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pewter's reviews
85 reviews
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This is nice. I was really into the worldbuilding and characters for the first 60% of the book; I was hoping for a bit more from the last half. I feel like the tone shifted from thriller to YA TV show part of the way through, but it was still fun.
Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Devastating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Body horror and Gore
Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Phoenix Extravagant has all the right ingredients, but doesn't land the characters. It's got an interesting plot, unique alternate historical world-building, imaginative ideas, non-binary protagonist, numerous LGBTQ supporting cast, and some great word-work. However, the main character Jebi is just not compelling, and the rest of the cast are not fleshed out enough to get to know. And as a queer artist myself, you'd think I'd feel a lot of kinship for Jebi. But I just don't. A flawed main character CAN be interesting, but in this case they may be a bit too mundane for a fantasy book - I just wasn't invested. I really wish I was.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I have to admit, the first 75 pages or so of this book felt very "author's first book", snapshots of character building that felt pretty forced. But that said, the writing sharpened up and I was invested by mid book. I would have liked to see more of the supporting cast, but this is very much a character-driven, coming-of-age, true-identity kind of book. It really feels like older queer books and movies, like the classic stuff that we would find for our university's LGBTQIA+ support group - and I mean that endearingly. I think a lot of people can still relate to this, and considering it's also about racism, McCarthyism, and the red scare, it's unfortunately rather relevant today. So yes, would recommend. Not sure if this is necessarily YA, but more of a "New Adult", since it's medium pace and a bit more pensive.
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
3.5 stars.
It's imaginative. I mean, plot wise there aren't any big surprises coming. It follows the standard YA format, you know it when you see it. But world-building wise it's snazzy; I want to know more about the world, the ghosts, the clairvoyance, timeline. It's interesting. If we can ignore the plot-armour and some of the more obvious plot holes, we might have a fine series here. I'll be reading the next.
It would have been nice to have more female characters, and the protagonist Paige is very, very clearly a slate for the reader to stand in. As a queer reader, I'm probably not the target audience to this type of YA trope but if you enjoyed The Hunger Games and other similar style, you'll be fine.
Just don't think about the plot armour too hard :D
It's imaginative. I mean, plot wise there aren't any big surprises coming. It follows the standard YA format, you know it when you see it. But world-building wise it's snazzy; I want to know more about the world, the ghosts, the clairvoyance, timeline. It's interesting. If we can ignore the plot-armour and some of the more obvious plot holes, we might have a fine series here. I'll be reading the next.
It would have been nice to have more female characters, and the protagonist Paige is very, very clearly a slate for the reader to stand in. As a queer reader, I'm probably not the target audience to this type of YA trope but if you enjoyed The Hunger Games and other similar style, you'll be fine.
Just don't think about the plot armour too hard :D
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
A ghostly, queer adventure with an unreliable narrator? I wish I could recommend. Unfortunately, this book suffers from the "but that's not how real people act" problem.
Pretty Little Liars meets literary pretentiousness in this, admittedly, technically-well-composed story of bad decisions and attempts of spookiness. Can sharp writing and snappy dialogue save this plot? Well, it's not horrible. But the first 80% of the story felt like a different writer than the last 20%, and I found that last, tense 20% could have probably been the most intriguing if the attention was given to it. So, it's just too bad we spent so much of the book with bad choices, unrealistic motives, and a lot of spooky set-up that doesn't go anywhere.
Pretty Little Liars meets literary pretentiousness in this, admittedly, technically-well-composed story of bad decisions and attempts of spookiness. Can sharp writing and snappy dialogue save this plot? Well, it's not horrible. But the first 80% of the story felt like a different writer than the last 20%, and I found that last, tense 20% could have probably been the most intriguing if the attention was given to it. So, it's just too bad we spent so much of the book with bad choices, unrealistic motives, and a lot of spooky set-up that doesn't go anywhere.
The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
As a second in a triology, The Secret Commonwealth is forced to carry a lot of the set-up and world building, and I do appreciate that it's a difficult task. But we see here a lot of un-making of the world that Pullman so lovingly brought to life in his previous books. There is so much tension and so very little release that it demands the third book, unlike The Subtle Knife, which stood so strongly on it's own.
I enjoy Lyra and Pan's relationship and enjoy the stresses it endures, but I think the book suffers from the weight of it. I realize the entire point is that we miss the old Lyra, but... can the book succeed without her old self? And Pullman has wrote many new rules to Lyra's world, I find it's difficult to believe them after reading and re-reading the first series so many times. Did I come to this series for the adult struggles of missing imaginations, weird romantic tension, sexual assault? Not really. I came for the magic, adventure, politics, and characters of His Dark Materials, and I'm hoping they'll show up yet.
I enjoy Lyra and Pan's relationship and enjoy the stresses it endures, but I think the book suffers from the weight of it. I realize the entire point is that we miss the old Lyra, but... can the book succeed without her old self? And Pullman has wrote many new rules to Lyra's world, I find it's difficult to believe them after reading and re-reading the first series so many times. Did I come to this series for the adult struggles of missing imaginations, weird romantic tension, sexual assault? Not really. I came for the magic, adventure, politics, and characters of His Dark Materials, and I'm hoping they'll show up yet.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
This Coven Won't Break by Isabel Sterling
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
3.7 stars. Cute, queer, breakneck-pace YA. Don't stop and think about it, just run.
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was a really different book, with a lot of things to both enjoy and dislike.
On one hand, we have two intriguing parallel plots, both of which explore gender and identity thoroughly while painting a loving picture of the setting. We rarely enjoy this kind of treat. On the other hand, the characters themselves come off as wooden and a tad unlikeable. Interestingly, the main character really reads as someone who lacks empathy (and is aware of that), so that at least makes for an interesting perspective.
Though I was invested and intrigued at the characters and development during the first 50% of the book, the second half really fell flat. The plot is so heavily fate driven that there were no surprises whatsoever - every character did what they said they'd do, and that's that. We may hope certain characters to make a change of heart, but this is not a book for a romantic reader. It is very literal and to the point.
There are also many moments with questionable pacing - we may take pages to lead up to moments (important, plot heavy and character heavy moments) that blink by in a paragraph, and are never reflected on or discussed again. So much seemed squished into the last 15 pages or so that it felt like a sprint to fit it in. This is a story that could have been concluded here but seems to just stop.
All in all, this read was... different. Not bad, but also has 0 re-readability and I probably wouldn't grab a sequel.
On one hand, we have two intriguing parallel plots, both of which explore gender and identity thoroughly while painting a loving picture of the setting. We rarely enjoy this kind of treat. On the other hand, the characters themselves come off as wooden and a tad unlikeable. Interestingly, the main character really reads as someone who lacks empathy (and is aware of that), so that at least makes for an interesting perspective.
Though I was invested and intrigued at the characters and development during the first 50% of the book, the second half really fell flat. The plot is so heavily fate driven that there were no surprises whatsoever - every character did what they said they'd do, and that's that. We may hope certain characters to make a change of heart, but this is not a book for a romantic reader. It is very literal and to the point.
There are also many moments with questionable pacing - we may take pages to lead up to moments (important, plot heavy and character heavy moments) that blink by in a paragraph, and are never reflected on or discussed again. So much seemed squished into the last 15 pages or so that it felt like a sprint to fit it in. This is a story that could have been concluded here but seems to just stop.
All in all, this read was... different. Not bad, but also has 0 re-readability and I probably wouldn't grab a sequel.
A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
An absolutely phenomenal sequel. It's more accessible than the first, and I found myself easily invested in all of the converging plots. I'm in love with the series, the characters, the chapter epigraphs! Colloquial writing (even all the parentheses!), the dialogue and entire world. A MUST READ Sci-fi/political adventure. Absolutely needs to be on a sci-fi fan's shelf.