nicobella's reviews
667 reviews

Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa

3.0

3.5 stars. Though it wasn’t as solid of a book for me as the first book, still a good read and I’m looking forward to finishing the series.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

3.0

3.5 stars. It’s kind of like a little historical fiction meets a really long short story that follows three characters, but really one and kind of another and barely a third. First half was 3 stars, next quarter was 4 stars, the last fifth was 5 stars.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

4.0

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

3.0

Hands down the best dystopia I’ve encountered in any medium. Although I craved much more in the plot and the depth of characters and character relationships, my stomach felt wretched while reading page after page - this world felt incredibly real in all its cruelty and brutality. Butler’s story-telling enraptured me from the start, in a way that I never believed a book written journal-entry format could. About half way through I did feel like I was reading a list of “things I did today,” and lost the feeling of awe in the story telling. A lot of the second half of the book fell flat for me, including the ending. If you want to read an excellent dystopia, this is a must read.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

3.0

This little novella felt very whimsical from the start in its storytelling and atmosphere - Cindy Kay’s narration in the audiobook no doubt amplified these feelings. I was immediately drawn in by the interactions with the mysterious Grandmother, but the tale turned into something unexpected. The book introduces you to three characters and intersperses other stories in between their interactions - the tones somewhat felt like it was two different books. While being swept away by some beautiful storytelling in between the interactions of the three characters, I really just wanted more of the latter. The end was surprisingly satisfying to me however and I plan to read the next one, even if it follows the same formula of the first, which I suspect it will. Highly recommend as an audiobook.

The Gunslinger by Stephen King

3.0

This is my first time reading Stephen King. It was fine. I thought it had a stronger start and middle compared to the end. I probably won’t continue on with the series in the near future, but I’m definitely intrigued enough to read more King of some kind down the road.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

3.0

I can confidently say at this point I’m a huge fan of mythological tales especially those mixed with historical fiction. This book checks both boxes. I am disappointed however because my library classifies this as adult fiction and it read very teen/young adult to me. I felt the depth of the characters was not very strong and the plot was very predictable. I knew from the start I was going on an adventure with Casiopea, but by the halfway mark I became quite bored and disconnected from the protagonist, and that never changed by the end. Still a very cool read and recommend to those interested. 3.5 stars.

Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett

4.0

What a page turner, I absolutely loved this sequel. 4.5 stars.

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

4.0

I loved this book and cannot wait to for the next one. This was a wild ride with high stakes...in fact this felt like a thriller for me in some ways since I was having physiological responses because it felt like something bad could happen any minute. I loved the depth and complexity of the characters and the plot was 5 stars for me. Also, animal companions - yes please. However, the flow of the book took me aback sometimes and this is why it’s not five stars in my opinion.

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

5.0

I went in knowing very little about this book. I quickly became interested in the what would happen to our protagonist, Dora, and the fantastical problem swept me in from the start. I was immediately struck by Dora’s internal dialogue and struggle to connect with herself and others. When it became apparent this was a Pride and Prejudice retelling I had mixed feelings - would this go how I would expect or would I be surprised? The answer is...I loved every minute of it. I think this sends some great messages to young people reading it about emotional struggle, the roles of women, meeting expectations, and the importance of addressing societal problems while balancing your own self-care. The audiobook was also fantastic, it elevates the book without a doubt.