solitaryfairy's reviews
179 reviews

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

adventurous fast-paced

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

2.0

The book itself isn't bad, I liked the writing and the plot was interesting as well. What I didn't like was the world building. And I think that's mostly personal preference but what I love about dystopias is the credibility of the world. Which this one didn't really have. Suggestion that humanity knows everything there is to know is ridiculous and so is the idea that there is no way for people to die except being gleaned and for some reason fire. I felt like the world building was weak and the author just had random ideas and used them without making sure that they make sense.
The characters also weren't diverse at all. There was not a single mention of queerness, no disabled characters and I feel like the whole "you can't tell people's ethnicity by their features anymore" was just used to not have to make characters with different ethnicity because, again, it just seems unrealistic.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Murder

Wayward by Hannah Mathewson

adventurous medium-paced

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

4.0

Blood Countess by Lana Popović

dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Torture

Moderate: Sexism, Medical content, Murder, Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Vomit

Witherward by Hannah Mathewson

adventurous mysterious 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

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism

Moderate: Violence, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicide, Torture, Blood, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Classism

Book of Night by Holly Black

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.5

This book was probably my favourite out of the series. It brought a lot of interesting turns and in my opinion steered a bit away from the "typical" hero story which was refreshing. I also loved the ending!

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.5

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.5

I loved this series, especially the writing and the way the emotions were brought across. There are a lot of tropes common tropes and I think if you like the "typical" hero story this book is for you. I usually prefer something more unusual but I still think that this series is exiting and also brings a few interesting elements to the table.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.

I didn't really like the way the reader was thrust into the story because it felt like the plot has been going on and you just missed it rather than being used to make the story more interesting or have action early on. Kind of as if you were to start reading in the middle of a series.
The writing style just wasn't for me and I found the main character kind of annoying which is really exhausting to read.