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slimy's reviews
186 reviews
Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young
5.0
I was not expecting this book to have such heart-wrenching warmth and crushing characters. It’s a quick read, pretty straightforward plot and development, but achingly beautiful and poignant.
The main character’s development centers around the fact that her bother, who was assumed dead, is found to be a traitor to her family and clan. Her internal and external struggle between family loyalty and clan loyalty is strong and long-suffering. Her development has less to do with her physical surroundings (solving external and immediate problems), and more to do with her network of connections within her own clan and in that of her sworn enemy’s. There are heavy overarching themes of self-sacrifice, loyalty, and familial bonds both inherited and created.
This author uses incredible imagery of the beautiful but harsh northern winters to show the dichotomy of Eelyn’s struggles. As someone who was born and raised in a climate with these harsh winters, there were many scenes that made my chest ache for home. I seriously cannot believe this author is from Texas.
There is a romance arc that includes the main character, but it is not the reason she develops throughout the plot. Rather a byproduct of her changing worldview. Enemies to lovers for sure. Appropriate for younger readers.
I love Viking-themed stories because of the fascinating culture of strength and honor, but often have trouble looking past the rape and power-struggles that consume modern depictions. This book has neither but still presents as Viking! Skol!
5/5 would definitely recommend this book. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
The main character’s development centers around the fact that her bother, who was assumed dead, is found to be a traitor to her family and clan. Her internal and external struggle between family loyalty and clan loyalty is strong and long-suffering. Her development has less to do with her physical surroundings (solving external and immediate problems), and more to do with her network of connections within her own clan and in that of her sworn enemy’s. There are heavy overarching themes of self-sacrifice, loyalty, and familial bonds both inherited and created.
This author uses incredible imagery of the beautiful but harsh northern winters to show the dichotomy of Eelyn’s struggles. As someone who was born and raised in a climate with these harsh winters, there were many scenes that made my chest ache for home. I seriously cannot believe this author is from Texas.
There is a romance arc that includes the main character, but it is not the reason she develops throughout the plot. Rather a byproduct of her changing worldview. Enemies to lovers for sure. Appropriate for younger readers.
I love Viking-themed stories because of the fascinating culture of strength and honor, but often have trouble looking past the rape and power-struggles that consume modern depictions. This book has neither but still presents as Viking! Skol!
5/5 would definitely recommend this book. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
2.0
This book is a very confusing and toxic vampire smut novel. It was very hard for me to root for the love interest who emotionally and physically manipulates an inexperienced and immature main character. The plot twists were wholly uninspired. The world-building was very hard to follow, and the different “beings” all seemed to be the same. Two stars because until the 3/4 mark, I was invested. Then, it seems, the author decided to cross every line in about 5 chapters.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
5.0
Honestly one of the best fantasy books I’ve ever read. The author does a great job of writing authentically from many different points of view, (male/female/straight/LQBTQ+/different social classes). Such a refreshing and adventurous plot, with vivid imagery that makes the world feel tangible. I wish I could give this 6 stars.
10/10 recommend this book if you like:
- action-based fantasy
- amazing world-building
- unconventional systems of magic
- original and highly motivated characters
- multiple plot lines coming together in the end
- wyverns (!!!)
- a good old fashioned ‘who dunnit’
- plot twists!
- BA heroins (yes, multiple!!)
10/10 recommend this book if you like:
- action-based fantasy
- amazing world-building
- unconventional systems of magic
- original and highly motivated characters
- multiple plot lines coming together in the end
- wyverns (!!!)
- a good old fashioned ‘who dunnit’
- plot twists!
- BA heroins (yes, multiple!!)
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
1.0
Look. I get it. I get what was trying to happen here. But I don’t get why an author would develop a cast of amazing characters, a detailed and massive world, and intricate conflicts within that world to just toss that all aside for 80 chapters and focus on one person who feels left out. The scope of this book is so small and slow it feels like it moves at a glacial pace. The same things happen over and over. Such a contrast from the other books in the series that have massive plots.
The characters developed in the previous books in this series are so flat and unlike themselves. Feyre is bland and boring, not the cursebreaker we’ve read about for 4 books now. Rhys is standoffish and not his endearing self. Azriel has two lines. It just doesn’t make any sense.
It ALSO doesn’t make any sense as to why this book abandons the tasteful sex scenes that develop relationships between characters and dives into straight up hardcore porn for no damn reason in the first 10 chapters.
This book feels like it was written by a ghostwriter, someone who didn’t write the other books in this series and doesn’t have an intrinsic understanding of the existing characters.
There were some amazing girl power moments. I will say that. But they all happened in the last 10 chapters or so.
Really disappointed. I loved the other books in this series. But man. This one is so off on its own.
The characters developed in the previous books in this series are so flat and unlike themselves. Feyre is bland and boring, not the cursebreaker we’ve read about for 4 books now. Rhys is standoffish and not his endearing self. Azriel has two lines. It just doesn’t make any sense.
It ALSO doesn’t make any sense as to why this book abandons the tasteful sex scenes that develop relationships between characters and dives into straight up hardcore porn for no damn reason in the first 10 chapters.
This book feels like it was written by a ghostwriter, someone who didn’t write the other books in this series and doesn’t have an intrinsic understanding of the existing characters.
There were some amazing girl power moments. I will say that. But they all happened in the last 10 chapters or so.
Really disappointed. I loved the other books in this series. But man. This one is so off on its own.
The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young
3.0
I had really high hopes for this book because I loved the first one so much. Though it did involve some of the same characters, this book starts I think 10 years after the first one, so there are new characters too. There was almost none of the beautiful imagery and scene descriptions that I loved so much in the first one. This book does do some interesting things with time as a theme throughout the story. I thought there were a lot of events that were just supposed to be ‘unspecified mystic occurrences’ but I don’t think they held up on their own without more explanation.
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
1.0
DNF - I was picking up on real ‘rape culture’ vibes through the first half-dozen chapters… so not up for the romanticization of an extremely underage girl operating in a world fueled by drugs and sex. No thanks.