mysterioustrumpet's reviews
6 reviews

Babel by R.F. Kuang

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Iron Heart by Nina Varela

adventurous hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

The romance between the two main characters was well done, but I felt like the book focused more on that than the development of its villain and main plot points. 

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

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This is one of the most incredible books I've ever read. The prose is heartwrenchingly gorgeous, with a masterful use of metaphors and similes in a way that feels more like poetry than pure prose. The plot and setting are also extremely interesting and very easy to grasp onto from the beginning. 

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Incredible homage to anime like Evangelion and Darling in the Franxx with a romance that breaks through conventional norms and a plot twist that will have you clamoring for the next book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Violence

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Classism, and Alcoholism