remora's reviews
60 reviews

The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang
Did not finish book. Stopped at 79%.

just boring. too short for the plot or worldbuilding or characters to mean anything to me. easy to read but not particularly GOOD or interestingly written, just... easy. 

The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow

adventurous dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

phenomenal 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and War

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

adventurous funny fast-paced

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

Set My Heart to Five by Simon Stephenson

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

3.75

humans! i cannot!

Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer

adventurous dark emotional informative 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

4.75

(pre-absolution reread, og score was 4.5)

Authority by Jeff VanderMeer

challenging emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

(pre absolution reread, og score was 4)

Tokyo Ueno Station by Yu Miri

emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

(pre absolution reread, og score was 3.75)

Kings of a Dead World by Jamie Mollart

tense medium-paced

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

0.75

literally just bad. filled with plot holes and elements that don't make sense. the narrators are unbelievably insufferable and in at least 4 instances does one of them get an erection from the feeling of a breast pressed against them. not to mention the main narrator - whom i assume we are meant to feel sympathetic towards - is a literal predator. and the other is a selfish, pathetic incel. additionally, the ages just don't make sense. based on peruzzi's age (50) and ben being at 82, quinn should be in his late 90s, nearly 100 and there is nothing evident in the book to suggest he would live that long. there is a food shortage. he should be dead. all the character building fell flat, the reveals were bland and tasteless, and the worldbuilding was fine but ultimately poorly thought out and felt remarkably lazy. in mollart's defense it is an easy read, if only because i wanted to finish it so i never had to think about it again. the concept was fun! it has potential! if only it was written completely differently. don't pick this up — try something else. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism