puddlejumper's reviews
737 reviews

Pick Me by May Archer

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

This started off really well. I liked the setting, though it took me a while to remember who everyone was and their relationship to everyone else. 

It started to drag about half way through. Plots were dropped (maybe to be explored in future books), the main couple got a bit repetitive, and the pace slowed down which was really felt. 

I don't think I will continue with this series. I was bored with the second half of this book and I'm not interested enough in the other characters to carry on.

The Library of Ancient Wisdom by Selena Wisnom

5.0

Ancient slices of life found in cuneiform clay tablets. Each story is a stepping off point to delve into topics such as medicine, literature, and witchcraft.

This book does an amazing job of being accessible academia. What I mean by that is that it is academic level research and writing, written in a way that is engaging and accessible to people who aren’t academics.

The writing style suited the format; it was engaging and relevant without being dry or difficult to read. The chapters had a flow to them that kept me reading. 

It neatly bridges modern to ancient, showing the similarities and differences with respect and understanding.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC

Cute Fantasy Art Class by Naomi Lord

informative

5.0

 This was beyond cute! The characters themselves were adorable and there were a lot of different ones. 

The instructions were clear, detailed, and easy to follow. This made it accessible to someone like me who doesn’t draw. 

The characters each had a unique description which would appeal to fantasy or D&D fans. I shared this with my D&D group who immediately wanted to draw their characters as cute creatures. 

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

The Haunting Between Us by Paul Michael Winters

medium-paced

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

2.75

I was underwhelmed by this book, however, the ending I found very distasteful. It turned the book from a meh to a solid no. 

The book suffers from tonal whiplash and not knowing who its audience is. Some chapters are teenage cutesy romance and others are ghost haunting mystery. 

The characters are 16 though read a lot younger which is why it was super jarring when they had sex and it didn't even fade to black. 

I would have assumed this was aimed at the younger end of YA because the characters read more like 13/14 and the writing was quite simplistic. 
 
Everything was wrapped up too quickly at the end and it felt cheap. 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

Teaching Yoga Beyond the Poses, Volume 2: 54 New Themes, Templates, and Ideas for Integrating Inspiration into Your Class by Shayna Keyles

2.25

I haven't read the first volume so I wasn't familiar with the layout or content of this series. I was interested in the theme ideas and how a yoga class could be structured. 

I found this very alien and inauthentic. Several of the things suggested I felt were outside a yoga teacher's remit. 

This may be cultural because I've not come across any yoga classes where the things suggested would be appropriate. If a teacher started reading poetry or song lyrics in a class or gave me wool at the beginning of the class, I would walk out.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

The English Monster by Lloyd Shepherd

slow-paced

3.0

This was very slow, it got better at the end but I found it a slog to get through

Murder in the Snow by Verity Bright

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.75

Leftover from December this was a solid cosy murder mystery. 

The Procrastination Playbook for Adults with ADHD: How to Catch Sneaky Forms of Procrastination Before They Catch You by Risa Williams

3.0

I was drawn to this book as I'm neurodivergent and struggle with procrastination. 

I read this on my Kindle and much of the book was unreadable. Sections had no spaces between words, words would be different sizes or bolded. I assume these were formatting errors that would be sorted out before publication. 

Unfortunately, this made it difficult to read and the worksheets looked odd. 

Onto the parts I could read, I think some people would find this useful. It wasn't anything new. If you're already struggling with procrastination or executive dysfunction then this is stuff you'll already be aware of.

This advice might work for some people, it doesn't for me. If I'm procrastinating then I'm not going to follow a worksheet or write a list. Or I'll write the best list ever with so much detail and then never do it because in my mind I've already done the task and gotten the reward from planning it. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

Guardian: Zhen Hun (Novel) Vol. 1 by priest

mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

I really enjoyed the first volume. I've wanted to read this for ages after watching bits and pieces of the show. It is very different from the show and I think much better.

Guo Changcheng was definitely my favourite. I related to him so much. 

There was mystery, mythology, pining, and longing looks, all the good stuff. 

I do hope the secondary characters get some development. It was great to see more of Wang Zheng and her past. Love to see more of the others.

Blind Tiger by Jordan L. Hawk

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

5.0

Chicago during the roaring 20s with cat shapeshifters, mobs, and speakeasies. Absolutely fantastic! 

The ending was a bit quick and hand waving but I didn't really mind that. The romance was sweet and had a natural build up. 

This is part of the Hexworld universe which I've not read, or I've read one, but you don't need to have read them to understand the book.