smartflutist661's reviews
1354 reviews

The Shadow Weave by Annette Marie

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3.0

Different enough from the first to not get stale, not different enough to improve upon it. I'd like to see if the sequel series is better, so I'll probably get to book three next time I need some brain candy.
Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews

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3.0

Enjoyable enough but not very memorable. May pick up the rest of the series at some point.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

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adventurous hopeful fast-paced

4.0

The "explain the minutiae of every experiment, including numbers" was a bit tiresome, but calmed down partway through. But this was pretty much exactly what I expected based on The Martian—fun nerd porn with smart people doing smart things to save themselves/others.
Rocky
made it different enough that it was interesting, and more compelling in some ways.
Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews

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4.0

A nice expansion of the worldbuilding and of Kate's character. 
Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews

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3.5

We get a bit more historical context in this one, which was nice. A bit more mil-spec than the previous book, though still enjoyable.
Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

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3.5

Solid urban fantasy, with a lot less romance than I was expecting. The concept of the magic waves makes for some very interesting worldbuilding. If I have a specific criticism, it's that Kate (and Curran) are the same as all of Andrews' others protagonists. But that's not unexpected.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

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3.5

Enjoyable but a bit too tropey for me to love it. Still, I really liked the way the tropes were grounded in Bree's ancestry, and the magic was reasonably interesting if derivative. Might continue the series if I get the itch.
The Knight by Will Wight

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

It continues to be fun watching this crew at the peak of their power, possibly because the threats are still occasionally actual threats and not just obstacles for the drama. 
Pastoralia by George Saunders

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3.0

Would have been better if there were more variety in the stories. They were depressing as intended, and had some nice atmosphere. Liked Lincoln in the Bardo a lot better, though.
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

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dark tense slow-paced

2.75

While I appreciate the artistry in this book, it did nothing for me. I only finished it to discuss with a friend who was also reading it.