Scan barcode
parchmentdreams's reviews
35 reviews
Cruel Illusions by Margie Fuston
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
If you like Buffy, Now You See Me, and semi-sentient buildings, then Cruel Illusions is for you. If you also like main characters that make dumb decisions and deliberately fall for the wrong guy, this book is also for you.
Cruel Illusions was very much a solid YA read. The plot was good but predictable, the romance was light, and the magic system was arguably the best part of the book. There were some surprisingly gory parts and darker themes that make this more of an upper YA read, but the writing felt a little too juvenile.
Overall an enjoyable and easy read.
Cruel Illusions was very much a solid YA read. The plot was good but predictable, the romance was light, and the magic system was arguably the best part of the book. There were some surprisingly gory parts and darker themes that make this more of an upper YA read, but the writing felt a little too juvenile.
Overall an enjoyable and easy read.
City of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-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
4.0
The City of Nightmares is a fun, spooky read that is set in a Gotham-like city where you nightmare can literally transform you. I really enjoye the themes of friendship and found family, as well as the growth of our main character Ness.
Ness is a self-proclaimed coward whose greatest fear is nightmares - a slight inconvenience when she lives in a world full of nightmares made flesh.
The friendships between Ness and Priya and Ness and Cy are both so lovely, real and relatable! I really hope we get a sequel to this one.
Ness is a self-proclaimed coward whose greatest fear is nightmares - a slight inconvenience when she lives in a world full of nightmares made flesh.
The friendships between Ness and Priya and Ness and Cy are both so lovely, real and relatable! I really hope we get a sequel to this one.
In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune
Did not finish book. Stopped at 60%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 60%.
As much as I enjoyed the characters, their relationships, and the world of In The Lives Of Puppets, I had to put it down at 60%. The story dragged and the pacing was off. Some parts would go so quickly, and other parts just seemed to go on forever. The dialogue was unlikeable and even annoying at parts, quirks of speech for the characters aside.
I was really looking forward to reading this one since I've heard such good things about Klune, but I was reading myself into a slump the more I forced myself to read.
I was really looking forward to reading this one since I've heard such good things about Klune, but I was reading myself into a slump the more I forced myself to read.
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
The main character came across as whiny and unlikeable. The plot felt a bit predictable, but none of the characters or story were likeable or engaging enough to continue. The writing style was good, and I have no complaints with how it was written. But when you can't connect with the story or characters, it makes it dull to read.
Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs
This epic retelling of the third part of the poem Beowulf was an absolute dream to read. You are transported to a world of gods and monsters and kings that wield uncanny powers, those not unlike the beasts he battles. In Shield Maiden, Beowulf is an old king, ready to find a new heir for his kingdom.
Our main character, Fryda, is kin to Beowulf, and has dreamt her whole life of being a Shield Maiden - one of the famously fierce female warriors. After a horrid accident in her youth mangles Fryda's hand, she resigns herself to a life of running her father's household, befriending the servants and secretly training with the blacksmith, Bryce.
Shield Maiden follows Fryda as she discovers a growing power within her, and torn between loyalty to her family and the man she loves, Fryda has to choose if she will become the warrior she is destined to become.
The plot was somewhat predictable, but not in a bad way. As with any retelling, there were known elements of the story, but the characters and choices were refreshing and engaging. I fell in love with Fryda and Theow and Bryce and was fully invested in their story.
The writing style was easy to read, yet with flowing poetic descriptions that truly brought to life the tale of Fryda. The characters were lovable and believable. If you love Norse/Scandanavian mythology and epics, I would highly recommend Shield Maiden!
adventurous
emotional
medium-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
4.0
"She looked a glorious mess, this fierce and determined woman who loved strawberries, fought like a warrior, and hid her left hand from the world. The freckles across her nose stood out against the unusual pallor of her skin, which glowed with sweat from her exertions. Her hair tumbled in wild, loose curls to her waist. She had a tiny mole at the corner of her right eye, and a beautiful dark mark on her neck under her ear. She had a luscious mouth, pink and full, and he wished he could brush a gentle kiss across her bruised and split lower lip, erasing the evidence of violence with his tenderness. She wore no shoes and her thin shift was stained with dirt and grass. She had straw in her hair and a smudge on her cheek, and Theow had never seen anything more beautiful in his life."
This epic retelling of the third part of the poem Beowulf was an absolute dream to read. You are transported to a world of gods and monsters and kings that wield uncanny powers, those not unlike the beasts he battles. In Shield Maiden, Beowulf is an old king, ready to find a new heir for his kingdom.
Our main character, Fryda, is kin to Beowulf, and has dreamt her whole life of being a Shield Maiden - one of the famously fierce female warriors. After a horrid accident in her youth mangles Fryda's hand, she resigns herself to a life of running her father's household, befriending the servants and secretly training with the blacksmith, Bryce.
Shield Maiden follows Fryda as she discovers a growing power within her, and torn between loyalty to her family and the man she loves, Fryda has to choose if she will become the warrior she is destined to become.
The plot was somewhat predictable, but not in a bad way. As with any retelling, there were known elements of the story, but the characters and choices were refreshing and engaging. I fell in love with Fryda and Theow and Bryce and was fully invested in their story.
The writing style was easy to read, yet with flowing poetic descriptions that truly brought to life the tale of Fryda. The characters were lovable and believable. If you love Norse/Scandanavian mythology and epics, I would highly recommend Shield Maiden!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Body shaming, and Addiction
Moderate: Bullying, Trafficking, War, Violence, Body horror, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and Sexual assault
Good Omens: The BBC Radio 4 dramatisation by Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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? Yes
5.0
The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Overall:
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is exactly everything I could have hoped it would be - an action-packed, fast-paced, beautifully written xianxia style novel with loveable characters and a story that holds you like a vice. All you can do is hold on and hope you make it to the end in one piece.
Characters:
Our female main character Lan is an absolute badass, and I would love to be her friend. I loved seeing her develop and take charge of her own destiny.
As for our male lead Zen - who doesn't like the bad boy with the mysterious past? If I could hug him I would. He needs all the hugs.
Plot:
Absolutely adored the mythological aspects, and it read just like the Asian cultivation/fantasy/martial arts manga and light novels I grew up reading! The plot was mostly fast paced and action packed, with the occasional slow and quiet moment.
Writing:
The author's writing style hooks you and sucks you in, and I literally could not put this book down! Plenty of description without being over the top, and I could envision the places and people easily. Masterful storytelling!
If you liked...:
For fans of Naruto, Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Iron Widow, Full Metal Alchemist. If you love romantic, sweepingly majestic tales with mythological undercurrents, then you'll love Song of Silver, Flame Like Night!
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is exactly everything I could have hoped it would be - an action-packed, fast-paced, beautifully written xianxia style novel with loveable characters and a story that holds you like a vice. All you can do is hold on and hope you make it to the end in one piece.
Characters:
Our female main character Lan is an absolute badass, and I would love to be her friend. I loved seeing her develop and take charge of her own destiny.
As for our male lead Zen - who doesn't like the bad boy with the mysterious past? If I could hug him I would. He needs all the hugs.
Plot:
Absolutely adored the mythological aspects, and it read just like the Asian cultivation/fantasy/martial arts manga and light novels I grew up reading! The plot was mostly fast paced and action packed, with the occasional slow and quiet moment.
Writing:
The author's writing style hooks you and sucks you in, and I literally could not put this book down! Plenty of description without being over the top, and I could envision the places and people easily. Masterful storytelling!
If you liked...:
For fans of Naruto, Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Iron Widow, Full Metal Alchemist. If you love romantic, sweepingly majestic tales with mythological undercurrents, then you'll love Song of Silver, Flame Like Night!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: War and Sexual harassment
Strike the Zither by Joan He
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I absolutely loved this retelling of Three Kingdoms. Zephyr is such an engaging character, full of sass and intelligence, yet undoubtedly flawed. I loved the beautiful scenes of zither music and Crow. Just Crow.
The middle did fall a bit flat and I almost put the book down, as a big change happens and I did not like it. I battled through though and I'm glad I did, as the ending made me hungry for book two! I can't wait to read more of He's writing, especially more Crow!
The middle did fall a bit flat and I almost put the book down, as a big change happens and I did not like it. I battled through though and I'm glad I did, as the ending made me hungry for book two! I can't wait to read more of He's writing, especially more Crow!
Fresh Blood by Nicole Arend
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
What I Liked
Some of the characters were interesting, and I wanted to know more about Dillon and his background.
The setting was also intriguing, but once again had vampires living in their own little world separate but not quite from the humans.
The plot, while basic, was interesting enough for me to keep reading. Would I enjoy reading the next one? Probably not. Would I like to just to see where the author takes this? Kind of 😅
What I Didn’t Like
None of the characters except Dillon had any depth or development. I wanted to slap Cora 90% of the time, and Celeste 100% of the time! Bram drew the short straw as the “antagonist” and was one of the only other characters I actually liked… then again, he was one of the few other characters to actually have a back story and some minute development.
The novel read like a middle grade/young YA book, but the characters were all 18 or over and there was semi-explicit sex? It was all very confusing.
Other Impressions
Overall it felt very 2D and shallow. The characters had minimal to no depth, there was no chemistry between Dillon and Cora (or anyone to be honest), and the reveal of Dillon’s vampire mother was entirely unsurprising yet stilted. The writing style is very juvenile and it felt like I was reading a wattpad novel - and not the best one I’ve read either.