybe just a confused abused person.
The relationship between Gean Choo and Po Lam is one that is a little easier to take but also feels so straight, it’s a little bit annoying because they have had such few interactions with each other it’s like “how could they like each other so much?” Maybe it’s a shred trauma thing.
Anyway, at the end you get to pick which ending you want. It can be nice or mysteriously awful.
On the other hand the levels of abuse are so shocking that I’m not even sure if this is the kind of representation we want.
I did like the surprise ending though. I suppose I would generally recommend this book with major caveats about the explicit sexual content and abuse.
Summary for my own records:
The relationship between Gean Choo and Po Lam is one that is a little easier to take but also feels so straight, it’s a little bit annoying because they have had such few interactions with each other it’s like “how could they like each other so much?” Maybe it’s a shred trauma thing.
Anyway, at the end you get to pick which ending you want. It can be nice or mysteriously awful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Suicide, Murder
Minor: Child death, Gun violence
The type of sexual assault is by a woman to another woman if that makes a different for you
Sofi and the Bone Song by Adrienne Tooley
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.0
A little predictable in some ways but overall I enjoyed the story and character development. Definitely feels like it was written for younger audience.
Sophi is raised to basically take over her dad’s job - musician in some royal guild - a very honored position. On the day that they are auditioning for his apprentice (she still had to audition like everyone else) some random girl that Sophi has a crush on shows up and is completely unprepared, like she didn’t even know she was supposed to bring an instrument. Her dad freaked out and didn’t want to lend her his instrument for the audition but he finally relented and she was amazing. Sophie was watching all this happen while hidden.
So his lute or whatever is OBVIOUSLY ENCHANTED because magic is more or less forbidden by all musicians and witches are like hunted in this kingdom.
Anyway her dad kills himself before he has to teach this kid as his apprentice-because the apprentice gets selected by committee, not by the teacher. And The fucking coward dies without giving her any insights about any of this.
But she’s smart - duh, of course- so she comes up with a plan to hopefully destroy this other girl she has a crush on because she thinks the girl is a witch. Eventually they fall in love because of course. Sophi learns that SHE is a witch and the instrument is enchanted and there some revenge shit that goes on with the guy who had blackmailed her dad. Everything ends well - obviously.
The parts about Sofi’s dad and his “training” definitely felt like an allegory for religious parents who find out their kids a queer and try to “train” it out of them with strict rules that cause them to internalize shame and guilt and make it hard for them to have personal relationships.
There was also a lot that was predictable like, obviously the lute was enchanted and obviously Sofi is a witch, and got it from her dead mother. But the rest of it was fun to see revealed along the way.
Sophi is raised to basically take over her dad’s job - musician in some royal guild - a very honored position. On the day that they are auditioning for his apprentice (she still had to audition like everyone else) some random girl that Sophi has a crush on shows up and is completely unprepared, like she didn’t even know she was supposed to bring an instrument. Her dad freaked out and didn’t want to lend her his instrument for the audition but he finally relented and she was amazing. Sophie was watching all this happen while hidden.
So his lute or whatever is OBVIOUSLY ENCHANTED because magic is more or less forbidden by all musicians and witches are like hunted in this kingdom.
Anyway her dad kills himself before he has to teach this kid as his apprentice-because the apprentice gets selected by committee, not by the teacher. And The fucking coward dies without giving her any insights about any of this.
But she’s smart - duh, of course- so she comes up with a plan to hopefully destroy this other girl she has a crush on because she thinks the girl is a witch. Eventually they fall in love because of course. Sophi learns that SHE is a witch and the instrument is enchanted and there some revenge shit that goes on with the guy who had blackmailed her dad. Everything ends well - obviously.
The parts about Sofi’s dad and his “training” definitely felt like an allegory for religious parents who find out their kids a queer and try to “train” it out of them with strict rules that cause them to internalize shame and guilt and make it hard for them to have personal relationships.
There was also a lot that was predictable like, obviously the lute was enchanted and obviously Sofi is a witch, and got it from her dead mother. But the rest of it was fun to see revealed along the way.