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sarahweyand's reviews
342 reviews
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
adventurous
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
We read this book for February's Prose and Paperbacks Book Club pick and I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed myself! This book definitely skewed more YA/new adult in its writing style but I didn't mind too much. I though the magic system was unique and compelling and I especially enjoyed the relationships between Elspeth and Ravyn and Elspeth and the Nightmare. Sometimes I feel like fetch-quest plotlines can get to be tedious and repetitive, but that wasn't the case here.
There were a couple aspects of the book that I thought weren't totally ironed out, mainly that some of our secondary characters (Ione, Elm, and the step-family in particular), felt a little one-dimensional. I'm hoping this will be explored more in the sequel, which I'm sure I'll pick up at some point for the completionist in me.
There were a couple aspects of the book that I thought weren't totally ironed out, mainly that some of our secondary characters (Ione, Elm, and the step-family in particular), felt a little one-dimensional. I'm hoping this will be explored more in the sequel, which I'm sure I'll pick up at some point for the completionist in me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
My mom recommended this book to me and I can't believe I was skeptical when I grabbed the audiobook from the library. The plot didn't really speak to me, but I new Meryl Streep was the narrator so I figured she could get me through anything. But I listened to and consumed this book gladly. I think it's the perfect book for winter when you need something to remind you of warmer, brighter times.
It's no surprise Meryl Streep knocks it out of the park when it comes to narration. On top of that, the writing was simple but impactful, and I cared about all of our characters both within the protagonist's family and the story she is telling. There are some emotional and difficult topics that are talked about, but it doesn't really bring down the energy of the story. Ann Patchett is clearly a masterful storyteller and I'm learning that I just need to trust that whatever she writes is going to be a banger.
I really can't say anything more about this book other than that it was wonderful and I couldn't recommend it highly enough. Even if the synopsis doesn't sound like something you'd enjoy, give it a go anyways if you like literary fiction.
It's no surprise Meryl Streep knocks it out of the park when it comes to narration. On top of that, the writing was simple but impactful, and I cared about all of our characters both within the protagonist's family and the story she is telling. There are some emotional and difficult topics that are talked about, but it doesn't really bring down the energy of the story. Ann Patchett is clearly a masterful storyteller and I'm learning that I just need to trust that whatever she writes is going to be a banger.
I really can't say anything more about this book other than that it was wonderful and I couldn't recommend it highly enough. Even if the synopsis doesn't sound like something you'd enjoy, give it a go anyways if you like literary fiction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Infidelity
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic
Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
3.25
Thanks to Dutton and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feedback are my own.
I love reading translated fiction whenever I can, and queer vampire horror seemed like a really fun place to start this year. I really, really liked the first 50% of this book. I found the atmosphere and characters to be compelling, and I wanted to know more about our protagonist. It felt like a vampire placed into a historical fiction novel. I enjoyed the setting in Buenos Aires as a place I hadn't read a lot of in fiction and I was ready to give this book four or so stars.
And then we get to halfway-ish through the novella, where the time and point of view change drastically and the book becomes much more of a literary drama. Unfortunately, I couldn't really bring myself to care about a new set of characters and their problems when I had been so interested in the other ones. I understand how everything ties together, but it just wasn't my favorite.
I love reading translated fiction whenever I can, and queer vampire horror seemed like a really fun place to start this year. I really, really liked the first 50% of this book. I found the atmosphere and characters to be compelling, and I wanted to know more about our protagonist. It felt like a vampire placed into a historical fiction novel. I enjoyed the setting in Buenos Aires as a place I hadn't read a lot of in fiction and I was ready to give this book four or so stars.
And then we get to halfway-ish through the novella, where the time and point of view change drastically and the book becomes much more of a literary drama. Unfortunately, I couldn't really bring myself to care about a new set of characters and their problems when I had been so interested in the other ones. I understand how everything ties together, but it just wasn't my favorite.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Confinement
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
5.0
Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feedback are my own.
The worst part about this book is that I can't consume the sequel immediately. This book has me in a chokehold. This book is my favorite book so far this year and will probably be in my top five in December. I've been looking for this book in stores to buy a physical copy even though I already read an ARC and I don't ever do that with books I've already read. I LOVE.
There is so much about this book that's going to appeal to such a variety of people. There's a mystery at the heart of the plot that is well-thought-out and twisty, a Sherlock Holmes-level detective with a sense of humor to die for, BIG MONSTERS, politics, a very interesting magic/worldbuilding systems, fantastic writing.
I also cannot give enough praise to authors writing a series who keep their plot arcs confined within a single book. Of course, there are overarching plot points and themes that will weave all the books in the series together and compel you to want to read the next book, but the mystery and inciting incident in this book has been solved. I have answers and I can find peace in waiting for the sequel.
Absolutely cannot recommend this one enough - might become a go-to recommendation for me. A real real great time.
The worst part about this book is that I can't consume the sequel immediately. This book has me in a chokehold. This book is my favorite book so far this year and will probably be in my top five in December. I've been looking for this book in stores to buy a physical copy even though I already read an ARC and I don't ever do that with books I've already read. I LOVE.
There is so much about this book that's going to appeal to such a variety of people. There's a mystery at the heart of the plot that is well-thought-out and twisty, a Sherlock Holmes-level detective with a sense of humor to die for, BIG MONSTERS, politics, a very interesting magic/worldbuilding systems, fantastic writing.
I also cannot give enough praise to authors writing a series who keep their plot arcs confined within a single book. Of course, there are overarching plot points and themes that will weave all the books in the series together and compel you to want to read the next book, but the mystery and inciting incident in this book has been solved. I have answers and I can find peace in waiting for the sequel.
Absolutely cannot recommend this one enough - might become a go-to recommendation for me. A real real great time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Ableism and Violence
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
One of the things I really like about the reading challenges I host (especially the literary awards one) is that it forces to me check out books I never would have picked up otherwise. I had never heard of Prophet Song until it was shortlisted for (and then won) the Booker Prize. I snagged it on audio and ended up really enjoying myself.
This feels like a quiet, emotional portrait of a family with a medium-slow pace until about 70% of the way through, when things really pick up. I enjoyed the whole experience - the narrator does a wonderful job and it's lovely to have an Irish narrator for an Irish novel - but I really got wrapped up towards the end.
I don't know if this book will stick with me for a long time - it's already starting to leave my memory - but I did really enjoy my experience and would certainly recommend it if the synopsis catches your eye.
This feels like a quiet, emotional portrait of a family with a medium-slow pace until about 70% of the way through, when things really pick up. I enjoyed the whole experience - the narrator does a wonderful job and it's lovely to have an Irish narrator for an Irish novel - but I really got wrapped up towards the end.
I don't know if this book will stick with me for a long time - it's already starting to leave my memory - but I did really enjoy my experience and would certainly recommend it if the synopsis catches your eye.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Child death
The Twilight Zone by Nona Fernández
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I really appreciated what this book set out to do and thought the plot and structure of the story was very compelling. I enjoyed that the title, The Twilight Zone, is a dual reference to not only the TV show but also the nebulous region between recounting facts of history and imagining/humanizing it. The writing was well-done and the topics and themes were obviously very heavy and important.
I think I made a mistake by listening to this book on audio, which isn't something I say often. This book has a lot of timelines and listening to the audiobook was a little confusing in this regard. I also got the impression that there were quotes or excerpts throughout the book (maybe just at the beginning of chapters), but I didn't recognize this until over halfway through the book. I think this confusion didn't help with my comprehension and made things more muddled than they needed to be.
I probably wouldn't have picked this book up were it not for the literary awards reading challenge I created on StoryGraph. I'm always interested in being exposed to fiction outside of my comfort zone, even if it isn't my all-time favorite. Overall, I thought this was an engaging read and I'm glad I came across it.
I think I made a mistake by listening to this book on audio, which isn't something I say often. This book has a lot of timelines and listening to the audiobook was a little confusing in this regard. I also got the impression that there were quotes or excerpts throughout the book (maybe just at the beginning of chapters), but I didn't recognize this until over halfway through the book. I think this confusion didn't help with my comprehension and made things more muddled than they needed to be.
I probably wouldn't have picked this book up were it not for the literary awards reading challenge I created on StoryGraph. I'm always interested in being exposed to fiction outside of my comfort zone, even if it isn't my all-time favorite. Overall, I thought this was an engaging read and I'm glad I came across it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Torture
Your Shadow Half Remains by Sunny Moraine
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Thanks to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feedback are my own.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book going in, but I found it to be very atmospheric and creepy and I enjoyed it a lot. I don't find myself getting scared or grossed out by a lot of books, but messing with eyes is one way to really get to me quick. Between some of the great imagery (no pun intended) Moraine writes and some of the tense scenes with Riley in her home, I got pretty freaked out at times. I always love when that happens. I liked the doubt and unreliability that was injected into the characters and the narrative, and I was always eager to keep reading.
The ending wasn't my favorite thing ever, sometimes the narrative got a little repetitive, and there were a couple confusing moments. The plot and crux of the story reminded me a lot of Bird Box, but that book was so good it's hard to meet those expectations. Overall, this was a fun, creepy little tale that brought me out of a reading slump, but it wasn't anything overly memorable.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book going in, but I found it to be very atmospheric and creepy and I enjoyed it a lot. I don't find myself getting scared or grossed out by a lot of books, but messing with eyes is one way to really get to me quick. Between some of the great imagery (no pun intended) Moraine writes and some of the tense scenes with Riley in her home, I got pretty freaked out at times. I always love when that happens. I liked the doubt and unreliability that was injected into the characters and the narrative, and I was always eager to keep reading.
The ending wasn't my favorite thing ever, sometimes the narrative got a little repetitive, and there were a couple confusing moments. The plot and crux of the story reminded me a lot of Bird Box, but that book was so good it's hard to meet those expectations. Overall, this was a fun, creepy little tale that brought me out of a reading slump, but it wasn't anything overly memorable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Animal death and Murder
Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Side note but this is the same audiobook narrator that did the last book and her voice is just great, would absolutely love to listen to more by her.
Another solid installment in the Wayward Children series! Probably one of my most favorite ones so far. I really enjoyed Antsy's door and her story in Lost in the Moment and Found, but I also enjoy the found family aspect of the rest of the group, so this was a lovely meeting of the two. The inciting incident here was a little silly and I felt it wasn't totally resolved at the conclusion of the story, but that didn't bother me too too much. As usual, some of the dialogue was a little clunky and trying too hard to be quirky, but that doesn't bother me as much anymore.
I enjoyed the fact that we went through some new doors this book! I wish we had spent more time in them but I understand the constraints of the novella format. Hopefully we'll be able to get to Kade's world soon and that he gets a story all his own - or Eleanor herself! Who knows. These stories are cozy to me and I could keep listening for as long as Seanan keeps putting them out.
Another solid installment in the Wayward Children series! Probably one of my most favorite ones so far. I really enjoyed Antsy's door and her story in Lost in the Moment and Found, but I also enjoy the found family aspect of the rest of the group, so this was a lovely meeting of the two. The inciting incident here was a little silly and I felt it wasn't totally resolved at the conclusion of the story, but that didn't bother me too too much. As usual, some of the dialogue was a little clunky and trying too hard to be quirky, but that doesn't bother me as much anymore.
I enjoyed the fact that we went through some new doors this book! I wish we had spent more time in them but I understand the constraints of the novella format. Hopefully we'll be able to get to Kade's world soon and that he gets a story all his own - or Eleanor herself! Who knows. These stories are cozy to me and I could keep listening for as long as Seanan keeps putting them out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Child abuse, and Death of parent
The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers
Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
Thanks to Redhook Books and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feedback are my own.
This might be my biggest case of "it's not you, it's me" to date. I requested this ARC because I genuinely loved the premise of the blurb. When I started reading, I was intrigued by the inciting conflict and was interested in our main characters. I also appreciated the prose I was reading; the novel seemed well-crafted and the writing was nice and intricate without being purple.
As I read, the worldbuilding felt lacking and the pacing seemed to drag. I didn't love Violet and the decisions she was making; she seemed too naive and hesitant that I was reluctant to root for her. She seemed to lack any urgency for a climax with a definitive timeline, and because of that I found myself only able to read a couple pages at a time.
Perhaps at some point I'll pick this book back up again and give it another go. But for now, I'm going to move on.
This might be my biggest case of "it's not you, it's me" to date. I requested this ARC because I genuinely loved the premise of the blurb. When I started reading, I was intrigued by the inciting conflict and was interested in our main characters. I also appreciated the prose I was reading; the novel seemed well-crafted and the writing was nice and intricate without being purple.
As I read, the worldbuilding felt lacking and the pacing seemed to drag. I didn't love Violet and the decisions she was making; she seemed too naive and hesitant that I was reluctant to root for her. She seemed to lack any urgency for a climax with a definitive timeline, and because of that I found myself only able to read a couple pages at a time.
Perhaps at some point I'll pick this book back up again and give it another go. But for now, I'm going to move on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Kidnapping
I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself by Marisa Crane
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was our first Prose & Paperbacks Book Club pick of 2024 - thanks to everyone who read along with us! Overall, I think this book was well-written but not what I expected. I was expecting the plot to be heavy on the science fiction and implications of the double shadows. Instead, I found that the element of the additional shadows for felons was used for as a catalyst for themes of grief and parenthood and love.
I liked a number of the themes and questions the book brought about, and it left plenty of room for exploration and introspection, but I think this was done to a fault. Some concepts, like the exoskeletons, the child not having a name, and the shadows themselves, seemed prime to touch on themes and posit introspective questions, but it never really got there in any capacity. This was really disappointing to me. If you're going to skim over the sci-fi dystopian elements in lieu of literary commentary, go all the way!
In the end, I'm glad I read this. I didn't think it was a bad book per se, just not what I went in expecting. I'd read more from the author but would probably take further synopses with a grain of salt.
I liked a number of the themes and questions the book brought about, and it left plenty of room for exploration and introspection, but I think this was done to a fault. Some concepts, like the exoskeletons, the child not having a name, and the shadows themselves, seemed prime to touch on themes and posit introspective questions, but it never really got there in any capacity. This was really disappointing to me. If you're going to skim over the sci-fi dystopian elements in lieu of literary commentary, go all the way!
In the end, I'm glad I read this. I didn't think it was a bad book per se, just not what I went in expecting. I'd read more from the author but would probably take further synopses with a grain of salt.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Homophobia and Police brutality