skconaghan's reviews
452 reviews

The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones

adventurous emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

In gorgeous language, this folk tale lures us beyond the creeping vines and into the heart of a forbidden forest where dark and mystical creatures thrive in silent invisibility—and it does it all most delightfully in a Welsh accent. (I love a Welsh accent. 5 stars to the narrator of the audiobook!)

Here, entwined in the tense uncertainty of fragile alliances, romance and friendship bloom in the blinds amid the quiet anticipation of the wild hunt. Meanwhile, on the fringes, a political power-play between multiple neighbouring kingdoms affects the hunters in ways they can’t yet see. The forest is full of people we’re not sure we can trust, as lies and deceptions and changing alliances abound between conversations that leave us wondering and wanting and wary. 

A truly unexpected and incredibly satisfying (mature) ending. Beautiful storytelling all round. 

One of my fave reads of the year. 

The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian

adventurous informative mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Cannot stand rats nor the talk of them—and there was a lot of that in this novel. Unfortunately. After a while, I was hoping it might create some kind of desensitisation, but no such luck. Yuck. But to the story... 

 

This was a quick read and easy to follow--though involved sufficient complexities. The mystery unravelled at a perfect pace, but the romance was a bit lacking, leaving me unconvinced as to the depth of the couple's interaction during the previous 9 months. Austin's lie seemed too much for Alexis not to have noticed—but I suppose this happens, can happen... Sadly. But, like her mother, I won’t judge... 

 

A very well organised plot with decent characters; not the sweeping sort of literary work one might expect from this author, but still a worthwhile wee novel for a continental plane journey. 

Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Subject matter was grim and unappealing, but was a real representation of the grim and unappealing reality of life for women during this period of time in America. Simply awful. 

A yuck story of misery and hopelessness told by an addictive storyteller. An utterly unlikeable reality, yet somehow, Bohjalian brings hope and redemption into the pages—shines a light onto the dim lives of these powerless women. Told in as real-to-life voice as possible, using language the religiously staunch earliest pilgrims would have employed— and despite the disgust this story incited in me, I couldn’t put it down. 

Shōgun, Part One by James Clavell

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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

Intricate.

You get glimpses into the thought processes of all major—and some minor—characters, a thorough insight into culture, language, and the distinct differences between the ways Englishmen, Portuguese, and Japanese think—including the differing thought-processing of each in relation to the nuances of religious and nonreligious, seaman and landlubber, nobles and paupers represented by each culture. Which explains the exhaustive (ghastly) length of the novel.

But it is worth it— and this first part ends on a very satisfying high note...if you can put blinders on to shield your sixth-sense knowing and the glaring foreshadowing that beams in from every peripheral direction…

A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

adventurous dark 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

4.0

WHAT an end to an engaging trilogy— packed with action, romance, intrigue, politics, deception, jealousy, intertwined plots, set in a unique world across dimensions, seas, lands, palaces and kingdoms and floating black-markets, and stock-full of pirates, scoundrels, lovers, thieves, princes, kings, bastards, orphans, a creeping sinister enemy and the lingering light of hope… whew!! What a sweeping tale!!

This is one fantasy trilogy I can get into and disappear…

Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

5.0

The story is a walk with varied characters across a century whose lives intertwine in one particular apartment building in the city of Krung Thep (Krung Them Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahin Thara Ayuthaya Maha Dilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Maha Sathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit…), modern day Bangkok.

The writer transports us to the City of Angels of old with it’s tastes and smells, floating markets and towering pagodas, into the present technological age of towering skyscrapers and its obsession with the Lifestyles & Faces of the West & Famous, and delivering a compelling possible future of a flooded unstable structure where the Plastic and the Palpable still thrive despite the impossibilities a crumbling ozone has left us to endure. 

A journey across interwoven timelines of the lives of multiple characters as they pass one another in realtime or through the generations, occupying the same space if not the same time, exploring their loves and losses, experiencing their journeys within the complex city, and going with them too, as life takes them far away from the place that made them to lands where their identity becomes a thing of confusion, and is perceived either as exotic or a means of exclusion.

The writing is beautiful, poetic, and in a sense epic, though often understated. This literary work of art is a piece that crosses the millennial marker and awakens memories we didn’t know we contained…

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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

4.0

A more intriguing middle-tale than one expected… here we track with our group of unique and magical characters separated by worlds and dimensions and silent pacts, and now, also by seas. We are introduced to new characters who have purpose, depth, and carry grudges and motives of their own into an already complex landscape in this fantasy world.

The major focus in this novel is ‘The Element Games’, which are meant for magical entities from neighbouring lands to compete in battles using their abilities to manipulate the elements. But there is more political intrigue going on behind the scenes as well. And the action is packed in, as well as romance, the hint of romance, combat and the hint of greater wars, a deeper look into characters presented to us in the first novel, and the revelation of a shared enemy that has the potential to consume them all if they do not join forces to defend their cities, their kings, and the peace they have worked so hard to maintain.

Seriously: a middle book unlike common middle books, this one strives forward with plot, action, character development, pressing towards the end of its middle part, which is still satisfying despite leaving us curious as to what comes next.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

emotional informative sad 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

 

An insightful exposé with an unexpected twist. A quick read with overflowing repercussions written by a master author. 

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing 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

Crafty banter. Cunning. Humorous. Witty. Twists and unexpected resolutions. A touch of romance with one real steamy scene… and a whole lot of silliness. 

Nothing overly literary or contrived but some delightfully ridiculous enjoyment.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Fast-paced start to a broad adventure. Full with fantasy and romance and magic, clueless kings and scheming princes and seas to explore between four Londons in parallel worlds. Characters are cheeky and feisty, and some are quite dark, but there is a lot left to yet discover...  as a stand alone, it would potentially collapse, but as a start, it holds promise. 

Note on the audiobook: I didn’t like the way the audiobook narrator made Delilah sound like a daft young unhinged teen, bit of a mental case actually, but it wasn’t the right tone or voice for her. Lila’s dialogue was smarter and more self-assured than that, so I’d recommend getting a paper or ebook copy so you can do your own voices in your head.