piakau's reviews
374 reviews

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

All the stories were weird and compelling in their own way, with some Black Mirror-esque vibes throughout. I’m just not a short story person. I don’t feel I have enough time to process each story before being thrown into a new one.

The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

I really wanted to like this, but it was just "ok". There was a lot of potential with the story and I really like the premise, but the writing didn't do it for me. Some of the symbolism was just a bit too on the nose, the foreshadowing gave away plot twists long before they were revealed, and the pacing was off. I didn't really feel there was time for proper character development, a lot of problems were solved by someone gaining a new power, and at times the action felt rushed leaving some plot holes that didn't really make sense to me. And the romance!

I was really hoping Britta and Deka would end up together, they seemed like a better match for each other than their male partners.

Maybe I just need a break from YA.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This was a fairly quick and enjoyable read. I found the foreshadowing to be pretty heavy-handed so the plot twists weren't particularly surprising. There was something about the pacing and writing style that felt off, which made it hard to connect with the characters and immerse in the story. But I liked the plot and overall had a good time with this book.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

reflective fast-paced

3.5

This was a quick and enjoyable read. I liked the concept and the way the book explored the idea of regret and potential. I did find the plot predictable, and by the halfway mark felt like I got the point and was ready to get to the end.

Pageboy by Elliot Page

emotional medium-paced

5.0

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I was really hoping to love this book but it fell flat for me. I guessed the gist of what was going on way before the reveal so the plot felt drawn out. The characters also felt a bit over the top villainous. That said, I had a good time with the book and I enjoyed the creepy mysterious vibe the author created.

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

challenging dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Veden viemää by Mikael Niemi

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Ehken vaan ymmärtänyt kirjan pointtia tai siedä väkivaltaa kovin hyvin mutta tämä ei yhtään uponnut. Ikäviä ihmisiä ahdistavissa tilanteissa. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual violence, and Violence