Scan barcode
onlyfictionsworld's reviews
48 reviews
Black Bird, Vol. 1 by Kanoko Sakurakouji
As many reviews have mentioned, I'm not impressed with the complete lack of consent here. I don't understand the plot, nor do I understand why there are so many horrible men who do not respect women. Based on what I've gathered, our MC realizes she has no choice but to continue. The choice is to either marry a controlling, awful male demon or be eaten by a demon. She chooses to marry the demon and the story continues. I'm not interested in continuing, as the story's lack of consent is disappointing.
It's alarming that you have plenty of popular series and books that are similar. It's a sad situation. Not only that, but it is just my hope that women read this and do not desire a relationship like this because it is not right. This type of behavior should not be tolerated and people should learn to be more respectful and mindful of their actions. We should encourage each other to use our words and actions to build healthier relationships.
1.0
As many reviews have mentioned, I'm not impressed with the complete lack of consent here. I don't understand the plot, nor do I understand why there are so many horrible men who do not respect women. Based on what I've gathered, our MC realizes she has no choice but to continue. The choice is to either marry a controlling, awful male demon or be eaten by a demon. She chooses to marry the demon and the story continues. I'm not interested in continuing, as the story's lack of consent is disappointing.
It's alarming that you have plenty of popular series and books that are similar. It's a sad situation. Not only that, but it is just my hope that women read this and do not desire a relationship like this because it is not right. This type of behavior should not be tolerated and people should learn to be more respectful and mindful of their actions. We should encourage each other to use our words and actions to build healthier relationships.
Gone by Michael Grant
1.0
The premise of this book intrigued me - everyone over the age of 15 just disappeared one day, leaving the remaining kids to figure out what happened... They also discover that some of them have supernatural abilities. Considering the plot and such, I expected writing similar to Scott Westerfeld’s. I dropped the novel after a hundred pages, when I started skimming pages and caring less and less.
I found the writing to be rather slow. The story failed to captivate me, nor did I feel the urgency that the characters have felt. The writing skipped between individuals, introducing unfamiliar characters in various scenarios. I couldn't connect with most of the characters because of a lack of understanding of their role in the plot. It described some characters as developing "powers" that lacked excitement. Therefore, I am disappointed.
I found the writing to be rather slow. The story failed to captivate me, nor did I feel the urgency that the characters have felt. The writing skipped between individuals, introducing unfamiliar characters in various scenarios. I couldn't connect with most of the characters because of a lack of understanding of their role in the plot. It described some characters as developing "powers" that lacked excitement. Therefore, I am disappointed.
The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman
3.0
Morpheus, one of the Endless, is kidnapped and upon escaping discovers the world has changed. The first volume is about him trying to regain his power. The book introduces characters, places, and plots.
There is something I need to confess. Neil Gaiman’s books have never really appealed to me. I am completely baffled by them. When he tells a story, I never know where it will go.
In this volume, there is an overwhelming amount of happening. Some characters (both new and recycled) ended up being flat and boring because there were too many. Although I didn’t find the main character to be bad, he became flat and boring as the story progressed. Among them, only John Constantine really appealed to me.
There was also a lot of confusion and overwhelming in the plot. The author presented many ideas, some of which were overlooked and left you wishing for more elaboration. I’ll be interested to see how the second volume improves on the overall story.
There is something I need to confess. Neil Gaiman’s books have never really appealed to me. I am completely baffled by them. When he tells a story, I never know where it will go.
In this volume, there is an overwhelming amount of happening. Some characters (both new and recycled) ended up being flat and boring because there were too many. Although I didn’t find the main character to be bad, he became flat and boring as the story progressed. Among them, only John Constantine really appealed to me.
There was also a lot of confusion and overwhelming in the plot. The author presented many ideas, some of which were overlooked and left you wishing for more elaboration. I’ll be interested to see how the second volume improves on the overall story.
The Radcliffe Ladies' Reading Club by Julia Bryan Thomas
3.0
Set in 1954, the story follows four girls from different socioeconomic backgrounds in their first year at Radcliffe College. Women had fewer job options during that time compared to today. Despite the differences among them, these young women learn how to resolve conflicts and who to turn to for support. The bookstore has a Book Club for girls to read books by well-known authors. The owner mentors the girls while they read and discuss books. A tragedy that threatens either to unite them or separate them challenges them.
It captured my attention. The story lacked depth because of too many storylines and undeveloped characters.
The book club didn’t have any other members. Why wasn’t there anyone else? When the four girls joined, did she just stop advertising it? Was there nobody else in Cambridge interested? Book club meetings themselves seem to be little more than a vehicle for learning clichéd lessons about women in men’s worlds.
One character suffers a terrible tragedy that gets worse. I’m not saying it’s never happened before, but did the author need to pile it so high? Then something completely bizarre happens near the end to make the whole situation seem implausible and absurd.
Overall, a good book exploring themes of friendship, coming-of-age, and expectations.
It captured my attention. The story lacked depth because of too many storylines and undeveloped characters.
The book club didn’t have any other members. Why wasn’t there anyone else? When the four girls joined, did she just stop advertising it? Was there nobody else in Cambridge interested? Book club meetings themselves seem to be little more than a vehicle for learning clichéd lessons about women in men’s worlds.
One character suffers a terrible tragedy that gets worse. I’m not saying it’s never happened before, but did the author need to pile it so high? Then something completely bizarre happens near the end to make the whole situation seem implausible and absurd.
Overall, a good book exploring themes of friendship, coming-of-age, and expectations.
Crave by Tracy Wolff
2.0
After her parents' fatal car accident, Grace moves to her uncle Finn's boarding school in Alaska. When Grace arrives at the castle-like prep school, her cousin Macy is eager to help her settle in. As Grace arrives at Katmere, she quickly learns that the other students are hostile towards her, especially Jaxon Vega, a hot, dangerous-looking guy who is the first person she meets. Although Grace is determined to stay away from Jaxon, something about his eyes tells her he is just as lost as she is. There seems to be something or someone at Katmere Academy that wants Grace dead, so Grace may need all the friends she can gather.
I thought it was predictable as fuck. I accurately predicted what would happen, so the outcome did not surprise me. As well as plot holes, the book left me with many unanswered questions.
Compared to Bella, Grace is a slight improvement, but not a huge one. Often, she makes rash, impulsive decisions. There’s not much detail about Crave’s Alaska setting, other than that it’s freezing cold there.
This is a book set in an inaccessible prep boarding school, which reminds me of Hogwarts, but there are no classes or teachers mentioned. It focuses on Grace’s social scene at Katmere, Jaxon and Grace’s romantic tension, and the mystery of why someone wants to kill her.
It felt like a Twilight wannabe story, and the writing kept embarrassing me. I don’t see myself reading this book again.
I thought it was predictable as fuck. I accurately predicted what would happen, so the outcome did not surprise me. As well as plot holes, the book left me with many unanswered questions.
Compared to Bella, Grace is a slight improvement, but not a huge one. Often, she makes rash, impulsive decisions. There’s not much detail about Crave’s Alaska setting, other than that it’s freezing cold there.
This is a book set in an inaccessible prep boarding school, which reminds me of Hogwarts, but there are no classes or teachers mentioned. It focuses on Grace’s social scene at Katmere, Jaxon and Grace’s romantic tension, and the mystery of why someone wants to kill her.
It felt like a Twilight wannabe story, and the writing kept embarrassing me. I don’t see myself reading this book again.
The Sandman 1: Preludes & Nocturnes by Mike Dringenberg, Neil Gaiman
3.0
Morpheus, one of the Endless, is kidnapped and upon escaping discovers the world has changed. The first volume is about him trying to regain his power. The book introduces characters, places, and plots.
There is something I need to confess. Neil Gaiman’s books have never really appealed to me. I am completely baffled by them. When he tells a story, I never know where it will go.
In this volume, there is an overwhelming amount of happening. Some characters (both new and recycled) ended up being flat and boring because there were too many. Although I didn’t find the main character to be bad, he became flat and boring as the story progressed. Among them, only John Constantine really appealed to me.
There was also a lot of confusion and overwhelming in the plot. The author presented many ideas, some of which were overlooked and left you wishing for more elaboration. I’ll be interested to see how the second volume improves on the overall story.
There is something I need to confess. Neil Gaiman’s books have never really appealed to me. I am completely baffled by them. When he tells a story, I never know where it will go.
In this volume, there is an overwhelming amount of happening. Some characters (both new and recycled) ended up being flat and boring because there were too many. Although I didn’t find the main character to be bad, he became flat and boring as the story progressed. Among them, only John Constantine really appealed to me.
There was also a lot of confusion and overwhelming in the plot. The author presented many ideas, some of which were overlooked and left you wishing for more elaboration. I’ll be interested to see how the second volume improves on the overall story.
The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
1.0
After 100 pages, I’m not enjoying it at all. An opening battle is extremely odd for a book, since I know nothing about the characters yet. I realize this is in the past, so I think OK, let’s build some characters and the world now. Another battle, and I once again have no reason to be concerned about anyone.
It's hard to keep up with the characters' names. The class system remains complicated and unexplained. There's no attempt to explain the world or characters, yet it's popular. The smallest complaint that surprises me is that dragons appear very little in the story, despite the title.
Pacing is also an issue in The Rage of Dragons. A major event occurs too late in the story. They discuss other events I consider important in a couple of sentences, while repetitive training sessions consume most of the time. Having a dialogue about why training is critical on a battlefield about halfway into the story is ridiculous. It suggests the author was just writing for the sake of writing, without considering what might benefit his characters.
The world building isn’t the best, either. Winter’s portrayal of the world doesn’t work for me. Instead of info-dumping, he sprinkles information along the way without linking it to the thoughts of his narrator. As there are no emotions or events in the story that stick in my mind, I cannot remember it.
The Rage of Dragons is definitely not on
It's hard to keep up with the characters' names. The class system remains complicated and unexplained. There's no attempt to explain the world or characters, yet it's popular. The smallest complaint that surprises me is that dragons appear very little in the story, despite the title.
Pacing is also an issue in The Rage of Dragons. A major event occurs too late in the story. They discuss other events I consider important in a couple of sentences, while repetitive training sessions consume most of the time. Having a dialogue about why training is critical on a battlefield about halfway into the story is ridiculous. It suggests the author was just writing for the sake of writing, without considering what might benefit his characters.
The world building isn’t the best, either. Winter’s portrayal of the world doesn’t work for me. Instead of info-dumping, he sprinkles information along the way without linking it to the thoughts of his narrator. As there are no emotions or events in the story that stick in my mind, I cannot remember it.
The Rage of Dragons is definitely not on
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
2.0
It divided the book into three stories.
This first one is based on a Chinese folktale about The Monkey King. Over thousands of years, he mastered all heavenly disciplines. His desire to join the gods is rejected, since he is a monkey.
Another story is about Jin Wang, a boy who moves from Chinatown to a predominantly white suburb of San Francisco. He struggles to fit in at his new school, and he faces many stereotypes. His only friend is Wei Chen.
In the third tale, Danny is a white American boy whose Chinese cousin, Chin Kee, comes to see him every year. His Chinese cousin humiliated Danny after settling in at his new school.
I really like the artwork.There is a lot of insight into cultural identity issues, stereotypes, and privilege in the book, but I didn’t understand how the three stories relate to one another.
There is a twist ending to these seemingly unrelated three tales.
If you’re looking for a quick read, I would recommend this American-born Chinese book.
This first one is based on a Chinese folktale about The Monkey King. Over thousands of years, he mastered all heavenly disciplines. His desire to join the gods is rejected, since he is a monkey.
Another story is about Jin Wang, a boy who moves from Chinatown to a predominantly white suburb of San Francisco. He struggles to fit in at his new school, and he faces many stereotypes. His only friend is Wei Chen.
In the third tale, Danny is a white American boy whose Chinese cousin, Chin Kee, comes to see him every year. His Chinese cousin humiliated Danny after settling in at his new school.
I really like the artwork.There is a lot of insight into cultural identity issues, stereotypes, and privilege in the book, but I didn’t understand how the three stories relate to one another.
There is a twist ending to these seemingly unrelated three tales.
If you’re looking for a quick read, I would recommend this American-born Chinese book.