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70 reviews
Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
Thank you Isabel DaSilva for reaching out with this arc! All thoughts on this read are entirely my own!
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The Storygraph
Posted on: 6 December 2023
4 out of 5 stars.
Yuszczuk is an author I haven’t heard of before. I was honestly quite surprised when I got an email from Isabel DaSilva inviting me to check out ‘Thirst’, but I decided to give it a chance since I was waiting to hear back from other ARCs at the time, and this one did not disappoint. Told in two different points of views of women who knew different eras of the same city, ‘Thirst’ invokes a sort of self-reflection through its words. Often, I found myself contemplating what it meant to live and what it was to exist- and while I’m not sure if that was one of the main points of this novel, it certainly made relating to the characters a bit easier as they go through similar pangs.
I think what I enjoyed most about this read is how achingly human the characters are. I’m not too deep into women’s fiction reads or more adult genres in general if I’m honest (a glance through my recent reads will show a lot of YA sci-fi and fantasy, and just fairly recently some adult sci-fi and fantasy) so it was a bit different to read about the pains of being a women, a mother, a monster in times where all these expectations and desires are painted upon the female figure. But ‘Thirst’ shows how desperate these two women are to live, to heal, to love themselves and to pick themselves up when it seems like nobody is in their corner to help them. It was different to see more mature characters handling life and desires (and depression and sorrow) and I think that just really stuck out to me in a way that made this book a heavy hitter.
‘Thirst’ may be about two women eventually crossing paths and leaning into one another for unexplainable reasons, for a connection, for a desire to both live yet feel something more than just living, but at it’s heart, it’s about two women who wanted to survive when death lingers deep within them. It’s a poem and a eulogy and a representation of the dying that occurs when you’re still alive, of the decay that lingers within the soul, and of the depression that sinks it’s fangs deep into the flesh of even the seemingly-strongest of people. It’s a reminder of the futile yet beautiful yearning that exists inside of people, and the desire to feel whole.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Blood, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Sexual content
The Soul of Chaos by Gregory Wunderlin
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
**Thank you NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!**
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 24 October 2023
3 out of 5 stars.
You know when there’s books written for certain audiences? I don’t think I was the target audience for this one. I dove too deep into a fantasy section instead of wading, and I ended up here with ‘The Soul of Chaos’. It was so different than the fantasy style I normally read (granted I’ve been more in the YA/NA area but I’ve been slowly reaching out recently like with ‘The Sun and The Void’ but I digress) and I think that was the start to why I couldn’t really click with this read.
The writing style was 50/50 for me. I loved it in some scenes like the more action ones, but other times I didn’t vibe with it. It’s not my favorite overall. I don’t think there’s a set time period it’s supposed to be in, but the setting and the speaking kind of clash to me- but that’s just a personal dislike. It may work for others, it may not.
The characters were… there for sure. I was worried that with the way Arkalis was being written, she’d turn out to be another Lou from ‘Serpent and Dove’ which luckily she began to change more. I agree with another reviewer that I disliked the way she was sexualized immediately and a little often in her chapters. I really liked her character though, and wish she wouldn’t have fallen in that typical trope for women in fantasy. Rurik was also a bit blander for me. I think his chapters were just moving a little slower and introducing a whole lot more of the world than Arkalis’s. There was a character in his little ragtag group too that I have a bone to pick with- Feral. There isnt a skin tone mentioned for her that I can remember, but she’s mentioned to have ‘elegant dreadlocks’, has more broken speech compared to the others, and is a character that like- other characters aren’t fond of being ‘manhandled’ and talked down on by. I’m not sure if this character is meant to be poc, but the dreadlocks threw me off (as a hairstyle most common in the black community and having origin ties in Africa) paired with the way she’s written- it gave me the ick. The word ‘savage’ is also used way too much for her character for my liking (as mentioned in my ‘Savage Beasts’ review, I have no voice on the usage of this word as I’m not in the community it affects, but those who deserve the platform to speak on it have stated their views already).
There’s also this torture scene that I dunno, I didn’t like it. Again, I’m not entirely used to this end of the pool though so maybe it just caught me by surprise?
I DNF’d this read at 57% in the end and leave it at 3 stars for being a very neutral read for me. I fell out of the desire to read it- just don’t know if it was because I entered a slump, because I just wasn’t used to this writing style and fantasy setting, or just didn’t like the things that happened in the story. Maybe it was a little mix of everything. I wanted to like it though! Arkalis was growing on me and I wanted the story to unravel somehow. I got a little confused with where everything was going though, what was happening and what everything is. I thought maybe it’s connected to another already-established setting and magic system that I didn’t know of, but there wasn’t really a clear and understandable path IMO. Again, though, this may be a story that works for some people and doesn’t work for others. I’m on the latter half of that statement- it just didn’t work too well for me.
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 24 October 2023
3 out of 5 stars.
You know when there’s books written for certain audiences? I don’t think I was the target audience for this one. I dove too deep into a fantasy section instead of wading, and I ended up here with ‘The Soul of Chaos’. It was so different than the fantasy style I normally read (granted I’ve been more in the YA/NA area but I’ve been slowly reaching out recently like with ‘The Sun and The Void’ but I digress) and I think that was the start to why I couldn’t really click with this read.
The writing style was 50/50 for me. I loved it in some scenes like the more action ones, but other times I didn’t vibe with it. It’s not my favorite overall. I don’t think there’s a set time period it’s supposed to be in, but the setting and the speaking kind of clash to me- but that’s just a personal dislike. It may work for others, it may not.
The characters were… there for sure. I was worried that with the way Arkalis was being written, she’d turn out to be another Lou from ‘Serpent and Dove’ which luckily she began to change more. I agree with another reviewer that I disliked the way she was sexualized immediately and a little often in her chapters. I really liked her character though, and wish she wouldn’t have fallen in that typical trope for women in fantasy. Rurik was also a bit blander for me. I think his chapters were just moving a little slower and introducing a whole lot more of the world than Arkalis’s. There was a character in his little ragtag group too that I have a bone to pick with- Feral. There isnt a skin tone mentioned for her that I can remember, but she’s mentioned to have ‘elegant dreadlocks’, has more broken speech compared to the others, and is a character that like- other characters aren’t fond of being ‘manhandled’ and talked down on by. I’m not sure if this character is meant to be poc, but the dreadlocks threw me off (as a hairstyle most common in the black community and having origin ties in Africa) paired with the way she’s written- it gave me the ick. The word ‘savage’ is also used way too much for her character for my liking (as mentioned in my ‘Savage Beasts’ review, I have no voice on the usage of this word as I’m not in the community it affects, but those who deserve the platform to speak on it have stated their views already).
There’s also this torture scene that I dunno, I didn’t like it. Again, I’m not entirely used to this end of the pool though so maybe it just caught me by surprise?
I DNF’d this read at 57% in the end and leave it at 3 stars for being a very neutral read for me. I fell out of the desire to read it- just don’t know if it was because I entered a slump, because I just wasn’t used to this writing style and fantasy setting, or just didn’t like the things that happened in the story. Maybe it was a little mix of everything. I wanted to like it though! Arkalis was growing on me and I wanted the story to unravel somehow. I got a little confused with where everything was going though, what was happening and what everything is. I thought maybe it’s connected to another already-established setting and magic system that I didn’t know of, but there wasn’t really a clear and understandable path IMO. Again, though, this may be a story that works for some people and doesn’t work for others. I’m on the latter half of that statement- it just didn’t work too well for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture, Death of parent, Dementia, and Violence
Minor: Alcoholism and Alcohol
Snowglobe by Soyoung Park
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
*Thank you NetGalley for this eARC! All thoughts, opinions, and reviews are my own.*
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 1 October 2023
3.8 (rounded up to 4) out of 5 stars.
‘Snowglobe’ was enrapturing with an interesting plot and a few twists towards the end that left me wanting more. While it gets a bit info-dumpy at times, I think it’s a well enough spiel to introduce readers to this world that Soyoung Park is creating. The information didn’t feel too overwhelming and fit in mainly because we are watching the story unravel through Chobahm’s pov.
Chobahm is an interesting character. I really liked this mix of naivety yet also selfishness and desire to be more and have more than what she does. She’s one of those protagonists that knows what she wants yet slowly uncovers the reality of things and has to grapple with this change in what she thought she knew and what she couldn’t believe could happen.
I believe ‘Snowglobe’ is a series, duology to be specific. The ending alone has some closure, but I can definitely see some different paths that a second book could lead into. Split into four parts, the middle part having two sections, I think my favorite was definitely ‘You’ both sections. It where things began to unravel more and we see more into Snowglobe and what’s being harbored beneath the surface of all the glitz and glamour. I can see how ‘Us’ gets confusing for some. For me, it kind of- the pacing was weird and the events felt a little chopped together? It wasn’t exactly a rushed ending so to say, but more-so rushed events that led up to that ending. I think only a few threads were left open, which may resolve in another book.
‘Snowglobe’ was a short but good read! I can see the ties to ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Squid Games’, but I feel like it’s still some newness to it too that leaves one guessing. If this is a duology, I really can’t wait to see where Soyoung Park will take this next!
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 1 October 2023
3.8 (rounded up to 4) out of 5 stars.
‘Snowglobe’ was enrapturing with an interesting plot and a few twists towards the end that left me wanting more. While it gets a bit info-dumpy at times, I think it’s a well enough spiel to introduce readers to this world that Soyoung Park is creating. The information didn’t feel too overwhelming and fit in mainly because we are watching the story unravel through Chobahm’s pov.
Chobahm is an interesting character. I really liked this mix of naivety yet also selfishness and desire to be more and have more than what she does. She’s one of those protagonists that knows what she wants yet slowly uncovers the reality of things and has to grapple with this change in what she thought she knew and what she couldn’t believe could happen.
I believe ‘Snowglobe’ is a series, duology to be specific. The ending alone has some closure, but I can definitely see some different paths that a second book could lead into. Split into four parts, the middle part having two sections, I think my favorite was definitely ‘You’ both sections. It where things began to unravel more and we see more into Snowglobe and what’s being harbored beneath the surface of all the glitz and glamour. I can see how ‘Us’ gets confusing for some. For me, it kind of- the pacing was weird and the events felt a little chopped together? It wasn’t exactly a rushed ending so to say, but more-so rushed events that led up to that ending. I think only a few threads were left open, which may resolve in another book.
‘Snowglobe’ was a short but good read! I can see the ties to ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Squid Games’, but I feel like it’s still some newness to it too that leaves one guessing. If this is a duology, I really can’t wait to see where Soyoung Park will take this next!
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, Alcoholism, and Medical content
The Voice Upstairs by Laura E. Weymouth
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
*Thank you Laura Weymouth for the arc! All thoughts and opinions on this title are my own!*
Posted to: Goodreads and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 15 September 2023
4.6 (rounded up to 5) out of 5 stars.
Another phenomenal piece that’s *perfect* for the upcoming fall season! Laura Weymouth delivers a beautiful piece as always, featuring ghosts, haunted homes, and a darker secret sitting at its heart. ‘The Voice Upstairs’ isn’t too spooky in its horror and gory meter- it’s rather tame and good for people who want spooky season vibes without the heavy spooks! It’s more like a mystery- and I certainly couldn’t put it down once the threads began to unravel.
For this title, there are two points of view- Wilhelmina (Wil) Price, and Edison (Ed) Summerfield. I think what’s interesting about having two focuses for this book is that we see the story coming together from two very *not* put together people who each have a strong role in the overall mystery. As usual, the characters have so much life and depth into them, which is no surprise as Weymouth’s previous works always show the full scope of characters- including the ugly sides of them that make them more human and relatable. For this particular story though, there was a bit more of a working cast that was featured. There were a few names and connecting storylines that had me feeling like a detective a few times trying to piece it all together. While this is good- keeps things interesting- it kind of left a bit more wanting. I almost wish the book was a little longer so some key points could be played out more.
That has to be one of my only dislikes- this book wasn’t nearly as long as I’d personally want considering what’s being untangled! It wasn’t exactly ‘rushed’, but it was really a personal preference to see *more* from this creative scene and world that we are given! It’s almost like a game of chess where you’d *want* more time to see all those options before you, but you don’t have nearly as many seconds with it as you’d like!
While its not a magic system per se, Wil’s ability to see ghosts was such an interesting take! It’s not the usual fully conscious spirits nagging at the middleman for attention, but rather half-sentient souls who know they have a message to say but just aren’t tethered to the physical world enough to get it through. I think this interesting take on an in-between world leads back to me wanting to see more. I’ve read a few paranormal and spirit filled stories, but none that view the land of the dead like Wil experienced. It wasn’t scary, but there was a sort of eeriness in this other world that left me wanting to see more of it.
I keep saying that I was left wanting more, but ‘The Voice Upstairs’ wrapped up *perfectly* for a standalone. I didn’t find too many loose threads to pull on, no lacking in the characters- it was just another enjoyable read from Laura Weymouth that I didn’t want to see end! I’m genuinely trying so hard to be unbiased when I say this too, but I have a select few authors who are my favorites, and Laura Weymouth certainly is on that list for me. I was super lucky to snag an arc even though I already know I’ll be re-reading this when my pre-order arrives.
Posted to: Goodreads and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 15 September 2023
4.6 (rounded up to 5) out of 5 stars.
Another phenomenal piece that’s *perfect* for the upcoming fall season! Laura Weymouth delivers a beautiful piece as always, featuring ghosts, haunted homes, and a darker secret sitting at its heart. ‘The Voice Upstairs’ isn’t too spooky in its horror and gory meter- it’s rather tame and good for people who want spooky season vibes without the heavy spooks! It’s more like a mystery- and I certainly couldn’t put it down once the threads began to unravel.
For this title, there are two points of view- Wilhelmina (Wil) Price, and Edison (Ed) Summerfield. I think what’s interesting about having two focuses for this book is that we see the story coming together from two very *not* put together people who each have a strong role in the overall mystery. As usual, the characters have so much life and depth into them, which is no surprise as Weymouth’s previous works always show the full scope of characters- including the ugly sides of them that make them more human and relatable. For this particular story though, there was a bit more of a working cast that was featured. There were a few names and connecting storylines that had me feeling like a detective a few times trying to piece it all together. While this is good- keeps things interesting- it kind of left a bit more wanting. I almost wish the book was a little longer so some key points could be played out more.
That has to be one of my only dislikes- this book wasn’t nearly as long as I’d personally want considering what’s being untangled! It wasn’t exactly ‘rushed’, but it was really a personal preference to see *more* from this creative scene and world that we are given! It’s almost like a game of chess where you’d *want* more time to see all those options before you, but you don’t have nearly as many seconds with it as you’d like!
While its not a magic system per se, Wil’s ability to see ghosts was such an interesting take! It’s not the usual fully conscious spirits nagging at the middleman for attention, but rather half-sentient souls who know they have a message to say but just aren’t tethered to the physical world enough to get it through. I think this interesting take on an in-between world leads back to me wanting to see more. I’ve read a few paranormal and spirit filled stories, but none that view the land of the dead like Wil experienced. It wasn’t scary, but there was a sort of eeriness in this other world that left me wanting to see more of it.
I keep saying that I was left wanting more, but ‘The Voice Upstairs’ wrapped up *perfectly* for a standalone. I didn’t find too many loose threads to pull on, no lacking in the characters- it was just another enjoyable read from Laura Weymouth that I didn’t want to see end! I’m genuinely trying so hard to be unbiased when I say this too, but I have a select few authors who are my favorites, and Laura Weymouth certainly is on that list for me. I was super lucky to snag an arc even though I already know I’ll be re-reading this when my pre-order arrives.
Flower and Thorn by Rati Mehrotra
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
*Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honesty review!*
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 15 September 2023
3.4 (rounded down to 3) out of 5 stars.
This wasn’t a favorite read of mine. I don’t know if it just caught me in a slump or what, but I found myself not really enjoying this as much as I thought I would- and I kinda hate that! ‘Flower and Thorn’ has such an interesting idea. I love the magical flowers theme where each flower has a different property to them (healing, manipulating, etc) but I kind of wish the more vague ones were explained more? Or maybe I just missed it, but like the silver spider lily has the ability to win wars but how? We know jasmine heals and we see our main character make a tincture with it. Hibiscus controls yet the petal of the bluestar counters it- so how does the spider lily work? Or is it just something that *is* and we as readers have to just go with it?
I’m definitely asking for more here than what I normally would, but when it plays a huge part of the story, I’d like a bit more understanding behind it. Like the lotus too- beyond it being rare and ‘must never be found’, we don’t really understand much about it either (though for this one, that’s kind of the point I guess?)
The characters were… they were okay. I found Irinya to contradict herself a lot. She’d say or believe one thing, but easily do the opposite. The kickoff to everything was also just- unbelievable? I won’t ruin too much, but it does happen within the first few chapters. I just found Irinya’s decisions to be very annoying sometimes. She does grow to be a bit better, kind of learning after betrayals and all, but there’s still moments enough that made me put the book down. The other characters also fell a little flat to me. I guess I wanted to see more interactions that helped sway and make each other? Some of the characters felt like they were there just for the sake of pushing the story along, which happens! It doesn’t make them *bad* characters, just left me wanting more from them somehow.
It’s never really explained why Irinya can talk to flowers/hear them. I would’ve loved that aspect to play more into the story actually as *that* was also interesting. The dialogue tags got a bit repetitive. I specifically wrote ‘this girl wants to shout a lot- let👏🏼her👏🏼shout👏🏼’ in my review notes if that says anything. There was more tell not show when it came to the speaking side of the story. That’s where characters lacked I think, or where it just became a little repetitive to me.
All in all, it sounds like I’m thrashing this story but it’s pretty okay! I really just think it caught me in a bad slump between reads and that’s where my over-criticalness of it stemmed. I don’t really see myself re-reading this, but I’m grateful nonetheless for the opportunity to read and review it. I think it’s a fine read, and I just wish I could’ve loved it more.
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 15 September 2023
3.4 (rounded down to 3) out of 5 stars.
This wasn’t a favorite read of mine. I don’t know if it just caught me in a slump or what, but I found myself not really enjoying this as much as I thought I would- and I kinda hate that! ‘Flower and Thorn’ has such an interesting idea. I love the magical flowers theme where each flower has a different property to them (healing, manipulating, etc) but I kind of wish the more vague ones were explained more? Or maybe I just missed it, but like the silver spider lily has the ability to win wars but how? We know jasmine heals and we see our main character make a tincture with it. Hibiscus controls yet the petal of the bluestar counters it- so how does the spider lily work? Or is it just something that *is* and we as readers have to just go with it?
I’m definitely asking for more here than what I normally would, but when it plays a huge part of the story, I’d like a bit more understanding behind it. Like the lotus too- beyond it being rare and ‘must never be found’, we don’t really understand much about it either (though for this one, that’s kind of the point I guess?)
The characters were… they were okay. I found Irinya to contradict herself a lot. She’d say or believe one thing, but easily do the opposite. The kickoff to everything was also just- unbelievable? I won’t ruin too much, but it does happen within the first few chapters. I just found Irinya’s decisions to be very annoying sometimes. She does grow to be a bit better, kind of learning after betrayals and all, but there’s still moments enough that made me put the book down. The other characters also fell a little flat to me. I guess I wanted to see more interactions that helped sway and make each other? Some of the characters felt like they were there just for the sake of pushing the story along, which happens! It doesn’t make them *bad* characters, just left me wanting more from them somehow.
It’s never really explained why Irinya can talk to flowers/hear them. I would’ve loved that aspect to play more into the story actually as *that* was also interesting. The dialogue tags got a bit repetitive. I specifically wrote ‘this girl wants to shout a lot- let👏🏼her👏🏼shout👏🏼’ in my review notes if that says anything. There was more tell not show when it came to the speaking side of the story. That’s where characters lacked I think, or where it just became a little repetitive to me.
All in all, it sounds like I’m thrashing this story but it’s pretty okay! I really just think it caught me in a bad slump between reads and that’s where my over-criticalness of it stemmed. I don’t really see myself re-reading this, but I’m grateful nonetheless for the opportunity to read and review it. I think it’s a fine read, and I just wish I could’ve loved it more.
Flowerheart by Catherine Bakewell
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Posted to: Goodreads and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 7 September 2023
3.8 (rounded up to 4) out of 5 stars.
This was such a cute read! Catherine Bakewell described this as being the ‘book of her heart’ in the FaeCrate letter and honestly- it was such a loving novel with kind words tucked between each page. This book has a lot of low reviews for the reason of it being compared to ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ a lot. I have the bad habit of holding books to other book expectations as well, but I’ve been trying to get better at not doing that. So taking Howl’s off the mind while reading this, you get a little comfort story about a girl just trying to heal and find kindness in a world that hasn’t exactly been very kind to her.
The magic system is very simple and basic. There’s no need to understand how the ins and the outs of it work to a T. It just *is* the way things here are working- every witch having a different specialty, how the Council is the commanding order here. There were a few loosely tied connections and pieces of the story that didn’t fit quite seamlessly in as it could have been done though.
Character wise, it was okay too. If you see yourself in the always anxious, always nervous Clara, then the characters will easily find a home in your heart. If you aren’t as insecure or shy, then it may be a bit harder to find that connection because Clara’s story is based on this insecurity of her magic and herself. Her story is built on the solid support and love from her father, and how she’s desperate to fix it after accidentally placing a curse upon him. This story also features a plus-size main character, a hispanic character, and just the bundle of depression and anxiety that even the kindest of hearts can hold. This book was certainly a love-letter into healing oneself and finding oneself done in a way that could be reminiscent to Ghibli movies with its style and prose. But again, if you can’t really relate/see this and feel this, it’s a lot harder to enjoy the book.
The writing style wasn’t my favorite, but it was nice! It read a bit simpler, but I also wouldn’t entirely knock it down to middle grade/younger YA level just because of it. Again, this is a nice and easy read because it’s not so fleshed out and detailed, it makes it almost a comfort novel when you need a pick-me-up.
All in all, I can see how others weren’t entirely happy with ‘Flowerheart’. I think there was too much a standard held up to it to be just like Howl’s Moving Castle- or other Ghibli movies/inspired books in general that when it fell a little short, people were too critical against it. Catherine Bakewell delivers a beautiful novel about simply quelling that angry little voice in your head that likes to tell you doubts over and over. It’s a beautiful novel about friendship, parental love, and just feeling comfortable in one’s own skin! I totally accidentally skipped over the content warnings for this book though, but that was entirely a self-fault. The book in its entirety beyond that little scene that threw me off was like finding acceptance and self- it’s not too often that plus-sized main characters are featured in fantasy novels so it was certainly a taste of home that made me love this book all the more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror and Medical content
The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Posted to: Goodreads and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 1 September 2023
4.4 (rounded down to 4) out of 5 stars.
Wow.
Just- wow
‘The Sun and the Void’ was entirely a book that I didn’t know I needed. Gabriela Romero Lacruz says that this was a book born from the desire to see her culture represented in a high fantasy setting- and this was a book that easily found a home in this Laitna’s heart too. From delectable descriptions of food to a world inspired by various locations of South America, ‘The Sun and the Void’ is a fantasy adult novel that transports you to another world.
Right off the bat- I LOVE stores with different points of views. We only see Reina and Eva, our main characters of the book. Reina is a half-nozariel being who has lost everything she has save for her final teether to a family- her grandmother and notorious sorceress Doña Ursulina. After an accident occurs with some tinniebals on the way to the Águilia manor, Reina is stuck relying on the magic of her grandmother to live. Eva is a quarter valco and a smudge to her family name because of it. She longs for freedom though, to not always be told what to do and what expectations to meet.
These two are our driving narratives for the story. I’ve seen a few other reviews call them naive a lot of times- and yes, honestly they were. There were times where I had to put the book down because something happened that annoyed or irritated me all because they didn’t think everything out through. But that’s the thing- that naiveness is part of the character and backs up the whole idea of those molds they are trying to break. It adds a layer to the change that very much happens throughout the book and that, I hope, will lead into the second book.
There was such a nice level of layering to all the characters though. Gabriela Romero Lacruz does well in unraveling these dynamics for the readers. She did not shy away from showing the full scope of emotions and aches, something that I genuinely love to see in books. I love when characters are dismantled and you can vividly see their growth and change (although one character is still on thin ice, iykyk)
What I also enjoyed about ‘The Sun and the Void’ was how the information was handled and the good magic system. If you’ve been following my reviews for a while, it’s pretty clear that I LOVE a good magic system and this book certainly has one that I vastly enjoyed! While explaining it all though, there wasn’t really a sense of information dumping? There was a mix of both show *and* tell that made the story flow nicely while unveiling how everything worked.
It is a bit on the slower paced side though. There is a little mix of higher action scenes, but there is more lore-building and character building done than constant action. I, personally, didn’t mind that all too much, but it really isn’t a read for everybody. I hope that there will be more in the second book though (especially with that ending I mean- wow) and more interactions with two characters specifically who grew to be more highlighted characters by the end of it. Honestly though, I really enjoyed this read! I didn’t know how much I needed to see bits of a culture similar to my own represented in this amazingly done fantasy series. I *cannot wait* to see what’s to come for these characters that I’ve come around to love!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Blood, Death, and Slavery
Minor: Incest and Sexual content
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-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
Posted to: Goodreads and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 20 August 2023
4.4 (rounded down to 4) out of 5 stars.
Stories always begin the same way: There was and there was not.
Do you ever *finally* get around to that book that’s been on your TBR for a while and when you finish that last sentence, sit there and ask yourself “man, why did I wait so long to read this?”
‘Girl, Serpent, Thorn’ is that book for me.
Melissa Bashardoust weaves together a tale for those who feel all too ‘poisonous, monstrous, or bristling with thorns’ using a mix of different elements from different fairytales- and I hate how long it took for me to come around to reading this. I fell so in love with the story of the poisonous princess who was the monster in her own fairytale- and we all know that the monsters don’t get the happy endings.
Or do they?
Soraya is the cursed princess who hides herself away within the walls of her own castle while her family goes on existing beyond the cold walls of their home. All because the blood of a div runs in her veins, making her touch deadly, the princess tucks herself out of sight and becomes the ghost of the kingdom where only rumors circulate around her and why she hides away.
I really think the idea of this story was *so* interesting. There was so much promise to it and the writing was exceptionally beautiful. I mean, I absolutely loved the details and the way characters are written out. All too often, I found myself in the bristling thorns of Soraya and related a bit too much to the push and pull she felt while debating whether she wanted to be the Soraya her family knew, or wanted to lean into her own desires and finally be free.
Despite its beautiful language, the descriptions and the world-building, I do think that ‘Girl, Serpent, Thorn’ lacked a bit in the overall story itself. Many others have said that the overall idea fell short, and I can really see that too. Some parts of Soraya’s journey were mapped out well, and others were left kind of wanting (especially with Parvaneh I’d say). At the same time though, this personally didn’t take too much away from my own reading experience. I still fell wholeheartedly in love with the girl who saw herself a monstrous princess and learned that she could be both and find wholeness within that.
Posted on: 20 August 2023
4.4 (rounded down to 4) out of 5 stars.
Stories always begin the same way: There was and there was not.
Do you ever *finally* get around to that book that’s been on your TBR for a while and when you finish that last sentence, sit there and ask yourself “man, why did I wait so long to read this?”
‘Girl, Serpent, Thorn’ is that book for me.
Melissa Bashardoust weaves together a tale for those who feel all too ‘poisonous, monstrous, or bristling with thorns’ using a mix of different elements from different fairytales- and I hate how long it took for me to come around to reading this. I fell so in love with the story of the poisonous princess who was the monster in her own fairytale- and we all know that the monsters don’t get the happy endings.
Or do they?
Soraya is the cursed princess who hides herself away within the walls of her own castle while her family goes on existing beyond the cold walls of their home. All because the blood of a div runs in her veins, making her touch deadly, the princess tucks herself out of sight and becomes the ghost of the kingdom where only rumors circulate around her and why she hides away.
I really think the idea of this story was *so* interesting. There was so much promise to it and the writing was exceptionally beautiful. I mean, I absolutely loved the details and the way characters are written out. All too often, I found myself in the bristling thorns of Soraya and related a bit too much to the push and pull she felt while debating whether she wanted to be the Soraya her family knew, or wanted to lean into her own desires and finally be free.
Despite its beautiful language, the descriptions and the world-building, I do think that ‘Girl, Serpent, Thorn’ lacked a bit in the overall story itself. Many others have said that the overall idea fell short, and I can really see that too. Some parts of Soraya’s journey were mapped out well, and others were left kind of wanting (especially with Parvaneh I’d say). At the same time though, this personally didn’t take too much away from my own reading experience. I still fell wholeheartedly in love with the girl who saw herself a monstrous princess and learned that she could be both and find wholeness within that.
Atana and the Firebird by Vivian Zhou
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
*Thank you Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!*
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 10 August 2023
4.1 (rounded down to 4) out of 5 stars.
‘Atana and the Firebird’ was such a lovely story with a cute art style to illustrate its tale. This is aimed for a younger audience (definitely more middle grade, maybe even young adult range) yet I still found so much to love about this easy read!
When I first requested this book, I didn’t know that it was set to be a duology, so as I neared the end, I was getting worried that it would be a rushed finish to the story- then I saw it was expecting a second installment. Thankfully, there is no rushed wrap-up to this tale, giving readers enough time with this main trio that you kind of grow to love while reading!
The characters started to go through bits of growth in this first part of the story, showing naiveness in a world that they didn’t fully understand nor explore yet until they meet with the mysterious Witch Queen. Here, Cosmos comes in- another friend for the, now, trio and a helpful ally as the truth of what they sought starts to unravel.
I wish this story would have been longer! I absolutely adored the main cast we have and the little twists and turns in this first half. With the expectation of more to come though, Vivian Zhou will *definitely* have me awaiting for the next part of this to release. This was such a cute read that I honestly think many readers can come to enjoy. It’s certainly not a standalone that I see other reviewers made the mistake of believing as well, but it was such a nice paced read that the length and the cliffhanger of it wasn’t terrible! Besides waiting for the next book to see where our characters will go from here, I think this is the perfect read for those seeking something fun and easy with a nice story to its art and great characters to follow along with!
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 10 August 2023
4.1 (rounded down to 4) out of 5 stars.
‘Atana and the Firebird’ was such a lovely story with a cute art style to illustrate its tale. This is aimed for a younger audience (definitely more middle grade, maybe even young adult range) yet I still found so much to love about this easy read!
When I first requested this book, I didn’t know that it was set to be a duology, so as I neared the end, I was getting worried that it would be a rushed finish to the story- then I saw it was expecting a second installment. Thankfully, there is no rushed wrap-up to this tale, giving readers enough time with this main trio that you kind of grow to love while reading!
The characters started to go through bits of growth in this first part of the story, showing naiveness in a world that they didn’t fully understand nor explore yet until they meet with the mysterious Witch Queen. Here, Cosmos comes in- another friend for the, now, trio and a helpful ally as the truth of what they sought starts to unravel.
I wish this story would have been longer! I absolutely adored the main cast we have and the little twists and turns in this first half. With the expectation of more to come though, Vivian Zhou will *definitely* have me awaiting for the next part of this to release. This was such a cute read that I honestly think many readers can come to enjoy. It’s certainly not a standalone that I see other reviewers made the mistake of believing as well, but it was such a nice paced read that the length and the cliffhanger of it wasn’t terrible! Besides waiting for the next book to see where our characters will go from here, I think this is the perfect read for those seeking something fun and easy with a nice story to its art and great characters to follow along with!
Sea of Souls by N.C. Scrimgeour
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
*Thank you BookSirens! I received this ARC for free and am voluntarily leaving an honest review!*
Posted to: BookSirens, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 7 August 2023
4.2 (rounded down to 4) out of 5 stars.
This is my first read from N.C Scrimgeour, but the summary seemed interesting and by the end of it, I was *hooked*. I saw the title on BookSirens and figured I’d try it as I liked the maritime theme in ‘The Isles of the Gods’ so I figured I’d try another sea-based setting.
This did not disappoint.
Scrimgeour has amazing detail and scene setting. It was a little slow for me at the beginning and I struggled find the rhythm of it, but once I found my footing, I couldn’t put this one down (roughly started around the midway point). I think I really enjoyed the magic system here too, along with the lore mingled in.
There’s a nice little romance that’s pretty obvious to pinpoint out from the beginning, but I personally didn’t like it all too well. Spoilers here until the end of this paragraph!!! Darce guarded the royal family (and I think he is roughly around 6 years older than Isla if I understood the mention of it well). That’s not weird, it’s kind of my favorite trope when it’s done right (legal age gaps, ya know?), but there wasn’t much a build-up for the chemistry there. They go from Isla being the ‘wolf cub’ who was an annoyance to keep in line and Darce being this overbearing guard to suddenly they’re catching each other’s gazes and being over-protective in a different sense than before. I *did* like the implied dynamic though, don’t get me wrong, just think the flow of it could’ve been a bit smoother or painted out more.
There were a few times where some relationships were kind of fleshed out more and other times, the bonds kind of implied to have grown from what they endured together. It wasn’t too rough, but the little jumps were there. There was also this secret to why Isla hated/felt uncomfortable with other nobles that was always mentioned, but avoided every time. We kind of find out why she dislikes one character eventually, but it doesn’t really make up for much of the disappointment and hate she’s bringing up a lot before (or maybe it did, but it happened during the slower bits where I was still finding my footing within the story’s pace and writing). I also wish we’d know more about the Sea Kith, as the ones we do get to see are so interesting that I was left wanting to know more about the relationship they end up having with our main group.
Overall, though, I think I will be excitedly awaiting the second book to this! There was a twist towards the end that I didn’t entirely guess, but it left me wanting more. There was enough resolved, yet enough left behind to still unravel, and I think it’s safe to say I’m a fan of whatever else is yet to come from this selkie story!
Posted to: BookSirens, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 7 August 2023
4.2 (rounded down to 4) out of 5 stars.
This is my first read from N.C Scrimgeour, but the summary seemed interesting and by the end of it, I was *hooked*. I saw the title on BookSirens and figured I’d try it as I liked the maritime theme in ‘The Isles of the Gods’ so I figured I’d try another sea-based setting.
This did not disappoint.
Scrimgeour has amazing detail and scene setting. It was a little slow for me at the beginning and I struggled find the rhythm of it, but once I found my footing, I couldn’t put this one down (roughly started around the midway point). I think I really enjoyed the magic system here too, along with the lore mingled in.
There’s a nice little romance that’s pretty obvious to pinpoint out from the beginning, but I personally didn’t like it all too well. Spoilers here until the end of this paragraph!!! Darce guarded the royal family (and I think he is roughly around 6 years older than Isla if I understood the mention of it well). That’s not weird, it’s kind of my favorite trope when it’s done right (legal age gaps, ya know?), but there wasn’t much a build-up for the chemistry there. They go from Isla being the ‘wolf cub’ who was an annoyance to keep in line and Darce being this overbearing guard to suddenly they’re catching each other’s gazes and being over-protective in a different sense than before. I *did* like the implied dynamic though, don’t get me wrong, just think the flow of it could’ve been a bit smoother or painted out more.
There were a few times where some relationships were kind of fleshed out more and other times, the bonds kind of implied to have grown from what they endured together. It wasn’t too rough, but the little jumps were there. There was also this secret to why Isla hated/felt uncomfortable with other nobles that was always mentioned, but avoided every time. We kind of find out why she dislikes one character eventually, but it doesn’t really make up for much of the disappointment and hate she’s bringing up a lot before (or maybe it did, but it happened during the slower bits where I was still finding my footing within the story’s pace and writing). I also wish we’d know more about the Sea Kith, as the ones we do get to see are so interesting that I was left wanting to know more about the relationship they end up having with our main group.
Overall, though, I think I will be excitedly awaiting the second book to this! There was a twist towards the end that I didn’t entirely guess, but it left me wanting more. There was enough resolved, yet enough left behind to still unravel, and I think it’s safe to say I’m a fan of whatever else is yet to come from this selkie story!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent