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owlsreads's reviews
3399 reviews
Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
DNF @ 30%
I disliked the main character quite a bit and didn't like at all the premise of a mental health professional responsible for helping others (and being rather insistent about making sure everyone was okay) ignoring her own trauma. Also wasn't here for the juvenile team dynamics.
I disliked the main character quite a bit and didn't like at all the premise of a mental health professional responsible for helping others (and being rather insistent about making sure everyone was okay) ignoring her own trauma. Also wasn't here for the juvenile team dynamics.
The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Another excellent addition to the series!
I found the tone here to be very different from the previous ones? The atmosphere was heavier in a way and it took me a little while to fully get into the story. I still very much loved how Nghi Vo developed the story and the little bits and pieces of the puzzle we got along the way.
Almost Brilliant's absence was very much felt, however, which added to the shift in tone. There were some pretty tense and mysterious things happening in the background which tied to that and it was entertaining when it all came crashing down.
The ending did feel a bit rushed, though. I expected a little more from it than what I got. Still loving this fantastic world <3
I found the tone here to be very different from the previous ones? The atmosphere was heavier in a way and it took me a little while to fully get into the story. I still very much loved how Nghi Vo developed the story and the little bits and pieces of the puzzle we got along the way.
Almost Brilliant's absence was very much felt, however, which added to the shift in tone. There were some pretty tense and mysterious things happening in the background which tied to that and it was entertaining when it all came crashing down.
The ending did feel a bit rushed, though. I expected a little more from it than what I got. Still loving this fantastic world <3
The Vampire and the Case of Her Dastardly Death by Heather G. Harris, Jilleen Dolbeare
fast-paced
4.0
Nice little intro to the series! I'm so damn curious about Alaska and the community.
Kindling by Traci Chee
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
DNF @ 12%
The second person perspective would work for me if we didn't have multiple POVs. As it stands, I really dislike it and can't connect to the story at all since everyone sounds the same.
The second person perspective would work for me if we didn't have multiple POVs. As it stands, I really dislike it and can't connect to the story at all since everyone sounds the same.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
The writing here was so lovely. I loved how all of the characters and stories were connected and the way Verghese tied that all up in the end. However, this story was a bit too slow and too long for me to fully enjoy it.
Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh
Did not finish book. Stopped at 21%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 21%.
DNF @ 21%
Grotesque horror for the sake of shock. Really not for me.
Grotesque horror for the sake of shock. Really not for me.
Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Not what I was expecting, but in a good way! I very much enjoyed the writing here and how it introduced not only the characters, but also the conflicts in the novel. The world-building was intriguing and I liked how parts of it were a source of tension between characters.
The plot was a bit predictable, but I was still entertained by the enemies-to-lovers romance element and the sense of discovery between characters as the twists and reveals happened. The final chapters were very intense in regard to that and set up some interesting things for the sequel.
The plot was a bit predictable, but I was still entertained by the enemies-to-lovers romance element and the sense of discovery between characters as the twists and reveals happened. The final chapters were very intense in regard to that and set up some interesting things for the sequel.
Court of Wanderers by Rin Chupeco
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
I'm extremely disappointed. Having loved Silver Under Nightfall, I had high expectations for this sequel. Sadly, it seems like everything that made me love the first book was put in the backburner here.
The plot shifted focus from characters to political court schemes. I'm usually a fan of those, but it was such a sharp change of tone from the previous book that I couldn't get into it. That made the pace very slow to me as well and it was a struggle to keep going as nothing seemed to happened and there was little for me to hold on to.
I also wasn't a fan of the introduction of so many new characters. With them, came much additional world-building information that felt out of place in the second book of a duology. There should have been some sort of balance between novels and that didn't exist in any way here.
The romance also suffered because of this. I'm not sure why the relationship between Remy, Xiaodan, and Malekh was reduced to sex. They had so much potential as a throuple and I had so many expectations about how their dynamic would develop here and then... it was all physical. All the time. Very little substance or relationship progression when it came to non-sexual intimacy. Again, a huge disappointment.
The plot shifted focus from characters to political court schemes. I'm usually a fan of those, but it was such a sharp change of tone from the previous book that I couldn't get into it. That made the pace very slow to me as well and it was a struggle to keep going as nothing seemed to happened and there was little for me to hold on to.
I also wasn't a fan of the introduction of so many new characters. With them, came much additional world-building information that felt out of place in the second book of a duology. There should have been some sort of balance between novels and that didn't exist in any way here.
The romance also suffered because of this. I'm not sure why the relationship between Remy, Xiaodan, and Malekh was reduced to sex. They had so much potential as a throuple and I had so many expectations about how their dynamic would develop here and then... it was all physical. All the time. Very little substance or relationship progression when it came to non-sexual intimacy. Again, a huge disappointment.
The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I thought this was going to be one thing and then it turned out to be another totally different thing, but I very much enjoyed the book! Atwater's writing was lovely as always and I very much appreciated the world-building her and how it dealt with faeries. The plot, in general, was very well written and kept me guessing in regard to what was going to happen.
Winifred was a wonderful narrator too! All of the characters had distinct personalities and voices. All of them contributed to the plot in one way or another as well and made for a richer read. The relationships between the characters, both platonic and romantic, were also lovely! With one notable exception, but that character sucked so lol
The ending was also pretty satisfying, if a tiny bit rushed. It shifted a bunch of world-building things around, and that works really well as a jumping point to the sequel. I'm curious to know what's in store for this series!
Winifred was a wonderful narrator too! All of the characters had distinct personalities and voices. All of them contributed to the plot in one way or another as well and made for a richer read. The relationships between the characters, both platonic and romantic, were also lovely! With one notable exception, but that character sucked so lol
The ending was also pretty satisfying, if a tiny bit rushed. It shifted a bunch of world-building things around, and that works really well as a jumping point to the sequel. I'm curious to know what's in store for this series!