rebeccazh's reviews
2079 reviews

Heartstone by C.J. Sansom

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

3.5

3.5 stars. Sansom is good at writing tense mysteries and I was engrossed and intrigued by the mystery surrounding Hugh - small family dramas hiding deep, ugly secrets are a trope I enjoy a lot. However, I find it quite uncomfortable to read about the investigations into Ellen's traumatic past. The many repeated instances in this series of women being crazy or evil was never clearer than in Ellen, the hysterical and crazy rape survivor. Really left a bad taste in my mouth. Also the pace lagged quite a bit in the beginning and middle parts.

Warrior Fae Princess by K.F. Breene
Did not finish book. Stopped at 57%.

Stopped at ch25. Though Charity is/was the main lead, she spends about half the book so far out of action (in some kind of coma coz of magical sickness) and the story is mainly told from the perspective of those around her. I also find the plot a bit slow - it's a journey narrative without much happening. 

Warrior Fae Trapped by K.F. Breene

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.0

I tried many times to get into KF Breene's books but it just wasn't clicking for me until this one. I enjoyed this main character much more than the other ones (Midlife Levelling, Reagan, Penny) and it was fun to be brought along for the ride as Charity discovers the magical world. Also, werewolf romances are my weakness and this trope gave the book a big plus point. 

Molecules of Emotion: The Science Behind Mind-Body Medicine by Candace B. Pert
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.

Very misleading. This book is less about science and more about the author's life and achievements.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

informative medium-paced

3.0

Getting through this book was a bit of a pain. Nonfiction is meant to provoke reflection and thinking but the author's writing is simplistic and seemed to strip out depth and nuance from topics. He also sounds blase about sensitive topics. I did learn lots of interesting facts but had to force myself to get through the chapters and ended up skipping some. 

Valkyrie Cursed by Rosie Wylor-Owen

adventurous lighthearted 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

4.0

3.5 stars. I liked this more than the author's mermaid series but the book still didn't really engage me. 

Natural Witch by K.F. Breene

adventurous funny lighthearted 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? No

3.0

Heard a lot of good things about this author but I'm just not vibing with this. The characters aren't interesting and the writing is meh. 

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

3.5 stars. This novel felt so familiar. The vernacular English, the beliefs around gods and ghosts, the family culture, even the apps are things I experience in my daily life and it is novel and fun to see it in prose form. Jess deals with ghosts and gods as the stakes escalate and secret after secret about her family unravels, and in the backdrop is her worries about coming out. The book started out strong but the middle dragged a bit. The cast of characters is colorful and Ah Ma turned out to be my favorite for her sheer force of personality. The ending is satisfying as Jess figures out how to stop Black Water Sister.

Echoed Defiance by K.N. Banet

dark tense medium-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

4.0

Once the plot started, I literally couldn't stop reading and sped through the book. Jacky Leon books are like potato chips. They're so addictive. Once again, Jacky deals with another one of her families and finds closure and moves on. It's very nice to see her grow into herself. I really love Banet's strong characterization and tension filled plot and action scenes in her Tribunal series.

Blood of the Wicked by K.N. Banet

adventurous mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

I skipped book 1 and tried twice to read this (struggled through the slow first 20%) and I am SO glad I powered through it. Once the story starts (werewolves murdered by rogue vampires), it was awesome. The story moves fast and we get to see Everly come into her own while learning a bit more about Alexius. Excited to see what happens in book 3.