mrtvavrana's reviews
832 reviews

Panenka by Rónán Hession

reflective sad

• 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? Yes

3.0

Panenka is a man who has been suffering the mistakes of his past for 25 years. Now, at 50, he is trying to rebuild a relationship with his daughter and grandson. He also deals with intense headaches every night—he calls them his iron mask. One day, he meets a woman called Esther. She has moved to this town to escape her own past, but this meeting will change both of their lives.

My expectations for this novel were so high. I was absolutely certain Panenka would be a 5-star read for me. Unfortunately, that was long before I discovered that this book contains so much about football. I hate watching sports, I hate listening to people talk about them, and I also hate reading about them. I have suffered so much throughout this book, and I have thought of putting the book down constantly.

Apart from all that, the story was quite nice, very deep, and emotional. I really enjoyed seeing Panenka challenge his inner beliefs and slowly open himself up to the people he cares about. He was not particularly likeable; none of the characters were, but I found it quite easy to connect to him.

I did tear up a few times, but I still feel like the football part took a big chunk of my enjoyment out of this book. But that is a me thing. On the other hand, if I knew about the football, I would not have picked up this book, and I definitely would have missed out on this lovely story.

I will probably give Hession another chance in the future, as the writing and storytelling were quite captivating. But this time I will make sure there are no sports involved. 

Dangerous Devotion by Robin Jo Margaret

challenging dark fast-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? No

3.5

I absolutely loved this story. I am an ex-Catholic and a freak, filled with religious trauma. I could relate to Sister Marielle so, so much; I loved how she was portrayed.

The writing was really good too; my only issue is the length. I would have loved a whole novel with hundreds of pages. I would love to see what happens once the Messiah arrives. 

The Witch and Her Demon by Robin Jo Margaret

adventurous lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

 

I enjoyed these two stories so much! They were both so cute and cosy. I hope we will get to see more of Jillian and Lyle in the future too.

What I was not fully on board with was the lack of backstory. There was something going on with Lyle in both stories, and I do not think it was discussed in enough depth. I understand that it is difficult to cram a lot of information into short stories, but I think a more in-depth look at what was happening would have been better.

But as I have already said, the stories were really good, and I will definitely be reading more from the author. 

In the Care of Magic by Robin Jo Margaret

adventurous lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

4.0

 

This story of a witch and (her) demon was so incredible! It is my first experience with cosy erotica,, and I have to say I'm obsessed.

I loved the diversity, the intensity, and the dynamic between our main characters. I also really liked that Jillian is a grown adult and not a teen. And she's fat!

I would have loved it it if this book weree longer and we got to see more of the non-sexual dynamic between Jillian and Lyle. And her magic. And more of Lyle's life—s own house, work, the demon world.

Overall, this was a great read, and I cannot wait to get my hands on more of the author's stories. 

My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0

 Holy hells, where do I even begin with this review! My expectations were very high, and yet they were exceeded. This is a debut novel, and it is probably the best debut I have ever read.

One of my absolute favourite genres is queer horror. I am also a sucker for a good gothic horror and the paranormal, so this novel was truly a perfect combination for me.

My Darling Dreadful Thing is also a love story. I think a quote by Tamsyn Muir from an interview from many years ago beautifully describes the whole experience you will have with this book: “You have not yet begun to see the horrors of love.”.

My Darling Dreadful Thing takes place in the 1950s Netherlands and tells a story of a young woman called Roos. She has a companion, Ruth, and together they work for Roos's mother at a séance parlour. There is the twist, though. Ruth is a ghost, and she helps Roos perform at séances—by possessing her.

One day they are visited by a wealthy widow, Agnes, who longs to communicate with her recently deceased husband, Thomas. The two women connect, and soon Roos departs with Agnes to her crumbling estate, where they slowly fall in love.

But then a murder happens, and Roos is the main suspect. Now she has to prove who the real culprit is.

The pace of this novel is a bit on the slower side; there was a lot of buildup leading to the ending, but it was all intentional, and it made the book perfect in my eyes. The story is told from two perspectives: one is narrated by Roos herself, and the other is a dialogue she leads with a psychiatrist, Doctor Montague.

The characters were (almost) all likeable. I definitely found it easy to connect with them, even with Willemijn (Agnes's sister-in-law). At first I did hope we would see more of Agnes and Thomas earlier in the story, but in the end I actually enjoyed the way things took place. All of the characters had a lot of relevant backstory.

As it often happens, this queer story does not have a necessarily happy ending. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed how tragic it was, and the book ended on a somewhat hopeful note.

The writing was beautiful and very descriptive, which I always enjoy. The atmosphere was chilling, and it reminded me a lot of The Crimson Peak.

I do not doubt that this novel will make it to the top of my 2025 reads. And I also cannot wait to read more from the author in the future. 

Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

 I would like to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an e-ARC of Blood on Her Tongue.

After reading My Darling Dreadful Thing earlier this year, I did not think I would be able to find and read a better book this year. Well, as it turns out, I might have been mistaken.

Blood on Her Tongue is set in the 19th century Netherlands and revolves around twin sisters—Lucy and Sarah. They have been incredibly close since they were children, and now that Sarah has taken ill, Lucy travels to see and help her sister. The situation is, unfortunately, quite dire, and nobody believes Sarah will survive her illness.

Sarah's mysterious illness appeared with the discovery of a bog body—a centuries-old corpse. Sarah confides in Lucy that she is being haunted and possessed by the spirit of the body. But will Lucy believe her sister? After all, she has previously struggled with mental illness (or fever of the brain, as it is called in the book), and so did their aunt.

The sisters are now both facing a challenge: Lucy is trying to save her sister from being sent to an asylum while Sarah is trying to get rid of the ghost inside of her.

Both Lucy and Sarah are interesting characters. Despite being twins, the differences between them become more and more apparent as the novel progresses. I really loved their dynamic, and I also really liked how strong their relationship was—they were both ready to sacrifice everything for the other. While they aren't particularly likeable, I found it incredibly easy to connect with them.

As for the other characters, they were also pretty well written. I do have to say I hoped we would see more of Michael´s and Katje´s past too. I also hoped we would get more of the relationship between Katje and Sarah.

While the plot was quite predictable, as this was a pretty classic gothic horror, I really loved how the story progressed. Similarly to My Darling Dreadful Thing, the writing was breathtaking, but one thing I definitely missed was a true haunted manor.

Blood on Her Tongue starts a bit slow, but the pace slowly increases in intensity as the story progresses, all the way to the grand finale.

I have to say, the way this novel finished surprised me a little. I definitely did not expect such a strong and powerful ending.

Blood on Her Tongue might be a horror, but it explores some deep topics such as misogyny and medical misogyny, mental illness, grief, and family relationships. It also touches a lot on the topic of the “traditional” roles women are supposed to have in society.

I can honestly say Johanna van Veen is becoming my favourite author. Both My Darling Dreadful Thing and Blood on Her Tongue are beautiful, atmospheric novels that talk about the horrors of love. I genuinely cannot wait to read her future novels. 

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

The Drowned Woods was...okay. I found it quite difficult to get into, and before I realised, the book was almost over.

I did love the premise, and I really liked some parts of the story, but ultimately I think it was a bit underdeveloped and boring. Also, the author concentrated a lot on things that were not that important to the story.

What I enjoyed the most was how The Drowned Woods is a mix of fantasy and fairy tales with some exciting action. In some aspects, it reminded me of Chloe Gong's These Violent Delights and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows.

The pace was okay, but more on the slower side. I think it was a bit unusual given the plot. The plot was, well, predictable. Nothing extraordinary happened.

As for the characters, I have to say I did not really like any of them. Well, apart from Trefor (the corgi). I do think, though, that the characters were easy to connect with, and there was also quite a lot of backstory for everyone. I would have loved it if the relationships had evolved in different directions, though.

The ending was simultaneously exciting and disappointing. Exciting because of the connection to The Bone Houses, disappointing because of everything else. I hoped it would not be that positive. 

Stay with Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-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? Yes

4.0

Stay With Me is one beautiful novel, but it was pretty hard for me to read it. I had had this book sitting on my shelf for over two years before I picked it up, but despite that I had not really looked up anything about it. Which is pretty usual for me, and I often come to regret it. It was not the case this time.

This book is a journey of tragedy, I would say. It was so much darker than I would have imagined, but in spite of that, the overall message this book gives the reader is, “There is always hope.”. This is a story about grief, but also a story of love and resilience.

Now, I do have some issues. Mainly how I wish some topics and moments were discussed in more detail. The story also flies by incredibly fast; there are also multiple time skips, some of which I did not find that necessary.

The story itself is quite tragic, as I have said before. I did not particularly mind it, but there were a couple of instances where what was happening got a little too intense.

The ending was too rushed for my liking, and I feel that the “big reveal” fell a bit flat. I do not think it had the strong emotional impact I have expected.

As for the characters, I think they were pretty well written, but I did struggle with connecting to their individual stories. I also don't think they were particularly likeable.

Overall, this was a nice read, and I do regret not picking this book up much sooner. 

This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious fast-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

5.0

 I am not sure how to review this book. We are not even 2 weeks in a new year, and I already know it will be extremely hard to read a better book than This is How You Lose the Time War in 2025.

The writing was pure perfection. It was so captivating and beautiful; I was sucked in since the very first page. I think it might be my favourite love story ever. The yearning of the main characters made me want to yearn with them.

I usually do not like books written in the POVs of multiple characters, but this was just delightful. I think it worked out incredibly well.

I have to admit—I was worried I would not enjoy the book's format. A story told mainly through (love) letters was not something I had seen before, but I enjoyed it. I think it made me feel like I was deeper in the story, more connected to the characters.

The characters, two women and soldiers in the very distant future, were both written beautifully, and their letters were very intimate. I loved how gentle they were to one another and how they were both ready to destroy everything to protect the other.

I only wish this book was longer. I found the world the authors created fascinating, and I would have loved to see more of it.

I do not think This is How You Lose the Time War is a book for everyone, but I definitely feel like everyone would find something in it that would resonate with them. 

One Day I Will Write About This Place: A Memoir by Binyavanga Wainaina

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

 This was my second memoir in a month. I am not going to lie—it was quite a challenge for me to read through it.

The first half—the author's childhood—was particularly difficult to get through. There is a lot going on, and the way it is written made my head spin. This part was the most experimental, and I suppose it mirrored quite well what childhood is like: wild, confusing, loud, and bright.

As the author “grows up,” the writing style changes. It turns into a more traditional memoir, although there are still moments when the style briefly changes back to more chaotic.

The second half of the book is much more dynamic, and I think that the pace picking up is what finally sucked me in.

Despite this book being about the life and experiences of a Black man from Africa, I definitely found myself in some of the passages. I am always happy to see that many of our experiences are universal, no matter who we are and where we are from. It makes me feel less alone.

I have to admit that I had to look up many of the people and events mentioned in the book. I am definitely not well-versed in African politics and history, so every learning opportunity is a welcome one. I think this memoir has helped me learn a lot. Not just about the author and politics and history, but also about myself.

While this book was not entirely my cup of tea (I do not often read non-fiction, and I definitely do not read memoirs), I loved the poetry and the metaphors; I loved the descriptiveness and the depth to which Wainaina went.

I hope that in the future I will have more opportunities to read non-fiction by queer African authors and more of Wainaina's works.