rg9400's reviews
229 reviews

The Last Ranger by J.D.L. Rosell

adventurous fast-paced

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

4.25

Read for SPFBO 9. I enjoyed this book. I really liked what it was attempting to do with its stubborn character who had deep seated hatred ingrained within her. The world seemed pretty cool, and the line by line craft was very strong for a self pub book. A lot of this book is a journey though, and that's simply not my favorite type of story. It's a strong book overall though, and it has a satisfying conclusion. 

The Fall is All There Is by C.M. Caplan

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-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

4.0

This book did a fantastic job with its characters and voice, doing a great job building up the sensory overload and thought patterns that Peter experiences. I loved the sibling relationships and this voice, and I loved the audacious world. My main criticism is that I felt the plot and world were not as established. Part of that is probably that Peter himself experiences the world and political schemes in this way, but it left me wanting more. I also struggled to parse the action at times. But I did really enjoy the characters and the humor

The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft

adventurous funny mysterious relaxing slow-paced

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

4.0

A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

Labyrinth's Heart by M.A. Carrick

adventurous emotional inspiring 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

5.0

The entire cast all gets their moments to shine in this excellent conclusion to an excellent series I loved the magic, I loved the plot, I loved the intricate and complex relationships and secrets, I loved the setting, and most of all, I loved the found family themes throughout. There were so many scenes that warmed my heart during this book. Almost one per chapter in Part 3. And the book manages to feel so unique: a mix of tarot, numerology, dreams, dancing, class strife, and explorations of different social bonds will be at the top of my favorites this year...in a year filled with favorites 

Dark Water Daughter by H.M. Long

adventurous medium-paced

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

4.0

Light Bringer by Pierce Brown

adventurous dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

A lot of fans are very happy with this latest installment in the Red Rising series, and as a standalone book, it is very impressive. I had issues with how it fits into the new series though, often feeling like it was retconning a lot of the prior book to bring the new series more in line with the first trilogy due to fan backlash. But for high octane, operatic action, you can’t do much better. 

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

dark emotional inspiring 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

5.0

Another masterpiece by M. L. Wang.  After this book, she’s a day-one purchase for sure. This is a standalone book that reads incredibly fast. It’s similar in setup and themes to something like Babel by RF Kuang, but with a sharper focus on intersectionality. The world may not be as deep considering the page count, but the real-world analogs are obvious. The characterization is strong though, and the plot and ending feel earned. 

The Instruments of Control by Craig Schaefer

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

Winter's Reach by Craig Schaefer

adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.75