raenyreads's reviews
309 reviews

The Blue Fox by Sjón

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I honestly didn't think this book was really going to be my thing, but I wanted to give it a try anyway, and I'm really glad I did. The way the book is written gets you straight into the story with short chapters to start. Then, when the chapters got longer, I was invested in the story and mysteries enough for it to keep me going. The ending had me thinking about the book for days afterwards as the magical realism elements leave it up to you to decide what happened.

I was pleasantly surprised by the themes of the book, which included acceptance and empathy, but also maybe a bit of revenge. Learning more about Abba and how her life interweaves with the story was a highlight. 

I will likely try more of the authors work in the future. It was missing a bit of a wow factor that would make it a five-star book, but otherwise, it's a great read. I'd recommend it if it sounds like something you'd be interested in!

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I can't quite decide how I feel about this book. I went in with low expectations as I was reading it for a book club, not because I really wanted to. Those low expectations were surpassed. I ended up getting the hang of the language much easier than I thought I would and I found the plot to be engaging enough to keep me reading. However did I enjoy the experience? No, not really. All the characters are awful, which is of course on purpose, but still. I also don't know if I really got it.  I think I'm glad I read it but I won't really be recommending it.

The Rise and Fall of Aos by Danielle Lauren

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

I really liked the set up of this first book. The world created is really interesting and complex. The characters are also really well written and I enjoyed their development so far and look forward to see how they end up in the next instalment of the series. However, I don't think anything really wowed me yet and the plot is a little bit predictable from the start. Will be picking up the next book though.

Josee, the Tiger and the Fish by Seiko Tanabe

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The art in this series is gorgeous. As a marine biologist I especially loved the ocean and diving scenes. I also really liked the characters and their development arcs they went on. However, I think because this was an adaptation, the pacing felt kind of off and took me out of the story in places.

Paradise Kiss: 20th Anniversary Edition by Ai Yazawa

emotional lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I loved the style of the art Ai Yazawa creates. I also liked the plotline of this series. However some of the character relationships missed the mark for me.

Never Lie by Freida McFadden

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.5

Most of the good in this rating comes from the fact that I read through this really quickly and so at least I wasn't bored or anything. However, I found the ending and the 'reveals' to be the most unsatisfying I have ever read. I didn't care about any of the characters. Just really not for me.

The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett

adventurous funny mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

Another great entry into the City Watch series. I love these characters so much. The story in this one was really interesting and had me hooked to see how it would all turn out. It was however maybe a little longer than it needed to be. I still really recommend it!

Goodbye, Eri by Tatsuki Fujimoto

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really enjoyed this volume. I think the story is really creative, it had me hooked from start to end. I like how it makes you question the perspective you are seeing. Would recommend.

Monotone Blue by Nagabe

emotional 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? Yes

2.5

The art is great, I'll start with that. I also think the overall plot was well told and a cute story. However, the unnecessary addition of SA at one point and also a pretty irredeemable move by a MC that gets glossed over made the whole thing just not hit for me. It's not going to be memorable overall.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault

Pod by Laline Paull

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a really interesting book. As a marine biologist I really enjoyed the marine setting and characters. It really brought nuance and an interesting perspective to the issues being tackled. It's also really well written.
My only negatives are subjective as it's just a really sad book. I wanted something to make the story feel cathartic at the end but I didn't really get that. So I was left feeling a little like something was missing for me.
Overall still a great read though and would recommend as long as you don't mind a largely quite sad story.
Oh and definitely check the content warnings if you need to.