seabuns's reviews
60 reviews

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

2.5

Okay, so... I listened to this in audiobook form. I'm usually not a YA fantasy/romance girlie, but this book was everywhere and I wanted to be able to talk about it.

I have the same complaints with this book as many do. Feyre? She had little personality beyond "likes to paint" and "hates Tamlin then loves Tamlin." I did not find her or her voice engaging. Tamlin... also boring?? Like, Rhys was the only character with an interesting psyche or sense of humor. I'll check back in when SJM Midnight Suns this series from his point of view.

I think the pacing in this book was a little off, too. I wish that the trials that happen in the last little bit had as many pages as all the stuff in the beginning. (I'm sure the human realm stuff becomes more relevant in the later books, but it was not in this book.) Just felt like the last 20% of the book happened way too fast for me to get emotionally involved in any way.

But here was my real complaint, and the reason I will not be continuing the series: I kept noticing the same words over and over again. I wish I had a dollar for every time Feyre felt "agony" or she "beheld" something. I'd be rich! It just seemed like SJM picked 5 or 6 "fantasy" words and just used them as many time as she could, without any of the characters speaking in that fantasy-type way any other time.

I don't know. I know people have loved this series. ACOTAR just wasn't written well enough for me to spend any more time with when there are so many other talented authors out in the world.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

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funny mysterious slow-paced

4.25

Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell

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adventurous funny lighthearted reflective

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

4.75

This is a really lovely collection of short stories! I want to read more from Karen Russell!

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

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emotional reflective 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

4.5

Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle

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dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

This book didn’t have much in the way of a plot. It was more of a stream-of-consciousness style of writing. No big surprises that you couldn’t see coming. It was still a good quick read, but one I wasn’t able to get emotionally invested in. I will not be recommending or rereading this one.

Content Warnings

Revelator by Daryl Gregory

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.5

This book got me hooked on Daryl Gregory! Spoonbenders was a fun and fast-paced story, part supernatural adventure, part coming-of-age story, part family drama. Gregory has a way of writing that makes the characters feel so real and so likable (for the most part). Loved this one!

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced