rumplled's reviews
477 reviews

Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror by Jordan Peele, John Joseph Adams

dark tense medium-paced

3.0

Many of the stories felt unfinished, and most felt like pitches specifically geared toward Jordan Peele. Since his name is the draw, I would have liked to get commentary from Jordan for each story, which would have helped make the collection feel more curated.

My favorite stories were The Other One by Violet Allen & Your Happy Place by Terrance Taylor.

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This is what I wanted Serpent & Dove to be!

The political intrigue and maneuvering. While a little unbelievable at times, the cat-and-mouse dynamic between Gideon and Rune kept everything tense. 

I can see where Gideon and Rune are coming from and how they are trying to move however they can within the confines of their society. Do they take things too far? Yes, but that is how "morally gray" characters work.

The romantic relationship between Rune and Gideon felt pretty well handled, given the circumstances of its inception, which made it all the more heart-wrenching in the end. I am actually excited for the next book!

Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Elm and Ione carried this book; they were the only ones doing things that I was actually invested in. 

Whd while I like the idea of seeing the Nightmare interacting with and between Elspeth and Ravyn, the execution was not there. Their parts were just a vehicle for plot movement and not much else. 

I also do not know why I keep seeing this categorized as adult when everyone acts so YA. 

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

The book reads like a fun little time, but there are actually some heavy topics. Inez reads very naive and young, so the dark parts feel jarring. Plus, she is very frustrating to follow since she does not solve any problems, and they are just magically removed or fixed by other characters. 

I do not think the comparisons to "The Mummy" are justified outside of the book involving Egyptian archeology. The characters, relationships, and plot do not stack up at all. 

So, while it was fun, I felt let down, especially with the cliffhanger/twist ending. 

The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

I love the idea of a near-endless library that defies space and time; it gives an interesting mix of fantasy and science fiction.

The 'moral' of the story is heavy-handed, which I don't always mind, but since the two main characters are kind of flat (separate and together), the only thing that kept me engaged was the mystery.

I am still interested in where the story will go, but I am keeping my expectations controlled. 

Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco

fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

Truly just a silly, goofy time, especially if you do not think too hard. 

However, the romantic chemistry between Camilla and Envy was lacking or nonexistent. And having another FMC with the "twist" that they are not human is a little stale. 

Still, I will probably read the next one since it sounds like the two characters already have an established relationship, so there might actually be some substance there rather than pure lust. 

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

3.5

The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.

A/B/O is not for straight, vanilla relationships, it removes any nuance. This was bad and corny. 

A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall

lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

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

4.25

Thank you Netgalley and Orbit for an ARC of this book!

The concept of this book—unraveling a mysterious disappearance and a scientific discovery through letters (both past and present) in a dystopian alternative world—is amazing! 
 
I loved that the world and universe are left vague because characters would have no reason to explain that to each other. So, the reader is trying to piece together what the society/world is like, which makes the last chapter and ending so disappointing.

Having Sophy see/experience and explicitly explain the Envoy was really lame. It would have been better if they had gone back to the Door, and the tunnel had already been destroyed, so they would have had to rely on Tevn's questionable information. It would have kept with the tone and style of the rest of the book.

 
 
While drawn in by the mystery, I was pleasantly surprised by the relationship between E. and Henerey. I did not expect to find them so sweet.

The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers

dark 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

4.25

I don't know, y'all, this one just hit at the right moment. 

Something dark haunts (or hunts) the Everly family. Violet's mother left to find a way to break the family's curse many years ago and has not returned. Now, Violet is on the symbolic chopping block. She is plunged into the world of her fairytales and must unravel her family's mystery before time runs out. 

For such a sweet-looking book, the story is surprisingly dark, with monsters and monstrous acts. Many people won't like this book because it is kind of weird and ambiguous, but those are some of my favorite descriptors. 

Most troubling,  those who are billing this as a fantasy romance are filthy liars (thank god!) because that is just inaccurate.