Scan barcode
rikea's reviews
47 reviews
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
3.75
It’s sweet and I’m giving it more stars than I would have because it is perfectly diverse and contemporary. Which I love and is great and needed. The story was just not my cup of tea and the spicy scenes lacked sth even though I can’t really say what.
Iron Flame - Flammengeküsst by Rebecca Yarros
4.0
Not as good as the first one, but I’m still hooked and hopeful. I really like that the story develops quickly and we’re already out of Basgiath. But if the spicy scenes won’t show more nuance in the future I will stop enjoying them.
Fourth Wing - Flammengeküsst by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
5.0
What can I say…? I’d heard about Fourth Wing, as we all have, and needed an audio book for a longer drive, so I thought why not try. And then I was destroyed! Utterly.
I was completely new to the genre of fiction besides Harry Potter, Twilight and the Hunger Games. Of course, there are some major weaknesses in the writing, like some almost embarrassing choices of words and too many overused commonplaces in the depiction of Violet’s and Xaden’s relationship, but the way it sucked me in and stirred my emotions was unique! I had it all: the being completely hooked, the reading through the entire night, the hangover afterwards… All the discussion about whether Rebecca Yarros is a good writer or not aside, she managed to write something that cast a spell over A LOT of people. And if that’s not somewhat magical and a big f*** achievement, I don’t know what is. I do get very annoyed with weaknesses of the aforementioned kind, but - if not obvious at this point - the way this book took hold of me was intense and very enjoyable, and I cannot deny it. I want to read more (did already) and I guess the series would have to mess up badly for me not to read it. I just really hope Violet will develop and stop being so annoying and immature.
The book also led me to some interesting reflections about why I feel so enchanted by a character like Xaden (highly unrealistic and all) and what that tells me about myself and my programming in our patriarchal world.
On another note, Fourth Wing got me interested in fantasy which I had always avoided adamantly and I have already made some interesting experiences in the genre (Neil Gaiman, Neverwhere!) which will definitely influence my future reading habits.
And on the last note: The dragons! I love the dragons.
I was completely new to the genre of fiction besides Harry Potter, Twilight and the Hunger Games. Of course, there are some major weaknesses in the writing, like some almost embarrassing choices of words and too many overused commonplaces in the depiction of Violet’s and Xaden’s relationship, but the way it sucked me in and stirred my emotions was unique! I had it all: the being completely hooked, the reading through the entire night, the hangover afterwards… All the discussion about whether Rebecca Yarros is a good writer or not aside, she managed to write something that cast a spell over A LOT of people. And if that’s not somewhat magical and a big f*** achievement, I don’t know what is. I do get very annoyed with weaknesses of the aforementioned kind, but - if not obvious at this point - the way this book took hold of me was intense and very enjoyable, and I cannot deny it. I want to read more (did already) and I guess the series would have to mess up badly for me not to read it. I just really hope Violet will develop and stop being so annoying and immature.
The book also led me to some interesting reflections about why I feel so enchanted by a character like Xaden (highly unrealistic and all) and what that tells me about myself and my programming in our patriarchal world.
On another note, Fourth Wing got me interested in fantasy which I had always avoided adamantly and I have already made some interesting experiences in the genre (Neil Gaiman, Neverwhere!) which will definitely influence my future reading habits.
And on the last note: The dragons! I love the dragons.
Gang nach Canossa - Ein Mann, ein Ziel, ein Abenteuer by Dennis Gastmann
2.5
Boring and predictable. I just read it because it was a gift, which I will not take into consideration anymore from now on.
Die hellen Tage by Zsuzsa Bánk
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
Started as audio book and was bored right away. Not what I need right now.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
A comfortable and agreeing read. Cozy even. It’s true, it feels like a warm hug, or like sharing a heartfelt moment with a friend. I enjoyed it! Literarily not very challenging, and that’s okay.
I, personally, think the spice was superfluous in this one.
I, personally, think the spice was superfluous in this one.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
adventurous
dark
mysterious
4.5
Wow! This is the first time I let myself venture out into a field that’s uncommon to me. Usually, I stick to books that are very recent. I came across this book by chance. It was a fantasy book recommendation, which is also a genre I just got started in. And it was a whole experience since I also read a pretty old copy with yellowed pages. Reading just felt different. I’m glad I gave something a chance that I wouldn’t have normally picked up. Such a great story and setting. So imaginative. Awesome world building. I really enjoyed this and I want to know what the characters are up to now that the book has ended.
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
4.0
What a beautiful, sad story. Greatest respect to the author for intertwining history and fiction in this way and for her great research efforts. It does not capture attention loudly or easily, but it touches.
Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The inner teenager in me loved this book.
Great tension, great spice, too much misogyny for my taste but somewhat resolved in the end, a few lines I had to roll my eyes at, but okay,and the end seemed a bit too romantically perfect, but it's a romance after all, so...
Great tension, great spice, too much misogyny for my taste but somewhat resolved in the end, a few lines I had to roll my eyes at, but okay,
Die Tage in der Buchhandlung Morisaki by Satoshi Yagisawa
emotional
hopeful
3.5
A sweet little story that made me want to go visit the places of the book but won’t stay with me long.